Tara & Tal - A sword age

2. Chapter - Nothing to worry about

As the meeting continued, the girl cleared her throat. "Like I've already explained to most of you, today in the early hours I've dispatched a letter with the contents of a war declaration."

"So, you actually declared a war," the boy said. "I mean, I am not surprised, but ... who are we even fighting against?"

"The country of Aristice. I don't have to bring out a map, do I?"

The faces of the men turned pale again, just the boy's didn't. "You sent a war declaration to our own liege?," he said matter-of-factly.

"Don't say you want us to stay a mere vassal forever. This will be our next step to world domination."

The man next to the boy turned to him whispering, "Lord Tal, couldn't you, like, I don't know, talk her out of this?"

"Hmm." He scratched his chin for a moment before answering. "Do you think I could?"

"Okay, forget it, we're doomed."

The men in this round were regarded as experienced warriors, but they could only stare in shock at what the little girl in front of them purposed; perhaps they would've taken her for a mere joke, but the circumstances begged to differ.

Finally, one of them had enough and stood up. He was sweating and red-faced, but his fellows could only marvel at his courage, or perhaps naivety? Whatever it was, there was no turning back for him now.

"We're not even a real country," the man exclaimed, "so what do you think you're doing? Are you craz—" he bit his tongue, as she stared at him with narrowed eyes. "I—I am sorry, my lady, but our military capabilities are by far not enough to subjugate an entire country. We are merely a county. You can practically count your soldiers on two hands. Do you want to kill these men?"

"Well, as you see, I don't care, what happens to weaklings. If they can't fight and win, they don't deserve to live, it's that simple!" She slapped the table, like some kid on a temper-tantrum.

The men watched on with horrified expressions on their faces, just Tal didn't flinch. He yawned.  "No, I doubt she will back down this time."

"Could you at least try ... something, my lord?"

Tal sighed and stood up. "Dear Tara, could you maybe overthink your decision?"

"Why?"

He sat back down and crossed his arms. "I tried."

"That wasn't helpful at all!"

"You have to do something, Lord!" another cried.

"What are you people talking about?" Tara looked around at their faces, and slowly the fire in her eyes extinguished. She seemed genuinely confused. "Wait, why do all of you look at me, like I've lost it? Come on, guys, it'll be fun. Are really all of you that down?"

"And are you really that depraved?"

"H-Hey, what's that supposed to mean?!"

Like a lightened ember, the courage of the first men embarked a fire in the rest of them. If there was a chance to life, then that would be the way, not the suicide mission she was trying to get them on.

"It's been what? Two months, since both of you came out of nowhere and threw the old count out of a window? You two may be some pretty powerful sorcerers, but ..."

"S-Sorcerers?" Tara's eye twitched. "Whoever told you that is a big liar, and no one likes that!"
Everyone in the room blinked a few times, except—you've guessed it—Tal.

After a while of Silence, one of the men opened his mouth to speak, "then, excuse me to ask, Lady Tara, but what exactly are you then, a fey perhaps, or some kind of imp...?"