Blood, Fire and Steel

Chapter 1

The titanium doors automatically flew open as the sensors detected my presence. I swept into the room, my wolf-skin coat flying behind me. The advisors scrambled to their feet and bowed. I took no heed of them as I took my elevated crystal throne at the far end of the long table.

"Sit down," I ordered everyone, "what's the first item on my agenda today?"

"Ten days ago, the prisons in the city Nauwick in the Araxes were shut down by the convicts inside. The city is currently being overrun by the same criminals. There aren't enough police personnel to restore order," informed my senior advisor Megan.

"That's not a big issue. We'll just send them a few thousand soldiers."

"I-I'm afraid that's not possible, Your Royal Highness."

I bristled, glaring at Megan with my deathly gaze.

"What did you say?"

"The mayor of Nauwick, Hector Byrne, has declared a state of emergency and closed the borders of the city to keep the criminals in. He said that if you don't talk to him in person in the next three days, he'll open the borders and let the criminals leave. And we all know what is in Araxes that we have to protect."

"The bastard!" I cursed, resting my head on my right hand.

"You have to go, Your Royal Highness. If you don't, the criminals will overrun Veria-"

"Yes, yes, I know how valuable Veria is. When is the earliest I can go?"

"Tomorrow, Your Royal Highness."

"I will go to Nauwick then. Put that on my schedule."

"Yes, Your Royal Highness."

"Anyone else have anything to add?"

Stanley, my PR manager, stood up. I rolled my eyes. I asked for everyone else's opinions but his.

"Since Your Royal Highness is going to be visiting another anyway, you might as well meet them in person and give a speech," he suggested.

"No," I replied succinctly.

"But it's good for the optics, Your Royal Highness."

"I've been telling you for the past 20 years that I don't care about how people look at me. They only need to obey. Your job is to deal with the people out there," I pointed a finger towards the door, "you don't have to deal with anything in here. How difficult is it to understand?"

"If you don't care about your citizens, they won't care about you either."

I shrugged.

"I don't need them to care. I only need them to work to keep this country going."

Stanley sighed, taking his seat. He must feel frustrated, being ignored all the time. I didn't feel any sympathy for him. If he truly understood his job description, then he wouldn't be trying and failing to overreach.

"What's next?" I asked the room.

General Rufus Beckett stood up, his back straight, his dark brown eyes stern.

"The situation with the rebels has worsened," he began.

I sat up attentively. Finally, something important.

"They have taken over the army base near the city of Ilion. I suggest that we bomb the base and kill all the rebels in it. They won't detect us coming if we get in and out fast enough."

I shook my head.

"No," I replied, "we will send our people in to neutralise the rebels so we can reclaim the base."