Blood, Fire and Steel

Chapter 5

Thankfully, the journey back to the palace was very uneventful. Everyone in the pod was just numb, not willing or knowing how to understand what just happened. Everyone except for me. I had recovered from my shock a while ago. Now I was just angry and determined to find whoever was responsible. No one gets to launch missiles at me and kill my people without answering for it.

We were greeted with a hero's welcome when we got back to the palace. Many people crowded around the docking bay to catch a glimpse of us, hardly able to believe that we survived. The noise made by the clamouring spectators was almost as loud as the explosions I heard aboard the plane, although the buzz of conversation was so much more comforting. The overlapping chatter only stopped when an authoritative figure cut through the crowd, making a beeline for the pod. I squinted to see better through the crowd, and saw that the figure was Rufus Beckett, my General and my son.

"It's a relief to see you alive and well, Mother," he said quietly as he approached us, "I was worried that I may have to take over the country at a time of war."

Rufus William Beckett was conceived in a test tube and born in an artificial way that didn't require a mother to physically give birth to him. He was here to take over the country in case I ever died. He was very close to becoming the ruler of Lupia today.

Despite the gravity of the situation, only a barely-visible crack of emotion broke through his emotionless mask. I trained him to not let his feelings get in the way of good judgement, and I had trained him well. If I died during his lifespan, Lupia would still have the impartial leader it needed.

"If I die during this war, you need to be able to carry on for me? Is that understood?" I replied sharply.

"Yes mother," he whispered. Then, louder, to everyone else in the pod, "Your Royal Highness and your advisors are needed in the situation room."

"Understood, General. Lead the way," I ordered.

"Yes ma'am."

On my way there, people stopped to congratulate me on making it out alive and expressed their relief at my survival. I nodded, but didn't stop to chat. I had no time for trivial greetings right now. The fate of the country was on my shoulders.

In the situation room, a live feed of a speech from Magnus was displayed on the huge screen at the end of the room.

"What am I looking at here?" I asked.

"Approximately 15 minutes ago, Prince Magnus started broadcasting this on every channel on Leonian television," General Beckett informed me.

"What did he say? I don't have time to watch all of it right now."

"Your Royal Highness," General Beckett began.

His tone was a little nervous, which sent off all the alarm bells in my head. Rufus was hardly ever nervous with me. He knew that, despite the power distance we had, he could always trust me. This must be something really serious.

"I think it'd be best if you watch this from the start for yourself."

"Good afternoon, citizens of Leonia. Today at approximately 3:11am Edoross time, four Leonian fighter jets flew into Lupian territory and attacked Princess Minerva's royal plane. This was not the action of a few Leonian pilots gone rogue, because they were ordered to do so. I ordered them to do so. Approximately ten minutes ago, they destroyed the royal aircraft, and Minerva was believed to be killed along with it," the bastard paused for dramatic effect. I could almost see the invisible smirk on his face, "time has come for Minerva's rule to come to an end. She has become too soft and weak for the good of Lupia and the rest of the world. She has allowed situations that should've been easy to handle get out of control in her country. Take the rebel situation, for example. Leonia hasn't seen a large rebel organisation since we burnt down the last one 181 years ago. Since then, they have been few and far in between, and they have wielded little power. However, in Lupia, Minerva has failed to eradicate rebels and allowed them to get out of hand. They've managed to take army bases, blow up important places and cause a huge stir in the country. She's even had to spend 500 million violo on a weapon that will maybe get rid of them."