Merely hours after the last bullet had been fired, words of the attack had travelled from the trenches of the west to the Republic of Snoanglia in the east, through the submarine communication cables to the kingdoms of the former Yotaiian Empire, and through there to the two superpowers of Erthair Proper. For each state it passed, the information travelling was enriched with the official reaction of the governments that were notified.
The sum of those reactions ultimately ended up in what was once the proud capital of the Federative Empire of the Continent. Divided in two by a stone wall, black-clad shotgun-armed border guards and separated by the river that once served as a symbol of unity, the former Imperial centre was now served as a dual capital for both the eastern remnants of the old Empire, as well as the western Continental Federal Republic; both of which claimed the right to unite the disparate lands of Nixorb.
"Snoanglia, Isoest and Berjen express their support for Sneireich," Federal Consul Marcux Rightsling explained to his cabinet – the Federal Council. "Am I wrong to assume that the intent of the Council is likewise?"
Only the two members of the Freedom Party tiredly raised their hands, knowing the debate was over before it started.
"I deem that I was correct," Rightsling said before reading out loud from his papers. "In response to the recent event at the Sneireicher-Waestezian border, the Federal Council deems that the Waestezian Confederacy has failed to uphold the Truce of 1949. The CFR recognises the right of Sneireich to appropriate retaliation, and if the Council deems it necessary, fiscal and military support may be granted to the Sneireicher effort..."
"That's it!" the younger of the Freedom Party members shouted as he stood up from his chair. "What made his Excellency think that he has the right to play the Council as a group of fools like this?"
"Would Councillor Lictum kindly sit down and not interrupt, please?" Rightsling said glaring.
"This is behaviour that we do not deem appropriate, Consul," Councillor Olfalli of the Confederalist faction joined in. "We wish to express our support for the Sneireicher government, but we are not sanctioning an intervention."
"Nor is the statement," Councillor Caelstone pointed out. "It simply leaves the option open for the council."
"It leaves the option for his Excellency to exploit any weakening in the opposition to waste lives and resources for nought but a public stunt!" Councillor Lictum shouted from the top of his lounges.
"The option is there whether we write it or not, thou youth wing opportunist," Councillor Pokén spat.
"Ye Republicans better watch your Anti-Federalist-kissing mouths!"
"Manners, young man!" one of the actual Anti-Federalists demanded.
"Cease this at once!" Rightsling's voice echoed through the room as he shouted into the microphone. "This is nought but bickering, and ye should be ashamed to even call yourselves councillors. If we are to resolve this issue today, we must stick to protocol and not shout like some Waestezian barbarians." After finishing reading up his prepared statement, Rightsling said:
"I believe most opinions were stated earlier, is there anything else that anyone wish to bring up before we vote on the matter?"
Both the Freedom Party and the Confederalists remained silent, giving Rightsling bitter looks, but no raised hands. In the entire room, only one hand could be barely seen: one tiny hand in the back of the Republican line.
"Then we will move on to..."
"Your Excellency!" the voice of a young woman cried. Rightsling sighed, disappointed that the Republican youth wing leader would not let the matter pass.
"Yes, Councillor Aestercomt, what is it?"
The person in the back rose from her seat. Her towering posture compensated only by her otherwise petite figure and nervous stance. Trying not to meet the looks of her annoyed party members, she opened her mouth:
"Your Excellency, I would like to raise a concern regarding the wording in the statement. Instead of immediately supporting retaliation, it would be preferable to express a desire for a peaceful resolution."
"The Councillor's concern has been noted," Rightsling said, while reluctantly adding the reservation to the protocol. "Now, moving on to the vote..."
"Wait!" Aestercomt exclaimed. "I urge the Council to adjust the announcement!"
"Does the Councillor have a proposition for rewording?" Rightsling asked.
She looked towards the diplomatic advisor of the party, but he merely looked into the wall while resting his chin on his hand. Left with no other option, Aestercomt panicky started writing a very vaguely worded proposition on the back of a newspaper. Rightsling sighed as he took it and read it out loud.
When the vote finally was done, the results was an unsurprising 12 votes for Rightsling's announcement, 11 votes against it, and a single vote on Aestercomt's sketch. Routinely noting down the reservations of the opposition, Rightsling sighed a relief, seeing it as if he had once again prevented a government crisis. Meanwhile the Imperial response did not let itself wait, as the Emperor immediately expressed regret over the incident, but at the same time assured that civilised sovereign state as Sneireich should be able to handle their own matters.
"That is one diplomatic way to mock someone," von Weillord thought out loud as he prepared to relay the Emperor's message to parliament. "I guess that is what this profession is all about."
YOU ARE READING
Cold March (Rework in progress)
RandomI suppose this could be classified as military fiction. I have been working on this novel since I was 14 (so, for 5 years), but I decided to rewrite the story altogether. More will come.
