The Decorum of Warfare - Zarry - GIOD Sequel

six.

April 1494 - Bordeaux, French England

Planning a battle is never easy. Especially since you want to end a war with it. Now it isn't only about the troops, about the strategy like it was when they knew there were more days of fighting and blood and death ahead of them. This time, they're determined to end everything. Peace treaties need to be drawn up, compromises considered. Pierre isn't a weak King, at least not on paper. He's lost allies but he still has resources and political power. They know they can't kill him and take over all of France. It would so quickly turn the whole of Europe against them. No one likes a neighbour too powerful. Everyone around would think they want to swallow Europe whole and have everything be England. But they're not foolish, they know this would never work. Even the great Roman Empire fell apart after it got too big. Greediness is nothing but a quick way to destruction.

In the past three weeks since the children had been abducted, Zayn and Harry held what feels like a million meetings about their plans and strategy and regrettably, they haven't gotten far enough. They can't keep feeding the monster that is the war. They need to end it. Last time they ended a war it was quite easy, all they had to do was get married and squabble with Melisende for a while. Ending a war with France is a worlds away, that's how different it is.

They're seated in the small council chamber with Philippa and Cassian, waiting for yet another meeting. Since their kidnapping, they've been wary about who they trust their children with. They're always guarded and with someone they can trust, if their parents are busy. Of course, poor Claudia didn't have anything to do with the kidnapping, she even lost her own life because of it but trying to find a new nurse maid in this situation is risky. They can never know if Mathieu isn't trying to get a spy on the inside of the castle. So Zayn and Harry's solution has been taking care of their children themselves, with the help of some people they can trust. A good chuck of it was difficult. Such simple things they never had to bother with such as bathing them, feeding them or even dressing them. Philippa and Cassian are still little and quite fussy and at times, both Zayn and Harry have lost patience with them and called for the nurse maids of some other children residing at the castle to help them out. They love their children with all their hearts but they're Kings for God's sake. They don't have the hours of the day to spend trying to dress their children into uncomfortable clothes. Or to get them to eat peas.

"Did you like the ponies?" Harry asks Cassian, who's sitting in his lap and playing with wooden figurines of horses on the table. They're meant to stand for the cavalry on the map while they plan their strategy but they can be multipurpose. "Which one was your favourite?"

"I like Cidre," Cassian says. "He is all black and makes funny noises."

"He does, doesn't he?" Harry smiles down at him. "We can go ride them again today, after the meeting, love."

"Papa?"

Zayn's pulled back from watching Harry and Cassian at the head of the table by Philippa's voice. He got stuck today with the more boring task of helping Philippa with her studies. It does get dull sometimes but Harry and Cassian proved to be quite pleasant entertainment.

"Yes, honey?" Zayn turns to her. Philippa is slightly pouting over her parchment and books.

"I don't understand these numbers," she says, pushing the parchment towards Zayn. "Why should I count one here when it's not there?"

Zayn sees what they have her studying and he feels mildly disgusted. He hated maths when he was still studying himself. However, this is a bit too much for Philippa. She's far too young to this kind of mathemathics. But Harry insists on all these teachers for her and she is going to be the Queen one day, hopefully not anytime soon. At least she's not in an abbey somewhere studying with monks like her Fathers were.