Annexation

02

I've never seen my father's study messy, yet there are papers sprawled everywhere when I walk in today. I gently push some papers away with my foot and walk in, finding Edwin sitting on the carpet with a sheaf of papers in his hand. He looks exhausted, and I know he must not have gotten more than a few hours of sleep.

"Good morning, princess," he greets with a small tilt of his head.

"Good morning, Edwin," I smile, kneeling down, "What's going on?"

He sighs, rifling through the folder with a pursed lip. "His Highness is holding onto the hope that there is a treaty somewhere, something that can help us out of this mess. Perhaps a pact or even an armistice."

I nod, carefully contemplating the idea. Our countries have been around for centuries with plenty of meetings, summits, and wars before. While I don't remember anything specific from my studies, that doesn't mean there isn't anything.

My father strides into the room, running a tired hand down his shirt to smooth out the wrinkles. He looks surprised that I'm awake at seven in the morning. "Liselle. You're up early."

I shrug and lift a shoulder as I pull a box of papers coated with dust towards me. "I couldn't really sleep. Besides, I can help you guys."

He nods and sits at his desk. "Wellesley is smart. They won't attack if they know that there will be consequences." Waving a hand at the papers, he pinches the bridge of his nose with his other. "This is most likely futile, but we must exhaust every option." His proud back is already bent with the stress of looming war, and I twist my lips.

I already hated Corian after what he did to me, but if he hurt my father in any shape or form, I would never rest again until I had revenge.

I pull out an entire stack stapled together, sneezing at the dust I wipe off. "Wellesley used to be smart," I counter, "Now all they have is a grief-stricken prince. I doubt they know there may be a loophole in a treaty somewhere favoring us, and even if they do, the prince might not care."

I'm careful in choosing my words, never naming Corian by his name. However, I must have sounded bitter, because my father and Edwin share a look. I pretend not to notice and read the document in my hand: the First Euro-Asian War. No wonder it took an entire box to contain papers for this war, especially with the sheer number of countries involved and the devastation that followed. Many have called it World War III.

"You're right, princess. Prince Corian is possibly unstable and reckless. We must be prepared for anything," Edwin says grimly. He continues to talk with my father about other possibilities, but I zone out, focusing on the folio in my hand.

Celiryn is small, but we're part of the East Asian Coalition, which Wellesley isn't in. I pull my phone out of my pocket to search up specific agreements and see a notification from my boyfriend.

Ashton: Good morning, darling.

It brings an instant smile to my face as I type out a response.

Me: Good morning, I'll call you later!

He doesn't instantly reply, and I know he's probably busy. Despite being public figures, we wanted to keep our relationship away from the media as much as possible after the fallout that happened after Corian.

As I'm reading up on the Saxon Treaty, my phone suddenly explodes with notifications.

Elinore: LIS, IT'S NOT TRUE, IS IT?
Elinore: The news just broke and the media is going insane.
Elinore: What is going on you need to call me.

Ashton: You're going to war? Against Wellesley?
Ashton: Why didn't you tell me earlier?

Elinore: Here's the link to the article that just dropped.

Nervously, I click on the link and read the headline: "Ex-lovers Princess Liselle Liu and Prince Corian Chang heading into imminent war". My stomach immediately drops and my mind whirls as I wonder how the news could have leaked so quickly. It hadn't even been twenty-four hours yet since the announcement.

I look up at my father and Edwin and wordlessly hand them my phone, not trusting my words at this moment.

"How could they already know?" Edwin asks, pale in the face.

"He must have told them."

I arch a brow skeptically. I know who my father is talking about. "The prince leaked it to the press himself?"

My father nods. "Corian wants to pressure us. If we try to negotiate peace, things like small skirmishes will just drag out for months and reflect poorly on us." 

I almost snort. "Doesn't announcing war on a much smaller nation look badly on him?"

"The press loves him. They will see it as their young, handsome prince taking firm control of the nation. He will come off strong and powerful, not a nation to be trifled with, especially as he is expanding the country like his parents."

As if on cue, my father's public relations advisor barges into the room, grim-faced. "Have you heard the news, Your Highness?"

"Yes, Advisor Xi, we just found out. What do you propose we do?" My father asks.

She responds, "We should send a peace delegation as soon as possible. It will look good if we are immediate action to avoid war."

"Will they accept one?" Edwin voices his concern, "I will initiate contact immediately if I have your permission to do so, Your Highness."

My father nods. "Granted. I will call another emergency meeting so we can discuss matters further. After the meeting, Advisor Xi, I want you to issue a press conference as soon as possible."

"Of course, Your Highness," she smiles and dips her head, heading out immediately.

A somber silence falls and I feel sick. After the Fifty Years War, most countries had been peaceful. Now that there is trouble stirring in Asia again, Celiryn is no longer safe. I've never seen or lived through war, I was born shortly after the war ended during a period of peace.

I wonder how Corian felt about attacking us. I remember his soft eyes, quiet whispers, and gentle touches, and try to reconcile that version of Corian with this new one. Despite my earlier assessment that this declaration of war isn't because of me, I wonder what he truly wants.

I still have his socials, a form of contact where we message once a year to wish each other happy birthday out of formalities. Praying that this was a good idea and opening the app on my phone, I message him and send him my phone number.

Me: Corian, call me.