𝐅𝐎𝐑𝐆𝐎𝐓𝐓𝐄𝐍 𝐎𝐑𝐂𝐇𝐈𝐃𝐒. empires smp (in progress)

𝐈. THE SEMI-ANNUAL

Katherine nodded. "Understood. Does anyone have an objection to that?"

After a moment, fWhip raised his hand, quickly speaking before Lizzie could confront him. "I don't have an objection, just a question," he clarified. "I have an exhibit for axolotls in my town square. I assure you that they're well taken care of, but do exibits fall under the protection guidelines?"

Atticus could physically feel the tension disappear from Lizzie's shoulders. "Of course! As long as they're taken care of and not hunted down, feel free to keep them. My only concern is the people who kill them or keep them in horrible conditions," she explained. "Thank you for asking."

fWhip nodded, offering her a smile. Atticus reminded himself that they were in an alliance and was relieved that fWhip hadn't just broken it; there hadn't been a war for a good few years, and while Atticus wouldn't join one if there was, a war would severely impact his kingdom's exports and imports. His citizens depended on the dyes from Katherine's kingdom, as well as the crops from Gilded Helianthia.

"Does anyone else have trades they wish to set up? I've recently begun to farm gunpowder," fWhip informed the table.

Across from Sausage, the Codfather raised his hand.

"Codfather," Katherine acknowledged when it was clear fWhip wouldn't. Beside Atticus, Sausage scoffed under his breath. Atticus felt a frown pull at his lips but ignored it in favor of listening to the Codfather, who rarely spoke at the truce meetings, more interested in fiddling with a Rubix cube given to him by Shelby at the last meeting, after almost an hour of the Codfather shifting around and looking so bored that even Shelby was annoyed.

"I would like to offer a trade to Prince Joel," the blond man said. Joel, near the other end of the table, perked up at the mention of his name, some of his hair falling into his eyes when he moved. "I need terracotta for a few buildings and was hoping I could trade you a shulker box of slime for access to mining some," he explained, voice trailing off when he realized that a few people were smirking at the way he stumbled over his words and tried to mask his insecure way of speaking.

Joel, it seemed, didn't catch on—or, if he did, he didn't show it. He hummed in thought, tilting his head to the side as he tapped his fingers against the quartz table. "Slime blocks?" he offered. "You'll have unlimited access to my mining grounds in exchange."

The Codfather brightened, nodding quickly. "Deal," he said quickly. Joel nodded to him.

"Codfather," Katherine spoke up, catching his attention. "Do you have any flowers that you're willing to trade? I can offer green dye in exchange for some, and I believe green will look nice in your empire."

The Codfather nodded. "Of course. I believe my lands grow blue orchids the best."

Atticus sat up a bit straighter at the mention of the flower; blue orchids could only grow in swamps, and while Atticus knew this, he hadn't considered that the Cod Empire would have a trade option for them. He made a mental note to speak to the Codfather in the following days after the meeting, not wanting to interrupt the others and drag the meeting on longer than it needed to be and wanting to get back home as soon as he could. Blue orchids may be his favorite flower and unreachable anywhere else, but he was not desperate enough to make a fool of himself just yet.

Katherine beamed. "Wonderful, thank you. I'll send you a letter to confirm the arrangement." The Codfather nodded in understanding. "Does anyone else have a topic to discuss?"

On Atticus' right, Lord Sausage raised his hand, thankfully the one on the opposite side of Atticus. Katherine called upon him to speak when she noticed him. He flashed a smile to the table before he turned and settled his gaze on Atticus, who resisted the urge to roll his eyes. "I am once again extending an alliance to Vulpesterra," he announced. "We would defend each other in war and set up a much-needed trade agreement, perhaps iron for wood," he explained.