The Balladeer Conference || Original Story || Completed ✔︎

The Balladeer Conference

"But... your majesty..."

"Oh, hush now, Krist. How about you get us some sugar cubes since you love to talk so much."

"Lesser Crowned Nile is only charlatan royalty," Delmont spat. "Shore City was a euphoric city until Nile took over after the original king. Nile is not even a blue blood! There is no reason for Nile to be alive as a royalty."

"My lord, Crowned Nile is doing the best they can," said Walter softly with a quiet and small voice. "Crowned Nile is still very young, my lord."

Delmont shook his head with an aggravated glint in his eyes. "Best means to do your royal duties with optimum actions. Nile had clearly failed at that. They do not deserve to be crowned nor does Nile deserve the status and power that they inherited."

"And let's not mention that Nile is instigating against the Magma Empire," added Lazari with a distasteful snarl. "What is Nile going to do? That empire was nothing but useless and aggravating to us. It is the pure reason why we banished that unruly empress to the volcanoes. We do not want them here, so Nile should not poke the bear to come towards our lands!"

"Your highness, you're..." Maid Ophilia tried to talk but was promptly cut off by a smack.

Lazari glared at her maid as she slapped Ophilia near the neck. "No one cares what you think, Ophilia. So, shut it, or else I will shut you up myself."

Ophilia closed her mouth as she backed down. She was afraid of what Queen Lazari could do to her. She looked up at Walter for comfort, but the butler could only close his eyes. Ophilia took a deep breath, wishing that Krist would hurry up with the sugar that Madam Precilla ordered.

"Well then..." Precilla sighed out after some silence. "...how about some sugar in our tea, yes? It'll help calm our nerves and even give us some ideas on how to take down the Lesser Crowned Nile and take their land for ourselves. Ohoho! You'll both love the sugar that Krist made! He said he'll make it himself!"

Delmont and Lazari seemed to have calmed and relaxed their shoulders. "Yes, I suppose that is best," Delmont claimed.

"Indeed, I need to calm my nerves, anyways. Besides, a clear mind means that there will be more room to imperialize Shore City with infallible actions." Lazari tutted as she smirked. "Using the Shore City's water ways will be perfect for my land and greenery. Everything may not even die once winter hits."

"Ohoho! Shore City will be a lovely power source for my clouds at my nation!" Precilla cheered. "Just think about the new technology we could get from those fresh waters!"

"Yes," Delmont said with a smile as he just finished his tea. "Now, let us have a toast with that new sugar your butler made you, Precilla. Let us make this a conference known throughout the centuries."

Precilla laughed to herself, happy that her fellow royalties had come to an agreement. She turned and noticed that Butler Krist had finally returned to the golden room with a tray of freshly made tea, and a bowl filled with little sugar cubes. Precilla howled with cheer as she beckoned Krist to come forwards. Lazari and Delmont smiled at the sight of pure, snow-white sugar cubes.

"Krist! Finally, you've come around! Come, come, the lovely tea won't drink itself, would it? Ohoho!" Precilla cheered.

"Yes, your majesty," Krist answered as he, with the help of maid Ophilia and butler Walter, passed out the new tea set with the freshly made tea.

Lazari, Delmont, and Precilla chatted with one another, their servants got the tea that they ordered ready. Krist set up the China tea sets. Ophilia sets up sweet treats on gold plates. Walter put the sugar into the teas. A sense of nervousness blanketed over the servants, worried that the sugar might not be on par with the royal's standers.

"To us, for the future imperiling of Shore City!" Precilla cheered, raising her teacup.

"To us!" Lazari and Delmont echoed.

The royals took a large sip from their teacups. The warm feeling suddenly turned sour. Slowly and carefully, each royal pulled their cups away from their mouth and looked at it in confusion.

"Krist..." Precilla coughed. "...what did you put in this?"

"Sugar, your majesty," Krist answered calmly.

Precilla furrowed her brows. "This taste... this is..."

"Is this Lore Madam? The flower?" Lazari questioned, her coughing started to get worse.

"L-Lore..." Delmont choked up. "...Madam?! The-The poison!?"

Lazari's eyes widened as she snapped her head towards her maid, blood rushing down her mouth. "O-Ophilia... what... what did you do...?"

"I apologize, your highness..." Ophilia said softly. She frowned. "...but we cannot let you imperialize an innocent nation."

In a second, Lazari fell from her chair and onto the floor. Delmont and Precilla followed Lazari's action. Foam came out of Delmont's mouth and blood leaked out of Precilla's and Lazari's. Their eyes rolled to the back of their heads as they lay unmoving on the marble ground. The maid and butlers only watched and waited, until their superiors died right in front of them.

"Lore Madam..." Walter breathed out. "It worked..."

"You really thought I was wrong? I lived with that wretched Queen for ages, Walter," Ophilia huffed out as she smiled. "Geez, I'm glad that everything is over with now. Excellent job, Krist."

"I was shaking to no end," Krist groaned as he hoisted Precilla out of the fluffy chair that resembled clouds. "Honestly, I was just itching to take my dagger out and murdering them right when we entered."

Walter rolled his eyes at his friends as they all moved the dead royalties out of their bloodied seats. "Weren't we all, Krist. But think about it this way, with the higherups dead, and them confirming that they will leave their wealth in our hands, we are now the new royals. It feels like a dream come true."

Ophilia sighed with a smile, seating herself on the Land Fields' throne. "Tell me about it. Keeping up an act of the weak maid was starting to make me grow wrinkles. And the way they were talking about Crowned Nile like that just makes my blood boil."

Krist seated himself on the Cloud Nation's throne. "Crowned Nile will be pleased with what we have accomplished. We are now the new rulers of this world. We can control what needs to be done. Now, how about we plan on our next actions; they shall be irrevocable for years to come."

Walter seated himself on the Moutain Kingdom's throne. "The Magma Empire will be our next target. Teaming up with the empress will surely enhance our lands. With her and Crowned Nile, our power will grow into unspeakable measures. And with how quickly we can spread the message, success may come closer than predicated."

"The truth shall be known to all subjects." Ophilia chuckled. "This is our conference now."

"Yes." Walter agreed with a smirk. "Let the Balladeer Conference begin, my friends."

The soft sound of piano music flowed throughout the golden room with golden roses and vines, all stained with wine blood. The ceiling above was decorated with paintings of the history of lava, clouds, mountains, lakes, and trees. Chattering and clinks of China cups were heard as the music levitated the room with a soft atmosphere. Three servants, now royalties, chatted with one another about their dedication to the Lesser Crowned Nile of the Shore City. A true melody filled the room of gold.

~ Fin ~