Deserae

Chapter 10

I switched my attention over to her brother who was looking towards the door like he was expecting someone to walk through it. "William, it's nice to see you again." He looked over to me and then around at the group, finally realizing that everyone's attention was on him.

"Likewise." He said stupidly. The boy isn't the smartest in the world, and he certainly doesn't look the part either. He's tall and skinny but almost disproportionately so, and he has hair that's slightly redder than his sisters but leans more to the side of a faded brown color. He always wears such extravagant clothes, but they almost seem like they don't fit the time period. What on earth made him want golden buttons on that navy-blue trench coat?

His crow-like nose turned upward after he gave my body the full look-down. I think he's noticed that I'm wearing dark blue jeans and a Calvin Klein hoodie with tropical flowers all over it. It's nearing midnight and he expects me to dress fancy? This is my house, I'm going to dress casually if I want to.

"I heard you had a proposition for me." he said, "I'd like to know what it is."

I smiled coldly, "Your countries ports are of a great interest to me, I'd very much like to be able to use them." The Lord turned to me quickly and let out a huff.

"Do you plan on invading?"

"Of course not." I said with a cold grin, "Why waste the resources on a war when there could be a peacefully compromise instead?" I waited a moment to let that sink in before continuing, "I would like a marriage alliance if possible, it would be more lucrative for us both."

The Lady started coughing profusely, having taken a sip right before I told her what my intentions were and she gasped, choking on her drink. William's eyes widened, and he immediately looked over to his father for help instead of making up the decision himself. Beatrice looked around at the fit her family was having and laughed a little.

When William's father looked at my father his smile fell completely. My father looks stone faced, like a war is being planned out. But William and his family apparently think I'm still joking. None of them have a serious look on their faces and all of them seem neglectant to the fact that this is an extremely important diplomatic discussion.

I sighed and tapped my fingers impatiently on the chair. "Think about it. Your country has an army but no way to feed itself, so you can fight off any invaders but risk losing your people to starvation instead. You have a port, with no ships. One that gets more spice traffic than you're prepared to deal with, and I am willing to help you with that."

"So, you want our trade routes? Everything else you could care less about, it seems. And how would you plan on paying for it?" William's mother said rather quickly. "Your land has access to the sea so you could buy your own ships and make deals with your own traders if you wanted to."

My jaw tensed at her sudden refusal of my proposal, "I could. I could build my own ships and complete take over the market. I could litter the seas with my exports and completely ruin the only income your country has. I could, but I won't."

The Lord sat back in his chair and ran his fingers over his beard like he was thinking very deeply about it. I'm guessing he sees no other option. If he refuses my proposal then I'd declare war, and their country would be mine before they could get back behind their borders. If he accepts then he'll be under my country's control and have to obey our rules. Which means every bit of power he once had over those ports would be mine.

Well, technically the King's, but he'd let me have them.

And he probably also knows that if William and I do arrange the marriage then it will be of nothing but convenience, and a geographical one at that. If William and I got married then he would be marrying into my family, seeing as we are the greater power. So, he would surrender all of his influence on his land to my family, and evidently me since I'm taking over the kingdom. Truly they have no choice, I'm getting those ports one way or another.

William gave a short laugh at his father's thinking expression, "You can't honestly be considering this."

"I'm surprised you're not." William looked at me as my fingers tapped along the armrest faster and faster. "You should be looking at the future of your country, William. I can guarantee you won't get a better offer from anyone else."

He kept looking at his parents and my father, hoping that one of them would just throw their hands up and start laughing that this whole thing was a hoax and he could go back home. But he knows deep down that that's not the case, that he's stuck here until and agreement is come too, and I'm certain he doesn't want me to be the unhappy one.

Wolves are quite possessive leaders. We cherish our subjects as much as our own family, so they should understand my proposition at threatening. If the LunaGolybaya's care about their people as much as I do mine, then they'll accept my offer and William will marry into my family, then we'll take their ports and soon their whole country will be mine.

"'And soon their whole country will be mine.'" Beatrice piped up, her curls bouncing when she kicked her legs back and forth. "That sounds like tyranny."

A beautifully threatening smile graced my lips when I looked at her. Telepathy? Alright. I'll play.

"And you said you just wanted the ports, why would the rest of our country matter?" I know she's a child but she is quite perceptive, which is probably because of her psychological abilities. It means I also can't sugar coat anything, that she'll end up teller her family the truth and I'll be left to explain my real plan.

"Indeed your ports are important to me," I said turning to them, "But we all know your government is on the brink of collapse. Because you have income from one branch of imports you have no defense, and the Juyls' have been taking over territory after territory in the south, if they go north, you're next."

The Juyls, a family of elite Vampire's that have been taking over land for decades. Most of the time they take land in the south, where the soil is more rich for farming and the harvest seasons last longer. As well the fishing in fresh water is better down there and there's more animal population. Agriculturally, it's a wonderful investment. And food is one of the things the world is in desperate need of right now, not my land of course, but theirs and a couple other regions are all having major food shortages.

The LunaGolybaya's aren't allies of ours but they're not our enemy either. Because they're no threat we don't pay much attention to them. If the Juyls try to take over their land, then we would be surrounded by their influence. I'm not worried about such an incident taking place, but if I manage to get the LunaGolybaya's territories then there wouldn't be anywhere but the east border for them to attack.

"You seem fairly certain about yourself." The Lady said raising an eyebrow at me. I haven't really gotten a good look at her until now, but I am not happy with what I see. She's wrinkled from the years not being kind to her, but what makes it worse is the makeup she has layered on her skin. All it's doing is outlining her sagging featured with the white powers, making her look a thousand times older than she it because she's trying so hard.

I nodded, "I am. If you don't accept my offer the Juyls will take over your land and show no mercy, when they do, I'll be forced to act to preserve my own territory. And I'd hate for your people to get caught in the crossfire."

Everyone looked at Beatrice when she chuckled. She looked at her parents and nodded, "It's true."

The look of pride couldn't be wiped from my face when I looked back at the parents, both of them knowing I've won the debate and that, if all of my foreshadowing become reality, then they'll have no choice but to beg for my help. And when they do, I'll take their land from them and their people, making them join me and my forces until our countries have blended together under one solo ruler.

Me.

"Alright." William's father agreed, "What are your demands?"