Edelgard and The Price For Peace

All major countries in Fodlan had come together to try and hash out peace for their nations. The air is tense in the round table.

The Adestrian Empire is represented by the Emperor herself, Lady Edelgard, and her advisors Hubert and Ferdinand, from the Holy Kingdom of Faerghus, king Dimitri is joined by his loyal friends Ingrid and Sylvain. Claude leads the delegation from Leicester, along with fellow nobles Hilda and Lorenz.

Edelgard brushes her silver-white hair, and she holds herself with a dignified air, but her eyes are full of melancholy and solemn wistfulness. She has an air of authority and elegance but is quick to respond when provoked.

“The terms are unacceptable,” Dimitri said, hands clasped on the table. “All Faerghus gets for accepting your intrusive reform program is some pittance in reparations and an insincere apology. The people of the Kingdom will never agree to this.”

"I understand you are disappointed Dimitri, but we will not turn back on our demand for reforms."

“If I may,” Claude interjects with a charming smile. “I think the real issue here is that the people of Faerghus think the Empire is, well, a monster. So, how about you take the first step to show them wrong, Edelgard? A gesture of goodwill and humility. That ought to make them more agreeable to your peace terms.”

“Humility?” Hubert remarks with a sarcastic scuff. “You suggest we humiliate ourselves to protect the fragile ego of Faerghus' nobility.”

Edelgard ignores Hubert. She looks at Dimitri, the fire of anger burns in his blue eyes. The Kingdom is very hostile to the Empire, and Dimitri is not forgiving nor forgetting of past deeds.

"I understand that the Kingdom needs some more… time to recover. We can't afford more reparations, but we are willing to negotiate extra concessions to make the Kingdom's people happy," Edelgard argued.

“Happy?” Ingrid interjected. “You start a war with us, and now you want to see us happy?! After all the **** and destruction? We need way more than empty words. Some of your lands, for example, would be a good start.”

“We can't agree to that, Edelgard,” Ferdinand replied. “It's not fair for our people to have their homes upended for this treaty. The war is not their fault!”

“Yeah, it is Edelgard's war, isn't it?” Hilda remarked not so innocently while taking a sip of coffee.

“That's a good point.” Claude tries to break the tension with a wink. “If people blame Edelgard for the war, let her make it up to them. Why don't we have our lovely Emperor distribute aid herself to the war-torn people of Faerghus? Then they can see that she girl just like them.”

“But Claude, it ill befits a noble, much less an Emperor, to dirty her hands with such a task.”

“That's the point, Lorenz. The less she looks like a scary emperor, the better.”

Claude makes a good point. However, Edelgard is still the Emperor and her reputation is at stake. She thinks for a few moments, and then she sighs. “If that's what it takes, then I won't object. I will personally help distribute aid as a token of goodwill. ”