Get up and answer the door

Reluctantly, Stewart pulls himself from his comfortable bed and grabs the heavy bathrobe with the embroidered royal insignia that Lisa so thoughtfully set out for him last night. He puts it on, and ties it in front as he walks to the door.

Opening it, the king encounters Lord Bannockburn, his Minister of War. Immediately, he feels a weight much greater than that of the expensive heavy robe.

“Forgive the intrusion at such an hour, Your Majesty, but we have a situation that requires your attention.”

Stewart motions for his advisor to enter the room, and he braces himself for what must surely be a serious matter, if it warranted such an early-morning conference.

“What is it, Bannockburn?” he asked.

“Sire, we have received reports that Obscuria’s troop movements during the last 24 hours have placed a massive **** directly on our border.”

Stewart frowns, gravely. The tensions between Obscuria and Mirantia have gone back for as long as he can remember, but nothing approaching open hostility had yet to erupt. Little was known about the mysterious nation on Mirantia’s eastern border, other than the fact that it was a matriarchy, ruled by Queen Imperia.

“Is there any indication of hostile activity by any other neighbors?” asked the king.

“No, Sire. We have been monitoring Hoffenstanzia, on the north, but thus far, there is no indication of any collusion with Obscuria.”

“Could this simply be posturing? An attempt at showing their strength and trying to see if they can intimidate me?” Stewart asks.

“It is possible,” admits Bannockburn. “We know Imperia tends to be rather backwards in her thinking about the proper role of men and women. She may see you as a young, inexperienced king, and she could be trying to see just how far she can intimidate you.”

“But it could also be a prelude to an invasion?” says the king. His Minister knows he does not need to answer the obvious conclusion.

Stewart’s mind races, as he tries to draw on all his training, which now seems to be woefully inadequate.