War in Phebis!

Upon your arrival to court, the nobles still under the King of Phebis had been yelling across the room and at each other debating the next series of steps to take before Gregan had arrived for an expedited coronation. It did not last too long though. With Princess Clara at your side, wearing a gown that was well out of tradition for a day just after a King’s **** wrapped around your arm, it had quieted down quite quickly. It was exactly the affect you were looking for, and you took a seat that seemed to be set for you to the side of the throne, and demanded that the servants bring another for Princess Clara. Clara would likely not have even had a place on the dais normally, but with her as your betrothed, you made sure she was offered that respect without Gregan’s permission.

Clara had obviously been a stranger to the attention that you two were gathering from the few nobles still left in the court. It was much more empty than the previous day you had joined in when King Claudius was still alive and looked even more empty compared to your usual court sessions. This meant little to hide behind for Clara, and did her best to use you as her shield for a time before a quick whisper by you to stand prouder got her back to her bearings. When Gregan finally arrived, smelling like he had just fucked a maidservant, everyone stood except you and Clara. This was a petty king in your eyes, and you had told Clara to follow your lead. Gregan noticed that Clara didn’t stand, but decided not to say anything. The coronation took place with former Queen Mereen placing a crown on her son and the newly queened Lilya. All of them dressed in black. Afterwards, a series of debates between the new King’s council, most gone with Countess Eria’s uprising, and the few nobles who had stayed. From the way the debates were going, it seemed of the nobles left lacked enough confidence in the new king’s regime to not want to stick around much longer. Eria had delivered her ultimatum as the rightful ruler of Phebis, and you provided the evidence necessary to prove she had killed Claudius. It somewhat rallied the nobles, but not much. News of armies marching in from Itheria was also spoken about, helping the morale some more. It was getting close to your time to speak up. The conversation was going exactly were you wanted it to go.

“Itheria brings armies to help our cause!” Shouted Gregan in an earsplitting manner that mimicked his late father, “With this we will surely be victorious=”

Immediately standing, you intervene. Making sure the entire court could hear you, “Excuse me, King Gregan, but any aid by Itheria in this quarrel would violate our promise of Phebisian autonomy.”

The entire courtroom exploded into a hushed murmuring between nobleman and their personal councilors. Any previous rallying to King Gregan’s cause be damned, as it seemed like many were considering backing out of the war or flying under the flag of Countess Eria. Gregan spun around sharply to look at you with subtleties of fear and disbelief on his face, “What do you mean, King Bryce?”

It was clear Gregan thought your words were some misunderstanding, or at least hoped so, but you continued so that no misunderstanding could happen.

“I mean,” you declared, “That my forces are not marching to assert your claim on Phebis, but rather, to escort me and my future queen back to Itheria.”

The murmuring exploded into outrage and arguing as the nobles were now beginning to understand just how weak the crown of Phebis had become.

“Guards! Escort my vassals to the waiting room, make sure they are well-fed and refreshed. King Bryce and I must talk.”

All that was left in the courtroom was a dozen Phebisian levies and more than fifty of your own lining the walls. Otherwise, it was just you, your betrothed, and the black clad Phebisian royal family. You thanked the Itherian gods for Gregan’s foolishness in dismissing his councilors as well. Not long after the nobles had been ushered out did Gregan approach you and you stood level to him to meet his **** gaze. “B-Bryce, my friend. You’re joking, right? Itheria has promised full military aid in to the Phebisian crown in times of war. Surely you mean to aid my cause.”

“Itheria has promised full military aid in a war with your eastern and northern neighbors.” You corrected, “And full autonomy. I would violate our existing treaties to raise my armies to manage vassals you can not.”

“The trade we provide is precious to Itheria. Countess Eria would end that in an instant with her wearing the crown.”

“Precious, once. Peanuts, now.” This was a ruse on your part, “Especially now that lines of communication with the raiding Gaelica are on my table.”

“Then my sister’s hand!” Gregan pleaded, “This whole show my father put on was so that we could have an alliance with Itheria should the countess make her move!”

“An agreement between King Claudius and I, not with you or your faltering claim.”

“You cowardly snake! We drank and broke bread together. We had a bond!”

That bond was certainly one-sided. All Gregan could speak about was hunting and sparring. Neither of which really meant anything to you, “You overstep your position, Gregan.”

Blood drained from Gregan’s face after catching his mistake, and turned to Clara who stood beside you, “Sister. As your king, won’t you speak with him?”

“Papa was my king. Now you stand in the shadow of mine.” Clara proclaimed proudly. It was in a volume above her usual whisper, and you nodded to her.

“You fickle mouse! I should have known you’d be snared so easily!” Gregan Shouted.

“Gregan!”

“Shut up, mother!” You were seeing a new side of Gregan you didn’t know he had. Interesting, what begins to show when a man is cornered. A king doesn’t become cornered, “Lilya, bring me a drink!”

Queen Lilya looked at Gregan disapprovingly. She showed signs of embarrassment and anger. She was smiling at you until that moment. You concluded that your hunch of Gregan bedding a servant before court was accurate now—it was easy to tell as you were once in his shoes—unless he could only last seconds with his tiny cock inside a curvaceous raven like Lilya.

“Now!” Gregan asserted.

Lilya stood fast, and it was a Phebisian guard that delivered the wine. He chugged the drink leaving a mess on his face, then grabbed another as he paced in front of you. You dragged Clara with you to the Phebisian throne, taking a seat and forcing the soft ass of the princess on your lap. You used your hand to play with her long hair and occasionally rubbed her bare back for a minute. You did this until he finished his second drink and spoke before he had time to grab another.

“I should have your tongue for the insults you’ve delivered to me and my future queen.” You spoke softly, but with gravitas all the same, “But out of respect for your late father, and the friendship Itheria and Phebis have shared for so long, I may be willing to revise our treaties. If you’re willing to correct your behavior and know your place with me.”

Using his sleeve to wipe the wine from his short beard, Gregan stepped off the dais and onto the courtroom floor to kneel before you. The power play combined with Clara’s warming sex on your lap caused your hard cock to poke up against her ass. The princess’ pale complexion shifting to red.

“B-Bryce—King of Itheria. I beg you. Please help support my claim for the Phebisian throne. I’m out of options, whatever you demand, I will do my best to fulfill it.”

Mereen and Queen Lilya stood beside the kneeling king, and curtsied. It was likely they did not want to dirty their gowns on the floor. It was not as pleading as Gregan, but it will do.

“What do you think, Clara?” You whispered to the princess, but the question echoed the room, “Phebis calls for aid.”

Asking Clara was a deliberate move to remind Gregan that even she was above him in this elaborate game. The princess angled her head in fake thought, already knowing how to answer after you told her your plans. “Hmm. Then we shall aid.”

“Very well. Sir Garret!” Your marshal had lined the walls with your knights, and stepped forward to kneel before the dais behind the Phebisian royal family, “Have the knights fortify the walls and recruit every able-bodied man and woman in the city. Send word to our marching forces to expect a fight, and a war that has not plagued Itheria for a generation.”

“Your wish is my command.” Sir Garret rose and went to work on something that was already taking place.

“As for the price, King Gregan.” You had the foolish king in your grasp now. The hook was set, now it was time to execute the plan. Did you tell Clara about a plan for subjugation [conquer], or a plan for **** [intrigue]? Or perhaps it was something else you had in mind?