2019 Triple Threat (Part 1)

"If you are incapable of separating your personal opinion from the law, then you are unfit to be a Constable. The next time any of you crosses that line, I'll have your badges."

"But, Archon Ernas!" Vylka said in outrage. "She's an oath breaker. She deserted our country and relinquished her duty when we needed her the most and for what? To satisfy her lust towards a filthy animal.

"Someone incapable of controlling their base urges doesn't deserve to be here! A traitor wearing a badge is an insult to all those who sacrificed their lives in order to uphold the law."

"Interesting point." Jirni steepled her fingers, drumming them against each other. "You have managed to insult with a single phrase the forefather of the Kingdom, Valeron, Archmage Marth, and my own daughter."

She used the same tone for the three names but her brows furrowed when she spoke the last, emphasizing her annoyance.

"Valeron too betrayed his country to create his own and ended up marrying a Griffon. I never realized that he was just a traitorous degenerate. I should probably share this revelation with the Royal family who still carries their blood." Jirni's voice oozed sarcasm.

"Marth too doesn't fare much better since, based on what you say, he likes humping a rose bush."

"That's not what I meant. I-" The young Constable turned pale and tried to explain her reasons, but Jirni ignored her.

"Even if everything you said was true, it doesn't change the fact that Kamila Yehval is here due to a deal bearing the signature of our King and Queen. Your open violation of its terms is an act of high treason.

"If you have any objections to how the Crown operates, you are free to bring out the matter during your trial for insubordination." Jirni pointed her middle and forefinger at Vylka, prompting the Royal Guards to arrest her.

They moved in the blink of an eye, locking her arms behind her back and forcing her to kneel as they took away all the magical tools in her possession.

The Archon stripped Vylka of her insignia and took her badge before requesting a new aide. The news spread like wildfire, ensuring Jirni that the rest of the officers would keep their eyes low and their mouths shut.

During her first day back on the job, Kamila spent most of her time in the office but her day was far from uneventful and quite unpleasant. Her colleagues moved their desks away from hers and refused to speak with Kamila unless they had to.

Even when they did, their voice was filled with spite and they looked at her like someone who should be behind bars. Every time she left her desk, she would find a dead rat in one of its drawers.

The first time it happened she freaked out. The second time she got angry because no one seemed to have seen anything. After the fourth time, however, sadness and hopelessness replaced rage.

When at the end of her shift she walked through the Gate of the Heavenly Plume tribe, she found Lith waiting for her as promised.

Kamila ran into his arms, falling apart the moment the dimensional passage closed and she was certain that no one would witness how hurt she was.

"I knew that only in fairy tales do people gloss over the consequences of what the main characters do out of love, but I still didn't expect the situation to be so bad." She said amid sobs.

"I dreamed for so long to go back to my job only to find an alien place filled with people who don't want me to be there."

"I'm so sorry, babe." Lith held her tight, caressing her shoulders. "What do you want to do about it?"

"The only thing I can. I'll do my job." After venting her frustration, she had calmed down. "I don't care if they refuse to understand my reasons, that's still my place. I just need to prove to them my worth and that what I did doesn't make me any less good a Constable.

"As long as I work with Jirni, the situation is bearable. They can't even look at me sideways in her presence."

She took solace knowing that at least there was still someone on her side.

"I told you that it was better to wait until the Magus ceremony." Lith sighed. "Your colleagues are picking on you because they still consider me a criminal and think that I got away with it.

"The only reason they hate you is that you chose to stand by my side instead of theirs. Once I get back to the Kingdom and take part in the war, however, every one of my successes will smother their rage.

"The ceremony will also sway the public opinion and make your life easier."

"I don't think it's so simple." Kamila shook her head. "They consider me a freak for marrying a Divine Beast and no ceremony can change that."

"Indeed, but war can." Lith replied. "To fight Thrud's army of Awakened beasts, the Royals are calling to arms all of their allies. Once people meet Faluel, once those like me save their skins and houses, they will change their mind."

"What does Faluel has to do with this?" She asked.

"Faluel isn't just an Emperor Beast. She belongs to one of the four founding pillars of the Kingdom and will join the human frontlines. I wouldn't be surprised if her mother Fyrwal takes part in the war as well.

"I'm eager to see if your colleagues will dare badmouth even one of Valeron's teammates."

***

Lith waited for the Royal Summon, but the Magus ceremony kept to be delayed. Thrud's forces had advanced deep into the Kingdom's territory and were now threatening its beating heart.

The capitol was still safe, but the same couldn't be said about cities like Belius, Vesta, and Prode. Their strategical value was even superior to that of the city of Valeron and losing even one of them might have sealed the outcome of the war.

For the first time since it had been founded, Belius was actually the one of least importance. Its conquest would have left the border of the Kingdom exposed to an attack from the Empire, but at least it would be Thrud to have to deal with it.

On the other hand, however, reconquering the city would be nigh-impossible. On top of that, while people could be evacuated, Belius held countless resources that couldn't be relocated and that would make the army of the Mad Queen even stronger.

Prode was the granary of the Kingdom, the city where the food reserves were stockpiled all year round and ready to be sent where needed. Between the famine of the previous year and the fertile land that Thrud had occupied with her opening move, grain had become more valuable than gold.

The Royals could always pay the troops and for new weapons by accessing the Royal treasury but without food, their armies would starve. Most of the remaining food supplies were in Prode and if the city fell, the war would end in a matter of days.

The only silver lining was that Thrud faced the same issue.