I though I would try to write a game. A vague background story came up in my mind as I travelled to where I am.
Though if the game would be written is dubious now. I wrote about two events of the story today.
Reminder: English is not my native language. For example, I don't know if using great kings to refer to kings of greater kingdoms make sense at all.
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It has been almost a century since the last great war on the continent. With the economic rebuilt and flourished, dominance was craved once again. Among all lands was an empire that rivaled the combined might of the others. As it seeked to subjugate the others one by one and to isolate those who refuse its “friendship”, it called for a meeting of leaders.
On the meeting, the emperor offered his friendship in form of economic benefits such as building crucial fundamental structures on the land of its allies. Between the threat to sovereignty and future bargaining power and the temptation of a quick boost to the economy were the sway of the might of the empire and unspoken personal gains. Starting from the smallest and the poorest kingdoms that were close to the empire, consents began to float.
The tendency spread quickly. The corner of the mouth of the emperor was bent by the victorious smile he struggled to hide, which was in contrast to those of the kings of the greater kingdoms on the far side of the continent. Allowing influence to the fundamental structures would put a great risk on everything that made them individual kingdoms. The system to acquire all the necessities, the power to make decisions on their own, even the very way they live might be threatened. However, the impact of refusing or simply being left out is getting too great. As the great kings looked at one another, the wave of consents came to a halt.
Lilith, the queen of a young small kingdom which even many other kings know little more than its existence, was expected to echo the concord. Like an avatar of the kingdom itself, small was her frame, delicate almost. Both her mouth and eyes were closed. Intrigued and annoyed in equal measure, the emperor broke the silent.
“Fair queen, the friendship between our states will benefits us all. It is an easy choice.”
“We welcome trade, cultural exchange and such.” The queen opened her eyes and said after taking an almost unnoticeable deep breath, “However, I am afraid there are some significant differences between the architectures of our states.” Her voice was almost emotionless.
“We can have our architects discuss about that later. The most important part is to make sure we have the same friends and enemies.”
“We makes friends of our own accord.”
“I am a friend of the kings already. You are not going to make many friends if you are my enemy.”
“So everyone who is not you ally is your enemy.”
“We will be more powerful if we join force.”
“We can join force on mutual endeavours. I’d like to repeat, we welcome trade and cultural exchange.”
“You and you kingdom need protection, little queen.”
“Is that a threat?”
“Those who don’t want the friendship of the empire and its people may leave now.”
It had become the most undiplomatic meeting, although it wasn’t very diplomatic to begin with. The army of the empire was excising at its border.
“Your kingdom will be trampled.” A submitted king tried to keep his voice as low as possible.
“We do not seek war. But we will defend ourselves if we have to.”
“You cannot hope to fight the empire alone.”
“I don’t expect to be alone, but if that’s how it is, so be it.” The sound of the chair from which Lilith rose was echo by another. It was one of the great kings. Respect in his eyes, “The queen will not be alone.”
All the great kings had risen, save for one, looking at them as if amused. Tottering, an old king of a poor kingdom who submitted at the beginning also rose, “Perhaps I am too old now. I seem to have forgotten something.” More and more rose up in response. The sound of chairs broke into a sonata.
“Those who don’t want the “friendship” of the “emperor” may leave now.” With a merry tone, the last great king rose and took the lead to the exit.
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With the emperor humiliated in the meeting, a total war erupted between the empire with its allies and the other kingdoms.
The kings informed their people about the imminent danger and made the best effort to prepared to defend their ways and honour. The people were inspired by their leaders, their spirit was heightened by the threat.
But spirit didn’t make their ranks unbreakable. In front of the massive army of the empire and its allies, county by county, kingdom by kingdom had fallen.
But unbreakable was their will. United by the same spirit, families of the fallen kingdoms relocated to the lands of their allies with the help of the local people. Soldiers quickly recuperated after falling back and regrouped with their brethren. Their moral only got higher after each retreat.
Met with wave and wave of counter attacks, the army of invasion began to wear out. Their supply lines were stretched. Their bodies and minds tired. The only thing awaited them on the conquered lands was despite.
The advance of the invasion soon came to a halt. The tide turned. The spent versus the unshaken. The invaders were chases away.
The anti-war mood of the empire erupted. The questions against the legitimacy of the war and the leadership in general could not be quenched. Thus ended the latest great war. And with the people now questioning, hopefully there won’t be another one in the future.
