Oriana Aspiral's Story

Fertaninn, Benjlakk's eastern region, contains wildlife and plant life relatively untouched by civilization, making this place a haven and paradise for people looking for an escape from most of the fuss that comes with politics. Many farmers, agricultural workers, biologists, and solar technicians call Fertaninn home. This is where Benjlakk's capital, the District of Justicra, is located. Here, the story begins.

Zechariah just put on his khaki, ceremonial military uniform for this day. It was the day of the conference to determine whether Benjlakk were to be involved in the war between Metargo and Mysticara. At the moment, Benjlakk was neutral, and the young sergeant doubted that would change. He then remembered the communication disk on his desk, which he picked up and began recording a voice message on it:

My dear Azalea,

Today is a big day for Benjlakk. Diplomacy Square is going to be packed with guests from around the world, as well as people from all over Benjlakk. While the festivities go on, a conference is going to be held on whom Benjlakk will side with, if at all. All the while, I am going to be out on patrol and stuff like that with the rest of my platoon of mech pilots. I hope the war is not out of hand where you live, knowing what has went on, so far.

Were it possible, right now, I would have loved to have brought you here, to Fertaninn, the most peaceful region in Benjlakk. There are plains and forests here which are relatively unspoiled by civilization. It is peaceful, an ideal place to live in if you want to avoid the fuss of politics and stuff of that nature. Well, it is close to time to patrol Diplomacy Square, so I should get going, now.

Yours forever and always,
Zechariah

Just then, as Zechariah sent the message, his older borther, Benjamin, whom was wearing a green uniform, knocked on the door and asked, "Hey, Zech! Who you calling?"

The Eagle of Mercy grinned and rolled his eyes. "Oh, it was someone I met at the Solar Tech Convention in Southeastern Fertaninn."

"Well, let's get going. The Diplomacy Square Festival is about to start, and we need to be there to keep any fights from happening!"

Zech laughed. "I know."

With that, he prepared his two laser pistols, setting them to stun before placing them in his holsters. The two brothers met up with the rest of the Brown Wing Team. Zechariah said to them, "Okay, As you all know, this is an event which will contain tons of people from many different places. Be on the lookout for anyone who winds up hostile towards each other and either escort them out or arrest them if the hostilities turn into a fight. That could happen, anywhere, anytime, especially with the war outside our borders. You all know what to do. Move out."

With members of the Brown Wing Team at other locations, the brothers chose to patrol a quieter spot of Diplomacy Square. So far, no fight broke out, yet they could never be too cautious. several moments passed before a familiar face, and an angry one, at that, appeared right at the area's entrance to diplomacy Square. It was Aaron Lextu, the Metargo soldier whom Zechariah fought during the previous war that occurred a couple years back. With Aaron were May and Kyle, Kyle behaving in a somewhat jolly mood due to the possibility of being able to party some.

Kyle spoke, first. "Hey, Aaron! Look at that! The Malachi Brothers! Kind of cool to see 'em in person, eh, buddy?"

Aaron gritted his teeth. "Hush, Private Scipio! We're here to escort the Princess, not for the party!" The leader of the Lion Team glanced back at Zechariah and posed the query, "I guess you're gonna gloat, now, over the several times you beat me?"

Aaron's words set Zechariah's teeth grinding. How dare that man treat war or combat like it was some game! "There's nothing to discuss with you, Aaron, so don't pretend there is!"

Aaron merely crossed his arms across his chest with, "Fine by me!"

Kyle laughed a little. "Looks like you've been told off, sergeant!"

"Whatever..." Aaron looked around and finally spotted the Princess coming their way to the entrance. "Good morning, your highness. It looks like you get to meet the famous Malachi Brothers early. One of them is Benjamin Malachi and the other is the so-called 'Eagle of Mercy', Zechariah Malachi."

It was when Aaron stepped to the side that Zechariah noticed the woman Aaron spoke to. Just the sight of her changed Zechariah's mood from angry to shocked, which showed in his eyes and facial expressions. He quite literally froze where he was. "Aza?"

Benjamin gave a confused look, "Zech, what's wrong? Is it really that big of a surprise she'd be here? Did you see her in person, before, or something?"

-----

Elsewhere, Saul, Calida, and Leonardo were making their way to the conference building where the diplomatic matters were to take place. Saul held Calida's hand while he mentioned some things required to know beforehand. "Now, Leo, we must be on our best behavior in front of the President of Benjlakk. Even one sign of disrespect towards anyone in the room could be used against us. In order to gain the Benjlakki people's approval, we cannot do anything they will frown upon. We are already in quite a pickle with how many towns and villages you burned to the ground, so far. We need to break the stalemate, and cannot afford to mess this up."

-----

Over at the refreshment section of Diplomacy Square, Gracchus and the rest of the Air and Ground Party from the Natrulkra Tribal Force were enjoying some coffee and/or wine. Gracchus personally enjoyed the friendly vibe of the place the most. The different cultures and people mixed into one intrigued him, as he was always curious. Granted, he knew he could not stay at that spot of Diplomacy Square for too long, so he told Isaac and Elisabeth. "I better head over to the conference building to be at the Chieftain's side, so no funny business while I'm gone, especially you, Isaac. Don't. Kill. Anyone. This isn't like Mysticara, where you could challenge somebody to a duel, you quite literally cannot kill a living person here in Benjlakk. If you do that, we'll have the Benjlakki Republic as an enemy before the conference even begins. That being said, don't bother hurting anyone while we're here."

The elf leader of the Air and Ground Party said what he had to and walked on over to the Chieftain, Malinha Nedilo, and escorted her. He was one of few people who knew of her spy network. "I don't know what you hope to achieve by having spies in Benjlakk, but you best hope they don't find out there are any in their country, as that will be construed as a violation of their neutrality."

Along the way, Gracchus noticed one of the Benjlakki Diplomats, Oriana Aspiral, heading the same direction. Wow! She's beautiful! He could not help but smile at the blue-haired woman, yet did not glance in her direction long, since staring was rude. He quickly recovered and had his eyes forward, again.

Oriana was in a generally good mood today. Which if you asked any other diplomat they would tell you it was a rare occurrence. It was not that Oriana was always grumpy it was a simple fact that Oriana tended to be harsh and truthful during every and any meeting. And because of her harshness she came across as a permanently angry individual which if you asked any of the orphans around the city would tell you is an absolute lie. But the reason for her generally good mood was all due to the fact she'd been permitted to join the meeting even after her resent argument with the head of industry a politician who Oriana had openly accused of trying to push Benjlakki into the war. The accusation had gotten the head of industry booted from the conference and nearly herself as well...

As she walked toward the conference room Oriana felt a pair of eyes on her and her small smile vanished in favor of a worried look as she cautiously looked over her shoulder touching her prosthetic arm in an effort to protect herself. But she saw no eyes on her and frowned more pulling up her fake arm and hiding it against her torso. She was often stared at because of it and despite it's human appearance it was clear that it wasn't real. While she focused on her arm Oriana did not notice where she was going and bumped into someone. Immediately apologizing she backed up only for her eyes to widen when she saw who it was. Her good mood vanished and her blue eyes became like ice as she stared up at the head of industry.

"Hello... I was not expecting to see you here today..."

"And yet Miss Oriana I am here... I was granted permission to over-see the meeting but not partake... You would not deny me such a request would you? It's only harmless observation."

Oriana glared wishing that his head would just explode... But there were two Mysticaran's in the hall and she was told to be on strictly her best behavior. Swallowing down the urge to do something along the lines of growl she responded sweetly.

"Of course not..."

The head of industry beamed at her and offered out his arm to escort her of course he offered the one that would require her to grip on to him with her prosthetic arm. Oriana glared more begging him to not make her use it to not make it more noticeable. Silently she gripped onto her fake arm tighter wishing that his head would simply implode leaving no evidence. 'I wish glares could kill, I wish glares could kill, I wish glares could kill!' Oriana thought faintly he was wanting her to refuse he wanted her to look rude or something to the Mysticaran's... Instead of answering she settled for more glaring debating her options or simply hopping the Mysticaran's would move on and leave her to punch him in the face... It would not be her first time physically harming another diplomat if she did... and it probably would not be her last.

The country that Malinha found herself in was a beautiful one, she found. It wasn't like her home, which was full of lush forests, groves, creeks, and many other natural beauties, as well as some made to look like they were in years past before being burned to the ground. That always cast a shadow on her heart, how much destruction was done to her country whenever they found themselves in a war with Metargo. She truly wished for peace, but knew this dream was highly unlikely, thus leading her to secretly create her spy network, which was doing well in the war. Only a few knew about the network, but only she knew how the information was transferred to her.

Currently, Malinha was standing on a balcony on the Conference Building, reading a book. In a few hours or so, she would have to go down and convince the Benjlakki government to support her side in the war. She wound first try a peace, which if failing would give up. The book she was reading was a black bound book, unremarkable, but inside was amazing. It was how she got her information, spies would write with a certain type of ink on certain paper, and she'd see it. She had safe measures for making sure it wasn't bad information, but that was her secret, and the unfortunate soul who tried to break away.

She closed it when she heard someone come up to her, and Fink, her demon fox, told her, 'Tis only Gracchus.' by thought. She smiled as he spoke to her, and she nodded slightly. "Do not worry, my dear Gracchus. The purpose is only as a precautionary incase something should happen. The information I seek is only for the meeting, not for war, yet..." She let down as Fink, who was on her shoulders began to put his paws on Gracchus's ears, to which she told him to stop. "Sorry, you know he loves you so."

When she heard something else, Fink told her, 'Tis a diplomat, and some man who is seeking the arm of the diplomat.' Fink could read emotions to an extent, which is how she often got what she wanted while bargaining, and he was saying that Oriana didn't like this man. "Let us greet our visitors." She spoke softly as she walked over to the pair, her dress moving slightly in the wind, with Gracchus beside her. Fink hissed at the older man, to which she bopped his head. From what she could tell, Oriana hadn't resorted to violence, which according to the reports her network had given her was a problem. This caused her to smile.

"I do apologize for my pet, dear sir. He is slow to warm to new people." As she spoke, Fink leapt from her shoulders and began to sniff Oriana, and then rubbed his body on her, the way a cat would. Seems if he had taken to liking this woman. "What brings you here today, Oriana? I pray it is good news." She smiled at the two, her white eyes soft.

Zechariah watched for a another moment or so, with Aaron cocking his head in a combination of confusion and annoyance. Kyle, in the meantime, already begun to have silent fantasies about what Zech and Aza might do in bed with each other if they chose to. Benjamin gave a stern look which demanded an explanation from his little brother.

Eventually, Zech noticed his older brother's glare and sighed as he glanced downwards. "Yes, we have met, before. It was at a solar tech convention in southeastern Fertaninn." He glanced upwards at his brother. "I did not even tell her I was a member of the Malachi family, or that I was the 'Eagle of Mercy'. I did not want her to focus on that. I wanted her to focus on the real me, which is not some legend or anything like that. I'm not just a skilled soldier with a reputation." Glaring at Aaron, he added, "And there is definitely more to me than just my achievements on the battlefield, or anything else the press focuses on. I don't even consider what I'll I did during the Metargo invasion upon Benjlakk, two years ago, to be anything honorable. I'm not someone who enjoys anything about combat." Zechariah glanced downwards, once more. "I'm just... Zechariah. I don't want to be treated like some legend or anything of the sort."

Benjamin sighed in a combination of pity and other feelings. "I know what you mean, Zech. It really stinks when people think what you are known for is all you are." The older Malachi brother next noticed Catrina behind her. He had this brother mentality towards her, considering the redhead like a little sister. "Hey, Catrina, you all right?"

Kyle finally got out of his fantasy world to register what he did hear from Zecahriah, specifically the last part. Kyle then nodded and said, "That's deep, man."

Aaron huffed in anger. To him, it did not change the fact his own reputation went down the drain. On the other hand, if what Zech said was true, then what happened was not to humiliate him, after all. Aaron became confused internally, yet never showed it on the outside. They only saw his cold exterior.

------

Saul did not say a word after his wife gave their son an explanation. He realized he has not been much of a father. Calling him 'Leo' was his way of trying to make it up to him with whatever time there was. Yet, he was unsure of how to begin. Calida was always better with the social matters.

------

Gracchus saw Oriana glaring daggers at an older man and was going to help her when Malinha already did that. Either way, he was glad a fight was avoided. "Oriana, huh? That's a nice name. I'm Gracchus, and this woman here is the Chieftain of Natrulkra, Malinha Nedilo." He used his magic to bring out ingredients and quickly make a mocha for the blue-haired diplomat. "Here, have a mocha."

---

---

"Absolutely, Leo! Any child of mine is obvious to have wonderful manners! Your father just wants things to go as smoothly as possible. We're counting on Benjlakk to help us." Leonardo nodded to show he was listening, yet, why? Why did they require Benjlakk aid? Were they not winning? He had assumed they had come to ensure the Benjlakk stayed out of the war, but couldn't diplomats have achieved the same end? Besides that, Leonardo doubted the nation of Benjlakk would do anything as they were quite content with keeping their head under the sand as long as no one stepped on their vaunted neutrality sign they insisted on waving around.

Leonardo slipped his hands into the opposing robes cuffs as he toke the time to examine his surroundings. A small group of people caught his attention with a strange blue haired woman, which was incredible odd in itself, an older man and a group of Mysticarans were standing and talking. At first he didn't know they were Mysticaran, but when one waved his hand and created some form of drink; it became fairly obvious. Leonardo couldn't help the small smile that tugged at his lips. In a age of bloodshed and war, people were doing magic tricks. It was... well, something to ponder on.

"Interesting." Leonardo said watching the small group, his eyes catching the light, gleaming a soft gold. He examined each member in turn, from the odd, yet alluring, blue haired woman holding onto her arm, to the drink maker with a goofy grin, and finally the woman with long black hair. She... looked like she did not belong there. Surrounded by people enjoying their lives, laughing without worry, yet her smile was so small. A smile Leonardo knew well, it was the same one he gave. One that was for the benefit of the other person alone. He could not make out much else from the distance, but it was something else to ponder.

Oriana was rather shocked when new voices met her ears. Blinking she turned and gave the new comers a grateful smile. "Hello, Malinha... I am here as a representative for the people of Benjlakki... As you can imagine everyone is very worried... Though I do not know if that is a bad or good thing..." Oriana let out a small sigh as if to communicate that today would be a long day. Though she still smirked when Malinha's cat hissed at the head of industry. Oriana blinked at Gracchus and giggled when he tried to introduce her to Malinha. "Ah, Hello Gracchus? I'm afraid I only really needed your name... I am well acquainted with quite a few of the politicians and royalty arriving already... And those I am not I have seen pictures of... I am suppose to treat them with the utmost respect."

Oriana smirked when she heard the head of industry clear his throat obviously he was waiting for an introduction. Oriana shifted and let go of her metal arm lifting it and gesturing toward the head of industry in an overzealous fashion. "This gentlemen is the head of industry Sir. Black... He will be observing the proceedings but not partaking upon my request. All due to the fact that his idea of negotiation revolve around Benjlakki arming both sides of the war." Oriana smirked hearing Sir.Black sputter... He had wanted an introduction after all and she had given him one lengthy and rather harming to his appearance. In response she watched him glare bow and finally leave. "Well... There's one small victory..."

Returning to once again to face Malinha and Gracchus Oriana's smile diminished until it was small and frail but still friendly. "I truly am sorry... But I should not accept any coffee before the meeting..." Oriana sighed and her shoulders slumped a little but she quickly glared at the floor and lifted herself to stand tall. "I need to keep my head clear so I can try to negotiate this thing... A small portion of the population near the industrial zone wants to help Metargo... Then we have another small group wanting to help the Mysticarans whom there related... And then the majority still demand neutrality... And I'm suppose to try and make them all happy... It's going to be a hat trick that's for sure." Oriana grinned forcing herself to cheer up. "But hey I'm Oriana Aspiral youngest politician of Benjalkki if anyone can negotiate this thing its me!"

Oriana looked outside and saw several more politicians arriving. She blinked and turned to her two companions. "I really must be going... Thank you again for bailing me out... Gracchus... It's probably your job already but please keep Malinha safe... While everyone is here peacefully... I tend to worry." She smiled bowed and turned to leave but as she departed she noticed a pale figure who looked familiar. Oriana turned her head her eyes widening when she realized who the pale figure was... And that he'd probably heard the entire conversation! Oriana's cheeks flushed near crimson in embarrassment... So much for seeming respectable to the Metargo royal family...

(Writers block... Why? )

Saul noticed Leo's expression and told him, "Don't bother saying anything to Oriana if it is anything questioning Benjlakk's neutrality. Anyone from a warring nation who does so in Benjlakki territory ends up arrested, or worse, shot on sight. It is how they have proven their point for five decades, now. In their eyes, the ones who question their neutrality will eventually violate it, and must not be allowed to do so. You must understand, these are a people who withstood and repelled hundreds of invasions and became embittered by them. As such, their resolve is unmatched even by yours, Leo. Do not underestimate them or their willingness to unleash their wrath on those they feel threatened by. At least, they would not kill a civilian. The worst that can happen to one would be life imprisonment. It is the military 'threats' they frequently destroy."

Saul sat next to Calida, not sure if being next to Leo was a good idea. He felt himself a terrible father. That alone weighed heavily on his mind, yet he did not show it.

-----

"Oh, yeah, caffeine can do that..." He listened to her request and said, "No problem! We elves are known for our speed!"

Gracchus did not notice until too late that the Metargo royal family was nearby. Crud... now, they might not take her seriously... then again, anyone who didn't were often shot or imprisoned to drive the point home... Somewhat comforted by that thought, He went to his seat next to Malinha. Where is Cam? Gracchus did not know what to think of the whole situation. After all, why would a Benjlakki diplomat risk her career to go out with a citizen of a warring country? Just that thought left his head downcast.

------

President Howard Anderson stood between two security officers in the conference room, with other officers surrounding the table, rifles armed and held in a diagonal position across their chests. He knew just as the others did, that foreigners would be wise not to question their neutrality while in Benjlakk. Besides, any Benjlakki individual found giving any aid to warring nations, be it through ammunition, weapons, vehicles, or other means, ended up either imprisoned for life, or executed.

---

---

Leonardo listened intently as the blue headed woman spoke. She was an amusing woman that much was sure. Connecting the dots, she was most likely a diplomat, but she didn't seem to be like many diplomats he had met before. From the bright clothing, the large unguarded smile, and finally to the... well, refreshingly honest nature. Oriana Aspiral. Leonardo committed the name to memory, well, it was not as if he had a choice. He remembered everything no matter what from names, to faces, to small details he glimpsed over. It was his power and his curse.

"Your faith in me is inspiring." Leonardo said smoothly, hiding his annoyance with his father with years of practice. He was not a child, nor was he a brash fool who went around pointing out peoples flaws, but he felt his patience with his father wearing thin. Every five minutes it seemed like he was being told of how he couldn't do this or should do that. How they were better then him at this or how he should feel ashamed for that. Perhaps he should stop thinking for himself and just allow his father to do that for him? Might make him sleep better at night.

It seemed that the meeting was finally going to get underway as his parents went to find their seats on the 'Metargo' side and the elf went to sit on their own side. He assumed the dark haired woman would be joining him shortly. Leonardo stopped by Oriana and gave her a soft smile and offered his left arm. Leonardo had noticed that she had been holding her arm, and on closer inspection it seemed her arm was a fake, so he offered his arm that would allow her to grip it with her human arm, "Forgive me if I seem forward." Leonardo said softly before leaning and whispering, his arm still held up, "But you see my, oh so, dear father has spent the last hour or so talking my ear off about how I should be on my best behavior and what I should or should not do, and it seems the prospect of me talking to you terrifies him, so allow me the honor of making him squirm for just a little while. It is a sons duty to worry his father is it not?" He said flashing a mischievous smile.

The black haired girl simply watched the interaction between her friend and the diplomat. She always did like love stories, and in keeping with her hope of peace, a love between Gracchus and Oriana would make her visit more pleasurable. When she left, Fink was saddened, mostly because that meant that he had to go back up onto Malinha's shoulder or go to the older man. 'I like her.' The fox said. She agreed and watched as the woman left to get the meeting ready. Gracchus had taken his seat, and she said a small goodbye to Sir. Black and then took her seat beside him, all the while watching who was in the room.

"Do not fret Gracchus, I know of no woman who can resist an elf's charm." She whispered to him, and giggled softly before looking at the room. Guard's were all around, most likely to make sure no violence took place between them, or in case people tried to break into the building. She truly didn't know. Every meeting in her country was open for the public to view, but she recognized that this was a delicate meeting. The King and Queen of Metargo sat opposite her, looking at her slightly. They should be her enemy, but she wished for peace, and would try her hardest for it, no matter the cost to her. She knew it would be hard, sense The Red Prince of War, Leonardo Metargo, would be here. He killed her father, and the pride of Mysticarian would demand she challenge him to a duel and take his head, but she had to be above it, for the sake's of millions.

Fink studied the room, and gave a brief analysis of everyone's emotions, and she focused on the king and Leonardo, as she had to convince them, but she kept the queen in her pocket for an emotional appeal. She had wished the princess was present, she wished for peace as well, and was having an affair with a Benjlakk solider, but she worked with what she was dealt. She closed her book of spies, and put it in her pocket and placed her hands in her lap, and smiled at the king, and then the president. She hoped that the meeting would start soon, as she wanted to voice her opinion early on, but knew that it was considered rude, as the holder of the conference was usually the first to speak at these meetings.

Zechariah looked up at Aza while listening. He did not even have time to respond when he was grabbed by the wrist. When told there was more to Aaron, he thought in his head about what more there could be to him. Either way, Zech noticed Azalea in a nervous state of mind. His heart beat at a more rapid pace when he heard the query, "Your not going to like flip out on me just for being the princess of Metargo and not telling you at all, are you?"

To which, the Benjlakki man smiled and said to her. "No way. I would not flip out at that. You are you, no one else." Were it not for being in a public area, he would have implanted a kiss after saying what he said. What held him back was, he knew people would not look highly upon their relationship, which would put a strain on both of them if the wrong person found out.

Of course, he looked around for some sort of place which would afford them more privacy. He found that in the form of two walls which were part of a previous structure which was no longer there. They were right at the corner of Diplomacy Square they were in, too, which made it ideal for him and Aza to have a little time to themselves. Once both he and her were out of sight, he knelt down a little so to stand somewhat close to her height, right before he kissed her on the cheek. He would have gone for the lips, yet with how hard it is to remove lipstick, neither of them would have been able to hide what they did. Once his lips parted from her cheeks, he handed her a leaf he had on his person.

"This came off a Vitaliik shrub, native to southeastern Fertaninn."

Zechariah knew Aza having possession of something from Benjlakk was risky, yet he figured the Metargo Kingdom would look at the leaf as a souvenir from her time at the District of Justicra. He could only hope he was right. Right now, however, he merely wanted to spend whatever time he could with her. Of course, this was probably enough time without causing suspicion. It was her call, though.

------

Meanwhile, Benmjamin shrugged and told Catrina, "The two of them met before, but the thing is... Zech held back info on him being the 'Eagle of Mercy', while Azalea withheld information on her being the Metargo Princess. That kind of explains how they reacted to each other. So you know, this is not going in the records. if any part of what we saw were to be made known to the public, it would not end well. We should probably continue patrolling, now."

Aaron's cold exterior was replaced with confusion as May held him by the neck. However, he knew what was asked. "Just what Zechariah said. It's a little confusing."

Kyle smirked and walked up in front of him. "What are you thinking about, now, Aaron?"

The leader of the Lion team glared at Kyle. "I can well imagine what you're thinking."

------

Saul did not say a word, though he did spot Leo offering his arm to Oriana. Saul placed a hand on his forehead, lowered his head, and said mostly to himself, "What is he doing...?"

Gracchus, meanwhile, glared at Leo for a brief moment. What was the Red Prince thinking? Jealousy became apparent, but was soon bottled up to avoid anyone getting any wrong ideas.

Oriana blinked when the prince of Metargo glided up by her side. She blinked her blue eyes at him confused but listened as he muttered an explanation. Oriana snickered. "And here I was told royalty were suppose to be goody two shoes..." A smirk played itself on Oriana's features. "Oh well I did talk with the Mysticarans I suppose I might offer a courtesy to the Metargo as well... Besides I myself dislike being told what I can't do so assisting you is a small victory for all trouble makers..." Oriana wrapped her human arm around the Prince's and allowed him to lead her to her seat. "Hmm you should probably take your seat after you escort me your father looks like he might have a heart attack and I'm sure the president who is kinda like my father is nearly doing the same... Besides I like to start bashing heads in early and after I'm seated my tongue shall become quite sharp." Oriana smirked and looked at the prince conveying that she was serious about her warning.

Oriana was impressed at her own grace for once as she walked next to the prince and over to her seat next to the presidents. "Also I must thank you for not making my metal arm more noticeable... People always pull the pity card when they see it... And I am not fond of pity." These were Oriana's last words to the Prince for now as she bowed her head very gently in respect slid her arm out of his and sat down next to the President. But as she warned not a minute after taking her seat did she manage to launch into a debate with Sir.Black who had somehow found her again and this time decided the topic of weapons would be much more entertaining a debate. While he insisted bombs and such thing should be permitted Oriana thought it was slightly unfair to just snap your fingers and down half your opponents but she also argued that was a part of war... Really the topic of bombs was a rather controversial one. They were much to efficient but in war that kinda was the point...

Zechariah was going to say they should probably head back, but then he remembered the conference would most likely end up a somewhat long one, provided two sides go back and forth on the backlash, or if the two sides just reach an impasse. He held Azalea and said, "I think we should have a bit of time."

------

Kyle smirked. He knew May loved to mess with Aaron, and he had an idea as to the reason. although the wink he felt should have been directed at Aaron. Aaron, on the other hand, did not know what to think of the situation of his mouth being moved by May's fingers right before being poked in the stomach. It did not hurt, yet it made him feel awkward, for some reason.

Kyle held back laughter from his hair being messed with, plus tried to restrain from thinking dirty about being leaned on, as he knew Aaron could get jealous. Kyle knew what was going on, but Aaron did not. Now that Kyle thought about it, possibly the rest of the Lion Team knew, as well, since they have seen May and Aaron interact in this fashion quite frequently.

Once Aaron regained his posture, he snapped out of his awkward daze and said, "Well, we might as well do something, though we can't wander off too far, or we'll end up on a wild goose chase searching for the Princess, which would not be good in our report."

Kyle nodded in agreement. "I'll get us some drinks. Just tell me where you two are going, and I'll meet you there once I have the refreshments. I know what I'm getting, what about you?"

Aaron shrugged. "I guess I'll have a strawberry daiquiri. I never liked the bitter stuff. As for where to go, I was thinking maybe... hmm... quite frankly, I don't know what to do. Where do you think we should go, May, that is within this part of Diplomacy Square?"

It was then Kyle saw Max, which made him smile more genuinely, since that mechanic can be fun to talk to, despite the fact Max's bisexual behavior does make things a little awkward inwardly, even if it did not show. Once Kyle heard what May wanted, plus where she and Aaron would go, Kyle walked up to Max and waved while saying, "Hey, Max! Nice to see you, buddy! How've you been?" He waited until he heard Max's response before adding. "I'm getting a few drinks for Aaron, May , and I. WAnt to come with me for one, too? I hear the Benjlakki gals, especially from Fertaninn, the region we are in, are tough from working farms and solar technology, which makes for some hot figures."

------

Benjamin started right after Catrina said to lead the way. It was mostly uneventful until Ben noticed someone who seemed a little out of place. It was a white-haired girl, yet she did not look like a Metargo citizen, whom are known for a great many of them having nearly-colorless hair. He could not determine what was different, yet there was something. Perhaps it was just him. He did not even know he was glancing over in the direction of an angel, since the wings were not visible. Ben quickly recovered so not to stare or be rude and continued his patrol. Hmmm... that girl is rather cute...

------

Gracchus was inwardly upset that Orianna actually accepted. Of course, given his hearing being so great, he knew it was only to annoy the King of Metargo, but he still felt a pang of jealousy. He would definitely ask Orianna out before the Prince could have the chance to.

President Howard Anderson waited until all the people from both sides meant to be here were seated to speak, but when he was about to, he saw Oriana and Sir. Black already arguing about something off topic. Even the security officers shook their heads and groaned, since the two bickering diplomats were not making a good first impression. "That is quite enough, you two! We are not talking about bombs in this conference. This is about the war going on between Metargo and Mysticara. Would you be so kind as to stay on topic, and furthermore, wait for the meeting to come to order? Thank you."

The President then turned his attention forward. "Now, as I was about to say, the first thing you should know before we begin is that we do not take any foreign questioning of our neutrality lightly, as those who have doubts about it are more likely to violate it, and must be dealt with in the necessary manner to make the point clear. That being said, we shall begin.

On the possibility of allying with one of the two nations present, it should be noted that there are many Senators in Congress who are unwilling to side with a nation with a general who would massacre entire communities of civilians, neither do they feel it beneficial to side with a country experiencing the brunt of the massacres, as such tragedies could reach our own citizens and residents, leaving even children in our lands as part of the casualties. Such barbarism on the part of military personnel who order such genocide does not settle in the stomachs of the Benjlakki people. In order to convince the Senate in Congress either way, this issue especially must be addressed, the reason we have invited Leonardo Metargo, so he can to explain himself in this conference. First, though, we must have the views of our own citizens mentioned, which is where Oriana Aspiral comes in. Oriana, if you will..."

Saul listened intently to what all was being said. He knew this would be difficult, considering the circumstances. Regardless, he was not one to give up without trying.

---

---

Leonardo flashed a smile in thanks, glad that she had accepted his offer. It would have been fairly awkward should she had rejected his offer. He had not believed she would, as if he did, he would not have offered, but believing and knowing are two very different things. He was nearly recovered from his previous smile before she spoke again of old men and their hearts, and he could not help but smile once again, "We wouldn't want that now, imagine the scandal." He said gently waving his hand to show his beliefs on such dramatics.

Leonardo was impressed with how well she moved. His own walk was slow, his robes shimmering with every movement, and his posture was impeccable, and so walking next to him was always a challenge. A daunting one as his allure tended to overshadow whoever he was next to, yet Oriana was not merely holding up but thriving. While far shorter than he, the blue haired diplomat did well as if she was feeding off his own allure and was glowing more beautiful for it. An odd thought, but the way she moved now reminded him of a great cat. Each movement was controlled and precise, and Leonardo did not recall her moving as such before.

The mention of her arm caused his eyes to phase out for just a moment as he relived a previous experience in perfect detail. The young soldier, no. Not a soldier, a child of only fifteen clutching onto Leonardo's forearms as he spat blood up saying the same thing over and over again, 'I want to go home...'. The child-soldier had stepped on a mine which tore apart his leg leaving only a shredded mess left over. Shrapnel had tore small holes all over his body, the medic was trying to remove the leg with a bone-saw to place the clogging solution into the wound. They had ran out of anesthetics on the second day of combat, and so the child had to suffer through it, and Leonardo had to hold him down. The sound of the bone-saw slicing through flesh and the grinding sound of bone yielding to metal was always able to break above the screams... The boy would have gotten a metal leg, but he did not survive the operation.

Leonardo's eyes refocused, and he gave a polite smile to hide the fact that he had lost sense for a moment. Feeling her arm slide out from his, he moved his arm behind his back as without her holding on to it; it felt rather odd to simply have it hanging out. Leonardo gave a bow in return to her nod, and turned away. Pity. Yes, he could understand that hatred for pity.

Making his way to his parents, he sat on the other side of his mother, and waited for the charade to be over. Leonardo gave the president a polite nod as he spoke about him. Barbarism? In war?! Oh, say it isn't so. Leonardo kept his small polite smile on his face as the president talked and was, honestly, highly amused by the dramatics. He was the scapegoat this time for their indecision. They did not want to join the war, but didn't have the self-respect to simply say so, so they needed a valid reason, and it seemed he was it.

Leonardo was slightly interested to know that it was they who invited him. His father had never let that slip and instead brought the entire family. If he had, perhaps, told him of the personal invitation he would have been able to put two and two together and figure out that they wanted to use him as a scapegoat. If he had known, he would have prepared a speech.

Oriana Aspiral. The name of the fair diplomat had Leonardo turning his attention to her once more. She was one of only two people that had managed to interest him. Her and the black haired Mysticaran. If her sharp tongue proved as powerful as her beauty; he may roll over and surrender now saving himself the trouble.

Sandra walked into the conference room and took her place by with other Benjakki military officials. She watched as others strolled in and then began to listen intently as the president made his opening remarks. Sandra looked to the faces of the other nations officials. She could see that the war had taken a toll on them all. Now it seemed more of a when than an if that Benjakki would be drawn into this conflict one way or another.

She had heard about the massacres and upon hearing that Leonardo Metargo was here to speak on his actions she was immediately drawn from her wandering thoughts. She listened as the president introduced Oriana to the assembly of military officials, royalty and politicians.

-------
Cam had been running late the morning of the negotiations he was suppose to report to Gracchus over an hour ago but now with the doors sealed that task had been failed yet another mark against him it seemed. He walked away from the main building as he whistled a jig maybe he could find someone to talk to while he was out here anything to pass the time and hopefully keep out of trouble though in the back of his mind he knew that was going to be an impossible task.

Oriana glared daggers at Sir.Black pointing out that this conversation was not yet over, but the older gentlemen only smirked. Finally Oriana settled down and listened to the president introduce her. Willing down the butterfly's that had begun to assault her stomach Oriana stood once again surprised by her own grace that was normally influenced by her heavier arm making her rather clumsy. Oriana stood tall and ignored the looks people gave her arm, she was use to such antics by now and if they wished to stare then they may...

"First off I would like to mention that while the representatives of Metargo and Mysticaran are speaking... I will be paying close attention and I will rip through every shred of information given to me so I might properly inform the people of each sides position... That means you had better watch every word you speak for I will be harsh." Oriana smirked knowing each word came out icy and sharp like warning of an impending doom. Oriana observed the silence that followed with cold icy eyes smirking when a few diplomats looked away or shuddered. "Now then... The people of Benjlakki have been accustom to the harshness of war before, for this reason we have a large military capable of defending us quite well and the people know this... That means they will not be swayed to either side easily... The people wish to know why they would join one side over another? What would it do? What would that means for them? And truly it will impact Benjlakki as we are a culture based upon both magic and science. For this reason the people also need guarantee that there will be no genocide of any kind should they join either side."

Oriana took a breath and once again eyed the room ensuring there was silence. "Now as it currently stands... The main percentage of Benjlakki citizens are continuing to ask for respected neutrality, but there are two other small groups... One that desires to side with the Mysticaran's to whom they are related... And another that wishes to side with Metargo for reasons of shared knowledge..." Another breath another chance to glare down anyone she felt was not listening. "So as I said before... The people will not be swayed easily nor will I accept any vague answers... Pray your points do not offend me..." Oriana took her last chance to glare at everyone with the intensity of a wall of ice. Finally she bowed in respect and sat down. Ignoring the smirk and the arched eye brow on Sir.Black's face. She knew what that look conveyed 'Keep being so cold and you shall frighten away all possible suitors.' Oriana only arched her eyebrow and gave an amused look silently conveying that 'Those I don't frighten will at least be worth five minutes of my time.' With there silent conversation over Oriana returned her attention to the president. She was slightly eager to rip through some diplomats.

Zechariah smiled gently, as was customary of him to do, as he gazed into Azalea's eyes, again. There this sense of calm whenever he saw those beautiful, light blue eyes. He thought for a moment and remembered something. "I know of a bakery, just outside Diplomacy Square, that is always open. Ben and I sometimes went there during our last stay in the District of Justicra, which was when we were first trained in handling Mechs. Everything at that bakery is made fresh, and the coffee is not bad, either. We can tell the head baker that I am giving you a tour of the city, so they won't even suspect anything. What do you say?"

------

Aaron shrugged. "Only because of a few previous visits, plus I've seen a map of the city that was made from a satellite photo via a military computer during our country's previous war. We never made it to the District of Justicra due to being pushed back by the Benjlakki, Zechariah among them, but I if I remember the details. If I remember right, there is a shooting game section not far from here. Let's go check it out."

Aaron held May's hand, not sure of why, and led her to what he was talking about. Soon enough, he found the game he was looking for. "This one is where you take a game pistol, designed to look real when shooting it while not doing any actual harm, and shoot at the target, which moves to another area of the screen when the shot hits. The location of the target that is hit determines the number of points you gain. If it's a bullseye, you gain ten points. There is a stop in in the middle of the session where you switch out the clip as fast as you can, as you are competing with other people who are participating the same time as you are, before shooting again. At the end of the whole session, the scores are compared. The winner is the person with the highest score, whose score is then compared to the scores of other previous winners that ever came about. If yours is a high score, you get a prize, which is usually some sort of souvenir. Want to have a go?"

------

Benjamin glanced in the white-haired girl's direction, noticing her. Upon that, his face went three shades of red. Oh, crud! What do I do? He turned around with a nervous look as he placed a hand behind his neck. "Uh... Y-yes, miss? A-anything I can help with?"

-------

Gracchus admired Oriana's passion for the discussion, which showed in his smile. He did not even notice her metallic arm. I think I'm in love...

Meanwhile, the President nodded towards Oriana and then glanced towards Leonardo. "Leonardo Metargo, will you please stand and speak?"

---

---

Leonardo listened as Oriana gave her own speech following the presidents. Overall, it was far too dramatic for his taste; he much preferred blunt answers. Yes or no. This or that. He found such extravagances taxing. He did note that she still moved precise, only this time, her words matched her movements underlining his earlier observation of her being like a deadly feline. Her tongue was indeed sharp, perhaps, even as deadly as her beauty. With the speech ended, Leonardo stood up; his robe rippling over his body as he moved to the center of the floor.

"I fear you have me at a disadvantage." Leonardo said to the room lifting his hand and motioning to them all, "I was not informed I would be giving any speeches, debating, or even that I had been personally inviting." While he did feel the gnawing bite of anxiety, his hard learned persona as the 'prince' over-rode it allowing him to appear calm and, above all, in control of the disadvantageous situation.

"Nor am I the experienced speaker that the beautiful, and passionate, Lady Oriana is, but I shall do my best." He said before taking a step forward towards the president, "I shall answer your question first, explain myself? I have no desire to do so for my actions are self-explanatory, but I shall do my best to make it even move clear. It is war, and I am destroying my enemies most precious resource, it's citizens. It is not barbarism, it is logic. War is not a game; I will not throw Metargo lives away for honor or for my own morality because I have a duty to my people. I am not the prince of Mysticara nor the prince of the world. I drench my hands in blood so that the children of Metargo will not have to, and for every fallen enemy, for every destroyed resource, for every burned village; I give my men that," he said emphasizing with his fingers, "Much more chance of returning to their families. Do you agree with that? I don't know, nor do I care. Because protecting my people is my duty, and I do not play games with the lives of my people."

Leonardo took two steps to the left using movement to hold peoples attention, "The recent history of the Metargo military has been rifled with failed invasions, obviously, we are doing something wrong. I believe the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again, yet expecting different results. The times have changed, and the Metargo military must evolve if it is to finally have victory. Hate my methods. Hate me, if you wish, but my means are effective." If he was given more control over the army then small token forces; they would probably not be here in the first place.

With that part done, Leonardo turned to Oriana giving her a small nod before continuing, "I will not lie to you. Although some may wish I do." He said simply glancing in his fathers direction, "For my pride as a prince is far stronger then my desire to appease. No matter what the Benjlakki chose, I will not stop in my efforts in Total War. It is not genocide for I have no desire to utterly exterminate the Mysticarans nor do I feel ill will towards them. I am destroying their resources. I burn their homes. Burn their fields, and destroy their people cutting them off from the goods, work, and potential soldiers they have to offer. Those who do not die, flee and become refugees further putting strain on their supply lines. Total War, I fight not for the extinction of the Mysticaran people. Every action I take in the war effort is for victory."

Where Oriana had used her intense glare to insure silence, Leonardo used his presence. Presence that only a royal prince could release having been born expecting people to simply listen as well as a being a military commander used to obedience, and he expected nothing less at the moment. If they wished for him to speak; they had best be polite and listen.

Leonardo gave a soft smile, his eyes tinting gold, "Now that I have that large thing out of the way, I shall answer the rest. Why join in the war? There are a few reasons, but I feel that the average citizen cares little for them." He said keeping true to his word on honesty, "The average man and woman cares little for the politics of rich men. They want to be well fed and have a nice roof over their head. What do they care about a war half-way around the world? To others; however." Leonardo said motioning with his hands to the diplomats, "Fighting alongside the Metargo promises technology, trade with the most industrious nation on the planet, lands that would be shared from the conquest, and, of course, an alliance which would make them the most powerful force on the planet. The people care little for this, but I suspect many powerful men and women within the nation would find that interesting."

Clasping his hands behind his back, Leonardo said simply, "That said, I support the majority in your nation." He said ignoring the looks of outrage and shock on some faces, "Going to war does nothing for your people. It is good for the wealthy and powerful of your nation, but for your people? Nothing. What concern is it of theirs that two nations half-way across the world are fighting a war half-way across the world? I am only here because my father wishes for your aid, and if he so desires it; he should be speaking and not I."

"I am sure many will be angry with me about this." Leonardo said his head held high, "But I promised honesty, and so you shall have it. Nothing would please me more then for the Benjalkki people to continue enjoying their well deserved peace."

Resources? Leonardo was a madman! Every Benjlakki officer in the room looked on at Leonardo with utter disgust. Besides, what use did Benjlakk have for Metargo's technology when their environmentally friendly gear worked just as efficiently, if not more so? Of all the men representing Benjlakk, only President Howard Anderson kept his reserve and calmness in the midst of the obvious anger. Howard nodded and said, "I comprehend what you are saying, though there are flaws in your logic I can see. Regardless, I shall refrain from speaking of my own opinions until I hear more from both sides. With Leonardo's explanation out of the way..."

One of the security officers interrupted when he stepped forward in outrage as he spoke with the same intensity he showed. "What threat would a child pose, especially a very young one? What about a pregnant woman? Or somebody with a developmental disorder, such as severe autism or down syndrome? What did they do to deserve death? What threat would they pose? Look at the infants, toddlers, and newborns! None of such people could pose nearly as big a threat as a battle-hardened soldier! Those so-called 'resources' I have specified most likely would not be working a military factory, or manufacturing weapons, nor would they be the ones to carry a lethal weapon! To ensure a civilian's safety is not 'treating war as a game', as the Red Prince puts it! Protecting civilians is at the core of what a military should be like! Isn't that right, men?"

The other security officers simultaneously pumped their right fists into the air while shouting three times in unison, "Justice!"

President Anderson shrugged and told the officers, "That interruption was not necessary." Looking back at the table, he continued. "Anyway, would King Saul please stand and speak?"

Saul stood up, ever so calmly, and gave his point of view on the matter. "It is the opinion of Metargo's Parliament that the reason we fight is to survive as a nation, as an arms race has occurred after our defeat in our previous war, against Benjlakk. Both sides, as in Metargo and Mysticara, have feared one another due to hostilities on how a nation should use its resources. For most Metargo men and women, progress is what is needed, yet what kind of progress has never been defined. This unfortunately led to tensions until the Mysticarans felt threatened enough to attack one of our factories which built weapons, armor, and other equipment. At the time, Parliament's intent was to hold the Mysticaran Federation off. Unfortunately, it turned into a conflict of retaliation rather quickly, as the nation's citizens were that outraged at the attack. I, myself, merely wish to reach a point where a ceasefire can be declared, so there will be times for both sides to calm down and recover."

The moment Saul sat down, one of the Metargo soldiers present stood up and pounded his fist to the ground. "What's the point of a ceasefire when such a backwards society insists upon forcing us to change our way of life!? Science has always led to the betterment of society at large, increasing life expectancy, speeding up production, and providing many other benefits to society! We can no longer afford to live in a cave and be content with low standards of living! The survival of mankind depends upon the progress we make in our technology! We cannot just stop at where we are at, lest we decide to reverse all that we gained!"

President Anderson maintained his calm and motioned for the Metargo soldier to sit down, while asking for a Mysticaran official to share his opinion. This individual had this persona of fierceness about him, as shown in his numerous scars. It was the Head Councilor, Marcus Pericles, the very first elf to be elected Head Councilor of the Mysticaran Federation. He has seen more battles than most chieftains in their lifetimes due to having lived so long.

Marcus glared at the soldier who spoke before giving his rebuttal. "Such 'progress' often came at the expense of wildlife and plant life. One cannot call it progress if the setbacks are just as great. It can only do harm, in the long run. What of the trees and shrubs which provide medicine and food? What of the natural balance in our world which ensures life not just for nature, but also civilization? To disrupt that would endanger every living being on the planet due to species after species dying out that maintained such balance. In the end, there would be nothing left to protect, nothing to preserve, only a mass extinction which would echo for eternity. That is why we fight Mysticarans fight."

When Marcus Pericles sat down, President Anderson calmly glanced over to Malinha. "Chieftain Nedilo, would you care to add anything to the discussion?"

Gracchus looked in the Chieftain's direction, wondering what she would mention. He knew the spy network might have given her something to talk about. However, that was a mystery to him, since he did not know what all she knew.

---

---

Leonardo fought back the urge to rub his forehead at the laughable antics of the Benjlakki military. Women and children, yes, no one ever used that argument before. No, it was the very first time he had ever heard that in all the battles he had fought in. Oh, how the soldiers of Benjlakki were so insightful, but it explained why they were soldiers. They didn't need to use their minds for anything else. The justice bit was the most over-done and undisciplined act Leonardo had ever seen in his life. He wasn't sure he was able to keep the look off his face that time at how incredibly foolish they looked acting like grade-school children.

Leonardo was going to rebuttal with that pregnant women gave birth. Children grew up and those children became soldiers, workers, or otherwise an asset to the enemy. Killing them was a way to prevent an enemy soldier down the line as well as ensure that the child did not create more children who would then become more enemies. It was a simple idea, but perhaps it was too advanced for the soldiers of Benjlakki, but being a soldier was an easy life. One did as they were commanded; they were not required to think. They were not required to weigh the lives of thousands against the lives of others, no, that was the job of their betters.

As for those with ailments, what was he supposed to do? Hand out test to the people before burning their towns? In the heat of battle, there was not time for such idiocy ideas. Action had to be done, and complex orders only created confusion among the ranks. Without the assistance of their 'healthy' family and friends, how were these people supposed to survive? Was he to allow them to starve to death? Yes, that seemed far more humane then simply killing them.

Leonardo flashed a smile to the soldier, but said nothing. It was the armies job to protect their own citizens which is what Leonardo did. Protecting the enemy citizens was incredibly foolish. It took away manpower, supplies, and allowed for easy infiltration, but it was not surprising. The wars they fought were games. All honor. Nothing changed but they hide that fact by claiming it as a victory, but is is not a true victory. They were tools for the powerful to make their points as the lowly soldiers fought and died in droves for reasons that mattered nothing to them, but it was okay, because the powerful convinced fools like these soldiers that what they were doing was bad but not the worst thing they could do. It had to be nice, being a grunt like those soldiers.

Before Leonardo could speak the president changed the topic. Did he fear an answer? Was he worried that the 'Red Prince' would talk those soldiers down thus lessening the impact of their childish display, but perhaps it was for the best. Arguing with a fool only created two. He ignored the rest of the conversation and concentrated on the blue haired diplomat as her words would be far more interesting then what his father or anyone else had to say.

The Chieftain only sat stroking her demon while the circus came to town all around her. The Red Prince was asked to speak, and after flirting with a diplomat, proceeded to defend his tactics. Malinha, had she not been a patient person, would have challenged him to a duel and killed him. She knew the strategy to winning an alliance was patient and being the better negotiator. Fink had confirmed that he held in firm belief that the prince meant what he had said, which didn't surprise her in the slightest.

When the soldier's began to voice their own opinions on the war, she felt it was a silly distraction. She wanted to use the whole 'appealing to emotion' argument, but knew it was a useless tactic in this setting, and hearing from those men confirmed it to her. Fink was excited at the large array of hatred coming from most of the room. He sat in her lap, his fur began to stand on end, and she guessed he was close to running, so she held him tighter and whispered to him, "Be soft, Fink. We can not afford that happening here." And this calmed him slightly. The thing that no one, not even the Head Counselor knew was how destructive Fink could be with her. It was one of the reason she never had a focus to use magic, the demon was her focus, and if used properly, could be more destructive than most bombs. But she had managed to calm him.

She bowed her head when the Head Counselor was asked to rebut. He was a very important person, and he had won more battled than she dared to think. He had also been one of the few people who supported her stance in the war when she became a Chieftain, and was thankful for the insight her spies gave her. She nodded slightly as he spoke, but knew that her tactic would be a peaceful one, as is her nature.

When the President had addressed her, she was surprised a tad. She knew she would most likely speak, but the rate that he asked her was quick. She simply nodded to him as she walked to the center stage were she would address the crowd, her fox following her footsteps and looking around at everyone as she began to speak.

"Dear President Anderson, and everyone else who lines this room, while I am grateful for the opportunity to speak on my country's behalf, it saddens me that I must do so." She spoke in a soft, but firm voice, her usual voice. "This war that my country finds itself embroiled in has left my people, as well as the ones from Metargo, with a deepened hatred for the other, and only wishes to see more blood spilled until none are left standing. And while this may be an effective way to end conflict, as previously pointed out, It is not the best way to end this conflict."

"I wish to give a little information to the council today on how people of Mysticara battle, especially in my tribe. We fight smartly, bravely, and ruthlessly, but we are always lead by our Chieftain of the tribe. This responsibility would fall on me now, as I have inherited the title from my father when he was killed by the Red Prince Leonardo. But I tell you here truthfully that I have never, nor do I wish to, enter battle. I have not once joined my people, and instead they have been lead by Gracchus Occi, who sits beside me." She said, and used her hand to softly point to him, before returning them together in front of her stomach. "Some have said I do this because I fear battle, but this is not so. I would relish the idea of destroying my enemies who murder my people without hesitation, but I stay out because I wish to express my wish for peace.

"The difference between Mysticara and Metargo are numerable to the point of excessive. However, for all of the differences, one thing is true for both. Neither of there leaders wish to send their people to die for purposes that mean nothing to them. And while the common people, as seen by a member of the Metargo military, prove to be ignorant to the greater peace, and use hatful language, everyone here today knows how much damage will be done by continuing this war. Deaths in the millions, entire cites, villages, and towns destroyed. This is a price that is far too high for a bad peace to exist."

She then turned to the President, as she had been trying to move around and look at everyone, and looked at him with soft eyes. "That is why today I, Chieftain Malinha of the Natrulkra Tribe, wish to call upon the government and people of Benjlakk to not join this war, but rather act as a mediator for Metargo and Mysticara, and help a peace grow between these countries. Even though I am but one of many Chieftains, I was called here to join my leader because of my tribe's strength. I am willing to pay any price to see a long standing peace run between the nations and for relations to improve," She then turned briefly over to Leonardo, and then returned to talking, "But I will warn this. Should a peace not be reached, and this war continue, I will join in this fight, and I will make sure that no matter the damages done by the Red Prince, the damages done to his people will be returned ten fold."

She then bowed to President Anderson, before taking her seat again beside her friend. 'I pray that they listen.' She thought, and then Fink told her, 'You did a good job Linha, it is out of your hands now, just be at peace now.'