335 Agreement with the Queen
One of the things that Haalfrin and his generals agreed on is that they need to send some of the Arkin down to see the Ants for themselves and meet the Queen.
After all, just because the generals logically agree that peace is at least worth trying, it's still best to get all of the other soldiers on board as well.
And so, many of the Arkin go down from their "safe" fortress in the sky, and they scrouge around the surface – marveling at the forest that the Ants had planted here.
Seeing the little dots in the sky, most of the Ants shriek in fear and hide in their little hovels. They'd never even seen birds in the sky before, much less, hordes of flying people. It's not like they have any memories of their long war.
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All of this is happening, and Kaalhyme goes down to the Threshold with one of his chief lieutenants. Unlike the common soldiers, they're not here to sightsee; they're here to deliver the treaty they'd drafted up in their war council, as well as negotiate.
Frankly, walking through the Threshold is more than startling to Kaalhyme and his tall comrade. Off in one corner, he sees a group of young girls playing a board game he'd never seen before, he sees other girls standing on boxes and singing strange songs to the masses. He also sees the smallest of the Ants running around and playing nonsensical games.
Perhaps even more disconcerting is the fact that all of the Ants are dressed in actual clothes, and they look like civilized people now.
The only situation ANY of the Arkin ever had with the Ants was in a bloody war, where they were frequently ripped limb from limb. With all this tragedy still fresh in his mind, Kaalhyme is noticeably shaken by what he's seeing.
The man had always known that the Ants don't retain memories of their former lives – even after they've been revived.
Now? Now the man has an uncomfortable itch in his heart when he thinks of the war.
How many children has he killed over the years? Who's at fault here – the soldier who slew the child, or the merciless Queen who sent them to war?
It's a tough question that Kaalhyme thinks about on his way up to the Queen's throne room.
The general's companion is evidently having the same thoughts. He bumps his superior officer on the side, gestures with his head, and whispers, "I think the Ants have changed, now that they haven't been to war in generations."
"We'll see."
No matter how emotionally compelling the thought is, Kaalhyme knows very well that the Ants still must obey their Queen. Any character development the children have gone through will be meaningless if the Queen herself is still the same greedy, gluttonous b#tch she's always been.
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Once Kaalhyme gets to the Queen's throne room, he presents the scroll. Kaalhyme takes into account that the Queen doesn't know how to read, so he offers to read the scroll aloud to her.
To this, the Queen raises her hand and says, "No thank you. Dakka has taught me how to read. Just hand me the scroll."
The Queen looks over the parchment, and her fists curl in rage. "You think I can accept this!?" she spits at Kaalhyme. "You expect me to stay in this castle for the rest of my life!?"
Kaalhyme bows his head respectfully to her – especially when he sees Lord Dakka peeking his head from around the corner and staring at him.
"I mean no offense," Kaalhyme says diplomatically. "It's just… We really don't trust you, and we have the Rehkin clans to consider. You will be granted all the land within 100 miles of the Threshold; this is MORE than enough for all of your children to live in. You also have our crops from the Death Realm to feed you, and those will never run out."
"That doesn't change the fact that I'll be imprisoned!" the Queen hisses.
Kaalhyme responds with a flat tone. "It's called having a territory. Obviously, you can't trespass onto other people's territory casually; that's how wars start."
Queen Fina concedes the point, and she strokes her finger down the scroll. "Onto the next point… Yes, I have a problem with the 3rd clause here," the Queen complains.
More specifically, this clause in the treaty stated: For 1,000 years, Queen Fina and Commander Haalfrin are to remain within 10 miles of each other at all times, and Queen Fina will have guards appointed by Commander Haalfrin to be at her side at all hours of the day, every day. Once the 1,000-year probation is over, Commander Haalfrin or his representative will convene with Queen Fina every 10 years until both parties decide that it's no longer worth the time.
The clause continues: Any act of violence initiated by an Ant towards a non-Ant will result in a heavy investigation, potentially reigniting our war, should it the violent act be proved to be premeditated and coordinated. No Ant will be permitted to carry a weapon, and they won't be allowed to learn offensive magic. All creations of Captain Ants is strictly banned.
The clause finishes: Under no circumstance is the Queen allowed to stockpile mana. This is to prevent her from being tempted to wage war on her neighbors.
"Oh?" Kaalhyme says. "Any objections to that? I think it's quite reasonable."
"Yes, I do," the Queen says. "I hate being treated like a caged animal. At most, I'll give you 500 years. 1,000 years is too excessive. Are you saying I can't even take a walk without your permission? No thank you."
"My Queen," Kaalhyme explains calmly, "We don't know if you or your Ants still have a taste for human flesh or not. Naturally, if your swarm can survive 1,000 years without eating meat, and if you can go that long without going crazy, then we'll know you're safe enough to stop paying attention to."
Kaalhyme then straightens his back. "Part of our oath as soldiers of the Valor Hall is that we must defend the people of our world. After all the innocents your Ants have slaughtered, can you tell me that our fear of you is unwarranted? Think of all the settlements you've harmed in your life – the cities you've destroyed, and the clans you've wiped out."
Unexpectedly, the Queen raises her head up stubbornly. "What about harming another settlement? I got this strong so I could protect myself and ensure my swarm's survival. If all our weapons are taken away and our claws dulled, we'll become the playthings of everyone out there who hates us."
Kaalhyme nods understandingly. "Indeed. You should be allowed to defend yourselves. How about this? If the other party strikes first, you're allowed to attack and eat them. However, under no circumstance are you allowed to kill civilians – only invading armies."
The Queen nods to this.
"Good," Kaalhyme says with a snap of his fingers. "Write that down, Jenri."
The tall lieutenant behind him steps forward and scribbles a few extra words on the scroll.
The Queen still has another bone to pick with this clause, so she adds. "And what about that bit with Haalfrin? Why does he have to be so close to me all the time? Smelling his foul stench is already annoying enough. For the rest of my life? Really? Isn't that a little too much?"
"It's completely necessary," Kaalhyme responds. "If you ever cause another mess, then the Commander is the only person who can reasonably fight you… given that Lord Dakka certainly won't do it."
This still makes the Queen uncomfortable. "How am I supposed to live peacefully with a sword hanging over my head all the time?"
Kaalhyme leans forward and stares at her intently in the eyes. "You're not understanding something. You've killed millions of civilians. You're a mass murderer and a war criminal. Giving you freedom is already a generous act of forgiveness on our part."
The Queen nods in understanding. (Really, she just doesn't know how to win that argument.) She then bring sup another issue. "Why can't I eat more mana? That would just get in the way of living, and it would make me a lot weaker."
Kaalhyme shrugs. "Nobody is able to read your mind here. We can't really tell how truthful you're being right now. If we don't have insurance to keep you from acting out again, then you could grow too strong and kill Haalfrin while Dakka isn't looking. Then, it would be the Rehkin Clans who'd be put in danger."
"I'm afraid this bit is non-negotiable. The Rehkin clans supporting us in the Death Realm and supplying us won't tolerate us leaving that bit out," he says with a heavy look on his face.
He leans in. "I'd say their opinions matter a lot here. Tell me, did all those children and families you ripped apart and devoured… do they mean nothing? If you're really sorry and wish to stop the fighting, then you'll agree to the terms as presented."
Seeing the Queen looking down anxiously and wringing her clothes in her grip, Kaalhyme almost feels that it's a pity.
Other than with her husband, this woman had never had to negotiate for anything in her life before – what with being linked by the mind with everyone she knew and being able to control everyone without any back-talking. She really stood no chance at the negotiating table.
Once they both agree to the rest of the terms – most of which have to do with trade, Kaalhyme gestures to the small paper knife next to the scroll. "Just drop a bit of your blood on the scroll, and it'll seal the deal. If you look on the bottom, Commander Haalfrin's own bloodstain is there."
The Queen complies, and the second her blood touches the parchment, the paper shines brightly, and she feels some strong, chain-like Spirit Threads wrap around her heart.
Startled, the Queen gasps, "What was that!?"
"It's a Spirit Art common among the Rehkin Clans," Kaalhyme explains, "It normally crushes the heart of whoever breaks the agreement… though with you, I doubt that would do very much. At least it'll let us know if you go back on your word."
Satisfied now, the Queen leans her head sideways and rests her cheek on her propped-up palm. "Is that all?"
"Yes that's all." Kaalhyme bows. "I'll be taking the first shift in keeping watch over you. Mind if I take a seat in this corner?"
The Queen scowls. "Just go over there in that really dark spot. I don't want to see you."
