Alisson busied himself in the days leading up to the departure to the Queendom by writing and reading. As the sun blazed outside on Celis, training with her now fellow 51<sup>st</sup>, Alisson sat within his study, eyeing them from the relative cool interior of the building. He took a sip of his tea, and continued to write his report on the events that transpired on their mission. He conveniently forgot some topics and people here and there, but it’s not like Sidonia had any means to realize that.
He scribed the text with a fancy fountain pen, beside his report were the several books he’d picked up from the Nuam archives. The one that lay open on the very top of the pile being titled ‘KITSUNE: THE MOONLIGHT CANNON TECHNIQUE AND OTHER RELATED ABILITIES OF THOSE POSSESSED OF NINE TAILS.’
He was not only penning the report…In his mind, he ran through several ideas that he’d never commit to paper out of fear. He occasionally glanced at a small map on his desk, pondering courses of action.
As Alisson was writing away however, he heard a knock at his door and allowed one of his servants to enter with a message.
“Master. Lente Li Arquis would like to speak with you. He is waiting in the sitting room.”
“Send him in.”
Alisson said with a wave, and moments later, Lente entered his study with a wry smile. He was a short boy, lacking in physical stature – even compared to Alisson. Lente wore large round glasses, a large coat typical of those in the science division.
“What brings you here today, Lente?”
Alisson asked without looking, continuing to pen his report.
“I’m afraid it’s not a social call…I have a couple things I was asked to pass along…” Lente gently sat down at a seat beside Alisson, and placed a bundle of papers on his desk. “…The official orders and subsequent guidelines for the coming incursion to the Queendom. Things have really shifted around and melded together since you, well…Sort of went against the Lady’s orders…”
“That would be a sure side-effect.”
Alisson put his pen down with a sigh, and lifted the papers, flipping through them and skimming the headers, long used to the kind of paperwork those in High Command liked to produce.
“There are some amendments you should be aware of…it’s…odd…The new requirements they shoved into the guidelines regarding you as soon as it became apparent you were joining them…”
Originally, the Machavelli was meant to secure the port of the Queendom’s capital city for further incursion from Sidonian envoys and related forces, but in commandeering the ship, plans had changed. Now, because of Alisson, the scheduled diplomatic envoys and security details would all be ferried by the Machavelli in one trip – Not exactly good practice. Normally there’d be at the very least a few other ships but the fact was, the Machavelli was the only Sidonian ship in the lake of Aleeze.
As such, Alisson had been expecting some sort of updated rules imposed by High Command, however, one line immediately stuck out to him:
In the event commanding officer Alisson Vi Nuam is unable to perform his duties, command will be unilaterally delegated to designated section commander Ardinand Li Arquis.
‘In the event’? Just what was that supposed to mean? Such clauses had never been included in prior guidelines that he’d ever read. Alisson frowned, setting the paper down in thought.
Ardinand was going to previously be in command of the operation before Alisson was shoved into it by Sidonia, but since Alisson was of a higher family rank, he was given de-facto control of the operation by norm; even though Ardinand was currently the number one standing fighter in Sidonia, in front of Lady Salchyon at number two, and himself at number three.
The rankings didn’t really mean much. The real strongest fighter in Sidonia wasn’t even listed on them. She’d long ago been exempt from public facets. There were those that chased fickle records and titles, and more power to them; but Alisson had never been one to care for any sort of accomplishment theatre.
“Check the guidelines about your requisition allowances, that’s what I wanted to bring to your attention.”
Lente added, and Alisson once again flipped through the papers. Why the articles on requisitioning? He was Alisson Vi Nuam, he was touted as the third best swordsmen and the heir to the second most powerful family; He was given full authority on what equipment and manpower he could ask for to complete a given mission – That had been the case for the past century.Find this and other great novels on the author''s preferred platform. Support original creators!
Alisson read over the lines.
He was allowed no more than a squad of his 51<sup>st</sup>. It was odd that the requirement was even listed, but Alisson wasn’t sure if he was even going to bring anyone else along other than Celis, so he shrugged this one off.
He was not allowed the use of any items above grade one as classified by the armory division.
What? Grade one items were used for self-defense, like a citizen would carry a dagger, or an ombudsmen would an item that could call for help or generate a defensive barrier. It meant that he couldn’t even carry a sword, anything really, that might be used aggressively. He couldn’t even wear any forms of protection above light gambesons. Alisson squinted, furrowing his mouth.
He wasn’t allowed to requisition any additional magic items or manpower; and if he so desired to, he was to inform Ardinand and receive his permission.
He put the papers back down on the desk, his mouth curled into frown.
“Doesn’t make too much sense, doesn’t it?”
Lente seemed to share Alisson’s recognition of the unorthodox nature of these mandates.
The incursion into the Queendom would be a small-scale effort to aid Queen Tsuhagara, queen of the Kitsune, in liberating the country from separatists and human influence. In being that the Kitsune and Nekomata were close allies, it was only natural that this was a desired outcome – With the war ramping up, the Nekomata needed as many allies as they could get their hands on. The Queendom had long been made into a vassal-like state by the Irine Principality, and remained a nation only in name. Those that were loyal to Queen Tsuhagara wished to make their country once more independent, and rid themselves from Irine; Though of recent there was a growing separatist movement that had been left unchecked – They now threatened to overthrow the traditional leadership and culture of the Kitsune.
As such, political assassination, bribery, coercion, all the usual abundance, were on the table – A full scale civil war was a potential outcome. That was to say, it wasn’t exactly a safe outing. Alisson would be a target. Limiting his defensive options bordered on malicious in this situation.
“There’s also that other matter I wanted to bring up…”
Lente looked a little hesitant. Alisson looked to him, bracing himself for some sort of bad news – Lente was the kind of man to hold the worst news for last. Alisson had learnt as much in the time they had known each other since they were kids.
Lente procured one more paper from within his coat. Taking the paper, Alisson quickly realized what it was. He had received four such papers before.
‘DECLARATION OF APPRENTICESHIP; BY HIGH COMMAND’
Alisson would be receiving yet another apprentice to train. It was meant to be a voluntary duty of older Nekomata, to teach and bring up the young; But this was an order from High Command – More likely, from Sidonia herself. Alisson set the paper down, sighing. He didn’t have a choice in the matter it seemed. He’d have to babysit a fresh, useless young Nekomata all over again, after having just bathed in the satisfaction of teaching Celis all he knew and watching her grow to such prowess. He didn’t even get a break from teaching, apparently. People always told him he was better off in a classroom, but he never understood why his friends held that opinion of him.
“You took that rather well…”
Lente muttered, eyeing Alisson. Alisson shook his head. “It’s a sworn duty…I can’t exactly complain. Though the timing isn’t exactly great now, is it…”
He would be forced to take this new apprentice with him to the Queendom. That meant he had mere days to prepare them. Not good.
“Well, the thing is…” Lente procured another paper, and handed it to him. It was another notification of forced apprenticeship, but it wasn’t addressed to Alisson. “Alisson, your apprentice, I mean, the newest member of the 51<sup>st</sup>…”
The notice was addressed to Celis. She would be receiving an apprentice. He stared into the paper, his hand shaking. He resisted crumpling it and tearing it up.
“This is…this must be a mistake.” Alisson growled, “She just graduated, she’s far too young for this. She might be a strong fighter with experience but teaching someone is an entirely different skillset…To nurture and look after another like a mother bird to a hatchling is not something a Nekomata in Celis’s position should be expected, much less ordered to do.”
Alisson grinded his teeth together.
Celis was inexperienced, she would make mistakes…Alisson was reminded of himself. His first two apprentices had died right after their graduation. In other words, it was Alisson’s fault that he didn’t prepare them enough. Now with Celis, he was two for four, and at least she didn’t hate him like Leukini did.
He blew a burst of air through his nostrils. That was it then. Alisson would have to de-facto take three apprentices. Celis, for he would have to teach her how to teach, and her and his own apprentices that he would have to look out for.
Without fighting arms, proper armor, few guards, thrown into a dangerous civil conflict of political intrigue…Alisson himself may find it easy to protect himself, and Celis herself as well, but their apprentices…Alisson clenched his fist, and then released it, sighing and calming himself.
He would do what he could to protect them, but at the end of the day, himself and Celis were more important.
“…Thank you for bringing this to my attention, Lente…You should go. If these orders are anything to go by, I’ll be quite busy in the coming weeks…”
“So it appears…Good day, Alisson. Let me know if you need anything.”
Lente bobbed his head and took his leave. Alisson stood and looked out the window of his study, taking another long sip of his tea. Celis was fitting in well with the 51<sup>st</sup>; that was to say, she was holding her own in the drills. The other 51<sup>st</sup> seemed to be pleased with a new face included in their ranks, they were eager to welcome a new family member, which Alisson liked to see. Alisson sighed. The apprentice ceremony would take too long to organize; they’d have to do it impromptu.
It looked like Alisson would only have a few days to get the apprentices into shape, straighten their provisions, and set off for the Queendom.
His mind was a crowded mess of thoughts about what was to be done. So many considerations to take into account; one slip-up would result in death for him and Celis.
How he wished he could simply remain idle until he was prepared to act, but orders were orders.
***