Everybody knew that something had happened as they saw the heralds with the Imperial Flags just hurrying through the city. Everybody knew something had happened… but when they heard what the message said, it changed everything.
The way the herald and his escort stopped with the horse, the way they held the flag in the sky, and the way they blew the horn to get the attention of everybody around them was just too hurrying too fast to… aggressive. But what was more noticeable was the soldier beside the messengers. The soldiers of the Imperial Army, not in the parade uniform they usually showed up in but in their military wear, the sword on their side, and the flint stone rifle on their horse… they only wear it when a war is upon the empire and even the herald was different.
Sitting at a tall black horse with crimson coat of the Crown, trimmed in gold, the imperial sigil stitched upon his chest began to shouting.
"By the supreme will of Her Imperial Majesty, Empress Daisy Versica, Crowned Ruler of the Imperium, let all people hear and obey! All subjects are commanded to gather at the main square and stand before the Throne and receive the words of their Empress! Let none remain absent, for this summons is given in the name of the Empire itself!" He shouted as his gaze swept around the crowd that formed around him. "Attend, and bear witness to the will of the Crown. God save Empress Daisy Versica!" The horse stamped the ground as the herald pulled the reins and left in a hurry, and that rush alone brought worry to every soul who had heard his voice.
For a moment, there was silence. Nobody spoke, no cheers followed as people looked at one another, searching faces for answers that none could give. But they all knew one thing.
If a herald comes in a hurry and leaves in a hurry with a soldier at his side… it means something important. It means that the voice of the Empress needs to be heard by everybody… an Empress whose voice they had never heard, the Empress that everybody… the Empress who never got officially crowned nor ever spoke to them.
But now, out of nowhere, she was ordering them to hear, and people weren't dumb. Immediately, almost everybody who had children went to get them, to hide them, into their homes. The richest started packing immediately, literally everybody in the capital just started panicking especially after they saw something more worrying.
The two Imperial Generals, Zarah and Böring, hurried through the city on their battle horses, followed by at least a hundred other soldiers. Not just that, but the word went out quickly and spread that the main army of the Imperial capital was mobilizing at their headquarters, and it just sent more shock and panic into the people.
Well… Daisy's plan worked… as the main square of the capital, where military parades usually are organized, suddenly got filled with at least sixty thousand people. Not even talking about the thousands who couldn't even reach the main square, just standing in the streets, some climbing up buildings on roofs, on street lamps looking at what is happening.
But to their surprise, there was nothing.
No ceremonial direction, no decorations at all. What they saw was the Imperial Executioners and the Imperial Palace Guards standing around the main stage where usually the Emperor spoke… and where they had people executed.
"The nobles… I knew something was strange about them…" One of the women said in dirty clothes to the person next to him who looked rich, completely clean and shiny.
"Impossible. I would have known it. I am a merchant for them." He answered her. "Maybe just a ceremonial event, we didn't see her for weeks."
"Or a war." Another voice spoke from behind, and they froze, as did everyone around who heard it. "The herald commanded rather than announcing."
Yeah, those who listened closely, those who noticed the details, could sense that something about the heralds' behavior was… off. The same behavior they always showed when announcing something of great weight, something that would involve everyone… like a war.
Something was happening, and yeah, something was truly happening.
Orsen, Fern, and all the nobles on Daisy's side changed their outfits. Some didn't even have their own at the palace and just asked soldiers to give theirs to them. At the same time, General Böring and Zarah returned to inform Daisy that the capital army was ready to carry out whatever she commanded, though neither Zarah nor Böring knew what she intended to do…
It made no sense to mobilize the capital army when the border lay hundreds of kilometers away. Even if they deployed the entire military, it would take weeks just to reach the border and even longer to form the defense lines.
Daisy knew this too. She didn't want a war at all, no, she just wanted to show the people, and more importantly the three kingdoms, that they were ready.
"It is just for intimidation." She said, looking at both of them. "Nobody wants a war, it's far too expensive and the border with the three kingdoms is high mountains covered in snow. It's impossible to get through." She said as pointed at the map on the wall. "The only option for them would be to cross the border and go around, which would involve the Hammuth Kingdom, currently engaged in a border war with the Tijan Kingdom." She said, pointing at the map. "If they saw armies from three kingdoms moving through Hammuth, Tijan would call for help and suddenly, it wouldn't just be a war between us and them. It would be a war across the entire continent. "A domino effect would take over. Everybody would wage war against everybody, and in the end, no one would win, but hundreds of thousands would die." She looked back at them. "We are intimidating them… nothing more."
All of them were stunned… the two generals knew the facts, but they couldn't believe Daisy knew them too.
Yeah, she knew, because she played the game, and every time she was attacked, the whole fucking continent went to war with each other like it was mandatory.
"But it does not change the fact that traitors are still alive." She raised her voice, staring at them. "We can't let them live. We can't let them poison the Empire. That is why I ordered the army to mobilize, because we are going to strip everything away from the nobles and from those who betrayed us, betrayed me, the Crown."
"We are ready, Your Majesty!" General Zarah immediately bowed deeply, followed by Böring.
"Crush the nobles' mercenaries. Arrest their servants, their workers… everybody will be investigated.Then seize all their assets, houses, lands, artwork, everything that belongs to them. We will show them the wrath of the Crown."