Second Chances (for TheAnnoyingNoob)

[BubbleLord]

"A nude woman speaking of glory days? A better Franse? I spit in the face of old ages."


The armored man moved away and put their back to Aqui, nearing an open window before smiling.


"Mine are mine... my lands are uncontested. A Casus Belli doesn't exist here... it died with Oria."


Turning, the armored man's smile had a newfound sense of confidence. Slowly moving to his old spot, the host moved to sit across from the bare Empress-to-be.


"You could serve me... and swear your life to me. Maybe I could humor you... you bested my man, but you are still weak. Your friend used magic to save your life... so I shall make you a deal. If you lay with him, before all of Franse, I will swear my loyalty. A common whore could have sex... but an Empress can inspire arousal in her people. If he is loyal, he won't flinch if asked... it's the best way to show you have power over at least one man."

 

[TheAnnoyingNoob]

Aquilina rolled her eyes. "If I beat your second in command and I am still weak, then I doubt your reign goes unchallenged." She gave a tired sigh then, "And you still have yet to give me your name. How does Madam Armisa sound to you? No? Well I rather like it. You know as well as I do that I could offer my patronage to anyone, raise them to greatness. I have made you an offer, and I would like you to consider it, Madam Armisa. Oh, and as for your request, I reject it out of hand. I am not your slave nor am I your whore, I am your Empress. Besides, I believe my earlier 'show' already provoked it's fair share of lust."

 

[BubbleLord]

The armored man had been composed for a very short moment, but the instant he was called Madam, the facade broke and he rose to his feet and stepped back and around the chair to put distance between the two.


"M-Madam?! Y-you... I'm not... A-Armisa? I-I... I've run this place for years, surely-... h-he used magic to find out... didn't he?"


The man's posture changed, the armor seeking somewhat out of place. Though she wasn't removing her armor, she kept her focus on the one who declared herself Empress.


"P-Please, I... if you were to tell even my second, Soran, h-he... they wouldn't respect me! They think I'm a strong knight. I-I just took my father's armor a-and acted like him... I should have known it wouldn't last."


Aquiliana would likely put two-and-two together. If this was a woman with blonde hair who had a father with such heavy plate armor... it meant she could have been the daughter of the Defenders of Oria Founder. Almost like the Heroes who fought for the Revolution, the Defenders of Oria were elite mercenaries that came to aid their homelands fight the rebels. It had been led by a man with blonde locks and average build, considered the greatest swordsman during the height of the war... Corey Elzin. But if she was his daughter, it certainly left questions as to how she avoided detection.

 

[TheAnnoyingNoob]

Aquiliana let out a low whistle as she realized who the young woman must have been. "So, you're Corey Elzin's daughter. How have you gone undetected all these years? Surely someone would want to get their hands on the daughter of such a renowned swordsman." Waiting for a response, she eventually continued. "You know, I have another proposition... If you'd like to give up your current lot in life, perhaps you would be willing to hold a mock fuel and allow me to win? It would prove I was strong enough to lead your men and free you from your burden. I could make a show of banishing you and introduce you the next day as my lady-in-waiting."

 

[BubbleLord]

The heavily armored figure hesitated, her face paling beneath the helm and her frown clear for Aquiliana to see.


"I-I... but... Soran would-"


Her eyes looked to the door, finally reaching up and taking hold of her helmet. Pulling it up and off, Elzin's daughter was quite the young blonde, bearing an almost natural strength to her eyes even with how uncomfortable she was with having been exposed and cornered by Aquiliana. She was certainly quite formidable when it came to her body's frame underneath, especially to wear her father's armor, but her eyes suggested that she was far from the sort of person her father was. Where Corey Elzin had spent years fighting abroad with nothing but courage, the woman's eyes reflected a lack of such a tenure. She'd step closer and lower to her chair once more with a frown on her face as she spoke up this time with a different voice. Though it held some depth to it, the hint of a soft edge made it fit her as if she were a quiet mother rather than a woman who looked like a young adult.


"My mother was one of the refugees who hid in Franse. I wasn't more than a child when they cornered my father in the streets. H... He chose to surrender for execution, so long as the Defenders of Oria were spared further suffering. None knew who I belonged to, save my mother. I spent my whole life growing up in Franse, watching it fall. When I heard a merchant was trying to buy the armor of my father from his tomb, I... I went and stole it. Soran was the one who protected me from the merchant. H-He's not much older than me, but he always thought I was a guy. If I were to go through with your plan, he would try to follow me. He has always been loyal, s-so... I can't do that to him. If you want my cooperation, however you know my father, th-then... you have to come up with a different solution. I refuse to destroy my friendship with him..."


It was no doubt strange she was friends with the tough and hardened-look of her second-in-command, but the woman looked down to her armored hands with her own reluctance clear. If she were to remain as the man who ran the town, it was likely to keep all the thugs in-line and make transitioning their forces easier. On the other hand, removing her male personality from play would destroy her old life in exchange for giving Aquiliana a tool that any survivor and loyalist to Oria would recognize and rally behind. If she were to find an option to try and benefit from both side, however, it was clear that such an idea wasn't going to be presented by the unsure and exposed woman.

 

[TheAnnoyingNoob]

"Hmmmm... Well, I suppose that does throw a wrench in my plans." Aquiliana mused, her index finger tapping against her chin, "...Perhaps, you could reconsider your decision to have me serve you. You would be my 'sponsor' of sorts, acknowledging my claim to the Empire whether you really believe me or not and backing my bid for power. Your men would become a militia of sorts, protecting the town and surrounding countryside. They seem a bit rough and like the sort who might be prone to... Banditry, but once we establish ourselves, so long as they reign in those impulses they would receive a steady wage."

 

[BubbleLord]

"V-Very well. I... will sponser you. Imagining we would be giving up our way of lives won't be easy... t-to ensure the transition, I need a way to show you won't make things worse for them. They lose their women and gold... e-even Soren and I can't keep them unless you give them... a-a brothel."


As she finished speaking, the woman blushed and motioned toward the Empress.


"Women and men as attractive as you. The numbers would be... l-low... b-but Franse could benefit as much as the access to willing sex partners. The city's ports are in disrepair, the fields barely support it, and it'd be difficult to do much of anything alone... but Soren and the others could train an army and make this place mirror the Lost City of Orianii. S-so... p-promise to help me and them with at least the brothel and I can assure our support."

 

[TheAnnoyingNoob]

"Consider it done. Now, is there anywhere nearby where we could acquire more seed for the fields or a source of quality timber?" As Aquiliana spoke she rose from her seat and began to pace the length of the room. "I imagine if either were freely available Franse would be much better off, so your men will be indispensable in this effort. And I suppose you should tell them of your change of heart, with or without my presence is up to you. And then we'll have to find volunteers for the brothel and lumber crews..."


She could already see it in her minds eye; her new Empire was simply waiting for her to reach out and take it...

 

[BubbleLord]

"There... are indeed forests nearby. Oria has lost much of the flora only along the western shores. That's the only place that truly suffered, as you might remember, when the heroes turned the orc-kin against the Empire..."


She carefully retrieved her helmet and pulled it on, rising to her feet with the confirmation of their deal. It was clear bargaining for a brothel isn't what the woman enjoyed, but she had been leading bandits for so long that they had clearly grown on her. The daughter of Corey Elzin would remain as a symbol of concealed and veiled power for now, ultimately no doubt going to leave Aquiliana's people questioning her legitimacy even with the armored persona backing her. She would take the time to awkwardly look across to the pacing woman, finally doing something that hadn't been demonstrated even by Arvis. The woman brought her right arm to horizontally line-up just above her abdomen, the left arm moving to run up and across the thick breastplate to her right shoulder with the left elbow meeting her right arm's curled fist. She bowed her head to finish the Oria Empire salute, quickly breaking the salute as soon as she had.


"I-I've long held the name Corin... b-but in your company, I shall allow you to call me Armisa. Leave the lumber crews to me, m-my... Empress. Once I have them gathered, I shall send them to the forests to our east to start bringing in lumber for repairs. Seeds will come in time, but... if you entrust me as the one to lead this city in your name, I shall see to it that you need not directly handle any of the issues. My father... would have wished for me assist in my fullest. Where I do not retain the skills he had with a blade, I can certainly manage this town. I've kept Franse alive, even if it was with the use of thugs and the aid of Soren, for all this time. I'll report anything eventful to your... um... lover?"


She had quickly blushed beneath her helmet at the lack of knowledge on exactly what Arvis was. If Aquiliana was lucky, perhaps her bodyguard had already found her clothing to wear besides rags or robes!

 

[TheAnnoyingNoob]

"If you would prefer I call you Corin, than I see no reason not to. I simply chose a more feminine name to confront you with. As for my "lover"... He propositioned me rather boldly when he found me and pledged his loyalty. He's my loyal servant and bodyguard now, though perhaps one day we will grow closer."


Stopping to mirror Corin's salute, she continued "And by the power invested in me, by me, I hereby name you Legate of the Imperial Province of Franse." She stood silent for several moments before grinning, "Not that it means much at the moment, but if I have my way than you may well be in for more than you bargained for. Perhaps we could soar some time? In private, of course, away from your men. You may not be much of a swordsman now but I'm sure I can make something of you yet."

 

[BubbleLord]

"S-Soar? I... uh... y-yes. Of course, my... um... Empress! I shall try my hardest to fulfill your expectations!"


Corin seemed somewhat torn on the situation between Aquiliana and her bodyguard, but the woman didn't wait very long. The new Legate quickly straightened herself out and lowered her salute and moved to the door. When it was opened, Soren quickly moved to it with a quick glare at the woman before looking to the armored and disguised woman with a smirk.


"So, we going to fuck her and use her, Boss?" "Fuck her, no! Use her, however, is something we'll do! We're going to act as her muscle... see if this slut can live up to the title of an Empress."


Soren was shocked, looking between the two as if he were a man getting ready to blurt out against such a thing. But instead, true to his loyalty, the hardened man finally looked to Corin with a sigh and nod. The woman smiled, putting a hand on his shoulder as the deep-voiced "man" set off with the tough man to no doubt start arranging whatever he was ordered to do. It wouldn't be hard to navigate her way out of what would no doubt return to being the city's capital building, the streets outside bustling with activity as small scuffles and arguments followed the bandits as the new orders and info spread. Many of them shot looks at Aquiliana, though they were a mix of shock and amusement rather than anger. The town's shift could truly start soon... and the first city of a new Empire dedicated to the sole surviving leader of Oria was going to steadily build into an impressive capital given time. The ruined keep would require access to mines to repair, however, which meant it was simply the people who would have repaired homes from the lumber. The repair of the town's watchtowers could also be carried out and there could be bows supplied to hunters... the simplest of organization would allow them to make a powerful step forward.


She could always try to seek out Arvis if she didn't want to follow along and wait on Corin and her efforts... but then if she did choose to follow Corin she would have to keep up the guise and have to deal with Soren no doubt...

 

[TheAnnoyingNoob]

Aquiliana followed Corin out of the room and down the hall, deciding that it might be best if the woman had someone to sling insults at while she put forth her change of mind. Worst came to worst she could intervene herself and draw any anger in her direction.


Clearing her throat, she addressed Soren, "So, Soren, in our discussion your superior Legate Corin brought it to my attention that your men would need a brothel in Franse if you were do transition from a force of thugs to a proper army. You wouldn't happen to know any local women who might be interested in taking up residence in a brothel, would you? Any local prostitutes, nymphomaniacs or attractive women who might be persuaded by a bit of coin?"

 

[BubbleLord]

Corin had hesitated at the use of her name, but thankfully the shirtless second looked back and missed it as they entered what seemed like a planning room of the building.


"I know plenty of sluts, boy and girl, who would suck dick for a living."


The rough-looking man moved while the armored man hesitated in what was likely Corin blushing, but Soren didn't seem to care or pay attention to it as he moved to a mock draft of the city presented on a table in the center of the room. Despite his willingness to follow Corin, it seemed that Aquiliana hadn't earned much recognition from the male second-in-command. In fact, as he moved to the table and tapped at a section labeled ruins within the town, he looked to her with a smirk.


"Maybe you should lead by example. Sucking cock Empress would likely convince the men that you're willing to put together this brothel and fix the place up. Corin might trust you because of whatever happened in there, but there's no way you beat me fairly. And until you do, you'll have to understand why I think you're nothing more than a joke. A mockery of yet another sap trying to turn this town around under the premise of it being "the new home of Oria" or some shit."


Looking to the table, the man's eyes seemed less angry and more annoyed as he mumbled after the statement beneath his breath.


"You look almost like that Aquila kid who said they were the heir to Oria's name around a year ago, before he left and went to those cunts up north... probably getting fucked by some tentacle beast by now."


It seemed that, despite his abrasive distrust of Aquiliana, that maybe Soren was a loyalist to Oria? The man had a dislike for the "Successors"! But that first part... a boy named Aquila?