Amelia and Ophelia: The Former Grand Duchess and Saintess.

It had been about more than a month ever since the dual monarchs made the deal with Chief Ahinari and his Florinian Clan and ever since then, the latter had been hard at work spreading the influence of the Empire ever further southward just as planned. They had gotten a letter from the elven chief who informed the dual monarchs that they were able to gather all of the remaining clans in the south under one roof back in the Florinian Clan village, much to their satisfaction. 

"It was quicker than I thought in all honesty Ophie" Amelia said as they climbed into the carriage and began southward from Fort Armstrong, going on the newly paved road that connected the southern border to the Florinian Clan Village 

"Right? I believed it to be another month more or less, but to think they did all of that in such quick time, I think we will need to rework our timetable after this" Ophelia replied as she nodded in agreement 

 "It's also quite coincidental that this meeting came about just as we received word from our spies that the newly made Dukedom Army is beginning to marshal their forces for a push northward, on the account of the Duke wanting Spithe dead after they trashed his capital" Amelia said with a small hint of amusement at the end of her statement 

"Well, its not that insane of an order considering what Spithe had done to the place, he sent us mental pictures of what had been the result of his little adventure there remember" Ophelia replied to her with a small smile of her own 

"Yeah I do, it's why I find it so funny that he is dancing in the palm of our hands unknowingly" The blonde empress stated as she leaned into her seat 

"Well, to be fair to him. No one really thinks of the why. When a monster comes down to wreck their home, they usually think of where does the bastard live? and how to get their revenge. before anything else" The raven-haired empress replied with a small nod as she leaned forward and kissed her beloved on the lips 

"True, true...Regardless, we have them right where we want them don't we Ophie?" 

"Indeed we do. But we will have to quickly adjust the timetable, if we can secure their loyalty now, then we can begin the Final March in earnest. Plus, I believe that Agent Takawa and her slave revolt is slowly getting into place, Percy has been sending us reports weekly about what has been going on down there, and I like what we have been reading so far" 

As the dual monarchs discussed other plans, they soon arrived at the Florinian Clan Village and were greeted by Fallon who stood by the entrance to the village as they arrived. 

"Greetings Your Majesties" Fallon stated with a bow, flashing a smile as she did it, the black dress she was wearing complemented her silver hair and fair skin pretty well

"Hello there Fallon, I trust everything is fine?" Ophelia asked as they disembarked from their carriage, with the rest of the Black Guard in the carriages behind them doing the same 

"Sort of Your Majesties, you will understand once you get into the Great Hall, Father and the others are already talking with your Minister Of The Interior and Clan Elder Amadine. I am here to just bring you inside" The silver-haired elf stated with a bit of a nervous expression 

"Very well, lead the way" Amelia said as they began to follow her into the village 

As they entered the village, it was not the same tribal village as before. The pathways around the village were paved well and made of interlocking bricks lined up neatly that spanned across the entire place, there were small lamp posts along the way to light up with magi-crystals at night and the buildings in the area still had the design of the old tribal architecture but this time had the Halkare standard of Ironbark Hardwood and concrete making up these buildings. Even the Great Hall from before was rapidly changed thanks to Imperial Engineers who had listened to the locals and built what they wanted to have, retaining the old silhouette of the Great Hall, with its massive arch up front and then its rectangular structure and the columns in and outside the building. 

Entering the Great Hall, the dual monarchs heard the shouting that they had picked up on their way into the building and could tell it was someone besides Ahinari who was speaking. Standing outside the room where the shouting was coming from was Irly and Amadine who were awaiting them with wry smiles as they bowed to their monarchs when they caught sight of them 

"So, what's happening inside?" Ophelia asked 

"Ahinari is busy trying to calm down the other clan leaders who have come to attend the meeting, specifically the chief of the Ourcos Clan, Chief Rambani" Irly replied to her monarch 

"Well, there was bound to be at least one who was not going to like us" Amelia remarked with a wry smile that made her beloved chuckle 

"There is always one I swear" The raven-haired empress agreed as they entered the Great Hall with the party in tow 

As they entered, they saw Ahinaria facing down a blue orc in the middle of the room while 16 other people were present, all of them chiefs of different clans. There were 4 other elven chiefs, 5 beastkin chiefs of wolf, boar, leo, and two harpies. then there were a further 3 orc chiefs, with all 3 of them having the same greenish-brownish skin color, with a final 4 of arachnia, centaur, dwarf and even a dragonkin, all of them sitting aside as Ahinari and Rambani had a shouting match. The dual monarchs moved to the side as they were unnoticed by the rest of the room and quietly sat still as they wished to hear the shouting match in person rather than just outside the room. 

"You are a fool you old elf! They are going to simply use you and your people! They are no better than the bastards who wish to enslave all of us!" Rambani shouted as he stomped forward, the gravel-like voice sort of fitting with his long hair tied in braids streaking down his back and his well-built body exposed to the elements as he wore nothing above the pants that reached his waist 

"I am a fool? Please, I could not be a bigger fool as you for outright believing that these people who have helped my people are the same ones who wish to enslave us, what kind of bullshit are you spewing Rambani!" Ahinari shot back as he looked his opponent down 

"Tsk! All this talk from you proclaiming that they are agents of the Gods! It's all bullshit! Why would the Gods send down someone to assist us and not tell us about it!" The blue orc chief shouted 

"Because the last time they did, no one listened" A voice boomed from the darkness of the room, spooking everyone as they turned to where the sound came from 

Appearing from the shadows was Amadine who had gotten up from sitting next to the dual monarchs and walked into the center of the room, stunning everyone, even the dual monarchs who were exchanging surprised glances at one another as the Second Demon Lord inserted herself into the conversation. 

"And who might you be huh?!" Rambani asked as he backed away, seeing that the woman approaching them towered over him 

"I am Amadine Azurite, Clan Elder for the Halkare Empire and the Second Demon Lord of the Demonic High Council, so I would watch your tone with me boy" Amadine barked as she locked her ice-cold into his eyes 

"Oh...." The blue orc chief gulped in fear as he turned his gaze away 

"That's enough Amadine" Ophelia ordered her as she and her beloved came into view, much to the surprise of everyone else in the room 

"Sorry Your Majesty, got a bit too emotional" The siren replied 

"No need for that, it's a story for another time" Ophelia stated, with Amadine nodding and falling behind the dual monarchs 

"Right, now with everyone's attention here, I believe that proper introductions are in order, I am Ophelia Erstad"

"And I am Amelia Erstad" 

"We are the Empresses of the Halkare Empire" They introduced themselves as they looked upon the people sitting down 

"And we have come here today regarding a proposition we have for you all to join the empire and unite under the banner against the Dukedom of Abernath that has been terrorizing you all" Amelia added as she looked at each of the gathered heads, including Rambani 

"What do you mean by proposal?" One of the Harpy chiefs asked as she looked at them 

"Well, a simple one that not only guarantees the safety and prosperity of your people but also protects your cultural identity" The raven-haired empress answered her 

"And that would entail what exactly Your Majesty?" The leo beastkin chief asked, his eyebrows raised in slight suspicion 

"Simple thing really, your allegiance to us and the empire, the adoption of our currency, taxes, laws etc, all very minor things" The blonde empress added 

"And why should we agree to this proposal huh? You two just being the monarchs of a nation we barely know does nothing for you in our eyes" Rambani chimed in fiercely as he looked at the dual monarchs with mounting suspicion 

"Ah yes, why would you no? You think of us as the same as those slavers to the south right? Believing that we use the same methods of entrapping and enslaving other people for our own gain no? Capturing them and forcing them to work for us right? Nothing like what we are doing right now, meeting each and every one of you clan chiefs and giving you all the option to join us, no, no you are right! That would be so foolish of us" Amelia replied to him, her tone not even masking the mockery and disdain for the chief she was talking to, something that everyone in the room could pick up on, including Rambani who was about to fire back a salvo but saw in the corner of his eye the Second Demon Lord shifting slightly and making him rethink his action 

"And, would we, people who are supposedly like the same people as those who wish to enslave you, be chosen by the Gods themselves" The blonde empress added 

"What are you-" 

{!} 

Before Rambani could finish his words, Ophelia and Amelia revealed their own marks of being chosen by the Gods. Amelia revealed a pair of angelic wings sprouting from her back as a golden halo appeared above her head and a pillar of golden light engulfed her as she hovered slightly off the ground, Ophelia meanwhile, summoned forth the same six black wings from her back with the dark halo hovering above her head that rested right above a pair of long and dark horns that sprouted from her forehead. Her teeth turned sharp and jagged and her usually purple eyes turned black. She hovered in the air for a moment as an ominous purple light emitted from the floor and bathed her in it

The room fell into silence as everyone who was not already part of the empire was left speechless and stunned as they looked upon the dual monarchs, even Rambani had lost the fire that was in his gut once he saw this, his protests from earlier now looking as nothing more than baseless accusations and the ramblings of a selfish and prideful leader who wished to continue his grip on power. 

"Does this satisfy your need for proof?" Amelia asked Rambani, her eyes narrowed as she kept her gaze on him 

"Yes...forgive me for my arrogance" Rambani said as he bowed his head, his body trembling as he could feel his Gods looking at him with disdain, shaking his soul 

"Well, good. Let's get on with the discussion proper now shall we?" Ophelia asked, seeing the rest of the chiefs gathered nodding their head

.........................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

Meanwhile, along the center of the Dukedom, Sir Matthew rode atop his stylish white stallion as he galloped across the field and then stopped at a military camp spared by the ravages of the twin-headed dragon a month prior. As he rode into camp, he was greeted by the Dukedom Soldiers who lined the trail along the way to his personal tent, the sight of the Dukedom's greatest warrior filling them with the fire they needed in their hearts as they were about to embark on a northward campaign. He walked into the command tent and a saw a burly and well-built man dressed in a set of robes of white with amber linings and wearing an amber-colored mask that obscured his face in its entirety, with the mask having a small mustache on it.

"So, what is our status, Commander Sullivan?" Sir Matthew asked the Signatari Commander as he entered the command tent 

"Ah! Your Grace, we have around 280,000 soldiers ready and waiting to move on your orders" The Commander replied, his amber and white uniform displaying his rank shimmering in the light 

"Hmmm good. Any news from Count Leopold and his scouts?" Sir Matthew asked

"None so far Your Grace, ever since he took the trainees out a month ago, he has failed to return, we believe he may have gone dungeon diving and has met his end" Commander Sullivan replied 

"I see, a shame really, he was a really good officer and a close friend. Before we move out, I want a scouting force to push ahead of us, the plains of the area will not be a problem, I wish to test the waters before we move the rest of the army forward, and if you can, find Count Leopold along the way" Sir Matthew ordered 

"Understood Your Grace, Grand Captain Michelle shall lead a force of 5,000 northward ahead of us. All well-trained infantry" Commander Sullivan nodded as he turned to an officer wearing a white robe with green accents who gave him a salute before leaving the tent 

"If those soldiers are truly well trained, then they shall easily crush this clan village located by our scouts no?" Sir Matthew asked as he pointed towards the map laid out on the table next to them 

"Ah of course Your Grace, I swear that they shall bring back some fine slaves and loot for us to benefit from" Commander Sullivan replied as he looked down at the map too, a smile hiding under his mask as he looked at the clan village Sir Matthew was pointing at 

There on the map, made of information extracted from so many slaves that were captured before, was a clan by the name of Ourcos. As the 5,000-strong column exited of the massive gates leading in and out of the Dukedom however, nearby, camouflaged on a tree branch was an elven H.I.S.S. agent who was watching everything unfold before her very eyes. 

"This is Huntress 1:2 - We have movement. Inform Her Majesties" 

A/N: Let's get ready to battle!!