Princess Zarmos's New Job (Conquest of Noone)

Kamo City had fallen, and Princess Zarmos was one of a few brave warriors who tried to stop the half-orcs from taking the castle, but soon surrendered and was quickly thrown into the castle's dungeon. For almost 2 years, she sat in the torchlight with the other Kamoian soldiers, servants, and alike. Spirits shattered, hearts broken, bodies bruised. Memories of the duel with the Emperor of the Nocee Empire kept replaying in her head. Then one day, a group of half-orc warriors walked to Zarmos's cell, unlocked it, and stood over her. The leader of the group pulled out a scroll from his belt and handed it to Zarmos.

"Emperor Noone summons you. His reasoning is in this scroll," he said as the warriors unshackled Zarmos and effortlessly picked her up by her armpits and carried her out of the cell. Zarmos gripped the scroll tightly.

"Do I at least get to read this before seeing the false ruler?" asked Zarmos with a sarcastic grin.

"You will have plenty of time to read it. There's a line after all," answered the guard.

"How...wonderful," said Zarmos as she was lightly dragged to a large room filled with all kinds of people: merchants, nobles, diplomats, and even people who looked like street rats with their tattered clothes and uncleaned faces; all were in line in front of the throne room. She knew where she was and knew some escape routes, but the Nocee Empire did its best to find all the routes, and even if they didn't it was only a matter of time before they did, so either way running away was not an option, causing a scene would also makes things worse not better, espiacally sense she had little idea of why Emperor Noone of all people would wish to see her. Perhaps to gloat about how he was right, brag about how he is the True God's chosen one, flaunt his plans for conquering the rest of the continent. Zarmos gripped it tighter than she already had. There was an answer here, yet she felt unprepared to read it.

"You should read it," advised the half-orc guard as he stood shoulder to shoulder with Zarmos, not letting her out of the corner of his eye. The rest surrounded her in such proximity to her that if she tried to fight back, she wouldn't have the room, nor the time to take out one before getting pounced on. Accepting the fact that there was no escape, Zarmos breathed a deep breath, unraveled the scroll, and began reading.

Princess Admiral Zarmos I, Emperor Noone Longsword of the House of Swords. Wishes to give you a choice. To train my son in various forms of combat, politics, and economics by taking him across the empire to dwell and learn from the artisans, the builders, the cleaners, the lawyers, and magicians. Your reward will be his hand in marriage when he is of age. I wish to discuss this further with you in person and hope you will accept this offer.

Signed: Emperor Noone Longsword

"Is this some sort of sick joke?" asked Zarmos out loud.

"What is?" asked the guard who seemed more intrigued than anything.

"Your emperor wants me to train his son and then later marry him. What kind of offer is that? Why make me a tutor and then a wife, and worse of all, his son isn't even marriage age. I'm nearing my 30s. I'm probably twice his son's age based on this letter," answered Zarmos, frustrated and perplexed by such a proposal.

"Our emperor thinks multiple steps ahead; he has a reason for everything, even if we can't understand it ourselves. He also did lock himself in his bed chambers because of the Kamo Castle Demon, so there is that, but from what I hear, it was defeated, and the Emperor is back to himself," said the guard in a cruel sense of reassurance.

"Your faith in your emperor is misplaced. The Great Lion Gods will send someone to free my people from your green hands," prophesied Zarmos.

"What if that someone is you?" asked the guard almost mockingly.

"Ha, very funny," scoffed Zarmos.

Zarmos and the guard continued their conversation up until they were in front of the doors of the throne room. Then, after what felt like hours, the doors swung open, and Zarmos entered. On the throne was Noone, whose head rested on his knuckle; his wife sat next to him on a throne of her own, and their son, who looked not more than 14 years old, stood beside him on the other side of Emperor Noone. The kid looked uncomfortable and bored but was trying his best to hide it. Zarmos stood in front of the imperial family, waiting to be spoken to.

"So, Princess Admiral, what do you think of my proposal?" asked Emperor Noone, smirking, trying not to smile too big.

"I hate it. I hate it because I cannot comprehend why you would want to insult me further by making me look like I would enjoy sleeping with a little boy. It sickens me," answered Zarmos, trying to keep her calm, but failing miserably.

"Hmm, your response is better than I hoped. That is good, but what about the tutor job?" asked Noone.

"I hate it too, because we are enemies. Why do you think that I, teaching your son about how to rule, is a good idea? What makes you think I wouldn't poison his mind with thoughts and ideas that will lead to the death of your empire rather than strengthening it? Is that not like giving a sheep to a wolf?" asked Zarmos, feeling like this whole thing was a formality, a scene to display Noone's wisdom and that nothing she said would weaken his image, only strengthen it.

"It would be, however; if a sheep were to fight a wolf, it must first learn that it can fight. It must experience the horrors of the world if it is to purify the very world it wishes to rule. I cannot teach him these things, nor his mother, but you can," answered Noone.

"What makes you think that?" asked Zarmos, both confused and angry at being played with.

"Because, truth be told, if I were not married, I would have made you my wife. From one warrior to another, I see how you self-sacrifice, how you lead, how you show loyalty to your people and country. It is admirable, and it's something the empire needs if it is to survive for many years down the line," answered Noone.

"Why should I believe you? What makes you think I won't seduce your son or kill him any chance I get? What makes you think I haven't been lying this whole time?" asked Zarmos.

"I would certainly like to see you try. You will make my son a greater ruler than I, and the dynasty's future is in your womb and in his seed," answered Noone.

"And what if I still refuse?" asked Zarmos.

"If not you, then it will have to be someone else. We are all replaceable after. Even me," answered Noone.

"Then I have no choice but to accept. Such a humiliating fate must not fall upon another of my kind besides me, and I will use it to sow the seeds of this empire's fall," said Zarmos as she bowed.

"Good, guards, take her and my son to her room. Have her cleaned up and dressed more appropriately, and Sheno, learn all you can, resist as much as you can, and continue the peace I will bring to the land," ordered Emperor Noone. Prince Sheno nodded and walked toward the guards who escorted the couple to Zarmos's old room. A couple of goblin and half-orc female servants were waiting outside the room and were then ordered by the guards to clean and dress Zarmos.

Within minutes, Zarmos was in a large tub filled to the brim with water, with a wide, thin barrier separating the guys from the girls. Sheno sat back against the barrier, bored, while the guards stood over and around him.

"How long is this going to take?" asked Prince Sheno.

"Long. I hadn't had a good bath in a long time," answered Zarmos as she shooed away the servants and enjoyed the warm water.

"Agh, if this is what every day is going to be like, the next 2-4 years are going to feel like an eternity," complained Prince Sheno.

"I can say the same, could do so without you being on the other side, though," said Zarmos as she stared at the ceiling, trying to relax.

"Well, if you are to be my tutor and future wife, I might as well get used to being around you even if I don't really like it either," said Prince Sheno.

"Ha, so we have something in common then. Although I could invite you in, since I am given permission," scoffed Zarmos.

"Even if you did, I would refuse it because I respect females and I can easily resist your charms," replied Prince Sheno.

"Ha, you are too young to appreciate such gifts, but one day you will, even if you are a half-orc," answered Zarmos.

"Agh, how bold of you to assume I don't already enjoy them. However, my father and mother did tell me that I should be wary of females who throw themselves at me. Lucky for me, you don't seem to want to do that," said Prince Sheno.

"Well, it's like I told your father: I don't like little boys," sighed Zarmos as she sank into the tub and rubbed her face, then snapped her fingers, and the female servants appeared with towels and clothes.

"Eh, I couldn't care less what you were into. Romance is boring and disgusting no matter who it is," said Prince Sheno.

"Romance is not boring; you are just not old enough to enjoy it, and I hope it stays that way for as long as possible," said Zarmos as the servants were drying her off and began dressing Zarmos up.

"Why? Because you're afraid of falling in love with a little boy?" asked Prince Sheno.

"Yes, because you are too small, immature, and inexperienced for my liking, but I will hand it to you: you are wiser than I thought," answered Zarmos.

"Is that what my father was saying when he asked for you to be my wife when I'm of age? All the talk about being a better ruler and all," asked Prince Sheno.

The servants finished dressing Zarmos up and walked around the barrier as Zarmos walked around in a blue dress with thigh-high white stockings and tall black heel-ed boots. She leaned against the barrier with a bang hanging over her left eye. "Why your father wanted me to teach you is easy. Why he wants me to marry you is a different question. I think. I hope," answered Zarmos as she walked beside Prince Sheno and was barely taller than him.

"Now shall we begin with our first lesson?" asked Zarmos, grinning.

"That would depend on the first lesson," answered Prince Sheno in a flirtatious manner that completely made Zarmos uncomfortable.

"Please, don't ever say anything in that voice again until you become my husband," said Zarmos, backing off.

"Oooh, so you don't like it if I flirt with you, but you can flirt with me. Interesting," said Prince Sheno, grinning menacingly like he had half a dozen ideas he was planning in his head at once.

"Ha, don't get ahead of yourself, kid. You're not my husband yet," said Zarmos as she walked past Prince Sheno and patted his head. Prince Sheno shrugged her hand off like a bug, even making a grumbling sound while doing so, but ended up following her through various hallways and rooms until they reached the records hall.

"First lesson. History of combat and strategies to origins. Every success and failure found in here offers more lessons than one teacher could ever hope to give to a student," said Zarmos as her eyes twinkled with delight.

"Eh, huh, let me guess: it's just a bunch of scrolls and books filled with stories of a bunch of nobles and lords who think they know how to wage war, but fail because they didn't feed their soldiers, didn't let them sleep, didn't let them choose to fight, or give them much say in anything?" asked Prince Sheno.

"Well, that does happen a lot, but within every generation there is a highly skilled general who alters the way everyone fights. Your father is currently one such case. But before him was Laraganus Spears, and before her was King Kammerow, before him was King Greenfeet of the Yellow Wave, stretching as far back as the First Elven Emperor of the First Elven Empire."

"So by learning from the best and the worst, I'll be more capable than those of the past because of hindsight and ensure I won't make the same mistakes and find better solutions to similar problems? Gosh, I'm sounding like my parents," said Prince Sheno as he tilted his head back in annoyance at himself.

"Exactly. Now let's get started," said Zarmos as she walked through the shelves of books and scrolls, feeling like she was back home once more. Prince Sheno followed her.