In a military tent that towered over the others, Field Marshal Gai Mou was going over some documents. His furrowed expression and darting eyes swiftly read through each one precisely. As he was coming close to finishing his reading, Victor entered his tent unannounced.
"Field Marshal Gai Mou. At last, we come face to face," Victor said while speaking Simbarnese, extending his hand out to shake Field Marshal Gai Mou's. The Field Marshal promptly rose from his chair and firmly shook King Victor's hand. It was a rarity for anyone to shake the hand of a sovereign; very few individuals were ever granted the honour.
This act caused the Field Marshal to take a temporary pause afterwards; he was slightly taken aback. He had never expected to receive such a gesture from a foreign king that his nation was at war with. Nevertheless, this was not enough for him to shake his composure. Gai Mou casually used a hand gesture to signal for Victor to take a seat.
Once both men were seated, Victor was quick to hop into conversation with the Simbarnese Field Marshal. "It is a pleasure to meet you finally. If you ask any of my subordinates, they would tell you that I have been most looking forward to our meeting. I know it is unusual to hear that from the ruler of a foreign nation you were at war with, but it is the truth."
The enthusiasm and kind remarks did not shake the Field Marshal; he was still remaining composed and critically assessing the type of person Victor was. Gai Mou did not want to appear rude, so he replied in an appreciative tone and said, "I am honoured, Your Majesty. On behalf of the people of Simbar, thank you for assisting us against these damned raiders."
The two men were exchanging pleasantries until Victor dropped the charming act and turned serious. "So, Field Marshal, what do we now? You are the last bastion of the Kingdom of Gu. Your army is the only remaining fighting force left that was loyal to Gu Tian. I guess what I am trying to ask is, will the war between our kingdoms continue?"
Field Marshal Gai Mou sat in his chair with a serious expression. Not one born out of anger or worry, but perplexion. His king and good friend was dead, and the main heirs of the kingdom had all perished in battle. Many lives were lost in a war that did not make any logical sense to him.
Honour and duty compelled him to continue this war, but what would be the point? The majority of the continent was now under the rule of the Kingdom of Luxenberg. Victor's reputation among the common people was growing, and even non-summoned Simbarnese men were aiming to join their military.
Victor's assistance in dealing with the raiders was of great help as well. Without the Luxenberg Army, the raiders may not have been dealt with, and the pillaging may have persisted further inland. Soldiers from the Southern Army were taking a liking to the Luxenberg Army; their discipline, tactics and overall prowess made many Simbarnese soldiers respect them.
"To tell you the truth, Your Majesty, I do not have an answer. Our Kingdoms were propelled into a war that, quite frankly, made no sense. My fellow countrymen in the Gu Army suffered the worst of this war." Field Marshal Gai Mou answered. Before Victor could get a word in, Field Marshal Gai Mou continued to speak.
"At first, I was hesitant to trust you. I had heard about the atrocity that befell my countrymen outside of Hunyuan's walls. This made me think of you as a cruel, tyrannical man. However, my opinion swayed after I received reports about you releasing 200,000 prisoners and giving a speech in our language."
"King Gu Tian was my friend. I had served him for many years, and at the same time, I have commanded these men for just as long. I am not stupid enough to continue this war. My wish is for my soldiers to live and enjoy life. If we continued the war with you, even a victory would be Pyrrhic."
Victor listened intently and chose a good time to cut into the conversation. "My men would not want a war either. We never asked for this war in the first place, and it has been almost a year and a half since we left our homes. I have missed all my kids' birthdays. The sooner I have established a calm and controlled rule here, I will return home."
"With that being said, my plans for the future of this continent cannot be achieved without you. I may have Generals of Simbarnese origins, but they can not compare to the figure you are. If you join me and help build a nation of peace and prosperity, no Simbarnese person will go hungry. The South will forever be protected by our soldiers. A new era of peace can be ushered in. But that can not be achieved without you."
Field Marshal Gai Mou sat deeply in his chair. The prospect of a better Simbar was enticing. It was something that the Field Marshal had dreamed of many times. A land where infighting was extinct. A continent where everyone could find peace and prosperity. A place where coastal villages did not need to worry about foreign raiders.
If Victor's words were to be believed, this could be accomplished, and all that he needed to do was swear allegiance to the foreign king. It may have seemed to be an easy choice, but in truth, the Field Marshal struggled to choose.
His loyalty had always been to the Kingdom of Gu, especially Gu Tian. He owed his current position to his old friend. Loyalty was a principle that the Field Marshal followed religiously. If he swore allegiance to Victor, it would mean forsaking the memory of his friend and king.
For several minutes, the two men sat in silence. Victor did not want to break it, for it was clear that Field Marshal Gai Mou was critically weighing his options. If Victor were to interrupt him, he feared that it would work against him. So they sat in still silence, the ambience of the military camp outside was tuned out to both of them.
When the silence was finally broken, Field Marshal Gai Mou arose from his chair.