All eyes fell upon Damian as he entered the chamber, the members of the Security Council taking their seats around the table. The atmosphere in the room was heavy with anticipation and a hint of skepticism, they'd been waiting for their new leader with great interest.
The Defense Minister, General Arien Stoneheart, was the first to speak, his voice gruff and no-nonsense. He leaned forward, scrutinizing Damian with narrowed eyes.
"So. You're the new president, huh?"
"Yes," Damian said. "Do you have an issue with that?"
The Defense Minister's eyes narrowed even more as he sized Damian up, his voice hardening as he spoke.
"I have a lot of issues with that, actually—starting with how quickly you were elected and your apparent lack of qualifications."
The Head of Intelligence, a woman with a sharp gaze, leaned forward as well. She tapped the table with one finger, her voice crisp and cold.
"And don't even get me started on how much of a security risk an outsider being president is..." She said.
"Trust me, I'm pretty much capable of leading this kingdom," Damian said. "Weren't you the ones that wanted to try out this democracy of a thing?"
The room fell silent for a moment, the Security Council members exchanging glances with one another at Damian's statement.
The Head of Logistics, Lord Valanir, a stoic man with a calm expression, cleared his throat, breaking the silence. He spoke evenly, his voice measured and controlled.
"It's true that the democratic elections were a unanimous decision, though..." Lord Valanir paused, then continued, clearly skeptical "...I doubt anyone expected an outsider to become president."
"Okay I get your points, you prefer someone within your circle to be president, anyways I'm sorry to break the news to you, I'm now president and that ain't changing for the next four or even eight years to come."
The tension in the room thickened as Damian announced his intentions. Gen. Arien's brow furrowed further, and the other Council members exchanged doubtful looks.
Gen. Arien grunted, leaning back in his seat with a huff.
"And what makes you think you can even last four years as president, let alone eight—let alone a month?" Gen. Arien asked.
The Head of Magic, the Archmage Alaric, stepped in, his voice measured but skeptical.
"You are untested and unproven as a leader."
"Now is the prefect time to test my leadership," Damian countered. "Brief me on the situation with the goblin raids."
The Security Council members exchanged one last uncertain glance, but they could sense that Damian wasn't going to back down. So, with some reluctance, they moved on to the main matter at hand.
The Head of Intelligence, Ralia, took the lead. She spread out a map of Lumaris on the table, the locations of the goblin raids marked with red flags.
"Our merchant caravans have been attacked by goblin raiders along the Blackpine Pass—" She pointed to the marked locations—"With increasing frequency."
"Yes I know that much."
The Head of Intelligence narrowed her eyes slightly, clearly not appreciating the interruption. However, she continued—though with an edge of irritation in her voice.
"Fine. Then you'll want to know this—the raids are coordinated, well-planned, and far more aggressive than typical goblin behavior."
She tapped a particular location on the map with emphasis.
"And reports suggest they're being led by something... or someone."
"Also was informed about that," Damian Said. "Is there not any new detail? Anything I'm not aware of."
The Council members exchanged another irritated look. This time, Lord Valanir sighed, his usually stoic demeanor showing a hint of annoyance under his calm exterior.
"It's not like we can just snap our fingers and find out more information..." Lord Valanir said.
The Head of the Magic Council, Alaric, leaned forward once more, his voice cool and collected.
"We've already sent out scouts to monitor the area. They'll be reporting back as soon as they find something useful."
"That's good to know," Damian Said. "Before I dismiss this council meeting, I will like everyone to formally introduce themselves, it helps with my memory."
The Council members looked at Damian, slightly taken aback by the request. But they knew they had to comply with the president—and so, they went around the table, each one introducing themselves.
The council members formally introduced themselves and were summarized as followed:
General Arien Stoneheart—Head of Defense
Ralia Silvermane—Head of Intelligence
Lord Valanir Dawnstar—Head of Logistics
Archmage Alaric Wintermore—Head of the Magic Council
After having a careful look at them, he gestured for them to have their seats and he noted their numbers to be four instead of five.
"I heard you were five," Damian stated. "What about the commander of the imperial guard? Where is he or she?"
The Security Council members exchanged knowing glances as Damian voiced his question about the Commander. Ralia was the one who spoke up, her expression slightly amused at the oversight.
"Ah, yes, the Commander of the Imperial Guard. Commander Alarath is often too busy managing the Guard's duties to attend our meetings."
Gen. Arien grunted in agreement, adding his own take.
"He's practically married to the Guard. Doesn't have time to sit around a table for meetings every damn day."
"Okay I see," Damian said as he stood up. "The meeting has been adjourned."
Damian had a strong glare at Ralia, as he requested her to met him in his office. "Ralia, can I have a word with you in my office."
Ralia's eyebrows raised in surprise at Damian's request, sensing the seriousness in his tone. She gave a curt nod, standing up from her seat.
"Of course, President," she said.
As the others began to filter out of the meeting room, Ralia approached Damian, her gaze meeting his with a mixture of curiosity and caution.
The door to Damian's office closed behind them with a quiet click, cutting them off from any potential eavesdroppers in the hallway. Damian took a seat behind the desk, while Ralia stood in front of it with her arms crossed, waiting for him to start speaking.