ЦАРЬ KAISER - A Race to Conquer (Countryhumans)

Ties

And to think that I wasn't lied to. It had to be a dream, a nightmare,  because when I got back to my castle, there they were. Both my sons stood in the middle of the empty and stony hall, wearing expressions of utter disappointment. To add more to this troubling scene, Germany, my teenage grandson, was standing behind them, giving me a look of pity.

I immediately put up the defensive. "What?" I asked, prickly. 

Weimar sighed. "Vater."

"What? What's wrong now?" I repeated louder.

"The fact that you didn't tell us that Grandfather is planning a war," Weimar said.

"And you didn't tell me!" Third Reich chimed in.

"I thought you trusted us, grandpa," Germany murmured sadly.

I cursed under my breath. And I thought Father would let me explain the whole scheme to my family first. It seemed he let a few unnecessary details slip as well. Including my hesitation to trust my family. 

"Why did you act so weak in front of all the other Empires?" Third Reich challenged bluntly. "You're shaming all of us."

"You don't exactly bring any pride, either," I snapped back. "I believe it's you who devastated our reputation."

Third Reich sort of wilted and stepped back.

"Don't be so mean to each other," Weimar interrupted. "You're not exactly setting the right example." he pointed at Germany who was frowning slightly. 

"Should have left Germany back home," my younger muttered. "We could yell as much as needed."

"To converse diplomatically is just as important," Weimar said. "You need to learn how to not yell. I remember last week's fruit market scandal."

They launched into a silly argument. "She wasn't giving me the grapes!" Third Reich retorted. "What was I supposed to do? Walk away?"

"There were many other grape stands."

"Not green grapes," he whined. "Only Greece sells green grapes. And she won't give them to me."

"Next time, I'll get them for you," Weimar said patiently, with a very held back air. "Now maybe we can go back to our original topic?"

"You started it," his brother argued. "Anyway, I don't want to participate. Grandfather hates me, I bet everyone else hates me, and I'll just end up getting murdered somewhere in my sleep."

Weimar looked shocked. "That...is true." He then looked at me and back, and added. "But I thought you...enjoyed...er...fighting."

Third Reich flicked his hand. "I enjoy a good life. And making speeches to no one. Tussling around in the mud and potentially getting stabbed is not fun. Did I mention I don't tolerate pain at all?"

I mentally sighed in relief. I was glad to deter my bloodthirsty son away from the premises of war. I was about to cheerfully wish them a happy day when he interrupted again.

"But who said participating meant hand to hand fighting?" He suddenly added. "If you could be a general and really not doing anything, I'll go for it. I'm pretty good at strategy. One of the things I can do most of the time."

I expected Weimar to jump in and ask his brother to calm down or get rid of the idea. I expected him to act like a good person and promise me that Third Reich wouldn't get involved. I thought I wasn't the only sane one.

But Weimar nodded. He nodded. "You're very good at chess. Maybe I'll ask Grandfather if there are things like that for you."

They talked for a while and Third Reich took Germany back home, casting me looks of dissatisfaction and loathing. Weimar was about to join them when I beckoned him over.