Eternity Through Sacrifice

Chapter 33

Once again, Mireille was put back into a heavy frilly dress. Though she had to admit that these dresses were quite pretty, she would rather that she could move in them. The carriage swayed as it came to a stop and Mireille was escorted out of the carriage and into the large castle. Of course, she was with Alfred, Emil, the twins and Claude D'Argent. A Five Pillar's meeting, huh?

Once she had entered the castle she was greeted by Kian la Reial. She nodded slightly to him and began to walk away. He tugged on the sleeve of her dress and asked her to stay behind. "Hey, Mireille."

"Do you need something from me?" She asked, wanting to catch up with the rest of the Argent Family members.

"Don't you think it's strange how they're letting us children attend such a meeting?" He whispered.

Indeed, in was strange. But this was all within Mireille's range of predictions. The summer of her first year of school... It was quite obvious that this meeting was to discuss the conquering of Grifsid. After that, Lysithea would officially become an Empire.

"It's an important event after all." She smiled and walked off.

Each family is sectioned off into five sections of the room. The Crown, The Wisdom, The Sword, The Oracle, and The Scales. The air in the room was stiff and heavy. In this very room stood the current and future leaders of this nations. The Five Pillars.

Mireille looked straight ahead as the head of the Reial Family began the meeting. In the other seats she could she the Belmont triplets, the Fylan twins, the Reial brothers, and Anthony von Clarkin. This room was simply filled with death flags. As expected the head of the Reial Family announced the purpose of the meeting- War with Grifsid.

Though most of the children in the room were shook with sudden announcement of war. While Mireille continued to listen on nonchalantly and Marie Fylan falsely gasped. And then of course Claude D'Argent jumped in with the war plans.

It was going to be led by the head of the Clarkin House, Emilia von Clarkin. She was Anthony von Clarkin's grandmother, who was really only head because Anthony was too young. She noted that although Grifsid itself was weak, their ally was a problem. The elves of Calis wouldn't let people pass their territory easily. They were closely knit with Grifsid and would pose a threat if Lysithea wanted to conquer them.

The meeting was long and tedious. Most of the children were tired of it before they reached the quarter point and were dismissed out of the meeting room.

"How long do you think this war will be?" Alfred sat quietly next to his sister.

"Half a year."

Alfred looked at the small girl beside him and tried to imagine what was going through her head. "That's rather- Rather short isn't it?"

"Six months, maybe less... It depends on when it starts." She looked up at the grayed skies above her. "If they declare war when winter arrives... Maybe it'll be down to five or four."

"What makes you say that?" A black haired youth stepped out from behind a grand white pillar. Mireille didn't even look back. Fredrick Belmont, huh?

"And what business might you have here?" Alfred glared at the boy. He wasn't fond of any of these children from the Five Pillar families. They were all so haughty and clung to each other like maggots to trash.

"I was asking the youngest Lady of House Argent. Not you." He glanced at Mireille who still looked off distractedly into the distance. "So?"

"Think about it. The large amounts of mana there keeps Grifsid a cold country year-round even though it really isn't quite so high north. The kingdom itself is built around many lakes but the weather there is simply disagreeable. In the winter, they rely on Calis wood. Otherwise that nation would've frozen over long ago."

"So you're saying the elves won't give their dear allies a hand?"

"Who says allies can't betray one another? Not once have the Calis elves given Grifsid a hand during war time in the winter. War during the winter will completely wipe out the forest. War is quite expensive, you know?"

(*Calis wood is from the Calis Forest where the elves are. The tree emits heat while alive. Once cut a single log will burn for up to five days.)

"Are you saying they won't even spare a portion?" Fredrick stood in deep thought. He didn't understand how she could've thought it through like this.

"It's already quite generous of them to send some every winter. However during war times that little bit won't be enough. If they send even a little bit I'm afraid Grifsids royalty will ask for more and more. To the point where the forest is bare. So the moment the elves learn that Grifsid is at war. Grifsid will freeze over. And with that, Lysithea will take it."