Imperialist: The Voyage

Chapter Twenty-six; The War Council

King Agamon was supposed to leave Kalli the day he arrived, bearing his son's body on its final journey back to Genda.

But when Kelita told him what she had done to Morabi, those plans eventually went out the window.

"You idiot!" Agamon had thundered. "You think my son would have wanted Morabi imprisoned? Dead? For what? Agdel was a soldier, following orders. My son, like every military man, knew the risks!"

"I... I overreacted," Kelita had murmured, her admission prompting an almost physical pain to sear her chest.

"You're damn right you overreacted! You put your emotions before your job, which is to keep this empire safe in your husband's absence," Agamon had spread his arms. "Well, Morabi's gone. You obviously don't need him anymore, because you have a plan to defeat Votrek. So let's hear it, Kelita."

Kelita had wrestled with confiding Morabi's secret mission to Agamon. Ultimately, she vetoed it. Not because she didn't trust him. But she had no wish to be reminded of the folly of entrusting such a dangerous mission to a sixty-year-old man.

"You've made your point, uncle," Kelita had raised her chin defiantly. "Can we move on? There are thousands of the most battle-hardened soldiers in the world camped on our doorstep. And I know you want to be with our family in Genda. But I need you here."

Agamon had stared at her, grinding his teeth in frustration. Then he threw up his hand in defeat.

"Fine. So be it. Summon the war council."

                             🇬🇾

Unlike the Imperial council, the war council was rarely summoned. In fact, the scheduled meeting at dawn would make it the third time in the empire's seventy-year history that the war council had ever been summoned.

Previously, it was summoned by Moutassim a day before the Battle of Bremon. And before that, it was summoned thirty-three years ago by Emperor Abdullah II during the secession crisis.

Kelita and Agamon stayed up into the wee hours of the morning, as he sought to prepare her for the war council. She got a crash course in war strategy and military terminology. When the time for the meeting finally arrived, they swept through the palace hallways together with their heads held high.

Kelita wore a brown leather breastplate interwoven with gold, her black silk skirt trailing behind her. It had been years since she dressed for battle. And that was only to train in the deadly art of spear dancing.

Of course, Sahelia was always a better spear dancer. A better warrior. A better...

Kelita shook those bitter memories out of her head and stood back, as Agamon pushed open the council chamber door.

Unlike the Imperial council, where diplomats, Emperor and Chief Minister met to discuss policy, the war council allowed Emperor and Chief Minister to discuss war strategy directly with the army top brass. And from the looks of it, they were all here.

General Rodric was once again commander of the Imperial forces, with the death of Prince Agdel. But new leather armour and freshly braided grey locks could not disguise the shame he felt from their loss at the hands of Votrek. When Kelita looked him over, his eyes trailed away.

General Sibanda, commander of the cavalry unit, was also there. He had always been Kelita's favourite officer. Tall, broad-chested, brown skinned and with not a single hair on his body as far as she could see, Sibanda came from a noble family and wore his status on his sleeve. He also possessed a sharp military intellect.