This story is part of the Wanderer series.
The general angrily slammed the palm of one hand against the table, startling the two message bearers in front of him as he expelled a curt bellow of displeasure.
“What is the divine princess’s intent, destroying city after city?!”
The colonels around the room stared at their general with unease, coming to attention as he gesticulated towards them.
“Order the princess to halt her advance and return to the capital immediately to explain her actions!”
On the right side desk closest to the general’s, the gray-haired colonel stationed there was the first to reply, in a steady tone. “My general… We do not have the authority to issue such an order.”
“Then issue an advisory to the emperor!” he escalated. “Implore him to recall the princess!”
The suggestion drew even more alarm amongst the men in the room.
“Sir…” the left-side colonel closest to the general now spoke up. “Are you sure it is wise? The princess is an extension of the great emperor. Her will is the emperor’s.”
“They are kin, but they are separate beings. They can agree, and they can differ.”
Still, the colonel retained an uncertain expression.
“The great emperor is wise. He will understand: Decimating strongholds and massacring hundreds of subjects isn’t victory. It is incompetence!”
The gray-haired man glanced uncomfortably towards one of the dark corners of the room, looking for a ghost. His general continued to bellow in a fierce but controlled manner, his arm with a clenched fist becoming more animate each sentence.
“These strongholds aren’t barricades. They’re footholds! Crushing them to dust leaves our army with nowhere to govern the new region. No way to disrupt an army encroaching from behind! These are the very basics the princess should know!”
“My general, I implore you: ease your tongue. These are hallowed chambers.”
The general looked up, catching a glimpse of his uncomfortable glance into the shadows. His deeply furrowed face gradually slackened, himself sneaking a glance to the corner. Men around the room continued to watch him with mortified anticipation. The message bearers shifted uncomfortably, waiting to be dismissed.
Eventually, the general, making eye contact with his left-hand colonel, slowly leaned forward and touched the tips of his fingers on his desk, peering up with grave but newly tempered eyes.
“A quill and paper, colonel. Prepare to write for me a missive to the emperor.”
For a split moment, the man did not respond. Then, with a shaky nod, he briskly left his desk and moved towards the shelves. The general stayed still, briefly glancing down as he blinked, seemingly lost in deep reflection. Then, he raised his eyes back to the room, finally lifting his fingers off the desk. With a single flick of his wrist, he waved off the message bearers, who saluted him before quickly turning around and leaving the command chamber. As they hurried out, the general lowered himself backwards into his seat, his chair emitting a loud creak through the dead silent room as he leaned into it. Seeing their general safely ease to a rest, the remaining colonels carefully settled into theirs, returning to their duties.