Chapter 311: v4 - 12: tomorrow II

Chapter 311: v4 Chapter 12: tomorrow II

Marcus turned another page.

"Then there is the matter of the negotiations themselves."

Lorenz’s expression became more focused.

"Go on."

"The Imperial Foreign Ministry has proposed beginning the formal discussions the morning after the reception."

"That gives both sides a little time."

"Yes."

Lorenz nodded.

"And what do we intend to ask for?"

Marcus glanced at the notes.

"First, a formal cessation of hostilities."

"Permanent?"

"That would be the objective."

Lorenz considered it.

"Then trade."

"Opening the southern routes."

"Reduced restrictions on merchants."

"And eventually, an agreement regarding tariffs."

Marcus nodded.

"There is also the matter of the border."

"Naturally."

"Both kingdoms have maintained military presence along the frontier for years."

Lorenz leaned back.

"We should reduce it."

"Gradually."

"I don’t want either side believing the other has suddenly become careless."

Marcus made a note.

"Then military guarantees?"

"Reciprocal."

"No sudden troop movements near the border."

"Advance notice of major deployments."

"That would be reasonable."

Cassian listened quietly.

Lorenz glanced toward him.

"What do you think?"

Cassian looked at the documents.

"The Empire will want guarantees that Milicia is serious."

"Not merely because of the past."

"Because they are in the stronger position."

Lorenz nodded.

"And what will they offer in return?"

"That depends on what they want from us."

Marcus gave a slight smile.

"You’re expecting Adrian to negotiate."

"Of course."

"He won’t simply accept whatever we put forward."

"No."

Cassian looked toward the papers.

"Nor should he."

Lorenz nodded slowly.

"Then we don’t go in asking for favors."

"We offer something worth accepting."

"Exactly."

Marcus looked down at his notes.

"The Empire has little reason to fear us militarily at present."

"Which means military concessions alone won’t interest them."

"Trade might."

"Access to our markets."

"Political stability on their western frontier."

"An end to the expense of maintaining the present military posture."

Lorenz nodded.

"Those are useful."

Cassian added quietly,

"And reputation."

Lorenz looked at him.

Cassian continued.

"Peace with Milicia gives the Empire something it can present as a deliberate choice."

"They can say they ended a long rivalry on their own terms."

"That may matter to Adrian."

Lorenz considered it.

"You’re right."

Marcus nodded.

"Then our position is clear."

"Peace first."

"Trade second."

"Military assurances alongside both."

"And no demand that the Empire treat Milicia as though the past six years never happened."

Lorenz smiled faintly.

"Good."

He leaned back.

"We came here to open a door."

"Not to demand that they walk through it on our terms."

Marcus closed the folder.

"For the first meeting, that should be sufficient."

Lorenz nodded.

"Then we’ll see what the Empire brings to the table."

The political discussion ended there.

The room grew quieter.

The papers remained between them, but no one reached for another.

Lorenz’s gaze eventually moved toward Cassian.

He had been watching him for several moments.

Cassian noticed.

"What?"

Lorenz smiled faintly.

"I have been wondering...."

"Suppose you’ve told Marian the truth."

Cassian looked at him.

"You’ve had the chance to speak to her."

"You’ve told her what happened."

"And after everything..."

Lorenz paused.

"She still doesn’t choose you."

The room became quiet.

"What would you do next?"

Cassian did not answer immediately.

It was the question he had spent the entire journey avoiding.

He had thought about seeing Marian.

He had imagined her expression.

Her voice.

The moment she would finally understand that he had never abandoned her.

He had imagined her choosing him.

He had even imagined the possibility that she was happy with Adrian and that he would have to accept it.

But he had never truly allowed himself to consider this.

That he could stand before Marian.

Tell her everything.

Give her the truth.

And still not be the man she wanted.

Cassian looked down.

"I don’t know."

Lorenz waited.

Cassian’s fingers tightened slightly against the arm of his chair.

"Honestly..."

He exhaled.

"I don’t know."

He had survived too much to pretend otherwise.

He had survived the arena.

He had survived years of waking each morning not knowing whether he would live through the day.

He had survived becoming Carlo.

He had built a life in Milicia.

He had risen from nothing and helped Lorenz secure his throne.

He had become a Marquess.

He had survived everything that had been placed in front of him.

But all of it had been done with one thought somewhere in the back of his mind.

Marian.

Every fight had ended with the thought that perhaps, one day, he would see her again.

Every difficult day had been another day survived.

Because there had always been somewhere to return to.

Someone to return to.

And now that someone was waiting at the end of the road.

If she did not choose him...

Cassian swallowed.

"Perhaps I’ll survive."

His voice was quiet.

"I’ve survived everything else."

He did not say that everything else had been easier because he had been surviving for something.

For her.

He did not know what surviving would mean after that.

Perhaps he would return to Milicia.

Perhaps he would remain in the Empire.

Perhaps he would simply continue living because he had learned how.

But none of those possibilities felt real yet.

The only thing he could think of was Marian.

Seeing her.

Speaking to her.

Knowing she was alive.

Even if she did not choose him, some part of him suspected he would not be able to leave immediately.

He would want to see her.

Just once more.

Then perhaps again.

He did not know.

Lorenz studied him.

Then he spoke more gently.

"You can come back with us."

Cassian looked up.

"The door will always be open to you, Cassian."

Cassian was silent for a moment.

Then he nodded.

"Thank you."

His expression softened.

"Perhaps I’ll make good on that offer one day."

Lorenz gave a small nod.

He understood what Cassian was not saying.

He did not want to think about leaving.

Not yet.

Not while Marian was somewhere beyond those palace walls.

Lorenz let the silence remain for a moment.

Then he said,

"All right."

He leaned back.

"Then let’s look at the other side."

Cassian looked at him.

"Suppose she chooses you."

A faint tension returned to Cassian’s expression.

"What do you intend to do?"

--

Tbc