Maoria 1915

[Valles]

"'The Empire of Italia states for the record that while we appreciate the show of support from the Kingdom of Maoria we do not welcome their Deceleration of War,'" Yuuno, King of the Maori, first of his name from the line of Makakite, laid the paper he'd been reading from on the blotter of his western-style desk and looked at the five men standing before him like schoolboys in a principal's office with eyes that were somewhat less mild than usual.

He was young, and slim, and, truth be told, pretty in a way that many women would have envied. One of those he faced was elderly and greyed, leaning on his cane for the vital support it offered, back bent with the weight of years; another was of similar age, but towered still like a man half his age, with a weathered face and hands as hard as they had ever been. The other three were younger versions of the second, men of middle years, mighty-thewed and majestically bellied, all potent in their authority.

None of the five met the eyes of the boy they had thought to run roughshod over.

"I did tell you that this would happen," he said softly.

He had. But King, to the Maori, was merely a word for first among equals.

"We are certainly going to lose more credit with our allies than we will gain."

If they had any allies at the end of it.

"If we are fortunate, the Colombians will succeed in defusing this... nightmare... that your impatience and arrogance and bloodlust have set off."

So foolishly eager to suck up that they never even thought to ask.

"If we are not, I shall certainly see that the people we have all of us failed know who to call to answer for it."

It was the first time that any of them had heard the boy make a threat of any sort, and all the more chilling for it.

"Now, if you don't mind, I have a letter to write to President Alizandro, explaining our part in this farce, and thanking him for his restraint. We shall certainly owe him and his a debt for this, and well he should know of it... Now get out, fools."

They went.

[maddox]

OOC,

Standing ovation.

[ctwaterman]

I agree nice short story