Chapter 330: Alliances are made.
Alexander picked up a berry tart but he made no move to eat it. "You want an incentive?"
Roland leaned back conspiratorially. "Please, don’t put words in my mouth. I wouldn’t want anyone claiming that our red knights are for sale or putting a price tag for them. Let us speak in hypotheticals. If I were to send my army and mages to assist you. What would would you give me?"
"It depends." Lord Alexander drummed his fingers on the table. "Do you want territory? To expand your boarder, access to our trade routes, gold, silver, magic mines. A royal marriage, hostages, do you wish for us to take on your religion, name a city after you. Horses, cattle, elephants...." he shrugged. The list was long so he had just mentioned some of the things that Medoris had taken from the smaller kingdoms they conquered.
"Beware, your highness, sometimes when one eats more than what their stomach can handle, they fall ill." Ethan Ridley pitched in.
His cryptic warning was clear, Roland could not demand for too much. Just enough to fill his belly or quench his thirst.
Alexander said, "I would also like to mention the fact that the church of Erythis is trying to expand into our empires. They don’t simply want to set up camp and spread the good word of their goddess, they want hold all power and it begins with holding the highest office in the emperor or controlling whoever does.
An alliance between our empires will safeguard us from outside enemies. To accomplish this, we can have a marriage alliance between our children. My grandchildren, male or female you can choose a few that can get married into your royal family or houses of your trusted nobles.
Of course I expect the same treatment from you. Your daughters, sons, or even nieces and nephews. They can marry into my royal house. We can begin with East, my son. He is not wed and if our alliance is successful, he can be the first Ridley to fulfill this agreement."
"I will be making my own choice of wife despite this." East decreed. If it is not a lady from the royal family, them I would like to marry one from the Thorin family. Like the cousin of the crown princess that I met yesterday. The one that resembles her and....."