Chapter 260 - 6.20 Peace Treaty
What Lu Yizhou and Jillian didn’t know was that Maia had long since noticed Jillian’s presence, after the great fanfare caused by the intimidating troops arriving in Orun early this morning. Maia had heard his name all along the street, spoken with reverence, fear and admiration and as a result, her interest was piqued. How could she not, after all the rumors about his doll who looked realistic enough to look like a mini human with an unparalleled beauty, who was said to manifest from the ghost who fell in love with him? That was just so... intriguing! She just wanted to take one look! Just one look to curb her shimmering curiosity...
It was totally a coincidence for Maia to be here, though. Yes, her father might cut her head off if he found out that she had been running around — to the enemy’s land at that — but Maia couldn’t help it. She had always been a free spirited girl. Wild and unruly, or so her father said.
Maia just didn’t understand why the war had to happen.
The main problem was quite simple, actually. The prolonged winter had drained the tribe’s food reserve and they were facing a huge crisis of starvation. All animals were either hiding or hibernating and they couldn’t get a decent hunt for days. As a nomaden tribe, they had gotten used to resorting to forceful ways to get what they wanted, as much as she didn’t want to admit it.
The rule that only the fittest could survive was absolute. Children were taught early to hunt for their own food and worked hard to get what they wanted; they were raised independent enough that they could survive even if trapped in a rainforest with a tiger.
They didn’t have enough meat to feed people but this prosperous country near them had such an abundance that they even had the luxury to throw leftover food away? Steal.
Those people didn’t want to give it up? Kill.
They were weak anyway, lulled by their daily comfortable and peaceful life. Their women stayed at home all day, raising spoilt brats who didn’t know how to do anything but whine; and their men were cooped in office jobs, wearing clothes made from high quality silk and enjoying wine, unaware that out there, thousands of people were cold and starving.
Maia wondered why they couldn’t just ask nicely for help. This way, they could evade war and death. Surely if they just lowered their pride and didn’t act as if they were above everyone, the country might be generous enough to lend them help.
Alas, when she voiced it out loud, all she earned was her father’s wrath for suggesting such a cowardly idea and in a fit of anger, grounded her for a week and only gave her one meal per day. Feeling frustrated from being cooped up for days, Maia — with Frey, her personal maid that decided to stick to her everywhere — decided to run away. Coincidentally Orun was the first city close enough that she could return in less than three days but far enough that her father wouldn’t be able to find her. She just didn’t expect to meet the entire army here!
Seeing their armors and deadly weapons in person distressed Maia so.
She knew her father had greatly underestimated these people, thinking that they knew nothing of war and survival but he was sorely wrong. They were a force to be reckoned with and throughout the span of months, many people in her tribe had fallen under their swords. Maia dreaded the future because her father could no longer stop himself; he wouldn’t give up until he could pierce his spear into the heart of the country. Too blindsided with the glory and wealth he would gain once he sat on the throne.