The King's Collie

Part II, Chapter 1: A Coming Conflict

PART II

Territorial contention, a Caledonian knight, and the true intentions of the Cardinal.

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Time, as always, hurried on. In a way, the summer started to die away, leading its way to the next season. Nature, however, assured that there would be a splendor equal to spring, before any browning or withering happened. The leaves turned from their ordinary green into a spectacular array of colors. It was early October, the height of the autumn, a time that revealed nature in its majestically full fruition before it wintered away.

Felix looked out the library's window, at the leaves on the trees. They'd become yellow, and today's certain hue matched his mane, a fact that he always enjoyed. To have a special time when the world went out of its way to match him exactly made him feel worthy as a king. However, he had much more of a task at hand, one that only a king could truly work on. He made his slow way back to the map at the center of the room, where his kingly duties lied. He couldn't think of such trivial things as the seasons.

Usually, the map was hung vertically, being a shining centerpiece that showcased the peace of the church-led alliance that lied on the peninsular swath they called home: Europa. The lands roughly surrounding it were mapped, too, thanks to the dutiful cartographers that worked with every step they took. At the moment, the map was instead on a table, laying flat, thus leaving their contents to be easily pointed at, and even scribbled along with a quill. A map on a desk always signified a time of conflict, so it thus goes.

The lion took a moment to reflect on the general areas of the currently known world, smiling as he fondly acknowledged the presence of his brother's Kingdom of Aragonia to the north. He looked to the south at Egypt, and its claims to the Cyrene. However, his concerns lied much closer to home: the Kingdom that lied directly to the west, being Lusitania. The situation in question also dealt with a land unexplored and thought to be undesirable. In big, bolded letters, was the name of this huge landmass, that lied to the south, was its name: AFRICA. There was once an agreement in place, that could forever have kept these lands at peace.

Thirty years ago, representatives from the Kingdom of Lusitania chose to head south after it went as far as it could east, and, after crossing what they thought was a large river, they settled into what they claimed to not know was a part of Africa. Their new unintentional colony was made up of the tip poking out from the African shore south of the Strait of Gibraltar. Instead of seeking armed conflict to reclaim the land, the tribes of apparently indigenous canines that had witnessed these invasions chose to respect the claims made. They agreed that war was not the path out of such a situation, and Lusitania instead gave half its territory back, leaving only the recognizable chunk south of their initial domain.

Now, however, Lusitania was hungry for land, and jealous. There were rumors they were planning a conquest of Valentian territory, and even that they were planning to first overtake the land southwest of it to gain an advantage in this attempt. It was certainly not a major development, in the grand scheme of things, but it was one of the biggest things that had happened in a long while. The King knew that there was some opportunity for an unexpected intervention that could benefit the Kingdom. He could feel it, for some reason.

Iago then walked in, his red feathers matching his holy uniform as usual. "Good afternoon, Your Highness," he greeted, and made his slow way to a shelf.

"Hello, Your Holiness," Felix made sure to reply, knowing how little Iago liked to be called by his actual name. "What brings you here?" he wondered aloud.

"Searching for a holy text, as usual," the Cardinal chuckled, his talons clacking against the floor.

"I see your map is on the table. Are you strategizing something?" the avian wondered.

"Yes, indeed," Felix sighed. "Lusitania is misbehaving, as you may have heard the rumors. They plan on breaking the peace concerning Africa, for they want their own share," he seemed frustrated as he growled this.

Iago turned, with a grin. "Actually, Your Highness," he squawked, "I do think there's a couple of reasonable causes Lusitania has in doing such a thing!"

"Do tell," Felix raised an eyebrow as he said, backing up so the cardinal could have his way with the map.

Iago explained as he pointed: "The first of the reasons would be that Africa is filled with the wild dogs, tribes upon tribes of them. They have splotched, dark fur, and large ears, and teeth larger and sharper than the heads of arrows!" he described in the fearmongering way he often did. "They are strong fighters, and know their way very well around the desert," he continued.

Felix found some of this description to be quite fear-striking; it was unfairly so, in his opinion. "And how does that matter?" he mewed.

"It matters," Iago continued, "because it's important to assess their nature, and perhaps make good use of their traits."

"Are you suggesting they'd make good soldiers?" Felix wondered, uneasy.

"Indeed. And another thing," the Cardinal held up a feathery finger, avoiding his true intention. "It is of utmost importance that, whether it be through our doing or Lusitania's, that—" he paused, for attempted dramatic effect, though it was more like an awkward silence for the urgent King.

"That what? What do we do, Your Holiness?" Felix finally asked after a bit, looking bemused.

"That we convert them!" the Cardinal finally finished. "That the Word reach a new people!" the bird found much joy in saying these words. "It is destiny, and it is duty!"

Felix sighed in frustration. He knew Iago put these kinds of ideas first and foremost. He had seen many things happen at the hands of the Church, ones he wasn't all to sure of.

"Iago—" Felix huffed.

"Titles, Your Highness, please," replied Iago.

"Your Holiness— my apologies. I am not entirely sure that that is the course we have to take," the lion explained, to the bird's annoyance.

"How come? Tell me why we shouldn't expand the Kingdom! Why shouldn't we use the resources available to benefit us, to make us more powerful?" Iago tried to explain his stance.

Felix thought, and sighed. "I guess you're right," he sighed. "I think I have decided. We will wait until Lusitania establishes any territory, then ambush, and take it from them."

"Then perhaps, with that advantage established... We could gain Lusitania's land!" Iago proposed.

"We will see when we get there," Felix grumbled. "I don't want to be responsible for any more bloodshed than need be."