Sovereign

"'Global warfare is likely', the Mandate of Nations spokeswoman warned in a brief statement today. Already, the male rights revolutions gained ground in twenty-eight Kingdoms across the world, alongside plunging much of the world into instability and uncertainty, as economies remain frozen and disrupted. With counter-revolutionary efforts intensifying globally, the Mandate of Nations fears a 'global war between men and women' would be inevitable. These fears were further solidified by the Orlish 'Provisional President' Sullivan Rimpler's calls for the creation of a 'Coalition of Free Nations' as 'a democratic coalition against the reactionary order', with many leaders of the newly formed revolutionary republics now declaring support for the idea. Queen Alois of Gallia declared in response that the Mandate of Nations must act as a 'bulwark against this male-led insanity'. A resolution is now in the talks between the remaining monarchies of the world regarding the possibility of the Mandate of Nations as a 'temporary military alliance'."

- Geopol News

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Kingdom of Orland

Grand Duchy of Ludendorf

City of Halia

The Queen's Bunker

July 26, 2024

The colossal clash between her Royalist forces and Heindhöff's Putschist forces had been ongoing for a few weeks already. Clearly, her planned counter-offensive failed at dislodging them from the Royal Capital, but there was some good news at least.

Yesterday, much of Halia's civilian population had been evacuated to Rebenslof. And while the situation for the refugees in that city still wasn't pretty, she found solace in the fact that most of her subjects, outside of the stubborn ones who refused to evacuate, were now out of the warzone.

The casualties had finally waned as well. The toll was heavy for both sides, but for now, they finally began to stop the offensives and counter-offensives, as capabilities were exhausted, briefly at least.

But it would be delusional to say that this battle is over.

Far from it.

"Major William, please begin the report."

Her office now held a much more dignified air to it, as she was preparing to give her Kingdom a televised address this night. It was tidied up, and behind her, two flags of the Orlish tricolor were placed near the sides of her chair. The left one was a simple flag, but the right one held Orland's coat of arms.

Her table had less nonsense on it, like random paperwork and cups of cereal. Instead, all it held now was one folder, a miniature Orlish flag, a simple tablet, a penholder, and her white gloves.

Behind her, on the wall, was a screen that depicted an electronic version of the Orlish coat of arms, alongside the map of Orland as a whole.

Even she herself dressed up for the occasion. She now wore a customized variant of the all-white Royal Guard's officer dress, alongside the ceremonial blue cape that Orlish Queens wore whenever they went to war. She even had that tall golden royal staff that Queen Alexandria originally owned that was…also ceremonial, by her side.

Well, appearances. A necessary part of a hereditary monarchy's governance. Not the most practical thing, she surmised, but she was trying to appear 'Queenly' to her people. A Queen that would lead them to peace through the ravages of war. The Kingdom needed a symbol, and dammit would she be one.

Plus, she liked her officer's dress and coat. It made her feel giddy that she looked like the Royal Guard's famed Knights now. The Queen after all was the head of the entirety of Orland's fighting forces, especially the Royal Guard.

Not that she could actually fight like them…well, she did have magic. But...

Come on. A girl can dream now, can't she?

William himself was flanked by Colonel Kleist on his right, and Defense Minister Pristina Dubois on his left, who wore a uniform not too dissimilar to what Amelie wore. While the Ministry of Defense itself was a civilian ministry that administered the Royal Guard of Orland and the Orlish Armed Forces and thus had no uniform, the Archduchess was simultaneously the Minister of Defense and the Director of the Royal Guard.

Of course, she would wear her uniform for this occasion.

"Your Majesty…Operation Silent Spear has achieved its limited objectives, at the cost of heavy OAF casualties."

Amelie nodded and turned to Colonel Kleist.

"Colonel, what of the Halian Garrison?"

"Your Majesty, this city is now fortified by eighty-thousand men and women. We are mobilizing for more."

And she turned to the last - the Archduchess.

"Defense Minister, what of the RGO's mobilization?"

"The women of this country are now joining the Royal Guard in droves as volunteers, and we are organizing multiple wartime formations. The Royal Guard will soon be ready to face the rebels in the field, and they shall know women's magic again."

Amelie nodded. This was more of a symbolic report, as she already knew the details. Around the room, journalists and military officers watched the proceedings carefully, all while the three cameras aimed at her were prepared.

All of these people in the room were already properly vetted and checked, for the security of the Queen's Bunker, as its location was a closely guarded secret. None of the journalists even knew where they were, as they were teleported here by dimensional magic. But they did know that they were in Halia, in the same place where the Queen commanded the defense of the center of Orland.

She gave the three a gesture that she would now begin her Kingdom-wide address, and they all formed up beside her, with her at the center, as the cameras were aimed at her.

These three after all were the current faces of the defense of Halia. Naturally, they would appear with the Queen, and so would she, to send a message that they were in charge of the battle and that they were ready to make the right decisions to win it.

The Orlish public could not lose morale. They had to place their trust in her - in them. That they were here to hold on to the Royal Capital, and thus Orland itself. Halia was already iconic, as the battle had been something that the globe watched obsessively. All eyes were on them, and she showed that she could stand her ground by being there.

"Orland…esteemed sisters and brothers. Citizens of this Kingdom. Wherever you are, the Kingdom has your back, just as you have the Kingdom's back."

The cameras flashed, while the main cameras that filmed her live focused on her. Her dignified stand and neutral expression appeared on almost all screens across Orland. In the fortified bunkers of OAF High Command. In the massive digital screens on the buildings of downtown Eutstadt, down to the smartphones held by troops in the trenches - her face was there.

And the Orlish people listened.

"Today, we have once again repelled another strike from the rebels aimed at the heart of our Kingdom. This would not have been possible without the women and men on the ground, fighting for every inch of our sacred land. These heroes served well, and may the fallen rest in peace. They have all served the Kingdom well. But I'm afraid to declare - the battle for the capital is far from over."

Rumors had already been spreading. Intelligence from Marie had also pointed it out. And so did the OAF's various loyal intelligence units. The Putschists were planning for something big.

Something that Amelie feared would require beyond just defenses in the capital. No, she needed to rally the entire nation to her banner. Every front must be prepared to receive an offensive and inflict an offensive to tie down the enemy.

Amelie feared that the capital would not hold if they didn't. She was…in a precarious situation. The enemy held Heiflitz down south with a knife on her neck, and she failed to push the enemy off her side of the Ludendorf River. On the maps, Halia almost seemed surrounded, outside of their lines to Rebenslof and their thin lines that ran through Heiflitz and the OAF's frontlines down south.

If Heindhöff captured Heiflitz and sent a pincer to cut her off from Rebenslof, she would find herself under siege. Nay, she was under siege. The supply trains from Rebenslof and from the south were being bombed already. All while many roads and railway lines were bombed or sabotaged.

Being strangled from supplies meant that she was now almost truly under siege.

But I won't retreat from this. And I swear to the Goddess, they won't get Halia from me. Only from my cold dead hands.

Truthfully, she felt ridiculous that she was saying such things. She looked back at the times before, and she knew the previous her would run away from the capital if things got this bad.

But she had a vow. A promise to her people. That she would stand for them, for the Kingdom, and the change that she promised. Her reforms, her vision of a better Orland, none of it would exist if she was beaten here.

"I stand with the promises I made to you when I was crowned. That I shall introduce equality, and liberty, and strengthen Orland's democratic institutions. To pave a path to a future that men and women, the rich and poor, Orlish and non-Orlish, and anyone in this Kingdom, will find a place in. Clearly…many didn't believe that."

The NRF…the millions of men that rebelled against her, even when she promised them rights and equality, and moved toward its direction. They clearly didn't believe her. They refused.

And Amelie somewhat understood them. Her reign had been dysfunctional, inept, slow, weak…and anemic at enacting change. She clearly favored women more, even now. And she was the daughter of the Queen that sent them to their deaths.

And was now sending them once more to their deaths.

To call herself a saint would be too far from reality. No, many times, she really questioned if she was in the right even. Or if there was a right side in this conflict.

Men who fought for their rights, but with questionable means.

Or women who fought to uphold a rotting system, and promised that they would reform it for the betterment of all.

Both engaged in a bloody conflict for the weeping land of Orland - that now saw too much blood.

But if I'm not on the good side, the best I can do is drive us to something close to one.

Hope - that was her promise. That there was hope in siding with her. Maybe, just maybe, they could create a world that was a little bit brighter. Not a perfect one, but something people could at least find a decent life in.

Something that would shed some hope, in the hopelessness that filled the hearts of her subjects.

"And they have rebelled against me. But all that is the result of a failed system, and my inadequacy to prevent it all. Many would say that I do not have the means to realistically fix it all, but I take responsibility regardless. I…am not a perfect Queen, my dear subjects. But I strive for the betterment of Orland. And so does my Government, the Prime Minister, the Parliament, and our institutions."

Her voice almost cracked at that part. Rare was it for any leader to even admit such things. It was a sign of weakness. But she had always spoken to the public with such humility.

Somehow, while the elites scoffed at it, especially the Aristocracy, it found much resonance with her everyday subjects and men of the Kingdom. The people viewed her as a humble Queen, unafraid to tell out loud the problems in herself and the system.

She would not change now just to appear strong in the face of war.

"Every inch toward this betterment of Orland, for all of you, for all of us, will be taken. Even in the face of this great adversity. The system failed, the leaders failed, and the Kingdom nearly collapsed, but we must go on. To fight back the darkness. To pick up the pieces…and eventually rebuild. Hopelessness, I assure you, I can sense it in all of your hearts. But I assure you too…together, we shall shine the light of hope in the sea of hopelessness."

She took another deep breath.

"Together, from the ashes of this civil war - like a phoenix, we shall rise again, and build a better Orland. That's why I call to all of you, to rally to the banners of the Kingdom, and save our nation from this great peril!"