Princess Elizabeth looked at the little snowflake on her hand like it was the greatest treasure in existence.

" Your highness, the city lord of Stonebridge town has surrendered to the church and betrayed the empire."

An official came running in to report, Elizabeth was the last remaining member of the royal family.

She was merely a second circle Magus and didn’t have much personal power nor was she particularly skilled at governance.

As a woman she was never taught how to run an empire, she was only taught how to be a good wife.

But she had no husband and her older brother who was meant to succeed the throne fell in battle.

Before she could respond, somebody else opened the palace doors and walked in, it was a tall man in bronze armour.

He was a warlock, a type of Magi that focuses on body enhancement rather than traditional magic.

The man knelt on one knee, " Your highness." His voice was deep but it carried a somber tone.

" The church forces are too numerous, multiple battalions have fallen to their numbers.

If this continues I’m afraid the empire will fall within a year." The man told her in a calm voice.

Another person suddenly came in, this time it was a woman, she looked at the man and nodded. 𝙛𝓻𝒆𝒆𝒘𝙚𝓫𝙣𝙤𝒗𝙚𝓵.𝙘𝙤𝙢

These two were siblings and both were the highest ranking generals of the two armies of the empire.

Roage and Rouge Stormfront, Rouge also went on one knee but she said nothing, she obviously heard what had brother had said and agreed.

Elizabeth sighed, these two were one of the very few people left alive that she trusted, nobody else in the court was trustworthy.

" Leave us." She ordered and the court officials ran out but a few hesitated, they obviously wanted to hear what she had to say.

" Your highness, as court officials, we deserve to know the discussions involving the empire, you cannot chase us out."

An old man shouted, he stood forward defiantly, the two generals started rising slowly with cold eyes.

The court official felt his blood run cold and he regretted his big mouth but fortunately for him Elizabeth was not in a killing mood.

She waved her hand stopping the two who looked like they wanted to rip the man to shreds.

" Who said this was related to the empire? I have personal issues I wish to discuss with these two, now leave."

With that said, none had anything to say, she had effectively shut them up. They all left one after another.

She sighed after they left and the two generals stood up and stretched their bodies.

" Damn that’s an uncomfortable pose." Rouge complained while stretching her body.

" Indeed." Her brother agreed, without the other officials the two of them acted much more relaxed around the princess.

After all, they had watched her grow and taught her a few things as the best friends of her old brother.

" Tell me, how many of them do you think have betrayed us?" She asked the two of them.

They both shrugged, " Who cares, I keep saying to kill them all and be done with it." Rouge suggested casually.

Roage nodded along, he was less talkative than his sister and usually agreed with what she said.

Elizabeth sighed, " We can’t just kill people without cause." These two were muscle brains who only knew how to fight.

They were even worse than her when it comes to governing. " The reason I called you is for this."

She took out the snowflake and showed it to them, they both looked confused. " Aren’t there many of these falling from the sky?"

Rouge asked with confusion, while these things called snow were their lifeline besides the occasional rain.

She couldn’t understand why the princess would call them just for this, was it to melt...then she froze.

" This room is quite warm little princess, why hasn’t that thing turned to water yet?" She asked.

Elizabeth smiled, " That’s why I called you here, the two of you are currently the strongest people we have.

I can’t see through this, I can’t even sense its power, I was hoping you could." They both drew closer and stood next to her.

" What’s so special about this? It’s looks like all the others to me." She whispered whilst scrutinising the snowflake.

" This was personally given to me by the holy maiden." She told them with a proud smile.

The two opened their eyes wide, ever since the holy maiden fell to their world five years ago, she had always been unconscious.

" The...the holy maiden is awake?" The usually quiet Roage asked in a shaking voice.

Elizabeth nodded, " Indeed, I was surprised too, I went to pray to her hoping for a miracle, in truth it was just to give myself comfort.

I never expected her to answer but she spoke directly to mind, I begged her to give us hope she eye gave me this."

" What did she say it does?" Rouge asked and took the snowflake from her but Elizabeth snatched it back.

" She didn’t, she told me to place it in my chest when the time comes, I have no idea when that time even is."

Elizabeth sighed, she had been given hope but had no idea how to use it. The twins also kept quiet.

" You’re smart, you’ll probably know when that time comes and I think the holy maiden knows that." Rouge comforted the princess.

" Anyways, with those rats gone, it’s time to plan the real strategy." Elizabeth’s face turned cold.

" You had your troops retreat from Stonebridge as instructed, good, I need you to do the same with High Cross town Rouge."

Rouge nodded but she didn’t like it, retreating felt like losing and she hated losing.

She had laughed at her brother when he let go of Stonebridge town and now she had to do the same.

Roage smiled at her, she knew he was laughing at her but that was as far as he laugh went.

While the strategy was cruel and cowardly, they had to admit it was good and would help reduce the casualties a lot.

Elizabeth turned towards Roage, " Did you make sure everybody received the rations before you retreated?" She asked and he nodded.

" You should also do the same, present it as providing relief for the common people, leave a few man guardian the town.

Tell them to engage the church only a little before running in defeat, try to make it as pathway as possible so those stupid fucks would grow prideful."

Elizabeth leaned back on her throne and looked up at the mural on the roof and sighed.

She wondered if this war would spell the end of her empire that had lasted for over 800 years.