Tyranny of Steel

Berengar tapped his finger on the table repeatedly; the sound resounded throughout the air and was the only thing preventing the entire room from being silent. Three monarchs and a Duke were sitting at the table within the Duchy of Aquitaine. Sitting next to Berengar was Hasan, and across from the two of them was King Felipe of Aragon.

Mediating this convention was none other than the Duke of Aquitaine, who watched with interest, ensuring that everything remained civil but not taking part in the discussion himself. His role was more symbolic than it was practical.

The Peace Accords had been ongoing for three days now, and despite the willingness to cease hostilities between the involved parties, they had yet to come to a comprehensive understanding. Begrudgingly Berengar was prepared to accept the conditions of Aragonese surrender that heavily favored the enemy. After all, he wanted to end this war as quickly as possible and return to his family.

Despite this, King Felipe of Aragon had taken advantage of Berengar ’s impatience and had begun to make greater demands of him, resulting in an ongoing stalemate within the negotiations. Thus Berengar gazed across the table at the Aragonese Monarch, with an expression filled with contempt. Ultimately he decided it was time to break the silence and put his foot down over the issues being discussed.

”Under no circumstances will Granada return the occupied province of Murcia. From now until the end of time, it shall be recognized as Granadan soil; this is the price you must pay for your arrogance in challenging the Emirate of Granada and her allies! ”

Ultimately Berengar had the final say in the conditions; after all, though he may not desire to, he had the full capability of invading Aragon and enforcing his demands. To him, it was a simple matter of practicality. Doing such a thing would extend the duration of his campaign in Iberia.