And thus the surrender of the Auxerre fief started a chain of events over the next month leading to the surrender of all the remaining six fiefs. The Sens fief pledged two thousand soldiers skilled in using the glaive as a tribute for their surrender.

The Orleans fief sent a thousand excellent Wildebeests to serve as mounts for Sky's growing army. This tribute made Sky really consider the option of starting to train a new cavalry type besides his Salamander riders.

"Overlord, can you go easy?" Sprout asks trying to stay on his lap as they sat on the new throne black stone throne.

"And that makes thirty full chests of gold, silver, and treasure from Brightmill fiefdom, correct?" Sky asks as some officials counted it in front of him.

"Yes, Overlord." A nearby treasure keeper said writing on a parchment.

"Very well. Go back to your lord and tell them I accept their surrender and welcome them into my rule." Sky says as an official came up and started giving the one in charge of delivering the tribute books on the laws of Sky's kingdom.

"Is our business concluded?" The official asks as Sprout wiggles in Sky's lap blushing like crazy.

"We are. Go and help. See to your fief. Expect builders to soon arrive. Tell your lord they to be aided top priority in construction. If they require a gold supply, take it " Sky says.

"Yes, Overlord." The official says before walking away.

"Court is done for the day. You may all now leave." Sky says.

They all get up and start to leave Sprout tries to sit still on his lap before wiggling and shivers.

"Hey, what are you up to?" Sky asks.

"You wanted me to." Sprout said blushing hard.

"No, you may go for now." Sky says seeing that many officers had remained.

"Okay." Sprout said getting up and walking off.

"Now you know why I have asked you to stay?" Sky asks.

"No Overlord. You haven't explained much at all." One said.

"I have a task for all of you. It is very simple. I want you to go out and have our recruits trained in the use of polearm weapons and spear and use, I mean the Glaive, Pike, Bill, Poleaxe, Halberd, Partisan, and the Bardiche if you can find someone who can wield the last one well. And yes, someone, as in I don't care if they are a pony, griffon, dog, or any other species." Sky says.

"Yes, Overlord." Another said.

"Offer any who will do it a full employment to train those who will be our soldiers and encourage them to open a school if good enough." Sky says.

"Yes, sir." Another says writing it all down.

"That is all. Succeed and each of you will receive a prize…twenty acres of land in your fief of choice." Sky informs.

"Sir?" One asks as they all looked up at him.

"A little incentive." Sky informs.

"Yes, sir." The one writing it all down starts to write the last few parts. "Anything else?"

"No. Get it done." Sky informs.

They nod and walk off at that point.

"Someone is feeling generous." Flitter says walking up.

"I have to. And where have you been? The castle?" Sky asks looking behind the throne to her.

"I have gone to quite a few fiefs to survey them." Flitter says handing him some parchment.

"What are these?" Sky asks curious taking them.

"Letters were written by the peasants." Flitter says.

"Very well, let's see." Sky says exhaling as he starts reading.

Flitter leans over and starts to read with him. "What do you think?"

"I am getting they are confused by the building of the aqueducts and not understanding what they are for." Sky says.

"Well, it would take a while to get used to it." Flitter said looking to him.

"Does Snow know you're going off and doing that?" Sky asks looking to her stomach which was obviously bigger.

Flitter looks down to her stomach as well and smiles. "Yes, she does."

"And I didn't approve." Snow adds walking in.

Flitter rolls her eyes. "You would back me up?"

"Ok mares, no fighting now." Sky says.

"Fine." Snow said frowning. "But she goes back into bed."

"You heard her Flitter. Go get rest." Sky instructs.

Flitter nods and walks off slowly to not let her stomach swing.

"Remember to give her a goodnight kiss Snow." Sky calls.

"Shut up." Snow grumbles leading Flitter along.

"With this, there is only three fiefs in Gaul remaining. Will they also follow suite and surrender to me or will they stubbornly resist or go so far as to try and ally with a fief from Libya to the south or Belgica to the southeast?" Sky thinks out loud looking at his map.

Sky yawns as he walks down the hall of the archmage school towards the central meeting room. "Such a bore. Where's the white mare?" He asks walking past Twilight frowning at him.

"Hum…no. Purple not who I am looking for." Sky says.

"What is your name and what are you the leader of?" Twilight asks holding up a parchment and quill in her magic.

"She must be in here." Sky says walking through the open doors where a few other ponies, zebras, griffons, dogs, and dragons were already sitting down with two of, possibly, their own guards behind them. "Hello, boys…and sexy dragoness." Sky quips to the dragon who raises an eyebrow as he jumps into a seat and puts his hind legs on the table. "Where the host? Shouldn't she be sitting at the head of this table?"

"And who would you b…" One of them started.

"Ah. The ruler of Gaul has arrived." Celestia says walking in.

"Yes. Overlord really. I prefer the term Overlord for me. And not just Gaul, but the Northern Tribes too." Sky said smiling as he relaxes in his seat. "Needs better chairs."

"You try dealing with a budget of a ham sandwich." Celestia said smirking.

"Fair enough." Sky says catching the disgust on Twilight and most of the others faces before noticing a few he recognized but says nothing.

Celestia hums as she looks over some papers. "We are missing one more." She said and one of the many pony guards walks off to the last chair before sitting down in it. "And you are Queen…?" She asks smiling gently to the guard who glows in a magic aura before sending a magical circle up itself and shows a dark bug like a pony.

"Chrysalis." Sky finishes, not sounding amused.

"You have to ruin my entrance like you do my chances?" Chrysalis said frowning to him.

"You're lucky I let you keep breathing." Sky growls, not happy with her changeling incursions into his territory. Celestia slams her hoof on the table and a magical blast spreads out and knocks everyone back into their seats hard. "Ow!" Sky yells out rubbing his head with everyone.

"This is a place of peace, not fighting." Celestia said still smiling to them.

"Yeah, yeah. Can we get on with this?" An impatient light blue coat mare asks.

"Yes, we will. First order of business, the war that has raged in Gaul." Celestia said turning her head toward Sky.

"What about the war that has ended?" Sky asks.

"So you say. We have other territories readying for war because of your long campaign." Celestia said nodding her head to the others.

"Oh, what else is new? You going to try and blame me, be all conflicted since the continent devolved into many feuding fiefdoms?" Sky asks.

"No. I am just wondering how did a mercenary like you became so powerful and was last time only pulled out some of my mane when you were here." Celestia said smirking and the others stared wide-eyed at him as Twilight's jaw drops at who this is.

"First, was never a mercenary. Second, I don't think that is your business, neutral archmage." Sky says reminding her of her position.

"It is when it comes to my mane. It is still powerful." Celestia said relaxing in her seat.

"I got nothing to say about any of that." Sky informs, not giving a crap.

"Then there's entering the school illegally. Considering you passed the barrier without trouble." Celestia said shrugging as she seems calm.

"I'm sorry. You want to keep throwing accusations around without proof and start a war?" Sky say neutrally making Celestia clam up.

"Well, you did go to my sister's school. We do have records. And learned a very powerful line of magic." Celestia said raising an eyebrow.

"I'm sorry, is this about me or a meeting between all the rulers who want to attend?" Sky asks annoyed now.

"You have been on a warpath for quite some time. We have two provinces that are now under your control. I think it concerns all." Celestia said as the other leaders were leaning a bit away.

"Two? Oh, now you consider the northern tribes a province?" Sky asks freezing Celestia as many started looking at her unhappily.

"I would think my dear sister is worried about another possible war and we are close by in the next providence areas." Luna says walking in and sitting opposite of Celestia.

"You all act like we unjustifiably invaded Gaul." Sky accuses.

"This is what the public sees. Records and privately is what you are thinking right now." Luna clarifies.

"No, this is about somepony being discriminated against another and playing favorites." Sky says.

The other leaders kept staring at Celestia without any hint of a smile. "If that's true, why are you not trying to get to her directly? It is your province. We have no real need of it." Luna said.

"No archmage. She is accusing me and discriminating against my people right now…and if that is the case, who would be next? Who would she try and turn the other leaders against next?" Sky asks as Chrysalis enjoyed this as it wasn't often Celestia lost control of these meetings.

"Then would you come after her own flesh and blood next after you are done with her? Would you declare war on those that just spout terrible words on you?" Luna asks raising an eyebrow.

"Do you also think that my people are and I quote, '…" Sky says bringing up a parchment that he took from a bulletin board near the city. "Cannibalistic, blood drinking demon spawn." Sky reads causing Luna to lean over.

"Well, this is quite…surprising." Luna says taking it and reads it over. "Actually…there is one thing we won't do and that says this, no matter who it is. Griffins, dogs, dragons, even the elusive zebras. We would never call another group this."

"Then why was it on the bulletin boards in her fief?" Sky asks pulling out several more, both sisters practically feeling his scowl under his helmet.

"Because somepony has taken notice of what are you doing and are taking long seasonal counters against it. First is always making the populace against you." Celestia said sighing. "Which means, you might have another war, yes. But not against us."

"So you admit you had these posted." Sky accuses slamming them on the table.

"I hardly left the castle in the last few months to see the boards." Celestia said slamming her own hoof and encases Sky's hoof with some kind of crystal. "This is expensive. Don't break it." She said as it lets him go.

"That isn't an alibi as you could easily order a guard to do it." Sky continues.

"Enough. The ruler of Gaul has a right to be upset with this slander sister." Luna reminds.

"Overlord." Sky reiterates leaning over before leaning back in his seat.

"Whatever." Luna says waving a hoof dismissively.

"Hum…this looks familiar for some reason." Spitfire says looking over one of the parchments.

"Something you want to add Lady Spitfire?" Luna asks as Celestia's head was down and shaking side to side under her hoof.

"…oh great. I thought I was done with him after he was banished." Spitfire says.

"You talking about the rat bastard whom I heard cut off the wings of a female griffon to try and take credit for your deed…actually? How is she by the way?" Sky asks leaning on a hoof.

"My advisor right now. Who is now flying again happily." Spitfire said looking to him. "Looks like banishment wasn't enough."

"Wait a moment." Sky says leaning down to examine the parchment closer.

"See something familiar like I have?" Spitfire asks looking to Sky closely.

"An insignia." Sky says as all of the rulers started taking a look and saw a river and a pony within a triangle. "That is the insignia of the former ruler of Elfacre. The coward who fled and abandoned his army in battle. I can't recall his name, though." Sky says.

"That is because, in the records, it is strangely hidden deep under a lot of other names that sound good enough." Luna says sliding over scrolls to them. "His name is actually Nussu."

"I think I get the picture now." Sky says looking to Celestia to see if she got it yet.

Celestia frowns as she almost rips the parchment and scroll. "Then this is a fool."

"Emotions dear sister. Don't forget our teachings." Luna said knowing they have learned each other's school spells.

"Somepony is not happy he lost his fief to me." Sky says unimpressed now.

"And somepony is not happy with just banishment." Spitfire said scoffing.

"Shall we move to a different subject before a war breaks out at this table?" Shadow Streak voiced, not liking the mood.

"Yes, we shall." Luna said as lightly taps the table and it takes the parchments and scrolls away somehow that not even Sky could comprehend. "Sister, what next?" Luna asks.

Celestia sighs and tries to calm down. "Next on the list is the problems with you Queen." She said looking to Chrysalis. "As shown, you have caused problems by just impersonating a royal guard. Who knows what other problems you have caused? Even the populace are growing weary of it."

"So it's finally somepony else's problem besides ours." Sky comments.

"It's always been a problem. She had this going on for around twenty years." Celestia said rubbing her head.

"In my defense, we needed to do this." Chrysalis said frowning at them.

"Moving on, because this is starting to get speciesist." Luna says.

"Only because they haven't talked much about their culture and livelihood." Sky says. "You want peace, exchange those."

"So how was it?" Snow asks.

"Horrifuckingbull." Sky says laying his head on a table in the Boasting Moon Inn in the city next to the school.

"Well, that's expected." Snow said dryly.

"Remind me why you forced me to come when over half the rulers didn't?" Sky asks.

"Because you tend to learn more in taverns than simply waiting and bedrooms for the diplomats." Snow said shrugging.

"I mean to the meeting in general." Sky says looking down to the ground floor.

"You have to see your opponents. Based on your attitude, you will soon meet them all on the field or in the room." Snow said rubbing his back.

"I think I see one of those we are waiting for." Sky says.

Snow looks over to see two ponies with two guards trailing behind them. "Ah. Isn't that the mare you talked about before?" She asks.

"Shh." Sky says before discreetly signally them where they were.

The group looks over and smiles a bit as they walk over and sit down at the table in the far corner of the tavern. "Been a while." Spitfire said smiling.

"You two are the first to arrive." Sky whispers.

"Heavy hoof traffic." Spitfire whispers back.

"Not by much." Sky whispers seeing two batpony enter and make their way up to the balcony level.

"But we did make it first. That counts." Spitfire's mother said smiling.

"Spitfire." Shadow somewhat hostilely greets.

"Shadow." Spitfire said frowning to her.

"Sexy." Sky quips smirking.

"Watch it." Both says looking at him.

"And only one left is the mare from the house of Hurricane." Sky says.

Spitfire's mother smiles at that. "She's still wild. Shall we go to a private area?" She asks smirking.

"The remaining mare or Spitfire here?" Sky asks.

Spitfire blushes hard and glares at him. "The remaining. Let's go. I don't want to pay for the door." Her mother says chuckling as she gets up and goes for the stairs.

"She is here." Sky says seeing the pegasus from the meeting walk in.

"Oh good. You haven't destroyed a door this time. I don't need to worry about pocket change." Spitfire's mother jokes.

"Rainbow Dash." Shadow greets.

"Finally home." Sky says laying on his bed.

"Is it as bad as you make it out to be?" Tear asks on the bed next to him as the maids clean him up as best they could.

"Yes." Sky says petting her mane.

"Should I be worried that you might abolish meetings soon?" Tear asks smirking.

"No." Sky says.

"So what happened while I was away?" Sky asks.

"Nothing much. Just simple and normal things. Nothing much happens right now since we took over." Tear said smiling as she lays her head on his chest.

"Really?" Sky asks petting her.

Tear hums happily as she leans into the petting. "Yes. Pretty much."

"Who is good sea mare?" Sky asks smirking.

"Me." Tear giggles.

"And who is my little…" Sky stops hearing a knock at the door. "Yes?"

"Overlord, some officials from Troyes fief wish to meet with you." A guard says.

Sky sighs and sits up as he lays Tear back on the bed. "Sorry hun. We'll continue this tomorrow." He said getting off the bed.

"Alright." Tear says leaning over as Sky heads to the bathroom.

"Inform them I will meet them as soon as I can." Sky calls.

The guards nods and walks away to inform them as Tear stretches. "What are your big plans now?"

"Take a bath and get ready to meet them." Sky says.

Tear nods and hurries into the bathroom with him.

One of the officials gulps as they waited as salamander riders watched them as they waited.

"Where's the Overlord?" One of the riders asks the other.

"He is in the middle of important business." A rider says.

"Well, he better hurry. They surrender quicker, we can have a faster war." The first says.

"Running a realm this size takes a lot of time and effort." One says.

"Then he needs a lot more help than what is now there." Another suggests.

"He's coming. Stand at attention." One whispers quickly.

Sky sighs as he cracks his back as he walked past the riders. "What's this about?"

"They have come to surrender Overlord." A salamander rider says.

"I see." Sky says taking a seat on his throne, looking menacing in his armor as he looks at them.

One of the ponies in robes holding a cloth bundle steps forward as he clears his throat. "Overlord…we humbly surrender and offer this as tribute." He says putting the bundle on the ground. "I take it you might find it useful."

Sky was about to move to get it when a pony came up and retrieved it for him. 'Why do they think I can't do it on my own?' The pony walks to him before slowly undoing the cloth and shows a kite shield that has many gems covered in it as the center is a wicked spike. But the only appearance is what he can see and doesn't get what is so special about it. "This is the Coliseum, Warden of Shadows shield." Sky informs the pony before looking to the waiting ponies. "Very well. I accept this very generous offering and your surrender." Sky informs.

"Thank you, Overlord." The pony says as he and another behind him bows.

"Return to your lord and inform him you succeeded in your mission." Sky instructs.

"Yes, Overlord." The pony in robes says as they get back up and walks away.

After the doors closed, Sky spoke again. "We have been given two powerful magical artifacts now."

"Shall I take it to your armory?" The pony holding the shield asks.

"No. I am taking it with me to my room." Sky says as the pony hands him the shield.

"Of course sir." The pony said bowing as he holds up the shield.

"And you don't need to bow to me constantly." Sky says.

"Sorry, sir." The pony said standing up again.

"There is nothing to forgive." Sky says walking away.

The guards look at him from the sides as the pony was left confused.

Sky sighs as he sets the shield on the table with the sword that was there.

"Another one for your collection." Flitter said on the bed.

"Yes, but that isn't that has me exhausted." Sky says.

"What is bothering you?" Flitter asks raising an eyebrow.

"I think I am getting too big. My subjects are starting to forget I am still a pony." Sky says.

"Won't everypony? You serve them for so long and all they would see is what they have experienced. You want them to see a pony, be a pony, not a leader." Flitter said smiling.

Sky walks over and gets in the bed with his pregnant wife.

"No. Go out. Wear simple clothes. Be among the citizens and act like them. It shows that you notice them as citizens." Flitter said smiling gently.

Sky says nothing and just hugs her.

"You're a good pony Sky. And a father soon enough." Flitter says leading his hoof to her stomach.

"I will try my best to be." Sky says before raspberrying her stomach.

Flitter giggles and hugs him. "Stop it."

"Have you written to your father up north?" Sky asks resting against her.

Flitter smiles and nuzzles him. "Yes. He's very proud to be a grandfather soon."

"Now there is only two left, then all of Gaul is truly mine and with it, one step closer to unifying all of this continent." Sky says.

"And she was testing you." Flitter suddenly said.

"There is still nineteen more provinces to go and the rest are taking notice now that one has all but one has fully been conquered." Sky says looking to the window.

"She wanted you to finish early." Flitter said looking to him.

"The more I look to this, the more it seems like I won't be able to achieve my goal." Sky says.

Flitter suddenly moves to him and kisses him as she pushes him against the bed before breaking the kiss. "You have too much stress."

"We need to grow…I can't keep the army fully under my command. I will need generals and officers to lead the armies." Sky says holding her.

"Then we shall find some. The fiefs we have conquered should have something of value to our armies." Flitter said hugging him.

"We also need to consolidate the gains we have made. We cannot just march further south now. It would over exert us and those elements in our rule who still haven't adjusted to it will rebel and we would be destroyed from the inside out." Sky says.

"Then let us find some favorable generals and leaders." Flitter said giggling.

"Dark Tail, Moonlight Hunter, and Yarborg are all good officers. We also now have the strategic minds of my two newest wives. But that won't be enough. Even the two knight captains, Dinbor and Desmer are great aides, but at most can only lead in two armies at once." Sky says as his mind tries to find more he trusts and are capable.

"You'll do it. You are a great overlord and we will trust your judgment, no matter what." Flitter said kissing his cheek.

"Hum…what is the one thing we all have in common?" Sky asks.

"They worship gods." Flitter said offhoofedly.

"Right!" Sky says nearly jumping up out of the bed.

Flitter smiles and sits on the bed. "Thank Adoll. My stagnant husband has found your wisdom." She whispers to herself.

Sky didn't hear her as he sets aside the sword and shield and starts writing a draft of a proclamation.