Age of Heroes (Age of Heroes Chronicles)

Chapter 123: The merovich king

THE HIDING KING

EDWARD MEROVICH

The trees are everywhere in this large forest, the greens leave greets them as they begun entering this forest, all looking at their back, glancing left and right seeing if anyone suspicious follow them into this forest.

The man in front sometimes look back, his head is full of sweats. Then after a few moments he look back and ask the people behind him

'Is there anyone following us?' He asked

'No, my lord' one of the Knights answered him. He heaved a sigh of relief. Nhe look at the trees around him

The trees sheltered them, even from the sun.

And hides our enemies, he mused.

There are some bugs flying around them, some humming in melodious melody, cricket sounds can be heard, almost like they are celebrating the New Year that dawn.

'Or are they laughing at me?' he thoughts to himself as he bitterly smiles. Life has wear him down

He shakes his head, trying to shake off ridiculous thoughts from his mind

'Better not entertain such thoughts' he mused

The leaves are all green and it brought him calmness and a sense of serenity, even in his current state, chased and threatened by enemies, that he, himself have made

He was too naïve and too inexperienced to know that kindness is sometimes a double edge weapon.

He look up.

The leaves almost glow from the beautiful ray of sunlight shining upon them, twinkling like little stars at night.

The harshness of courts intrigues and plots can be forgotten for a while, and he even pretend to himself that he is here on a vacation, accompanied by his lords and Knights, as he tours his land, only to be harshly reminded of his destination.

'The air is fresh my lord; don't you think?' One of the lords tries to make a conversation with him. He responded politely.

'Yes, Duke Oudinot. It is.'josei

He hummed a tune.

Yesterday it rained heavily, hiding their tracks and movements and probably why the air is so fresh here and the water from yesterday rainfall seeps from the trail in front of him over his shoes with each step

Looking at the forest, he realized how wrong his assumption was when he believed that he was supreme, unchallenged on his throne.

'How arrogant I was! How delusional my illusions!' he lamented when he had to fled away from his castle.

Had I seen through the illusion through the arrogance and pride, I may not be here, running away, a coward King. He thought to himself

All the trees in this forest is tightly knit. If only the nobles are like this. If only his Kingdom is like this. Unity was the solution that his kingdom needed

Yet, it is the one thing that his Kingdom does not have.

Big and vast his Kingdom, yet divisive, separated with different race, dispute over lands and many other problem.

Green leaves, yellow leaves, red leaves, rainbow of rich colors, variety of every kind. Just like the people of his Kingdom.

Many races inhabits his kingdom, yet unlike this forest they did not learn to compromise or learn to understand each other.

If his Kingdom is like this forest, it would endure many years.

'My lord we will make camp here.' The voice bring him out of his thinking.

'Thank you, Ser Tourres.'

'As you will, my lord.'

His entourage stopped here in the middle of forest. They decided that they will rest here tonight, now that evening is approaching

Ser Tourres and lord Oudinot has crafted this modest tent for him while he rested. Thinking of the circumstances that leads him here makes him want to cry and laugh at the same time

Right now, they are heading to the Kingdom of Alan, seeking protection and asylum.

Who would have thought a King, a Vanguan King would seek a protection with one of its bitter enemies?

No one. And that is the point. They are in hope to hide under the protection by one of the strongest nobles in the new Kingdom.

After careful consideration they have chosen to ask the help of House of Vermont's, the dragon banner in Alan.

Known for their wealth and their young lord who is by all accounts of investigation, the one ruling the duchy they have chosen him

The young lord is known to be able in battle, clever in his dealings with noble lords and inspires loyalty.

They did not send letters to their family for fearing that their letters will be intercepted, fearing that their plan would be botched by those who attempt to take his life.

To be a King, a Caelum race King, in a land full with other races. It is a hard task indeed for Vangua has many races.

There is the Anglais, Raxons, Roth, Visiroths, Franks and Gaul and many others. But this problem started a long ago.

This all started from the reign of his father.

At that time, the young Prince Robert was murdered by a member of the household of his father, Nigel Merovich.

His father was not involved in the plot but no one was directly punished, so rumors grew that it is his father that orchestrates the murder of the young prince.

The young Prince was a devout of the Vern Lucellian Orthodox and his reputations among the lord approached to even of a saint, at least in the minds of the Anglais-Raxons lords.

In line of the succession, his father was crowned King just a month after the murder.

His father reign began under a cloud of suspicion which never ever fully lifted from the minds of the lords.

In 970AF Cori attacked Vangua.

His father who at that time is trying to prevent a full scale war with Cori offer payments, and also some lands near the borders, incurring the wrath and derision of the other lords of Vangua.

This makes his father very paranoid of the nobles and started to have bouts of insanity.

Edward did try to contain his father action but it is clear to him in his bout of insanity nothing could get through him

When his father decided all Darnes, a race that is from Cori, should be killed for the insolence that Cori showed him to satisfy the anger of the other race in the Kingdom, it marks a fateful mistake.

Cori comes with the Grand Articon of Church of Cori permission. The King Rhodesues march to Vangua and occupy many lands.

The lords surrendered but his victory is short lived.

In 975AF he died because of a disease and Edward father who was hiding in some remote village in Vangua, return to reclaim the throne, march and fight off the invaders army.

To make sure nothing like the invasion happen again, his father who now, a widower after Edward mother died during her escape from the palace, married a Cori royalty, and creating a marriage alliance with the Cori Kingdom.

Lady Emma of House Flavian and the lords came with great urgency declaring his father as the sole King of Vangua and for a time peace settled in Vangua,

With peace, Vangua begins a series of reform.

One of them is the military reform as it can be done with two families that is linked with each other, promising stabilities and ease the Lords of Vangua worries that attack from Cori will ever happen again.

It is also thanks to Edward stepmother Lady Emma, who threw her support for his father.

And then the time came when his father died under suspicious circumstance and he, Edward Merovich become the new, young King of this large Kingdom.

Edward was not a presentable and handsome man.

In fact, he is the furthest from that.

His face is misshapen, he has a crunched back, so even now, he has no wife. But he is thankful to the lords who have stand by him and declare for him at the coronation.

It looks like he would rule Vangua peacefully…that is until the assassination attempt on his life.

The assassinations started because of a minor scuffle.

It all started when Duke of Arleans who wants some lands around Bonito which belonged to some other lords. He granted the lands to Duke of Bastogne, a Caelum like him.

Incensed because of what he believes a discrimination and slight against him, the Duke of Arleans raise an army to oppose him.

And he raised his. And while it was not easy, he won. They were exiled from the Kingdom wandering in other lands.

For a short time, Edward was supreme and unchallenged in his rule, but alas his period of glory was short lived.

The Duke return this time under the pretense that they have reformed so in a momentary moment of naiveté he pardons them and give them some lands on the corner of the kingdom.

The next few years they expanded their influence and they even betrothed one of their daughters Lady Emilia Orleans to Alderam Alan son, Duke and pretender to the throne of Alan before the event of the Bloody Feast, surely to ensure their power not only here but in foreign lands.

Of course, now from what he hears their plan has backfired.

A noble house in Alan, who have both money and strength emerged as one of the major players in the Continent, declare the Dukedom a new Kingdom, getting the approval of the Grand Papnoticon in Vern.

Meanwhile while that was happening in Alan, Vangua also faces a crisis.

The Duke, finally now they have enough power they try to unseat him from his throne, sending assassins after his life.

If not for the Duke of Palouse he would have died, drinking poisoned wine. As he was thinking of this past moment, he heard someone outside his tent then the curtain is open.

'My lord, is there anything else you might need?'

Edward was shocked by the sudden greeting

'Declare yourself before you come in'

He got flustered.

'Forgive me my lord. I was too worried about your condition and so rushed that I forget.'

Edward sighed. It is understandable.

'I'm fine. How many days before we reach Alan?' he asked

'In two weeks my lord.' Edward nodded.

'Thank you Ser Lidney'

'It is my honor'

Then after ensuring that he doesn't need anything else, he excuses himself. Edward once again in the tent, thinking now, about the House of Vermont.

Arial the Dragon people call him. From the reports given to him, the young lord reputation is almost like a great hero reputation.

He never lost a battle, whether in the battlefield or a personal battle, he is generous, loved by the people, a Knight Brother of Order of Alan and he has many other achievements.

Edward hope he would welcome them. A strong family like that, is hard to fathom their intention.

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As Arial is in the North and Edward in the South, the world is in chaos. The meeting of two great men is setting the stage for the great war that is about to come

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A new character is introduced.Anyway Vangua is always emntioned but I never go in detail. Anywya hope you like teh chapter and leave some comment