Age of Heroes (Age of Heroes Chronicles)

Chapter 167: A step closer

BARRACKS

Arial brought out Firebringer as he rides it for a while to clear his mind.

After a few hours he then arrived with Firebringer to the stables. He handed his horse to the stable master and he takes his time walking around his castle.

He sometimes thinks about the obstacles that lay ahead of him and sometimes he didn't even think of anything as he walks.

Arial think of what has transpired since his victory

The armies have begun recovering themselves and to add to their joy, their salary is paid in full as they celebrate their victory with their loved ones, and tells story in the tavern and bards and minstrel sang their song.

The kingdom atmosphere was full of jubilation and joy in glorifying these warriors and happy that their young son and fathers all return to their family safe.

Arial glorious return was celebrated with three days' festivals and a week of feasting among the lords of Arrandy.

Arial sighed as he walks. These couple of days he has been thinking whether to annul his marriage with Helia.

He wanted to annul it...because now he knew that his life has a time limit. Because of the poison that afflicted him. But he can't.

She is his...last hope for happiness. She makes him believe the impossible. He knows he don't say it enough, and express it enough.

It's not because of modesty. It's because Arial never let himself be…...engulfed with that feeling.

Love…. dulls his motivation. But now, she is home for him. Like his parents. Like Lisa and Kyle. They are home for him.

If he succeeds in his mission…if there is nothing waiting for him at the end of the road what good would it be?

So…. selfish as it may be…. he will make her his. He decided that for these two years, the time that he will spend with her, will be spend in eternal bliss. That's the only way he can redeem himself when he is gone.

He will hold her and she will hold me. And he is never letting go

Even in darkness and horrors that looms in front of them, even though it does not make it go away, but when he told her he feels safe….no…. that is not it.

He feels…. better.

And even though if she finds out about his secrets and cried her hearts out, he will whisper to her. "It's all right"

Even though the end is near and the nightmare is still there it is better. With her.... Arial knows that he is a better version of himself

"I'm here. I love you" He will whisper it to her.

And for a while the nightmare doesn't seem so bad. Arial cannot protect her from the grief that surely would follow, this he knows.

But he will watch from beyond this life after he is gone. And he will do his best to make sure she lives the life she deserves, loved and happy.

Before he leaves this world, he wants to make sure that everyone that he loves and care, are all going to be fine after he is gone.

And for that he need power and influence.

Arial was content on only governing this part of the Kingdom in the beginning and had no intention to expand his reach

His family is already the strongest and wealthiest family in this kingdom.

but he hears about Harald in Vangua, making a name for himself and allying himself with some of the major house there, which only increase Arial anxiety for retribution

What if he comes here looking for trouble or demand back the throne? Then there would be another war.

Not to mention there is the other business of him killing Harald father. Revenge can also be his motive.

Of course King Adrian has created the law or remakes it to make sure nothing like that happen but Arial know. And Harald know. In this era, the only law is strength.

Arial then walk to the barrack. He greeted the officers and then he begins his work. He announces that there is new organization of the armies

They have already bene informed. He coming here is just to make sure that the orders are executed.

Arial have created three divisions for the safety of his family and his noble house.

Instead of cutting down the military expenses, Arial after the war is more intent in creating more powerful military in his house.

One of the reasons was of course because of the threats beyond the sea.

But the other one was a reaction after hearing that Harald had got the support of one of the largest noble house in Vangua.

By now, no one in the entire kingdom would dare cross the Vermont family. This is the family that controls the East and South. And they have defeated the Northron lords

The House of Vermont superiority in the military arts is acknowledged by the entire kingdom.

The three division is called The Red Dragon, the Blue Dragon and the Golden Dragon. And Arial also organize the titles in the army and their responsibilities.

Instead of a Knight Lord or some noble leading the march Arial is now only promoting those who are capable.  

For responsibilities, he divided them according to the men that they could order.

Vice-Captain controls the 100-man unit. Captain control the 500-man unit. Vice Lieutenant led the 1000-man unit. Lieutenant controls the 5000-man unit. Vice Commander led the 10-thousand-man unit and Commander led the 30 thousand man

There is a hierarchy where the lower one report to the bigger one but in times of war every unit can in emergency acted under one-unit leader making it very flexible.

The Supreme Commander is of course him which controls and have power over all troops and troops leaders

Transferring between troops to other units are prohibited unless under it is under his order or they have requested transfer and have been approved

Of course this could only happen in certain special circumstances.

Since Arrandy is quite autonomous, and the wealthiest it is only appropriate that they have this large of an army.

And the lords who is on the side of the House of Vermont would also support him.

A private army like this is advantageous for Arial because he does not need to let them go after the time expired.

There is a law in the kingdom and even in the dukedom that noble houses can't raise farmers to militia for more than sixty-seven days without any armed conflict.

The reason was because the land needs to be farmed but Arial circumvent that rules while at the same time making sure the production of agricultural produce did not suffer when he wages his war

He makes the soldiers a profession that is professionals instead of relying in the strength of farmers turned soldier or noble's lord's fealty to his house

Mostly, the laws are enforced by all the noble houses because if the farmland isn't managed then surely the nobles who owned the land will suffer soil degradation and loss of profit.josei

The armies in other parts of the continents is largely mercenary, employed by Kings or wealthy lords who used military means and diplomacy to advance their narrow dynastic interest, and who evoked few sentiments of nationalism among their subject.

House of Vermont right now have about thirty-five thousand troops and that number is expanding

Arial also make some other moves to make sure his military is trained and ready for war.

He has already buy some of the land in Rockstill to build a military headquarters now that the King has begun moving his royal court back to Arouen.

Of course he needs to repair back the castle but that is not much of a concern for his treasury.

He also has begun collecting taxes and confiscating the land that belong to his opposition. The Crown owe the House of Vermont's a lot of things

The Crown and the war expenses that they incurred and the compensation that they have to pay to his family is still an ongoing negotiation.

For the King, Arial have lowered the interest and King Adrian promises he will pay.

But for now Arial waive a year before they pay the gold because of the cost of repairing the castle and the surrounding areas.

After all, Arial must admit that he did mess the castle pretty good.

Other than the reorganization of his army's titles and position, he also promoted some of the people he trusted.

He asks Kyle who he promoted into a Commander Kyle with 5000 man under his unit, so does West and Lisa to take up the position of Commander to enforce Arial control over Arrandy military.

And under them is their banner lord who all was given Vice-Captain title.

Arial fill his troop's position of power with people he trusted. He would not have it any other way

After all he do not want a rebellion to happen.

West has proven his loyalty as he captured his own father and presents him to the King.

Though Arial suspect Henry surrendered himself. He is very smart in that he excuses himself before the decisive battle.

Arial also interceded in behalf of the Palais family. After all, West have done much for his family and it is neve his intention to destroy the House of Palais

After Arial persuade King Adrian to let them go, Lord Henry and his lady wife were exiled in Seren under house arrest.

Any intention of rebelling and he will be executed immediately.

He can return to the kingdom after ten years. It is a slight discomfort rather than having his head on a spike and West can still provide for his family.

West of course, accepts the punishment. West looked sullen but Arial guess he is relieved that his father was safe and alive at the end of the war.

But it's not like Arial is doing it out of the kindness of his heart but to capture the hearts of those lords in the North.

If they saw that one of their chief rebel were pardoned, then surely they will stop their resistance and put themselves under the crown.

If for example King Adrian executed Lord Henry, then surely his banner lords and relatives both in Vern and in Aetherland would take that grudge up and maybe King Adrian has to put up with a revolt or a rebellion.

And this time they will move stealthily, raiding and pillaging. A mobile army is harder to destroy than one concentrated army which Arial can crush easily with his massive army

Arial want the war to end, so even though Lord Henry is one of the main perpetrator in the war, pardoning him would bring a swift end to the discord.

Then as Arial was about to move to other areas of the barrack, he heard footsteps climbing the ladder

A person appeared and Arial smiles a bit

'My lord, seeing us train again?' Captain Eric greets him.

'Yes' he replied

'How are the men?'

'In high morale Maximus'

Arial nodded as he looked at the men training with their weapons. As he looked at them he knew and feel it deep in his heart.

His time will be over but not before he eliminates the threats that threatened his family. Since Arial got back home he I have begun construction project all around the Kingdom.

With the King expressed permission, he has established many trade companies all around the Port in the Kingdom and the Argan Dam is almost finished.

Arial also began establishing policy in the duchy. he has debated this with his Lawkeeper in length yesterday in the House Council.

He binds the new immigrant coming to the Duchy granting them citizenships. The fact is now that his kingdom has no immediate threat from any other nations.

Seren have little military at least compared to us thanks to the immigration policy. But to be honest the real problem of Seren is not its military scarcity but it's ability to wage a long war.

In Aetherland they have many supplies and after the war Arial established even more granaries to keep grain and supplies.

Even in Acro the Dragon Keep plays that part.

Since that is the case, the kingdom could develop peacefully.

Arial did not only busy himself with administrative duties after he came back

He has also greeted his little sister just this morning, sleeping peacefully in the crib, hearing his mother singing.

Arial still remembered the song.

His father and his mother ask about his injury in the war but he dismiss them by saying he is fine but the cold night always brings the pain.

Arial suffer silently. The war has brought him an eternal glory but also cut off his future.

Nowadays he is known as Prince Arial, thanks to the title bestowed on him by the King. A Prince outside the royal family.

With that title, Arial also carried out fresh recruitment each year and the might of his duchy is begin to be envied by other nation.

Vern, for example. Arrandy is after all almost an autonomous state by itself.

Arial word is law here and with his father abdicating from his position Arial right now is Prince of Arrandy, and Duke Arial Vermont holding the power of the law and all the land in Arrandy as his father enjoy his rest and helping his mother.

Arial father have never been the kind of man that knows how to govern. He is a kind man, beloved by all, but to call him a great administrator would be lying.

Arial speak with his father after he return home from the war. Arial told him that he would be busy with all the affairs that he I need to handle.

His father has no problem with that.

From what Arial heard, he and his mother always spend time in the garden or a long walk in the park as he spends his gold to impress his mother.

His father is now living the high life but without being ostentatious about it.

Arial because of the worry he had for his family, had also create the Dragonguard, a team of elite guard dedicated to his family safety consisting of one hundred men chosen from the best of the best, every one of them skilled in battle and possess many other talents.

But the most important requirement is that they have loyalty to his family. All of them swear an oath to the protection of his family.

These elite's guards are given houses and gold that is enough for them to protect his family and not worried about leaving their family destitute or poor.

As he contemplates all of this Arial could see from the distance a messenger is coming towards him with great urgency.

The messenger rush to him. The moment he arrived in front of Arial the messenger kneeled

'My prince' he said, 'there is someone waiting to see you in the castle.'

Arial looked at him.

'Can't you see today is the day I inspect the army? I thought I told all of the people in the castle that when I'm doing military inspection I will not be bothered.'

The messenger hesitated but then he said

'Your father, your mother, and all your vassal are all there waiting for you.'

And a sweat formed in the messenger neck fearing that he has angered Arial. Arial himself was a little perplexed.

Why would all of his vassals and even his parent has to greet this person? What kind of person have this much influence other than the King?

But as far as he knows the King is still setting up his new residence in Arouen.

'Who is it?' Arial asked.

He looked at me and reply.

'The Vangua King, my prince.'

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This is long chapter. both the chapter yesterday and today is aroudn two thosuand words and more. Hope you like it and leave some comments and don't forget to vote. See you all tomorrow