Age of Heroes (Age of Heroes Chronicles)

Chapter 274: The matter of the crown

PROLOGUE

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Arial has just return from the Dark Land with many new adventures and a broken heart. One that he intends to keep a secret. josei

What the whole continent learned was that the Young Dragon, the Prince and Duke of Arrandy had returned with glory from the Dark Land.

Arrandy is undergoing many changes with trade flourishing and knowledge center and many great buildings are built. 

And relationship wise, many have changed

At this time, the young lord of Arrandy and young lord of Arleans have always been rivals since their Academy years. 

One born of an Old House of nobility whiles the other climbs his way up through strength and perseverance. 

The letter that Helia received before Arial went to the Dark lands will change everything in the continent. 

Waiting for her husband to come home, and excited to tell him, to relay to him good news of a throne promised to him.

But at this point in time, nothing had as yet happened to make the two great rivals either national or personal enemies. 

While Arial did kill Lord Harald father even Lord Harald felt no remorse and Lord Harald is content on his territory ruling Vangua in the shadows, forcing the King to comply with his demand.

Vangua and Arrandy are at peace, and the great duke and the great prince had most likely had no personal dealings with one another. 

They were rivals in the sense that each looked forward to succeed to the Vanguan crown whenever the reigning king should die. 

Lord Harald to claim it for his new family, Lord Arial for his wife who wanted to raise her husband influence on the continent.

But neither had as yet put forward his claim in any shape that the other could look on as any formal wrong to himself. 

It was during these years, this one year of change that will affect everything on the Continent for the ages. 

The drums are beat, the horns are blown, war is looming.

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ARLEANS

CASTLE OF ORLEANS

In one chamber a pair of husband and wife is sitting in one of the chair sipping tea but it can clearly be seen that both of this people is not in a good mood.

The dark clouds outside the castle only increase the sense of foreboding for this couple. Both of them seem to be plagued by the same problem and they are discussing it, trying to be calm as long as possible.

'Edward seems to have decided he is strong enough to seek a decisive settling of accounts with your family, Emilia' Harald said in the chamber while drinking the white wine.

'I know that' she said annoyed

'It is possible that the presence of increasing numbers of Caelum noblemen, who is very supportive of Arrandy, you enemy, which I do not forget, in Vangua give him a sense of security.' She said sighing

'Or he may simply have decided that it was 'now or never'' Harald offer 

'That may also be true.'

And she sighed again, this time a long sigh.

'He fears to be reduced to a puppet King. And I know he still hates our family, still believing the rumors, that my father meant harm and poisoned his father. And now he sent my sister to a nunnery, thus our plan did not work, though that is of little consequence than the happiness of my dearest little sister who must suffer terribly under that conniving fox.'

She said her eyes begin showing a little glint of madness

'I have sent many diplomats, representatives; gold and precious jewels to make him rescind his royal order but he spurn my representations of gold and men. Edward is determined to make this harder on us, to test our patience to the utmost' Harald explain

'And it is not good with that snake that slithers around in Vangua land.' 

'You're referring to Perigord?' 

'Yes, that little snake, Silas of House Perigord. He maliciously slanders your family, our family, saying that I and you intended to do with Edward what your father might have done to his father.'

'That is slander' she cried.

'Where is this snake?' She stands upright from the chair, could no longer control her anger.

'Gone. Return to Arrandy. No doubt reporting to the dragon'

'Then chase him.'

'Chase him? And what? Plunge ourselves in direct conflict with the Vermont?'

'Why? You're afraid?'

'I just don't want to repeat my father mistake. He underestimates the dragon and look at what has befallen him.' 

'You are afraid!' She yelled. Harald also could not stand this provocation and he shouted back

'Of course I am! Do you not see his army? Do you not hear of his strength? Are you oblivious of his wealth?' 

'That Silas slander my father and you intend to let him go!' 

'For now' Harald said consoling, no longer interested in the wine.

'The conflict between Edward and our family is personal, and that what make it such a thorny issue. There is no turning back, Harald.'

But Harald know Emilia and he knows what annoy her and frustrates her so. 

It was the loss of her sister claim or rather her sister offspring claim to the throne, the blow to her family prestige and credibility and the obvious attempts by the king to marginalize her family that made her angry.

Edward confined her sister in a nunnery at Cabern where Amelie had received her education, stripping her of all her land, movables and money, allowing her just one maid and no marks of royalty or even normal aristocratic distinction. 

Following his usual instinct to temporize, Edward keep the queen in seclusion until he could come to a final decision about her. 

There is no doubt that Edward was angry at the discovery that, when it came to the inevitable conflict of loyalties, Amelie had unhesitatingly plumped for her family over her husband. 

That is Emilia reason for her outburst in such a well refined lady and of considerable calmness in matters of the state.

But Harald has his own dissatisfaction. 

To him it is plain obvious to him that the King is pro Arrandy and such sympathies is make clear by Edward foreign policy in trading and even encouraging interaction with Arrandy and by the favorites he had surrounded himself with, Silas, Oliver, Brandon and so many who have their descent in the prosperous region of Arrandy.

Emilia looks at her husband and she too had her own thoughts

And Emilia knows this suspicion of her husbands, that Edward is sympathizing with Arrandians but her husband could not be farther than the truth.

Edward has a cosmopolitan court, which included Anglais, Raxons, Loths, Ethrusk but Emilia would hardly tell that to her disgruntled husband whose anger can be used for her gains. 

After all, she knows how her husband really dislike any Arrandians and with Silas who is known as Arial most prominent diplomats mingling freely in Vangua court, it only fed Harald worst suspicion that Arial is trying to control Vangua court.

'Edward seems to have developed fangs since his time in Arrandy 'Emilia said after she has calmed herself and began sitting again.

Harald nodded and remark

'Edward is singularly secretive, so secretive that even your sister never has any reliable information, and my spies never heard of any event of great importance pass his lips. He is an ambivalent and duplicitous man. He is a man divided, who had pulls both towards the southlands, and towards Arrandy but who also hated and despised both regions: the Anglais-Raxons for their treatment of him in his early years and Arrandians because of the threat it posed to his kingdom.'

'But this is clearly a persecution to my family' Emilia said, her anger still is not dissipated and began rising again.

'We must be patient for a while and then after that we can start our plan.' And Harald touch his wife hand and grip it, conveying assurance. Emilia smile.

'Fine, let us wait then. But I will not wait for long'

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