Age of Heroes (Age of Heroes Chronicles)

Chapter 347: Throne of vangua (3)

Kyle then approached Arial and whispers to his ears of what had transpired in Vangua and it is clear from the changing colour on the lord face that the news has taken him by surprise.

It turns from pale white to red, showing how wrath filled the young lord heart, and the shocked expression in his face is unmistakeable.

'I will abandon this hunt' he said as he steers his red horse, to the castle with fury in his heart.

As his horse is galloping, he is thinking though not a very rational mind, for he seems to be affected by the news terribly, with worry and anxiety for the people of Arrandy and for the future of his domain and his family well-being.

It is not so much the taking of the throne or the breaking of the oath that angers Arial so…it was the trade and the interest of Arrandy in the south that is now blocked by Harald. 

To think that his kindness towards Harald is being repaid with evil. Kindness is not always repaid by good, Arial know this better than anyone.

Arial could not silence his furious heart.

Returning home, he sat on his library forbidding anyone to enter and the castle all feels the tension, like a terrible storm is coming. 

Helia seeing his husband eyes when he enters the castle and the malevolent aura and the depressing silence he carries with him, even she is afraid to approach her own husband. 

While his parents know better than to interfere with their son decision. They are accustomed to Arial making the sole decision for the house.

It is the same for his pious sister. Adriana after all because of these kinds of events believes his brother to be the ultimate authority in Arrandy. 

Who is she to dare spoke of her brother decision? She is too lacking and while Adrianna believe that her brother is very fond of her, she does not know where that fondness ends.

Surely a short temper reputation that her brother possesses is an injustice on Arial character but since Adriana does not know the truth much else spend too much time with her brother, the fear lingers heavily on her mind and as such she fears to approach her brother even more.

His word is the law and nobody dare break it once he speaks.

Nobody dares roused the young lord so the council call again upon Kyle. josei

'My lord' they said to Kyle. 

'Please call upon Duke Arial. We could not hold the meeting without him, not when he is present in the castle. We fear he might then blame us if he knew that we hold such meeting of such great importance without him being present. Our lord temper and fury is unpredictable so we the council have resorted to ask Lord Kyle to beseech Duke Arial to come.'

Kyle also hesitated. He knew of Arial temperament but even he realizes that after Arial trip to the dark lands, his disposition of calmness is replaced with a disposition of uncontrollable fury. 

And to rouse him at this moment, is not a chore Kyle is willing to do. And Kyle himself is too ashamed to meet his friend. 

He knew what he had done….and even right now his heart still covets. And it is for this reason seeing his friend face is a torture to both his conscience and heart.

He also felt that wall, that invisible wall. 

Arial used to be the friend that he could talk to about everything. Kyle does not forget what Arial had done for him…what he had done for him, for his family, for his sister. 

All of these kind gestures do not go unnoticed by Kyle, on the contrary, it increases Kyle guilt.

But after hours of talking and talking without reaching to any sensible conclusion, and with great persuasion by the Council, Kyle volunteered himself to go rouse Arial as he acknowledges that Arial presence is needed right now, more than ever. 

This is not something the Council could make a decision on. This is not something they should decide or have the authority to decide.

This matter is too big for the Council to make their independent decision since it will affect the region and possibly the continent, and as such, the man at the top must then deliberate the decision that will be presented on him with clarity. 

Kyle went to the library with anxiety and a little trepidation, with each steps his heart become anxious and beating wildly, and when he reached the library he knock it three time and from the library the voice of Arial order him to enter. 

It was calm yet that silence anger can be felt.

'My friend' Kyle said.

'Yes.' Arial said, not giving Kyle even a glance, as the lord is concentrating heavily on something else, he is sitting on floor with many books around him and Kyle realizes it is the trade manifest of the caravans, the ships manifest from Freya ports and the profit statements and loss statements. 

Arial is a lord or great military army but even army could not work without some incentives. 

Gold and supplies, riches and glory….and loyalty. These element need to be present for army to be willing to be led by Arial. 

And Arial has gold…he has many golds. 

Loyalty on the other hand is such an abstract concept that Arial usually disregard it in the scheme of things focusing on benefits that his vassal lords could achieve.

And now that gold is being obstructed. It is not like Arial could not cope with the loss but why should he? 

Even though Harald is the king there is no reason for him to bock Arial trades. This is clearly offending Arial. 

Arial has even save Harald neck from that last crisis and Harald is not even giving him some dignity. 

Arial could not appear weak. He is the lord of Arrandy, clothed in immense power. He knows by now how this game works. Show weakness and you will be devoured.

Arial knew why Harald took the throne even though Harald knows that he will be pitting himself against Arial.

In Harald's eyes, kingship was his reward for long years of service propping up an inert dog-in-the-manger in the form of Edward.

And at this moment Arial had no choice but to go with the plan he had once discuss in secrets with his inner circle, the conquest of Vangua.

For Arial the conquest of Vangua was always implicit in the logic of his elaborate kinship network fanned by the enthusiasm of his wife and vassal's lord, which meant there, had to be new territories to conquer so as to satisfy the aspirations of those who had joined his web of royal clientelism. 

After looking at all the loss and he also analyzes the consequences of the news that Harald has become king, Arial is also worrying if there will be a secret faction for Harald in Aetherland. 

After all, the Succession War is still a wound in the side for King Adrian. 

It is not surprising then for Arial to have concerns that Harald is not only planning for his domination in Vangua but also in Aetherland, the land where his blood first rise.

With great and large enough support, Harald could once again raise his banner in Aetherland and once again plunge the peaceful Aetherland into the abyss of war. 

Such threats must be rooted out immediately before it could find a way to engulf everything.

He looks at Kyle and he said with determination in his eyes. 

'CALL ALL OF MY COUNCIL MEMBERS, AND ALL THE GREAT NOBLES OF ARRANDY. HARALD WANT WAR? FINE! I WILL ANSWER HIM!'

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