Age of Heroes (Age of Heroes Chronicles)

Chapter 357: Shepherd (1)

RIVOLI, ARRANDY

Arial has invited Robert to his mansion and now he awaits him alone accompanied with only his attendants.

The tension is palpable.

Even when he threatened Lord Robert with vengeful anger he did not come to his mansion, and even Arial is impressed with Lord Robert guts, to invite his wrath upon the House of Dudley for refusing his summon. 

So, Arial dangle the possibil­ity of negotiations, showing that he too is hopeful for reconciliation, hoping Lord Robert would take the bait.

And then the next day come as Arial is enjoying the smooth air of his mansion, a delegation came rushing from the house of Dudley.

And he spoke of the intention of the Lord of Auster relaying to Arial his acceptance to the lord invitation to negotiate on the said matter.

Lord Robert has decided to heed Arial summon and try to negotiate with Arial. He has decided to come.

And Arial knew his plot will work. The first step, the trap has been laid and Lord Robert fell for it hook, line and sinker.

Excited by the prospect Arial went down to his cellar and open a bottle of Riella wine and sip it slowly savoring the languorous taste as the vision for his plot thickens.

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DUDLEY REGION, AUSTER

'My lord is this a wise decision?' said a man his tone is worried and there is an unmistakable hint of anxiety.

'Do not worry about me Bert.' Robert said assuring his courtier Bert Roland. 

It has been a few days since Robert has received the Duke summons and yesterday he has made a decision to confront the Duke one on one to resolve their misunderstanding. 

However, many of his courtier is unsure of the young duke temperament or whether he is sincere in his intention on summoning Robert to his large villa in Rivoli, a piece of vast land belonging to House of Rodan which has been bought by the Vermont after the war of succession. 

This is Bert Roland final attempt to dissuade his lord from going to Rivoli. He felt some evil lurking in this order of the Duke, some unexplained malice.

'I fear, my lord. Fear for your safety. I don't think this is as simple as you think it is. I even feel that you trusting Lord Silas is not a wise decision. Not when he has acted mostly in benefit of the dragon family.'

Lord Robert shakes his head

'There is no need to doubt Lord Silas. I don't think he would betray me. And worrying about me? What for? I have come to negotiate with the young lord and he seems to be open to the idea. He might be harsh but I doubt he will harm me, his own vassal, whose father fought for his family during the war, not when he has invites me to enjoy his hospitality.' 

The reason why Robert is not worried about the Dragon harming him personally is because his father once fought under the banner of Lonnes who fought for the Vermont's. 

It was after the war that his father Lord Liam Dudley swears fealty directly to the dragons. Their sigil is a flaming arrow behind a black background.

A few years later, Liam died of old age and Robert inherits the title and the land. And as such the obligation and oath of fealty towards the dragon. 

He may not always see eye to eye regarding the duke policy but he is loyal…at least to a point.

But on Vangua matter Robert could not, must not budge from his position. Robert has hatred towards the Vanguan as much as any Caelum but truly Robert believed that attacking Vangua is a foolish matter. 

If the Duke instead chooses to attack Aetherland, Robert could still back the Duke but Vangua now, is not Vangua of the past. 

And Robert do not want his men to die meaninglessly from the war. Ultimately this is what separates Robert and Arial. 

Arial believes that a path of peace is not forge on forgiveness but on blood. Blood alone move the wheels of history. 

Arial believe this because he has seen worse. And sometimes he must do worse to avoid the most tragic conclusion. 

Arial had the heart to do what had to be done. 

Whether he attack first and be on the offensive or…...wait and let Harald build his forces and attack Arrandy. And Arial chooses the former.

Vangua need to be vanquished so that Arrandy could prospers. Life and death. Beginning and End. 

Arial understand this better than anyone. Sometimes, he has to bloody his hand so that others don't have to.

Robert on the other hand, feels that if Vangua is left long enough, then surely they would crumble by itself seeing that there is no permanent government in Freya and there is still Cori to think about. 

In the end, both of these men have different of opinion in solving the problem. Arial believe that Harald poses a very credible threat to the peace that he has built.

On Robert part, he believes that Vangua is a kingdom that is rift with problems that the new King Harald could not handle and if it is left alone the equilibrium and balance of the Kingdom will once again revert to its natural states.

Since the fall of Vern, the natural order has crumble. Vern, the Dukedom, Zettel, Vangua, Cori, Dostov, Seren, Bardent, Tuca, Cora, Renasia.

Eleven Kingdoms in the beginning

Now…. only a handful of these kingdom existed. Vern split into two Kingdoms, Southern Tai and Northern Chu. 

The Dukedom unified into one entity which also separated into two forces. Arrandy and Aetherland is two different forces but still under the name of one kingdom. 

But to those who lived in these two regions, they know that while Aetherland is one kingdom and Arrandy is in that kingdom, all noble lords and the people treated the two place as different places.

To the other kingdoms however, Arrandy is under the King of Aetherland. 

If Arial declare himself king no one in Arrandy would probably bat an eye since a long time ago, the Vermont's have been ruling Arrandy like their personal kingdom

Then there is Zettel, which is still the same ruled by the Roth family who were allied with Aetherland by marriage of King Adrian and their Princess Marilyn of Rothjosei

Vangua has conquered Freya. Cori still on the fence. Bardent, Tuca, Cora is assimilated into the culture of the Sun worshipping pagans of the Ethruskan people of Great Renasia, the land of the Sun God

Zettel, Southern Tai, Northern Chu, Aetherland, Vangua, Cori, Seren, Great Renasia. The Eight Kingdoms.

Bert look at his lord and sighed. He also understands the intention of his lord but still.

Still, he felt there is something wrong

Bert is trying to dissuade his lord with words and reason. His worry for his lord trumps any rational argument that his lord could present him for Bert feel the most ominous signs when his lord, decided to heed the summons.

After all Bert is not only Robert courtiers but he is also Robert old friends, he is Robert trusted confidante from early age.