Age of Heroes (Age of Heroes Chronicles)

Chapter 392: Negotiation (3)

This delay in negotiations has helped Harald cause greatly as Arial officers and counselors began to be uneasy at the delay. 

Some of them reported that every hour new re-enforcements are coming into Harald's camp, men from noble's lords of the county, of the shires, from the south and west, while Arial commanders and officers themselves are not gaining any advantage, and, consequently, the longer the battle was delayed, the less the certainty of victory. 

Arial then thought of an idea, a stopgap measure to prevent his army morale from plummeting.

When Harald refused every demand, one in particular caught Arial attention and that is the refusal for one on one battle and Arial knows he could use that to his advantage.

Arial called on Harald once again to spare the blood of his followers, and decide his claims by battle in his own person. 

Of course this time the terms of the negotiations is known to the other soldiers.

Such a challenge is in the spirit of Caelum jurisprudence, which in doubtful cases looked for the judgment of God, not, as the Anglais Raxons did, by the ordeal, but by the personal combat of the two parties. 

Yet this challenge too was surely given in the hope that Harald would refuse it, and would thereby put himself, in Caelum eyes, yet more thoroughly in the wrong. 

For the challenge is one which Harald could not help but refuse. 

Arial looked on himself as one who claimed his own from one who wrongfully kept him out of it. 

He was the accuser in a suit in which Harald was accused; that accusers and the accused is both accompanied by armies was an accident for which the accused, who had refused all peaceful means of settlement, is to blame. 

But Harald and his people could not look on the matter as a mere question between two men. And this is Harald dilemma when he once again is posed the same question.

The crown is Harald's by the gift of the nation, and he could not sever his own cause from the cause of the nation. 

The crown was his; but it was not his to stake on the issue of a single combat. 

And this is the difference between the value that both of these rulers had and their own culture and their understanding of their culture. 

For Arial whatever is yours is yours, as his culture had so strongly advocate. 

He is unconventional in some way, progressive in others, but on his culture as a Caelum there is not many that requires his forward thinking. 

If you lose, then you lose. 

If you lose in trial by combat then what has been agreed earlier whether it be land or kingdoms, it is forfeited to the winner. 

Arial uses his culture beliefs not only to strengthen his claim but also because he knows that this culture is strong among his soldiers and even some of the Anglais Raxons though in honesty they preferred ordeal, like a pilgrimage to the holy land. 

Caelum is a warring race, a conqueror race and so their culture compared to other is a bit violent.

If Harald were killed, the nation might give the crown to whom they thought good; Harald's death could not make the Duke claim one jot better. 

This is Harald thoughts on the matter.

The cause is not personal, but national. The duke had, by a wanton invasion, wronged, not the King only, but every man in Vangua, and every man might claim to help in driving him out. 

Again, in an ordinary wager of battle, the judgment can be enforced; here, whether Arial slew Harald or Harald slew Arial, there is no means of enforcing the judgment except by the strength of the two armies. 

If Harald fell, the Vanguan army is not likely to receive Arial as king; if Arial fell, the Arrandian army is still less likely to go quietly out of Vangua. 

The challenge is meant as a mere blind; it would raise the spirit of Arial followers; it would be something for his poets and chroniclers to record in his honor; that was all, and this was Arial plan all along.

Morale was plummeting. And this is Arial scheme. 

His ability to scheme did not lose out to his courtiers. Most of the time, Arial had never needed to scheme since he is the highest ruler in Arrandy and people would scheme for him and not the other way around

The circumstances of the two armies on the evening before the battle after Harald refusal; in such a state of things, the tendency of the minds of men would be, in Harald's camp, to gloom and despondency, and in Arial, to confidence and exultation.

So that night in high spirits Arial promised them that he would attack King Harald in his camp the very next morning.

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NIGHT PREPARATIONS

HARALD CAMP

As the time for the great final struggle drew near, Harald's mind is oppressed more and more with a sense of anxiety and with foreboding fears. 

His cousins, too, were ill at ease. 

Their solicitude was increased by the recollection of Harald's oath, and of the awful sanctions with which they feared of angering the authority of the Holy. 

They were not sure that their cousin's excuse for setting it aside would save him from the guilt and curse of perjury in the sight of Heaven. 

Tomorrow it's the battle and this two cousin of his could not help but be worried for their cousin safety.

They both that night went to Harald tent and confront him.

'Lyon. Girth. What are you doing here?' Harald is seen looking at the maps and books and documents is sprawled around the wooden table.

Girth and Lyons both look at each other and then Girth approached the King and proposed some measures to the King.

'I know what you are worried about. Lyon has told me about your worries.'

Harald look at Lyons and Lyon just stare at Harald, his eyes is determined.

'We cannot deny that you did take the oath to the Duke; and, notwithstanding the circumstances which seem to absolve you from the obligation, it is best to avoid, if possible, the open violation of it. Every single noble who was on scene during the coronation of the Saint King heard you offer oath to the Dragon. At that time, it may not be called a huge matter but now when clearly the interest of the nation and even your safety at stake, that oath truly has brought this situation to a boiling point.'

Lyons nodded and then he advises.josei

'It will be better, on the whole, for you to leave the army and go to Bayern and move the Capital there.'

Girth nodded in agreement and said.

'You can aid very effectually in the defense of the kingdom by raising reinforcements there. We will stay and encounter the actual battle. Heaven cannot be displeased with us for so doing, for we shall be only discharging the duty incumbent on all, of defending their native land from foreign invasion. You would not have broken your oath and might even secure victory. You have to draw; the dragon need to win. In terms of the war, we hold the advantage. We do not need to win.'

Lyons and Girth also understand the requirements to win the war. Arial need to win. But Harald only need to reach a draw.

Harald nearly drop a tear. Truly he has made a loyal companion.

'Girth. Lyons. You are a loyal friend and relatives. I could not have been more blessed. However,' and Girth and Lyon face sank as they could see that Harald has decided.

'I could not leave the army and retire myself, not when the hour of approaching danger is close, and leave you, and my friends, lord and nobles that have trusted my summons, that I would lead them to victory when it is my crown for which they are contending.'

'Could we not change your mind, dear cousin?' Girth said. 

Harald went silence and he hugged Lyons and Girth and they could feel that their cousin really appreciates the support and Girth and Lyon understood. 

If they win…they will win together. If they die, they will die together.

Then Harald release them from their hug and look outside the tent and thought of the battle tomorrow and realize that many of these soldiers and noble lords he knows will mostly die tomorrow.

He smiles as he looks at the moonlight and then he says. 

'Call the men, ordered dinner to be served, open all that precious wine.'

'Cousin?'

'Let us feast. For tonight might be our last night. And our worries are many. Let us worry about tomorrow when tomorrow comes. I wish to spend more time but alas time does not move the way I want'

His cousin understands the weight in their cousin heart and they nodded as they smile, trying to ease the worries in their cousin heart, a king that they respected and love, for his sense of duty and loving disposition towards the people of his realm.

Harald undertook, as men in his circumstances often do, to lighten the load which weighed upon his own heart and oppressed the spirits of his men, by feasting and wine. 

He ordered a plentiful supper to be served, and supplied his soldiers with abundance of drink, and the feast begins with jovial mood.

It is said that his whole camp exhibited, during the whole night, one wide-spread scene of carousing and revelry, the troops being gathered everywhere in groups around their camp fires, some half stupefied, others quarreling throwing jugs and glasses, and others singing national songs, some singing their village song, song that inspires bravery, while some are dancing with wild excitement, according to the various effects produced upon different constitutions by the intoxicating influence of beer and wine.

But Lyons and Girth that night during the feast once again they whispered into the King ears as they concocted a new plan to give them better advantage. 

Harald agrees but he said, he will feast first and then he will move. What will come, will come.

And so they feast until late at night as the time of the battle inches near.

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