Age of Heroes (Age of Heroes Chronicles)

Chapter 493: The war of two flowers (2)

'Yes, but I'm not a Vermont. You are His blood. You are his sister. Who better to take the helm when he is gone? Who better to rule?' 

'Ariadne is his child.' She said anticipating Silas answer.

'Precisely. She's a child. Naive and impetuous, ruled by her heart. She would make a terrible ruler.' She did not falter and begins her attack. 

'Yet the church declared for her.'

'So did the South' Silas added.

'Isn't that testament to her abilities? Why should I contest her claim?' Silas sighed. It seems Adriana is testing him.

'The church declared for her because she is easy to manipulate. The South declared for her because of her relations with most of the Southron high lords because of her mother lineage and ancestry. The other high lords declared for her…because they are afraid. Afraid of disappearing in this new world.'

'Hmmm.' Adriana sighed as she takes another sip. Besides her, her fiancé is smiling with pride.

The wind blows again in the garden bringing the pleasant smell of the garden which relaxes her mind. 

Combine that with the Loreleian tea, she calms herself down.

'And you? Who do you declare for?'

'My lady, of course.'

'You declare for me….or do you want to control me?' And hearing this Silas is startled.

'That was not my intention.'

'Then what was your intention?'

For a moment Silas did not say anything and there is only the sound of the wind and the chirping of the birds and then after taking a calm breath he said.

'My intention was….that if it was you in the Dragon Throne, then I am sure you would lead the Empire with the same vision as your brother. I believe that in his family, you were the only one qualified to do that. The Empress Dowager is grieving and it is not wise putting this burden on her shoulder. She also did not participate in court politics since your brother coronation. Your niece is ensnared by the young noble of House of Bonaparte, and there is talk of them becoming lovers. The young noble of Bonaparte clearly targeted the young princess to give aid to his father. You are calm. Charismatic. And wise beyond your years. If it was you...I could rest easy in my home, knowing the Empire is safe.'

Adriana closes her eyes. 

Taking a deep breath she then opens her eyes again.

'I will think about it. You may go.'

'Thank you, my lady' Silas said as he got up and leave the gardens escorted by the guards. Adriana then sit back down on the marble chair and turned to her fiancé.

'What do you think, Will?' she ask.

'It's risky' he said and then he smiles as he added

'But feasible.'

Adriana nodded in agreement and her eyes shine with determination.

'Aetherland will declare for you' he said.

'I'll make sure of that. I could persuade my father. The loss and gains is clear for him.'

'How about your mother?' Adriana asks. She knows there is bad blood between the Zettel royal family and the Imperial Family. 

Her brother did massacre the nobility of Zettel. The only surviving Zettel nobility is the wife of Arial former liege.

If not for her mother persuasion and insistence, Lady Marilyn of Roth would also be killed the moment her brother return back from the War.

'She would not object. There is no love lost between her and the royal family of Zettel.' William said confidently as he takes another sip of the tea, looking at the surrounding of the garden and smiles. 

William temperament is that, the more nervous he is, the more he becomes calmer.

'The north?' she asks though she could guess the answer.

'Ask for the Palais house. They would prove to be a most formidable ally if you are determined to take the Regency' he said.

'Uncle West?' Adriana said as she ponders on her course of action. 

William nodded.

'He is once your brother most loyal Knight. Lord Paris would also support you if you ask. He was a loyal lord and his involvement with the Imperial family has always been good and he rather would favor you then a child. Most of the Northron lords will declare for you. If…The Palais house declares for you. They rule the north. In the Succession War of my father, the moment Alderam gained the support of the Palais family, he gains the Northron lords support.'

'How about the far north? Will the vassal Kings declare for me? The Chu and Tai? The Austen and the Chu clan?'

'They can be persuaded. Austen would ask for some looser regulation…and the Chu King would surely ask to be exempted for giving tributes'

'Hmm…'she contemplated.

'The church declared for my niece.' She said like a statement but is actually asking for William input and he did not disappoint.

'They fear you would be like your Imperial brother and massacre them like what happen during the Churchmen Killings in Cori. They would rather support the Former Empress daughter who is very devout in the Church teaching. The Church and the Crown. It was the wish of the previous Papnoticon that leads to your brother enraged attack and decided to kill them all.'

Adrianna remember the events. 

The Church tried to meddle with the Empire administration and even try to send their Inquisition and enforce their rules inside the Empire rule. 

One could imagine the dissatisfaction of the Emperor.

The Empire is populated not only by Lucellian but of other faiths. 

And the Inquisition which enacted tortuous invention towards the unbelievers which also being the citizen of the Empire, the Emperor could no longer hold his anger and decided to purge all the churchmen in Rome.

The night of the purge, the Inquisitors were attacked, their bodies mutilated and burn, and those who were alive when captured were quartered, while the Bishops and Priest were buried alive.

The Papnoticon of Rome was cut in four parts and his flesh was made as a feed for dogs.

This brutality of the Emperor makes the Church so afraid that they no longer dare flout their authorities inside the Empire. 

Even though there are some churchmen who try to incite dissent inside the empire by trying to declare the Emperor as the enemy of God, they were quickly handled. 

Every time her Imperial brother gets wind of such news he would destroy the entire church of those particular churchmen. 

With that kind of decisive power and almost a certain madness in his brutality the Church dares not incur the wrath of the dragon and mostly they only grit their teeth tolerating the infidels and the non-believers.

But now, under her niece….the Church breathes again and once again rears their ugly heads inside the Empire.

'Rome is in their hands then' Adrianna said nodding her head. Will sighed. But he also agrees. Rome would be the buffer.

If War ever starts.

'The South?' 

'The South would undoubtedly declare for Ariadne. They share the same blood.' Adrianna anticipated this, but hearing it still doesn't feel good.

'Then Freya would declare for me.' William nodded.josei

'The New Noble faction controlled Freya so it is a safe bet.'

'The empire allies? Seren?' she asked

'We have to send messenger if your niece haven't sent it yet.'

'Will they enter this matter?'

'I'm not sure. But they were great friends of your family. They might help if given some incentives.'

Adriana get up from her seat, walk around the garden thinking about the matter in front of her right now. William sipped his tea, not saying anything.

To think this all started because of a petty squabble between the factions. 

She did not like the feeling of being manipulated by Silas but she also acknowledges the fact that she has to enter this quagmire sooner or later.

Then after taking a sip William ask the aggravated Adriana.

'Silas. Can he be trusted?'

'I don't like him' Adriana admitted.

He is manipulative, a liar, a schemer and a master manipulator. But, and she know this is true in her heart and she said

'But….He is loyal. To my brother. To the empire.'

'If you say so.' William sighed. 

'But be careful with who you trust. Many people are eyeing the throne.'

'You think he wants the throne' she scoffed a bit 

'I never understood the people who want my brother throne. My brother always said…it is easier to win the throne then keeping it' 

'It is not an absurd thought' he said and he continues sipping his tea. Adriana bitterly smiles. William has proven to be a helpful fiancé, kind and smart.

But cruel when the time needed him to be.