Age of Heroes (Age of Heroes Chronicles)

Chapter 51: Wait

DANOBA

DRAGON REST CASTLE

40 SEEDMONTH 1013 AF

A month has passed since Arial is staying in the city.

To accommodate the growing city Arial had, with his parents' approval, divided the city into sectors to make business and trading easier.

Each sector boasted a different specialty: clothing, food, construction, jewelry, horses and weapons.

In it there is guild. And this guild pays taxes to the Vermont family

There's the Mercers, dealer in the textiles the Drapers another dealer in textiles, Fullers who clean and prepare cloths.

Then there is the Dyers, specialize in Cloth Coloring, the Skinners dealer in the fur trade, the Tailors maker of clothing, Girdlers maker of belts, Cordwainers maker of shoes, Pinners pin maker or assistant to dress maker

Arial family also began financing shop for cloth and hire talented seamstress and tailor into the store.

Then there is the Food Quarters which consist of these guilds. Fishmongers, Vintners, Cheese mongers, Fruiterers, Cooks, Bakers.

This is how organized and large the Vermont family business really is

Then there is the Construction and Jewelry Quarters and consist of Nine Guilds that swear their fealty to the Vermont's

The Goldsmith, Silversmith, the Joiner, Founders, Carpenters, Plumbers, Locksmiths, Ironmonger and Coopers

They are the Nine Guilds

And then there is the Horse Quarters

The horse quarters have saddlers who make horse saddles, Corsour who is the dealers of horses, Lorimer makers of metal part for bridles, and Farriers, maker of shoes for horses

And then there is the City Quarters which is where the administration and matter of laws is being discussed or held.

And the last one is the weapons quarters.

There are the bowyers who makes the bows, the fletchers, who make the arrow, the armourers who makes shields and armour, the cutlers who makes knives and swords and cutlery, and the blacksmith

This is the six quarters in the city.

While all of this is being implemented in the city, Helia had returned home to Sea Worth Castle to reconcile with her father.

Arial had been pestering her since their Academy days to resolve their conflict, and she had either decided he was right or had grown sick of his nagging.

Either way, Arial hoped that they could come to an understanding.

Kyle and Lisa had traveled to Seren on a quest.

Although they no longer lived in the Academy, their studies and duties hadn't ended, and they took their responsibilities as knights very seriously.

Arial was in one of his father's offices, supervising the accountants. In the evening he would check the port to see if their latest shipment had arrived.

Arial's plan had begun.

With his father's money he had supplied the Blood Watchers in the Bleeding Wall with food and equipment.

He also sent new recruits mostly criminals that are on death penalty as their penance to the Blood Watchers so they could train them to be the shield of the Land from Dark Lands invasion.

The wall is stronger than it had ever been before.

The bricks of the Wall have no problem. It has Old magic. The problem is the people. Arial also sent some request to the Knights to train some of the Blood Watchers.

A servant barged into the office as Arial was preparing to leave for the port, an envelope in his hand.

"Letter for you, sir," he said, handing it to Arial.

Arial noted the servant's solemn expression, and turning the letter over he realized why; the wax seal on the envelope was black.

Whatever the news was, it was urgent. Arial ripped it open and read:

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Count Aries Vermont,

My friend, it seems there are dark forces coming for you. The House of Palais is conspiring to accuse you of treason. We cannot hold them back any longer. You must be ready for their summons.

This warning is all I can give you. I hope you consider your next move with caution.

Your dear friend,

Adrian Alan.

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Arial's hand trembled.

His father, accused of treason? How could it be? He wasn't aware of anything his father had done that could have incurred the wrath of the nobles.

Racing outside, Arial clambered onto his horse Firebringer and galloped back to the castle.

He found his father in the Grand Hall and thrust the letter into his hand without saying a word.

His father read, and slumped to the ground.

His mother whipped the letter from his hands, and gritted her teeth as her eyes scanned the words.

"I knew of their ambition. But accusing us of treason? This is too much. Too much," she sighed. Aries shook his head.

"It's envy," said Arial and his expression darkened.

Envy of our wealth and power, he thought. The family appeared too perfect, the other nobles had realized their own imperfections and inferiority.

"We should have escaped the envies of people or else they will strike us down" Arial thought to himself.

The Vermont family appear too powerful and this just increases their inferiority and fear.

"What do we do?" Aries asked. He looked up at Arial, but it was Julia who answered.

"We fight them. We will use all the resources we have, and we will win. We could hire the sellsword of Ariundus of the Black Companies" she said firmly.

Arial was shocked by the aggressive tone but then he thought to himself. His mother always had a fire in her

"No," said Arial, "that would lead to a war with House Palais."

"But we can beat them."

"At what cost? The destabilization of the Dukedom?" Arial said.

His mother fell silent. His father put his head in his hands. Arial knew they couldn't take that risk, not with the threat of the big invasion just four years away.

Noit was he that could not take the risk of the Dukedom weakening

If they play their hands wrong. They could be exiled. The Vermont's had offices all over the Continent, and even one is Seren.

Arial began to form an idea.

'It will be all right mother. I have a plan'

He shared his thoughts with his parents. After a lengthy explanation, and after convincing his mother, they agreed.

He understood why she was determined to fight; she didn't want them to be disgraced.

She was determined to fight, to hire every single sellsword our treasury could maintain, and do battle with the other noble houses rather than be in disgrace like this.

This matter reminded Julia of her family.

Her family might not have been very loving towards her and her choices but that doesn't mean she did not love her family.

She heard what happen to them when she searched for them when Aries has become influential.

His mother wanted to prove to her family that she did not choose wrong. That the man she had chosen is right.

Not that she cares about title that Aries had but to show to her family, that the man she has chosen, lord or not, will always make her happy.

From what Arial could surmise his grandfather and grandmother on his mother side may have been betrayed by another noble family and the house itself fell apart considering that every time my mother talk about them, there is this sadness reflected in her eyes.

But they could not afford to destabilize the Dukedom, not with the war so close. And so, they waited.

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