Age of Heroes (Age of Heroes Chronicles)

Chapter 75: Flow

SEREN

1014 AF SEEDMONTH

DAY 70

The rivers flowed lazily, the leaves rustling softly as breezes weaved through the trees.

The spring air was thick with the scent of fresh flowers and sounds of new wildlife.

Birds chirps on top of trees like a melodic song.

Lisa was bathing in the smooth lake, while Kyle sat on the side, just breaking the surface with his feet.

"Spring is here. Spring is here" She used to sing that when she was a child each time the springtime came.

They are in Seren the land of the Fire Gods, a land of desserts and sands.

The siblings had first headed to Seren on a quest, delivering a package to a noble house.

It was an easy quest, and Kyle had only accepted it because of what had happened with Helia.

She had misunderstood his feelings greatly, and she was mistaken about what Kyle and Hilda had been.

Kyle had since heard that Arial and Helia were betrothed, and his emotions were in shock.

He had had a feeling that she liked Arial, and back at the Academy Kyle had not been a noble.

It was not like there was anything between him and Helia.

It was not possible considering their difference in status at the time and he have always known she like Arialor was she always in love with Arial?

Her father would have never approved of him. But he still could not shake his feelings of regret.

He doesn't know...that night was still so confusing to him. But the reason he and his sister stay here in Seren is because of Arial orders.

After the war had broken out in the Dukedom of AlanKingdom, Kyle corrected himselfthey had received a letter from Arial ordering them to stay and protect his parents.

They didn't exactly face any threats; his parents were well looked after and were staying in a house provided by their friend Lord Will Eren, and Seren was a beautiful and strong place with many allies of the Vermont's.

Kyle family is a noble family after Lord Aries gives some lands to his father a few years ago. House Lethe is a direct vassal of the Vermont's.

In other words, his family serves the Vermont's. The symbol of the House of Lethe is a white raven being speared.

Their motto is Defy Fate.

Kyle had heard from the letters and the rumors, that Arial leads the House of Vermont now, acting as Regent, taking the control of the governance of the duchy and the troops, and that it was Aries that orchestrate Adrian to become King, a kingdom away.

But Kyle knew better.

It had been Arial's plan, not his father's.

Kyle had known Arial a long time, and he was still amazed by the way his mind worked; he was still just a child, like Kyle and Lisa and Helia, but his thoughts and his actions were far beyond his years.

It was like he is not a kid like them during his younger days, his thoughts mature, his action are planned, and he is always diligent in his studies whether it be the art of the sword or the art of the mind, like he is preparing for something.

Cold and calculating, but incredibly clever, and Kyle couldn't figure his old friend out no matter how hard he tried.

Right now the Dukedom is fighting a war, war of the Brothers, the other Kingdom dubbed the war, War of succession.

In truth, it is a civil war between the Houses that support one or the other.

A war between King Adrian, who declare that Alan is a new Kingdom and demand that Duke of Arouen, his brother who usurped title of Arouen to return it back to the Crown dominion

A war that is spearheaded by Arial, a King backed by the Vermont family influence. It is also dubbed the War between two houses. The House of Vermont and House of Palais.

The New Nobles and the Old Nobles.

Kyle should have been there by his side as their family direct vassal, with him going to battle. Lisa also complained that they are not part of the war.

But yesterday he got another letter from Arial.

In the letter he said that he fears for his parent's safety and he would trust no one else with the lives of his parents.

Far from the war, far from the battle, his heart will be at ease, knowing that his parent is away from the war that is ravaging the Kingdom.

It is a letter to console them. Arial wrote that right now there are some noble Houses in the South that still are not pacified.

After they are pacified, he will send a letter to his parent inviting them home.

Another breeze stroked Kyle's face, and he dropped his head back to gaze up at the clear blue sky.

He wondered why Arial had to burden himself alone, while they played in lakes enjoying the spring.

Kyle was like a brother to him. Then the wind blew and his mind wander to Helia. He sighed. The matters of the feeling have always been complicated.

He tried to pretend Arial's betrothal to Helia didn't upset him. There are other girls, he thought, I can find another girl. One day perhaps he would believe that.

"Brother, are you done?" Lisa had emerged from the lake and was already dressed, not in her armor but in a beautiful dress which made her appear much safer and softer than she really was.

She bought it four weeks ago during the Levitia Homecoming festival.

Kyle pulled himself up from the water's edge and nodded.

"Let's return, we've been out for quite a while."

Perhaps too long, he thought as they walked.

Lady Julia Vermont had recently delivered a beautiful baby girl, with crystal eyes and a shock of white hair.

The Vermont it seems have always had that trait of white hair and blue piercing eyes.

But, wonderful as the little girl was, she cried an awful lot and Julia was at her wit's end.

She had told Kyle and Lisa how easy it had been raising Arial, and she had no idea how to console her daughter.

Arial when he was a bay rarely cried and it was almost too easy raising him

"I hope Arial lets us return home for the wedding," said Lisa absentmindedly. Kyle's heart pumped cold blood for a moment and his spirit shivered.

But of course, he understood.

Arial and Helia were their closest friends, the four of them were like family. The Four Greats. Kyle exhaled the coldness steadily.

That title is now like a chain.

"Maybe by then the war will be over," he said, and Lisa nodded hopefully. They walked the rest of the way back in silence, carried by the wind.

Behind him the lake keeps flowing endlessly.

Kyle when he was playing by the edge of the river he thought if only he could let go as easily as the water in the rivers, flowing and letting it all go,

To flow like a river.

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