Age of Heroes (Age of Heroes Chronicles)
Chapter 402: Linchpin (1)

ARRANDY

That day the ravens came to inform the news to the lords in Arrandy.

'- And the Duke has now called himself Emperor Arial Vermont and his wife is now accordingly will be referred to as Empress, and his mother will be Empress Dowager and his father is titled Archduke of Benevolent as an honorary title. Arrandy will be merged with the new empire with Eden as the new capital of administration a region in former Arleans which is now called Eden. The name of the empire is Edenian and as such every subjects that lives under the rule of the Vermont family will be referred to as Edenian' the crier said announcing the shocking and joyful news.

At the same time in the castle, the Duchess is now finally relieved after finding out nothing happen to her husband, her friend Kyle and Lisa husband West.

Silas is now standing face to face after relaying the news to the Empress.

'Where is my husband now?'

Silas replied.

'Your Imperial Majesty. The Emperor advanced to Arleans, change the name of the city and he occupied the castle and fortified himself there, and made excursions from that region as a center until he has reduced the region to his sway.'

'Has he been crowned?' Silas nodded and elaborate on the matter.

'His Imperial Majesty is crowned at length, at Eden in one of its great churches by Prince Articon of the Holy See, with attendance ranging from great nobles and knights, and even people from the rivers and lakes attends and the ceremony has been described to be with great pomp and parade.'

Then Silas ordered on of the attendants to bring him something. The attendants rushed and give an envelope to Silas.

'And this is the letter the emperor has addressed to you your grace.' Silas said as he handed the letter to the Empress.

Helia received the letter and open it.

'I have won the throne. We can enter our Kingdom. Come to me at once.'

He writes with short message. Helia just sighed. She knows her husband. He is rarely known to writes too many words, preferring simple and concise orders and message.

'What else did my husband do, Lord Silas?'

Silas nodded and he said.

'He confiscated the property of all the Vanguan nobles who had fought against him, excluding those that aided him like House of Alsencon and House of Montberry and divided it among the Arrandian lords who had aided him in the invasion. Lord Massey and myself and some of the inner council member has already receive the letter of appointment. His Imperial Majesty also has begun the Edenian Calendar to replace the Old Empire Calendar. The Emperor is being received everywhere throughout his new dominions, with the most distinguished honors.'

'What about Cori?' Helia asked

'Cori has surrendered and admit His Imperial Majesty claim'

This shocked the Empress.

'Why? How could they surrender almost immediately?'

'The Inquisition has made their move.' Silas reply. Helia is in a puzzlement. Silas then elaborate on the matter.

'As you know Cori has three factions in their royal court, Your Imperial Majesty. The Merchant faction, the noble faction and the religious faction. Considering that His Imperial Majesty had the papnoticon approval and even the supreme Papnoticon banner itself, the inquisition court seize the royal court taking control of the Kingdom, slaughtering the royal line in favor of God heavens. Some say that the Supreme Papnoticon order this. This is worrying in so many levels. Never before the church has this much power. And never before the church intervene in the matter of human continent till now.'

'How cou-' Helia is stunned

'Religion is very powerful your grace. The emperor knows this.'

'Then how about Freya?'

'They too surrender almost immediately.'

'Why? They have no religious faction right?'

'Your Imperial Majesty. Freya might not be as developed as us in military, in science as us but they are I reckon the most flexible citizens in the human continent. Remember when the usurper King Harald invaded them? Did they rebel?'

'They did not' Helia said. Silas then added

'Is this because they are a coward? No. it is because they are smart. They know they are defeated. Why incur the wrath of someone superior? And what happens to them? They were left alone, many of the lords that rule there is Freyan blood, their administration is not intervened by Harald government. They may believe that the same thing will happen again if they obediently kneel like before. Freyans are survivors. You may call their way of acting is cowardly but the weak have the weak way to survive.'

Silas said smiling.

Helia nodded in understanding.

'Though I do not like that Lord Arial proclaimed himself emperor. It is not a wise decision if I have to say so myself' Silas said.

'Why would you not like it?' Helia ask.

Then Silas said

'Build high walls, stock up rations, and don't be too quick to call yourself a king.'And then he remained silent with Helia not understanding. Then Silas broke the silence

'Your Grace, since my lord has won a great battle he requires me at his side and has already summons me. I will move first to Eden waiting for you.'

Helia nodded and she dismissed the courts.

*************************************************************************

EDEN

Arial, now truly the Conqueror is still far from having full possession of his conquest in the bountiful land that he claimed his right.

He had military possession of the northern part of the country only; he had to look for further resistance, and he met with not a little.

The lord of the west and east, minor lords, vassal of the great lords that follow the doomed King tried to stop him first by negotiation by trying to ask Arial the dragon to concede the west and east to the nobles of Vangua and not to claim all of Vangua.

But who doesn't know the dragon temper?

He has won the battle, defeated his enemies and now these lords that sit on their castle walls when their country is in dire peril dare dictate him?

At least Harald and his lords that die with him on that battle, Arial could respect, even admire.

But these lords that has been calculating gains and loss is not one that Arial could trust.

At least Arial cowardice in his past lives come from powerlessness. These nobles have power but does not exercise that power with wisdom, thus dooming their Kingdom.

How could they not be conquered? When their alliances are fragile, and their lords all have different allegiance.

At least in Arrandy, no matter how fierce the fighting in the court there is only one figure that stands among the top. Arial.

But did Arial come to Vangua unprepared?

Of course not.

The moment he declared himself King and Emperor, as King of Kings he put on the form of full possession before he has the reality; he could treat all further resistance as a rebellion against an established authority; he could make resistance desultory and isolated.

Arial know that he has to subdue Vangua in detail; so he will never again to fight a folk-fight.

When he sits on the hill and proclaimed himself Emperor this shocked even his vassal and quickly West and Kyle send emissaries to Cori and Freya.

Freya surrenders immediately while Cori, was devastated by the Inquisition, the dark enforcer of the church and the leader who is a Prince Articon and leader of the religious faction is appointed temporary ruler under the rule of the Emperor.

But it is ironic that Arial still faces rebellion in Vangua itself.

Arial has thus far been driven to maintain his rights by force; he was not disposed to use force any further, if peaceful possession is to be had.

His course is therefore to show himself stern to all who withstood him, but to take all who submitted into his protection and favour.

He then went to the east and west seeking submission from the survived lords.

Many people, common folk, noble lords, believe that the Emperor is blessed with divine grace, blessed by the church and God, and they believe in it all the more after the issue of the battle.

God, Arial had said, should judge between himself and Harald, and God had judged in Arial favour.