The Royal Knight's commander, Ser Thedeus Senior walked into the war room of the castle, at the table were the spymaster, spirit whisper, and his lieges.
Queen Malphas looked pleased, a nasty smile on her face, the woman hungered for war and the one person who pissed her off had come with the invitation for a good battle.
"My spies in the Imperium and Grannarius confirmed the intel, she has troops from both ready for battle, Arch-Duke Jinn and his griffon riders also have pledged their loyalty to her, including their daughter" the spymaster spoke as Thadeus sat down.
"My son is among them, Pledged his alliance to her after she turned him into a Dragoon, with the All-Mother's blessing at that" Thadeus spoke with a weary sigh "The first Dragoons in gods knows how long and he's working with would be traitors"
"There will be no coup, for that, I've spoken with the woman herself, the Gods themselves as well" King Jason spoke as he looked the people around the room in their eyes "And yet she moves an impressive army within the heart of our country"
"It will be a good battle, we will put the new generation through the fires of a battle seldom seen in many decades, our ancient enemies are now allies and we can ill afford to grow fat and lazy under peace times, this will be a perfect excuse to put some fire under their bellies" Malphas spoke with passion, But Thadeus knew the dark truth behind those words, she wanted the head of Lucrezia and this was her way to get that.
"The house heirs who have aligned with her also have all written letters proving they have no intention of joining a coup, their parents as well, many of the smaller knight-based families and clans have expressed support for the whole thing, saying they don't want their sons and daughters to become soft," The spymaster said with a sigh.
"The fields provide an ample opportunity for the learning of war and its intricacies" Malphas spoke "I am... Happy our nobles have seen the light in this conundrum, Thadeus you shouldn't worry, I've said this to Morugarius and I'll say it to you, My only target is the woman, all the others won't suffer my wrath" she finished with a smile.
Thadeus sighed again "She has her dragon ready for battle as well, I can assume we will enact the ancient protocol and call forth our fat lizard from his macabre dungeon?" he had lost good people to that show of horrors, his opinion of the Red Dragon was low.
"He will, he's not happy about it but he will" Malphas spoke.
"Then we sound the horn, let the populace know we will have a battle inside our walls as is the law" King Jason spoke his voice heavy "have the criers spread the word, and also this" with a snap of his finger a pebble in the table went up, magic flared from it and images of great steel towers in snowy planes where shown "Lucrezia aims to show the battle from beyond with her mix of technology and magic, I have news of a stadium being built in the academy for it and that her allies will send representatives, non formally of course"
Thadeus sighed "You mean to say the mad king and his queen?" King Jason nodded and everyone sighed.
"His daughter is rumored to be involved in this as well, so they will behave," Malphas said "Let her have it, the world will see when I have Lucrezia's head in my hands"
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It was a cold cold day in the Royal Palace, Arthur walked with calm steps, his Knights flanking him and Hope, everyone dressed up to the nines with armor as they breached the inner yard of the castle.
He saw his mother fully armored more than once, and still, the sight made him weak in the knees, but this time he had Hope on his side, where once lone conviction failed him, now he was propped up with the undying flame of love.
Cold fury burned in her eyes, Lucrezia had told him about this and still, he struggled to believe it, would his flesh and blood, the woman who nurtured and gave birth to him have the stones, the madness to kill her son over him siding with Lucrezia? when all the evidence pointed that his brother was a horrible person who deserved the end he got? and in those yes he found the answer.
His mother would kill him, Hope, and Lucrezia when the battle started, and that was that.
Kin slaying, shameful as it was common in Vermilion lore, from high nobles to petty commoners, everyone had spilled the blood of their kin, be it for a good or bad reason, it was a sin and a shame but when those were ever deterrents against human nature?
Arthur looked at his father, the man was struggling, that much was plain to see, his entire being shook as he watched his own family break down in front of his eyes, something he fought tooth and nail for it.
Lucrezia had that effect on people, she pushed them to their limits, he saw it with Vivienne, how the two danced together and how much she had improved Vivienne's skills in their short time together, what she had done with Hope, Richard, and Kaine were thrice as fast now. A perfect party ready for the greatest battle of their lives all shaped by her immense skills.
Arthur as well, now in full control of the Rage, on the same level as his mother, felt the ripples resonate with her and Hope.
The Shatter-Spears had an old ritual for kin-slaying, few knew it and it was a simple thing, Arthur removed a short wooden spear made of the twigs of the First Tree, an old tree that was placed in the palace when the first King of Vermilion took the throne. With a snap, he broke the weapon and tossed it at the feet of the throne.
The message was sent, from now on he was on war foot with his mother, came good or ill he would uphold the oath, kill or be killed, and may the best warrior win.
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The voice spoke to Richard again, in his dreams he saw a powerful figure flanked by rows and rows of tall soldiers, their weapons were hidden as were their faces. This dream had been happening for a few days now, every time he would try reaching the figure but something barred his way.
Not today it seemed, as the soldiers all parted across him, Richard walked for what seemed like minutes until he was at the ledge of a cliff, on the horizon a great blue sea and below waves crashing against rocks.
He knew this place, Gods above and below this was the Peak of Solitude! a sacred orcish outpost meant to be the first line of defense against the sea elves!
"It took you a while to figure out human, your ancestor was far faster on the uptake, but then again you are no natural-born warrior" the figure spoke with mirth in its voice, a gust of wind blew and Richard saw her face.
"You are!" he couldn't say the name! he knew the name of the Goddess of the Orcs but he couldn't say it!
"A protective measure, my Greater Blessing was not meant to share space with the other blessing you host, worry not it will pass in time, now onto more important matters," she said as Richard kept trying to say the name.
"You will be spared 3 times, 3 times in the coming battle I will tilt the odds in your favor" she spoke with a smile "the payment for such intervention will be a simple one, at the end of it all, when death finally claims you, or what passes for death in those fields you will tell me the real reason for why you fight"
"Ah but I see it in your face, you don't know it yet" she continued with a smile "Do not worry, once the battle reaches its apex you will know, and then the world will so as well"
"Good Luck my champion, fo you will face one of the fiercest battles this land has seen it"
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