Duson-Avaven. The Avaven Empire after all these years have changed, both for the better and worse. It had beautiful towns and looks like a flourishing kingdom, but as they always say not everything that glitters is gold. The people of this kingdom are bounded by the laws and whims of the fearsome Cesar Talgus, who is now in the 8th generation. His name still lives on ever since his ancestor took over the Avaven Empire from over 500 years ago. The province of Duson, is known as the utopia of the Avaven Empire, where its citizens strive to live their lives but not everyone can achieve happiness especially under the watch of Talgus. Just like how it was since the beginning after his ancestor succeeded Marcel Ismaros, is the same way it is now. The poor treatment of the citizens still evident so that his goal can be achieved and maintained. Even though they are paid a fair amount, no sort of money could help their condition. They work countless days, weeks, months, cultivating the lands progressively around Avaven as per Talgus' wish to do as he was told by previous ancestors.

Cesar Talgus was in his bed resting, his black hair messy as he breathes softly in bed. His wife came in and woke him up. His dark brown eyes brighten up, as he woke up and stood still for a while in his bed before getting up. His wife gave him a kiss before leading him to the palace's dining room.

"Honey I made some food. You haven't eaten in a while. Come on." she says in worried voice, as she continue to lead him to the dining room.

"Well I have a lot on my mind. I have to make sure production doesn't stop and that Duson is heavily watched."

Talgus' wife, Elise leads him to the dining room, where he saw his 4 children(2 sons, 2 daughters).

Son 1: Cesar Talgus the 9th, 26 years old

Son 2: Romeo Talgus, 15 years old

Daughter 1: Roselle Talgus, 23 years old

Daughter 2: Amaya Talgus, 13 years old

He sit down at the table while his wife prepare his portion for him. After some time, his second son and third child Romeo spoke up.

"Ahem. So father, I am told that I will be joining the 'Court Guards' training camp next month. The 'Court Guards' Commander said that my training have been improving considerably over the 5 months I have been training there and wanted to see how I do at this training camp." Romeo told his father this, all while being very confident and boastful.

He had a look of confliction on his face and Roselle realized this and chose to speak up as well.

"Father are you sure you're ok with this? For all my years of being your daughter, I haven't seen you so unsettled before." she said worriedly.

Talgus was quiet for a few minutes but then began talk. "I can't explain it to you yet." he began to eat his food a mood of unsettlement evident in his expression.

"O-k then......." Roselle replied which then led to a moment of silence in the dining room.

After some time, everyone finished. "Well I have some affairs to deal as it relates to the development of new weapons. We are getting a new wave of men to enlist in the next 3 days and we need these weapons to equip them with. Father you still haven't strayed from your goal have you?" Roselle asks her father, who is still lost in thought.

"......Huh, oh no no, I haven't I still know what I've got to do." Talgus immediately snapped out of it and answered.

The second daughter Amaya, got up and was about to leave the room, when her mother, who stands at Talgus' side called at her. "Young lady, have you sense of etiquette."

"Oh sorry mother, father." She utters in such a voice befitting her age and stature. "Excuse me." She said in such gracious tone, before finally leaving the dining area.

"Excuse me as well." Roselle said as she headed out, supposedly to attend to the matter she spoke of earlier.

Talgus let out a huge sigh, with both his sons still sitting at the table with him. The first son and direct heir of the kingdom Prince Cesar Talgus the 9th, sat there the whole conversation and didn't utter a word. He sits at the table, quiet and didn't take part in their conversation. The three of them sit there, with Elise still standing beside Talgus.

"Darling, why not have a seat?" Talgus offers his wife to rest her legs.

"It's ok, I am planning to head off to Cardinal Junction. I heard that there is collective animosity between Aeagia and Utuham. Based on complaints sent by the noble Grayarde Boyam of Cappadocia, both of these towns are in dispute after the food crisis in Utuham. Due to Aeagia having possession of more fertile land areas, they were able to prepare well enough for said crisis and didn't suffer the aftermath too much. On the other hand, Utuham was built on poor land, but they got superior trading rights to compensate for that. This crisis did a number on them though, due to basically every town and province surrounding them got the brunt of the crisis." She went on to explain the situation. Though the matter was grand in a sense, she didn't seem to have a problem fulfilling it.

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"So what are you planning on doing in this situation." Talgus questions her. "You could ask Roselle for help and station two of the guards to assess the processing of the weapons."

"N-no need dear......I can handle it. As queen it is my duty to do so, right? And besides, I cant disrupt Roselle from her duties. This is what she was assigned to do and it looks like she enjoys it so lets not bother her." She assures him.

Talgus sighs. "With all this talk about Utaham, it seems to me they are seeking any way they can to rebel. I have the gut feeling that sending you alone as a person of the house wont be enough. Ok I will have the prince accompany you then along with 12 men, that should suffice. If things take a turn for the bad, that should be enough to help out. I would come but I cant just leave the castle unsupervised."

Elise nods in understanding to all his remarks. "Ok then if you insist."

Romeo was sitting quietly, not involved in their conversation. It was as if he was focused on something else. Suddenly, he started to speak up with a smug look on his face.

"So as I said, I am going to join the Court Guards and I will need you father to sign the contract so I can confirm everything. Think about it, not only will I get stronger but you will also get assistance from the Grand Court."

"Can you just drop this topic already. Your father is already stressed as it is. He has to give his son away to some people he only meets a few times and he hardly knows anything about them." Elise was getting frustrated about Romeo's attitude.

"Well am not a kid anymore, in 2 weeks I'll be 16 and by then I can choose to go or not."

Romeo then left the dining room and headed off to somewhere. Elise headed out shortly after and was followed by the prince King Talgus' order. It was nearly dawn and Elise didn't realize how late it was.

"Oh my, I cant go out this late. I will have to postpone this trip of mine to the Cardinal Junction." She said in a tone of disappointment.

"Son, I guess we'll have to go tomorrow." She said to the prince that nodded slowly.

Talgus came out of the dining room and heard Elise postponing the trip.

"What is it? Why aren't you going?" He asked.

"Well, dear look outside." She points at the window.

He approaches the window and shift the curtain to take a look.

"Oh its pretty late, isn't it? Well you can always go tomorrow right?" He reassures her.

"Yeah, I guess." She sighs and head to their bedroom, as the prince headed the opposite direction.

Meanwhile in Wracralan.

Argo was heading to his room with a pissed look on his face, when he heard his father call him back to the throne room.

"Argo!" He called out.

He then stopped in his tracks, snapping out of it and turned around to go back to the throne room. After he had made it back, the king sighed and started to speak.

"I almost forgot. I was so focused on the possibilities of what happened in Southwold. Anyways, King Keith will be making his way here tomorrow to have a meeting of some sort with us. I presume it'll be about the drop in exportation of minerals lately, but this is due to us having to have all hands in deck in out project to build a new town to accommodate some refugees they are planning to send here. If it's that, then we could just explain that to him and he should understand. I want you to be there, because he believes that you should be more active in these meetings and given that his father King Marth is the reason I have a leadership role, I know he means well."

"What is even the point, huh? Am not in line to be king anyways as far as I know." Argo says in a tone of frustration.

"Oh yeah that's true. Well, I have no control over what is happening and as much as I'd want the Bryneiros' name to stay in the kingdom for as long as possible, this is a matter of political change in the kingdom." Hagred replies.

"Even if they were to find a replacement, how can we tell for sure if he'll mean well huh?" Argo was trying to be persistent in his remarks.

"Argo I understand that you want to be successor, but what happened 5 years ago that day caused a huge shift in how we do thins in the kingdom. First, we had to focus more soldiers in areas where nobles reside and to accompany high value traders, which leaves the towns vulnerable and then causes us to reduce productivity due to curfews we had set in place. Come to think of it, I need more soldiers to watch over our farmers and blacksmiths as well. Lets hope nothing happens by now and when we receive those refugees."

"Wow, you sound like a typical exploiter already deciding the fate of people that just went through a traumatic situation." Argo replied.

"H-hey......that's not........be quiet." Hagred said realizing what he was doing.

"Well, you talk about keeping nobles secure. What if I tell you that in Deimal a mysterious group of people attacked Deimal. The town that is known as the cash cows of Wracralan and if am not mistaken the most heavily guarded town in Wracralan which in all makes Burkton the province with the most soldiers guarding it." Argo started to gave him a report on a conflict he saw.

"What? What were you doing that far away from the castle? More importantly what happened there?" Hagred asked.

"Well, there were a group of mean with their faces hidden. When we approached the town in our carriage, all the guards were dead and they ran off for some reason." Argo was getting mad while explaining to Hagred.

"What is it Argo why are you so angry?" Hagred asked him.

"There was an emblem on their armor that I can remember clearly........" Argo replied, not talking straight due to his fury.

"An emblem? What emblem.......?"