A Guide to Kingdom Building - Chapter 159

The Darkness rises as the moons casted its light upon the earth.

And there I was, looking at the void from light above me.

-excerpt from the Prophecies of Aesil of Vridian.

——————–

Tarsuria, Year of Severus, 15, I.R., the 58th day of Fall, Arenfall

“Godfather!” Prince Arterius entered the Commander’s tent storming. “I need to talk to you!”

Lord Prestonheim looked surprised and baffled at his audacity to storm into his tent and demanding his audience. Not that his godfather wouldn’t permit his presence, Prince Arterius was angered of how the knight was treated inside the cage. After all, the prisoner was a knight and not just any other knight, but a knight that survived the carnage of the hellhole he ordered they enter in the first place.

“Yes, Prince Arterius…what is this all about?” His godfather bafflingly asked as he placed his quill beisde the inkwell. “Is something bothering you?”

Prince Arterius approached his godfather who was sitting on the table and asked. “What are you doing to a citizen of the Principalia?” His heart heavy with grief as he delivered the message. “I thought as knights and stewards of this realm the knights were supposed to—”

“Then he will understand what I am doing to him,” Lord Prestonheim calmly answered. “If he swore to protect this realm no matter what cost, then, he should damn be ready for anything of what is asked of him!” Lord Prestonheim added while taking the quill out of the inkwell.

Somehow that statement made Prince Arterius’ blood boil in rage. How could his godfather, an outstanding citizen and military leader of their empire say such a thing?! As his beacon of chivalry, how could his godfather give him that answer? It was cruel and a betrayal to his subordinate’s trust.

“I am sorry, godfather, but I beg to disagree.” He bravely spurted. “As a citizen of the realm, I think the man deserves better especially with after all that he’d been through! The least that we can do is provide him—”

You are young, Prince Arterius. Young, full of honor and compassion.” Lord Prestonheim interrupted. “Don’t ever change once you sit on the throne. But you must trust me when I say this, that man needs to stay like that for a while. We have to make sure that he isn’t some monster in a man’s skin. “The Commander explained as he wrote something in the parchment.

“I-I don’t understand…” Arterius brow furrowed again but he was keeping his temper in check. He wasn’t too sure why his godfather would explain to him the situation in riddle. “What do you mean by that?”

“Arterius,” His godfather’s tone became dire. “You don’t know what lies beyond that hole. We are not even sure if that is the same person or not. We must be sure that he is or else…” He suddenly looked somber.

Prince Arterius didn’t want to ask that latter part anymore, although, he was still adamant about his opinion on the knight’s treatment. “I understand your concern, godfather, but we still need to give him some clothes at the very least.”

Lord Prestonheim sighed and massaged the bridge of his nose like he always did when something goes awry or when pushy conversations arise. “I won’t advise you to do that just in case—”

“I am now commanding you to do just that!” Prince Arterius’ temper flared at his stubborn godfather. “You will do just like what I command!”

Lord Prestonheim looked at him shocked at what he did. He too was surprised at raising his voice. He never was the type of man whose temper usually exploded in a small confrontation, let alone a simple debate. But the man’s situation was something that he couldn’t take off his mind. The knight’s torment reflected the injustices he had to suffer just to be where he was now and that made him relate to him even more.

Lord Prestonheim stood up from his table and bowed at him. “Your command will be done, my Prince.”  His godfather said in a voice that screamed refusal to his command. “My men will gather some clothes for him.” His godfather went out from the tent and commanded his men outside to dress the poor knight.

After going back inside the tent, his godfather went back to his table and continued writing again. He took a glance at him and asked, “Do you have anything else needed of me, my Prince?”

His godfather’s emotionless face said it all. Deep down he regretted blasting off in front of his godfather. But at the same time, he had to show his authority in the camp regardless of who he was with. He can’t be an effective leader if he cannot even command properly.

“No,” he answered. “That will be all. We shall convene later at dusk to discuss matters about this expedition. I might change my mind on…” He paused and bit his lip.

“I understand. Tonight, it is then.” Lord Prestonheim answered and bowed low to him.

Prince Arterius bowed back and left the tent. He was in a stale mood; something that he hadn’t experience for quite a long time now. The sunlight was irritating him even further as the rays penetrated his eyes. He tried his best to walk while squinting and covering his face from the irritable sun.

“It looks like the lack of sleep has take a toll on you.” Stolas remarked.

Prince Arterius had a couple of words choice words to say at his ward, but he knew his ward was speaking the truth. He was sleepless and tired; maybe sleep could finally ease his mind and put his temper at bay.

“Stolas,” He sighed. “I don’t want to be disturbed as I sleep right now. I don’t care who wants to talk with me, they will have to wait! And…don’t wake me up just to eat! I will eat after I—”

“Understood,” Stolas interrupted. “Go ahead and sleep now, cranky head!” His ward smirked at him.

He found Stolas’ answer was quite annoying, but he knew his ward, above all else, meant no harm. He went inside his tent and slept a dreamless sleep. He wasn’t sure how he did it, but as he closed his eyes, his mind went blank and then, sleep followed after it.

It was already sunset when he finally woke up. He was hungry and thirsty after a long day of sleep. His body was drenched in sweat, but that didn’t matter to him. It was the first time he slept so well without the aid of his numbing medicine and he slept perfectly well, waking up energized which was something he never felt for a long time.

He immediately called Stolas who was sitting at the corner that time, tinkering something on his table. He asked for light-flavored tea and fresh new clothes for him to wear. Unfortunately, eating dinner was a privilege he had to decline right now as he prepared for the meeting, he had with Lord Prestonheim and 305-M.

305-M was the first to arrive, carrying a big, weird sack. He bowed at him and asked him if he had a good rest. When he nodded, his former mentor complained of how rude his ward was for not letting him enter the tent earlier today. Prince Arterius looked at Stolas with a baffled look on his face. Stolas subtly smiled and shrugged his shoulders.

“I-I want you to discipline your ward later! That was unacceptable!” 305-M commanded. “That was unreasona—”

“I am sorry,” _Prince Arterius began. “It was on my orders that I told him that I wasn’t to be disturbed by anyone.

“Oh, is that so?” 305-M cleared his throat and silently went to his seat not mentioning the whole fiasco again.

Lord Prestonheim entered soon after and silently sat down the chair intended for him. The meeting came soon after. As Servus 305-M tried his best to discourage the prince from continuing the expedition, Prince Arterius had a different say otherwise.

“I will continue the expedition!” He said firmly at both men. “Seeing that there could be a number of survivors still trapped within the hole. I would want to wait for them!”

“But, my prince you don’t understand…” 305-M paused and looked at his godfather. “There are monsters lurking down there. I am not even sure that the man we had right now is a man itself.” The redhaired slave pointed out.

“You too, 305-M?!” He said exclaimed in disbelief. “You’ve seen them too?” He asked.

“Nay, I haven’t! But I was there that night!” 305-M explained.

“He was there indeed!” Lord Prestonheim broke his silence. “He ran away along with some documents and the ores.” He glared at the slave.

What Prince Arterius thought to be another tirade of endless banter turned out to be nothing more than silence on both parties. No one reacted over what the one just said. He found it peculiar but at the same time, gratifyingly good.

“You heard the prince, 305-M.” Lord Prestonheim stood up from his seat. “I shall go wherever he takes us!” He was about to exit the tent when Prince Arterius stopped him.

“Godfather, where are you going?” He asked.

“These old bones are weary tonight.” Lord Prestonheim answered. “Something is telling me we must prepare.”

Prince Arterius raised his eyebrow, “Prepare for what?!”

Lord Prestonheim didn’t answer but he did go back to his seat and expressed his apologies for his audacity to leave. Prince Arterius smiled and thought nothing of such small offense.

305-M took out something in his strange big bag. He took out a glass jar filled with glowing liquid that swirled peacefully inside the jar, as if there was a current.

“What is that?” Lord Prestonheim’s curiosity was whet with the glass bauble shown to them.

“This my friends, is the result of my research so far!” He bragged while he caressed the glass of glowing mysterious substance.

The substance danced gentle in its current for a while. The pale blue glow tantalized the eyes of Prince Arterius, it was beautiful and frightening at the same time. There was something within the liquid that made the hair on his nape stand.

“I made this…umm…mysterious substance by charging the volatile aetherite and red mercury with the aetherium ores the slaves found down there, and the results are interesting! But that’s not your first question, isn’t it? I made this by—oh!”

Suddenly the substance slightly turned its color into a dark crimson tinge. The peacefully flowing liquid became chaotic inside the jar and it began to shake violently.

“What do you mean by oh?!” Lord Prestonheim stood up and covered Prince Arterius from possible danger.

“By oh I meant. It wasn’t supposed to do that!” He pointed at the jar shaking harder than ever.

Outside they could hear a terrifying wail that slowly turned into an ear shattering screech.

A knight hastily rushed inside their tent with bated breath and a huge gash all over his face. “The prisoner! The prisoner!” He shouted.

“What’s going on?” Lord Prestonheim asked as he drew his sword.

“The prisoner…he’s..changing!” The knight answered with a shaking voice.

Lord Prestonheim simply looked at Prince Arterius. No words were needed as his looks already implied what he wanted to express from the very beginning.

“Calm down, knight! Bring me to him!” His godfather said while gesturing to him to stay where he was. “And you there…305-M! Get that thing out of here and fast!”

His godfather rushed out from the tent along with his master. All was left was him and Stolas, shocked at the goings on outside of the tent.