Chapter 54: A stupid noble attacks.
"Nobles always seem motivated by greed."
"So blinded that they cannot see."
"The danger that stems from desire."
"That one is unable to acquire."
"So they underestimate…."
"The Pelican Guard, which is so great."
Levath Rammat, Historian in the Kingdom of Athurus.
….
A small caravan trotted calmly down the paved streets of the imperial capital building, both big and small, which was separated into districts with the unique architecture of the 3 kingdoms which make up the Empire of Chavaria.
From simplistic and practical Chavarian buildings to beautiful buildings hailing from Nadron with their circular pillars to others made up of both culture's influences, Railius looked with widened eyes at the beautiful sights taking in the unique architecture any architect or surveyor would have a field day due to the many designs that could be seen lining the streets that their small caravan marched down.
People made way for the armoured convoy, obviously belonging to one of the powerful nobles of the empire, not wanting to offend its powerful occupant, the armoured cold crimson guards let off an imposing ominous aura as they trotted close to a richly decorated carriage. Despite the potentially pretentious political situation that could arise, nightlife in the capital stayed relatively the same, with wealthy young masters basking in all of the vices that were on offer in the prosperous capital.
Sitting inside the carriage, Railius cuddled up to his mother like his younger brother. Before they had left, all of the servants were dismissed suddenly on the spot, and any documents left at the mansion were burned the fire attracting the curious attention of their neighbours though none dared to approach the guards who had a similar aura to the powerful imperial guards who impose the emperors will onto all commoner and noble alike.
Only when they reached the gates of the imperial capital did they meet with trouble as the city gates had been locked down for the night, and unless there were exceptional circumstances, it not meant to be opened to prevent any nation or rebellious noble from taking the capital down in one swoop.
This gate was not manned by the Chavarian Imperial Guards as they were only responsible for the safety of the royal palace that stood out on the highest peak of the capital. Instead, a separate group of soldiers, commonly known as the capital patrols, guarded the grand gates to the imperial capital under the supervision of the imperial court.
These soldiers were not only responsible for the safety, law and order of the capital but, in times of war, could also act as a garrison allowing the imperial court more freedom in its deployment of troops when fighting wars.
Railus woke himself forcefully when the carriage stopped as soldiers from the capital patrols stood calmly from on top of the large gatehouse, looking down at the convoy of House Aurellion as Leon rode to the front shouting up to them.
"The Marquis of Nalora's family is leaving on a short holiday. Open the gates."
The large man said in an authoritative voice, hoping that the gate guards would back down after hearing who they could potentially offend. It is said there are 3 people currently in the Chavarian Empire that one cannot offend one is the emperor, who sits on his high throne carved out with the blood of 2 kingdoms.
The second is the Minister of War, now in his fifties, who helped to coordinate the Chavarian War for Unification from afar and who holds great power in the Imperial Court. No man or even family member of a man who has offended the old veteran strategist has had a good end or career after they caught his eagle eye.
The Last was Lucius Aurellion, the surviving hero who fought alongside and was second in command to the great conquer and general Drusus Dardianus after the grandmaster strategist's mysterious death only 2 years after the conquest finished, which prompted a grand investigation and purge of all those involved he emerged to inherit the military power held by this war juggernaut. Thousands of rebels and noble families have fallen into the lord of Aurellion's spider web and died, some without even knowing they were being railroaded to their deaths.
"Carnt you wait till the morning?"
The stubborn commander of the gate said, rubbing his eyes slightly as he looked down at the convoy with tired eyes, his men just waking him up. It was only then that he saw the coat of arms on the tabard of the men surrounding the convoy that the man felt a bead of sweat run down his face as he had treated House Aurellion like he would treat any noble of the empire while many could not touch the Marquis of Nalora had always found ways to deal with even the most powerful people in the empire which is one of the reasons the emperors authority is so solid and respected throughout the enormous Chavarian Empire.
"Have you had a proper look now, commander?"
"We are in need of a swift exit if you please."
Leon said with a slight smile, gripping his spear tightly as he heard the footsteps of someone coming from behind the small convoy.
Without any further issues, the convoy left as the gate opened, heading for the Dwarven Kingdom of Norbohr. After leaving the capital, Railius got out of the cart and climbed onto Leon's horse on the instructions of his men and crying mother, now recognising the man in his armour.
The plan for House Aurellions evacuation was that eventually, if there were an emergency, it could be split into 2 forces.
The first would be led by the Marquess of Nalora Thorilsia, who would take herself and her youngest son and only daughter alongside 700 of the Pelican Guards that were around the capital towards the Kingdom of Norbohr, her home kingdom for sanctuary until the chaos surrounding her husband's house had dissipated. The second would be led by Leon, who would take 300 of the most skilled Pelican Guards, his two sons and Railius, the heir of House Aurellion, to head towards the United Beastmen States or elsewhere in a differing direction from Thorilsa to split the forces chasing them.
Unfortunately, shortly after they got through the gate, they were met by a force of soldiers who, seeing them and recognising the coat of arms on their surcoats, immediately drew their swords and charged at them, yelling loudly.
"KILL THE FAMILY OF THE TRAITOR LUCIUS AURELLION!"
"CHARGE!"
"500 gold to the man who arrests or kills a member of House Aurellion!"
The Pelican Guard immediately engaged this mix of soldiers and knights, the coat of arms emblazoned on their banners and surcoats showed a golden ram running over a red field, showing that these were not the elite soldiers of the imperial family but, in fact, the private soldiers of a noble house within the empire.
"Send a signal that we have found the traitors!"
A fat nobleman straddling a snow-white horse wearing luxurious clothing shouted joyfully as a green flair was shot into the sky before exploding like a firework to let others know of House Aurellion's location. Thinking of the lucrative reward offered by the prince for the heads of this noble house, he was confident in his abilities to deal with them as he outnumbered them by 2/1.
The pudgy nobleman who strained his horse's back with his overwhelming size no longer saw members of House Aurellion as a fearful noble house known for its prowess in battle. Instead, all the money-grubbing pompous shit saw were large walking sacks of gold, not people, making him drool slightly.
The men charging the fearless Pelican Guards were 2000 of his house's most skilled soldiers that his father had given him for this mission with the 5th Prince Flavius Crestier.
But while the fat noble spent the next few minutes in his mind swimming in a sea of gold coins, the 2000 elite soldiers whom he was so proud of were decimated by the elite Pelican Guards led by Leon, who was careful to keep Railius, who was also on his horse safe cutting through the nobles private soldiers like a knife through butter.
The skilled grandmaster stayed at the back, using magic to unsheathe his dagger and, like a Jedi manipulating a lightsaber with the force, shot it through the ranks of the noble's 2000 soldiers. The dagger glowed with a bright orange fire slitting the throats of soldier after soldier with its sharp blade.
Even the master-level fighter who led the fat nobles' men was not exempt from the grandmaster's subtle dagger falling when the cunning ex-Chavarian vice-general extinguished the flames which covered his dagger and waited for the skilled polearm master to be distracted before plunging the sharp steel point into the back of the unfortunate commander's throat making him fall to the ground and die coughing up a small pool of his own blood.
By the time the foolish, fat nobleman had come out of his imagined world, his 2000 elite soldiers were dead, their lifeless corpses littering the ground before him while he was surrounded by the pissed-off Pelican Guard whose cold gazes and auras turned the man ice cold fear pulsing from the nobleman's wide eyes.
Compared to the noble's private soldiers, who were more used to dealing with bandits, criminals and small peasant rebellions, the Pelican Guards were far more skilled and experienced, being forged in the fire of war. Even the younger members regularly went to the borders fighting in the never-ending small skirmishes and raids that take place between the noble houses of 2 nations' borders or accompanying Lucius when he went on his many expeditions to suppress the many rebellions that sprung up by disenfranchised nobles who thought about using the chaos that comes with the foundation of a new empire to become independent. Or those nobles left behind from the ashes of the two other kingdoms that were conquered to create the prosperous empire of today, trying to bring back their destroyed nations.
Only 10 or 20 Pelican Guards died as they used their incredible marital prowess and teamwork to make quick work of these soldiers who had less experience. It also helped that they were unique units that were stronger than the average soldier and led by a grandmaster who helped out any man sworn Aurellion who was struggling for any reason.
Railius, who was sitting in front of Leon on his brown chestnut warhorse, looked at the fat noble in front of him, ignoring the chilling atmosphere created by his men as it had no effect on him and looked on the following interrogation with great interest.
"Why is Lucius called a traitor? Why are you trying to kill his family?"
Leon asked, his voice ice cold as a few of the veins on his face bulged with a wave of fiery anger that the large man tried to retrain, struggling to keep his voice level.
I-I-I W-w-was ordered by his highness Prince Flavius Crestier to intercept and delay any attempt the traitorous family of the Marquis of Nalora Lucius Aurellion who killed his beloved brother Prince Victarion Crestier."
The pudgy noble said in a stuttered rush, scared shitless by the cold, deathly aura that emanated from the Pelican Guard surrounding him, the cowardly noble immediately gave Leon the information he wanted without any form of resistance, unaware that he, the fat noble just made himself useless while soiling himself.
Unlike Leon, who was more martially minded and was thinking of letting the fat shitstain live to that he could bring problems to his noble family Railius who was intelligent enough to see the political implications of everything, understood what the Dynasty History Event was about and how the system really had left his noble house no way to return to the empire.
What had likely happened is that both Prince Victarion and Lucius Aurellion were dead, killed by the 5th Prince Flavius Crestier in an ambush, then Flavius blamed the death of the 1stPrince Victarion on Lucius, saying that House Aurellion had become traitors and killed Victarion making them traitors.
Lucius who is also politically astute enough to know that his family would become the scapegoats for the Chavarian Prince, who would want his family out of the picture to prevent them from supporting another Prince to become his rival, as it was unlikely that House Aurellion would take the death of their beloved lord easily. So to prevent all of this, Flavius would make sure that only his men could report back to the Emperor of Chavaria and force him to make Lucius and his family traitors to deal with any future problems that could crop up.
Knowing this, Lucius sent the emergency signal to give his family a chance to escape.
Looking through his character's memories, Railius saw Archtorius Shadowspire amongst the men who accompanied Lucius alongside a few hundred of his Pelican Guards and wondered how, with such a good scout, Lucius managed to get ambushed and likely killed.
'Don't tell me….'
Railius thought as if what he feared was true, then it would make their escape all the harder Archtorius was an excellent scout with some of the best scouts in Chavaria he also had that terrifying old man Sorrell by his side who could battle a general to a standstill.
'Could Archtorius have betrayed us and joined Prince Flavius?'
CREATORS' THOUGHTS 
LaziestDragon
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