Chapitre 33: Chapter 33
The whole meeting felt strange to Artemis. He was expecting that his uncle would perhaps try to force him to marry Lady Maurin, his daughter. Yet, there he was talking politics and war. King Vaith was a deserter who was exiled from his own home and in the searching of a home, he decided to build his own kingdom. He knew nothing about ruling or matters of succession. As if to make things even worse, he was an outsider who knew nothing about Maldonia and their way of life. He sure knew nothing about Prophis too. So, what did he have to gain on this alliance? Artemis thought.
Artemis was confused all the way. Hence, he asked Vaith. "Who is a Seyyid?" with a confused look on his face.
"Seyyid is like a king in your world." Vaith had a strange accent to his tongue. It was very clear he was struggling to speak the common tongue.
"Oh!" Artemis sighed. Then, he turned his attention to his uncle, Lord Aethelind. "We are not going to mingle with the Prophisians uncle. I forbid it."
"Have you lost your mind nephew? Do you realize how important this war is?"
Artemis suddenly stood up. As per tradition, Lord Aethelind and the other two foreign Lords from Santagar were supposed to stand up too, but they didn't. They remain seated following Lord Aethelind command.
"I forbid any houses under my protection to intervene with the war which isn't ours."
Lord Aethelind smiled. "I'm afraid this is above you, nephew. There are things you can't control just because you sit on a chair. This is my house. My army and my authority."
"Careful, uncle. That is treason. Being on an open rebellion against your king brings you a lot closer to losing your head." Artemis warned him.
The arrogance and display of Lord Aethelind left Artemis speechless considering he was right. He may have been the King of Maldonia and Lord of the ten houses, but those houses had their lords and armies sworn to them. Once upon a time, King Luca Arteides told Artemis the story of the House Squire which nearly brought the crown to its knees. A war which lasted for two years. Was he ready to start a war with House Horriss, the most powerful house in all of Maldonia?
That's when his sister's voice reminded him. "Is that the type of a king you want to be?" and that's what made him calm down. He went back to his seat, straightened his cloak and cleared his throat.
King Vaith immediately took the advantage of Artemis's calmness. "Your Grace, I can assure you this isn't a war we are going to lose. Lucian Mithandir will sit on his throne as per what the gods want..."
"The gods?" Artemis chipped in. "What gods? The old ones or the new ones? What sort of gods do you worship in Santagar?"
Vaith was stunned and he didn't know what to say. Lord Aethelind scoffed. "We are not here to talk about the gods, nephew. Fuck the gods." He added and laughed. No one joined him as he laughed at the gods, it was too risky for Vaith and his lords with no names to laugh, they were extremely religious to their desert gods.
"It's all a game to you, isn't uncle?"
"A very good game if you ask me nephew. We restore the alliance with the Mithandirs and we are assured of a whole kingdom ripe for the taking."
Suddenly Lady Murian walked inside her father's council chamber holding a mug full of wine and five cups, she was her father's cup bearer. She poured out the wine for all of the men inside while Artemis seemed so serious and angry with his uncle.
"Thank you, my lovely sweet." Lord Aethelind complimented his daughter and Lady Murian walked away quietly. She didn't mutter even a single word.
To kill out the awkward silence between themselves, King Vaith started a conversation he was hoping it would cheer up Artemis. "Your Grace, pardon me but I heard you have a beautiful sister at court who is yet to marry." He said with a smile while looking at Lord Aethelind.
"Let me guess, you want to ask for my sister's hand?"
"It'll be a good way to unite our families. Santagar will provide camels, dates, an army and strength."
"Do I look like I need strength to you? I'm the fucking king of Maldonia, not of some forgotten desert."
"Nephew!" Lord Aethelind intervened. "Don't be an arrogant stupid king. My sister raised you to be better than that."
"What do you know about being a king, uncle? About ruling a kingdom? All you do is fuck whores, drink wine and plot against powerful houses."
"At least I know a fool king when I see one. Your sister wrote to me."
Artemis's eyes widened with amazement and suddenly he felt small. "What did she say?" he asked while fearing the next thing his uncle will say.
"That you are planning to wed a servant. A girl with no name, no titles, and no benefit to the crown."
"Lady Kholin is the love of my life. Nothing that comes out of your mouth will change my mind. She is the one I'll wed."
With that Artemis stood up suddenly and walked away, king Vaith stopped him. "Your Grace, please..." King Vaith pleaded. "Let's support Lucian Mithandir and I promise you that you won't regret it when the war is over."
"Have you ever been to Prophis, King Vaith?"
King Vaith shook his head. He felt very stupid at that moment, making promises to Artemis while he hasn't even been to Prophis himself. Artemis walked up to him;
"There is nothing to be found on that cursed kingdom except eternal ice and darkness and harsh winters. I would advise you to return to your home as soon as possible. At least it's warm in the desert."
"What if I accompany you on the rest leg of your tour?"
Artemis looked at his uncle and then back to King Vaith. "What's this? Part of your plan?"
"This is entirely mine, Your Grace. I intend to join our houses and I want you to see that I am an honest man. Worthy of a princess of Maldonia." Finished King Vaith and he stood upright facing Artemis.
King Vaith was taller than Artemis by three inches. He looked like a mixed blood who had many days on the sun with how dark his skin was. Yet, he was glowing like a silver on a sunny day. Artemis could have said "no" especially since he was already angry at his uncle, but Vaith had what people would call a "persuasive power".
When Santagar declared Independence from Doha, it was Vaith who led his people and he promised them victory if they just follow him. The times were scary for Santagarians as they had to fight a war with Seyyid Khalifa, who was Lucian Mithandir's father in law. The war didn't last long when Vaith led the army to the capital and forced the Seyyid to sign a treaty which declared Santagar independent. He held a knife at Seyyid's throat — he gave his life for the people of Santagar. Maybe if Artemis didn't respect him at first, he sure felt different when he heard his story of sacrifice.
"Please, allow me to prove myself to you." King Vaith continued.
"What do you have to say uncle?"
"I do not control the king of Santagar. If he wants a tour of Maldonia, I don't see as to why he shouldn't get it. However, as for your lady servant... you do not have my vote. But I can promise you that as soon as you make that servant a queen, all the ten houses will turn against you. I will turn against you. They will force you out of the throne and place a smarter king. I hope you do not face the same fate as your name sake. Artemis, the first." Lord Aethelind's eyes met with Artemis's. Instead of being furious, Artemis proceeded with a smile and walked away.
Now let's go back to four kings prior Artemis who is the fifth from the lineage of House Arteides. Two hundred years ago, Maldonia was ruled by a king called Artemis Arteides. He was the real first of his name. King Artemis ascended the sweet waters throne when he was fifteen years old. The council met to decide his fate since he was still young. However, Artemis the first proved himself to have come of age and he ruled the kingdom when he was just sixteen. He was an impulsive king, heartless, ruthless and arrogant. He didn't listen to anyone — neither his Hand nor his Lords. He even disrespected his mother who was only looking out for him.
He also, like Artemis the second, fell for a servant girl. Her name was Malisa and she was the daughter of a farmer. All her life, she has lived like a nomad boring girl until Artemis took a liking of her. The council voted against Artemis's decision to marry the servant girl. They wanted him to marry a princess who will solidify the kingdoms and merge the army. When Artemis took the servant for wife, the realm teared itself apart.
The civil war spread throughout the kingdom. It was Maldonians on Artemis's side, fighting against their fellow brothers who were on the other side. Because the power of the crown comes from the merging of the ten houses, Artemis lost the war because he was outnumbered. At only twenty years of age, Artemis the first was murdered. He was found all alone in the forest with an open throat. The Blackmount capital was covered with dead bodies on the streets and it reeked of blood. There was death everywhere — even the innocent citizens were dragged into the war and forced to pick a side.
It was Artemis's head on a pike which stopped the war. The lords of the ten houses grew even more powerful and in charge of the kingdom than even the king. The laws and orders of men gave the houses power to decide who the king weds, hence the induction of votes.
"Your namesake was beheaded and his head placed on a pike. But who am I to judge?" Lord Aethelind finished and walked right past Artemis. "Maybe you may solidify Maldonia after all, Your Grace..." He turned to king Valith. "We will continue with our conversation?"
Vaith replied quickly. "Of course, my lord."
"Very well then, nice journey." Lord Aethelind finished and walked away leaving Artemis in dilemma of his future.
Cadeaux
-- Cadeau
reçu État de l’alimentation hebdomadaire
-- Classement
Power Stone 
-- Power
stone