Age of Kings 1066

POV Rio

It was February of 1070, and I was already 19 years old. It had been a chaotic last couple of years, but I had finished my training a mere two months ago. During my entire time in the palace, I had spoken to Radovid only 4 times. The man did not seem to like me, and also seemed to dislike Kirlia. When I asked Kirlia about it, she just told me it was nothing. Kirlia had finished her training half a year ago and was mostly focusing on learning how to use her magic. It was discovered that she had one of the rarest affinities. Space.

'The utility alone that she can provide with that affinity is terrifying. Especially with my knowledge of advanced physics, I can see a few ways to improve her abilities.'

Today was one of the days I disliked greatly. It was one of the days I had to meet a suitor. In the past 3 years, I have met around 20 suitors, and each one was very difficult to deal with.

'Please don't let this one be from Carthage.'

I had a really bad experience with a duchess from Carthage. She was an insufferable woman who saw me as nothing more than a bastard who was desperate for an alliance. Carthagians as a whole are not bad per se, but they have very few nobles, and most are related to the ruling dynasty of Carthage.

I open the door to the meeting room and see that there isn't anyone in there. I get a little suspicious but enter anyway. Once inside, I wait for a while to see if anyone arrives.

Two Hours Later...

'Finally!'

I started to hear footsteps from down the hall, and when it opened, I saw Geralt.

"You don't have to worry about the suitor. They cancelled their meeting after they sealed a deal with a lord from Sicily," Geralt explains.

"Sigh. Thank goodness. I hate these stupid meetings."

Geralt looks away, and I can tell he is a bit uncertain about saying something.

"You might not have to worry about that. Duke Radovid died last night in his sleep," Geralt said with a somber expression.

"Wow, the old man actually died? I was certain that he would survive any illness he caught. But I can see what you mean. Things are about to get complicated."

'Well, I guess it was a matter of time.'

"Then it seems like I will need to ascend the throne. Is the council ready?"

"Yes, they have started the preparations for your ascension," Geralt responds.

I nod and I start getting ready. The coronation didn't take too long to finish, and once it was done, I assembled the council to get an understanding of the state of affairs. I was already fairly in the know, but it didn't hurt to get an update.

"Okay, now that we are all here, what is the first order of business?"

"We have the offer from the King David of Hungary to assist him in his coming civil war," Xena was the first to speak.

"That is a risky proposal, especially given the nearby Crusade," Aerin cautioned.

"But we could use the extra land. And King David has given us a great deal. He can't win on his own, and it's possible he will be puppeted by other nations. So he is offering us the duchy of Transylvania and a permanent claim to the land there. All we have to do is attack the rebel Duke's army and ensure that the King remains in power. Our troops are more than capable of defeating the rebellious Dukes," Xena explained.

I was informed about this offer a couple of weeks ago by Xena, as Radovid had rejected it, but Xena went behind his back to continue the negotiations. I had to admit it was very tempting, given the massive amount of resources Transylvania had.

'While some will require some time to start harvesting, it wouldn't change the fact that it would give us a great starting point.'

I was no fool; I knew that maintaining the status quo would do nothing for Concordia's future. But I also knew I needed to be careful. If I expanded too much or too fast, we could draw the attention of enemies we aren't prepared to fight.

"Sergios, have the smiths made any progress?"

"Yes, they have made a few samples of these firearms, as you have named them. But they will still need extensive testing to be combat-ready. Not to mention, the resources they need to be used are more expensive than traditional bows," Sergios warned.

"That's fine, I just need them to be ready for a possible contingency. They will be our secret weapon should a crusade come for us as well. Kratos, you will select highly skilled marksmen who are loyal to Concordia to be the first riflemen. Xena, you must not let even the slightest hint of a rumor spread about these weapons. We are not ready for a full-scale war, but I think we are ready to take up the offer of King David. If we don't, we could end up with a highly zealous and hostile northern neighbor."

My requests are easily accepted, and further, I see most of the council is on board with the assistance in Hungary. Except for the Chancellor, but I knew that he was a pacifist and greatly disliked war. Once that was settled, it was time to plan the exact method of invasion.

"We should go through the Dragon Pass. It may have strong defenses, but they would be mostly drawn away to the main rebel army. Moreover, my troops are well-trained and very familiar with that area. Our Heavy Calvary are specifically known to be the terror of the mountains," Kratos started.

"But isn't Dragon Pass the most defended by the Duke of Transylvania? Would we lose more troops if we sent them to break through there?"

"Yes and no. The Duke of Transylvania has built that area to be more of a stop before their raiders enter Concordia. Its defenses haven't been updated in a few decades and would have even fewer troops due to the recent death of Radovid, making them believe that we would never consider interfering," Xena responded.

"I suppose that is a fair point, but that brings up the next question: should we wait to announce Radovid's death?"

My question causes everyone to stop and think. The first to answer was Xena.

"It wouldn't be a bad idea. But I don't think we need to do so. My sources indicate that the Duke of Transylvania is awaiting an announcement of Radovid's death before launching his civil war. It seems like he has heard some rumors that we might be interested in getting involved in the civil war. Thus, if we announce Radovid's death, we could ensure that they act when we want them to," Xena says.

"Perhaps we can delay it slightly while we make the needed preparations before we invade them," Aerin suggested.

"I think that would be best. That will also allow me to get better settled into my new position while Kratos gets the army ready. And Sergios will need to make sure all the needed supplies are gathered to begin the invasion. Furthermore, Xena will need to let King David know we will send aid when the war begins."

It was agreed that we would delay the news of Radovids' death, and it would also allow time to prepare a funeral. I would stay in the capital since they couldn't risk a possible injury or assassination. If this deal were a trap, then we might lose some troops, but I wouldn't be in danger. It would also further sell the idea that we are not going to assist King David. We had to, in a way, fool everyone so that we could avoid as many losses as possible. Once that was settled, I went to leave, but Xena asked me to stay behind.

"What is it, Xena?"

"I was given a few orders by Radovid before he died. I am loyal to the throne, but the orders he gave me were not something I ever intended to fulfill. Rather than take the risk that you discover it later, I wanted you to be told ahead of time," Xena confessed.

"What kind of orders?"

"I was ordered to kill or remove Kirlia should she attempt to enter a relationship with you. I was also ordered to kill you once you produced an heir that was able to reproduce," Xena says with a grim face.

I was shocked beyond belief. I knew that Radovid didn't like me, but I never thought it was this bad. 

"Why?"

"Sigh. Radovid didn't trust you to be a decent Duke and believed that once a less tainted Draconis was born, you should be made to retire. As for Kirlia, he believed that she would never be able to produce an heir with you and that if she kept trying to pursue you, it could lead to the extinction of the Draconis Dynasty. Radovid was known to be many things, but kind was not one of them. I was likely the only friend he ever had, and I can say that he didn't hate you, but he didn't like you whatsoever. But I want to reiterate that I would never, nor will I ever, fulfill those orders. I have watched you interact with the citizens when you sneak out with Kirlia. I have seen your ideas. I think you are what Concordia has needed for a long time," Xena explained.

I blushed a bit when she mentioned my sneaking out with Kirlia. She convinced me to sneak out a few times to see the city. They were beyond fun, but I was embarrassed that we weren't as stealthy as we thought we were.

"Ehem. Well, I thank you for the compliments, but I have to know why you tell me this. The fact is that you are the Spymaster, and I imagine that the orders Radovid gave you were top secret and would likely never see the light of day. If you said nothing, I would likely have never known."

"Kid, if there is anything I have discovered in my long life is that nothing stays secret forever. Especially in Concordia. Magic can loosen even the tightest lips. And Dead Men can tell tales here. And despite the terrible things I have done in my life, they were always for Concordia. And as such, killing you or Kirlia would not be in Concordia's best interests. We are stagnating. I have tried to push for change for decades now, but Radovid was never one to rock the boat. The future is not a river in which to carry us; it's the ocean in which we drown if we are not prepared. We can't be prepared if we just hide behind our walls and hope that everyone leaves us alone. And you want us to change. Which is why I will give you this. Radovid never wanted you to see this," Xena says while handing me a map.

"What is this?"

"A map. To something that is crucial to the Draconis Family. Somewhere that hasn't been visited by a Draconis since Radovid II. I have been there a few times, but only a person of the Draconis Bloodline can go there whenever they want. Once you have time, go there. But I suggest going alone. Or don't, it's up to you. But that was all I had, now I have some tasks to see to," Xena says while leaving.

I look over the map. It led into the palace and up the mountain. I found it odd since, as far as I knew, only griffons lived up there, and I was not allowed up there. I was told it was too dangerous, and as the Crown Prince, I couldn't go there. I looked up the mountain and wondered.

'What is up there that Radovid was so keen on keeping me from there?'

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Authors Note:

Surprise, Xena is a good person. Or at least has a decent heart, she has killed a lot of people and ordered the deaths of many more. I included it to show that Rio is not in danger from her. Or at least not now, and to give a reason for Rio to confront Kirlia in the next chapter. But what is up the mountain? Well, I guess you will have to wait and see. Until next time, Ciao.