6 Robert I

Areon, Robert Mathian and Ameon all took the carriage to the South along with some of Wiscard's best soldiers, Robert objected to this notion. "If we're trying to achieve peace, why bring those who represent war?" To which Wiscard responded "Just because we seek the best outcome doesn't mean we can't prepare for the worst."

Areon himself noted how much more pleasant it was travelling from the East to the South as opposed to the West to the East.

"Much less dead bodies, burnt houses and the nauseating smell of ash and death is nowhere to be seen." Areon said, with a hint of sadness in his voice.

The night's still young Robert thought to himself, he'd always hated long rides in carriages like this, he also felt 2 nobles, a physician and three times as many guards would draw unnecessary attention to themselves, especially when it was a mission that they couldn't afford to fail, he said as much to Wiscard, although Wiscard felt that was the exact reason he should send troops with them.

These 'soldiers' look greener than moss Robert thought to himself silently, he couldn't help but notice the one sitting in the carriage with them, was holding his crossbow and shaking while doing so. I prefer not to have to protect those sent to protect me he jested to himself, although he dare not say such a thing aloud, they barely have any confidence in themselves, best not show their Lord has none in them either.

The road itself was comprised of dirt with slabs of cobblestone clearly showing the way to their destination, on both sides of the road were lush green forests, inhabited with dark brown oak trees, extending as far as the eye can see, the cart ride was also rather rough.

"You're a prince, Sir Robert, correct?" Areon asked.

"Without the damned pleasantries, and yes. I am." Robert retorted.

"As you wish. You're brothers with this Pri-." Areon stopped mid-sentence, catching himself. "Jason, Do we need to prepare for any kind of confrontation?"

"That would require the bastards to pick a damned side," Ameon said under his breath, when he noticed that Robert heard what he'd just said. "Apologies, Robert. I do forget where your blood lies sometimes."

Robert looked at him and smiled.

"But it is true, though. My father, Henric Cortiet, as well as my brother Jason Cortiet couldn't make an actual choice to save their life." He said contemptuously.

"Well, if there's anything good to be said about that. It's that, one way or the other, they'll be forced to make one today." Areon said with a grin.

Let's just hope that it's one in our favour, Robert thought to himself, while fiddling with his necklace.

The journey itself was largely uneventful, much to the happiness of the greener-than-grass soldiers, and to the pleasant surprise of just about everyone else, aside from the occasional hanged deserter or the odd troubling stare from a peasant, to which the soldiers would grip their crossbows a little bit tighter.

Eventually, they finally ended up reaching their final destination of the South, and what a magnificent one it was, even one as reserved as Robert couldn't help but watch in awe of the city's beauty, the city shone bright like crimson under a dark moonlit sky. The walls upon which stood as imposing as the grandest mountain, the gate that led into the city was even taller, as it stretched from the city, through the river onto the next coast of land. It's colour as dark as the void, yet as beautiful as the night sky under a full moon. The blue night of the sky contrasted beautifully with the orange lights of the busy market streets.

"Gods," Areon cursed with his jaw wide open as he took in the view. "What the South lacks in political prowess, it damn sure makes up for in architecture. I've been here only a dozen or so times in my life, and yet every time is more wondrous than the last," he said seemingly entranced with the beauty of the massive, yet inviting city.

Robert himself, despite all the bitterness he held against his homeland, could not help but smile at the sight of his once-home, the magnitude of the city could not compare to any other he'd seen before, even the East's appearance left much to be desired in comparison to the South.

Even Ameon, despite all his hatred for the South, couldn't help but stand there in awe of the sight of it. He'd heard the legends and the descriptions of it, but to stand there and witness it with his own two eyes?

After a long while of standing there in awe, they finally dismounted the cart, and began to walk across the gates into the city, the inside of the Capitol was even more grand than the outside of it, the working streets of the marketplace were filled with inhabitants, the stores themselves were varied, some of them offered works of fiction and non-fiction alike, others sold the finest wines in all of Equestrium, something that Robert himself could attest to being the absolute truth.

As the group finally reached the end of the gate, King Henric met with them, Henric Cortiet had greying, receding hair on the top of his head as well as a grey beard, he also had striking gray eyes and a sturdy build, he was wearing a black fur cloak, and a dark metal breastplate and plate leggings on.

"What is it you would ask of me?" He said, turning his gaze to Ameon. "You came all this way, thus it must be something of great importance, correct?"

"You're correct, and we would not ask you of this if there was no other way." Ameon sighed. "We need you to aid us in destroying the North and the East."

"I see," Henric said, staring at Robert. "And you would bring my son here. . . why? To convince me of something you alone cannot?" He asked, irritated.

"No," Robert said, stepping forward. "If you don't aid us, if we don't put aside our political differences, we will die. They will burn us, as well as everyone else who would do so much as even think of using magic, they'll die. Their blood will be on our hands."

"Fayendrias would not be so stupid as to attack all of us unaided, he's stubborn but he's not the fool." Henric said ignorantly.

"He's not alone in this, King Garret, he's dead." Robert said, trying to avoid looking at Mathian.

"He's recruited former prince Eries, now King Eries to his cause." Mathian said, trying to keep his composure. "It's becoming clearer and clearer that he, alongside Fayendrias, plans to carry out

"Gods." Henric cursed. "I knew that Fayendrias was bold, but even for him, this is…" He paused, stroking his beard in disbelief.

"And he grows bolder by the day." Robert said.

"I see," Henric said, his demeanour changed from guarded to caring. "Come inside, then, child." He said, looking at Robert. "And the rest of you, we'd be quite the fool to plot out in the cold."

The inside of the keep was even more warm and inviting then the outside, the stone floor that led up to the throne was expertly crafted, and the throne itself looked exquisitely designed, with the seat of it designed with silver, and the arms of it gold.

Between the entrance to the throne room and the room itself were 20 guards divided into two lines, all of whom Henric had just dismissed.

Leading onto the path that led up to the throne overlooking the room itself was a majestic gold carpet that ran along the beginning of the door all the way up to the throne.

"Gentlemen." Henric greeted them, standing by the throne, yet not sitting on it. "You claim that Fayendrias will kill us all, burn us to the ground, pillage our cities, rape our women. What proof do you have regarding this incredibly grave accusation?"

The King of the South began stroking his beard, whether it be due to anxiously waiting an answer, or just to do something with his hands, Robert, nor anyone else, was quite sure of.

"What more damned proof do we need then the hanged mages that fill the roads between every corner of the world? Of the burned houses and laboratories of those simply curious of magic's mysterious properties? The man's abandoned reason for a personal vendetta, what happens once the mages are wiped out? Forget the political consequences even, his bloodlust won't end there. He'll wipe out all those he even suspects of opposing his views." Ameon said boldly.

Henric pondered this point for a brief time.

Incredibly brief Robert thought to himself.

"A grave accusation, one that will mean all out war, the kingdom will never be the same again." Henric said grimly. "What if we fail? Will our deaths be for naught?"

"History will decide that, Father." Robert spoke up. "Would you rather be written in the history books as Henric, the King who fought against tyranny to the bitter end, or Henric, the King who submitted to it?"

Henric breathed heavily, as if it was his last. "You've convinced me, what now? Do we charge at the gates of the North in bloody battle?" The King mocked.

"No." Mathian said. "Before we march to the North, we must first see if Eries has no sense of reason, we must try, at the very least, to convince him to join our cause."

"Are you mad?" Areon scoffed. "You saw what he tried to do to me, he tried to have me executed, which means you aided in the escape of a prisoner on death row, they'll kill you before you make it past the gates. But let's say you get to him somehow, do you think he'll let you live? Based on, what, his having some small notion of nepotism?"

"Who said anything about me marching there?" Mathian said, grinning while glancing over to Henric's son, Jason, who'd been by his side.

"You'd have my elder son march to a madman's territory? No, I won't allow it." Henric snapped.

"I never said your elder son exclusively." Mathian grinned, glancing this time at Robert.

"Rather both your sons." Robert said with a hint of sarcasm. "Besides, I'll need good old Jason for the political bullshit that comes with this type of assignment."

Despite all the tension in the room, Henric couldn't help but smile.

"I see you've bested me. Very well, march to his borders and reason with a madman."

The King laughed.

"But answer me this, what if he truly is the madman we believe him to be?" Henric asked.

"Well. . ." Robert paused. "Then the King is Dead…" He said, glancing over to Mathian.

"Long live the King." Areon said with a devilish grin.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The moonlight shone under the oak tree that Robert and Jason passed beautifully, the sight above them was quite the opposite

Robert and Jason were shocked by the sights that they saw on their journey to the West, Robert himself had heard the 'rumours' surrounding Fayendrias's brutality, but this was on a whole other scale, he now knew what Ameon meant by this being a vendetta.

Hanged men and women alike, but not before being gutted like animals, their entrails had spilled out of their bodies long ago, Robert's horse even stepped on one of them, to which Robert let out a yelp, a kind of yelp his brother would not soon let him forget.

The sight itself sickened them to the core, yet Robert couldn't help but notice how the bright crimson contrasted beautifully with the dark roads of the dark night.

"Gods." Jason cursed. "What kind of damned king would commit an atrocity such as this?"

"A mad one." Robert said profoundly, yet still trying to hold in his portion from the feast last night. "And you think this is bad? This is child play compared to what he'll unleash upon the world once he's done with magic wielders. It'll be the defeat of the Armerians all over again, but this time, it won't end in exile. It'll end in misery, rape and destruction everywhere."

"Are you so naive as to believe that he wills all this?" Jason asked, seemingly insulted by the very notion of it. "The rape? The killing? That's a product of wartime, not the will of those who declare it."

"He's burning these mages to the ground, he may not be the one killing and raping, but he declared a damned crusade against them, he's not a fool, he's fought in wars, he knows what goes on in wartime." Robert said angrily.

"Intention and result are two very different things, my dear brother." Jason said sternly.

"You're the political one, correct? What should we expect of Eries?" Robert asked, trying to change the subject.

"He's erratic, to the point of carelessness at times. But he can also prove a cunning ally, assuming you're on his good side."

"The side of his ambitions or that of his kingdom?" Robert asked.

"It depends on what benefits him most. He'll do anything to further his political aspirations."

"Meaning my practicing the arcane arts doesn't benefit us," Robert said with a half grin.

"Exactly," Jason said with a full one. "Although, we need not mention that to him, you might keep that necklace of yours in a place slightly less noticeable then around your neck, my dear brother, even if just to prevent ourselves from being executed prematurely."

Robert did just that.

"You've been gone awhile brother," Jason said while slowing his horse to take a swig from his waterskin. "Must have been quite the shock seeing the corpses of mages, both teachers and students, littering the streets when you've lived comfortably in the East for such a time."

"Yes." Robert nodded. "It's rather ironic, those that Fayendrias hunts in fear of them burning the world, he kills with fire."

"And here Eries is, the mad king ready to burn the world to the ground to fulfill another's vendetta," Jason said grimly. "But enough about politics, death and destruction, we'll have more than our share of that once we reach the capitol, how've you kept all these years?" Jason asked with a smile.

A smile, yes. That's what Robert had been missing all these years, all this time he felt like he wasn't in the East for academic study, so much as to keep him away from the politics, and in turn, keep him from publicly embarrassing any more politicians.

Yes, Robert began to recall all the times that his disinterest in the political game ended in disaster, like that time he was at a feast in the East, and referred to Wiscard as "Wiscard the Wizard," something that, despite amusing many there, scarcely got a laugh.

"Splendidly." Robert said while fiddling with his necklace. "My studies have gone quite well, especially those pertaining to the Arcane Arts, although, as you said, we'd best not mention that to Eries." Robert smiled.

"Agreed." Jason smiled back.

The rest of the journey to the West was uneventful, there were many conversations along the way, however. Once they talked of the cultural differences between each of the four kingdoms, another topic being how the South has changed over the years, despite having expressed distaste for it's political strategies, Robert couldn't dare try to deny their prowess.

(Although he dare not admit it to Jason.)

And when they'd finally arrived in the West, Robert was surprised by the stark contrasts of the South as opposed to the West. Whereas the South was filled with beauty in it's night sky and bright and vibrant streets, the West's were dirty and grimy, there was scarcely any beauty to be found in it.

"Is this what the rest of the world has to live with as far as their architectural values go?" remarked Jason while he slowed down his destrier, Robert did the same.

"Gods, no," cursed Robert, "even the East has beauty in it's own way."

"Let us hope that the streets aren't representative of the king's hospitality," Jason said with a grin.

The streets of the city were even worse close up then they were from afar, dirt coloured the same shade as shit was loitered all around the streets, at first Robert wasn't entirely certain that it wasn't shit and let out a slight wince, and wasn't sure if Jason noticed it or not, but judging by his blank expression on his face, concluded the latter was true.

A knight of the city finally saw them roaming the streets and asked them their business.

"We're here to see Eries, the king," Jason said with purpose.

"Your names, my good sers?" The knight inquired respectfully

"Prince's Jason and Robert, of the South. We're here to negotiate with King Eries." Jason said politely, yet with a hint of authority.

"You're negotiating what, exactly?" The knight asked, confused.

"That's for the King's ears only," Robert brashly said before Jason could get a word in.

"Tactfully put, brother." Jason said under his breath.

"As you will, my Lords. I will have to escort you, there's been a few attempts on the king's life already." The knight said hurriedly.

Few may wonder as to why Robert thought contemptuously.

"You know our names, good knight, may we have the courtesy of knowing yours?" Jason said with a smile.

"The one bestowed unto me by my mother or my preferred one?"

"Both, if you'd be so kind."

"Lardryt is my birth name." The knight said with a certain degree of shame.

"Lard as in butter?" Robert laughed. "Lardryt - the butter knight!"

"And your preferred one?" Jason asked, ignoring Robert.

"Nathaniel." He smiled.

"A knightly name, befitting of such a knight." Jason complimented the Knight of Butter, smiling back.

The inside of the black keep of the West was even less inviting than the outside of it, quite representative of the King I can imagine. Robert joked to himself in silence.

They entered the throne room, accompanied by Nathaniel, Robert had never met a knight who seemed to possess the traits common folk fantasized in them.

Upon the throne sat Eries, the mad King in the West, his silver hair gleaming in the dark of the keep.

"Why have you brought these damned souls before me, Nathaniel?" Eries demanded.

Does he already know of my practicing of the arts? Robert pondered.

"They say they have negotiations to present to you." The knight said carefully. "As far as that goes, the King's business is none of mine."

"That's where you're wrong butter knight." Eries mocked. "You're my personal guard, yes? The moment you took your vows were the same as when my affairs became yours. You'd do well to remember that."

The knight nodded in shame.

"However, I would not dare be so cold as to turn you away after your long and tiresome journey, what is it you'd speak to me of?"

"Your alliance with Fayendrias to start with." Jason said boldly. "After that? Your slaughtering of mages on the roads."

"You remind me deeply of my poor brother, Mathian. How incredibly unfortunate it is that I was unable to convert him to my cause." Eries said with remorse. "Who are you, however, to question the King's personal beliefs?"

"Your beliefs would not concern us if not for you openly slaughtering magic users, scholars and practitioners, teachers and students, alike." Robert rebuked Eries.

"Do you know what they call me? Mad. Eries Roland, fifth of his name, the mad King in the West, the dog of the mad King in the North," Eries said grimly.

"Quite the title," jested Robert while crossing his arms, "although we didn't come to exchange ours."

"Eries…" Jason started

"Your Grace," the Mad King corrected him.

"Right, Your Grace," Jason said bitterly, "do you truly believe the North's vendetta will end at mages? If so, you're wrong. They'll go after non-humans next, elves and dwarves, after they're gone? Commoners and peasants, although I've the notion you'd care little of their disappearances."

"Enough!" Eries screamed. "I'll not take such insults in my kingdom. Nathaniel?"

"Yes, my Lord?" The Knight responded.

"You are my kingsguard, you took an oath to fulfill whatever it is I wish of you, correct?

"Y-yes my Lord," he stuttered nervously.

"Kill them."

"There's no honour in killing those who have no weapon to defend themselves, m'lord." The knight argued.

"Nor is there any in breaking your solemn oath." The Mad King rebuked him.

"What would you know of sworn vows?!" Jason screamed, "you claim dishonour, yet you've relentlessly hunted down mages who have no means to defend themselves with!"

"They used magic, I hung them, just as I would hang for any other capitol offense, it's justice." Eries said leaning forward with conviction in his voice.

"I can see why they call you a mad man, now." Jason said, while motioning for Robert to leave with him.

"Stop!" Eries screamed at the top of his lungs. He looked to his 3 other kingsguards.

"Kill them," he said. "Nathaniel, and those other two heathens. Kill them all."

The Kingsguards nodded, and drew their blades, all 3 charging at Nathaniel first. Nathaniel stood patiently, a hand on his sheath on his side. Robert stood standing and waiting for their deaths for what seemed like an eternity or two. Finally, the first knight went to swing at Nathaniel, he quickly sidestepped from the slash while simultaneously unsheathing his blade and opening the contents of the guards throat onto the floor with an elegant yet brutal side slash. Nathaniel used the momentum of the strike to almost effortlessly lunge forward to the next, grabbing them with one hand by the back of the head, and forcing their body onto the blade, impaling them through the heart. Finally, the last knight attempted to charge him, only to be sliced at the knee with Nathanie's sword. Nathaniel swiftly drew his dagger from his sheath on his right leg and did cut his throat open. He then took his sword and beheaded the man in front of Eries.

Grabbing the severed head, he tossed it to the ground violently. "Consider that my resignation." And began to march out of the halls with Robert and Jason.

"What about your precious honour, ser knight?" Mocked Robert.

"Sod honour. Honour's a 6 letter word used by politicians to bend their enemies to their will." The Knight said. "There's no honour in serving a madman who would burn any who dare defy him, even those outside of his borders. I trust you'll allow me to travel with you?"

"Of course." Jason said kindly. "Don't expect the peace to keep, though."

"Allow me one thing, lord Jason."

"It would depend on the request, ser knight, but I'll do my best to give it."

"When war comes," the knight said, glancing to Jason with a face of stone, "I want to be the one to slay the Mad King, regicide is not a crime fit for Princely types."

"A both fair and sensible notion. That all depends on Eries, though." Jason said. "Brother?"

"Yes?" Robert answered.

"I've an idea on how to dethrone, or at the very least, discredit our little King in the West."

"And how's that, dear brother?"

"Swords and Arrows may topple armies, but the quill and the pen destroy empires beyond repair." Jason said with a smile.