11 Chapter 11: Eagle's Freedom
The Albatross royal family was the first and only ruling family of Valencia. They weren't blessed by the goddess nor did they have the mighty lineage of the Twelve Champions or the Ancient Ones or even the Old Deities, they were descendant from flesh and bones.
Among the five nations, Valencia was the only country that didn't rely on a higher power but instead on the strength of men. That destiny lies with the lives of the people. That through the toughest of trials and through the honesty of their desires and freedom in their hearts, they could rule a kingdom just as powerful as the goddess's chosen. Just like the eagle that soars above all.
Cidel believed in that notion so badly that he lived his life as freely as he could. The reckless abandon of his own youth and selfishness would detract him to the nobility and even the common people, but he would call himself free. Free from the worldly possessions of the soul just like his forefathers before him.
The king walked through the Taifa Forest in the warm afternoon. Some nobles would say that the forest is brilliant strategic defence that keeps people outside Valencia from getting further. The dark oak of each tree contrasted heavily by the gleaming light that sneaked in every branch but when the dusk settles, each tree would feel as if they too barked, doing everything they could to stop intruders.
It was only partially true. While the forest could definitely be used as a defence system and the magnificent mirage of the trees stood even the old days of the men who walked first, the real reason for the forest is that it represents the good of Valencia. Freedom. It always came back to freedom.
"Milord, the small council is about to begin. They need you there now."
Cidel saw his retainer Frederick standing behind him, his armour gleamed with the light that the king found it annoying. Frederick had been with him since he was twelve, back then, Frederick was only in his late teens when he served the royal family. Through the years, Cidel would come to think his retainer as one of his brothers.
"Let them wait...I don't need to stay if they won't listen to me."
They could hear the trees bark with how silent they became. The thoughts that ran through the retainer's head were unclear to the king.
"Milord, forgive me but even if that's the case, you should still attend. This kingdom needs its king."
"Tell me Frederick, among the five nations of Eddan and beyond the lands of west and east, which do you think has a king that doesn't have the power to do anything? Who has the pieces of the board but lacked the capabilities to wield them? Like fucking a wife without a cock." Cidel snapped at his retainer. This wasn't the first time he had one of his outbursts at Frederick but the retainer was still understanding of Cidel, today was no different.
"Be that as it may, you still control the capital, surely the people would support you." Frederick reasoned to him, almost pleadingly but Cidel shook his head in disappointment.
"I may oversee what transpires in Taifa but the people doesn't trust me anymore and you know that. How many rumors have you heard that I sold out my own kingdom to another? The talks about the rocsha a few years back was enough for me to dissuade some of them. How do you think they would respond to regicide?"
Cidel couldn't think of a plausible way to beat his league of nobles. Recently, they have been growing in power, especially clan Naveere. No doubt this was what Hel planned from the beginning, by gaining the trust of every single noble in his kingdom, he in turn, turned the whole country against him and was most likely ordering them to do his bidding.
Cidel laughed out loud but it was a shallow one, "To think Valencia would stray away from freedom. How ironic."
"Milord, I still have something to tell you." Frederick handed him a rolled up paper with a specialised seal on it.
Cidel took hold of the letter and unfold it. The letter came from one of his spies, whom he trusts with his life as he built the organisation from the ground up. As the saying goes; "The trees hear everything."
"I'm surprised what Bolsung managed everything so far. A war that only they know how it plays out and what did that achieve? More than half of Valhalla. How long has it been? A month since I helped Charlemagne kill my family, or so everyone says." Cidel's tone was sardonic and he couldn't help but let out a scowl.
"And now the Bolsung army have now entered Valencia and set up camp on our borders, it's most likely a signal of conquest. A daring move from those blood-hound beasts." Frederick spat at the notion of Bolsung's forces invading their soil.
"And according to their reports, Valhalla has taken no evident action on the matter. I'm sure the people of the empire now know their current predicament."
"Should we mobilize some of our forces to our borders?"
"Even if I wanted to, I couldn't. I don't hold the military power and if one of the Four Horsemen was set up there, then bringing in an army would be a waste."
Cidel knew something was up. It was the same feeling that he had that night a month ago. Everything was happening way too fast. The conflict of Lombard and Valencia, Charlemagne's trial and now Bolsung's movements all screamed that someone was playing a game with them. The invisible players that no one knew.
"Besides, if they wanted to conquer Valencia, then sending one of the Four to lead a campaign would be the first thing they would do. Right now, we simply have to wait and see what Hel will do." Cidel walked past his Frederick back to the castle.
"Do you still believed that he is a part of Bolsung?"
Cidel turned back to his retainer, "Yes, and sooner or later, that man will slip up. A path will open up for us and we just have to act."
"I'm sure prince Charlemagne would appreciate your help with bringing Hel to justice."
"Speaking of which, do you have a word of his condition? The prison order is no joke when it comes to detaining prisoners." Cidel asked his retainer. He could not help Charlemagne at the trial due to the disobedience of the nobility to act as a neutral party instead of giving a testimony. The rumors of him commiting regicide on his own family was a sickening thought to the people, it will help see Cidel as a worthy king but in reality, he was merely being set up as a puppet by his own nobles.
A puppet ruler for the king of freedom. The irony was not lost to Cidel and he hated it.
"It's either that or the Paradise but you already knew that, the decision was rigged from the start by king Gunther. Nonetheless, the prison order has a better track record of taking care of its prisoners no matter how well caged they are."
"Most choose the cage."
There was a reason for that. The Paradise was once known as an island with nature acting like it was alive, a natural beauty that humanity's ancestors lived and considered their safe haven but after the fall of the Age of Gods, the island mostly turned into a garden of the demon. "Nature itself will kill you" as the old saying goes.
It was said that the island was as big as the continent of Eddan and some said it was only a small plot of land. Those who agreed with the latter, bit more than they could chew and those who agree with the former, never lived their life like it once was for only a handful could actually survive that hellhole.
Cidel did not like to consider what fate Charlemagne would have if he were sent there and fortunately enough, their enemies saw that choosing to condemn the prince of Lomard to such fate would gain the distrust of every single noble for wanting the heads of every nation in Eddan and king Gunther knew that well if he were to wage war against Valhalla.
"We really are in a tough bind Frederick."
"Yes milord. If you want to beat them at their own game, you must amass power first. Start by rebuilding your relationship with the people again or gain allies from other nations to help you."
Allies from another nation. He and Charlemagne were allies before everything went to shit. Unlike Charlemagne who pushed through many obstacles, he merely let the bastards who started all of this get what they wanted. Control. He was a worthless friend to Charlemagne.
Some friend he was.
"Friend..." Cidel muttered under his breath. Somehow the word stuck to him but he did not know why and how. It was like something important was lying underneath a rug.
"Friend." Cidel muttered again, this time, louder than before. "Friend."
Cidel was struck by a realization.
"Frederick. Order one of my spies to look into Roy von Othello of New Venetia. Tell them I need everything they have from that man! I need it now." Cidel ordered with a rushed tone.
Frederick was taken aback by the sudden request of his liege. Normally he was a lot relaxed but whatever he thought up must have been a revelation.
"If you may indulge me your highness, why do you need your spies to look into the heir of the leading house of New Venetia?"
Cidel let out a smirk at his friend. "Roy von Othello was stated to be a good friend of Charlemagne. Alongside Adelaide von Helregin, they were enrolled at a military academy to hone their skills in warfare or so the other representatives at the trial said."
"And what does that have to do with anything?"
Cidel grinned at Frederick. "During Charlemagne's attack, I noticed that one of his soldiers lead a troupe known as the Mage Corps., and according to most military knowledge, Lombard never had a unit dedicated to mages since their mages tend to do research above military affairs. The only one's who had mage units are Valhalla and recently, New Venetia."
It was true. Lombard's strength came from their powerful cavalry and their variants while Valhalla's strength came from their magical prowess, developing a lot of military mages and tactics in their repertoire and the republic has only added a magic units, most likely a request made by the next heir to New Venetia.
"Are you saying that New Venetia was involved in the attack? That they orchestrated every thing from the beginning, your highness?"
"Or they have something to gain from what Hel did. Bolsung seemed adamant to send only a small portion of their army to contain their war by only using the Four Horsemen to wage war." Cidel paced much slower than before. "Most likely king Gunther would have launched the thousands of his men to decimate their foes but he didn't. This is not a strategic offense but a scheme on a grand scale and the only one who could pull that off is Hel."
"And New Venetia saw an opportunity to gain what exactly?"
"Control."
Frederick looked confused at Cidel. He could not think of any sort of way for such the land of commerce to ascertain control over Lombard and Valencia.
"Do you really not see it?" Cidel asked his retainer to which he shook his head.
"They want control over the economic state of both our countries, for what reason however is unknown even to me."
Control was a dangerous thing. On one hand, control over the state of affairs of a nation with the right person can lead the country to flourish or rip to shreds. The other one deals with the difficulty to control the desire of the self, only for their own wants and needs. Both have their own histories in the line of nobility but ultimately, it boiled down to control of selflessness or control of selfishness. Cidel could not discern where to put Roy under.
"They are the land of commerce. Their country was built by magnates and contractors that call themselves nobles. It is not unheard of for them to assert control through business and what better for them to expand their control..."
"...Is by using the devastating situations of Lombard and Valencia by making contracts with them!" Frederick finally came to a realization of their plans.
Cidel nodded at his retainer. "Right contracts are placed highly by the republic and to them it is nigh unbreakable." The king let out a smirk. "But a rigid wall can be broken by the smallest of cracks."
If Cidel was to do this plan. Then he would need to think through his options. Otherwise, he could not achieve the freedom he desired and for that to happen, he would take their freedom way.
