2 The Wolves of the North (1)

The Year of the Lord 1587, 15th of Julious

Edeva, Southern Norsland

Edeva, the largest city in the southernmost region of Norsland, a strategic city due to being situated in the east of the southernmost region where they can threaten the Aquintanian region in the north, has fallen now to the largest empire in the continent.

Citizens hide inside their homes as the Aquintanian soldiers march around the city. The snow and cold cannot lower the burning fervor and happiness of the soldiers after fighting for six months – two pitched battles and a siege battle where they ended up victorious throughout the empire campaign.

But they know that they cannot loot or pillage the city as it was the order of the commander which dampen slightly the mood but did not ruin it as everyone knows that they can now go home back to their families with rewards and riches that would soon be distributed to them.

Amidst all of that, inside the largest structure of the city, the Edeva City Hall, many people are cleaning and preparing the entire building. House cleaners are cleaning while men are carrying and transferring stuffs and objects to make the place more presentable for an important person- the emperor himself, is soon arriving in the city.

Two men in particular are in the office talking and preparing themselves before greeting the incoming guests of honor. The two are the leading commanders of the battle that had just ended outside the gates of Edeva – Constance and Emile.

"Someone must have wished me misfortune, for why the emperor himself would even dare to come here in the far frigid north."

"You are so noisy kid... If there is anyone who is really unlucky here, it would be me. I have been stuck here for a long time already. I need a warm embrace of a mainland woman already especially those from the capital, they are wilder and more creative in bed. Busty too if I would add."

Constance can only helplessly sigh from what his trusted cavalry commander just said. The vulgarity and crass personality of Emile would always be there, no matter what occasion.

The two are currently wearing military uniform even if they are in the middle of winter. It is much worse as they had just come from a cold bath to remove the smell of blood and sweat from their bodies. The two are dying inside from coldness, especially Emile who is a foreigner, from the Kingdom of Frankias west of the empire, and has no really deep allegiance to the empire and the emperor, he is only here because the young brat – Constance, bring him here in the north as part of his personal retinue.

Constance is wearing the silver imperial military uniform, a uniform for military officers from high noble backgrounds. As Constance is the next Margrave of Arignon, he can wear such uniform, which is just only next to the gold imperial military uniform who are reserved for those who have blood ties with the imperial family.

While Emile is wearing the dark red military uniform reserved for the men of the Margrave of Arignon. The uniform embroidered with the starflower, a pink flower that can only grow in the arid and desert land of the continent of Evicella, is the coat of arms of the Margrave of the Arignon.

The two are disrupted when one soldier enters the office they are staying in right now.

"Sirs, a group of imperial knights with carriages carrying the imperial flag is approaching the city sir. What should we do to them sir?"

"Oh, they are here. Order the troops to stand in attention and let the imperial knights and the carriages in and inform the troops that the His Majesty the emperor is here."

The soldier is shocked from what he had just heard. The emperor himself arrived in this far northern end of the empire in freezing cold temperatures. Never in his life has he even seen the capital, let alone the emperor. The situation right now is very shocking as it is the man who ruled the entire empire would come here.

"Yes sir... I will tell the others sir."

The soldier is stuttering as the shock is still apparent in his face. Both Constance and Emile understand the shock reaction of the soldier.

The soldier, realizing that he was still standing dumbfoundedly in front of his superiors, immediately saluted to them and left the room. He must inform the troops and officers of the coming presence of the emperor so they can show proper and formal respect.

"Boy, I think we should also leave the room and meet the emperor at the gates. I don't want to be beheaded because of disrespecting or offending the emperor."

"Yeah... those knights especially who would always make everything a big deal."

The two can only helplessly go outside to meet and give respect to the coming emperor. There are still a lot of things to do after occupying the city, but it is the emperor that they are meeting of all people.

-- -- -- -- --

Constance observes the surroundings as they are walking towards the city gates. They are still far from the gate as they are in the middle of the city where the city hall of Edeva is located but he can already see city gates from a distance.

Edeva is not a large city as its population is only about 15,000. Compared to the cities and towns in the mainland continent, its size is only comparable to that of a medium to large town.

The only difference is that the structures and buildings in the city are larger and have larger spaces between them compared to the continent. Also, the buildings and homes are built to give warmth and comfort suitable for the freezing lands in the Norsland.

The city even has more look deserted and barren as most of the populace are hiding inside their homes in fears of the new occupiers of the city. Most of the men are also either captured or killed as most of the men sallied out to join the remnants of the southern Nors army that was just defeated.

"Our presence in the city is not welcome." Emile said absentmindedly, he is not really concerned whether the people here would welcome open-heartedly the rule of the empire. For him, he is just a soldier of fortune at service to the young man.

"It would always much easier to conquer the place than pacifying it old man. And it would also not concern me much further, we would soon be leaving this place."

Constance said smilingly, imagining his future returning to the family's fief, leaving this barren and frozen wasteland. For him, his military adventures and campaigns are already over, and it is now time for living the life he wants.

"Heh... you and I are the same, don't worry I would teach you my ways kid. Just remember your promise."

"Hah you are really arrogant old man; I don't need such help from you. I am plenty handsome myself," Constance replies smirking. "Don't worry I promise you that you would just live so peacefully that you would be bored out of your mind."

The two men are now near to the main gate where the army are standing in line and attention waiting for the emperor and his retinue of knights to reach the city.

Constance then climbs to the city walls to look where the imperial knights are now, he is curious why the emperor and his knight retinue is very slow to arrive the city when the soldier said they are already sighted on the city walls when they are still in the city hall.

"They are really slow. What are even they are doing? They are in the frigid north for goodness's sake, not in the capital. There is no need for such formal and slow processions."

Emile said, as he follows Constance up to the walls, who also sees that the caravan is yet to reach the city gates. They are now standing in the western gate of the city as the north, which is the nearest, is still littered with dead soldiers and enemies, where the emperor would also enter to.

The emperor's retinue is moving so slowly, and the knights and the soldiers are all wearing heavy plate armor that is not suitable in the wintry lands of the north. They all look idiot as everyone can see that the soldiers with the knights are shivering in cold.

They even have unmounted soldiers in the front of the imperial procession making it much slower than it must be. The carriages are not even lowkey as they are all plated with gold and expensive materials used for prominent and rich nobles in the empire.

"The emperor's guards are really a sucker of outdated and unnecessary traditions... Even in this freezing weather, they are still wearing such heavy plate and chainmail armors and not wearing anything that can negate the coldness... such stupidity cannot be toppled by anyone in this world."