The Wolves of the North (3)

"Lord Arignon and Warrior Emile, His Majesty is calling for your presence right now."

A man with a brown hair and a scar on his face approach the two. Wearing a full plated imperial knight, armor with the emblem of the dragon and lion at its breastplate, the imperial family symbol.

"It's been a while, Rex."

"Greetings to you Sir Rex."

"Both of you are still as energetic as in the capital. It seems that you have already adapted to the cold weather here."

"And you are still as stiff as a log. Always the goody shoes knight."

"Emile."

"Rex."

Rex and Emile slowly approach each other, sizing up with the person opposite. Constance can only sneer looking at the two old man like kids who are going to fight.

The people looking at their direction is increasing as the two men seems about to cross their swords. Especially that one of them is an imperial knight and the other is cavalry commander of the campaign troops.

The atmosphere around the two becomes colder as both are looking like with cold eyes with each other. Both are holding the hilts of their swords that are still sheathed in their waist.

"Would they fight?"

"How would I know?"

"It seems the two had bad blood with each other."

The people around are whispering as they all are curious on what is the cause of this drama. As these people have been traveling for weeks, any dramas and interesting things would help them forget their boring and stale journey.

"Hah... you too should stop what you are doing right now. Look around you too."

Rex and Emile, noticing the gazes of the people around, withdrew their hands from holding the hilts of their swords. But both still didn't withdraw their angry gaze from each other.

Their grudge against each other is still lingering in their minds. If these two would be left alone, they would really fight to the death.

"Sir Rex, Sir Emile, let's go. We can't just let His Majesty wait for us for long."

"You're right kid. Let's leave this stiff bastard here."

Constance walks first, leaving the two middle-aged men behind, if there is anything he wants right now, be disassociated to the two men.

The two can only follow Constance inside the city hall, still reeling their anger from the other.

"How are you kid?"

"I'm fine sir Rex."

"It seems that you are successful even if you are assigned to a far-flung and dangerous corner in the empire kid."

"Because I'm trained by you sir. Your teaching is the best."

"And your flattering tongue is still the same as the past."

"But it's the truth sir. Your spear skills are at the realms of the Gods."

The imperial knight, Sir Rex von Antoini, even if he is still angry meeting Emile has calm down slightly after meeting the young man, Constance. He trained the young man when he is still a student in the Imperi Aquintania Militari Academi and sees his growth as a young fledging boy into the man he is now.

He is sure that Constance would soon become a prominent member of the Aquintanian society with his great skill and intellect, especially in military arts and strategies.

"Spare me the flatteries. How are your men faring in this campaign?"

"All is well sir. I just hope that this would be the last battle the men would fight, they are all yearning to go home."

"I'm sure that His Majesty would grant that. Don't tell anyone yet, two legions, the eighth and fourteenth legions, are sent here in the north."

"So... His Majesty wants to continue the northern campaign using those two legions?"

"Yes, and the one leading the campaign is His Highness the Crown Prince, Alexander. The campaign seems a larger one, both the entire region plus some auxiliaries is being sent here right now. There are even few Diavoris from the two legions were already here near Edeva, stationed in protecting the nearby areas while the emperor is still here."

"It seems the Imperial Family is serious in continuing this campaign, still it won't affect me for I will leave this place after a few days... By the way sir, what is the reason His Majesty is calling for me?"

"I don't know. We are already here... maybe he will tell you why. He is a kind emperor so maybe you can ask him."

They are now outside, waiting for the emperor to let them in inside the temporary office he will reside in the city hall. Rex leaves the two as he still needs to tend to other important things, and he wants to avoid seeing Emile's face who always ticks him off every time he sees him.

The closed door is guarded by four heavily armed knights armed with halberds and shields. All the guards are looking sharply at both Constance and Emile, who have just arrived. Especially to Constance who they deemed inferior and unworthy because of his white hair and red eyes, a physical trait of people from the northeast who are evil or barbarian.

"Hey boy, what are you two talking about. Is it still about what happened in the capital?"

"Heh old man... why? You scared?"

"Of course not. It is his fault of why his face is scarred. He should have not attack me."

"But it is still your fault of helping Isabella elope with Matthew."

"That girl and his squire really love each other, Who are we to prevent them from having their happiness."

"But still, he is still Isabella's father."

"Especially that he is her father that he should have not stop their love and instead bless them... it would not reach to this point that those would elope if he were not this stiff and stubborn."

"Both of you can now come in."

The conversation of Constance and Emile is disrupted when a man from inside opens the door to the parlor where the emperor will be meeting them. Constance and Emile nods to the man and immediately went inside, they don't want the emperor to be keep waiting.

"Greetings to Your Imperial Majesty the Emperor of the Great Aquintanian Empire, the rightful ruler of the continent of Aegoria and the entire world."

Constance and Emile kneel as they are now in front of the most powerful man of the entire empire, Emperor Frederick XI of Aquintaine. There are only four people in the room currently, Constance, Emile, the emperor's butler and Emperor Frederick XI.

"You can now stop kneeling."

"Thank you, Your Imperial Majesty."

The emperor is already so seventy-eight years old, an age that is not suitable for travelling long journeys, that's why it is strange why the emperor did come in these frigid lands in the north. His hair and beard are already white, and the wrinkle of his skin is all over his body and face, but still the regal majestic atmosphere is still in there.

"It is nice to see the two new heroes in this generation. You had made the empire great."

"Thank you, Your Imperial Majesty, everything is thanks to the support you had given us here in the north, so the glory is still yours Your Imperial Majesty. I am just merely obeying the plan your majesty envisioned."

"Hahaha... it is true that you have a knack in flattering other people young Arignon, different from the personality of your grandfather. We didn't even help your campaign here in the north, we didn't send anything, the success here is all because of you and the men here alone."

"It is not true your Imperial Majesty. Your presence here is more than enough to invigorates all the troops and make the campaign a worthy one."

"Hahaha if you say so, it seems my trip here is not wasted. Even if the land here is so cold and bare, it is still a better sight than the capital."

"..."

"Don't mind the ramblings of an old man. Aquintaine is still the best and a sight to behold, but sometimes we men always want to witness and see new things, even if it is just a simple and natural."

Emperor Frederick XI drinks the tea in front of him while touching his beard. It can be seen in the emperor's eyes and facial expression that he is remembering something in the past.

Seeing such a peaceful and calm expression, Constance sees the opportunity to speak, confident that no harm will be done to him if what he is asking would not hit the emperor's bottom line.

"Yes, your Imperial Majesty... If I may Your Imperial Majesty, can I ask something?"

"Hmmm... being straightforwardness is really a stubborn trait of your family, you may your question young Arignon, I permitted it." The emperor, having no problem denying the request of the young lord of Arignon, gives him permission to ask him.

The Arignon family even though they are stubborn and straight forwarded bunch, have always been a loyal and faithful noble family to the imperial family, he would not deny the young lord in front of him to ask him anything as long it would not offend the authority of the Imperial Family and the emperor.

"May I ask Your Imperial Majesty, why did you come here in the north?"