Chapter 16: Ambitions
Lady Bernatys looked at Movan and Marius with eyes like fiery daggers as she put down her fork and wiped her mouth with a cloth.
"This uneducated, filthy Street Urchin be your heir, ." Bernatys said scornfully.
"Your disapproval is noted do you have a better suggestion?" Movan asked returning the fiery daggered look to Bernatys.
"My brother Mirchaud would make a more suitable heir." Bernatys suggested. "He has served you for these past three years loyalty through war and peace."
"You should stop being your brothers puppet my Wife he should be content at where he is, he has been properly rewarded for his service and he serves as Marshal of my armies." Movan said as he drank some of his wine.
"Is this how you treat your loyal vassals husband?" Bernatys said raising her voice.
"My vassals should not move passed a station which they have not earned, I may have married you to solidify a union with him, but this does not mean he is entitled to be my heir your brother is a good soldier and capable commander that is why he is marshal. That does not make him a good king." Movan said glaring at his wife intently.
"Like you?" Bernatys said rising from her chair. "You were a Vassal not so long ago husband and you rose above your station."
"I had the resources, and men to do it and struck where weakness was present." Movan said proudly.
"I can see your resolve is strong I will allow you to adopt this boy, but you are to see his education I will have little to do in raising him." Bernatys said harshly.
"That is fine by me." Movan said as he sat down. "In one week we will have the naming ceremony I do hope you will attend."
"I will do what is required of me." Bernatys said as she stood up and walks from the hall Movan's companions all look at movan in shock.
"That could have gone better sire." Klethis said as she carved a small piece of wood with one of her throwing knives.
"Yes it could have, what do you think Marius will you be my heir?" Movan asked looking at Marius quickly.
"Of course my king I would be honored." Marius said.
"Lad you don't have to call me your king you can address me as father." Movan said with a smile.
"Yes father." Marius said.
"How old are you Marius?" Movan asked
"I am fourteen father." Marius responded.
"You are the age of a squire, however you are to remain here and study, Borcha, Klethi I would like your son and my soon to be son to learn and squire together if that is alright." Movan said turning his head to Borcha and Klethi."
"Yes our boy learns from tutors we hired from all the gold we've earned under you my King they come from all across the kingdoms." Borcha said proudly looking at Borak.
"Do you have any objections about them both Squireing under Firentis?" Movan asked
"No that will be good for them Firentis is a capable warrior." Klethis said nodding.
"I will train them to the best of my ability My King." Firentis said rising.
"With that out of the way Let us retire Marius one of the servants will show you to one of the extra rooms." Movan said rising and motioning to one of the servants.
"Goodnight my king." Borcha and the other Companions said as Movan, Marius, and the Servant leave the hall.
Movan and Marius walked up the stairs quietly as they could.
"Father does your wife like me?" Marius asked with a concerned look on his face.
"She will warm up to you Marius, you should have seen her before we were married, whoo I once fought one of her suitors while I was partially recovering from battlefield injuries I fought the bugger and shooed him away, injured myself more and she wouldn't speak to me for weeks." Movan said with a laugh.
"Where did the injuries come from?" Marius asked.
"I fell off the top of a siege ladder during a siege when I served Harlaus broke several bones." Movan said. "We won the battle, but I don't remember it since I fell at the beginning. Well this is where we part for the night good night my son. Movan patted Marius on the head."
"Goodnight father." Marius said with a smile as the servant opened the door.
Movan climbed the stairs to his and Bernatys bedchamber, he opened the door Inside the room was still lit with candles and Bernatys sat in a chair in front of her mirror. Bernatys glared at Movan as she watched through the mirror.
"Are you sure you won't reconsider husband?" Bernatys asked as she turned around.
"Yes I am certain my wife I will not reconsider." Movan said confidently.
"I wish you would have consulted me, before you made that street urchin your heir." Bernatys said sternly.
"You said we could adopt so I'm adopting." Movan said as he went to the bed and layed down.
"You are impossible to reason with." Bernatys said as she came to the bed and layed next to Movan.
. . . . . .
"I know present to you Prince Marius Beltasus of the Kingdom of the Rose." Said the priest in the chapel inside of the Castle in Veluca.
The entire room erupted into applause and cheering as The newly crowned prince, Movan, and Bernatys walked through the crowd of Lords who had come to see their New prince. At the front was Lord Clais who had recently joined Movan's kingdom as a vassal.
"Congratulations my King." Clais said as they passed by.
"It is good to see you again old friend." Movan said briefly touching Clais's shoulder as he passed.
As they passed the crowd began to follow the three down to the hall where a large celebration feast awaited them. The feast continued from the afternoon into the early evening when their happy occasion was interrupted by a man who could barely stand as he entered. The man ran to the King's table and fell to his hands and knees the man had several cuts, and bruises his tunic was torn but Movan could barely make out the White Unicorn of his Brother in law Lord Mirchaud sigil.
"Fetch this man some wine." Movan said standing from his seat and walked to the man's side.
"My king we were attacked on the road at first we thought them bandits, then we saw the banners." The man said weakly.
"Who's Banners?" Movan asked urgently.
"I know not, but they were dressed in clothing and armor that looked to be from the eastern desert." Said the man weakly before falling limp on the floor.
Movan turned and slammed his fist on the table, before turning to the room sitting by Lord Clais, Lord Mirchaud sat stunned by what had just transpired.
"What is it My king?" Asked Lord Mirchaud. "I can see that is one of my men what has happened to him?"
"Mirchaud marshal the troops we march east the Sultanate has crossed our borders and have begun an invasion of our lands we must push them back." Movan said as he turned to his wife and Adopted son.
"Father are you going to war?" Marius asked.
"Yes my son, Bernatys take care of the boy while I am away." Movan said looking pleadingly to his wife.
"Yes my husband." Bernatys said as she stood. "Come Marius."
"I will see you soon Marius I will bring you a Sultanate Sword when I return." Movan said as he watched Bernatys, and Marius leave the room.
The other lords began to exit the hall and return to their castles to ready their men for war. Mirchaud walked up to Movan.
"Mirchaud I will ride out and keep them busy you are to march the army east I will keep them busy" Movan said.
"Yes my king." Mirchaud said as he turned and began to leave the hall.
Movan climbed the stairs to his study where he kept his armor in a wardrobe, and he slowly put it on and as the night became midnight he and his men marched out and marched east toward the Land of the Sun.
. . . . . .
Bernatys watched from the window in the bed chamber as the torches streamed out of the gates of Veluca as the army marched out their banners flying high and proud barely visible. in the torch light. A Knock came at the Bedchamber door.
"Enter." Bernatys said turning from the window.
The bed chamber door opened and Lord Mirchaud entered followed by another man.
"I have made the proper arrangements with this man to do as we planed." Michaud said after he shut the door of the bedchamber after he entered.
"When the boy is dead, you planted the evidence to make it look like the order was given by my husband's friend Harlaus paid for Lord Regas to hire the assassin and kill the prince." Bernatys said with a wicked smile. "Then you will be made heir of the realm then we move to assassinate my husband and you will be king."
"As we planed my sister." Lord Mirchaud said smiling. "Assassin you are to strike in two weeks while our prince is out riding not a day before are we clear."
"Perfectly my lord." Said the assassin.
"I must now marshal our forces until next we meet dear sister." Said Mirchaud before leaving the room.