Chapter Two – The King's Council
Location: Valderrin, the capital of the kingdom of Caridon.
Valdrin Palace
His footsteps echoed in the long stone corridor leading to the throne room. The cold air in the palace seemed to test his resolve before he faced the council. Nicholas closed his eyes for a moment, then opened them with a steady step, and entered the room.
At the head of the council stood King Richard III, his shoulders heavy with the weight of years, his face etched with trials, triumphs, and betrayals. His pale complexion spoke of the sternness of the North, and his gray eyes were like merciless swords.
His black hair, pulled back tightly, was streaked with gray, as if bearing the marks of battles that had left him scarred. A short, gray beard added to his stern and imposing presence.
A luxurious black fur cloak with heavy gold chains hanging from it, which do not so much adorn him as proclaim his power.
His face not only bears cruelty, but also the coldness of a ruler who sees humans as tools in his grand scheme of governance.
Nicholas thought to himself:
(Whoever sees him in this state will not believe that he is hiding a deadly secret. He will die in two years, yet he stands as if he is immortal... In the original novel, Richard III is the most controversial of the kings after the fall. Rational to the point of rigidity, he does not trust emotions, sees mercy as weakness, and loyalty is bought with fear, not love. A shrewd politician, he knows the scandals of his nobles and rules them with them. Cruel, but disciplined. He fears chaos more than death itself, and dreams of restoring the glories of the old empire. It is said in the novel that he is obsessed with power, but I do not agree with this.)
He ascended the throne at the age of fifteen and assumed actual power at twenty-two after overthrowing the Regency Council with the help of the old army commander, Dracus Harvick. He then married his daughter (the mother of Nicholas and Alexander) to secure the army's loyalty. Once he had consolidated his power, he dismissed him and his family from all military posts, leaving only his son Galen in the Ministry of War, with limited authority.
Forty years of rule during which he expanded the borders to the north and east, but the interior was mired in taxes, espionage and assassinations.
Nicholas looked at the council members, trying to remember the faces as he had read about them:
Alexandra, his younger brother, is second in line to the throne. At fifteen, he is honest but weak-willed, becoming subservient to the hero after the kingdom's downfall. He has not even attempted revenge.
Malcolm, the trade minister, is a wealthy man who took office thanks to his huge debts to the kingdom.
Galen Harvick, the Minister of War, son of the old commander (and uncle of Nicholas and Alexander), is a brave and loyal man who will be the last to defend the kingdom in the novel.
Kervin, Chancellor of the Exchequer since the board's inception when Richard took power, is an elderly man in his seventies, worn down by the numbers, but the only one capable of saving the country from financial collapse. He tries to resign every year, but Richard refuses, being the highest-ranking minister in the government.
Abraham, the head of the church, no longer held the same influence as in the time of Iron Richard.
Selina, the Minister of Agriculture, the first woman in this position, inherited it from her father after her brother's chronic illness
Nicholas stepped forward and sat in the chair closest to the throne. He said respectfully:
"I apologize for the delay, my lord."
The king did not respond with a word, he merely gave a cold look towards the finance minister.
Richard said in his deep voice:
"Kervin, explain to me why a messenger has come from the kingdom of Alberon."
Kervin cleared his throat, his voice carrying a distinct hesitation:
"My lord, the nobles of the north—specifically the Duke of Merovin—made an agreement with one of the nobles of Alberon, to provide him with a loan of money in exchange for guaranteeing the Novera Valley in case of failure to repay. Such transactions are common, but they became complicated after the rebellion of the south and the war taxes, and the duke was unable to repay. And here is the messenger of Alberon demanding their due."
Silence fell, as if all those present had realized the danger in the last sentence: the possibility of losing a piece of the kingdom's land.
Richard III said in a steady voice:
"Can the royal treasury pay off the debt?"
Kervin responded quickly:
"No, my lord, we cannot. We can barely pay off old debts to neighboring kingdoms, and we have no energy for any new commitment."
Malcorn intervened, nervously clasping his fingers:
"Does the valley have economic value? Agricultural land? Minerals?"
Kervin shook his head:
"No, but losing him will make us look like a wounded gazelle in front of wolves. They will understand that we are weak."
Galen Harwick said sternly:
"I agree with Kirvin. Any concession will tempt the other kingdoms to devour us one by one."
Nicholas sat silently, watching the argument, but his mind was elsewhere. How similar this scene was to the chapters of the novel he had read—the same faces, the same pointless arguments. But now he was inside it, capable of changing it.
Richard tapped his forefinger on the throne as a signal for silence.
Then he looked directly at his son and said:
"What do you think, Nicholas?"
Time stopped for a moment.
Here is the question I've been waiting for.
He took a slow breath and said confidently:
"Father, we can take advantage of the situation. I suggest we offer an alliance with Alperon, the dowry of which will be the Valley of Novara, with my marriage to the king's sister, Sarah. This way we pay off the debt without paying anything, and gain a military alliance."
They exchanged glances in the council.
Kervin said, surprised:
"And why would they agree to that?"
Deep down, Nicholas knows the answer.
Because King Adrian I of Alberon is ill, at thirty years old, he seeks a final victory before his death to allow his son time to grow up. If he allies with us, he will secure the peace he needs.
But he didn't say anything of the sort.
He simply looked at his father and said:
"I'm sure he'll agree, Dad."
Selena said sharply:
"But Sarah is a nun! She hasn't forgotten the old wars between us. Her fiancé died in the War of the Two Crowns. And on top of that, she's ten years older than you!"
Galen intervened, saying:
"In my opinion, we should try the Crown Prince's proposal. We have nothing to lose by trying."
Everyone fell silent.
Then Richard tapped the throne again and said:
"Call the messenger of Alberon."
The messenger entered with hesitant steps.
yell:
"An order from our King Adrian I."
Murmurs of discontent rose. Who dared send orders to the king of Caridon?
Kervin took the letter and opened it. His voice trembled as he read:
"From Adrian I, King of Alberon, heir to the imperial throne, ruler of the continent of Aurethia, to Richard III, King of Caridon. I demand my due debt, the Valley of Novara, immediately."
The air froze.
Kervin looked at Richard, whose face was like an angry rock about to explode.
After a few moments of heavy silence, the king spoke in a low voice, like a muffled thunderclap:
"Remember my words well, Messenger."
I, Richard III, King of Caridon, the rightful heir to the imperial throne.
I do not give orders... I give the orders.
He stepped forward and said:
"And this is my one and only offer: the marriage of my son Nicholas to your king's sister Sarah, with the Valley of Novara as her dowry, and a military alliance between our two kingdoms "
"Accept the offer… or prepare for war"