(Cidaris Dungeons,, Castle Cidaris, City of Cidaris, Duchy of Cidaris, Kingdom of Cidaris, Dragons Coast, The Northern Kingdoms, The North, The Continent, Witcher World, the Witcher-Verse)
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(King Aethan I Jaenerys of Cidaris POV)
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In the sea of rage he felt within him, Aethan felt a moments calm as he held Adda in his arms. Thank Freya his wife wasn't harmed too bad, though the physician Gwendolyn Eivornburg, had expressed concerns about the pregnancy. Something about the stress where the blade struck Adda putting one or all the children at risk. That was a concern, but hardly his immediate one. Thus Eivornburg was ordered to do what she could without resorting to anything drastic. His Royal Physician had provided Adda with Several potions. Hopefully his children wouldn't die from this.
If even one of them did…
It would make the punishment for Lucien Feld all the more slow. But he refused to give in to his base impulses. He had five illegitimate secret children already. He would not see wrath among his sins.
''Was it even worth it?'' Aethan asks, doing his best to keep his voice calm and level.
''Attacking a pregnant woman? Nay. But you cost me everything, and with you God's knows where doing God's knows what, I knew I'd have only one chance for vengeance.'' Says Feld.
''I'll keep your children out of this, even though you didn't leave mine out of this. They could die you know? In the womb, because of what you did?'' He says.
''I swung the blade tis' true. But it was you that set it in motion.'' Says Feld.
''Perhaps, but I will spare us both the pain and have this done quickly. Put him on his knees.'' At his order, Stennis and Anséis gingerly force the man to his knees. Lucien does not resist, taking it without any struggle.
''Lucien Feld, for your crimes against my family, and the attempted assassination of my wife, I sentence you to die.'' With a single saint of lionors a'baeth, Lucien Feld's life is ended.
''Curious.'' Aethan whispers noticing the way his blade seems to both grow heavier in his hand and glow with newfound power.
''Let this be a lesson, if you can't look the man you're about to execute in the eyes. Perhaps he does not deserve to die.'' Aethan tells his two words, before turning to Letho.
''Burn the body and scatter the ashes.''
''Understood.''
''Come with me.'' Aethan tells the two boys.
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Aethan Led the two boys to a wide open courtyard, there was a sword rack nearby with several swords on it.
''Grab a sword.'' He instructed. ''It's time to see how well you can perform against a more skilled opponent.'' Says Aethan.
''You want us to fight you?'' Asks Stennis.
''Heh, I want you to try.'' Aethan says with mild amusement. ''The swords are blunted, and the goal is to land a strike on me. However if I immediately throw one back on you it doesn't count as that would therwfore be considered a parry.'' Says Aethan as the boys each grab a sword from the rack.
Aethan idly notes that Stennis grabbed a bastard sword while Anséis went straight to the weighted longsword. The latter being a tool used to prepare students for a greatsword.
To his annoyance they didn't bother coordinating a strategy, any sort of coordinated attack, just went straight for him. Clearly he'd been lax in their instruction.
As soon as Stennis came close, swinging his bastarf sword at him, Aethan dodged it with deftly executed sidestep, quickly following that up with a sweeping legsweep at a low crouching angle.
Stennis landed hard on his side, Anséis wasn't far behind and Aethan took little effort in dodging. He simply made the effort of taking a simple and slight two steps back, rotating his body left and right counter to whichever way that Anséis was swinging.
With a single quick motion, Aethan spun around and clocked Anséis squarely in the jaw, quickly wrenching the sword from his grasp, as the young Prince Staggared.
''That was disappointing. Try again.'' He ordered.
And try again they did.
Again.
And again.
And again.
And again.
Until finally…
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''Enough. Clearly, I've not been hands on enough with both of you. Well that's about to change. Come with me.'' Aethan tells the two exhausted boys, leading them to the map room.
''Why are we here?'' Asks Anséis.
''Stand where Lyria and Rivia and Aedirn are located.'' The princelings stand on their respective nations painted on the floor. ''See where I stand, I know every detail of my own kingdom. I know the land, I have taken the time to familiarize myself with my kingdoms geography and people. I do this so that on the event A foreign army illegally breaches my borders, I have an advantage. That book on the table? It's a compilation of steps to warfare that I wrote at oxenfurt. The finer points and subtleties of War is of crucial importance to any Kingdom or Empire. The first reality of warfare is that no matter how good you think you are, there is always someone who's better. And it is for that singular reality, that there is no such thing as perfect or foolproof strategy. The Arts of war are therefore ruled by five simple laws of Morality, Heaven, Earth, The Commander, and Methods and Discipline. Laws of Morality determine how in sync the troops are with their leaders, and thus how far they're willing to follow them. Laws of Heaven signifies the conditions in which a battle is fought: Night and day. Hot or cold. Time of day and time of season. The laws of Earth signifies the land un which a battle is fought. This means it comprises distances, great and small, inherent dangers and risks of the terrain, security gained from that terrain, if its narrow ground or an open field. Whatever is true in the laws of Earth thus holds the odds of life or death in its decisions. The laws of the Commander can be the success or failure, regardless of whatever is immediately apparent. The commander's Virtues, his failings, how he treats his men. Pay attention.'' Aethan finishes his speech.
''We're listening.'' Stennis says.
''Read the book. Then think about what happened after the execution and why you failed. I'll expect an answer in two days. How you answer will determine just how severe the training will be.'' Aethan leaves the two in the map room. He'd had Adda sedated while he dealt with Feld and cooled off a bit. Now it was time to see to his wife and her needs.
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''Aethan?''
''I'm here.'' Aethan says, as he holds Adda's hand.
''The babies?'' She asks.
''Should be fine. The Blade barely touched you.'' Says Aethan, even if he's seriously concerned about the babes.
''You're lying. I can tell you're worried.'' Adda says with a sad and knowing smile.
It hurts him how much that smile hits him. He tries not to lie to the people closet. The fact that Adda was able to tell he was lying…that was both a good thing and a bad thing.
For a variety of reasons.
''I try not to. But nows not the time to discuss it. We'll need you to take a lot of rest and get stronger before moving you. Eivornburg has been instructed to tend to you specifically. I'll check in on you when I can, but for now. I'll be temporarily taking over your duties. Get some rest Adda. I'll see you at lunch.'' Aethan tells her.
He gives her one last look before departing.
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(Author's Note:)
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We'll see some of Adda's pov next chapter. As well as the discussion between Stennis, Anséis, and Aethan. Just to be clear, that book Aethan wrote is partially adapted from Sun Tzu's Art of War. So you might've found it familiar. Well, that's two Aethan chapters for September done, so I better get back to work.
See you guys at the next chapter.
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