The Acriestelion family had been one of the most influential familys in the entire empire. However, from the very start, they took no interest in any political affairs. Deon Acriestelion built the entire family's reputation on world wide trading, continuing to pass the family tradition set by previous generations. That in which included handing down the business to his eldest child, Aminesria Acriestelion. Aminesria had been thrilled to take over the family business at the time. Her father would retire early like they had planned and her brother would board a school like he wanted. An unexpected illness befell upon Deon Acriestelion. It had been devastating for the two Acriestelion children. Aminesria had inherited the busimes not in a way they wanted.
When Empire Eckleis fell to ruins, only the Acriestelion Family had been spared amongst the nobles of their wealth and reputation. Both Acriestelion siblings immediately rose from flames. Everyone else followed the tail burning bright in the dark sky. Acriestelion became more than just a successful trading market and so Acriestelion had been acknowledged by the entire continent. What used to be Eckleis Empire was now known to be Acriestelion. Burying behind the tragic lost and traumatic past.
It wasn't a surprise that after what the traitor of a crown prince had done, Acriestelion would be seen as angels saving people from despair. Months have passed and now Aminesria sat in front of nobles her father once taught her to look out for. Now, they all bow their heads to her. They all gathered in the conference room and sat around a large round table. All that was left were two seats vacant. Aminesria glanced up at the empty chair a few seats away from hers before letting out a heavy sigh. She stood up, head held high and poised. The picture perfect image of elegance and nobility. People often said her golden locks were molded from phoenix feathers, and that her olive eyes came from the goddess of harvest, filling them only with the fullest and ripest of greens. Her fair skin reminded the world of the first rays of sun that brought warmth from the coldest night. Whisps of conversations flew in the air, filling the silent void as they awaited for the meeting to begin when the double doors of the room opened to reveal Duke Jayus Frasirr waltzing in. Half lid eyes scanned the room as he walked towards the empty seat closest to the empress and immediately sat down. The conversations from before died into a still water.
Duke Jayus Frasirr, he had been one of the few people who stepped up to help raise the banner for the new era, raising to the top along side Acriestelion when the other nobles wouldn't spare a single penny. Frasirr has always held an aura of pure fury, making it nearly impossible for anyone to come close to him on their own will. But after the fall of Eckleis Empire, he had been a significant aid towards the rise of Acriestelion.
"Duke Frassir, we're elated to have your presence." The Empress said, the words were accompanied with a bone chilling glare that sent cold sweat down everyone's skin. At that moment, one single thought was shared amongst everyone else in the room: You don't look thrilled, though?!
"Thank you, Your Majesty. I ran a tad bit late due to a slight misalignment on the road of a transportation device's pivot. Please pardon my tardiness," With one hand in his chest, Jayus lowered his head in sincerity. The nobles couldn't help but watch this interaction unfold. They practically flew off their seats waiting for a spectacle to happen. Count Verun, on the other hand, couldn't help but feel a bit confused at the Duke's excuse but he bit back whatever resolve he had to call out the duke.
"Doesn't all that just mean you took a wrong turn on the road?" Count Verun thought to himself, the very idea of the duke somehow trying to off the Empress didn't seem like a moral thought to think of but Count Verun stole a glance at the duke. He hadn't meant to do so, he tried to mask it off as his eyes just wandering off yet the look on the Duke's face had completely caught him off guard.
Jayus bit his lips and tried to avert his eyes from everyone else in the room, looking as if he had been charged guilty of a huge crime.
"Duuuuuke! He really did just got lost!" Count Verun cried silently, unable to speak out his thoughts in fear the duke might kill him out of embarrassment. On the contrary, Viscount Dorian didn't seem to understand a word the duke had uttered. Because for the Viscount, he had understood those words individually, still for him it sounded like a very serious incident had occurred and he was quick to share his feelings.
"That must have been quite the predicament. I'm quite glad to see that the Duke is alright," Viscount Dorian almost shed a tear as he offered his sympathy. Jayus couldn't help but feel a little guilty for misleading the Viscount but he couldn't take back what he had just said. He had no choice but to accept the Viscount's sympathy with gratitude. Jayus hadn't been lying either. His coachman had said he knew of a shortcut towards the palace. Unfortunately, the shortcut he knew of had been closed off due to a land fault. They had to take a few detours on the way, which eventually lead up to them almost being rammed by a speeding carriage. Now that he arrived for the meeting, Jayus felt guilty leaving them there as he rushed to the palace on his own.
"I'll personally apologize and send the compensation money after this." Jayus thought to himself as the meeting began. Jayus has always been known by everyone to be an astute individual. That being because he had always faced every situation with such a stiff face, everyone thought he was a person who took everything seriously. When they almost crashed with the Baron on the way to the palace, he had wanted to spare the time to deal with the situation immediately but due to the circumstances stances, he couldn't afford to waste anymore time. Come to think of it, that Baron had said something to him but Jayus, with his mind already preoccupied with many things, failed to recall what thale Baron had mentioned. His thoughts drifted elsewhere, wondering what the Baron might have said. In no way was he ever going to recall it now.
"I'll have to schedule an appointment with the Baron soon," Jayus thought when the double doors of the room flew open once more, interrupting the Empress mid speech. It felt like entering into a wake. In the grave silence, everyone's eyes darted across the room to see Baron Jerudich himself, looking as if he'd been dragged across the ground, stomped on, and then watered like a plant. When Jayus said he'd make an a appointment soon, he hadn't expected it to be this soon. That's when it hit him. The words Baron Jerudich had told him was about the Empress Call. It was likely he had received the letter as well.
"Baron," The Empress said "You're late."
Baron Jerudich straightened himself up, fixing his hair and tie before giving courtesy "My apologies, Your Highness. I greet Acriestelion's brightest sun. I had a bit of an incident on the way, I happened to-"
Before he could utter out another word, the Empress raised her hand, the single movement alone shutting out all noise in the room like a switch.
"I've heard enough, let us proceed with the meeting." She said, eyes never once glancing up from the stack of papers in front of her. Whatever may be in those papers may have been more important than anything considering she had let Baron Jerudich slide. Jayus could only watch from the side.
"As you may know, former Empire Eckleis celebrated a grandiose event months from now for the past years. However, this continent is no longer ruled by the Eckleis Family, it is now under the Acriestelion's name and protection," There it was. The Ekleis Empire's annual event- The Summer Eclipse. Everyone had been anticipating this news for so long. They barely sat on their seat as they awaited for the next words the Empress would say.
"So instead of celebrating the Summer Eclipse, Acriestelion Empire will now celebrate a new annual event!"
"And what would that be, Your Highness?" Viscount Dorian asked, provoking a glare from other nobles who would not dare casually ask questions towards the Empress. Yet Empress Aminesria took no offense and merely answered.
"This event will be to celebrate the new found era of this continent, bringing forth new hope for those who lost and struggled through the betrayal of our former crown prince but most importantly, it is to remind people of a new found home. A future they can look up to, a rise for a new beginning!"
Sounds of cheers and content agreement was shared within the room, even Baron Jerudich who had been tense since arriving couldn't help but feel thrilled for this news. Count Verun had been the first to recover from this ecstatic news and quickly spoke up in pure excitement "So what will the event consist of, Your Highness?"
Empress Aminesria smiled at this. For the first time since the rise of Acriestelion, this had been the first time they had seen their empress look both scary and happy. It was almost concerning. Perhaps the new event might be a bad idea?
"The event will be- Hostile Combat."
A Hostile Combat. Jayus wondered. What does that even mean?
Empress Aminesria seemed to read their thoughts through their faces the first time she mentioned such a precarious event. They looked as if they had just ordered lamb from the Empress for dinner, got served beef instead, tried to complain about the mistake but got told it was in fact lamb when it clearly wasn't, then got the plate smashed to their faces with a smile leaving them too astonished to even say another word as they ate the left over bits of food on their faces. But the Empress was no waiter ready to run at their beck and call. It was clear where the scale tips when it comes to a single word.
"The Hostile Combat will be a tournament relying on ones skills, strength and power against a variety of opponent. Of course, there will inevitably a champion in all this which will be determined through a ranking system. Any one can participate, given they are capable of getting a little hurt just to win. But then I do not encourage those who are easily taken down. Whether you come from a House, a noble, or a wandering adventurer- It doesn't matter-" The Empress gave a shrewd smile. "-It really doesn't matter at all."
But it does matter! The entire room began to panic within themselves as they fidgeted on their chairs. The only person other than the Empress in this room to not have lost their mind already was Jayus. Curious, Jayus tried to decipher what the Empress could be hiding behind her words to suddenly hold an annual battle tournament. Since the empress had emphasized the tournament be open to all, it was clear she meant all other regions would be welcome to join the tournament as well. The tournament itself would last an entire week or two with so many participating. Perhaps the Empress was trying to build connections through this event but with the activity she chose- wouldn't that only cause tension between the regions instead?
Like moth to a flame, the Empress's keen eye sought the flabbergasted faces of her people as she turned to Jayus's questioning eyes.
"If you have any questions, it's best you spit them out now, Duke Frasirr." Said the Empress. If the empress told you to spit out whatever you had to say, it was only common sense for people to bit their tongue even if it bleeds. But Jayus couldn't have guessed that even if you spelled it out in the sky with red letters, not even when multiple people shed tears scraping their hands to write it on the ground.
That's why he boldly asked his question. "For what purpose would it serve to hold an event so barbaric? This servant is far too clueless and short-sighted, Your Highness."
By now, every other noble in the room almost shit themselves by the Duke's blunt and straightforward charisma. Truly, the duke was bold and scary. None of them could have carried the size of gall he showed in today's meeting. Even Baron Jerudich, who held a boulder of contempt towards the Duke for earliers mishap seemed to already have forgotten about it all already. A gentle reminder to never ever cross the duke. The only person who seemed to go neck and neck against the empress. The empress, on the other hand, didn't seem fazed in the slightest. She greatly prepared for this type of question, she expected it. "For charity, of course." Was the answer given.
One could practically hear a mountain shatter in half from the silence the room filled upon that answer. How could beating each other up provide charity? Will they be donating the organs to those in need from the losing opponent? Will they gouge out their eyes and hand them to the blind? If they inserted fake hair strands into a bald head, will it still be a wig or do they start calling it actual hair? These were all the questions that came running into everyone's minds at the same time.
"But, Your Majest, don't you think this type of event will provoke a competitive attitude that will slightlymostlikely cause a division in a regions relationship with each other?" One Viscount spoke out of the blue. The other nobles who couldn't speak up for themselves merely nodded in silent agreement.
"The event itself will provide a hefty award towards the winner. Also, week long event will give people the opportunity to be able to display their products in a booth fair that will be open alongside the tournament. This will also be a big opportunity not only for businessmen but also give small entrepreneurs some bit of exposure to the other regions. Don't you think I'm being a bit too generous here? It's not like I'm asking for life and death, all I ask is for fighters to exhibit themselves a little."
That was it. Something clicked within Jayus as he heard those words. For the rest of the meeting, none of them said another word of complaint about the tournament afterwards.
"I believe that is all there is to discuss. You all may be excused." Like a flood of rich and greedy men, they were quick to get up and practically make a run to the door. Baron Jerudich, as someone who had come late to the meeting and too afraid to face the Duke after that morning's incident made a fast walk towards the door. It was like seeing a blur of light make it across the room. He had come so close, salvation was right through that door, then he could be free! Just as he reached through the doorknob, a hand stopped him from moving any further. He didn't need to look up to know who it was. From the shoes he wore alone, Baron Jerudich could already tell who it was. And it made him cry. His heart dropped from his chest like a rock plummeting from the clock tower as the hand holding his wrist began to squeeze it. The duke must have been furious, of course! Who wouldn't be after the Baron almost crashed into his carriage? Revenge is what this man must have wanted, for an entire five generation's of the Baron's family to compensate for his sins!
Ruby red eyes merely gazed down at the Baron silently. Jayus had not said a word, too immersed in his own thoughts thinking how he was going to apologize to the Baron for the carriage. Thinking it was his fault to begin with. In the end, it was the Baron who had spoke up first. "D....Duke Frasirr, I-...I amarayize-" The Baron had practically went into a full blown cry, attempting to utter out an apology from his stuttering mess and stumbling on words. With his hand still holding the crying Baron in place, Jayus was more perplexed than anything. The Baron must have cherished that carriage so much that he would even cry for it. Then again, the more Jayus thought about it, carriages in these times were difficult to acquire after the Eckleis Fall. That was when the Empress had called out for him in the midst of their conversation. "Duke Frasirr, may I have a moment, please?" Finding this his chance of escape, the Baron spared no time to flee the scene when the Duke hadn't paid attention.
"Is there a problem, Your Highness?" Jayus asked. The empress turned around, her back facing Jayus as she began to walk away. "I prefer we have this conversation over tea."