"Wake up your majesty," a servant says as he puts his hand on my shoulder to wake me. The lords who have sworn fealty to you have arrived. I feel his hand rocking my shoulder and I sit up in my bed.
"Thank you," I say to the servant before asking him to fetch me food. a few short minutes later the servant is back with food. I eat as I dress and then walk down to the ad-hoc war room.
"Announcing King Aethelric I" a servant declares as I enter the war room. the whole room of 50 lords and other nobility alongside the many veteran knights as my household troops rise. I nod and they resume what they were doing before I came in. I move myself to the head of the table and see a map of the realm laid out on the table.
"My King, we have no news about your younger brother but we do have news on the whereabouts of the enemy armies. We have valuable intelligence that the main enemy army is pushing towards Dohemina and that this army has been thoroughly bloodied by Lord Harold and Prince Aethelstan. I fear that Lord Harold cannot hold on his own. Furthermore, Lord Griffonbridge's family have been taken hostage and griffonbridge itself is under siege states Lord Gerald Westerhedge as he points to locations on the map while talking.
A knight bursts into the room. "My King Prince Aethelwulf has arrived" the knight exclaims loudly. I walk out of the chamber and towards the courtyard and I am followed by the rest of the court. I enter the courtyard to find a surgeon and a retinue of knights already assembled. The griffon is already with mine own griffon and Aethelwulf is standing there looking around as he had never been this far north before. I run over to him and embrace him with a hug. The soldiers within the courtyard begin chanting both his and mine own names.
"Get some food for my brother and prepare the closest chambers to me for him" I shout. "Ready a feast as well" I continue. Servants begin scrambling to carry out my orders. around 15 minutes later me and my brother are sitting in a room talking and eating. I find out everything that happened in the capital and I call for pen and parchment.
To the regent in Westerhedge,
Assemble an army and march with haste to relieve the city of Griffonbridge. Furthermore, cultivate allies within the region. Send word to Lord Marshal Henry of Seabarrow to ready the navy for a sortie into the heartlands of the Imperialist menace. an army should be assembled at Seabarrow for a two-pronged naval land assault into the heartlands of the Imperialist foe.
Yours Sincerely,
King Aethelric I
I call Lord Gerald Westerhedge to me and hand him the letter asking him to get it to his brother with all haste. The spymaster bows and leaves immediately. I apologise to mine own brother before continuing the conversation we were having before I had to do that letter. after another half an hour of deep conversation, I leave and instruct my brother to get some rest before the feast tonight.
Lady Matilda of Marshalburye my betrothed call upon me and so I take her out to the fortress gardens for a few hours as she is a keen gardener. For those hours she explains every single plant we encounter and how the plant was grown and other facts about all these plants.
While I do enjoy my betrothed's company all this talk of plants is rather dull I admit to myself. As we walk past a table I call for cakes to be sent for and I ask my betrothed to sit and we wait for the cakes to arrive as we talk about all topics some I know lots about others not so much. The cakes arrive and they are some of the most beautifully designed cakes I've seen and it almost seems a shame to eat them but we do so anyways.
"My King thank you for these cakes" states Lady Matilda with her soft-spoken voice.
"You're most welcome my lady" I reply. Lady Matilda blushes and is about to say something else when we are rudely interrupted by a knight.
"Your Majesty a situation in the war room needs your oversight" the knight says. I nod and kiss my betrothed on the forehead before instructing the knight to escort her to her mother. the knight bows his head before going to his task. I walk briskly to the war room. As I arrive, attendants, soldiers and officers are busy going about the room. The lords around the table are busy arguing the argument stops as I'm announced by the Captain General of the royal guard.
Announcing "Announcing King Aethelric I" Captain General Bohemond of the Estergryph Mountains calls. The room goes quiet as I enter.
My King, it appears that your treacherous half-brother theodric has taken to the field with his supporters. he moves towards Dohemina to capture or kill your loyal half-brother Prince Aethelstan states Lord Adam of Marshalburye.
I proclaim to the entire room "If my treacherous brother can take to the field so will I." At this officers and soldiers that are in the war room hurry out to assemble their units. a frenzy starts in the castle as everyone prepares for the departure of the army.
"My King is that wise," asks the spymaster Lord Westerhedge. I nod.
It shows both our allies and our enemy that I'm willing to take risks and I'm not willing to abandon my allies. We shall march at first light tomorrow I reply.
"Yes, your majesty" the room replies.
I enter the banquet hall and there are around 14 types of meat served over 5 courses. by the third course where I'm eating chicken, it already feels like enough. A few hours later Lord Adam witnesses my marriage to his daughter Matilda so that the line of succession is unbroken. I sleep with my queen that night before I lead the army out to war.
