Author’s Note:
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WARNING THIS CHAPTER WILL SHOW SOME OF AETHAN’S DARK SIDE!
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(Royal Cidarian Council Chamber, Castle Cidaris, Duchy of Cidaris, Kingdom of Cidaris, Northern Kingdoms, The Continent, Witcher-Verse)
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(Time-Skip: Two Months Later)
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(King Aethan I Jaenerys POV)
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A lot could happen in two months, and Cidaris was under siege. Not by armies or siege weapons or soldiers, but by an unseen enemy. Someone was attacking his business, his Trade League, he didn’t know who, but someone was attacking him.
Businesses and warehouses burned, merchants beaten within an inch of their lives, and stock stolen. Aethan’s spy networks within the city had proven inefficient, thus Aethan resolved to settle it quickly and surgically. He’d excise the cancerous rot within his city, and take back what was his.
‘’My King, we finally have one of them.’’ Lucia says, interrupting Aethan’s thoughts.
‘’Bring him here, and get me two poisons one that induces a violent death and one a peaceful death, we’ll get to the bottom of this.’’ Aethan orders, going to the nearby table.
‘’Yes, my King.’’ Lucia responds, but Aethan doesn’t hear her leave.
‘’Something else?’’ Aethan asks.
‘’He’s one of Princess Zaoirya’s merchants.’’ Aethan clenches his fist around the goblet he was pouring wine into.
Zaoirya had set up shop shortly after his wedding, becoming a member of his court, he continued to enjoy her company, but he no longer slept with her.
‘’Call for her as well.’’ Aethan orders. ‘’Be gentle with her though.’’ Aethan adds.
‘’Yes, Aethan.’’ Lucia adds.
‘’What are you up to Zaoirya?’’ Aethan asks, before turning to his new Captain of the Household Guard, the old one having been killed during a riot in the last few months. ‘’Have your men search he rooms, but do not ransack them, make sure it’s discreet.’’ Aethan orders, his captain silently nodding before departing.
‘’My king, allow me to present Dullo archiaedi Korenz, he was caught redhanded trying to destroy Trade League buildings with barrels of Mahakam spirit and a torch.’’ Lucia says.
‘’This is an outrageous exaggeration!’’ Dullo responds. ‘’I was in the process of transporting them.’’ He adds.
‘’Then please explain why we watched you open them and soak a nearby wall and promptly empty them in a line from the building to where we arrested you.’’ The Guard asks contemptuously.
‘’King Aethan, if you would just give me a moment to explain uninterrupted, I’m sure you’ll understand my decision.’’ Dullo barters, but Aethan doesn’t really care.
‘’I think you’ll find I don’t particularly care, you have two choices Dullo, take one of these goblets of poisoned wine or talk. But rest assured, if you take one of them, I’ll make damn sure that your family, friends, and their families get the poisoned wine you don’t pick.’’ Aethan says.
‘’That would cause a diplomatic incident!’’ Dullo refutes.
‘’I put the safety of my Kingdom ahead of diplomacy boy! This is your one chance, talk or condemn innocents to a fate worse than death, This wine has been poisoned with a type of poison that will ensure a painless death, this other one…not so much.’’ Aethan informs.
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The Witcher: Aethan of Cidaris
FanfictionA man is killed and reborn into the Ruling Dynasty of Cidaris with one goal: Survive and Thrive
