Age of Heroes

The Three Great tribes have large lot of land. They have three areas outside the Shadowlands

These three area is the ancestral lands of the Three Great tribes. But regardless of the size of the land, they live near the Darkness. 

So, this area is always subject to attack of the Darkspawn. 

For some reason, the Three Great Tribes have always been the protector of the New World from the incursion of Dark Spawn that was birthed out from the Darkness

As for the real land where the Three Great tribes lives, it is the Three Kingdoms, the Shadowland, a land where it is shrouded by darkness and monsters of the Dark. 

They have the same roots yet they did not exactly have the same culture or the same methods of governance. 

Arial recognizes this and because of that he knows he needs to forget what he thinks he knows about the Thirteen tribe and learn from the beginning.

As he walks through the winding hallways, he was reminded of someone. That someone is none other than Ana.

His step stopped. 

He was hesitating and then he turned back. He went through one of the hallways and then he stands before Ana room

Again…. he is in front of that door.

The guards on that floor pretend like they did not see anything. Almost all of the guards inside the castle knew there is a woman in that room

But what they didn't know was what is the woman connection with their lord? But it is not like anyone would like to ask that question to him.

As for the other two generals from Eden, they did not care that much. The Emperor after all is a single man.

And even though he was to be betrothed to the Renasian Empress, that is still not set in stone. 

Arial took some time in front of that door. He wanted to forget but it was not that easy after all.

'I am drawn to her' He chuckles inwardly. But he is not feeling happy at all. The feeling is very conflicted. 

'I had thought I had graduated from such feelings' He smiles bitterly thinking about it. 

'I guess what I needed was simply the right person' he thought to himself. He did not know where this feeling would lead him.

But for now, at least he wanted to indulge it a bit. He still did not know what he is feeling. Is it love? Is it sympathy? Pity? 

There is too many feeling tangled with this woman that it made Arial quite confused what he is feeling for her. 

The woman who saved her. The woman who is the sister of the woman who killed her wife.

This reminded him that he could never let down his guard. Never let down the guard around his heart when he is around her.

Arial then announce his presence and the door was opened. 

Inside he could see a few physicians all around Ana bed 

Some of them are brewing medicines on one corner of the room while some of them are checking any signs of injuries on Ana, trying to make sense of Ana weird unconsciousness bout.

There is also a few of the servants of the castle in the room looking at the physician like their warden. 

'They seem to be doing a good job at supervising these physicians' he thought to himself looking at the servants

Arial had stationed that servant there to make sure that none of the physician is thinking of doing something dishonorable to Ana.

These physicians are all from Eden. 

Because of that they would probably be too fearful to even touch even the skin of this woman without thinking that the Emperor might scold them or worse executed them if they have impure motive for this woman.

But, there is always a What If? moment.

When Santiago and Giovanni come to the New World with their soldiers they did not only bring soldiers. 

They also bring physicians among other vocations in their ship.

It is after all required since no one knows what will happen in the large vast distance that they had to traverse from Davarus to the New World.

Not to mention while they were also leading a huge army any diseases could ravage such an army if they do not have someone who is well versed in the craft of medicine. 

Even Arial when he was in the ship sailing toward the New World, he also had a physician just in case.

He looks toward Ana who was lying unconscious on that bed.

'Have any of you find out what is wrong with her?' The moment Arial ask the question, the atmosphere inside the room instantly become tense.

The physician looks at each other and the lead physician then come forward and then began explaining to him.

Most of them were afraid that they would say the wrong things and end up being punished.

Even though Arial himself did not convict someone without evidence of wrongdoing and he himself follow the laws that he had created, there is an image that he had built that made people think of him as quick to anger.

Even the great nobles who used to run large vast of territory shrink in front of the anger of the Emperor, how could these physicians would be able to endure it?

The lead physician on the other hand was calm since he once follows his teacher in the past helping in the Imperial Infirmary and he knew that the Emperor would not punish them as long as they do their job right and as the best they could do.

'Your Imperial Majesty. I have some good news about the condition of the patient' Arial eyes beamed as he gestures him to continue. 

As the lead physician spoke to him and explained to him, he nodded a few times. From what the lead physician told him, he had seen the sign that Ana is slowly recovering.

Colors had returned to her face and her breathing is also strong and there is no sign of infection.

It would not be surprising if she suddenly gets up right now, the lead physician said. Arial nodded and then he ordered the physician to clear the room.

They all nodded as there is no much they could do now other than wait for her to wake up 

Alone in the room with her, Arial look at her with a complicated expression. His heart beating. 

Not out of excitement but out of some kind of twisted affection. It is his dark desire for revenge clashing with his desire to see her…. smiles again.

He took one of the chair on the side of the room and put it near her bed. Sitting on that chair, he looks close at Ana face.

'I don't know what I should do with you.' She looks like a painting, sleeping like that. As long as she did not wake up she did not have to face what he is feeling

Still running away, he thought to himself. He was reminded of that time they spend together in the cave. He was reminded of her smile

The time he had spent with her is short but was memorable. 

This woman saves his life but is also the sister of the person who killed her wife. There is a complicated feeling in his heart.

She knows it is wrong to blame her for what her sister had done. But then, if he did not blame her who should he blame?

There are also other feelings when he looks at her 

He was stirred by her. 

He thought he would soon forget such feeling. But then guided by the Goddess he once again meets her. And this time, he could not just let her pass by.

He wanted to punish her on behalf of her sister. He wanted to forgive her and forget the past. 

Two contradictory desire is inside of him.

This kind of feeling is fighting inside him 

So, it is very hard for him to make his mind up.

He then holds her hand. 

'It is warmer than before' but he did not go of her hand. He blows hot air from his mouth toward her.

Even though the outside is not as cold as last night, there is still cold air inside the room. He hopes that his hand could give her some warmth 

He sat there in the room, not saying anything for half an hour before leaving the room. He did not immediately leave. Instead, he stands there in front of that room for a few moments

He closes his eyes and rub his chest. Memories seems to fill his mind. 

'I need to clear my mind. This is not good for my focus' he thought to himself. He hated this feeling.

This feeling of hesitancy. He had never felt such feeling for a long time. But this land, this land brings an effect on him.

Maybe it is not the land itself. But the feeling of adventure that spurs him on. He had felt again what it was like to run free.

He felt that sense of freedom when he stands at the helm of the ship, letting the wind washes over him, the breeze of the sea around him, hearing the sound of the waves pushing and pulling.

For a moment after being shipwrecked, he felt a bit of life. 

A life that he had abandoned. And then as he thinks about all of this, his mind naturally went to one of his most puzzling memories.

The memory of seeing that Sun Empress, dancing. He might appear prideful, and he might even appear cold to her at that time but he did not dislike her.

Instead, he could not help but keep remembering her. So full of life and so full of joy that it might even break that cold exterior of his heart.

He could not explain it. 

His heart beats irrationally when thinking of that woman. The days had gone by even without realizing it, yet that smile of hers did not leave his mind. 

Most days after the death of his wife felt short. Felt the same. But, like a ray of light that come into a dark room, it warms the room.

That is how her smile made him feel. And that feeling made him afraid. But…. he doesn't know what he is afraid of?

Was he afraid that he would be hurt again? Loving someone like that and to have it taken away from him, that is painful enough

Arial do not have the confidence to go through that again. He was influenced too much by his father. He did not have the habit of keeping mistresses like some nobles.

Even when he had fallen in love with Velamina, he was determined not to wrong her. 

He was ready to bring her back to his duchy. Whether it be mocking or objection, he would not wrong the woman he loved.

Or is he afraid of tainting such beauty? He fears that if she loved him, he could not love her the way she wanted him to love her.

How could a man who had lost hope… love sincerely? 

But the thing about Rhyssa that he could not forget is because she elicited the strangest feeling in him that he dares not admit.

When he saw her smile, there is hope again. He had never felt such feeling of instant attraction to another person like this

So instant the attraction that it made him even more fearful. When he danced with her, he felt happy. It was unlike when he was with Helia. And it was unlike when he was with Velamina. 

With her, there is this hidden passion, this burning feeling that wanted to burst out. In that brief moment when they dance in that ball, he felt like he could have a happy ending with her. 

He shakes his head. 

'Why is my mind filled with woman when there is more important thing to do?' he thought to himself.

No one answers this question of his. Only a gust of wind blows in from the nearby open hallway. 

Loneliness. Emotions. Maybe, that is why he thinks of all these people. 

The people that have been gone. The people that is still here. And the people that is unconscious.

Like a tether. Each one seems to tether him to some kind of emotions. He sighed and began to walk away from the room

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