Age of Heroes (Age of Heroes Chronicles)

90 Whitemonth 1012 AF

Rested and refreshed, Arial headed down to the dining room after waking up from his nap.

As he walks through the many halls, he could see the banners on the wall and the tapestry near it, portraying the scene from Levitia Laments.

His family is a famous patron of arts. No doubt this piece of tapestry is a commission from his father. His father is a devout Lucellian.

His parents had been in a nearby city collecting taxes when he had arrived, and had returned home to finally be reunited with their son.

It is a joyous occasion for the Vermont family, now that the only son of the family had returned home.

On his way downstairs Arial met Helia, who was dressed impeccably in an elegant gown for the occasion.

He looked her up and down; she was every bit a noble daughter.

Reaching the dining room, Arial held the door for her and she nodded politely, smiling, and Arial followed her inside.

"Father! Mother!" Arial's gentlemanly composure was thrown to the wind as he caught sight of his parents, and he ran up to hug them.

"My son, you have grown well," said his mother, pulling him close, a smile of happiness is on her face

"My prince," his father sighed.

They stood enveloped in each other's arms for a long time. Arial hadn't realized how much he had missed them; his mind had always been focused on his plans.

Knowing that they were still safe and happy warmed his heart, and he held them a little tighter.

Helia stood back and watched shyly. Her eyes seem to see this moment of familial love and felt something ache in her heart.

Eventually Arial and his parents released each other and Aries, noticing Helia for the first time, smiled and beckoned her closer.

"And who is this?"

"A friend," Arial said.

"A lady friend?" his father winked at him with an all knowing smile

"No," Arial said hurriedly, "it's not like that."

"It's an honor to meet you Count Aries, Countess Julia," Helia said, bowing in all the proper etiquette of a noble lady.

"What's your name, dear?" Arial's mother asked.

"Helia Zephyr, my lady."

"Zephyr? From the House of Zephyr?" Aries said. "I know your father. Very nice man if you discount his shrewdness in doing business."

Helia smiles bitterly as she heard her father name. Arial father did not notice it but Arial notice it

Arial's stomach grumbled loudly and cut through the conversation. His mother chuckled.

The table is filled with food. Looking at the off, Arial is now convinced that his father has lived quite a luxurious life these past couple of years.

Looking at all the food in the table Arial remembers the times where his family once had to starve for a couple of days in winter before.

He chuckles as he remembers that time

There are seafood dishes, grinded and salted anchovy with tomato sauce, sea bass with seven herbs (a nutritious and healthy food that is the recipe of the Vern Empire of the past), carp and cod fishes and the seas delicacies on the right side of the table.

On the other side, there is deer meat seasoned with some spices from Ariundus looking fresh and meaty. A roasted duck with rice (the staple food for people of Eastia) stuffed on it and black pepper roasted goose is presented on the middle of the table, looking extremely delicious and appetizing.

And that is just on the other corners of the table.

"Let us eat, dear," she said to Aries. "They've had a very long journey; they must be starving."

Tonight there is more than just meat and sea dishes.

There is also the sweet and sour rabbit, it includes sugar, red wine vinegar, currants, onions, ginger and cinnamon (along with plenty of "powder of pepper") to produce a sticky sauce, a bowl of candy, a dish that combine pine nuts with sugar, honey and breadcrumbs to give the candy a chewy taste, almond milk, honeyed goat roast, Arial favorites, and a whole lot more with dessert, a pudding after the main dish, and mushroom soup.

It was a luxurious dishes and it serves the palates very well. Arial and Helia enjoy the food very much.

After they had eaten, Arial told his parents all about his time at the Academy; funny anecdotes, harrowing tales, and stories of their adventures, with Helia filling in the details he had forgotten.

Aries listened in amazement to the stories of their quests, absorbing every last word as Arial spoke.

He is clearly proud of him and Arial like that. He always wished that he could have his father proud of him.

But he never got the chance in his other life.

Helia and Julia chatted as though they were old friends. A charmer as usual, Arial thought as he glanced at Helia.

It seemed she had more of her father in her than she cared to admit. Arial had urged her for the past five years to make peace with her father, but she refused to return home.

Arial still wishing that probably this year would be the year where Helia and her father would finally reconcile their differences

Later that evening the four of them moved their conversations to the drawing room.

Aries sunk into a cushioned chair intricately carved by the famous carver Roix Cheventes, and gazed contentedly at the roaring fire.

Arial sat in an armchair beside him and Aries updated him on the family business.

His father looks healthier than before, his physique become stockier Arial could still feel strength, and Arial could already tell that he had spent quite some time in Renasia, as his normally light skin was sporting a glowing golden tan.

"Father, let me help you" said Arial.

"With what?" Aries raised his eyebrows over his cup of tea.

"With your city. I know you must be struggling with so many responsibilities."

"Yes." He sighed. Aries never wanted to become noble and he was ill equipped of being one. But he is kind and benevolent.

He is unlike the other lord. He did not exude superiority or domineering attitude.

While that make him a good noble, and a good person, loved by his peers and his people, sometimes thing could only move forward through intimidation and domineering attitude.

'After becoming Count the responsibilities becomes bigger. I have a headache every day. If not for your mother help, I would long collapse. So does the city" he admitted with a bitter smile.

Aries sighed again and as he looks at his wife laughing with Helia he also smiles looking at her happy.

Arial knows that the only reason Aries accept the Count appointment is because he wanted his wife to have the life she deserved, a life he could not give as a farmer.

He always regretted the fact that the woman he loved had to abandoned her family and abandoned her noble life to be with him.

"Now I have returned I can help you"

Arial said as he holds his father hand and squeeze it as a sign of determination. Aries look at his son and smiles bitterly.

Aries sighed. "But shouldn't you return to the Academy?"

"Don't worry about that," Arial said. "Now that I'm a Knight Brother I can stay at home during training."

"The youngest ever," Helia piped up.

"What's that?" asked Aries. Clearly he did not know about the rules of the Knight Academy. Not many does unless they themselves have enrolled in the Knight Academy

"Arial is the youngest Knight Brother ever, in the entire history of the Academy," said Helia, beaming proudly at Arial.

"And you're the youngest Knight Sister," Arial smiled back at her.

"All thanks to you," Helia said.

Aries grinned and ruffled his son's crystal-white hair. Then he kissed his little boy forehead. Arial pulled a face, but didn't stop him.

"Father, can Kyle and Lisa visit tomorrow?" said Arial.

"Of course they can. Actually, the fair begins tomorrow. You can all take some gold from the treasury, have a good time. You deserve it," Aries patted him on the shoulder.

The fair came to Danoba every year, and often went on for days, even weeks at a time.

Merchants from across the Continent came to sell their goods, things that the humble people of Danoba had never seen before: exotic spices, fine wines, exquisitely unusual clothing.

"Would you like to go?" Arial asked Helia.

"Oh yes, let's!" she said excitedly. "I bet Kyle and Lisa will love it."

The four of them talked until the fire had died and their eyelids grew heavy.

They hauled themselves off to their bedrooms and bid each other good night, a smile on each of their weary faces.

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