Rise of humanity: The Saga Of Steel

"Okay let me try to explain this another way..." SHadow said "just answer these questions... Who did your father spend the most time trying to morally develop, was it A you, B your sister, or C the squire from a remote lesser noble family who just happens to look just like him?"

"You're correct," Vesryn spoke up for the first time since returning back to the cave. Her voice was hollow and cracking, and she avoided all eye contact. "Arden is a bastard. He is your late king's son." The heir to the throne... It seemed the correct time now, to put Arden out of his misery, and put the royal family in misery. Can't please 'em all. She still didn't know why the dragon had kept it secret, but Arden had to find out sometime. And before he became too old to do anything about it. Perhaps the dragon wished to tell him once the war is over. Oh well, perhaps his finding out will encourage Arden to survive this pointless war.

~

"What?" Ysabel's voice interrupted Vesryn's last sentence. Her eyes were round as saucers; there was no way he could have cheated on her. He was a good man. And Arden can't he his son. No, it must be a lie. The assassin and elf are trying to manipulate them all. To tarnish the late King's reputation. Her eyes narrowed, her fists clenched tight at her sides. "No, it can't be." She shook her head, adamant in her stubbornness.

Epona's breath caught in her throat at there words. She stood up and stared at all of them except Parath, Javek, Veronica, and Rowan with narrowed eyes. "Then that would mean Arden would be his heir and not Emron, since Arden is eldest! My father couldn't! He couldn't make another child before I was born! HE WOULD'VE TOLD MOM SO!" she shouted before she stormed out of the cave, crying.

Parath growled lowly. "If my sense are correct, I think her heart just got shattered into little pieces." she growled.

Veronica was simply confused about the whole thing. Mortals! she thought to herself.

Emron was shocked if that were true, which it probably was. His father did spend more time with Arden than him or his sister, did he not care about them? Was it all just an act? Was his father always planning about making Arden the heir to the throne instead of him? Guess his entire life has been a lie then, Emron felt sad at the fact. He watched as his sister ran away crying, he would follow but he was still feeling a bit weak. Emron instead turned away from the others, he was sad and angry about the whole thing.

Veronica slowly walked over to him and gently rested a hand on his one shoulder. "Hey, are you okay?" she asked him, feeling slightly worried about his posture and facial expression.

Emron turned his head slightly as Veronica came to him and put her hand on his shoulder, Emron found it slightly amusing that a blood-sucking monster would be worried about him but he answered calmly with a light tone of spite. "What do you think? It would seem my father never cared about me and he intended to pass down the throne to someone else all along, I guess... I was never a son to him, I was... Nothing to him." Emron said, feeling betrayed by his own father.

Veronica frowned upon listening. "You are still family to him, but maybe you should go comfort the princess." she told him softly, not showing her fangs.

Epona sat down on a dead tree's stump outside and put her hands on her face and cried. She was the princess, but now she was just a young woman who had realized what her own father did without their knowing. I never really knew who he was, did I?! Arden was my step-brother all along and none of us knew except him! HOW COULD HE BETRAY US?! HOW COULD HE?! she thought to herself.

Emron shook his head, perhaps it was best to let Epona be alone for a while. "I'm still too weak to go outside, besides what words could comfort her? And family you say? How do you know anything about my father? It is painfully obvious that he did not care about us, if he did then why would he keep secrets? Why wouldn't he spend more time with me and my sister? He cared more about Arden than any of us! When we finally get through this pass, I'm leaving. There is nothing for me here anymore..." Emron said as he was trying to rest, the salve Rowan gave him made him feel better though.

Veronica gasped at his words. "W-would y-you mind if I accompany you when you leave? I have no-one, I'm lonely." she muttered sadly. She glanced down at the ground and turned away from him. "I know you might not trust me because of what I am, and that's perfectly understandable, but if you don't mind, I'd like to come with you. And it's not only because you're a handsome man." she said, smiling.

Emron had a moment of silence when he thought about it, but then answered calmly. "If you want, sure... I got nothing against you coming with me... I don't really care anymore..." Emron said as he was resting and obviously not happy with the turn of events.

Wait

(half brother, step brothers are by marriage not blood, i know i have one of  each)

"Everyone here needs to calm down right now" Arden bellowed as he saw the confusion and such around him among the guards and everyone else. He supposed he needed to intervene before he accidentally usurrped the throne on a hunch, he stood up and said calmly. "There is no proof that i am the kings son, and even if i was, I very  much doubt i  am a true born son, he said looking at the queen then himself. An illegitimate bastard is no ones king, and finally there is no kingdom to rule so let's all just calm down. The only thing that's important right now is we reach the western lands, and i am going to go my own way, with this amazing lady at my side if she will follow." he put a hand on vesyrns shoulder

(Okay, got it.)

Emron turned a bit to look at Arden as he spoke, he then talked back. "Then how do you explain that you look like my father? Or is it just coincidence? Maybe you are a long lost relative? And you are right, there is no kingdom to rule, there is no need for a king anymore... And I am the prince of nothing." Emron then turned away as he continued resting.

Parath sighed deeply. "All this drama makes me want to take flight to a distant place." she muttered, half to herself.

Veronica glares slightly at Arden and wishes she knew a way to comfort Emron.

Arden gave a sigh before walking over to sit next to emron, and asked "can i speak to you in private" he motioned to another room of the cave, he was calm and not at all hostile


shadow begins to play with the dragons ers

Parath growled angrily. "I will bite your arms off." she threatened.

Emron noticed Arden coming closer, he was unsure about his intentions as well but he did ask him to speak with him in private. Emron wasn't sure what he wanted to speak of but he stood up and was going towards the other room in the cave, there he looked at him and spoke. "What is it now? What is so important that you want to speak to me about it in private?" Emron asked indifferently and waited for Arden to start explaining.

"no you wont" shadow said with a chuckle

"Well for one all eyes are on us right now and i'd rather talk to you man to man" Arden said to him bluntly "You are still these peoples leader, and you need to learn what your father taught me"

Vesryn's eyes flicked up to Arden at the word "amazing", but she quickly averted her gaze, colour rising to her cheeks. She watched him and Emron leave to another part of the cave system, immediately growing cold from the lack of heat, as she had grown used to Arden's warm presence next to her. She remained where she was however, watching everyone else's reactions to the recent news. Her eyes flicked to Rowan, an idea forming. "You know about my culture, I suppose it is time for me to learn about yours. Would you mind enlightening me?" If she couldn't return to her homeland, it was probably best she learn all she could about the humans fast. And also so she didn't make a fool of herself with her ignorance if she were to go up north with Arden.

~

Ysabel's lips raised in a smirk. That's right; he was illegitimate. Her son will become king once the war is over, not Arden. And if by some reason the knight is crowned... Well, Ysabel will ensure this does not happen. Satisfied, she headed outside to comfort her distraught daughter.

Emron wasn't sure if Arden was stupid or just tried to use lies to make him feel better, he spoke to him how he sees things. "Oh really now? I don't really think so, those people don't need me, they do not acknowledge me as their leader. They look more up to you than me, they have no respect for me and you and Rowan already humiliated me in front of some of them. There is no kingdom to be ruled, there is nothing left for me here. I've lost everything, I lost my father, I lost my kingdom, I lost my people and so I lost my position as prince and heir to the throne. Perhaps Rowan was right all along, I really am a moron and no one looks up to a moron for leadership so safe your petty lies to yourself since I am not buying them." Emron said as he felt like he was nothing, he was just as irrelevant as any other person here.

"least i could so, ask away" Rowan said with a cheerful smile "Although it may vary due to region"

"you're not a moron, you just need to learn some lessons no one bothered to teach you" Arden said to the prince calmly "You are an inapt leader, but you have will enough to lead and you have good in your heart, leadership is not something you're born with, you need to learn it. you can be these peoples leader, your family in the south will help you resettle the east when this war is over, and if we are flesh and blood,  i want to help you learn the most important lessons before it's too late."

Epona was still sobbing and looking at her wounded arm. She saw her mother approaching and stood up. "Leave me alone!" she said tearfully.

"What are the... spikes on the swords?" She asked, making vague hand gestures to illustrate. It wasn't really a question about their culture, but they certainly were strange. She had seen them on human weapons before, but had never been inclined to ask about it. "Oh, and I'd like all you know about the north, if you please."

She sighed, and settled on the ground next to where Epona once sat. "We're all hurting at his betrayal, 'pona," she said gently, picking up a stone, before rolling it across the ground. "But Emron can still become king once this battle is over."