A Guide to Kingdom Building

Aturs, Year of Severus, 15, I.R., the 32nd day of Fall, Arenfall

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The cold breeze brushed against Arterius' hair as their ship sailed across the ever-blue waters of Oyue's sea. The calm azure waters of this huge body of water have been historically known to be one of the most turbulent in Arteria. The prince certainly read the journals about it and wonder if the accounts are truly what they were written to be.

He read on one of the journals from a well-decorated captain of the Arterian fleet about a huge black creature with elongated arms sunk an Arterian naval ship in a middle of the during a quick patrol. He wondered if whether he could get a glimpse of that creature. That would've been perfect to get a glimpse of it, but at the same time, disastrous if it attacked the ship.

A huge wave crashed against the ship and made it rise a few footlings from the water. Although dangerous, the prince held on with a big smile on his face. This trip has been exhilarating for him! The sea had always been a fruitless dream for Arterius. He never imagined that he could one day set sail on it.

Well, technically at least. Oyue's sea was not intended to be called that way. The great body of water was considered the biggest lake in the Principalia. However, due to the people of the olden day's belief about its mystical origin, they claimed it as a sea in honor of the fallen deity.

Still, being on a ship was something that made him so happy, that his even his leg wasn't bugging him even in the worst of possible turbulence. That couldn't be said for his ward. Stolas miserably hurled at the bucket that was secured at the deck of the ship.

"Hey Stolas!" The jittering prince couldn't contain his excitement. "I wonder what's like down there?" He pointed at the bustling crew pulling the ropes connected to the mast as it tried catching the strong winds.

Stolas looked pale and sickly. He frowned on the prince's question and wobbled just to get out a reply. "I…I..would r-rather…bleeeurrrghhh!" He hurled the remaining contents of his breakfast on the bucket.

"My Prince," Commander Crovar interrupted. "Uhmm… it looks like your ward is seasick right now."

"Seasick?" Arterius found it funny and amazing all at once. "Ohh…so that's what you call this motion sickness?! That's a clever name!" He still didn't get the Commander's point.

Arterius tried to go down go down the deck. The waves rocking the boat never bothered his curiosity. Lord Commander Crovar was quick to hold his arm.

"What I am saying Prince Arterius, it's way too dangerous down there." He looked at him straight in the eyes. "Especially with that injury. I suggest you sit down while we are on this trip."

Prince Arterius felt that the Lord Commander was scolding him for being too curious on his ship. He calmed down and went back to his sit. Commander Crovar nodded at him and continued navigating the ship.

He knew the Commander meant well. Actually, it was he who personally volunteered to escort him safely to the isles.

"No other escorts will do! I shall put my fleet on the line for him." Commander Crovar declared in the Senate.

House Crovar had a very close tie with his mother's house. The Horculas and Crovars had been allies even before the Principalia was established. The bonds of the old houses had never been sundered for centuries now.

Prince Arterius sat silently on the quarterdeck; his mind pre-occupied with the new possibilities of the discovery of aetherium. Can he make this ship fly? Would that even be possible? He had to know, and he couldn't wait.

"Land on the horizon." The knight shouted.

"Have we arrived already?" Arterius asked. "Is this that the Crescet Isles or something else?"

"We are almost on shore, Prince Arterius." Commander Crovar smiled. "You shall now see the wonders of the Crescent Isles."

Arterius couldn't wait to see it himself. He stood up and asked the knight to lend him the spectacles. The young knight gave the view spectacles to him. He viewed through it and saw the overlooking garrison of the Principalia. Beside that was weird looking trees that clumped together on top of the water's surface. Its roots were long and with some of it exposed on the beyond the water's surface.

"W-what are those?" Arterius asked. "Are those what they called the seawood?"

"You are correct, Prince Arterius," Commander Crovar nodded. Those are indeed seawood."

"Strange. They only grow on saltwater. I highly doubt this place is one." Arterius scratched his head.

"That's part of the mystery of the place." The Commander answered.

Prince Arterius looked at it closely as he slowly rotated the cannister to make the object bigger. "Interesting." He said. "Can I… Maybe, take a sample of it back home? It's not poisonous isn't it?" He asked.

"It's not poisonous, but I'm afraid you can't cut a sample of that one." The Commander responded.

"And why's that?" The prince asked.

"That's a scared tree. Treated by the locals as a miraculous tree. I'm sure my prince understands the importance of the locale's welfare towards this matter." Commander Crovar commanded to swerve the rudder and make a right turn.

Arterius gave the specatles back to the knight and went back to his seat. "Of course, I do." He answered the Commander.

He found the question offensive to him. Being a prince of the empire meant that you have to study everything about it. From different cultures and religions to topography and customs, Arterius had studied them all and was better than his younger brother on that aspect. But he rather just let it pass for now.

The sun was already on the horizon when they finally docked at the shore. The cold breeze of dusk sent chills on the prince, but it was a good kind of tingle. Finally, he has reached his destination. The crew slowly sunk the anchor to the port and threw the rope over to a knight in the other side of the port. The prince saw how skillfully the knight tied the rope over to a post.

Commander Crovar ordered his men to draw down the special bridge he made for the prince. Arterius insisted that it wouldn't be necessary but by the time he was about to cross to the dry land side of the port, he was thankful for it. The waves grew more violent as the sun slowly laid down to the horizon and it would have been embarrassing if they have to pick him up swimming under the cold waters below.

As he went down from the bridge, he could hear an angry Commander Crovar scolding a knight in grey armor. Arterius knew the color of that House. It was of the Bieroffs. The dull gray color of stone that symbolized the mines of Arenfall more than anything else. He read somewhere in one of the history books that the Bieroffs wanted to change their color to gold because of the treasure the mines had for them, hundreds of years ago but was met with scorn by his ancestors.

The Primas held the golden color for as long as they had existed and never wanted to share the color with a budding House of weak-willed individuals. In fact, it was stated on the book that the only reason the Bieroffs came to be was because of their involvement in the War of the Boundaries. They help snuck in the Lucresias into the walled territory of House Ordaneus near the mouth of Oyue's sea. In appreciation for their services to the Lucresias, their ancestors were given the title of Lord and thus, House Bieroff was established.

"Where is the welcoming party?!" The Commander angrily grabbed the knight by his collar. "Where is the Bieroff's entourage?!"

"G-greetings ummm.M'Lord…I was…" The knight tried to avoid the furious Commander's gaze. "I-I was ordered by our Lady…t-to meet up with y-you…"

Arterius could hear the knights armor clanging on his knees, the knight was shaking. He could relate to the feeling the knight had right now. But if it were him on his shoes, he should've come up with a good plan to at least deescalate the situation—but the knight wasn't like him.

"Don't you know who I am? Don't you know who that man is?!" The Commander was seething with anger as he pointed to the prince. "ANSWER ME, KNIGHT!"

The knight froze in fear for his life. Arterius, as much he wanted to see the knight's reaction was already worn out from watching Commander Crovar chew the hell out of the knight. He approached the Commander and put over his hand on his shoulder.

"Lord Commander Crovar," He smiled at the angry Commander and the terrified knight. "That wouldn't be necessary. Let me introduce myself to him." Commander Crovar stepped out of his way and bowed to him.

"Good Ser, fair greetings! My Name is Arterius Prima, the firstborn son of Imperatur Severus, ruler of Arteria and the Principalias. Well met, good Ser!"