Age of Heroes (Age of Heroes Chronicles)

Chapter 424: Footsteps to destiny (1)

Arial received the report that Mikael has arrive at the port. After months of waiting finally Mikael has come to heed his summon. 

By now Lisa and West has return back to Venicia. He was sad that once again he is alone in his large palace.

But at least with the prospect of meeting Mikael, his motivation rises. He is excited and also anxious all at the same time. 

It has been a long time since they saw each other

The last time they met was during his second coronation at Eden after the Palace was completed 

There he greeted King Azrael and saw the newborn child of King Azrael, his son, Prince Uriel and also meet the other Demon Lords that answer his call.

He sighed

But it will take another week before Mikael can arrive at Eden. After all Mikael is on Arrandy right now while Arial is on Eden the Capital of the Empire.

Then the sound of music brings back Arial to his current place. Arial look at the dancing lords and ladies and snorted in derision.

Arial sipped another cup of Riella wine and savour the sweet taste. Today is another party organized by his mother. 

He has sent letters to Rhyssa to cancel the betrothal about a week ago but she never replies thus confirming that the Empress is determined to have this marriage. 

Arial could not understand why she would go this far. Is it truly because of peace or is this woman is intending to take his empire from him? 

Arial who was surrounded by plots and intrigues all of his youth suspect easily, trust in his heart is hard to gain, easy to lose.

'Trust but verify' he once said to his minister

The Empress on the other hand is preparing for the betrothal regardless of his own defiance. 

By now even Arial use the wait and see approach. 

The Empress is stubborn and while Arial fears no one, why would he intentionally offend someone just because of a marriage arrangement. 

Not to mention the earful of nagging he experience after his mother found out that he sent a letter of rejection to the empress.

At least for showing filial piety he would stand and wait until he found some reason why the empress wanted to get on with this arrangement of his mother.

It is just betrothal after all. 

And the date of marriage is not yet set. There is still time and there are others pressing matters. 

And one of the pressing matters is about his dream

His dream. 

Was it real? Was it only his imagination? Who is Asrana? Who is Amara? What is that darkness that shakes Arial to his core? 

And what is that power? 

He sighed again. Since he saw that dreams, he sighed always, like something was awoken inside him, a certain feeling he had buried but now is coming back up from the grave.

It is a feeling of something incomplete.

Every time he remembers the dream, he remembers the feeling of that light that bathed him in a soothing light, feeling like nothing in this world could hurt him.

He felt warmth and he felt something he has not felt for a long time. He felt love. And that is something weird to feel when bathing in light.

He is desperate to know of the truth.

On the matter of engagement, there is something strange happening to Arial these couple of fortnight. Even though he tried to break the betrothal, he.

'Ah' he once again could not finish his thoughts.

The truth is Arial just couldn't break the engagement. Then Arial take another sip and look at the distance and see Kyle smiling with a girl, sometimes laughing.

Kyle on the other hand has been seeing the empress handmaiden for the past months. He has fall for her. falling for her hard.

Arial had to admit Isabelle has pleasing manners though Arial do feel the cold stares of Isabelle towards him.

Kyle admires Isabelle a way a lover would admire his love. With excessive praise and attention. 

And Isabelle received the attention with great pleasure. 

But Arial see Isabelle to be so guarded around Kyle and could not believe that Isabelle felt the same as his friend are feeling.

Isabelle on the other hand, considered it a pleasure for her feelings not to be discovered by the world in general and it is this demeanor that made Arial conclude that she doesn't feel the same for Kyle. 

It is because Isabelle united, with great strength of feeling, composure of temper and a uniform cheerfulness of manner which would guard her from the suspicions of the impertinent.

Of course the empress who is on the side of her handmaiden always encouraged Isabelle to be showing more affection.

It is a disadvantage to be so guarded the Empress would advise her handmaiden when they are alone. 

Isabelle might lose the object of her affection for there is much gratitude and vanity in almost every attachment that it is not safe to leave any to itself.

Rhyssa believes that if Isabelle does not act and show her true feelings, that Lord Kyle, he may never do more than like her, if she does not help him on.

On the other hand, Arial always advice Kyle to be careful in giving his heart, for he believes that Isabelle is not interested and merely entertain Kyle because of her pleasant nature.

It is because Arial doesn't know Isabelle disposition but how could he? 

Even Kyle could not see enough of Isabelle to make any judgment on her heart matters. 

Even though Kyle and Isabelle meet tolerably often, it is never for many hours, and they always see each other in large parties or banquet, it is impossible that every moment employed in conversing with each other and thus they could not know Isabelle disposition as well as Rhyssa.

Rhyssa then believes that Isabelle should command Kyle attention to her and when she is secure of him there will be more leisure for falling in love as much as she chooses.

But of course these are not Isabelle's feelings; she is not acting by design. 

As yet, she cannot even be certain of the degree of her own regard nor of its reasonableness. 

She has known him only a month and sometimes they meet and talk but no more than that.

Kyle has been a gentleman and polite in manners in his attempt to win Isabelle heart while Isabelle is shy.

Not to mention with the meddling of their friends, their love story will of course be complicated.

For two character behind these lovers is Arial who believes that Isabelle is not in favor of his friends, while on Isabelle is Rhyssa who believe that Isabelle should be more in tune with her feelings and not conceal her affection for Lord Kyle.

And considering that during the one month Isabelle in the Palace of the Vermont's, Kyle is also occupied with the army, they rarely meet each other, other than in parties and while they meet they speak about their friends and their hobbies, likes and dislike, places of birth and trading stories but nothing personal in consequences. 

Isabelle is shy in nature, while Kyle is ashamed in his past. All these conversation, this is not quite enough to make her understand his character and him, hers