Age of Heroes (Age of Heroes Chronicles)

Chapter 473: Old fox and the snake (3)

He said as he approached the table and took a seat, his face looked at Silas, sitting across each other.

Oliver has a few wrinkles on his eyebrows and forehead, while Silas is still young and full of vigour.

An old fox and a two faced serpent.

'Why do you summon me from my castle?' This time Oliver said directly, they do not beat around the bush anymore. 

Rarely people dare summon him. Other than the Emperor and the Imperial Family, no one will summon him.

Looking at Silas, Oliver smiles a bit. In a way, the man that propels Silas to his current position is him. 

Of course he feels a little proud of this.

To think that scholar could reach this kind of position. The world truly has changed.

'What are you doing in the Palace, Oliver? I heard of the rumors. I know that a faction has arisen from your effort.' Oliver sit there, like the one in the news is unrelated to him.

Silas look at Oliver and release a long sigh

'We are old friend Oliver. I would hate to see misfortune befall you.'

'HAHAHA' Oliver laughs.

'Silas, Silas. You do not know when to stop. Changing too much, running without stopping, do you not fear you will stumble and hurt yourself? Even if you get back up, maybe then you will rush down onto a cliff. Inviting calamity to oneself is not as good habit, Silas'

Silas smirked in confidence and he replies

'The destination is not yet reached, how could I stop? I need to keep going until the end, if not how could I grasp the treasure at the end of the road. And if I stop, who's to say the end is a cliff or a new road. Maybe if I keep walking, keep rushing, I will find the treasures under the rainbow.'

'Treasure? I say that treasure you've been chasing is a dead end. It is wise to know when to step back.'

Both of them are talking in double meanings, both held their own beliefs, both upholding their values, the old and young, the young wanted change, the old wanted to keep the status quo.

'Do you fear change that much Oliver?' Silas asked

'Hmph! When men have come to the edge of a cliff, it is the lover of life who has the spirit to leap backwards, and only the pessimist who continues to believe in there is a road in front, dooming them to annihilation' Oliver rebuked

For a while there is silence. Silas took one of the glasses and poured wine and give it to Oliver. 

They both not saying anything for a while, just enjoying the texture of the wine, the bitter taste and the sweet smell then Silas said as he put down his glass.

'Old foxes are bandying together, trying to stop me. Only one person inside the noble circles could persuade them to be against me. You.' Silas said calmly, his eyes look intently at Oliver expression

If you directly attack, why couldn't I? Silas mused. Oliver was amused by this.

'You overestimated me. There are other politicians that could orchestrate that. I'm not as influential as you think' he said humbly.

Silas is of course, not fooled by this.

'Are you really intending to contend with me, Oliver?'

Oliver closes his face to Silas, his eyes are calm and he said.

'And what if I am? Silas, just because you were appointed the Regent of the Empire, does not mean you are the Emperor.'

Silas facial expression hardens. Oliver is basically saying that he is committing high treason right in front of his face. 

Most people face would flush red in anger or embarrassment but Silas face remain cordial.

'You would risk a civil war, Oliver?'

'For the Empire, I would' he said.

'You have always been stubborn.' Silas said sighing in regret. Did they really need to butt head for this?

'And you have always been hard to persuade. What is so different between my stubbornness and yours?' Oliver said also sighing.

If he has to be given a choice, Silas is his worst enemies, why would he eager to start a war with Silas if the matter has no escalated like this?

They are in a deadlock positions, both of them, both of them could not back down, one is bind by responsibilities towards the Empire, another by the notion of protecting the nobility of the Empire and its wellbeing. 

They are now playing chatur, both are trying to gauge each other information, too see any blind spot left by each other, trying to divine each other moves.

Both are experienced players. Both are experts. Both are cunning and manipulative, smart and devious in their own way.

To Silas, Oliver has always remains to be both a strong and flexible old reed. He let the winds of fortune blow him back and forth, never standing against it.

Thus, Oliver has served many great lords and survives so long in such uncertain times. 

He served Hadrian, Adrian and then he throws his lot with Arrandy when the time is ripe. 

Now even as he is old, he remained flexible with his thoughts and always keeping his intentions a mystery.

Silas of course knows too well, the deviousness of Oliver scheme and the way he always orchestrated it perfectly.

Oliver has many enemies in the court during his time in Hadrian court owing to his fast rise in the court as one of Hadrian trusted person. 

One of his enemies, in a plot of alliances of courtiers, they tries to sour the relationship between Hadrian and Oliver and it succeeded saying that Oliver has many ties to the South and one that Hadrian had to be cautious in trusting state matter to Oliver.

Even though, Hadrian knows that Oliver is loyal to him, he began to feel cautious since Oliver never did really shows his true intention to anyone, his motive is also mysterious. 

While the air of mystery helps him in the early part of his career, in the latter part, he is viewed with fear.

So, Oliver maintained a low profile during the heights of Hadrian rule. 

The courtiers believed that Oliver could no longer rise in the court and left him alone. At the time Oliver was around his twenties.

During Hadrian rule, he did nothing surprising, simply biding his time. 

When Arial rise to power, he quickly move and join Arial cause. 

In the time of the Succession Crisis, Oliver insinuates himself and made himself the young duke most able politicians. 

Silas was sent to Adrian to help with Adrian administration while Oliver stays beside Lord Arial, helping him in domestic matter, gaining Lord Arial trust and praise.

When Lord Arial broke through to the North, and began hunting the rebellious lords, Oliver had uses his connection to execute his enemies using a borrowed knife. 

When Arial in the North, Oliver took the time to do away with his enemies in the South and even sending a few assassins to the North and sent a few wanted men posters to the army stationed in the North, hunting his enemies and killing them all.

Silas knows this because out of everyone in Arial council, Silas has always felt wary at this old fox. 

So, Silas pay attention to Oliver and try to know as much as he could about the old fox when he was in court.

As a politician, Oliver gained Silas respect.

Oliver had essentially won against his enemies, by doing nothing, simply by biding his time and outlasting his enemies.

Oliver looks at Silas calm smile like everything under his palm.

In the years Oliver becomes a politician in Arial court, he has never seen any man more duplicitous than Silas. 

He could promise you one thing and do another but not a harm will befell him simply because he has already put the poison in your mouth by the time you realizes his plot.

No one knew who side he is on. Even during the time of Adrian reign, he never shows where his true loyalties really lies.

Since no one knew what Silas actually stood for, no one made any moves against him and thus he was able to dominate the chatur board unmolested.

Silas then take his last sip of the wine and stand up. Looking at Oliver determined face he sighed again and shakes his head.

'I guess, we could not reconcile this matter. The starting point between us is too different; the crowds we protect are not the same crowds. Oliver, I will be going first. Please help yourself in the restaurants.' Saying this Silas walk down the stairs, still shaking his head, sign the debt writ and then he exited the restaurants.

But he stopped for a while and then writes something in a piece of paper and give an instruction to one of the staff of the restaurants

Oliver is still on the second floor, sitting on the chair, closing his eyes thinking, contemplating.

The Succession Problem. He champions the cause of Princess Ariadne while Silas champion the Imperial Sister Adriana.

Both of them is a piece of chatur in the chatur board. They are the players and the two characters are their pieces.

Silas wanted a new change, and the best bet would be with the Imperial Sister while Oliver wanted the old order maintained, the changes in the administration delayed. 

Oliver is not as aversive towards change as many would believe. He just believes in gradual progression for change.

Silas on the other hand wanted a drastic measure, a change in the Empire, as fast as possible.

They both wanted different things, both believed different things. Sooner or later, they could not run from this conflict.

'Haa' Oliver sighed, he no longer have any appetite to eat or drink , thinking of the chaos their conflict will bring to the Empire, but a conflict necessary for determining the path of the Empire

'The Imperial Palace will see a storm' he said in whispers. His face no longer had that kind smiles but is replaced by a weary expression.

Silas has already returned to the Imperial Palace, riding his horse with his guard riding behind him, Silas riding in front like a valiant general. 

A few breaths, after Silas has left, Oliver also walked down, finding no appetite to eat in the restaurants and exited the restaurants when suddenly he is stopped by the staff at the entrance.

'Milord, Lord Regent left this for you.' It was a paper with floral decoration on its edges. Oliver opens the paper and read the words written.

Mountains hug the north,

Blue shining waters skirt the east,

It's at this place that we must part.

Alone on your thousand-mile wanderings,

Floating clouds will bring thoughts of you,

The setting sun will bring sentiments of your old friend.

One day a thousand miles

Once in a lifetime encounters,

Life is but a moment,

Glory and fame, riches and wealth is but ethereal possession.

Why does a person covet it?

Bringing calamity

Old friend, this is the way of our parting

Now, we wave goodbye

To the sound of my mottled horse neighing.

'Why did Silas send me a poem?' Oliver is well aware that Silas is a learned scholar, versed in poetry and literature and always has private discourse with his scholar's friends but rarely Silas gave him a poem.

But then looking at the title he laughed, finally understanding why Silas has sent him a poem.

'Sending off a friend, huh. HAHAHAHA. Silas, is this your answer?' Saying this he walked to his carriage and ride towards his estate, his face was scary and frighten his vassal falters.

'My lord why are you'Walter doesn't know what to say looking at Oliver face.

'HAHAHA' Oliver laughed inside the carriage.

'Today, a friend is sending me off, gifting me a poem. Of course I have to reciprocate.' He said as his mind keeps thinking as the carriage hurriedly sped by

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The first years of the Emperor absence in the Imperial Palace, the Civil War of the Two Flowers erupted.

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