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Still young and fertile, wealthy not to mention she had a comely strong and attractive husband who was every maiden’s dream, Lord Petrus Octavianus. “She can have another child” said Lord Akirbus when he was discussing matters with Lord Angun. “I don’t see the reason foe her to mourn this long, it’s been a fortnight”

“She’s a woman my lord, and women are...” Angun wanted to say something not to kind, he stopped quickly when Artemis walked inside the council chamber. He and Akirbus bowed softly as he passed through. They both said “Your Grace”

“My lords, good morrow”

“Good morrow Your Grace”

Artemis sat down on the chair and exhaled, he just finished his daily training with his Lord Commander and he seemed ready to hear the news of the day. Lord Balrus walked inside too, this time followed by Lord Finnian of Iron Falcon and Lord Jon Grimwald of Green Town, he was Ursula’s husband and still not yet a lord but his father sent him on his stead.

The new council was to have all ten lords of the realm, if not them, then their sons who will represent them on days when the Kin wanted to see them all. Lord Spider from Dark Town arrived three minutes later, Hawk Aethelind two minutes later, Lord Leif from House Ash came although he was limping and he seemed to have hurt his leg badly.

Lord Hamlin Confield from Gravestone was dead, hence his seventeen years old son Oak Confield attended on his stead, how lame of Artemis not to notice the demise of his warden from Gravestone. He apologized to Lord Oak Confield and promised to go back with him to Gravestone so as to properly crown him as the Lord of House Gravestone.

.....

Lord Hofun couldn’t attend, so he sent his first son Aegon Hofun to attend on his stead. Lord Afrrey Tril, the new Lord of Old City took five minutes just to walk from the door to the table, and he had to be helped in climbing the two stairs. Artemis knew he made a mistake into choosing a late seventy man as Lord, while he should be resting.

Lord Maurin of Copperstone came right after Lord Finnian of Iron Falcon, there was bad blood between these two once best friends ever since Lord Finnian betrayed the crown and helped Lord Aethelind during the Battle of Stonedance. But the battle was long gone, six moons passed and the very thing Artemis taught to his lords were to forget and forgive, and move on.

His one sentence he used to say was “My uncle is dead, let his wroth and betrayals die with him” and that was the wisest thing any King could ever say, and this united the strong houses of the realm to their strength.

The last lord to arrive was Lord of the mines, Leoric Walsen, and he arrived in style compared to all other lords. His skin was black, but not so black he looked like a mixture blood, nor white nor black. He was so tall – standing at six foot and three inches just like Artemis. He wore a silver robe made of silk, so soft and tender that it attracted everyone he made a contact with. He had long braids falling behind his back effortlessly, so rare for a black man to have such soft hairs.

But Leoric’s father was white, his mother was a slave who was raised to standards and gained her freedom when she married the then Lord of the Mines, Ohan Walsen and together they had a son who they named Leoric.

Ohan Walsen died when Leoric was five, his mother took control of their house until he came of age. Now he was twenty five just like Artemis, his claim as Lord of the Mines was challenged by his uncles, as he usually calls them “The selfish Walsens” who demanded he was not fit to inherit his father’s house.

The claim went on and on to King Luca Arteides courtyards, for five months it was Leoric and his mother against the whole clan of selfish Walsens who claimed Leoric was a bastard and not fit to carry the name Walsen, even though they were present during the wedding day between their relatives and Leoric’s mother.

Artemis’s father stood behind Leoric and supported his claim. The slaves in the mines supported Leoric’s claim, and that’s because they knew somehow they will have it easy once a half black man takes the wheel. But, things didn’t do as planned when Leoric came of age and he was crowned as the lord of the Mines.

The very slaves who cheered their lungs out when Luca Arteides claimed Leoric Walsen, the true heir to the Mines, suffered way more than they expected under Leoric’s rule. The slaves were subjected to hard labor and many hours of work, tons and tons of gold were mines and that meant more work in the tedious heat.

Approximately five thousand slaves died during the time of Leoric’s reign, all due to harsh treatments and lots of work. The ones who were brought to the mines as thieves, murderers, rapist and outlaws wished they were dead because they worked two times than the slaves.

Leoric developed such strong hatred against the fairer skin, it was because of the way how his uncles and aunts treated him. Rumors were he burned them when his uncle’s house went aflame during moon festivities, all of the Walsens attended that day to celebrate and they all perished.

Although Leoric was half away across the Silent Sea during that time, he went there to get his silks, wines and satins, when he came back to his castle, that’s when he heard the shocking news about his estranged family. The chronicles written say Lord Leoric was shocked, his jaws dropped when he was informed of such misfortune.

There was every possibility that it wasn’t him, that’s when the people turned to his mother, she may look like an innocent woman who wasn’t capable of murder, but she had every reason to do so just to protect her son. Although no one ever proved it.

The way Leoric carried himself up high, the fabrics he wore, the way he moved with such cockiness in his body movement and the fire in his eyes. Even a blind man would know he is rich and full of attitude, just by the way he was smelling so good.

All eyes of the ten lords of Maldonia seated inside the council room turned to look at him as he made his way towards the King. He had a smile, no one knew whether he was happy to finally meet Artemis since they were never acquainted or he was smiling because he felt like a god walking to his servants.

He had golds bracelets around his wrists, a gold necklace on his neck, and small little golden bells which were tightened on his long braids. With an army of two hundred thousand slaves loyal to him, this was a man worth watching and paying close attention to, and Artemis himself was stunned by the entrance of Lord Leoric Walsen from the mines.

Because of circumstances which led to Artemis forfeiting the rest of his leg tour, he had to omit the mines but right there he wished he could have gone there. Somehow he always had a faint idea about the mines, he called it a place where people go to die but he was surely mistaken.

The slaves were the ones who were dying but not his lord who was very rich beyond his imagination, perhaps even the good folks in the mines might be living a good life just like their lord. It’s time he makes a journey to the place before Leoric takes all the gold for himself, that’s what Artemis thought.

A slave walked inside the council chamber and shouted “Behold, Lord Leoric Walsen, the Lord of the Mines and Master of Slaves” he said and then walked outside.

Balrus smiled, he and Leoric were acquainted to one another. They have done a lot of business together over the years, long even before Artemis came to power. He also played part as Master of Spies to his city, and that led to the capture of Leoric’s foes who were put to sword immediately.

Mayhaps it was Lord Balrus who burned the Walsens, not done by his hand but he had a lot of rodents and free swords who would do anything for him and he did want a favor from the wealthy Lord.

Leoric came close to Artemis and he immediately knelt down on one knee and said “Your Grace” with a smile.