<h4>Chapter 281: The banquet in Medoris.</h4>


    <i>Medoris.</i>


    The troubles in therge empire were still brewing, the citizens were uneasy. An empire could not be without an emperor for a day. The regent, Ma the fourth was not a recognized emperor, if he took the throne without the support of the nobles, war would erupt. It had already started in the East and the North.


    The most powerful Viscount in the East Lord Plump Eaglestorn had dered himself the emperor of the eastern regions and his army was already controlling the eastern boarder.


    The former emperor’s uncle who had been living quietly in the North, Grand Duke Ridley had also dered himself king of the North. His knights and soldiers, with the support of the noble families that dwelled there controlling the boarder which was closest to Nemoris.


    If the royal army had not covered the South and West quickly, the nobles there would have bonded together to take control of those regions already.


    As the divine messenger, Akia had appeared on television, calling for a cease fire. She frightened Medorian’s using thetest expansion of Eldoria and its union with Sndor through marriage. She encourage the strongest noble houses to send representatives to the capital of Nemoris to meet and vote on a new emperor that everyone liked.


    They even chose a neutral location, the Angel academy of mages in Medoris. This was a sacred ground, nobody would dare to shed blood wantonly there. This was because the mages were neutral, they served the emperor that sat on the throne.


    If others caused trouble in the capital, they would be dealt with ruthlessly no matter who they were.


    So, a banquet was held in the enormous hall of the academy. It was attended by all the noble houses that stood strong in the empire. To create a beautiful and cheerful environment, Akia had the hall decorated with beautiful flowers.


    She invited dancers, the best that Medoris had to offer. However only beautiful men and women were chosen. She encouraged maidens of Medoris to attend, suggesting that some would meet their prince charming at the banquet.


    That suggestion was the reason for all the giggles and squeals in the hall as several nobles made their way to their assigned tables.


    Henry Whitaker, the herald was among a few of the former emperor’s men that still had his job. He was announcing the nobles as they made entry. Henry was tired of all the giggling. It had been his assumption that this was a serious gathering in which politics would be discussed.


    Now, it looked more like a debutante ball with hopeful youngdies that hade to look for ideal husbands.


    "From the North, Grand Duke Alexander Ridley from the house of Larkhaven."


    As his grace Lord Alexander entered the hall, followed by two of his sons and ten of their finest knights, women squealed. The grand duke was whispered to be the most likely person to sit on the throne. Ideally, even though he had been cast out of the royal family, he had more royal blood in him than Ma the fourth.


    Indeed his entrance irked the regent, Ma the fourth.


    "He should not be here." He grumbled to his neighbor, his oldest Jordan Harrington.


    The son faked a smile and exchanged a nod with Lord Ethan Ridley, the oldest son of the Grand duke. "We are prepared for war should he take the throne. As a cast away, he has no right to rule Medoris."


    Their discussion was interrupted by the sound of more squealsing from a table behind them.


    "Look Gloria, even Victor Davenport is here, isn’t he handsome. I wish I could have his baby."


    "Shh! Grace, do not say such things or someone will overhear you and your reputation will go down a drain."


    Ma the fourth gritted his teeth, angry at more people that should not have been invited to the banquet. The doe eyed husband hunting women and the Davenport’s.


    Theirs was a powerful noble family with a fleet of ship as strong as that of the Shadowmere’s in Eldoria. They also owned and lived onrge fortress on Shark ind. They had a lot of control over Sharkke which separated the North from the rest of the empire. He had asked them to side with him, take the North and bring down the Ridley’s but they had turned him down.


    Lord Kirk Davenport had said that it was too soon to tell who would be sitting on the throne and he did not want to ce his bet on the wrong man so he was staying neutral.


    For Ma, that answer sounded like a ’no.’ Given their proximity to the North, the Davenport’s were likely to side with the Ridley’s.


    "From the South, Her grace, Amelia Winslow, Dame of Suncrest." The herald announced.


    The squeals in the room doubled. Amelia Winslow was a role model for all the women of Medoris. She was the only daughter of her father but she had defeated her brothers and taken control of her family. She had raised and trained the first female knights of Medoris, strong fighters that could make men tremble.


    When she walked in, she was led by a tiger at the the front and twenty female knights at the back in their uniforms.


    Amelia Winslow walked with the grace of a noble woman and the prowess of a panther. She was like a storm carved into flesh and steel--tall, powerful and unwavering. Her beauty was unquestionable, sculpted with fierce amber eyes that had edges of molten gold around the pupils. Her hair was always unruly, no matter how many times she straightened it.


    The windswept locks cascaded like midnight silk over her shoulders. It was rumored that those locks could move o their own, like swords they could cut and like hands, they could strangle.


    It was said that her magic had awakened in her hair which is why it was darker that the night and always on the move.


    Men hated Amelia, envied and loved her. Many had tried to conquer her but they had failed. Amelia had dered that she would only marry the man that defeated her in a sword fight and so far, none had done so. As she walked to her table, men made way for her, their respect for her undoubted.


    Ma whispered to his son, that he should try and take down Amelia. With her support they would stand a stronger chance of taking the throne.


    Jordan scoffed at the suggestion. No matter how the times had changed, some things had remained the same. He was not willing to be beaten by a female knight. It was a thing of shame, not glory.


    "I have changed my mind Glory, I want to have her babies." The young woman at the table behind Ma and his family said.


    "She truly is handsome and beautiful at the same time."


    "Ahhhh!! Lord Andrew Beckett hase. Quick, tell me, how does my make-up look? If I don’t go home with his number tonight, I will shave my hair and move to an abbey."


    The youngdies continued to giggle foolishly in a manner that both men found annoying.