16 SCHEME OF A BEAUTY (1/2)

MIDGARD

LINDBERG

MARTEL HOUSEHOLD

The blowing wind brings down the breezy wind of a new beginning.

A woman was looking out of the window, sitting on a recliner admiring the snow, her face was naturally outstanding, and each move she make is graceful.

Her eyes was like the ocean, the scenery in her eyes was majestic and when she walks it was like she was dancing in the wind possessing such breath of elegance and poise befitting ofa great family.

Her right index finger was tapping on the chair armrest. Beside her was a book. It was the Spring and Autumn Classic.

It has been a year.

It is now Dawnmoon, the first month of the year. 15 Dawnmoon 1501 Afterfire, 13 Year of Julian Era.

Today is Frieday and many people who live around the sea near the Lindberg Harbor would go to the Temple of Frieda especially those wives of sailors.

Goddess Frieda is the Goddess of the Sea and as such for people who depends on the harvest of the oceans, they usually go to the Temple of Frieda to leave some offerings and pray for the safety of their loved one when travelling the unpredictable sea.

For the people of Midgard the Seven Gods faiths are still prevalent here in the Western part of Midgard.

Considering most people in Midgard is Northmen, it is no wonder even after Eresian culture assimilate with the culture of Northmen some things does not change.

On the other side of the room is a chair with many opened letters.

It is letter from her son Charles.

From the letters, Charles explained that he has met a teacher in Jianghu and is now training to master his martial art and when he returned he also planned to enlist himself in the Prince of Lindberg army and gain merit.

By now Charles must have reached eleven of age. In four more years he could be considered an adult.

This woman looking out of the window is the mother of Charles Martell, the Low Consort of the Prince of Lindberg, Lady Joana Wellham.

She closes her eyes as she remembers what happens a few weeks ago.

A few weeks ago, her brother returns with a woman in white robe and a veiled face.

Making introductions, her brother introduces her to Charles teacher. Messenger was immediately dispatched to inform the Prince.

When her husband heard that the teacher of his son has come to the Household he rushed home from the Harbor to see what kind of master that Charles has acknowledged.

When he first arrived and saw the white robed woman he was disappointed to say the least. The First Wife also sneers saying that Charles only acknowledges those that are same as him, fragile and weak.

The Prince hearing this was not pleased and also holds terrible opinions for the white robed woman after being egged on by his Side Consort and his First Wife.

And he scoffed even as so much insulting the white robed woman to break the ties of master and disciple relationship between her and his son.

That was a big mistake.

That woman in white robe kicks the stone chair where the Prince was sitting and the stone chair exploded.

The Prince fall to the cold wet ground and his face was flushed red. He was after all a General of the Army, a Prince that holds the region of Lindberg.

The ten guards of the household were incensed and attack the white robe woman.

The white robed woman then slit the guard's hands making them unable to hold a sword or weapon ever again and hold the Prince at sword point alarming the entire household.

They were shocked because the ten guards were all powerful and officer of the Prince army and rarely they were defeated in the battlefield or in one on one duels.

This time they were not only defeated but they were crippled, making them unable to hold a weapon for their entire life, this is worse than being killed.

She then declares

'I am Lady Lin Ziyan, Lady of Changan, known in the Jianghu as the Purple Fairy, the successor disciple of Old Immortal Li Wentian.'

Her voice reverberated through the courtyard suffusing the entire household with thick and suffocating killing intent full of anger.

'I have never been disrespected and not take that person lives. Today, you insulted me and I forgive you for the virtue of my disciple. But your guards attacked me. So, I cripple their hand as their just punishment.'

Then she said to the Prince

'Prepare me accommodation and food and do not meddle in my matters and I would not make it hard for your household.'

It was then that the whole household knows what kind of malignant star this fragile looking white robed woman is.

The Prince was not knowledgeable about the matters of Jianghu but he knows the name Old Immortal Li Wentian.

After all the previous King, King Rheonius once wanted to know the secret to eternal life and heard rumors about a martial artist that has lived for more than a hundred years and is still healthy.

He wanted to send an expedition to Aeropa and summons that person to the Westhold court.

But this proposal was blocked by the Patriarch of Wellham's, Lord William Wellham citing that many emperors and kings of the past searched for elixir of immortality and each one of those monarch leaves bad names in history.

Jolted awake by the remonstration of Lord William, the King cancels his thoughts but the Prince of Lindberg at the time still managed to know the name of the martial artist that was mentioned.

And knowing that the woman was the disciple of that Old Immortal how could the Prince attitude not change?

Since then the Prince treated the woman incredibly good as he was entirely convinced of the woman ability to instruct and guide his son.

The ten guards were compensated and were given land so that they could live peacefully.

It was later that night Lancel explains the importance and fame of this white robe woman to the Prince and her.

Hearing her exploit and her background in Jianghu make the Prince very happy as he is now relieved that his son has met such a formidable master.

Then she opens her eyes and a smile formed on her lips as she hopes that when Charles returns, the Prince could trust him with many things.

To Joanna there is nothing more important to her than her son. Her son is her hope.

Then that woman took back the book she put aside before, looking at it briefly before sneering and throws that book into the cold ground.

'Nothing in this text is correct. The words of the Great Teacher and the Wise Master are both wrong. Politics and justice are one are all false.'

The woman said in a mocking tone

'If politics and justice are one how is it possible for my family to be purged by the so called Wise King Julius? People praise King Julius for strengthening the nation but they forget what he had done. Wildflowers were trampled because he only sees the forest.'

There is also a problem in the household now.

Lady Morrigan after seeing how formidable Charles teacher in martial arts, she once again fear what the Prince thinks.

The prince has always favored his Third Son; showering Charles with all the luxuries he could give and his treatments of Charles is almost as equal as his treatment for his first son.

So, Lady Morrigan once again began plotting to harm her and her son. But this time she was even more cautious.

That Lady in White was formidable and her training in martial arts is high.

A few days ago, snakes managed to find itself into her courtyard. The snake was big and venomous.

The Lady in White snorted and only need to flick her finger before the snakes exploded into mass of gore.

It is reasonable to find snakes since Lindberg is close to the large forest near the Merciana Mountain range but to find it in her courtyard?

That is impossible unless someone put it there.

Not to mention the Prince was at the harbor, negotiating with the Guilds about this year taxes and improvement and many others business relating to the harbor.

No one to help her. If not for the interference of the Lady in White she would have been poisoned.

She would survive but she will be weakened and when eyes are closed, who knows what schemes would Morrigan do?

Too many threats and dangers here in the Prince household.

It was the reason she sent her own son into exile. Thankfully, this exile did not break her son heart and instead he strived to better himself.

Joanna knows that what she did was a little cruel sending her own child alone into some unknown places and forces him to rule a village but there is no choice for her.

The household has too many secrets and too many dangers that her heart could not calm down and the only way she could preserve Charles life is in Windhill where she has Steward Errol who she trusted completely.

First Young Master Jon is now sixteen of age and has begun following the Prince touring the province but he did not enter the military.

This is because while Jon is diligent in his studies, he possess next to nothing in his talent regarding martial arts.

He could incite internal energy but he could not understand many abstruse concepts that require softness and comprehension of the skills.

He is also stubborn making his teacher feeling helpless. People of Jianghu rarely teach people of nobility even more so when they are despised.

Most of the famous martial arts experts live across the Merciana Mountain range in Aeropa where martial arts studies are flourishing.

Northmen also possess some martial arts expert but compared to Aeropa it was the difference of a lake and the ocean.

Since Midgard is at peace and cultivate cultured personality, there are even some scholars that views martial arts as relic of a violent past.

Not to mention Northmen is usually engaged in large scale warfare where individual power rarely have meaning in the battlefield.

So, not many Northmen are experts in martial arts.

But to dismiss martial arts like this is also wrong and to reject martial arts just because it was founded by Eresian is also wrong.

Guilaume Bourbon when he founded the Bourbon dynasty, he takes the beneficial aspect of the Ancient Han and throws out which is bad.

If martial art is not important in warfare then why is it that the Black Dragon, General Rheon Shone remain undefeated.

From the first year he took the Dragon Pass the Western Barbarian could not pass the Mountain and attack Westhold.

With his martial art prowess he awe the Western Barbarian and defend the Pass from external threat, making the people of Midgard all praise him and admire him from the bottom of their hearts.

The scholars were filled with gratitude, the rulers were full of admiration and the generals view him as a paragon of warfare.

If not for his astounding powerful martial arts how could he gain worldwide gratitude?

With what miracle that he would be able to jump from the Pass and glide through the air taking the heads of many barbarian leaders when they tried to invade the Pass during King Julius rebellion?

She is hoping that after her son return, Charles could also help her….in exacting her revenge and hope her son would share her dreams.

Even till now, she could still hear the cries of the little ones and remembers the face of his Older Brother and her father.

They were calm and unrelenting even when death is approaching, they do not fear the royal condemnation and knows they do not shame the people and was not ashamed to face the Heavens.

Nobody could have such stalwart determination in front of death unlike her father and brother. Other people begged.

Other people apologized.

But even as the swords and spears pierced the body of her brother and father, their face was calm, spouting blood but not uttering a single word of complaints and Joanna knew that her father only hope Westhold could remain strong.

His brother died under the sword of Julius killed on the steps of the Throne Room, his blood shower the Throne Steps.

Red blood dripping the tiles of the Royal Palace, virtuous officials lives were sacrificed all because Julius wanted a throne.

They were loyal. They were paragons of virtue. They were honorable. And they died.

Her heart hated. Her heart despaired. And her heart broke. And a flame ignites in her heart. She will not be loyal!

She will not be a paragon of virtue. She will not be honorable! She will survive and she will exact her revenge.

By the sheer force of her will, she will displace the Heaven and turn down this world belonging to the House of Loraine upside down.

This hatred will not be sated until everyone that has anything to do with the purge of her family could be sent to the Afterlife.

But when Charles was born she learns to love again. In him, she sees the hope of revenge. He will be her protector and her tool of revenge.

But even an ice mountain could melt how could her hatred remains the same after all these years.

The hatred is still there….an ember now comparing to the blaring flame when she saw that scene years ago.

And as her hearts loved, she slowly grew attached to her own son. Even though Charles was of Martell blood, he is also her son.

And slowly she truly loved her son and does not wish any harm befalling him. She could no longer bear to see his son be merely her tools of vengeance.

Her heart could not bear it now.

And when her son was diagnosed to be weak and always ill in winter in one part of her heart, Joanna was relieved.

At least if he was weak and ill, I would have no intention of making him a tool of my vengeance. She thought at that time.

He was useless if he is weak and as such I could love him without any reservation. So, it was not only Morrigan that was worried of Charles master incredible martial arts and how he would grow, she was also worried.

Being outstanding too much is not good.

Charles master praised him possessing high intelligence and natural talent in understanding martial arts.

Lancel, her brother praises her child saying Charles intelligence would outstrip his peers and to be an official and rendering merit in service of the Kingdom will not be hard.

The more praises heaped on her son, the more uneasy she felt and the more her ambition is being fanned.

The sweet whispers of revenge once again resound in her ears.

Then the sound of rushing footsteps startled her and brings her back to her surroundings.

The servants all bowed their head and Joanna looked up and saw a mature man looking at him full of joy.

He is tall and of good posture, wearing a white robe edged in black red, with a green jade coronet.

He was a giant among men, standing tall almost reaching seven feet tall, looking very imposing and was feared in the battlefield.

This man is the Prince of Lindberg, Arthur Martell

'Prince has finished meeting the Guilds? Is there a need for nourishment that Prince has come to this humble consort courtyard?' Her words were biting and her eye is full or mirth.

The Prince flinched but he resigned himself to her verbal abuse as he believed he deserved it this time.

He gesture with his hands for the servants to go away so he may speaks without reserve with his Low Consort.

The servant immediately went out bowing and thinking among themselves that this pair of lovebird really makes the lives of their servants always walking in needles.

Meanwhile, inside the room, looking at Joanna his heart is hurting. She looks like she would break with a touch, fragile and innocent.

But out of everyone in Westhold only he knows how ferocious this woman really is.

When Arthur met Charles teacher and knows her exploit in Jianghu, Arthur nodded in his mind. It is true that a lioness will not beget a dog.

His son was always weak and fragile, always suffering cold bouts in winter, always pale but as beautiful as four seasons.

His son was a man but he possesses such a beautiful face, pleasant to look at, and enchanting. One could lose a day just looking at how beautiful he is.

For Arthur who came from a general family this kind of son could brought mocking. How could a general son possess such a girly face?

It is thankful that while his son was beautiful he did not engage in illicit relationship with other men like the people of capital which regarded it as the sweets fruit and force servants and little boys to satisfy their perverted desires.

The Capital is decadent and full of promiscuity and Arthur has never like going there.

'Are you still angry with me, my dear?' the Prince asked as he wanted to come closer and hold her hand. She did no reject his touch but she also did not say anything

The fact that the Prince disregarded Charles master and almost losing such expert has made his Low Consort very angry at the time.

Arthur after finishing his talk with the Guilds near the harbor quickly went home and instead going to his First Wife courtyard debase himself and went to his Low Consort courtyard to plead guilty.

It could be said that Prince Arthur feelings for Joanna of Wellham is sincere.

'Tell me the problem. Prince come here for me, this lowly person to solve Prince problems or why didn't Prince meet Older Sister Morrigan first?' Arthur smiles sheepishly hearing her words.

'It is true I have some problems but that is the secondary compare to your forgiveness. If not for you dear Joana how could I live this long?' He said and Joana closes her eyes like she was thinking.

In Arthur mind he asked himself but never dare to ask this question directly towards Joanna.

You hated my family but does it mean you hated me too? After all this time, could you not forget your revenge?

Did you think I do not know why you helped me all these years? My love towards you…does it means nothing to you?

He did not dare ask this question because he feared to hear her answer. Joana looked at her husband and sighed.

She closes her eyes.

She knew her husband loved her dearly but that kind of sins….could it be easily forgotten? Hundreds of lives were lost that day.

Her servants, her friends, her relatives her family not one of them was spared.

She was spared because she was married to the Martell and the Martel inaction during Julius rebellion was integral in him snatching the Throne from his brothers.

He could not offend the Martell at the time. Not only because he could not afford to, it is because he can't.

His army at the time was small, the Prince of Lindberg on the other hand possess large lands and have large military.

If at the time he offends the Martell and the Martell retaliated and brought down the entire Northern Part of Westhold to siege the Capital with what Throne would Julius blustered about here in Westhold?

His brother was spared because Prince James Arhan values him and Prince James has always ruled his region with almost complete autonomy.

Even the Previous King was respectful towards him. His family has guarded the Westhold Western Borders for a long time and has never rebelled.

In the past one King has done something that humiliates the House of Arhan so they siege the Old Capital and sacked the cities surrounding the capitals.

The House of Arhan could have taken the country and establish a new dynasty under name of Arhan but they did not.

They killed the King as just punishment and went to find the closest kin of the King and restored back the Loraine house as the ruling dynasty and return to their region.

Since then, the Kings of Westhold dare not to offend the House of Arhan and let them have full authority in their region.

The King was satisfied with these arrangements because the House of Arhan did not want kingship only to maintain their ancestral land and guarding the Western Border.

Since the Kings do not have to worry about their loyalty, they were given free reign and was trusted by many Kings of Westhold owing to their reputation of loyalty.

If not for all the protection of Arhan and the Martell, his brother would be hunted and her head would roll already under the executioner feet.

She knows that her husband wanted to wear her down with love, knows that he did and heed her counsel because he knew what she was planning but if he did not have any ambition, how could he followed her plans?

Sending troops to the Dragon Pass and the Gorge helping the Vicious Tiger and the Black Dragon this is training the troops.

What is the reason of training troops if not for preparing for external threats? But Lindbergh is the most northern part of the kingdom.