The Union

But the people in front of Ivan wore grim expressions of hunger. These were the same fat swines who attacked him nearly a month ago. Last time they did not listen. Now that food prices were high and supplies were low, they were listening to him. A growling stomach really does open the ears.

"I do not want violence with my brother. King Timothy is kind and going against him truly crushes my heart. Oh how cruel it is to pit brother against brother and blood against blood" Ivan put his palm on his chest and acted hurt. He had practiced this pose probably a hundred times last night. "But King Timothy"s policies are hurting you my people. Anthapis was once the grain basket of the Kingdom. Now look at the city. Starving people are everywhere. Grains are scarce. The people are hungry. We are suffering"

Ivan stepped forward and raised his fist in the air. He breathed deeply and cleared his throat.

"King Timothy is focusing on war. His courage is admirable. But his wars are making us suffer. The people of Castonia are starving. You are starving. I cannot bear watching this anymore. Because of this I will personally write a letter to King Timothy and beg to him to end the wars and focus on the suffering people instead. If he won"t listen then I would have no choice but to fight and convince him!"

His rhetoric must have been bad as it was met with silence. Some people even had the audacity to laugh at him. Ivan just bit his lips and endured the humiliation.

"We know you just want the crown. Your words now are different from your words last time. But it"s alright boy. You"re right, we are starving and we are yet to hear from King Timothy. We demand to be fed" A muscular man from the crowd said. From his clothes and posture Ivan discerned that he was a landowner and not a serf.

"I myself ain"t caring about the d.a.m.n politics. Just hurry up oh dear prince. Fix your b.l.o.o.d.y beef with your brother and feed us already!" a woman shouted. She was met with howls of the same pleas.

"We want food!" Another man said. He spitted to the ground "We"ve toiled all year in our farms and paid the right taxes. We"ve bathed ourselves in sweat. And now the n.o.bles are hogging all the food. d.a.m.n them. What little silver we have can only buy us thin broths. What little coin we have can only get us a few weeks into the snow season. Do they want us to starve? And the King is doing nothing!"

Ivan smiled, inwardly as he cannot show that he was pleased with their growing distance from Timothy. These people were landowners after all. They were the ones affected the most by the shortage of food. Serfs were fed by n.o.bles but landowners were on their own.

This was just the start. Soon all of Eastern Castonia would chant his name against Timothy. Although some n.o.bles will probably die in the ensuing chaos, they would have the honor of dying for him.

He turned a look at Helios. He was still not sure if the old strange man"s name really is Helios. They just agreed on the name. He respect towards Helios had grown for the past weeks. At first Ivan was worried that Helios was just another of Timothy"s spies.

Helios turned out to be useful- very useful in fact that all of the current disorder in Eastern Castonia were all because of him. He was also well-connected as almost all n.o.bles knew him. He was able convince the n.o.bles to h.o.a.rd grains in just a short time.

But what Ivan liked the most about Helios is that the old man doesn"t want anything in return. He was just like Ivan- bent on destroying Timothy. For a powerful man to desire nothing but Timothy"s downfall, Helios was weird. Ivan even suspects a little that Helios was Ashkara"s blessing to him.

Ivan again feasted his eyes upon the enraged populace. They were still angrily murmuring.

"That"s it for today oh good people of Anthapis. May the Omniscient be with us. May King Timothy have mercy. I will inform you of his answer soon enough"

Ivan bowed and strode towards Helios. The Wismarine guards moved to protect him from behind.

"Nicely done" Helios said with a smile as Ivan was being escorted by the Wismarines from the platform.

"Thanks to your guidance" Ivan smiled back. "All of these are because of you. After I take the throne, I shall reward you handsomely. I know you want nothing but such service to Castonia demands for a reward"

Helios did not talk and just smiled at Ivan. He started walking.

Ivan hurried his steps to catch up. For an old man, Helios was fit. His hair had shades of white and wrinkles dotted his face. But Helios" body still emitted a certain aura of virility.

"Where are we going now? Personally, I want to rest. I"m tired" Ivan said

"Oh you"ll rest. In fact you"ll sleep in the best bed in the city tonight" Helios put his hand on his medallion and fiddled with it. The thing"s design was unique and had a certain beauty about it. Ivan had the urge to ask Helios about the medallion but he prevented himself from prying too much.

"First we need to meet with someone" Helios said

"Someone? Where are we going exactly?"

"You"ll see King Ivan. Patience. A lot of things we gain just by having patience"

Ivan shrugged and just walked with Helios. The Wismarines followed behind. As Ivan walked in the streets of Anthapis, he couldn"t help but notice the stark difference between the current condition of the city and its condition just a few weeks ago. Vagrants now line the streets, begging for sc.r.a.ps of what little food the city has. Those who still had food were walking aimlessly. It was as if the city had died.

Ivan felt a pinch of pity and guilt. They were the ones responsible for this. But he shook his head soon after. No, he thought. He was slightly responsible for the famine but it was Timothy"s fault all along. If Timothy hadn"t stolen his crown, then Ivan wouldn"t have been forced to do this. Timothy took what was his. It was just right for Ivan to take all measures necessary to take back the crown.

Ivan eyed Helios who was still fiddling with his medallion. There were still many things he doesn"t know about Helios. The old man just popped out of nowhere. He felt lucky that Helios was his ally.

"May I ask you a question?"

"Question. An answer is what you want then. Answers are terrifying King Ivan for some truths are too dangerous that they are better buried under lies. Ask anyway. I"ll try to answer your question but be reminded of my warning about truths"

Ivan ignored his unusual blabber. Ever since he met Helios, he had always been like that.

"Why do you hate Timothy? My own hatred for him is understandable and just. But you seem to have a history with him"

"I don"t hate him" Helios replied "I got nothing personal against King Timothy. I"m just doing my job. A man"s got to do what he was tasked to do"

"And what is your job? It"s strange that someone as well-connected and powerful as you still have to work for someone"

Helios chuckled. It was an unsettling chuckle that brought shivers into Ivan"s spine.

"My job? Oh Your Majesty Ivan. You don"t want to know. Trust me, you don"t. It"s one of the truths that is better buried under lies. The important thing is that we"re working together as allies. Am I wrong?"

Ivan swallowed but was slightly annoyed. He really wanted an answer. He looked towards Helios, committed on having his answer. But Helios talked first. He pointed forward.

"We"re here King Ivan. Like what I promised, you will sleep in the best bed tonight"

Ivan traced Helios" finger with his eyes. What he saw in front was a huge house in the center of the city. It was the house of the Governor of Anthapis, Earl Vernice.

"You also have connections with the Governor?" Ivan smiled and shook his head. He was pleased "You never fail to surprise me Helios"

Helios again didn"t talk. He just trudged forward with his old legs.

Ivan followed. He was too pleased to mind Helios" disrespectful behavior. He grinned a little knowing the importance of Earl Vernice"s help.