Year 12.328 After the Founders Autumn 68

The day after the Siege of Arrianne, the entire city was in an uproar.

Many of the citizens who lived in Arrienne welcomed the king as a liberator, feeling euphoric for they were back where they belonged, because the king announced an exemption of taxes over the next 4 years and that taxes once back would return to a slightly lower level when compared to before the occupation.

The city, despite some fires that were started due to the Oderickians routing, was not sacked b the Lusian Army, the people obtained some liberties, taxes were low and their king was in the command of a strong army who could protect them, so many had every reason to be happy and hopeful of the future. It felt as if the locals had managed to obtain a great victory together with the army.

In the city main street, a parede to showcase the victorious Lusian army to the inhabitants was hastily organized.Despite the rather unimpressive parade, it was not a problem, for there was no need to make it fancy, Kniva just wished to show a big declaration of victory, to boost his army morale and to obtain more favor from his people, who were just in the mood for a celebration.

And so the locals were flanking the soldiers passing by, cheering for their liberator. Men would wave their hands and make military gestures, women would throw kisses and flirt with the soldiers, children played knight and waved swords at the man, bards and dancers displayed a show to the masses. It was a simple and good festival to elevate everyone’s spirit.

By the end of the parade Diaz and Teia were approached by a group of young and a bit nervous children about their age, delivering them flowers and presents from the locals, while their father received the city’s key from the local representatives.

To Diaz it felt as if he was back to participating in public events back in his world, he had little taste for overly fancy balls but he liked to be in the middle of the common people, partaking in their simple but fun festivities, although he did so mostly by simply enjoying the show.

Still, there was much to be done, while the victory was indeed great, the number of casualties on both sides was large. Diaz had again went to do his all to help in both at the hastily set up hospitals and in the relief and repair teams organized in order to put the city quickly back to shape, despite his father's wishes for him to just stay still.

Diaz was adamant to not remain idle when he could do something to help, so insistent that he would go by himself if necessary and that if they wanted to stop him they should throw him in a prison cell and hide the keys.

The prince knew he was being selfish, he understood that since the incident in the army camp’s infirmary, however he was still a prince in this world and an emperor in the other. To Diaz, being selfish here and there, even more so when it is to help your people, is a requirement for a ruler. Some would think otherwise, however while he would take their critique and reflect on most cases in a few he would keep doing what he thought was correct and would not let go of his stance on the subject .

Seeing how serious his son was, it kinda reminded him of his own father, Eurick. How sometimes he would not budge in certain decisions and how he would go forth with his ideals despite knowing the consequences.

So, as before, Kniva decided to let his son do as he saw fit. Some might call him a bad parent for this but he also did not think that what Diaz was doing was wrong and he wasn't that much of a father so far anyway, so what right did he have to try and act the part now?

With the talking done, the wounded needed every mage and doctor possible, while the locals who lost their homes to fire and to battle needed a place to stay warm for the coming winter, there was no time to lose so Diaz spared no time, after he helped some of the doctors he decided to help out in disaster relief, going where fires had broken out.

“So much destruction in such a short time...” Diaz said, looking at one of the buildings that collapsed due to the fire.

Below the building, he could see a pair of children close together, they were dirty, crying and wounded, it was a heartbreaking scene.

When attempting to approach the children, they noticed him, but rather than a desire for help what Diaz noticed that the expression on the face of the older of the children was not one that welcomed him, rather it was one that showed hostility and hatred.

“...” the older children glared at him and his bodyguards, hugging the sobbing younger sibling closer in order to protect him.

Coming closer, Diaz noticed that besides the children there was a corpse of a woman, she was naked and full of signs of violence, it was clear what happened to her.

“Your highness… If you would allow us.” said Alexious, who was guarding the prince and trying to get him away from this scene.

The prince however was unfazed, he approached the children and asked.

“Who did this to you? Speak.” Diaz said so in an imposing tone, although there was a very subtle rage in his voice.

The children nor the guards however noticed the rage in the prince's voice, the older one simply locked gaze with the prince and answered in a low voice but with hatred in his voice.

“Our neighbors did...”

“...your house too?''

The kid nodded in affirmation, still the prince continued.

“Your father?”

“... dunno. He disappeared a little before… this.”

Thinking a bit, the prince came to a possibility in his head.

“Are you two perhaps, Oderickians?”

The kid did not answer, just hugged his sibling closer and closed his eyes in pain.

‘So they were some of the migrants' Diaz thought.

The locals of the city were hostile to any Oderickians due to the treatment they received during the looting many years back and the occupation until today. When the Lusian army won the siege, the locals proceeded to unleash all of their pent up anger not only in the fleeing soldiers but towards any who were migrants from the mainlands of the kingdom of Oderick. The fact that the kid’s father went missing little before this tragedy probably means he was conscripted to defend the walls and whether he was alive or not… The latter was more likely than the former.

Having concluded his thoughts, Diaz went into a pause, just for a few seconds. He looked closely at the older kid and his siblings, while the younger one was simply crying from being confused and afraid. The older one, most likely 3 years older than Diaz, had so much hostility coming out of him that the royal guards were on edge, expecting the kid to jump and attack Diaz.

As if coming to a decision, the Prince then changed his previous stoic expression to an amused one, changing the air around him completely.

“You two now have nowhere to go and no place to call yours, still your father might be alive and i can take you to him, if he still lives that is” Said the prince, he continued.

“And i can help you find him, if you so want.”

The older kid looked at the prince suspiciously, thinking there was something fishy.

“However you have to beg me for it, you have to beg me to help you.”

That statement shocked the royal guards and Alexious, for they never saw Diaz acting like this, he was always calm and stoic no matter where. Still, they did not say anything and kept on doing their duties despite them doubting their ears.

The older kid went quiet, however he was grinding his teeth loudly enough for the prince and the surrounding to hear.

Cautiously, Alexious prepared to intercept the kid in case he launched himself toward the prince in rage.

However the prince simply signaled them to back down.

“So what are you going to do? beg me for help, or die? hmmm? I can help you, you know? but you have to amuse me first ODERICKIAN” Said the prince in an amused tone.

That seemed to strike a nerve on the older kid. The older sibling trembled in rage, his hand going toward a rock as he remembered how the neighbors kept assaulting his mother calling her “Oderickian” over and over again as a form of insult.

“Are you sure you want to do this? your sibling might die because of you.”

After that sentence the older kid stopped for a moment realising the consequences while the prince continued.

“I will truly help you if you beg, however i will not do it for free to someone who clearly is hostile, you will have to pay a price, and the price i am asking is your pride and dignity.”

The kid looked clearly at Diaz face, it was not the face of someone mocking him anymore, but of someone seriously looking at him.

“Your dignity or your sibling, what is more important to you? If you think it’s the former, then attack me, but I will resist and take you down. While you will be able to tell the Valorous you fought and defended your honor, your sibling however will have no one left.So decide, what is more important to you NOW?”

The older kid was taken back by what Diaz said, he somehow understood the one in front of him was serious. Still how could he let go after what was said to him, the mocking over his mother's cold corpse?

The kid was in conflict, unsure what to do. At that moment however his younger sibling just hugged him while crying burying his face on his older relative’s dirty clothes, looking for comfort.

The older kid could not leave his younger sibling alone in this world, having decided he then let go of his younger sibling and bowed down to the prince, lowering his head until it kissed the ground.

“Please, sire… however you are…please I beg you... help us.”

Anger could be felt in the kid’s voice, and tears were running in his eyes swallowing his hatred for the Lusians so he could help his sibling.

With a Satisfied smile, Diaz grinned and made a loud voice, as if to make a scene.

“Granted! I shall help you find your father, and in case you don't, I shall find a way to compensate you for your problems.“

The way Diaz talked was full of authority, a lack of empathy and whimsical almost as if he was looking down on the kid.

This shook the surrounding royal guards once more.

“Sir Alexious, I would like you to choose any royal guardsmen to carry these kids to where the prisoners are, and help them locate their father.”

“Yes sire....” Alexious responded a bit lost.

The Royal guardsmen then took over from here, however the older sibling refused to be carried by royal guardsmen, going on foot himself while carrying his younger sibling, who was now too tired from crying.

Alexious could not help but question the young prince, since he thought everything that just happened was just too out of character.

“Sire, why did you take that tone with these kids? Pardon if I am being rude, but that was not like your highness.”

When looking again at the prince, Alexious could see he had returned to the previous stoic expression he had, as if a switch was just flipped in him. Confusing Alexious greatly.

“Because that kid did not desire pity nor comfort from those that helped hurt his family, he might not even accept our help even if we extend our hand.”

Alexious could not comprehend the rationale behind the young prince's decision.

“Sire, could you elaborate?“

“It’s because in this situation, where they believe that I am ‘bad’, they would hardly cooperate with us, who knows they might just flee the moment we dont look at them, so rather.”

Alexious could understand that Diaz decided basically to ‘play villain’ in order to more easily push his help, still he could fully comprehend the necessity of such an extreme action.

“I understand that these kids in no way would take our help as kindness, but I fail to understand the relation it has with the way you acted.” - Alexious asked just to confirm Diaz's reasoning.

“In case I had acted kind and showed concern to them, they would most likely see it with hostility and suspicion, they might think we were up to something and would perhaps try to flee later if we take them in. If we however act with authority and harshly even to the point of threats to force them to ask for our help, then I think we can diminish the chance of them fleeing”.

Basically Diaz did this for a reason, which was his own belief that in such a situation rather than offering himself to help it was better to force help upon them if he truly wished to do something. Alexious did not fully agree with the reasoning, however he knew that at least that wasn't a bad decision if he wanted to prioritize the help to these kids.

“Still sire, could they not flee even after all of this?”

“Like i said, i believe it diminishes the chances, not that it erases it entirely, they might still flee from us and end up lost somewhere, who knows what might happen to 2 lost kids, so keep an eye on them.”

“I see, so you did it knowing full well the consequences… Then I guess I have nothing to say. Still your highness, I would like for you to leave that to us rather than antagonizing yourself, otherwise your image as a royal and ours as your protectors would be tarnished. ”

Thinking a little about what Alexious just said,

“I Understand, however if necessary let me warn you that I might just do it again.”Said Diaz in a mix of a playful and serious tone.

“Understood your highness, though I would hope you would allow me to excuse myself when his majesty comes to scold you after hearing of your doings.”

“Nope, you are assigned to guard me so you shall guard me even from this, you swore to the Sovereign after all.”

“Goodness, I guess I have no choice.”

With the situation resolved, Diaz kept inspecting the damage to the city. Similar situations just like one that happened to the orphans early, were found everywhere Diaz went.

Diaz tried as he could to help lessen the problems to those affected by the aftermath but since the majority of those suffering by it were Oderickians just like the children earlier, Diaz’s help received the cold shoulder.

Some went as far as throwing mud and rocks at him and his guards and to these people , Diaz used that as an excuse to throw them jail. It might seem cruel, but in jail at least they would be protected, receive food and have a place to sleep, Diaz also planned to make their jails a bit more confortable and forbbid torture.

Later that day the prince was finally recalled by his father who had a pretty long scolding to give him, however after seeing the state his son was in, the king hesitated to do so, for his son was covered in mud and dirt, while Alexious was in even worse shape. The king knew of the details and was even ashamed that he did not take actions to pacify the city faster and to avoid even more damage, so all he did was give them a light punishment and ordered them to clean themselves.