Chapter 8: Lord Augustus Prestonheim of the 5th Batallion Pt.1

By the window of the Solar Room of Arenfall, Lord Augustus Prestonheim of the 5th Batallion fixed his eyes beyond the fading bloody red horizon. He brought distraught news to House Bieroff, the death of their patriarch--Lord Trotar Bieroff.

Earlier that day, the lord's remains was put on a decorated casket filled with wildflowers and covered with the Principalia's Insignia flag. The casket was paraded by a carriage from the mines to the castle. Lord Preston and his knights personally carried the casket to the cold halls of the castle, where the surprised and terrified family wailed and mourned.

He was asked to stay by the grieving family to report what had happened. Now, he awaits for them at this room. He didn't like the idea of staying there. If truth be told, he loathed the House Bieroff, Lord Trotar Bieroff in particular.

He never liked how the cowardly lord, asserted his dominance on his subjects and that of the lower classes. He had known from Principalia Knights that Lord Bieroff has the habit of beating someone to the brink of death just because they weren't able to greet him properly.

He hated how the power-drunk family almost killed the people of Arenfall due to their lavish lifestyle and exorbitant taxes. During the famine of the Crescent Isle on year 122 A.P. , the House Bieroff closed their castle from the townspeople and let the rest of the populace starved.

If not for the intervention of the Principalia, there could've been a massive uprising and that would have gotten their entire house killed. But even after that incident Lord Bieroff had the audacity to asked for more from the townspeople.

Recently, the Principalia ordered the mines of Arenfall to be opened for the empire to dig adamantite for their upcoming conquest of the Southwestern front. Lord Bieroff was told to wait for the Principalia's 5th battalion to explore the caves and subdue any creatures that might have lurked inside it. Instead he ordered the all the slaves from the barracks to excavate the mines.

His ineptitude led to the destruction of the mines and his death. To Lord Prestonheim, it was a suiting death for such a pathetic man. As he lived as a monster that torn many lives, he died by a monster--a fitting end.

He paced in front of the window, waiting for the bereaved to summon him--they did, a few moments later.

" My Lord," bowed Lord Bieroff's son, " My mother asks for your presence at the Stone Hall."

" I shall be right there with you, Idram."

" That's Lord Bieroff now, Lord Prestonheim," the arrogant boy corrected.

" Of course," he nodded as he gritted his teeth.

This House never deserved any of the luxury they have now, if not for Senator Lucresia, whose sister was married to the deceased lord. Lady Adrena Lucresia was as ambitious and power hungry as his husband. The House of Lucresia wanted to expand their estate and saw it fit for their daughter to be in union with the House Bieroff.

House Lucresia also loathed House Bieroff, but they have eyes on the mines. With one of them inside of that family, it's easy for them to claim it. Lord Prestonheim didn't waste his time and followed Idram to the Stone Hall.

He was greeted by Lord Bieroff's corpse laid in a stone table at the center of the hall basking in the light of the stars. Behind the Lord's corpse was Lady Adrena, who adorned herself in a black veil and black velvet gown signifying her mourning. She's accompanied by her other son Chirpas, also dressed in mourning clothes and Anadon Bieroff, the previous lord of the castle.

Lord Prestonheim bowed and extended his sympathies to the grieving family.

" My Lords and Lady, my deepest apologies again for your great loss--"

" W-who is this guys? Why am I here?" interrupted Anadon, who's confused with everything.

" Father, this is Lord Prestonheim," Adrena explained, " We are here in front of your slain son."

" Son? I-I have no--" the old man then began to wept and wailed. Lady Bieroff had to ask one of the servants to take the poor old man back to his room.

" I am sorry if you have to see that Lord Pres--"

" I want to know who did this to my father!" exclaimed Idram.

" My Lord, your father, unfortunately died in the hands of a Giant Centip--"

" Nonsense! I heard it was a slave that pushed him into his death," the boy spat again.

" My Lord, I assure you that wasn't the case. I was there when--"

" You were there?" Idram scoffed, " You were there and you didn't protect my father?"

" Enough, Idram, that is an officer of the Principalia you are addressing to!" Lady Bieroff replied.

Lord Prestonheim had always pitied the fate of Adrena Lucresia. Being used by her own family to gain more wealth, always tasted sour on his tongue. Now, he sees her as a weeping widow, with children that she couldn't control. It looked like Idram never fell far from the tree.

" My Lady, indeed I was there when--"

" So, it's true! You left him there to die!" Lady Bieroff tries to accuse him.

He looked at Lady Bieroff, confused and speechless. His eyes met hers, and finally the visage of goodness he had for the poor widow went out of the window. She saw her crazed eyes, the same as his husband and son.

Whatever insanity that had befallen to House Bieroff has poisoned Lady Adrena. She became more livid as Lord Prestonheim remained silent, unable to answer her question. Her face disgruntled in anger as she spat.

" KILLER! YOU ARE HIS KILLER!"

"KILLER! KILLER!" Idram and his brother started pointing at him.

Their voices echoed inside Stone Hall. The piercing shrills and endless accusations that could put even the hardiest of knights to their breaking point.

" ENOUGH!" Lord Preston finally broke his silence, " Your husband died a brutal death, but it wasn't anyone's fault."

" LIAR!" Lady Bieroff shouted.

" I am telling you the truth!"

" The truth?" Idram spat, he approached his father's corpse, " Tell that to my father, killer!"

"Liar!" Chirpas shouted.

" I am telling the--" Lord Prestonheim explained once more.

" Lord Prestonheim, enough," Lady Bieroff calmed down. " Just bring us the killers' heads."

" I will bring you the centipede's head."

" No, I want the real killers' heads," she approached the stunned Lord Prestonheim. " Either that or your head. Remember I can tell my father anything, and he will believe me," she whispered on his ear.

That threat wasn't to be ignored. He knows how powerful Senator Lucresia is and his lengths to advance himself or destroy others. He bowed to Lady Bieroff, sighing.

" My Lady, there's no one to blame for but…" suddenly the words came out from his mouth, "... Uhhmmm."

" But who?", Lady Bieroff pried further, " Tell me, Lord Prestonheim." her eyes gazed into his soul, filled with bloodlust and insanity that even the seasoned knight was horrified.

"Who?" she moved even closer.

"The…" Lord Prestonheim became more uneasy as she longed for an answer.

" ...slaves!" he bit his lip in guilt.

He never expected it from him. The words just began to crawl out of his mouth, as if entranced to some magical power. His mind began to think about the slaves as if compelled to do so. His vision blurred for a moment and felt light-headed.

" Lord Preston," Lady Bieroff whispered again. " Get me those slaves head!"

"Of course, My Lady," he snapped out from the weird trance and stormed out of the damned castle.

His escorts followed him out of Arenfall Castle in haste.

" My Lord is something wrong?" One of his knight escorts asked.

" Yes," he sighed. " Everything."

He rode on his horse and hurried back to the mines, bothered by the whole ordeal he experienced in the Arenfall Castle.

"The gods have totally left this place." he said to himself as he looked back at that damned castle.