Chapter 128: Ten Years of Silence
The golden seal broke with a small sound, but every person on the street heard it. No one lifted their head. Even the wind seemed to slow down around the Marovain shop. The scroll unfolded in Aldric’s hands, and the imperial lion drawn at the top caught the pale morning light.
Aldric’s voice was calm and clear when he began to read.
"By the will of Emperor Alaric Valorian, ruler of Valoria, guardian of the crown, and protector of imperial law, the disorder in Gravehold is hereby placed under imperial attention."
No one moved.
Aldric continued, "House Marovain and House Velkhur are ordered to cease all hostile action against each other within Gravehold and its surrounding territory. Neither house shall declare war, begin armed revenge, move soldiers into the city, or use hired forces to continue this conflict."
Lady Mirena Velkhur’s eyes became colder, but her head stayed lowered.
Robi’s face did not change, but his metal fingers moved once.
Aldric read on.
"All noble houses, branch families, merchant powers, mercenary groups, and local forces connected to this matter are ordered to stop further conflict at once. Any house that disobeys this command will be judged as acting against the imperial peace."
The street became even quieter.
Then Aldric’s voice hardened.
"From this day forward, all private battles, revenge fights, noble duels, armed raids, hidden assassinations, and magic attacks inside Gravehold are forbidden for ten years."
Several nobles raised their heads slightly by instinct before quickly lowering them again.
Ten years.
That was not a small punishment. That was not a warning for one day. That was the emperor placing a chain around the entire city.
Aldric did not pause.
"Anyone found breaking this order will be executed. If a noble house is found to have ordered, supported, hidden, or paid for such violence, the family head, direct heirs, responsible elders, and involved members will be executed under imperial law. Their properties inside Gravehold may be seized. Their titles may be reviewed. Their bloodline rights may be suspended."
A cold wave passed through the gathered nobles.
This was not a suggestion.
This was not a request.
This was the throne saying that Gravehold had become too noisy, and the next person to draw a sword inside the city would not only lose the fight. He might lose his whole family.
Aldric reached the final lines.
"The imperial representative will observe the matter personally. All involved houses are commanded to cooperate. Any false report, hidden witness, moved prisoner, destroyed evidence, or secret retaliation will be treated as rebellion against imperial order."
He lowered the scroll slightly.
"Written and sealed by Emperor Alaric Valorian."
The decree ended.
For several breaths, no one dared speak.
Most people understood the decree in the same simple way. The emperor did not want two founding duke families to turn a small city into a battlefield. House Marovain and House Velkhur both held too much power. If they fought openly, other houses would be pulled in. Trade routes would break. Soldiers would move. The whole region might shake. So the emperor had stepped in before fire spread.
That was what the nobles thought.
Lucard understood more.
He stayed on one knee with his head slightly lowered, but his eyes were calm.
The decree protected House Vardros.
Not openly. Not by name. That was the clever part. The emperor did not say House Vardros carried royal blood. He did not say Jake was important. He did not call them to the capital. He did not give them imperial shelter in front of the whole street. Instead, he stopped every family from fighting inside the city for ten years. He froze the battlefield around the place where Jenny and Jake now stood.
Velkhur could not attack.
Ravencroft could not send knives.
Karswell could not move openly.
Even Marovain had been reminded not to turn Gravehold into its private board.
The emperor had not given House Vardros a sword.
He had given them time.
Lucard’s interest in the old emperor rose by one step.
Prince Caelan looked across the kneeling street with pride. He seemed pleased by the silence. To him, it looked like the emperor’s name had pressed the whole city to the ground. That was true, but not complete. He did not yet understand that the decree had been shaped like a wall around one small broken family.
Aldric understood more than the prince, but even he did not look toward Jake for too long.
"Rise," Prince Caelan said.
The nobles stood slowly.
Robi was the first to fully straighten. He gave the prince a polite bow.
"House Marovain obeys His Majesty’s decree."
Celia stood beside him, her face controlled, but her eyes carried relief. The decree had cut Velkhur’s revenge before it could become an army at the gate. That did not remove danger, but it changed its shape.
Across the road, Lady Mirena Velkhur lifted her head.
She was no minor lady. Her presence was heavier than Garran’s had been, but colder too. Garran had been a dirty flame. Mirena was a forged blade kept inside fire for many years. Her red hair was braided tightly down her back, and her military coat carried the mark of Velkhur’s main bloodline.
She looked at Robi.
"So Marovain hides behind the imperial decree now?"
Robi smiled. "House Marovain obeys the throne. I understand why Velkhur may find that unfamiliar during emotional moments."
The air warmed.
Mirena’s eyes narrowed. "Do not play with words, Robi. Two Velkhur men died after crossing your path."
Robi’s smile did not move. "Then perhaps Velkhur should stop sending men to trip over their own fire."
Several lesser nobles lowered their heads at once, terrified that even listening might make them guilty.
Mirena took one step forward.
Celia’s hand moved toward her sword.
Aldric spoke before anyone else moved.
"Lady Mirena."
His voice was not loud, but it cut through the heat.
Mirena turned her eyes toward him.
Aldric held the imperial decree slightly higher. "The order has already been read."