Earth, USA.
A historian named Rowan was walking down streets to get himself a coffee, as last night he didn't sleep properly. He was researching the history of the Holy Roman Empire and was fascinated by a Bohemian king who was also Holy Roman Emperor Charles IV.
A man who used his words alone to make peace in the region and was a great diplomat, as Rowan was crossing the road, he saw a truck coming towards him at full speed. Rowan was certain he was walking on a red light road, so it was the truck's fault.
Then, before the truck could hit him, he saw the driver, it was a woman, her eyes were closed, and she seemed to be sleeping.
BAAM
The truck hit Rowan with full force, the impact sent him flying and killing him on the spot. ———————
In a huge, dense forest a castle stood. It was small and was not strategically positioned at all. It was made when the lord of this region was warring with a nearby lord in the previous conflict among them. It was made in the border region of both domains.
Now they are allies, so this castle holds no significant value anymore, it can be said it was just an available seat for the lords of Oakvale.
The castle is supposed to have two villages under it and a ten-person guard, who also take care of the castle. The village provides food for the guards who patrol the area, and the Oakvale lord gives them silver in name to keep the castle running.
A group of three people were walking towards this same castle, two of them were wearing black clothes, one of them had a longbow on his back, and another one had a long, two-handed sword.
The third person was struggling to walk as he had an arrow piercing his back, the wound in his back was bleeding, and his face twitched with pain, but he tried to endure it as much as he could because he could see the castle now.
The wounded man was gasping for air and, after a while, just sat down to rest.
Although he was wounded, you could clearly see his disposition, he was handsome and looked regal. He sat by a big tree and closed his eyes to rest.
Two weeks ago.
Fort IronRidge.
"You are the heir of Oakvale, yet you keep yapping about Sigismund. We don't want to support the usurper. He is the king of Hungary, that's it. He is not our King, he kidnapped our king."
An old man said he was seated in a luxuriously decorated seat in a hall. He was wearing a golden silk robe and looked fearsome. The whole hall was empty, only a young man was standing, his head was down.
"You can still reconcile, you are my heir, a capable young man. Every serf is happy when they hear your name. Don't be a foolish person now, otherwise, remember this: I have another son who could inherit after me."
Lord Alaric Oakvale said he was displeased with his heir, who pledged to the foreign ruler, who he hates the most now.
"Father, we won't be able to hold on much longer if we don't give up now. We don't have the men to defend our castles from his army. We have two rich silver mines, and he won't leave a single dime. It's better if we don't side with Margrave Jobst for now, he's also not a very loyal person."
Rowan said, his head was still down, he was thinking about his people, for his father's stubbornness, his people will die in vain.
"Silence!! You fool, we can't abandon the rightful king, rightful cause, he is the firstborn of the emperor and is..."
"Father, That doesn't give him any power. He is not here now, and even if he was here, he couldn't possibly muster enough courage to face his half-brother on the battlefield for us. This decision will cripple our estates."
Rowan tried to reason with his father, but it was falling on deaf ears, he was not budging. On the contrary, he was getting more and more angry.
"I have heard enough, I have decided! Scribe!! Bailiff's"
Lord Alaric called loudly to the ones who were outside waiting, they were the scribe who writes for the lord and the bailiffs of his villages who control the villages under the lord.
A total of four people entered the hall room, they bowed to Lord Alaric first and then to Rowan, the heir of Oakvale.
"Write down my succession. I will name my youngest son, Corin, my heir to IronRidge and Highwatch Fortresses. He will also inherit the villages under their watch and also my two silver mines. I name Oldwyn Hall, the ancient Oakvale seat, to Rowan, my eldest son, to govern, and the land near it. That's all."
Lord Alaric proclaimed, hearing the words of the Lord, four people were not that shocked, they know the father and the son were bickering over the civil war that has broken out in the country but this was beyond them.
"My lord, please reconsider your decision, the people won't be happy about it."
The bailiff of the most powerful village kneeled and pleaded, Rowan was a perfect lord and always thinks about his people, this decision will create unrest in every settlement under the Oakvale holding.
"There's nothing to reconsider. He is a traitor to the crown. I ought to kill him, but as a father, I am just exiling him near the border. He might learn about duty there."
Lord Alaric waved his hand in dismissal, he was not going to reconsider his decision.
"Very well then, Father, I accept your decision."
Rowan said, with a deep bow, his eyes were angry, but he gritted his teeth and left the hall.
Rowan packed his bag and notified his two childhood friends and companions. One was called Hynek,an archer, and another was called Henry, a swordsman, both immediately agreed to follow him to hell if necessary.
Then the trio went to the scribe to collect the written and sealed order of the Lord of Oakvale and left the fort in the night.
On the way to their destination, they were ambushed by some heavily armed mercenaries. They managed to barely kill them, and as they were fleeing for their lives, Rowan got hit by an arrow in his back.
Rowan almost fell off his horse from the impact. Hynek and Henry managed to kill the ambusher, but the arrow had already pierced Rowan's bone in the back.