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Dyrnwyn
Nov Member 2007

Dyrnwyn

Posts: 1,396 Mithril Posts by user Forum Profile RuneMetrics Profile
The King is Dead Story Contest Entry

~ Hypocrisy ~

The golden rays of the evening sun flowed gently through the mosaic windows of the church like streams of thick honey. A cool breeze swept through the sacred building, playing with the tapestries on which stories from the Sacred Writings were depicted. The stone cathedral was filled to the limit with nobles and rich merchants - all there to witness the funeral of King Alfred III.

Even though this seemed like a day of great sorrow and mourning, Queen Krystal, widow of the deceased monarch, knew better. Not a single one of the men gathered here today had come because of their close relationship with her late husband, or solely to express their condolences, although it may seem that way.

Behind this pompous masquerade of mourning lay a truth much too ugly to be brought forth into the light of day. For ever since the first news of the King's death had escaped the walls of the Royal Palace, these ostentatious nobles had been filled with an insatiable lust for power.

As the Queen was barren, there was no direct heir to the throne, and it would not be long before the Dukes and Earls would start to do war upon one another. The King's only brother had already been implicated in a terribly unfortunate accident with a fatal outcome. The Queen was also fairly certain that the food poisoning which had killed her beloved husband was not an ordinary one.

Krystal was utterly disgusted. All these men would gladly kill whosoever chose to stand between themselves and the throne. Sooner or later someone would have to seize power and bring the chaos to an end.

The congregation was brought to silence by the corpulent Earl of Glennhold as he raised his hands and began a grandiloquent speech about how deeply the King would be missed. But every single one of his honey-soaked words was just as fake as the tears which welled in his unwholesomely bloodshot eyes. // Wordsmith ~ The Novelists' Guild // Viking //

16-Jul-2012 15:30:45 - Last edited on 20-Jun-2013 21:31:04 by Dyrnwyn

Dyrnwyn
Nov Member 2007

Dyrnwyn

Posts: 1,396 Mithril Posts by user Forum Profile RuneMetrics Profile
The widowed Queen clenched her tiny fists whilst desperately trying to keep the dark emotions at bay. This would undoubtedly prove to be to be a very long and tiring day.

-

The old chamberlain hurried down the long corridors of the Royal Palace, his fine garments trailing behind him. He hesitated for a moment as he reached the Queen’s personal chambers. Then, after adjusting his clothes, he raised a wrinkled hand and knocked on the door.

“The door’s open, Edgar,” said that delicate voice which he had known for so many years.

The chamberlain opened the door. The petite Queen sat in a luxurious armchair, brushing her long, golden hair.

“Your Majesty.”

The Queen rolled her eyes, a gesture she knew the chamberlain had hated ever since she was a little girl.

“Please, Edgar,” she said, “we’ve known each other for long enough that we don’t need all that formal foolishness.”

Edgar shrugged.

“As you wish, Your Maje … Uh, Krystal.”

The Queen smiled delightfully.

“Much better,” she said. “But let’s get to the point. Since Alfred died – may the Gods bless his soul * the Kingdom has been in a state of … turmoil. It’s only a matter of time before it turns into open rebellion. These annoyingly power-crazed nobles are going to fight over the throne like dogs over a bone.” The Queen chuckled slightly at that last sentence.

Edgar frowned inquiringly.

“What are you going to do about it, then? You have no heir!”

Krystal winked slyly.

“I’ve been thinking about it, and I’m going to do absolutely nothing at all. It’s as simple as that. You see, all these petty Earls and Dukes are going to wage war against each other, and when they’re done fighting, most of them will probably be dead, and I bet we can take care of the rest ourselves. Then I’ll assume the throne!”

The old chamberlain’s jaw dropped. He had known Krystal since before she could walk and she had always had crazy ideas, but this had to be the most unthinkably strange scheme she had ever devised. // Wordsmith ~ The Novelists' Guild // Viking //

16-Jul-2012 15:31:37 - Last edited on 20-Jun-2013 21:31:08 by Dyrnwyn

Dyrnwyn
Nov Member 2007

Dyrnwyn

Posts: 1,396 Mithril Posts by user Forum Profile RuneMetrics Profile
“A FEMALE regent?!” he gasped. It was unheard of. As much as he cared for Krystal, a woman was absolutely incapable of ruling a kingdom! He simply could not let this happen.

The small Queen tutted, aggressively brushing a lock of particularly tangled hair.

“Oh, Edgar, you are too old fashioned! It’s about time we tried something new.”

The chamberlain thought for a moment.

“You disapprove how these noblemen fight to gain power, right?” he asked.

Krystal nodded.

The old man continued:

“Yet, now you’re talking about killing them to get the throne for yourself. Doesn’t that make you just as bad as them?”

That assumption seemed incredibly difficult for the little Queen to comprehend, and consequently she went into a state of angry self-defense.

“But, Edgar, don’t you see it? I owe it to Alfred!” she insisted, her eyes ablaze. “I simply cannot allow the Kingdom to fall into the hands of these incompetent nobles. It’s different because it’s ME!”

The little Queen’s blue eyes darkened visibly as her inner storm cloud shot bolts of lightning at Edgar.

“I see,” said the chamberlain, still not sounding very convinced, “it’s different because it’s YOU. It justifies your killing noblemen here and there as you see fit. For Heaven’s sake, you have no more right to the throne than the nobles! Most of them are related to Alfred by blood!”

The flow of words came to a halt as the old man stopped to catch his breath.

“Do I have Your Majesty’s permission to withdraw?” he asked.

The Queen stared at the old man, an expression of pure disbelief upon her face.

“You don’t agree?” she spluttered. “Yes, you have my permission to withdraw – preferably to someplace far away!”

Edgar bowed almost mockingly.

“As Your Majesty wishes,” he said, turning around sharply and walking out the door.

“It would have been much easier if she'd listened to me,” he muttered. “Now I have to get rid of her, too, before I can put myself on the throne.” // Wordsmith ~ The Novelists' Guild // Viking //

16-Jul-2012 15:33:11 - Last edited on 20-Jun-2013 21:31:10 by Dyrnwyn

Dyrnwyn
Nov Member 2007

Dyrnwyn

Posts: 1,396 Mithril Posts by user Forum Profile RuneMetrics Profile
~ He Who Has Everything ~

The Dragon lay in his mountain cave, his claws caressing a ruby the size of an apple. The cave was filled with astounding riches. In one corner lay a giant heap of golden coins, in another lay the crown of a long dead king. The floor was littered with assorted gemstones that painted the cave with the colours of the rainbow as the warm sunlight spilled through the cave opening.

Splinters of the broken silence hit the cave floor as the Dragon made a guttural sound comparable to the yawn of a human.

Slowly, the Dragon rose and went to the cave opening, his fearsome talons clicking against the cold stone floor. With a great leap he threw himself off the side of the mountain and flapped his bat-like wings. Beneath him lay a great forest, its emerald hues glittering in the sunlight. All the creatures that dwelt within feared the Dragon, for they knew that he could burn the forest to the ground with a single belch of fire.

He was a King, ruler of the forest as well as the mountains. Those few who had dared to stand against him had perished. Even men feared him. At first, they had tried to fight him. They had come to his mountain, mounted on the beasts known to them as horses. They had been clad in shining armour and they had challenged him. Whether it was for glory or for the riches that lay hidden in his cave, the Dragon did not now. Not that he cared, for the men had been destroyed, too.

With a great sigh, the Dragon circled higher and higher, his spiked tail slashing at the clouds.

The Dragon was free to do as he pleased and to take whatever he desired. When hunger came upon him, the Dragon would simply choose his prey and swoop down in a graceful arc to satiate himself. He had all the gold and jewels he could ever want. But it was not enough to fill that enormous void within his soul. // Wordsmith ~ The Novelists' Guild // Viking //

28-Jul-2012 19:52:03 - Last edited on 20-Jun-2013 21:31:21 by Dyrnwyn

Dyrnwyn
Nov Member 2007

Dyrnwyn

Posts: 1,396 Mithril Posts by user Forum Profile RuneMetrics Profile
The Dragon was the only one of his kind. No matter how much treasure he gathered, no matter how vast his kingdom was, he was still -- and would always be -- the loneliest creature in the World.

He longed for someone with whom he could share his riches, his meals, his life.

With a look of unbearable sorrow in his huge eyes, the Dragon continued his skyward journey. Great, crystalline tears welled in those awfully sad eyes.

For he who has everything, except companionship, truly has nothing. // Wordsmith ~ The Novelists' Guild // Viking //

28-Jul-2012 19:52:26 - Last edited on 20-Jun-2013 21:31:22 by Dyrnwyn

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