The Forge Of Kings

Chapter 3: The Rightful Queen.

    
     I stood on the balcony near the peak of my castle, and watched as the sun set on the black bricks of my refuge. I watched my soldiers drag bodies, friend, and foe, and throw them into piles outside the walls. Smoke barreled upwards, "Sir?..." The shy man from before approached and spoke from behind me. I turned, my cloak fluttered behind me with a Whoosh. "What is it?" I asked softly. He looked at me with a frown and referenced a tome he had in his grasp, "I have tallied our casualties, I figured we could have a memorial service for the fallen, The masses would be more comfortable and confident in our cause if we show some sympathy and support for the dead. Morale is dangerously low sire." He explained "Would you like to have an official service?" He asked, his voice cracked and rose an octave as he finished. "Sure, Start tonight, have families say a few things, and I would like to clear tomorrow and give them a moment to grieve, but no more than that. War waits for no one." I said, "Yes, Sire." He gave a light bow and walked away. I stood there, watching the view before adjourning to my quarters.

     I sat at a desk in my chambers, staring at a map of Rhova where I had drawn my last excursion here. I looked over each kingdom, and I realized, it's outdated. Several alliances aren't current anymore, I hadn't been here since the first age. I stood up from my desk, and exited my room into the corridor, I ventured downstairs in search of a servant when I eventually encountered one in the main hall. "You there! I'm in need of your assistance." I stated firmly, "How may I be of service, My Lord?" He asked. "I need you to get me a cartographer, and a scout or two, I need to create a current map of the continent, each kingdom and village." He nodded, "I will fetch them for you, My Leige." He bowed and walked away. I turned and began to head towards my quarters, "Who am I kidding? I won't be able to sleep, to much to do." I mumbled to myself. "Best make way to the library, maybe I can find some information on some of the more recent history of The Pillars." I walked in and searched the shelves, I found four tomes that might be useful. I began reading.

     In the third tome, I found out that early in the second age all the kingdoms of light had been conquered by a lone soldier by the name of Rotik, he entered each kingdom and slaughtered all the royals until he was the one to remain he ruled not only his own kingdom, but the other five, Eithor was spared as he saw it as a larger threat than The other Pillars. Rotik not only became King of all Pillars, he also had two heirs, When Rotik passed away, his sons killed each other in a duel for the throne. It's also told that he had a child, a baby girl, with a woman from Ectwe.

     Ectwe was a mystic based village all of it's citizens were well traversed with magical powers, and potions. With no remaining heirs, a group of knights ventured to find the king's remaining child, but to no avail they never found her, so they appointed a Lord until Rotik's heiress emerged. She never did, there were false claims but none possessed powers that reassembled the child's mother, It's said she had the ability to manipulate plant life which was unheard of since most magic was linked to the other elements, or healing.

     She refused to reveal where her child was, and as a result she was tortured to death... "My god..." I gasped. "Sir, your guests have arrived. Shall I bring them up?" The servant asked. "Yes, thank you." I replied, The servant nodded and disappeared. A few minutes later two men entered along with the servant, The servant pointed to the table and left. The men sat down on opposite sides of me, one on the left of the table, the other to the right. The one to my left pulled out a sheet of paper that covered half the table, the other continued to sit still.

     "You requested a map?" He asked. "Yes." I took a minute to explain the complexities I was looking for in said map. He nodded, and the scout added information about each reigon, and kingdom, I even took a few moments to ask about the information I gained from the third tome. The scout explained. "The Lord they appointed in the second age is still in charge, Lord Roldan, Some say that Rotik's long lost heiress is still alive living in one of the 6 kingdoms. but that is pure speculation, No one knowsfor sure, after the village of Ectwe was destroyed in a long battle that lasted months, all mortals that entered were slaughtered, and the Mystics numbers dwindled, more and more of them retreated to other kingdoms to live in hiding." He said, "It's been so long that anyone you meet can have powers. Many of the mystics reproduced and boosted their population, it's not even an elven gene anymore.--"

    "--Anyone of any race can possess the power as long as one of their parents had them." He explained, I nodded and tried to retain the information that I was being told. Rotik's heiress may emerge in the battles to come and can challenge anyone of the current sitting royals for their throne. She can be an asset if we can find her. "Could we find the heiress?" I asked the scout. "...Maybe, but it's highly unlikely, People have been looking for decades, she's got to be in her late thirties and living in plain sight, or maybe she died long ago, but either way, what makes you think we should even attempt it?" He asked. The Cartographer continued scribbling, it seems he's already at the third pillar, Sarnawen. And he's getting most of the major points of interest. "I feel she could help our cause in the long run." I stated unsure of my choice. I shouted for a servant and a woman entered "How can I be of assistance, Sir?" She asked from the doorway, "I need you to get me a scout commander, I need to discuss a search party." She nodded and exited.

     A while later the scout commander entered. "What do you know about searching for King Rotik's bastard child?" I asked the commander. He shook his head and said that no one has ever found her. "I didn't ask your opinon, I asked what you knew and where you would start?" I asked him. "The Forest of Ectwe, Where her mother was from. And slowly work my way around the countryside up to Sarnawen." He stated. "Then that's where we'll start. Form a party, but we will not leave yet, we cannot pass through The Gated Kingdom across the valley, we'll be slaughtered in a heartbeat so we'll need to conquer it, and then you may venture out." I informed him. "Yes, Sir." He leftas quick as he arrived. I was left with the scout informant and the cartographer. The cartographer was almost finished with the updated map, it seems he has completed all light pillars and captured the rivers, and fields. He's got it all the way to the stone mountain barriers keeping Eîthor reserved from the rest of Rhova.

     I asked him to find me when he's finished. He nodded, the scout offered to help with the finishing touches. I headed to the terrace and observed the inner wall closely, soldiers training, talking, and marching. Beyond the wall was bustling with life as the civilians are all watching the corpse fires die down. I inhaled, and continued watching. Tommorow, we shall attack The Gated Kingdom, and we will carry in Esíos' head on a pikestaff.