Dreaming Out Loud

There's a Land That I Heard Of

Chapter 96: There's a Land That I Heard Of

As King of the Southern Isles, the first born son, Arawn, had long sought to expand his Kingdom by any means necessary. Already the Southern Isles had conquered much of the land in the vast ocean basin where their Kingdom stood majestically. His brothers had done their part to marry into other Kingdoms where they could. The youngest, Hans, had aspirations of infiltrating the mysterious Kingdom of Arendelle and had set off very recently to do so. But he had urged caution there, as the Kingdom was so shrouded in mystery and closed off from the rest of the world that it made it a risky venture. He hoped his little brother was successful and awaited word from him.

The Northern Kingdom had long been a conquest on his radar since he had succeeded his father almost twenty-five years ago. In fact, he would have dethroned King Eli long ago and had Ravenna rule it once he assimilated it with the rest of his growing Empire. But one thing had long held him back and that was the fact that King Eli had a child with the Goddess Persephone. And that child had her protection, as well as that of Hades and many other powerful Gods. It irked him to no end that some child had kept him from acquiring the jewel that was the Northern Kingdom.

Arawn had always viewed magic and sorcery as a dangerous disease that infected the lands. If he could, he would have destroyed it all. Which of course would make his conquests of the lands much easier. A few years ago, he had even found an ally that shared his distaste for sorcery. He had been forced to flee his home country for trying to cleanse his city of sorcery by eliminating such unsavory people. He was thought to have fallen to his death in a fight against those that had corrupted his home, but he managed to escape a fiery death and survive. After that, he fled to the Southern Isles where he knew sorcery and magic was expressly outlawed. Arawn couldn't really enforce such completely, but he did make examples of practitioners of witchcraft where he could.

Claude Frollo appreciated these efforts greatly and had appealed to the King's sense for justice when he suggested that he could become a very useful adviser. The King agreed and made Frollo his Royal Vizier. Frollo's connections to many other heads of churches and state in other Kingdoms proved quite valuable. He wasn't sure how Frollo managed to get information so fast, but it was the reason that he held the position that he did.

"Sire...I am afraid I have some devastating news from the Northern Kingdom," Frollo mentioned, as he entered the King's Throne room.

"Ravenna's Kingdom?" Arawn asked. Frollo nodded.

"I am afraid your sister is dead..." he reported.

"What?!" Arawn exclaimed.

"Word has just come in. She was murdered, Your Majesty..." he continued.

"By who? Who has murdered my sister?!" he roared.

"King Eli denies it possible, but the Duke is positive that it was King Eli's daughter...Snow White," Frollo added.

"Daughter of Persephone..." the King growled.

"Yes...spawn of the Underworld," he agreed.

"And where is Snow White now?" he questioned.

"The Duke ordered her arrest...but the King maintains her innocence and has seen to it that his demon child has escaped," Frollo reported.

"Not for long..." the King growled, as he rose from his Throne.

"Ready my Galleon...we are leaving for the Northern Kingdom at once," he ordered.

Snow sniffed, as her father hurried her into the garden and she saw Stardust waiting for her. She felt him hug her fiercely and then help her shoulder the satchel he had Margaret pack for her. But there was one more thing he had in his hand and Snow was curious, as the peculiar corked vial was attached to a lanyard and he put it around her neck.