The Seven Deadly Kingdoms

Prologue

      There were seven kingdoms. They were called Extollentiam, Invidia, Avaritia, Libidine, Gnavia, Comesor and Ira. The seven kingdoms were all corrupt, rotting from the inside out.

      Extollentiam was the kingdom of wealth. It was more lavish and prosperous than any of the other kingdoms. Everyone inhabiting it thought of themselves as rulers, though none of them were truly happy. The King, Diederik, was a cruel, wicked man. He profited off of helpless traders by cheating them out of their stock. He never cared for children, and didn't like the idea of raising someone to take over his throne, so he Never had one of his own. He held banquets and balls, where he would display his wealth by hiring exotic dancers and chefs from other lands. Masquerades were the kings favourite gatherings. A ball where the people matched the moral of the kingdom, a pride hidden by jewels and large feathers.

      Invidia was the kingdom that cared more about its appearance than its health. It was bland and shallow, a nicely wrapped present that contained nothing but air. The King, Abel, was drowning in debt and wanted nothing more than to live the life of his opponent, King Diederik. He, too, hosted banquets and balls, but none were as lavish as the Extollentiam Kingdom's. The King spent all of his wealth on his castle; building it to be taller and more extravagant than any other castle, while his broken people suffered in the shadows of his great home. The kingdom of Invidia had no purpose, no depth. If the kingdom was torn down, no one would bat an eye.

      Avaritia was a Kingdom of greed. The hidden King hoarded his masses of gold in a place where no one knew of but him and his queen. He never gave a dime or thought to his kingdom, but instead let his son, the heir to the throne, handle the financial decisions. His son was wise and kind, unlike his father, and was the only reason the Kingdom was happy and healthy. It wasn't plated with gold, and it didn't hold great banquets and balls, but the people were a happy one. The higher class of people also hoarded their wealth alongside the King, having secret gatherings with the royal family, (The Kings son respectfully declined his invitation to the gatherings), making plans for unknown things.

      Libidine was a haughty kingdom. It's wealth wasn't in the form of gold, but instead in its men and women. Known for having the most exotic and stunning men and women, the Kingdom profited off of its people. The Kings name was Tiras. He was bold and beautiful, but lacking in wits and wisdom. He was known for seducing women from every land he travelled. The only respect he had was for his people, but for their bodies instead of their souls. The Kingdoms money was spent on expensive fabrics and perfumes, and anything else that might appeal to other senses. Although it was a thriving kingdom, it was more corrupt and vain than any other Kingdom. It was said that people who travelled there from other kingdoms sometimes seemed to fall into a trance, falling in love with the pretty faces and self pleasing lifestyle; so much so that they never left.

      Of all the Kingdoms, Gnavia was the least corrupt. It was a thriving Kingdom that had a kind King, King Rashi, and Queen. Although, because of its wealth, the people didn't have need to work. The King came up with the profit for the kingdom with his wit and mechanical mind. He provided for his people. The people, however, were not so hard working. They were a happy lot that loved to eat and drink, but were never happy to do work of any kind. They were quite lazy creatures.

      Comesor also thrived. This kingdom was famed for it's delicacies, for it had the finest soil and cattle of all the lands. The people had silly sounding accents that they had developed for themselves over time. King Gulliver was a fat selfish man who loved nothing more than to eat and drink. And while he sat high on his throne dining on only the best his kingdom could offer, most commoners down below were having to go to ridiculous lengths just to get a small piece of bread. The higher class of people (who were all incredibly overweight) would also dine with the king, laughing at the commoners and how frail they all were. Some of them would even throw grapes on the ground as they passed through the village to watch the villagers scramble for them.

      The Kingdom of Ira. A name most would turn their heads down at the mention of. This Kingdom, it was the most horrible of all the kingdoms. It's powerful King, King Abaddon, was crueler than any other king, forcing most of the people in his lower class to slave away for him, making armour for his vast army, of which no one knew what it was for. His castle was small, more of a fortress than a home. This man was cruel. Barely even a man, at that. He would start wars between two allies, just as a game. His mind was sharp and quick, and his moves even more so. His face was seen by few, for he always wore a hooded cloak. He had no wife and no children, or any other family for that matter. No one knows of his past. As for his upper class, he payed no attention to them. He saw them as arrogant and foolish, and they were scared to death of their king. To this Kingdom, no one travelled.

      Deep into the woods of the Kingdom of Extollentiam, there was a large meadow. On the border of the trees sat a small, and very old, cottage. It housed a happy family of four; a father, a mother, a son and a daughter. They were a gentle, happy family that strived for peace. For generations, the Beckett family raised their families away from the hustle and bustle of the big Kingdom, and chose instead to live a quiet life, providing for themselves. This is where Adelaide Beckett was brought up. Now, many people would pay a large sum to step foot on the land Adelaide was born on. But, we aren't quite that far into the story yet.