Aist Fantasy

Part X

“You have been brought before me; your own brother, as for you tried to kill me, my soldiers, and my child. I refused to let that happen but I will show mercy for you as you are my brother, my blood.” Aistulf said in a serious tone, looking down at Charlie, his hands tied up and having two knights beside him, their swords ready to kill him if he tried anything.
  “I thank you, thank you for showing me mercy, please do not kill my son, he is my only child, do not kill my wife,” Charlie pleaded. Aistulf was short of an answer but soon said, “I will not, do not worry, just, you will be imprisoned here and your land will be mine. I currently have workers destroying your throne room and keeping your palace.” Aistulf looked down onto his brother, smirking. He then got up, walking slowly down the steps, squatting down in front of his brother who was on his knees.
  “You will rot in that prison, you will be fed very little.” He said, grinning, trying to hold in his laughter before saying, “this is your fault.” He then stopped squatting and walked over to his guards, giving them the mark of prison guards and ordering them off to put him in a cell.
  “I just don't understand what got in his head to think he could successfully invade me and kill me.” He said, sighing to himself as he sat down slowly, getting relaxed into his chair as his cushion slowly got a dent from the kings bottom sitting on it.

After some time, Charlie requested to speak with the king, Aistulf, the king said with a sigh, “I humbly decline his request, I wish not to see him and to argue.” As he motioned for the guard to go back to his guarding position.
  “Tell him I see him not as a brother anymore but a useless prisoner that won't amount to much anymore.” Aistulf ended as the soldier nodded and continued on walking off.
  He took a drink of his wine, finishing it off as it is now empty, all gone out of his class. “Ugh,” Aistulf started, “no more wine” he sighed as he walked off into the basement where the prisoners were l. “So you don't see me as your brother anymore?!” Charlie yelled out, banging on the cell door.
  “Yes, you tried to kill me, my family, my people. I've said it hundreds of times now at least.” He rolled his eyes slightly and looked at Charlie with a sharp look. “You are a disappointment.” He said, “what?” Charlie asked, making Aistulf repeat himself, “I said you're a damn disappointment.” He walked off to the next cell which had a war criminal in it. “Let me out,” the man grunted, moving forward a bit, his hands tied up, his body skinny, ribs showing and able to be counted, his cheeks going in from the lack of hydration and food. He only wears rugged and worn white pants and a worn and destroyed shirt, sitting on the cold, gray concrete ground full of dirt, rocks, and dust.

After a few days, the king was sitting in his chair, when a man walked in, a messenger that he had never seen before. “I bring to you a message from Franco Burgund I, emperor of Francovo.” He said aloud, the words echoing throughout the large room.
  “What would that be?” Aistulf asked with a curious look on his face, he awaited a response from the messenger, eagerly wanting the message to be said and delivered. “He wishes for you to not intervene against his invasion as he will leave the peninsula alone, he awaits your response.” The messenger said. “He has no worries as I won't be doing that, I think fondly of him.” Aistulf said, smiling and motioning him to go back to his horse and tell Franco.
  With a smile, Aistulf spoke up, saying, “I'm glad Franco won't be invading me, I knew I could trust him even though I've never once met him” looking at his workers and guards who all nodded in agreement.
  In about a month from then, Francovo has taken over about 70% of the continent, much more than the month prior. He continued to keep his promise, not invading Aist.
  “We must hold a feast, a buffet, a whatever!” Aistulf stated, ordering his workers and servants to get a huge table and chairs, along with a separate table for his brother. As they got the tables and chairs set up, setting I tip in a square, Charlie sat at his table, which was already prepared. He sat, and waited for his food, looking around as the workers and servants moved swiftly and gracefully along the clean and smooth floor of concrete.
  His food was soon placed on his table, what sat there was pork, carrots, and fish bits. Meanwhile, on the much larger tables, which were in a square, sat fish bits, carrots, pork, steak, wine, water, and so many more great tasting and looking things. They began to feast on it, tearing into the food and in a matter of hours it was mostly all gone. The king was stuffed and so were the guests.
  “That was great, was it not?” He asked the guests which all shook their heads, showing that it was good and not awful. “That is great to hear.” He responded with, to their shaking heads. “Thank you all for being here, this is to celebrate still existing as a kingdom and our agreement with Francovo, along with not getting invaded!” He raised his wine glass then finished it off, others doing the same. The servants rushed in, taking the plates, paper, glassware, silverware, and other stuff away to clean and take care of it.
  After that, the people stood up, talking to one another, while Charlie sat and looked around, slouching in his hard wooden chair. “Thank you for coming” Aistulf said to the many rich guests and important guests who arrived and came.

The day after that happened, Charlie lay in his cell, cold out on the hard, dirty concrete floor, seemingly not breathing or moving. His body just laying there, he looked starved, dehydrated, and unattended. His legs were full of scars, bruises, bite marks, and scratches, some of which were bleeding.
  His face was torn up, as if a beast or animal got in and killed him as he slept. The guards and servants searched, looking for the animal as it would most likely still be in the cellar. Soon, they found it, the animal was bleeding, it was an unseen animal, it had antlers and sharp teeth and was about the size of a raccoon.
  The guards disposed of both, one getting a proper burial in the yard of the palace, the other having its head mounted on a wall and its body burnt.