The Borderlands

The Borderlands

By Neil Stevenson

A story written for Angelica and Tamsin

Chapter One

For as long as anyone could remember, the neighbouring Kingdoms of Zumbovia and Maduria 

had lived happily side-by-side. But this is the story of how the two countries were brought to the 

brink of war, by a wicked father and his son. It is also a story of courage, of love, and of good 

triumphing over evil.

The two Kingdoms were separated by high,wooded hills that were astonishingly beautiful. 

They were not often visited, and most people stuck to the track-way that linked Madovar and 

Zumborg, the two capital cities. The border between the Kingdoms was poorly defined, and not 

at all easy to follow. Both countries simply referred to the whole area of hills as The Borderlands. 

One day, King Otto of Zumbovia gave orders for a routine border patrol to be made. He had no way 

of knowing that a Princess, from neighbouring Maduria, had just set off to visit the same area of 

The Borderlands.

The Princess was called Emelia, the only daughter of King Leopold and Queen Helena. Sadly, the King 

had died when Emelia had been a baby, leaving the Queen to single-handedly raise their only heir 

to the throne. With her long, chestnut brown hair, tanned skin and piercing blue-green eyes, Emelia 

was indeed beautiful. But she was also intelligent, and she had an infectious laugh that most men 

found irresistible. Hardly surprising then, that suitors had started to visit the palace, seeking her 

hand in marriage. There'd been just a few at first, but then they'd started coming much more often. 

This might have been fine, had any of them been remotely likeable, but unfortunately none had. You 

name it - rude, arrogant, boring, ugly, unintelligent, smelly-breathed - she'd seen them 

all, and more besides.

Emelia didn't even feel ready for marriage. But seeing as she was the last of the family line, the 

Queen was keen for her to marry young, and to have lots of children. Emelia wanted to experience 

more of the world around her before taking on these royal responsibilities. She had particularly 

wanted to experience the natural beauty of The Borderlands for herself, and seeing it as a chance 

to get away from the palace for a while, she had asked her mother for permission to go. At first the 

Queen had said no, but after weeks of nagging, she had finally consented, on condition that six 

soldiers from the elite State Guard accompany her. Johnson, the Princess' private butler, would also 

travel with her.

The Zumbovian border patrol consisted of twelve cavalry soldiers on horseback, led by the Kings' 

nephew Torrian. He was a dark and towering figure of a man, and feared by all who served under him. 

Torrian usually led these occasional patrols, although he regarded them purely as an