City of Desperate Love.

The Beginning

1. The Princess committed suicide

Possibly every old man who tells stories in the Tea House would know about what happened in Vetschau's capital 67 years ago. 

No one can be curtain about the details, but eventhough they all tell different contents, the causal part is always the same. 

They all say, that the King of Vetschau must had done something wrong to the King of Bash, and 4 years later, the Bash invaded Vetschau for revenge. Prince Terrance of Bash himself guided his army, stroke right into the capital. The coward King of Vetschau decided to surrender right away, but his smallest princess Dianne refused to receive such humiliation. She wore her best suit, stood on the castle wall and criticized the King with all his useless soldiers. She then bowed three times towards her beloved capital and jumped down from the high wall, commited suicide with Vetschau.

The historians later called this story a legend, and many kings's descendants have complimented her, said that princess Dianne has showed the last moment of glorious for her kingdom, and that she deserved to be called a hero.

After many events had happened in The Nine Kingdoms in 67 years, the story became a past that people could only memorize as a legend. But after they omitted the legendary and sacred parts, the story of a princess who had committed suicide, eventhough caused very intense emotional, couldn't stay in their heads longer than the story of her epic love with Prince Terrance of Bash.

The Nine Kingdoms's history also wrote about the love story between them, but not much, only a short story, happened after Vetschau was sucessfully invaded and Prince Terrance received the surrender throne from the King. He asked the old King: "I heard that your smallest princess Vada is the most talented girl in The Nine Kingdoms, and that she can do very good in the industry, especially painting. You yourself, My Lord, has once compared her talents to this throne. Can I by any chance get the honor to be portraited by her today?" Vada, which means Wiseness, is the title of the princess who has committed suicide, Dianne.

The history only wrote that much, and all the witnesses of that day have gone to their ancestors, left the story open and covered with the dust of time. People could retell the story, but it was like chasing shadow, couldn't be clear. If the truth need to be discovered, which it is, we just have to go back to 67 years ago. 

2. Loss of the Kingdom

The spring of 67 years ago, when all the land in the North of The Nine Kingdoms was drought, the cruel sky couldn't spill a single drop of rain. Vetschau, one of the vassal in The Nine Kingdoms, though located right next to The Greatest River, could only receive enough water in order to keep its people from dying. All their crops was withered. No more than two seasons, the famine has ruled the whole kingdom.

The King of Vetschau has been useless half of his life, was shocked by the terrible disaster. He has opened his eyes for the first time and commanded his officials to distribute food right away. But eventhough the King was wise for a moment, the sociaty's vices was rooted for too long and couldn't be erased. The people watched as the food was distributed, but came upon their hands was just water and porridge, not even a single seed for the next harvest. 

The poor people was pushed to the edge of dying, so of course, they rebelled. They said the Gods gave no rain because the King had no virtue, so in order to ease the Gods's anger, they had to chase the King out of his throne. 

The rumor flew to the capital fast like wind. The King, shocked by the accusation of his people, immediately summoned his officials to make up a plan to pacify. But his officials was just as worthless as their King. They could only ease him by some lies and compliments.

There was only one good official, who had just taken over his father's place and hasn't known that much to flatter anyone, has adviced: "Everyone said that Sir Hamblin, who lives in The Tad Pagoda on The Terns Mountain, is the definition of cleverness. Maybe if we could invite him here and asked for his advise, we wouldn't have to use the army." The Tad Pagoda is the national Pagoda of Vetschau, which prayed for the good of the Kindom. Sir Hamblin is the Abbot this generation.

Maybe the fate has decided that Vetschau was come to its end, because on the night The King sent his bailiff to The Terns Mountain, Sir Hamblin was dead. Before he died, Sir Hamblin has left a piece of parchment, which wrote only a few words on it: "When the disaster claims, the danger will come from the East." The King spent his sleepless night studied it. His servants outside could hear the sobbing echoed from his chamber.

Sir Hamblin was right. The ninth of September just passed, Bash, the neighbour kingdom from the East, raged its army to invade Vetschau. They claimed that in the Peace party of The Nine Kingdoms, the King of Vetschau had purposively shot an arrow and riddled half the corner of the King of Bash's shirt. That meant to be a disregard to their King and therefore, their kingdom. 10 000 soldiers of Bash marched through Vetschau without trouble, and surrounded the capital in nearly 2 months.

Everyone in The Nine Kingdoms considered this war as a joke. Even a few soldiers of Bash bet with each other, how long would it take for the useless King of Vetschau to surrender. Prince Terrance came by at that moment, comfortably waved the onyx fan in his hand, said: "No later than tomorrow morning."

At 8.30 next morning, the white flag was hang on top of the castle.  Vetschau was last for 86 years, and was end in that year. The King opened the gate, invited the army and the prince in. Every royal, every officials bowed down, cause they was all wise people, always knew where was good to obey. 

At 10.00, the sun hid behind the dark clouds, and the Gods showed their mercy, dropped some rain down. Prince Terrance wore his white cranes cloak, holding his onyx fan, received the throne from the king, then asked him about his princess like what was written in the history.  

Unfortunately, Prince Terrance didn't have that honor to be portraited by princess Dianne, the Vada, because when he asked for it in the Great Hall of the castle, she had already climbed on the high wall. Their encounter was on the rainy afternoon when Vetschau lost the battle, between the ends of life and death.

He couldn't even see the exquisite beauty of Dianne like the rumors said. He heard that 100 days after her birth, the king dreamed of a crazy monk, who said that eventhough Dianne was borned as a royal, she would die before her sixteen birthday if she stayed in the castle. Her religious father obviously believed that, because he sent her away to live in The Tad Pagoda, swore that he wouldn't meet her before she turned 16. He also heard, that 2 years ago, on her father's birthday, she has drawn a picture as a present, and received mountains of compliments, made her father very proud. 

In the pouring rain, Terrance stood on the porch, suddenly thought of his sister's words: "I heard that princess Vada is very beautiful, also as talented. People say she is the fairest of all in The Nine Kingdoms. This time, when you go and win, could you maybe win her heart and bring her back here as my sister-in-law?"

Dianne's long dress sleeves flew fluttering on the high wall. Suddenly the slim body fell down like a white bird; the dress was soaked in red colour when she lay on the ground. In the army lines, Vetschau's soldiers cried out. 

Terrance looked at the body that covered in blood from afar, stayed still for a while. He then closed the fan in his hand, said: "Bury according to the ceremony for the princess."