Revealed

Chapter Four- My Newly Developed Conscience Acts Up

     The trumpets died down and the King burst into the room, throwing the doors against the walls as he did so.  This was the first time I had ever seen him in person and I was fascinated. 

     There wasn't anyone else in the world with as much power, and he had taken most of it himself.  Before the reign of Cor there had been many, many kingdoms: Monte, Tripudium, Nepoti, Mareus, Pontusia, Medius, Caelum, Akoni.  Every one fell to Inan under Cor's leadership until the only other independent countries left were Falla, Ahmad, and Silvari.

     Falla was a small island nation to the northwest of Ahmad.  It was snowy, cold, and pretty barren.  The people kept to themselves for the most part but sometimes they traded minerals, timber, and fish to Ahmad in exchange for livestock, tools, and textiles. Falla remained elusive because it's so isolated and remote.

     Ahmad was very different. I had never been, but Bera grew up there so I had heard stories.  The country is only slightly smaller than Inan and is bigger than Falla and Silvari combined.  Everyone says that it's beautiful.  The north part is cold in the winter but is much warmer in the summer.  It has mountains on what was the Monte border in the south.  The east and west coasts have beautiful beaches with fantastic fishing. But what makes Ahmad great is the infrastructure.  It leads the world in education, the arts, trade, technology, and military training.  People say King Adlemar is strict but fair and there is very little poverty in his nation, even though Cor's reign had left Ahmad with hordes of foreign refugees.  The country is strong and the only one that has ever stood up to Cor and won.

     Of all the known countries to ever exist Silvari is probably the strangest.  The nation is about half the size of Inan and mostly covered by the large forest.  Silvari is the only place in the world where power in the royal family is passed from mother to daughter and held by the Queen.  But the strangest thing about the Silvarians is their appearance. Except for a few colonies set up about twenty years ago, there are hardly any people from Inan or Ahmad at all, leaving the majority of citizens with very recognisable characteristics.  In Inan, almost everyone has dark hair, brown eyes, and tanned skin due to centuries of life in the desert.  In Ahmad and Fails most people have blonde or light brown hair, blue eyes, and skin that ranges between fair and tan though the recent influx of immigrants has made it more difficult to distinguish nationality.  But Silvarians? Silvarians have very specific features.  Bright emerald or sapphire eyes, fiery red or golden hair, and fair skin that hardly ever sees direct sunlight.  However, because the populace lives so far apart, Cor never had much interest in attacking Silvari.

     But every other country had been devoured by Inanian soldiers while Cor waited impatiently in Na'nia.  He was brilliant but he was concieted enough make foolish decisions.  He was cruel but nobody dared challenge his right to rule.  He was much too powerful for that.

     I was eventually brought out of my musings when Cor moved directly into my line of sight.  I took the opportunity to observe him as he sat down in his throne.  He was only about thirty eight years old but he was already nearly bald and his hair was snow white.  His cold brown eyes glittered with intelligence and a hint of- was that madness? Yes, those eyes definitly gave off the insanity vibe.  He was also very fair skinned for an Inanian man, almost as pale as me, but it was well known that his mother was Ahmadian so I supposed he took after her.  Hmm, weird to think of this tyrant having a mommy.  He was wearing gaudy gold bracelets, necklaces, and rings with jewels the size of my teeth.  He also was cloaked in thick purple robes with silver designs lining the edges and had a jeweled false tooth.

     He leaned back in his throne and rubbed his hands together excitedly.  "Well," he adressed the crowd.  "I'm sure you peasants are wondering what I called you here for.  You're probably wondering 'Are we getting a raise? Are the taxes being lowered?' A hint?"  He started shaking his head with the exagerated slowness you might use when talking to a small child you don't think much of.  "Actually, I called you here to show you what happens when someone fails me."