Divided Nation

Prologue

Moonlight reflected off the almost glowing chapel of the Royal Palace of Crown's End. I was walking home, after a long day of training. This night seemed perfect. Was almost perfect. Little did I know what a night it would become.

     As the horse I was riding down trotted through the gates of the palace, my blue cape slowly trailing behind me, people slowly made a path for me. They couldn't see my face in the darkness, but they knew well enough by the banner that the crown prince of The Blue Kingdom was coming through.

     I was to inherit my fathers throne after he died. What most people didn't know was that the crown prince was only 5 years old. As I dismounted from my horse after escaping the public crowds, I walked into the palace itself.

     At the very top of the palace, was the throne room. By tradition, it was suppose to be the higher than anywhere else in the kingdom, meaning they couldn't build anything higher than the throne room, but that rule had been bent and broken over the years.

     As the servants on either side of me pushed open the doors of the throne room, the clamouring inside the room died down. Despite my age, they knew well enough that I still held power. Inside the Throne Room was a round table with people arguing all over. At the head of the table, on a beautifully decorated and crafted throne, was my father, King Henry. 

     Unlike most kings, he preferred to wear armour over royal robes, and had a sword instead of a scepter like all the other kings. The sword that hung by his side had never been unsheathed in front if be before, so I didn't know why my father kept it so close to him all the time.

     "Another bombing." One of the people said, standing up. It was Sir Crampton of the 3rd garrison. "This one was on a trade route. An estimated 300 pieces of armor, sword and equipment was stolen. "

      The capitol of the Blue Kingdom was a great city called Crowns End. Legend has it that the city was built thousands of years ago by builders that came from across the sea. After the recent invasion of the dark forces, my father decided to build 5 garrisons to defend Crowns End to protect it from invading forces. Each garrison was governed by a separate commander.

      "Who was it?" My father gruffly asked.

      "Who else can it be?" Another person said, also standing up. I didn't recognize this one. "It's obviously got to be the Golden Sword. That group had been bombing our things for year now."

      "I want 100 more soldiers after them," The king said, standing up, "Those rebels are to be killed on sight. 100 thousand gold pieces for the head of their leader."

     "Yes my king," All the people in the room echoed, as they slowly emptied out of the room.

     "Maintaining the throne is hundred times harder than winning one," King Henry said, sighing as he reclined on his throne, "It's been a long day, Hayden, let's go to sleep."

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     Sir Crampton slowly staggered out of the meeting room, clutching his head. What was wrong with him? A voice had been whispering inside his head, over and over, the message as quiet as a whisper, yet as loud enough it was splitting his head in two.

      He stumbled into his bedroom, staring out the window. He had arrived from the 3rd garrison a week ago. It was the monthly check, yet something told him he shouldn't have came. Suddenly, as he turned to go to bed, the whispers exploded in his head.

      Crampton fell to the bedroom floor, trying to scream, but nothing came out of his mouth. Suddenly, the pain all stopped. He tried to get up, but nothing happened. Then, he slowly got up himself. He walked over to the bedroom door and opened it. It was as if someone was controlling him. Crampton tried to stop, to fall, to do anything, but his body wouldn't listen.

      He walked down the halls of the royal palace, going down paths he didn't even know existed. Until he met up in a round chamber that was constructed underground. Inside the chamber were 5 people, all gathered around a hooded figure.

      "King Louis?" He said, his mouth moving with him commanding it to, "I didn't know you'd come so early."

      "Me to, Crampton," The hooded figure, King Louis said, "But atlas, the time has come and we must act now. You know your orders."

       ___________________________________________

     I was awakened by a knock on the door. Tradan, the lead Guardian walked into my room.

      "Hayden, we have to leave." I had never seen Tradan so terrified before.

      "What is it?"

       "Your father, he's in danger," Tradan briefly explained, "We need to get you out of the palace as soon as possible."

      I got up without a second question, and raced down the hallway with Tradan and his also 5 year old daughter, Alexia. I knew from the maps that the nearest exit was the northeast gate, which meant that we had to pass through the throne room.

      Just as we were running past it, I heard shouting inside the room. I abruptly stopped and looked inside the room. Tradan was yelling at me to keep moving, but I had to see this. There, in front of the throne was my father, with his sword unsheathed, fending off attacks from 5 different people.

      I recognized Sir Crampton among the attackers, along with Sir Ebum and the other garrison commanders. What were they doing? My father seemed to be doing fine, until a sixth person came in and joined the fight. This tipped the scales and King Henry was outmatched. He backed further and further until one of his parries came a fraction too late and a sword plunged into his chest.

      One sword became two, two to three and soon, my father was being hacked to pieces. He dropped his sword, which clattered to the ground. It started to glow, and I instinctively put my hand out. Suddenly, the sword flew from the palace ground into my hand.

      All five figures stopped and looked at me.

      "The next heir...?" One of them started, but was but off by the sixth person.

        "I don't care who he is, he claimed the sword and he's a traitor to the crown, " He shouted, "Kill him!"

       Tradan took my hand and this time, I ran with him. When we arrived at the northeast gate, a horse was already waiting for us at the gate.

     "Hayden, Alexia, ride north for 3 days, "Tradan commanded, "You'll meet up with a couple of my friends. You'll be safe there."

     "Will I ever see you again?" I asked

      "I don't know Hayden," He replied, "Destiny will tell."

       With that, he slapped the horse and it shot out into the woods with us on it. My last view of Crowns End was of Tradan staring at us, with the traitors closing in behind him.

       I glanced at my fathers sword, the last relevant of his life. It was a longsword, beautifully crafted with one symbol etched at the hilt. It was a semicircle with three spikes on top. The ancient galian alphabet for... Destiny.

       The horse shot through the woods as the moon shone bright on the last day of the Blue Kingdom.