King's Quest

PART 1: QUEST FOR THE CROWN- CHAPTER 1: The King's Request

Sir Graham of Daventry enters the castle amidst the fanfare and joyous celebration, but there is no jubilation to be found in the declining kingdom, it's all a product of his imagination. He steps within the gate opening before him, watched closely by the two guards, who open wide the castle's doors.

Their bodies are slack and their eyes, heavily bloodshot, a testament to the thinning guard and the even thinner food stores. Within the walls of the castle Graham can hardly find the magic he had been accustomed to in his earlier years, the years when Daventry prospered.

Now, there is no such strength to be found and even the stone seems weak and sags heavily. He enters the throne room whereupon sits the aging King Edward. His voice and body are weak and as he speaks Graham tries to recall the days when he was the vibrant king of old, as he bows low before his liege.

"Ever the proper one." the king remarks of the gesture. "You'd be surprised how many of my subjects seem to have forgotten this simple courtesy, in these lean years." He shifts in his seat so as to attain a better position. "Come near me." He gestures with a bony finger.

Graham rises from his place and perches himself beside the throne just inches from the place the departed queen once sat.

"Graham I'm going to impart to you the secrets of our kingdom," King Edward starts. "In the hopes that you will be able to restore it. As you know our kingdom's three great treasures were taken from us, through means of trickery and we can only prosper if they are returned."

"The sorcerer that took from us the magic mirror," he further relays. "Promised me a child and spirited it away before we learned that we had been duped. The mirror shows the future and has been an invaluable asset to our kingdom's prosperity."

"Secondly the shield of Achillie which was given to a dwarf in exchange for the root that did not save my wife, my queen," King Edward speaks in a somber tone, as he gazes at the vacant seat. "It grants its possessor invulnerability and with it the kings of this land have held back its invaders, but without which we have faltered."

"Lastly is the golden chest spirited from us by the evil witch Dahlia," he carries on. "A chest which never runs low of gold."

Edward takes a deep breath as glances about the empty chamber. With a long sigh he returns to Graham. "I now know we can never again prosper without these treasures and so I am sending you out to find them," he charges his vassal.

"You who are the bravest and most resourceful knight in my army," he praises the brash young man. "If there is any who can succeed I believe it to be you. Now, you must depart. The gate will be barred and nothing but your triumphant return, will open them again."

The king reaches over and takes hold of Graham's hand as he peers deeply in the young man's face. "In your hands rests the fate of Daventry, please, do not fail," with these words the monarch releases his grasp and sinks back into his throne.

Graham bows his head once more, before departing for his quest. Once outside he breathes deeply before proceeding west away from the castle. There before him sits a large rock that split the road and it was upon this stone that he sits to think.

First he sorts the details. "The three treasures were taken by three different people," he waved his hands about as he speaks aloud. "The first a sorcerer whom none have seen since. Though there have been other sorcerer's about. Perhaps one of them might know something."

"Second the dwarf, hardly any of those about, but they do prefer to live underground and stay out of sight. I must find an entry somewhere. Last is Dahlia, there is no shortage of sightings when it comes to her, but catching her is going to be another matter altogether."

As Graham speaks he continually stands up and sits down upon the rock, an action which causes it to move from its place. Surprised, he looks down to see a rather large hole. Summoning his courage, he thrusts his hand into the unknown hoping for anything that may prove useful.

He probes the shallow depth and his fingers feel a cold, metal object. He withdraws it and producing a fair sized dagger which is of good quality. This he affixes to his belt, ready should he have need of it. Now, it's time to begin his mission, in earnest, armed only with a blade and knapsack.