Jimmy
Loong
December
2013
The
beginning
1.
The sentry on the high tower
spotted the return of their royal entourage, and alerted the guards on the
castle walls. The same alert was then sent to the guards manning the
drawbridge, which would in turn begin to lower the drawbridge over the moat.
While all this was going on, the head servants would instruct their staff to
prepare the food and drinks in the Main Hall, and the maid servants would get
the rooms ready for the King's return. The personal maids of the Queen would
have alerted the Queen herself in the chamber or at the garden, on the return
of the King.
On that particular day, that
was not forthcoming, as the Queen was unwell, and had to remain in bed. By her
side, was the twin crib, with the young babies of the King and Queen, born a
week ago. Their birth was not easy and had added to the Queen's recovery. She
lay in bed, while the healers attending to her pack their boxes, to withdraw to
the corridor to await the King.
On that day, the King had
ridden ahead with his horse ridden guards, while the caravans were half a day
away. The King's company was the ten knights and fifty guards on horsebacks,
while the caravan loaded with their supplies trailed them with a company of two
hundred foot soldiers. It was wise then for the King to travel with such a big
company for the land was unsafe with the presence of bandits and above all,
enemies of the King.
The King column trooped into
the Courtyard of his magnificent castle with the six high towers overlooking
the wide river on its right side, and the vast farmlands on the left. Further
to the extent of the farmlands was the township which bear his name, and under
his protectorate; the township of Egan.
King Egan dismounted from his
white stallion and threw the rein to the stable master. He removed his head
piece; the helm while walking into the main doors of his Main Hall. Before it
was his good friend, Lin Denham; the Castellan of the Castle during his journey
to the neighboring lands. Beside the Castellan was the wizard under his employ;
Corellian, the wiry looking man dressed in the blue cloak and sporting a long
staff that he claimed was from an enchanted tree trunk.
"Where's my Queen?"
King Egan roared out, while he threw his head piece towards the servant
standing there behind the Castellan. The King himself was still in his battle
armor; with the mail hood over his head, while his body was encased by the
cuirass and to his lower torso was the faulds to protect his hips and waist. On
his limbs, are the greaves which cover his exposed arms and legs. He pulled off
his gauntlet and hollered for the servants to assist in removing his armor
pieces. He had left his battle sword; the three feet long double blade with the
single hilt with his squire.
"Hurry, you fool. I must
see to my babies." King Egan was growing impatient with the servants who
were struggling to remove his armor. Once they had removed his cuirass, he had
kicked out at the servants who were attempting to pull at the legs greaves.
"Fools! Even the wenches
on the battlefields are better than the lot of you." King Egan strode off
with his lower body still encase by the armor. He mounted the stairs to the
upper landing towards his personal chambers. He passed the three healers who
bowed before their King as he walked past. He stepped in to the chamber and the
personal maids of the Queen all cower to the sides to avoid the King.
"How is she?" King
Egan asked of the healers who trailed behind him up his entry.
"The Queen is weak. She
had lost a lot of blood, and we still cannot stop the bleeding." The
senior healer named Tgin spoke up on behalf of the healers. The healer was a
middle aged lady with seasons of handling the Queen's health and was experienced
with the birth of the young 'uns.
"What ails her,
healer?" King Egan asked. “Was there a curse on her being by some of my
enemies?"
King Egan had many mortal
enemies, and he feared that the ones he had wronged may had allied with the
unnatural beings to wreck havoc on him and his Queen. He thus had the services
of the wizard, who claimed to able to suppress such dark arts. He did not wait
for the reply from Tgin and called on Corellian to reply.
"Aye, my King. Queen
Evie had truly being attacked by the dark beings...." Corellian spoke up
while stamping his staff. King Egan in his wrath slapped the wizard across the
face for the reply.
"And what had you done
to protect her? I paid you heavy in gold coins." King Egan retorted back
and then gave the order. "Away with his head and had it staked on the
walls for all to see."
The guards of the castle who
were at the doorway, stepped in to hold the wizard.
"Kill me, King Egan, and
your land would be cursed more. Only I could stop these dark ones."
Corellian voiced out in a threatening mode.
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