by MongoGutman » Mon Feb 06, 2012 5:04 pm
Actually the story does go on, but I've never written it down before and don't propose to versify it, but here it is
The princes escort/guardian - the same Knight who found the dead King - finds them in the tower and they are fetched home, each carrying their 'prize' - broken sword and staff. From that day the two princes, once close as any brothers, start to drift apart, the elder concentrating his studies on warcraft, the younger, despite the dissapproval of the Knight, delving into arcane lore. The Knight forbids the younger from any further exploration of magic, but he continues in secret. Five years later, gaining a little more freedom the younger returns to the tower where he meets an ugly old Witch who has taken up residence in the ruin. He befriends her - who has never known kindness - and learns from her, she loves him like a son.
Five more years pass and the Knight, now acting as Regent asks the younger prince what he'd want when his brother takes the throne the next year. The prince demands his Uncle's ruined tower and the lands arround. The knight, his suspicions aroused, searches the prince's high tower room and finds evidence of black magic. The prince returns to his room to find the Regent waiting to accuse him. There's a fight and the Prince hits the Regent with the old broken staff, killing him and using his death as the power he needed to reforge the runestaff. The Regent's body is tumbled down the long stairs so that it looks like he fell and died by accident.
The coronation is brought forward and the Heir takes the crown and throne, naming his younger brother Duke and giving him the lands he asked for. The Duke rebuilds his Uncle's tower and lives there with the Witch. They staff the tower and rule the lands through summoned or controlled creatures. He is consumed by jealousy of his brother, the King, but as long as he is the acknowledged heir he is prepared not to act. Some years pass in peace then the King weds. The possibility of the Queen producing an heir to supplant the Duke throws him into a rage. The Witch tells him she will make sure it never happens.
The Witch goes to the Royal Palace, disguised by magic as a pretty young girl and becomes a servant, insinuating herself into the household and rising to become the Queen's personal maid. The Witch feeds the Queen small doses of a herb meant to stop her conceiving but which also weakens her. Some time passes while the illness and barreness of the Queen becomes a matter of concern for the kingdom. A young blacksmith comes to court, dreaming of becoming a knight, but his petition is laughed down by the King and his couriers. The blacksmith is put to work in the royal armoury where he finds the long neglected broken Hellsbane. He reforges the sword and returns to the court where he intends to present it to the King. When he kneels and unsheaths the sword, holding it out for the King to take he happens to see a reflection in the blade of the Witch giving the Queen a potion, the magic of the sword countering the Witch's glamour. He reverses his grip and slays the Witch, who's true form is revealed as she dies. The blacksmith is made Knight on the spot.
The Queen rallies and conceives. The Duke intensifies his studies, seeking deeper and darker power and what would be needed to attain and control it. The Queen produces twin sons but - weakened by years of slow poison - dies in childbirth. The King is grief stricken but is consoled by the Knight who tells him his wife lives on in their sons. The King goes to the nursery chamber but is just too late, observing his brother carrying off his babies on the back of a winged beast. The Duke returns to his tower and prepares the ritual for his most ambitious summoning ever, one that would give him the power to supplant his brother as King.
...and so the Circle is joined.
Why don't you knock it off with them negative waves? Why don't you dig how beautiful it is out here? Why don't you say something righteous and hopeful for a change? ~~ Oddball
