User blog:Maltalidenta Kwuitidherali/Mahtamétima Chapter 1

The rain was pouring down that night, from the dark clouds hovering above the barren land. War had stricken the populace for many years, but now more than ever. This did not crush their spirit however, and they fought on despite the hardships they faced. Their enemy, you ask? Even they know not. They come in the night, but when morning comes they are gone, with the bodies of those they slay gone also. They are branded monsters, and creatures by those they fight, but should it truly be so? Could these not just be people, and the actions of the few representing the many? Well, imagine their leader's views, and how he would act. Would he think rationally about his campaign, or would he be hell-bent on destruction. Well, I'm going to tell you now that I am the former, and truly misunderstood. This whole charade started when we were invaded, we referring to my kingdom of Eredria, by our then superiors. We know not why they did it, but they did. We slowly fought a losing war. That is, until their King died and their realm was thrown into turmoil. With these unlikely circumstances we could've walked up and taken the crown.

So we did. I had command of their entire armies for a time, until we were called monsters. Well, everyone hates the foreigner. This tale starts at this exact point, when the coup d'état started. We were doing well, albeit not necessarily liked but we didn't see the true magnitude of the hate.

It all started when I walked out into the fresh air, from the council meeting. I had a few of my guard with me, as everyone did in those days. The night was cool, and the birds singing sweetly. Then they went utterly quiet, and in that silence a single bell rang out loud and clear. Nine times it rang, and slow each one of them was. Someone was dead, someone important. My guard looked at me, for they knew as well as I did something was amiss. I am still not sure who exactly it was that the bells were for, for when I arrived on the scene there were many men lying dead. The air stank of death, and the floors of the cathedral were stained red with blood. I helped them drag out who they could. Such violence I cannot tolerate, especially in cold blood. These were normal people, at their prayers for gods sake! When the bodies, all thirty of them, had been taken outside the bells did not stop ringing for a good while. Each man was paid his due, and each woman. That night I did not sleep. I had to find whomever it was that had done such a fell deed. I saw not one man near the building, except the guards stationed there. They claimed to have pursued the intruders, but they were too quick. I didn't believe a word of if! They looked like thugs and spoke as if they were thugs even. This was the start of the mutiny. The next day followed without incident, I followed my normal routine of checking up on all the important business if that day, how stable the realm was and then retiring to my bedroom to rest. This continued for a few weeks, but then more murders happened. The watch was doubled, and these new men increased the public confidence. However, the weeks passed and sure enough another one happened. However, these murders were increasing in magnitude and rumours were beginning to spread about me being behind them. There was little I could do, so I ordered death warrants for the perpetrators.

Sure enough, they were caught. Or some people were, and hanged. It appeased the masses for a time, until the next one. At this point the council itself was full of enemies, and a few even openly denounced my plans. I remember the words of the treasurer when I ordered the city watch be doubled, again.

'But sir, that is ludicrous! We have neither the money nor the men!'

'That is what your job is, is it not? Finding that money and those men. You refer to your King as 'my liege' also, or are you above your King?' I looked at him, testing him with my last sentence. He hardly budged, which told me he was expecting something to happen. I took this to mean that he was not the only dissenter and so I was wary and called the council off. If I couldn't trust them, I wouldn't. Then the army struck. Large portions of it rose up in mutiny, and the coup d'état started swiftly. The men swarmed out of the barracks, and ran towards the palace. A testament to the training of the Royal Guard was shown that day. In response, they marched out themselves to block the way, and I myself was awoken. When I saw the spectacle, there were about five score guarding the way, and twenty score facing off against them. It disheartened me, but the fact that even outnumbered the Palace Guard stood tall disheartened the others also. They would not go down without a fight, and if treason it was not already, treason it would be then. For all their glory in their blues and whites, the black of the guard silenced it. Such brave men, such honourable men, to stand up to them these were. The standoff lasted mere minutes before the first blow rained down, yet it felt far longer. The close pressed formation of the Guard made them formidable opponents, and they seemed to be on top. The deciding factor however was when the forces still loyal to me arrived on scene and took the enemy unawares. It was now their turn to be scared, for such a display of unfaltering loyalty from the elites meant I was almost untouchable.

Well, almost.

(This is an old story I've had on the RP wiki but have been writing chapter two for, if you've got this far you deserve a cookie!)