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duty and destiny - part 4
by armond
Jaussen rides hard to Westfalon to try to thwart Arcum’s plots and avert war. But …is he too late? For the wizard Faolá¡n has begun chanting the invocation of unmaking …upon Caden.
11.
“…Arcum’s forces are mustering for what must be all out war, I’ve ridden twenty four hours straight from Kotugel, to find the princess’ escorts thrown into the stockade, Prince Caden missing, and Parasian guards have sealed the palace. What. has. happened?”
“Jaussen, friend, you look ready to collapse on your feet. Matters are never as dire as the young paint them. Trust an old man; this will wait til the morning light. Eat, drink, and rest, or if you are inclined, clean up and attend Princess Avila’s Winter Ball this evening.”
“Arrgh!” Jaussen slammed his saddle pack on the older man’s table, threw open the worn leather flap, and drew out a parchment. “Before you speak one more word, General Gares, READ.”
Gares put down his long pipe and patted around his shirt. “Blast! Where are my spectacles? Cursed things!”
“Um, General? They are in your …hair.”
Gares snorted, and lowered his glasses to rest on his nose. “You’ve no doubt heard people talk of how old age is the time to enjoy the fruits and wines of a life’s work? Complete nonsense! Enjoy youth while you can, young man,”
“Please sir, “Jaussen growled, “the document.”
“Fine fine.”
Gares lowered his head to look at the parchment. After several moments, he looked up.
“Is this a joke? If so, it is in poor taste, by the gods! In his letter to King Grithra, King Rhys proclaims he would rather ally with a Pavnor jackass. His descriptions of Grithra become much more …um …colorful …after that.”
“I suspect —I fear- you will find another Rhys to Grithra letter has been given to King Coel recently. In it, King Rhys proposes an alliance between Glamorgan and Arcum, and states he will deliver Princess Avila to Grithra as a hostage.”
“What? That must not be! For war will surely-” Gares paused. “Did you just say Arcum’s army was mustering?”
“Ah, you start to see it. But hold the thought a moment, sir,” Jaussen said. “You know Glamorgan has always been friend to Parasia; this is why I sought you out. You will find the signatures of both letters to be in all ways identical; neither of which were signed by King Rhys. Rather, they were writ by the scribner Syner of Kotugul.”
Gares’ his jaw dropped. “Forgeries!”
“Yes,” Jaussen nodded. “King Grithra’s spy, Fermin, may have passed it to someone with influence and access to King Coel; you must take this letter to him to show both as frauds. Lives depend on it.”
“I’m afraid you overestimate my influence, Jaussen. Since I retired two winters ago, minister Malavet has the king’s ear and…” Gares’ mouth stopped moving and his eyes widened.
“What? What of Malavet?”
“I still have eyes and ears in the court, and received word not an hour ago that there have been a series of closed door meetings between Malavet and the King. The last involved Princess Avila and a young wizard named Faolá¡n. I assumed they planned some special show this evening, fireworks or some such. But now…”
“I’ve a bad feeling about this, sir. Fermin’s plans have become simple indeed. Drive a wedge between Glamorgan and Parasia, and then attack us; first one, then the other; he aims to rule all the Western Reaches.”
“By Selene we must stop this!”
Jaussen slapped his hand on Gares’ shoulder. “You have credits still with your king, for it was you who held insane Amangons at bay until the Selenes could kill him. Seek out the king.”
Jaussen closed up his saddle bag and flung it over his shoulder.
“Show him this letter. Bid him stay his hand until the truth comes out. Lives …and kingdoms …are at stake.”
“I will go to him. Will you not accompany me?”
“I have …other business to attend to,” Jaussen said, shaking his head. He opened the door to the general’s cottage. “Don't fail, General.”
12.
Energy crackled around the prince, freezing him in place, and a blue vortex formed to swirl around Faolá¡n and Caden.
“…what …is …happening…?” Caden moaned.
“I don’t know,” Faolá¡n said through gritted teeth. "The chant of unmaking is not supposed to work this way."
He placed his both hands on his staff and pointed touched it to Caden’s forehead.
Caden moaned louder. A blue energy jolt traveled from Caden down Faolá¡n’s staff and into his hands. He shreiked and dropped the staff. The swirling vortex expanded and brightened, enclosing the two. Gwyneth screamed her brother’s name.
Faolá¡n grabbed his staff and crawled to his feet.
“This is wrong!”
He pointed the crystal tip of the staff at the prince once more.
Blue sparks outlined Caden’s body, floating him off the ground. The vortex spinning increased, blowing gale force winds that toppled the tables and sent everyone scrambling for cover.
“By Selene, you have the talent!” Faolá¡n said. “Curse me to Tartaros! What a novice’s mistake I have made! Your natural power resists the spell!”
“What ...spell ?” Caden groaned through chattering teeth. “What ...are ...you ...doing ...to ...me?”
The vortex grew to tornado proportions, firing random blue bolts into the room.
“The power builds too fast! I’M LOSING CONTROL! Stop fighting it or we will die!” Faolá¡n yelled.
“Then ...we ...die” Caden cried, his body now outlined in bright blue light. “my ...conscience ...is ...clear …is ...yours?”
“No! I mean, I …I haven’t lived at all, save as a slave! Don’t kill me before my life has started!” Faolá¡n said. “I beg you!
The palace foundations shook, sending tremors that split rafters and cracked floors. Above the vortex’s howl, Caden heard Gwyneth scream his name again; he yelled back,
“Gweni! Run!”
“SHE DIES TOO!” Faolá¡n shouted. “All will, unless …Prince! GIVE YOURSELF TO THE POWER!”
Caden’s body glowed so bright a blue, Faolá¡n could not look at him. He shielded his eyes, to see the Prince scream the words:
i ...surrender ...to ...Selene...
Faolá¡n’s eyes shot skyward. “Help me Holy Selene! Guide my hand, for I have not the power to do this without you!”
He struggled to raise his staff once more. And again he spoke the words:
The vortex narrowed and narrowed, until it cocooned Caden only, whirling faster and faster. Then, with thunder crack and blinding flash, the vortex vanished, leaving silence.
Faolá¡n peered at the destruction:
Scorch marks covered the floor and ceiling from blue lighting hits. Cries and whimpers crawled from rubble that used to be tables and chairs.
And in the room’s center, lay a figure, bathed in blue light.
A woman.
Faolá¡n knelt beside her and gently rolled her to her back.
She was naked, but for a strip of shredded white sash that covered her breasts.
Luscious black hair splayed on the floor to frame her face. Her red rose lips were parted just enough to let a small sigh escape.
When her delicate black eyelashes fluttered open for a moment, Faolá¡n looked into sparkling blue eyes.
“Oh my Goddess!” Faolá¡n gasped:
“You are the most beautiful creature in the world!”
13.
“What are you doing with our sheets?”
“Tying them together,” Rhonwen said. She had shed her ball gown for dark slacks and shirt.
“Duh! I meant what are you going to do with them once they are tied together?” Carme said.
“I can’t stand being cooped up here, blind to what’s happening. I’ve watched out our window, and there are no guards patrolling below.”
“Why would they? We are three stories up!” Carme said. “You’d be crazy to-”
“-Caden said for you to guard us,” You cannot disobey him and leave us-”
“-You’ll fall to your death!” Laelia said. “You’re insane to even think-”
“Shut up! I hate it when you two start ganging up like that; no one ever gets a word in. I just want a look around. ”
Rhonwen tied the makeshift ‘rope’ to a wooden bedpost, opened the window and lowered it.
“Oops, looks like I’m a few feet short. Aw well.” She turned to her sisters. “When I whistle, pull this back in. When you hear my second whistle, lower it and I’ll climb back up.”
“But what happens if the guards come looking for you?” Laelia said. “What will we tell them?”
“Selene help me! You sound like a soppy Parasian maid! Throw some pillows under a comforter and tell ‘em I’m sick.”
Rhonwen shimmed out the window and started to lower herself. She popped her head back in. “You are Glamorgan women! Start acting like it and use your heads!”
After Rhonwen watched her ‘rope’ disappear back through the window, she turned …and gasped. A hooded man stood before her, framed by the evening dusk.
“Going somewhere …Princess Rhonwen?”
“Um, yes. As a matter of fact, I’m meeting …my lover-”
“Save your silly excuses; I will not let you disrupt my plans. I’m taking you back to our Parasian friends. I’m sure they will be most appreciative. ”
“Your Parasian friends?” Rhonwen stepped a pace away from the man. “So you are not from Westfalon then?”
“Er, no, I didn’t say that-”
“And your accent …you are from Arcum, aren’t you? Interesting.”
“And you are too smart for your own good, girl. Now shut up and come with me.”
The man grabbed for Rhonwen, who stepped aside and spun a kick into his side, producing an ooof!”
“You’ll pay for that,” the man said, drawing a sword.
“Nice,” Rhonwen answered. She reached behind her head and pulled Caden’s saber from where she had strapped it to her back.
“Oh look! I’ve got one too.”
“Stop playing, girl, and drop it, or I will hurt you.”
“Take it from me,” Rhonwen smiled, whipped her long auburn hair behind her back, and raised the saber to en garde position.
The man laughed, then lunged. Rhonwen parried, riposted, then stabbed the man …in his heart.
After he fell to the ground, she pulled the saber out and stood over him.
“As you wished, sir, I stopped ‘playing.’”
A clapping sound behind her made her jump, and she whirled, to see a second cloaked man, with hands raised.
“Impressive sword work, Princess. But …what do you plan to do with the body? When killing someone, it’s always a factor to consider.”
She cocked an eyebrow. “What do you suggest, stranger?”
“Lucky for us, I have brought men who can help.”
The man made a signal with his hand, then threw off his hood.
“Jaussen! Gods, am I glad to see you!” Rhonwen said.
“Likewise, Princess. And …I am in awe, too. Do you know who this man is …er, was?”
When Rhonwen shook her head, he continued. "Before you lies Gritha’s slipperiest spy, the great Fermin. Killed by a woman. Heh!”
Rhonwen’s sword rose lightning fast. “You say that as if you are surprised.”
“Er, I meant no offense,” Jaussen said, stepping away, but laughing too. “Lads? I may be in need of saving.”
Several young men came running up. They stopped, and bowed their heads to Rhonwen.
“You’ve sprung our men?”
“I thought it prudent. Now, while these fine young men —with all due reverence- drag mister Fermin to the river for a modified ‘burial at sea,’ why don’t you tell me what in Tartaros is going on.”
14.
Faolá¡n whipped off his robe and covered the unconscious woman. Gwyneth was first to vault from the rubble to reach her.
“Oh gods, Caden,” Tears fell down her face as she took the girl's head in her hands. She looked up at the wizard and sobbed, “You’ve change him to this? Why?”
“Because I ordered him to; because he ...no, she ...deserved,” King Coel answered. He addressed Faolá¡n. “You fool! You could have killed us all!”
Coel, Avila and his many of his council men gathered wide-eyed and open mouthed around Gwyneth and her new sister.
“She is beautiful" Coel hissed, "I told you to fashion her into a hag!”
“It was in Selene’s hands.” Faolá¡n answered.
“Hmm. Perhaps ...this is better. I doubt high Priestess Cunedda did better when she transformed Prince Owain into Rose Red. As a beauty, she will be vulnerable and oh-so-tempting to the Arcum scum. Yes, perhaps this way is better. Let me see if the rest of Princess Caden is as pretty as her face.
When he reached for Faolá¡n’s robe, Gwyneth slapped it away.
“Keep your putrid hands off him,” Gwyneth said. “You will pay for what you have done, I swear it!”
“You are mistaken, Princess. This is payment —justice- for what King Rhys and Prince Caden tried to do.”
King Coel stood up and looked out a chamber window; the sun dipped low on the horizon. He turned to Avila.
“The evening is here, daughter and you have a ball that starts soon.”
“But Father!” Avila answered, as she wrenched her eyes from the woman on the floor, “surely we must cancel it now.”
“Oh no,” he shook his head. “I wouldn’t hear of it. In fact, we shall have excellent entertainment. Princess Caden will be leaving in a prison cart for her trip to Arcum. As hosts, it would be polite if everyone at the ball came to wish her farewell.”
“Ha! Now that would be fun!” Avila said.
“You would humiliate her in front of all?” Gwyneth said. “You are more twisted than Grithra could ever be!”
“Your father should not have crossed me. Now he learns exactly what kind of enemy I make."
Coel turned to one of his nearbyu officers. "Captain Isla! Have your men take Princess Gwyneth to her room and confine her there; she and her sisters are to leave for Glamorgan at morning’s light. Oh what a tell they shall tell to King Rhys; I wish I could be a fly on the wall for that discussion."
Coel turned his gaze back to the Caden; her soft breath making here breasts rise and fall so slightly. He stroked his chin.
"Also Captain, muster an escort for Princess Caden; she is to leave for Arcum later tonight, and...”
Coel’s mouth curled to a grin “…have a dress maker brought to the palace.”
“I sorry, did you say …a dress maker?” Avila stammered.
“If your former fiancée is to attend your Ball," the king's head bobbed. "She must be clothed in the finest of gowns.”
"I like this more and more," Avila said. "Tell me how it will happen."
"Yes, let me set the stage," Coel said, bubbling. "In two hours time, couch after couch will arrive, each more regal than the last. The crowd grows, cheering as our noblewomen strut their finest gowns upon the red carpet."
Avila clapped her hands. "I so love this part of the night! The pageantry! The competition!"
"Exactly, my sweet. Now, imagine this, instead of ornate couch, a prison wagon ambles up; its bars covered by sheets. The crowd murmurs - what mystery is this?"
"ooo! yes! yes!" squealed Avila. "And painted on the wagon, a sign: "within lies Caden, former prince of Glamorgan."
"Then you regally walk to the wagon, pull off the sheet, and display the 'princess' for all to see."
Avila laughed and threw her arms around her father's neck.
"They shall speak of this party throughout all of Argentia, for years and years!"
End Part 4.
Author's note: This story is set in the same world as two earlier stories I have written called The Necessity of Winter, and After Winter (pdfs of those stories can be found here.) duty and destiny follows After Winter by three years. A map of the Argentian Western Reaches (where this story takes place) can be seen by clicking here. A cast of characters (evolving) can be seen by clicking here.
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Comments
Interesting Story Armond
It sounds like the sisters have a bit more mental capacity than Caden had.
Is he now Selene?
The pic of the new Princess Caden is a bit sus, if she is on her back then her beautiful breasts wouldn't be standing straight up, (then again she is a goddess)!
Thanks for a great chapter.
LoL
Rita
Age is an issue of mind over matter.
If you don't mind, it doesn't matter!
(Mark Twain)
LoL
Rita
You know, Rita,
his sisters kind of do have a bit more gray matter, though Caden is reasonably bright too. His (now her) talents will lie in another area which she will soon find.
Thanks for the comment!
Coel really is too stupid
Coel really is too stupid and petty to be in charge of a kingdom, and Caden and Glamorgan are better off not being tied to Avila and Parasia. Not that this is an ideal way to find that out...
Agreed, Miranda, Coel does come off as...
overly petty and vindictive in these early chapters. He does love Avila (to a fault; he spoils her) and understandably reacts with rage at what he thinks Caden had planned for her. But he takes it beyond reason, and will sorely regret this later in the story.
Thanks you for the comments.
-A
Who is ...
the more foolish? The Fool or the one who listens to him? Coel has indeed made a tremendous error. I can't see any forgiveness for this. Even the strange bed fellows of political necessity would be hard pressed to trust this man again. The deciding factor here is if Caden can escape before being sent to Arcum. There is the wild card of Selene's will thrown into the pot too. Just good stuff!
Hugs
Grover
Exactly, Grover!
...We see it time and again, in King Lear, for example, where we see a character -a king- chose a path that leads to misery. We want to shout "Stop. don't do this!" but they do, and suffering soon follows.
As to Caden's fate, I don't want to give anything away, but, you know me, Grover; I am not a fan of tragedies, and Caden is favored by Selene, so...
Okay, here one way it may go IMHO
Caden had serious magic talent as a man. Many stories imply or explicitly invoke the concept that a changed person often has greater magical talent than before, particularly if male to female. That he now she put her fate in the Goddess Selene's hands, the slave mage also begged for her help AND he was an innocent as was the mage, I'd say Caden will be more than doubly blessed.
The princess proved to be one sick puppy and her dad a fool.
I would love it if IN PUBLIC, no face saving for them, the retired General unmasks the fraudulent letters at the ball that the king and princess were decieved by a forgery and far too eagerly agreed to violate diplomatic and common decency in their anger. They must be unmasked as the unkind fools they are. They have committed an act of war. How can they undo it or save their hides? Will the army revoke their support of the throne? Will he king be deposed?
Poetic justice would have the king bundled off as an ugly woman to the other kingdom and his selfish, unloving daughter a slave, a well abused slave as she has abused hers. These two do not deserve power or wealth. He is too old to reform and too easily deceived, IE a fool but she might be redeemable after some time as a peasant or slave where she can learn the true meaning of responsibility. But never again should she know wealth or power she has proven unworthy.
What will their reactions be when they learned they were deceived and condemned an honest/innocent man, HER betrothed? Sorry, repentant or " so we were wrong, BIG F***ing DEAL, we are royal and are not accountable for what we do in our kingdom's name." Or some such pompous defense? I can't see them volunteering to take punishment, to atone. That's for peasants!
Or with the spy dead are there other conspirators around? And I LOVE Caden's sisters. VERY resourceful and not shy little rabbits by any measure. That he, now she, has such brave and loyal friends bodes well for Caden whatever her current predicament.
Great stuff so far.
John in Wauwatosa
John in Wauwatosa
Those are terrifc thoughts...
...And comments, John, and I LOVE the Ball idea. Let me see what I can do there.
-A
SIgh,
Unfortunately, the situation has already spinned out of control here. You are right, the war is in the air, as the now-dead spy has successfully driven a wedge between Parasia and Glamorgan, and the king has all too gleefully hammered on it producing a vast rift. Where once was a powerful alliance in making, and a third country, there are merely three countries now, all hostile to some extent to one another.
Faraway
Big Closet Top Shelf
Where you can fool around like you want to and most you get is some bemused good ribbing!
Faraway
Big Closet Top Shelf
Where you can fool around like you want to and most you get is some bemused good ribbing!
Yes, Fermin was successful...
...and war looms. We seen how King Coel has reacted to events -poorly- and we will soon see how King Rhys responds.
Quick queston for you, Faraway. You prepared an excellent list of characters for my story. Do you mind if I use and post it?
-A
Sure!
I don't mind it at all! Just remember I missed writing one of the princesses in, it was never updated with new chapters, and... well I guess that's it for now! :)
Faraway
Big Closet Top Shelf
Where you can fool around like you want to and most you get is some bemused good ribbing!
Faraway
Big Closet Top Shelf
Where you can fool around like you want to and most you get is some bemused good ribbing!
Thanks!
Your list gets me most of the way there.
Thanks for the kind reply, A-
As I see it, often with diplomacy a subtle hand is needed or even misdirection to achieve a desired end be it for good or ill. IMHO at this point there is too much distrust brewing due to the late spy's efforts and that of any assistants/allies he has. Hushing things up, stonewalling as they used to put it is no longer likely to be effective and risks many bad complications. IE to clam up would only fuel the rumor mill and make war or civil war unavoidable. This may be the case where blatant honesty, no holds bared openness is needed. The rumors are bad, the truth is also bad. No matter what they do things cannot be restored to *normal* without some pain. So how to salvage the best outcome from a bad situation?
FULL disclosure will shame the duped and possibly expose any remaining plotters. It will surely bring down the current ruler and his brat daughter. Ideally one wants to catch them, the plotters behind the forgeries to trigger a war, in the act but to wait for any more plotters to do their worst risks all out war and disaster. Already much of the plot is discerned or guessed at and likely the bad guys and gals will know they have been compromised and soon. Secrecy no longer is possible or even desirable for the good guys and girls I suspect. And a public *washing of dirty linen* can be soooo verrry *cleansing* and theatrical. It's your baby but sometimes you have to break some eggs to make a cake. There, if that wasn't a mixed up metaphor...
Too late for diplomatic salves, better diplomatic feathers be ruffled if it can stop a war. That a simple forgery was assume sufficient to break up an alliance and maybe trigger a war shows the existing alliance was weak, poorly maintained or ill conceived. And who says the alliance is off? Maybe there is another heir to the throne of this fool king and his spoiled rotten daughter who is far more worthy. Maybe a far stronger, more resilient alliance can be forged. Preferably a MALE relative of the nasty princess is waiting in the wings as it were, as our prince is likely to remain a woman and kingdoms do need heirs. There are also the prince's sisters, several of whom are crafty and world wise, thus potentially solid rulers the former prince could support with HER new talents, magic ones I assume.
Hum, the mage is not a bad man. In exchange for his freedom maybe ... Why was he a slave anyway? Seems contrary to how Selene would wish things. At the start of this current story you talked of a wandering man, perhaps a mage and his far more powerful associate/companion/mate?, a sorceress/priestess? The grandmother of some later ruler or important noble? Our former prince will become a traveling healer, priestess, whatever? Perhaps working undercover to maintain the peace of the several kingdoms?
The mind boggles. Or am I just going senile?
BTW I was a bit harsh on the foolish king as you hint he is overly sensitive/protective of his child and in part over reacts to his later regret. Perhaps he can be saved too but he can never know power again as he has proved reckless in its use. As to Princess Bit*h, she will need a BIG dose of humility and compassion before I'd trust her with anything more powerful than a dull crayon. But then sometimes the worst sinners make the best saints, with the right *adjustments.* But then were is her mom? Who if anyone was her role model as she grew up?
Give me motivations, Damn it! -- Hey today IS the day in 1966 Star Trek debuted on TV -- It's also the anniversary of Scotch Tape, how geeky can we get?
IE as a reader I want to know why key characters act/think as they do!
John in Wauwatosa
John in Wauwatosa
John! In many ways your predictions have guessed ...
where duty and destiny is headed. Wow! I love reading your comments.
A word about King Coel. No need to apologize for being too harsh. Other readers have found him to be petty too. He seems, at first blush, to be one-dimensional.
But this is not a case where I was lazy of writing a stereotypical villain (which I have done in the past). When I started writing this character, I intended to make him loving of his daughter to a fault. But the character took off on its own and came out this way. Why? Your guess is as good as mine here (or probably better, based on the depth of your comments) but here is how I see it: there is no living Parasian Queen, and so the father/daughter relationship is further skewed than normal. Along comes Prince Caden, who will take away his precious daughter when he marries her. Coel understands this intellectually, but subconsciously he has not accepted it, and something festers there. Then he thinks he uncovers a plot where Caden is literally going to steal his daughter, and all his bottled up resentment comes spilling out. He can't control it, and as a result his reaction is disproportionate to the extreme.
Next, layer on top of that the weird but so often true trait we see in our leaders, who, when they go to the precipice of war, far too often they fall into it, rather than back away.
That is the toxic mix that is Coel at this point. He is redeemable, but many many will suffer in the meantime. Later in the story, Coel will find himself at the mercy of King Rhys, and we will see if the Glamorgan King reacts differently.
-A
I can see John's point
So it's going to be how King Coel reacts to the truth that will define his character. Perhaps it is because we see so little of his doting on her that he appears to fly off the handle so extremely. Maybe a paragraph demonstrating his over protectiveness prior all of this would help migrate some of that.
As for the captive mage I was under the impression he was sold to the king, but another yet more powerful magic-user. It was this slavery that gave me my first negative impression of King Coel and his spoiled daughter. Her treatment of said captive made me even less of a supporter of hers.
Poor Caden is going to be humiliated at a state ball, where the truth is going to get out no matter what. It's just too public. The good is this will give time for the general to reveal the treachery of the letter. Very clever to make another letter that is utter non-sense to prove the first is a forgery. The bad is Coel may order the mage to control Caden to even further humiliate the new Princess.
The big questions are can War be avoided and can Caden be rescued before being delivered as a hostage.
As the wronged party, I think Caden will be instrumental in stopping War if it is possible.
Another point that's been brought up is Caden seems a little thick headed compared to her sisters. Well, we already know he was trained as a leader and solider. A very successful one we're told. I'm sure that if this was a battlefield he would be in his element. Right now, She's in a conflict that the four sisters are much more at ease with. Gwen and her study of law, for one and I'm sure we'll see the others demonstrate their own specialized fields of endeavor. Just remember when you're using a hammer everything looks like a nail! LOL.
Hugs
Grover
I don't think Coel will do that
He has witnessed what happened first time Faolan tried to manipulate Caden. To use magic to force Caden is practically the same situation - Caden is going to react and power will clash again.
Faraway
Big Closet Top Shelf
Where you can fool around like you want to and most you get is some bemused good ribbing!
Faraway
Big Closet Top Shelf
Where you can fool around like you want to and most you get is some bemused good ribbing!
Faraway
That would be wisdom. However just how much of that have we seen from the not so nice or merry King Coel? :)
Grover
But perhaps...
...by the end of the story, he will have learned what is important and what is not, and he will call for his pipe and call for his bowl, and call for his fiddlers three.
Duty and Destiny - Part 4
With the change, How will the Kingdoms respond?
May Your Light Forever Shine
May Your Light Forever Shine
Sadly Stanman...
...war is in the air. But hope is too...
Ouch... they really are that
Ouch... they really are that stupid aren't they?
There is stuff you just don't do. Changing the heir of a kingdom into a women is one of those. They pretty much declared war on Glamorgan.
If I was King of Glamorgan I'd send some assasins to remove the king and his daughter.
Thank you for writing this interesting story,
Beyogi