3rd Era, 845, 3rd of Last Nightingale
Lands of the Sepheran Kingdom
Province of Skyhail, Sepheran Capital of Sephera, Royal Palace
Elisabeth Cantillon
It was the first month of the New Year and there was a meter of snow on the ground. It wasn’t easy for the Cantillon carriage to traverse the dirt road to the Capital of the Sepheran Kingdom. Thankfully it was easier once their horses hooves felt the stone laid streets beneath. It eased the final trekked over the hills Sephera was built upon millennia ago and begun their approach to the gates of the palace.
Elisabeth looked out through the carriage window as they passed through the gatehouse up to the palace front courtyard. As she did her personal servant continued combing her raven black hair one final time before they stepped out to face the King and his court.
“Do not worry so much,” Elisabeth heard her father tell her.
She turned her head to him, forcing the servant girl to shift her entire position to continue combing her.
“I-I can’t help it dad,” she said with concern and anxiousness.
She was getting more nervous even thinking about the man she was supposed to marry. The King himself. She understood the honor it was to her family, but she couldn’t imagine meeting a man like him. She would barely comprehend that she would marry a man she had never seen before in her life, and all she had ever heard about him was propaganda. Off course her father wanted her married off quickly. He wanted her married when she was fifteen, officially the age to first marry. Her first husband-to-be had been Lord Edward of House Horncaster but he had had a horse riding accident and ended up crippled. Now her father couldn’t let anyone in his House, yet alone his firstborn daughter, marry a cripple and found another man for her. Lord Kendrick of House Karling who was in his mid-sixties. Thankfully he choked on a piece of fruit and died.
“Just curtsy, address him as your Excellency, your majesty or King,” her father reiterated what he had told her several times before during this journey and before.
“I-I know, I know. It doesn’t help that you keep telling me that.”
He smiled behind his black beard. A light chuckle escaped him.
“Just breathe and relax. Try at least.”
“I-I’m doing my best.”
She looked out again as the carriage rolled onward towards the stables. They had an escort of ten Household guards on horseback. These were guards loyal to their House. It was a necessity that powerful Houses had guards with them at all times. Especially one as ancient and powerful as House Cantillon. She had been brought up on stories about her ancestors. That they had been there when the Sepheran Kingdom was founded almost three thousand years ago. Heck, they had been there four hundred years before that when the Republic was founded. It had been generations since House Cantillon mixed their blood with that of the Royal family. It had been in the middle of the 3rd Era. It wasn’t House Gail either. At the time House Darbonne sat on the throne.
The carriage came to a stop and after a moment the door on their right side opened.
Elisabeth’s father was the first out, as was proper. First the lord and his wife and his children followed, in order of birth, last to step out would be servants.
“Duke Cantillon,” an elderly man’s voice greeted.
Elisabeth followed him. She saw an old man approaching them. Her own blue eyes looked at him for a moment before glancing up at her father.
Behind her, her servant stepped out. She kept her hands together and looked down on the ground.
Her father shook hands with the man.
“It has been too long since you visited the palace Markus,” the man said with a full-hearted smile on his face.
Her father seemed to return it.
“The Gails has never liked my House much,” Duke Cantillon said.
“King Victus has a different view of your House. Clearly.” The man eyed Elisabeth for a second. “He is very much unlike his father.”
“True,” her father agreed. “But Augustus is still very much involved, like any Lord Praetor is.”
Elisabeth remembered hearing that title before. Lord Praetor Augusts and Lady Praetoress Amelia of House Gail. They were King Victus parents and had recently-a few years ago-abdicated the throne to their son. Their titles was given to the parents of an abdicating King and Queen. He had abdicated due to health problems according to rumors. But a rumor claimed that King Victus had paid off the members of the advisory Council and forced his father to abdicate.
Her father turned to her.
“May I introduce my daughter, Lady Elisabeth Cantillon.” He then gestured to the man. “Lord Roy Colton, an old friend and advisor to the King, your future husband. He leads the Council as the sitting Chancellor.”
Elisabeth curtsied.
“I-it is an h-honor my lord,” she swallowed hard and managed to get the sentence out in workable order.
He half-bowed to her.
“Lady Cantillon. A pleasure. I’m afraid you will have to wait longer to meet his majesty.”
Her father arched an eyebrow.
“Oh? How is that?” His expression darkened.
Lord Colton raised his hands.
“It isn’t Lord Praetor Augustus’s doing.” He put his hands together behind his back. “There was a situation the King decided to deal with personally, up in the isle in the north.” Still, there was a hint in his voice, but she couldn’t determine what it was.
Elisabeth glanced at her father again. His expression suggested that he understood what that meant. She didn’t though.
“Do you expected him back soon L-lord Colton?” She dared to inquire.
“A few weeks,” he answered. “Assuming it goes well.” He put on a smirk on his wrinkled face. “You never know with these northmen.”
Then he gestured for them to follow him inside the palace,
“The servants will bring your things inside. I will show you what will be your chambers until you are married. After that we shall dine and any questions you might have will be answered. Later this evening you will meet with the royal tailor so she will have your measurements for the wedding gown.”
“Excellent,” her father said when she didn’t speak up.
She felt there was so much information at ones. She had only just gotten here and everything seemed to be thrown in her face instantly. Couldn’t they let her rest first?
“Say, Roy, might we rest before anything else?” Her father asked, apparently knowing what she was thinking. “We are both tired from the long journey.”
Lord Colton nodded.
“But of course. Lastly, Lady Elisabeth. Your servant will have her chambers next to your so she can tend to you whenever you need her.”
“T-thank you, my lord,” Elisabeth said, barely loud enough for him to hear.
Her personal servant, Cassandra, walked a few paces behind them. She kept her distance, as was expected of a servant girl. She wasn’t allowed to walk any closer without permission and wasn’t allowed to look upon any nobles faces. She was seventeen, three years younger than Elisabeth, and was offered to her father many years ago from a poor family of farmers. It was her duties to tend to Elisabeth and in childhood she had been her constant playmate and trusted companion.
Elisabeth was stunned by the beauty of the palace insides. There was almost ten meters to the red ceiling and white pillars lined the hallways walls. Servants and knights strolled about the place-all with purpose in their every step. There was some noble looking men and women around too.
Her eyes eventually landed upon a man with fair skin, long lovely blond hair and a beard trimmed to perfection. He was almost two feet taller than her. He was very easy on her eyes. Very handsome. Although she had never set eyes on him before she recognized the crest on his cloak. It was the crest of House Darbonne. The family that reigned Sephera around three hundred years ago.
There was also another man who stood out. His skin was darker than the others. He was an older man with fancy, but simpler clothes then most nobles.
Her father had seen him too.
“The Stormlands Ambassador,” he whispered.
Elisabeth blinked. The Stormlands was the rival kingdom the bordered. It was one of three human kingdoms in their world of Nyshara.
“Probably here to speak with one of the King’s ambassadors, or Lord Praetor Augustus,” he continued.
“Dad, he-” she started, locking eyes on the blonde bearded young man.
“Tiberius Darbonne. Became Duke after his father was poisoned five years ago. He is twenty-six now, was only twenty-one at the time. A year older than you.”
“Who-”
“Suspicions was on Augustus.”
Elisabeth thought back. Five years ago. That would be just before Victus-her future husband-was crowned. And he was only one year older than Duke Tiberius.
Secretly she hoped Victus would be as handsome at first glance as Tiberius was.
Lord Colton led them up a staircase and into a corridor in the West wing on the palace. There he showed her father his guest chambers before showing Elisabeth her chamber. Until she was married. Then she would share a bedchamber with Victus. She trembled at the mere thought of it.
The chamber was ten square meters. It had a large comfy looking double bed with red sheets and white pillows, three closets as well as a table with a mirror, a table for dinner and a balcony that overlooking the giant garden. It left Elisabeth completely speechless. The garden was at least a hundred meters, probably more. With bushes, trees, hundreds of thousands of flowers and dozens of statues. Or it would in spring. Now it was covered in snow. She spotted the famous Green corridor of Monarchs. It had statues of Kings-and the occasional Queen-from the Kingdoms birth to present. It was supposed to anyway. But when Victus II Gail took the throne from King Richard the twenty-fourth of House Darbonne three hundred years ago-give or take-he destroyed the statues of every King before him, apart from the few Gail Kings from the 1st Era. Over two thousand years’ worth of carved statues was gone forever. That included the only Cantillon King. A strong, kind and brave man named Enderwolf in the late 1st Era. 936-971. He died childless.
“How hope you think its satisfactory milady,” Cassandra said, catching her attention.
Elisabeth turned to her and drabbed her arm, dragging her out into the balcony.
“Looks at this view!” She then pointed. “Look, there’s the Dreaded Keep Ruins. The view is amazing from here. Look at the garden! I can’t wait to be down there, strolling around in it.” She felt all giddy.
Cassandra was overwhelmed. This felt like too much for a simple peasant like her.
Elisabeth squeezed her hand tightly in excitement. All the trembling nerves had stopped worrying her. For the moment anyway.
“It is beautiful milady,” Cassandra agreed.
“Oh, don’t call me milady when we’re alone,” Elisabeth told her friend. “Just Elisabeth like always.”
“But you’re about to become Queen. I’m just a lowly servant, farmer born. I’m not allowed to…I mean.”
Elisabeth looked at her and grabbed her hands.
“You’re not allowed to what?” She was quick to put the pieces together. “What did my father tell you Cassie?”
Cassandra looked down.
“Because you are going to be Queen I will keep my distance in all matters apart from my duties as your servant. It just makes sense. You shouldn’t spend time with a peasant. Not in public.”
Elisabeth frowned.
“I don’t care what he says. Understand? He wanted you by my side in the first place so he’ll have to get use to us being friends even here. I don’t care what anyone says. It’s highly doubt it’s easy to find friends in this place.”
“I hope your chambers is to your liking Lady Elisabeth,” Lord Colton interrupted.
He and her father entered the room. Elisabeth decided to continue this conversation later and walked inside to them.
“They’re great my lord. I love the view!”
Her father smiled when she didn’t stutter or stumble over her own words.
“Perfect,” Lord Colton said with a smile. “I will let you rest now. Dinner will be in some six hours, so relax and take in the view.”
“I would like a word in private,” her father said when he and Lord Colton left her chambers.
A few hours passed, two specifically when there was a knock on the door. Cassandra and Elisabeth was playing chess when a servant walked in. She was around Elisabeth and Cassandra’s age. Perhaps a few years older. She had a silver tray in her hands with two glasses and a bottle.
“Nightshade Juice milady,” she announced. “I believe you requested two glasses?”
Elisabeth nodded.
“That’s right. For my friend and me.”
She nodded at Cassandra. The young woman looked confused at the teenage servant but didn’t voice her confusion. She simply put down the tray and poured up the first glass. When she was about to pour up the second Cassandra stopped her and did it herself. She couldn’t let another servant pour for her. She wasn’t a noble. Just a simple servant.
When the woman curtsied and left Elisabeth’s father walked in.
“How are you settling in dear?”
“Okay, I guess,” Elisabeth shrugged.
He waved for Cassandra to get up from the chair. She did and he sat down in her place. He ignored Elisabeth’s glare.
“I came to tell you about what you’re soon to be beloved is doing.”
That peeked her interest. She nodded.
“Yes please dad.”
He leaned forward and moved one of Cassandra’s white rook.
“You know Lord Colton said that he had gone north.”
Elisabeth nodded and moved a Pawn one step forward.
“Do you remember what your private tutors taught you about the Northmen?”
He moved a Pawn forward a step.
“They are strong, warlike people that raid the northern coasts. They have no governments or laws,” Elisabeth iterated what she had been taught. “It was King Enderwolf the fourth annexed several islands inhabited by the Northmen to use as naval bases to halt raids on our coast and a buildup zone for future expansion north.”
She moved one of her Bishops onward and took her father’s pawn. It caused a small mischievous smile on her face.
“Good. You were listening. He got the name from our ancestor. The only time a Cantillon sat upon the throne. Enderwolf was the first of his name and like every King named Enderwolf, he was a great conqueror. The Northmen living on the annexed islands didn’t submit until 480, the year Enderwolf the fourth died.”
He moved a Pawn.
Elisabeth answered by moving her Bishop and took it.
Cassandra stood silently and watched.
“The Northmen living under our Kingdoms rule was subjugated until the five hundreds when the Darbonne House lost the throw the Gails, our current sovereigns. Ever since the Northmen had had rebellions every so often.”
“Is that what Victus is doing?”
Her father nodded.
“Correct. He leads an army into battle against the Northmen on one of the islands. Don’t worry about his safety. He has his personal guard with him and generals to advice. He isn’t actually going into battle himself. Or go anywhere near the fighting.”
He moved his Rook and took Elisabeth’s Bishop.
“Oh, darn it,” she sighed disappointedly.
He smirked.
“Sorry dearest.”
She realized too late he had sacrificed the pawns to get her Bishop. A much more worthy and important piece.
3rd Era, 845, 3rd of Last Nightingale
Sepheran Kingdom
Province of Storm Coast, Village
Night had set in, and as fires rose towards the sky panicked screams of terrified villagers filled the air. Their screams mixed with that of their Orc visitors, along with the roars of Minotaurs and hissing of Baeschi. The latter were half-snake half-human creatures from the Forsaken Lands, beyond civilized walls and towns.
The farmers who was still alive was either hiding or trying to run for their lives as the barbarian raiders burnt their homes down and had already slaughtered the few guards they had to protect them. The little village had fifty or so living there, or used to, before hundreds of monstrosities pillage their homes and butchered most of them.
In the middle of the chaos a human woman strode forward calmly on a white furred Giant Ice wolf. She dressed in black leather pants and a leather tunic. She wore a thick cloak made out of fur from a bear.
Her skin was pale and her long hair was as white as new fallen snow in the month Star of Frost. Her silver eyes was hard and focused. Her height was nothing spectacular and her slender pale skinned body had an hourglass shape. She was extremely beautiful.
Any poor soul that had survived the slaughter to this point was rounded up like cattle and forced into the center of the burning village where the pale beauty waited calmly. There was eight villagers rounded up. The rest was all dead.
The woman looked at the coolly. Her silver eyes void of any emotions but fiery rage boiling inside her.
The villagers was forced to kneel and star at her. The Orcs surrounded them.
The woman looked at one of the women. She was hugging a little boy tightly as he cried without end. The poor woman could barely hold back her own tears.
“Listen closely,” a Minotaur said in a deep voice. He was holding a giant double ended two-handed axe. It was dripping blood from it.
The pale woman smiled grimly.
“This, in your darkest day, is your lucky day because I…have decided to let you live,” she started slowly. Her eyes studied every one of them in turn, frightening them further. The mother hugged her boy tighter and closed her eyes. “Congratulations. I ask one thing though. Remember what happened here. Let everyone know what happened here. Tell your friends, acquaintances, the Duke governing Storm Coast, your King Augustus that the Ghost Queen of the Forsaken Lands come for his comfortable palace, his head, and his Kingdom.”
“H-he-” a young woman started.
One of the Orcs kicked her in the back.
“Shut up!”
“Wait,” the pale woman said, raising her hand. “Speak up dearest. You were saying?”
The woman sat up on her knees and sobbed, “E-King Au-Augustus abdicated t-the t-throne to-to-to his s-son…”
The pale woman arched an eyebrow.
“Oh. I’ll have to deal with him too then.” She waved her hand and the Orcs forced the survivors up on their feet. “Now run little kitties. Run for your lives before I change my mind.”
It took them seconds to scatter and run for their lives.
“Let the men loot whatever is left, then we move south Koogur,” she told the Minotaur beside her.
The black furred Minotaur nodded his large head.
“Yes my Queen,” he acknowledged.654Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXdsli7t6Un
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