Having been captain of the guard, the men at camp trusted me as soon as Askimi walked me in. About fifteen of the twenty guards had trained under me and remembered me for the man I was. What was so special about me back then? I don't know. I was very short sighted and honor-bound. I was very prideful of my race. Yet somehow, the men still looked up to me. I told them of Legion's plot over breakfast, a typical army ration of some wafers and salted jerky, and they listened without skepticism. Many of the guard welcomed me back warmly before heading off to their duties around the camp and I headed off to the showers. My first shower since I had been banished. I had washed in streams, but they carry dirt too so you can never get quite as clean as you want. A Brackin shower is another thing. The Palkins taught us how to rig up portable bags and tubing so that by heating up warm water, we could have the luxury of a shower out on the mine sites. Of course our king quickly adapted them for the guard to use when out on the border.
After my shower, I slept in Askimi's tent till noon. I went out to the mess hall/tent to see Rythmus sitting at the head table with Askimi and Galea, the head of this troop. Rythmus signaled me to come sit with them. As I walked over, I noticed the worry on their faces. They were all concentrating on a piece of paper on the table between them. As I got closer, I saw it was a map of Terraro. Rythmus rose to greet me. "We were just discussing the best plan of attack" said Rythmus. Galea looked up, gave me a short curt nod, then went back to focusing on the map. Askimi, who had been writing something on the lower left corner, suddenly noticed me and rose to greet me as well. "So," I asked, "What have you come up with?"
Askimi replied, "Well our first priority is to remove the Viridi counselor, and possibly King Pontus if need be. Perhaps if we can get a new ruler in place, we can at least halt the war."
"Yes, but the problem is, we have no idea how to remove either of them from power." Rythmus continued. "We need proof to remove either of them, and an heir if we want to remove Pontus. Who is next in line?"
Askimi blushed and glanced at me. "Currently, the next of kin would be Lord Backus. Though I wouldn't want him in power. He's very snooty. He lives very grandly with little attention given to his household." Galea coughed... I could practically feel Galea and Askimi's eyes staring at me as I looked at my feet. Rythmus broke the silence. "Is there something you need to tell us Tristram?" I continued to state at the ground.
"Tristram has a sort of relationship with Elane, King Nami's daughter. If Tristram was to marry her, he would have the strongest claim to the throne if King Pontus were disposed," Galea said, with just a hint of jealousy.
"I'd have to be unbranded in order to marry her," I replied.
"That won't be hard!" Galea scoffed, "With the war going south, convincing the council to unbrand you would be the easiest thing on our list!"
"but... but I..." I stammered. It wasn't that I didn't want to marry Elane. I did, I really really did! Ever since I had met her I had wanted to marry her! I just didn't want to marry her only to gain the throne... I didn't want to even be king!
"But nothing," said Rythmus. His glare seemed to the only rational thought in my mind. I knew I had no choice but to go along with their plan. I bowed my head and submitted the argument. "Well that's one thing" Askimi smiled, "now we just need proof of Legion's involvement."
"I'm sure we can find something once we get to the capital." Rythmus replied, "shall we head out at dawn?"
The next morning, a small group of soldiers, including both Askimi and Galea, left for the capital city. They had one prisoner in irons... me. Rythmus followed behind at a distance. My chains were loose and mostly for show but I was still weighted down. Not by the irons, but by the burden fate had given me. Not only did I need to stop the massacre of two races at the hand of another and dispose my king of his throne, but I was to become king myself. I see that my punishment had only started with banishment. certainly it would end much worse.
After my shower, I slept in Askimi's tent till noon. I went out to the mess hall/tent to see Rythmus sitting at the head table with Askimi and Galea, the head of this troop. Rythmus signaled me to come sit with them. As I walked over, I noticed the worry on their faces. They were all concentrating on a piece of paper on the table between them. As I got closer, I saw it was a map of Terraro. Rythmus rose to greet me. "We were just discussing the best plan of attack" said Rythmus. Galea looked up, gave me a short curt nod, then went back to focusing on the map. Askimi, who had been writing something on the lower left corner, suddenly noticed me and rose to greet me as well. "So," I asked, "What have you come up with?"
Askimi replied, "Well our first priority is to remove the Viridi counselor, and possibly King Pontus if need be. Perhaps if we can get a new ruler in place, we can at least halt the war."
"Yes, but the problem is, we have no idea how to remove either of them from power." Rythmus continued. "We need proof to remove either of them, and an heir if we want to remove Pontus. Who is next in line?"
Askimi blushed and glanced at me. "Currently, the next of kin would be Lord Backus. Though I wouldn't want him in power. He's very snooty. He lives very grandly with little attention given to his household." Galea coughed... I could practically feel Galea and Askimi's eyes staring at me as I looked at my feet. Rythmus broke the silence. "Is there something you need to tell us Tristram?" I continued to state at the ground.
"Tristram has a sort of relationship with Elane, King Nami's daughter. If Tristram was to marry her, he would have the strongest claim to the throne if King Pontus were disposed," Galea said, with just a hint of jealousy.
"I'd have to be unbranded in order to marry her," I replied.
"That won't be hard!" Galea scoffed, "With the war going south, convincing the council to unbrand you would be the easiest thing on our list!"
"but... but I..." I stammered. It wasn't that I didn't want to marry Elane. I did, I really really did! Ever since I had met her I had wanted to marry her! I just didn't want to marry her only to gain the throne... I didn't want to even be king!
"But nothing," said Rythmus. His glare seemed to the only rational thought in my mind. I knew I had no choice but to go along with their plan. I bowed my head and submitted the argument. "Well that's one thing" Askimi smiled, "now we just need proof of Legion's involvement."
"I'm sure we can find something once we get to the capital." Rythmus replied, "shall we head out at dawn?"
The next morning, a small group of soldiers, including both Askimi and Galea, left for the capital city. They had one prisoner in irons... me. Rythmus followed behind at a distance. My chains were loose and mostly for show but I was still weighted down. Not by the irons, but by the burden fate had given me. Not only did I need to stop the massacre of two races at the hand of another and dispose my king of his throne, but I was to become king myself. I see that my punishment had only started with banishment. certainly it would end much worse.
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