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Asulien; Change the name when we need to
Topic Started: Jun 4 2008, 06:16 PM (17,253 Views)
chadden
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[ *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  * ]
Mordain took his place at the top of the steps, standing infront of the pedastel which held the crown, though the crown itself was still within the box. He directed a number of servants around the place.

Two went down to James and Rebecca. "My Lord," one said to James, "please take your place at the bottom of the stairs. When the trumpets are blown, you must begin your ascent."

"My lady," began the other, "please follow me. You must stand beside Lord Mordain."

The rest of the servants had been dispersed to tell everyone that the ceremony was starting, though most were present already.
"Stand against me if you must, for of course you will. Conflict is just another part of this flawed reality. You need to cling to your concepts and purposes, your feeble honour and glory. None of it serves any purpose in the end. And the end draws close." - Krodalis Thaendil.

"It really is amazing; she killed Kelan Wealer, not that I am complaining, but then the order welcomed her as their new leader. It makes one wonder if I were to ram a blade down her throat, would the monks then follow my commands?" - Mordain Thaendil.

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[ *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  * ]
Rebecca followed Mordain up to the top of the stairs, while James waited at the bottom. He turned around to look at the massive crowd of people that had amassed. The entire population of the city, as well as all of the soldiers who had survived the battle had packed the city streets for blocks and blocks. Weisslanders who had taken refuge in nearby areas during the battle had come to the city and added to the huge number of people.
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chadden
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[ *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  * ]
Rebecca took her space. Jaunne stood to the other side of Mordain. The crowds were bustling, talking and cheering. This was a big day for Weissland. Mordain silenced them by banging the butt of his staff off the ground, using magic to amplify the sound. He cleared his throat and then began the ceremony.

"People of Weissland, young and old, civilian and soldier, here we stand. Here we stand upon the same ground where our last King was crowned, and the King before, all since the days of our ancestors. All since the days of old. Here we stand to crown a new King. In the crown of Weissland, we place our faith, our trust and our hope. We place our all. We place all that we can. It is a symbol, a symbol of all of us, of all of Weissland. We entrust it here today to a new King."

The trumpets were raised by twenty Order of Light soldiers, ten on each side of the steps spaced out evenly. They began their music.
"Stand against me if you must, for of course you will. Conflict is just another part of this flawed reality. You need to cling to your concepts and purposes, your feeble honour and glory. None of it serves any purpose in the end. And the end draws close." - Krodalis Thaendil.

"It really is amazing; she killed Kelan Wealer, not that I am complaining, but then the order welcomed her as their new leader. It makes one wonder if I were to ram a blade down her throat, would the monks then follow my commands?" - Mordain Thaendil.

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[ *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  * ]
James took a deep breath and began to ascend the stairs slowly. He looked around at the magnificence of the ceremony and within moments reached the top of the stairs and stood in front of Mordain.
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chadden
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Mordain looked down on James. Beneath the shroud cast over his face, his demonic eyes were consumed by a fury he had not felt in a long time. But he restrained it.

"James Castoden, here you stand. Here you stand before the people of Weissland and in the presence of the crown that will mark you as their King. To wear the crown is to accept the throne, the throne of your ancestors and throne that the people of Weissland have fought for. To wear the crown is to know that you will rule the people of Weissland. You will govern them with compassion, with a hand that is fair and just. Do you understand?"
"Stand against me if you must, for of course you will. Conflict is just another part of this flawed reality. You need to cling to your concepts and purposes, your feeble honour and glory. None of it serves any purpose in the end. And the end draws close." - Krodalis Thaendil.

"It really is amazing; she killed Kelan Wealer, not that I am complaining, but then the order welcomed her as their new leader. It makes one wonder if I were to ram a blade down her throat, would the monks then follow my commands?" - Mordain Thaendil.

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James breathed deeply, then looked into Rebecca's eyes. She smiled and nodded at him, and then James nodded. "I do."
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chadden
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Mordain turned away and faced the casket. He opened it and delicately lifted the crown from within. The mage turned back to James, holding the crown before him.

"Kneel, James Castoden. Kneel as a knight, as a lord. Kneel before your people."

James did so, falling to one knee. Mordain slowly placed the crown upon James's head and withdrew a few paces.

"Now rise, James Castoden. Rise as King, King of all Weissland."
"Stand against me if you must, for of course you will. Conflict is just another part of this flawed reality. You need to cling to your concepts and purposes, your feeble honour and glory. None of it serves any purpose in the end. And the end draws close." - Krodalis Thaendil.

"It really is amazing; she killed Kelan Wealer, not that I am complaining, but then the order welcomed her as their new leader. It makes one wonder if I were to ram a blade down her throat, would the monks then follow my commands?" - Mordain Thaendil.

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[ *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  * ]
James rose, but before turning and facing his people, he walked up to Rebecca and held her. They stared into each other's eyes for a moment, then kissed. James then took her arm and turned to face the people of Weissland, and a cheer erupted. James waited for the cheer to subdue before he began speaking.

"People of Weissland," he began, and then paused. "For many centuries, you have battled the threat of the Defiled Kingdom. For the last year, you have seen the great destruction wrought by Drathmor and his servants. Yesterday, that threat ended for good. Drathmor is dead, and the Defiled Kingdom no longer threatens our lands."

The people cheered, and James waited again.

"This war was not without loss," said James. "I stand before you today as king only because Lord Lathaon Thaendil was slain, defending Ataya. I stand before you at all because of men like Peloron, Prince of Galor, who held his rearguard against impossible odds to allow this army to escape Drathmor's clutches. Men like Mordain Thaendil who showed me what true sacrifice was and taught me what I must do to save this land and fulfill my destiny. And men like Kelan Wealer, who opened my eyes to the greater power in this world. This war has done more things for me than I can imagine. It has given me a greater respect for everything, but it has also taught me that there is more to life than this corporeal existence. During Lathaon's reign, the teachings of Aracen have been shoved to the side, but I have found great comfort in belief in Him, comfort in my darkest hours when nothing else seemed to shine through. Worship or Aracen shall return to this land, and all those who believe may once again participate."

A massive cheer, greater than the first, greeted this news, and James felt a huge weight lift from his chest. He had been worried that Mordain had been right, that people did not want religion, but it seemed that the horrors of this war had changed their mind.

"As we begin a new age in Weissland, there are many things we must rebuild. We must rebuild our cities and defenses. Ataya lies in ruin. The Great Wall is destroyed. Many other places can no longer house their citizens. I will make rebuilding these places of a top priority. The finest engineers in Weissland will ensure that everything is grander than it once was."

A huge cheer erupted this time as well.

"Yet we must also rebuild our relationship with our neighbors across the sea. The White War was a terrible event which should have never happened, yet due to Drathmor's treachery, it did. Despite our knowledge of the truth, relations have been weakened, and I will strive to make those relations stronger."

More cheers, a bit weaker, but still strong.

"We must rebuild our army, we must rebuild our infrastructure. There are many things which Drathmor destroyed that we must rebuild, but there are some things he could not destroy, some things that no one can ever destroy: our hope, our faith, our courage, and our love. These four things will be essential to Weissland for as long as it exists, and they are what brought us through this crisis. So now, let us enter a new age, an age of rebuilding, an age of peace, an age of hope, faith, courage, and love."

The crowd erupted in cheering, and James pulled Rebecca close to him once again and looked out over what was now his people.
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chadden
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Mordain had walked away shortly after James began speaking. His task was done; he had no intention of lingering. The Mage of Shadows walked back through the city to the bench, where Shaellana was waiting for him. Her tears had gone, but by the look of her face, that was a recent development.

"It is done." said Mordain as he walked up to her.

She smiled. "I know. You could hear those cheers from Ataya itself."

"Weissland is in his hands now. He will lead the people well. We both know this."

"But what of you?" exclaimed Shaellana, rising to face him.

Mordain shook his head. "I have told you, Shaellana. Weissland does not need me anymore. I will leave. These are not my people. Not anymore. They are Kelan's people, Aracen's people. There is no space for me anymore, it would seem."
"Stand against me if you must, for of course you will. Conflict is just another part of this flawed reality. You need to cling to your concepts and purposes, your feeble honour and glory. None of it serves any purpose in the end. And the end draws close." - Krodalis Thaendil.

"It really is amazing; she killed Kelan Wealer, not that I am complaining, but then the order welcomed her as their new leader. It makes one wonder if I were to ram a blade down her throat, would the monks then follow my commands?" - Mordain Thaendil.

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James turned around to speak with Mordain, but the man was already gone. In his place was a Royal Guardsman, wearing impressive plate armor and a full-face helmet concealing his identity. He wore a gold cape instead of a blue one, setting him apart from his fellow Guardsman.

"My Liege," said the Guardsman, falling to one knee. Then, one by one, the rest of the Royal Guardsmen, then the Order of Light soldiers, then the entire crowd that was assembled dropped to one knee and fell silent.

"People of Weissland, rise," said James. "And celebrate. We are free."

The cheers erupted again as the people rose to their feet.
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"You can't! You can't just fade away! This isn't fair!" said Shaellana, beginning to lose herself once more.

"We are going in circles, Shaellana. All of this has been said already. It would seem that this is my final service to the people; to leave." Mordain's fists were clenched at his sides, his knuckles white with fury under his gloves.

She sniffed back her saddness. "Where will you go?"

"It doesn't matter."
"Stand against me if you must, for of course you will. Conflict is just another part of this flawed reality. You need to cling to your concepts and purposes, your feeble honour and glory. None of it serves any purpose in the end. And the end draws close." - Krodalis Thaendil.

"It really is amazing; she killed Kelan Wealer, not that I am complaining, but then the order welcomed her as their new leader. It makes one wonder if I were to ram a blade down her throat, would the monks then follow my commands?" - Mordain Thaendil.

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((Oh, I'm liking the juxtaposition here. :) ))




The Royal Guardsman with the gold cape was the last to rise. "My Liege, my name is Bradley Kassal, and I am the Captain of the Royal Guard," said the Guardsman. "I will be always at your side, and am charged with defending you to the last, as are my men here. We swear loyalty only to you and you alone, not even to Aracen. We are here to serve and protect you and your family at all times."

"Thank you," said James. "It is good to know I can count on you."

"Of course, My Liege, to the death," said Kassal.

"There is something I need you to do," said James. "I need you to go find Lord Thaendil and Shaellana and bring them to the Palace throne room. I need to speak with both of them, and them alone. No one else...except you and your men of course."

"Of course," said Kassal, and James could see the gleam of a smile in his eyes before he nodded and turned to pass the orders along.

James then turned to Rebecca, kissed her gingerly, and the two of them began walking through the doors of the small palace. The palace at Asulien was a relatively small structure, smaller than the keep which was the centerpiece of the fortress, but it had always been there as a retreat for the kings and queens of old. It was only two stories and held little more than a ballroom, a throne room, a kitchen, dining room, and several bedrooms. James and Rebecca were led by the Guardsmen in through the ballroom and dining room and up to the second floor, where the throne room was located. They walked in and sat upon the two thrones, two Royal Guardsman taking up posts on either side and Kassal standing off to James's right while Rebecca sat on his left.

"My men are fetching Lord Thaendil and Shaellana," said Kassal.

"Very well," said James.
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chadden
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Shaellana sat back on the bench, resting her head in her hands.

Mordain heard an approacher and turned to see a Royal Guard walking up to him. "Lord and Lady, the King has requested your presence."

"Has he, now?" said Shaellana coldly.

"I will go. Shaellana can stay here." replied Mordain.

The Royal Guard seemed a bit shocked. "My Lord, he asked for-"

"And I said Shaellana will stay!" roared Mordain. He took a step towards the guard, and the guard took a catuious step backwards. "Where does the King want to meet?"

After a moment of gulping back his fear, the guard managed; "In the palace throne room, my Lord."

Mordain made his way there, the guard following after. He entered the room and walked towards the thrones, stopping ten feet back from them. He bowed. "My King."
"Stand against me if you must, for of course you will. Conflict is just another part of this flawed reality. You need to cling to your concepts and purposes, your feeble honour and glory. None of it serves any purpose in the end. And the end draws close." - Krodalis Thaendil.

"It really is amazing; she killed Kelan Wealer, not that I am complaining, but then the order welcomed her as their new leader. It makes one wonder if I were to ram a blade down her throat, would the monks then follow my commands?" - Mordain Thaendil.

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James raised an eyebrow. "Where's Shaellana?"
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Mordain rose slowly. "Believe me, my Lord. You do not want to meet with Shaellana right now. Whatever you have to say, I will pass on to her."
"Stand against me if you must, for of course you will. Conflict is just another part of this flawed reality. You need to cling to your concepts and purposes, your feeble honour and glory. None of it serves any purpose in the end. And the end draws close." - Krodalis Thaendil.

"It really is amazing; she killed Kelan Wealer, not that I am complaining, but then the order welcomed her as their new leader. It makes one wonder if I were to ram a blade down her throat, would the monks then follow my commands?" - Mordain Thaendil.

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"Very well," said James. "I wanted to thank both of you, for everything you've done for me and Rebecca, and everything you've done for Weissland. I know that this is not the greatest thanks, and I know you feel betrayed by what I am doing right now, but it must be done. It's not easy for me doing this, and I'm going to regret it forever, but I ask that we can part on good terms. If not, I understand."
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"Hate is a part of what I am, my Lord. Nothing can change that. I have lived my life for Weissland, and I will do this for Weissland. For Weissland, not out of fear of a handful of zealous fools. That much, I hope, is clear."
"Stand against me if you must, for of course you will. Conflict is just another part of this flawed reality. You need to cling to your concepts and purposes, your feeble honour and glory. None of it serves any purpose in the end. And the end draws close." - Krodalis Thaendil.

"It really is amazing; she killed Kelan Wealer, not that I am complaining, but then the order welcomed her as their new leader. It makes one wonder if I were to ram a blade down her throat, would the monks then follow my commands?" - Mordain Thaendil.

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"Yes, and I thank you for that," said James. "But...can we part on good terms or not? Will you forgive me for this? Will Shaellana forgive me for this?"
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"Shaellana, no." said Mordain simply. "I will not hold a grudge against my King and country."
"Stand against me if you must, for of course you will. Conflict is just another part of this flawed reality. You need to cling to your concepts and purposes, your feeble honour and glory. None of it serves any purpose in the end. And the end draws close." - Krodalis Thaendil.

"It really is amazing; she killed Kelan Wealer, not that I am complaining, but then the order welcomed her as their new leader. It makes one wonder if I were to ram a blade down her throat, would the monks then follow my commands?" - Mordain Thaendil.

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James sighed. "Thank you for that, and tell Shaellana that I will always regret what I've done, and tell her thank you for everything."
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