Chapter 4: Chapter 4 – Stupidity

 

Lena turned ten, and a new era was declared.

The barbarian tribes who overran the former king's city had looted the city down to its stone, and let nothing of value remain.

The nobility that flourished under the first half of his reign had turned into his victims during the second half. Those made poor by this foolish king had already run south, while those being made poor had held on up until now.

The former duke of the kingdom declared himself to be the new king. The kingdom of Krov was formed, and a number of reforms were enacted.

Taxes were lowered, but not significantly. The new king had to increase the pay of the soldiers in order to secure his new kingdom, and protect his border towns.

The barbarian king was reminded to remain in the north, and not to return to the south with a force unless he was provoked.

With the wealth he acquired in the battle, he had no reason to go against this 'advice' from his shaman. The supplies they plundered would last them for nearly a decade, and all without rationing. The former king was so greedy, he stockpiled every luxury imaginable.

Silks from the south. Spices found only in the Great Empire south of the Great Desert. Iron and steel. Hides in a great quantity. Many kinds of grains. Those grains could sustain the north-men for at least a decade without accounting for the newly grown grains they were able to produce in modest amounts.

The north-men would not need to go to war again, unless told to do so. Lena's family was safe once again.

 

* * *

 

Kyrie would visit her little friend year by year, while her people watched over her secretly. Every year, she would grow a bit, become smarter, and quieter around her parents.

Her former liveliness was more subdued as she grew up, and since that incident. She learned her lessons well, and never strayed from the road, or from the side of her parents while in public. She didn't want to attract the wrong kind of attention.

Kyrie was only too glad as she wanted to keep this child safe, and help her to grow into a fine young woman.

Sometimes, Lena would sit on her bed, and have a conversation with Kyrie as though she were there. Her people didn't know that every time she did so, the window was aimed so that Kyrie could listen.

She showed a special sort of maturity that was attractive to others, but Kyrie made sure she was protected at all times. There were no strings attached either. Like her own people, Kyrie did not put any kind of coercion into her efforts.

It wasn't until her fifteenth birthday that someone dared to cross the red line in the stone set many years ago.

Kyrie had not prepared for it as she had not expected that someone would so blatantly violate her will, and move as though she didn't exist.

 

* * *

 

Rachel, Nikki, and Sol felt the world rumble. Lydia paled as she was right beside Kyrie once the report was filed.

"HE DID WHAT?!" Kyrie said in rage.

"He sent his soldiers to murder Lena's parents." Rachel said quietly. "Lena has been seized, along with all their assets. He plans to marry her to make it look legitimate, and bare an heir."

"Good. Very good." Kyrie said through grit teeth. "She's not even sixteen yet, and he steals my girl from her parents and from me?" Lydia looked to her right as Kyrie waved her hand.

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"Goddess." A slender woman knelt in front of her.

"Shadows. Slaughter all the soldiers that killed her parents. Kill the ones that touched her, broke into her home, and dared to take her to that castle! Leave none alive! Do it in the most horrific way possible!" She growled.

"Rachel. Stand visibly at her side. Nikki, Hannah, guard her door. Lydia. Find her a suitable human guard, a female, that won't betray her. We won't destroy that kingdom yet, but will allow Lena to grow up a few more years. Her food is to come from Haven, and the south." Her grip on the arm of the throne shattered the stone.

"I have watched over and strengthened her since she was young. Do you know how angry I am, my Others?" Everyone shivered. "You have my orders. No one. Not a single rat, or fly, is allowed near my girl."

Kyrie disappeared into a mist and the throne room became quiet again. Hannah shivered.

"Her mist was black this time." Hannah whispered. "Rachel, we need to go now. The Goddess was beyond enraged." Rachel nodded, but she appeared to be a bit stupefied.

"Rachel?" Lydia looked at her. "Is your core intact?"

"I'm just shocked." Rachel said in a low voice. "We knew she cared for her, to a point she was willing to sacrifice the old human king. But that fool does that! Did he not witness what happened to the tax collectors each year? Their families were plagued to death. Any soldier who touched them would eventually die within a day or two. Any thief, or the like, would all die." Lydia sighed.

"You can't predict stupidity, dear sister. Just get going before the goddess gets upset with you directly."

Indeed, one couldn't predict stupidity, as all within Kyrie's court would soon realize just how stupid the new monarch was.

 

* * *

 

"Why was he called to my court?" The king asked. King Bardulf frowned heavily as a black robed man walked right into the main council chambers, practically unopposed.

"The answer is simple, King Bardulf." Randall said with a smug smile. His black robe covered most of his body, while black leather gloves covered his hands. Within his gloved hand was a black staff that was made with the bones of an armored bear. His words brought anger from the king, while the rest of the court muttered. The last man not to call Bardulf the emperor was currently impaled outside the main door.

"What did you say?" The king said quietly.

"Mind your tongue, Bardulf." Randall said, and waves of black energy rolled off his body. Everyone within the court was immediately set onto their knees as their energy was stolen. The king barely maintained his seat on the throne. The eunuch paled terribly, but he still spoke on behalf of the king.

"Mage Randall, The Emperor of Krov, Emperor Bardulf, does not hold you in contempt, but greatly values your opinion. Why are you here?" His voice was soft, as all eunuchs tended to become softer when their manhood was damaged like his was.

"To levy a warning. I serve many gods, but one I do not serve now commands my tongue. She, the goddess of death, has warned the former kingdom repeatedly. She allowed the barbarians of the north to punish them in her name." The court ministers now completely regretted angering this vile mage.

"You have murdered the parents of one of her people, stolen her property, and seized said person. Not only that, but you have taken it upon yourself to consummate the marriage before she was of age." The black energy continued to roll off the mage, and soon, half the court had fallen onto their faces, and breathed their last.

"What do you intend to do?" The eunuch asked weakly.

"Not I. The goddess herself is generating this fog. Lena, the Empress of Krov, will bare a child. If you try to return to her side to continue your acts, your new empire will be razed from Imera's surface, with no one left to witness its demise." The rumbling voice hardened.

"Check your history. She's done it before." His voice returned to a rumble again, which did not set the eunuch at ease, nor the 'emperor'. "The soldiers who seized her are dead. Any attempts to touch, or bring any kind of harm to the Empress will result in severe repercussions." Randall grinned.

"You brought this on yourself, 'Emperor'." Randall said, and his face changed from skin into a bare skull with red fire for eyes. "This is the way of those who defy the goddess. I am dead, but also living." His skin reformed.

"Do take care, 'Emperor'." His tone left the listeners with little doubt of his distaste for Bardulf.  "She has a special place in Haven for people like you."

 

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