The Monarchy The Burning Lands

Chapter Six

King O'Sullivan bows his head in front of a small statue saying a low prayer as he hears a scream.

"My lord!"

He turns back eyeing a solider out of breath and looks the man over nodding.

"well speak up my boy what is it?"

The soldier shakes his head in disbelief

"an army, an army has marched on our city my lord"

King O'Sullivan tilts his head in disbelief and questions.

"the dark death?"

His man shakes his head in disbelief and catches his breath in shock.

"My lord it's the Crane's and the Nolan's, thousands of men my lord they killed our city guards and even the peasants my lord."

King O'Sullivan looks up to the young soldier and back to the religious statue questioning.

"why, why would they do this?"

The young shoulder shakes his head in disbelief and shock at the situation.

"I do not know my lord but your orders?"

The king shakes his head.

"pull the men back to the caves and escape to the upper mountains"

The solider looks over his king worried.

"My lord a retreat? We can take the army and slaughter them. They do not use the new technology."

The king looks to the soldier angrily.

"It is forbidden the monarchy took our oath and we abide. No king in 200 years have forsaken it and my clan will not taint."

The soldier bows his head in respect to his king and the king whispers.

"I want my sons at my side. Order them to me at once!"

The soldier runs off and the king looks over the religious statue as he whispers.

"may the plateau save us"

He gets up to his feet and walks out to the main throne room and looks to his left as Archibald walks into the room and he nods to him.

"where is Edmond?"

Archibald looks to his father shaking his head.

"He was not in his quarters perhaps he retreated with the guard?"

King O'Sullivan shakes his head in disgrace.

"Coward..."

He stands with his son hearing the loud bangs and looks to his son nodding his head.

"My boy they may kill me today but live on. Throw yourself at his mercy if need be and bide your time my son. For if I die, you are king."

Archibald remains quiet and the doors push open as King Nolan walks in with his army behind him. He stops a few inches away from King O'Sullivan and King O'Sullivan demands answers.

"What say you, Nolan? why have you brought an army upon my land? An oath is broken of 200 years these are sacred grounds the first kingdom of the monarchy and you taint it."

The army walks up behind King Nolan and dumps Edmond's body to the floor. King O'Sullivan looks down at the body and up to King Nolan.

"what is, what is the meaning of this?"

Nolan points down to the body.

"Prince Edmond or should I say Lord Bution."

King O'Sullivan drops to his knees eyeing his sons rotted body and up to King Nolan.

"what, what has happened to my boy? What have you done!"

Archibald remains quiet at his father's side and eyes the rotted corpse of his brother and turns his head sideways intrigued by the sight as he asks King Nolan.

"how does such a body rot so fast my lord?"

King Nolan eyes over Archibald as he answers.

"the blade of old boy. your brother wielded it and for it, he gives up years of life. Immortality if it continues to consume life. He consumed thousands of men, women and even children. Edmond, he consumed them all."

King O'Sullivan screams out.

"Lies!"

King Nolan points down to the dead body.

"the proof is in his flesh, my lord"

King O'Sullivan looks up angrily and King Nolan motions to Archibald.

"Your father has made a great crime against the monarchy boy. He will not survive the day. Yield your sword boy and you can serve the Nolan's till your death but your father's head will be had today for the thousands of lives lost."

Archibald goes to draw his sword, but his father stops him looking to his son commanding.

"yield your sword, son."

Archibald looks to his father who nods to his youngest.

"you are the last to be king, my boy. I shall take the crimes of my Edmond to my grave. Hear my words, Nolan, I did not know of this. It shames me of my boy's crime, but I go as a peaceful father and will bare this burden. All I ask is to treat my boy well and allow him his land and his title."

King Nolan draws his sword and King O'Sullivan looks up to him as he bows his head staring over his son's rotted corpse. He reaches out touching his son's face asking.

"my boy, what did you become?"

King Nolan chops down his blade hard onto the neck of King O'Sullivan beheading him in one swift move. Archibald looks on eyeing his beheaded father and up to King Nolan and bows his head to the king.

"you did right by your people. Your family and the cranes are safe in their rooms as we felt they did not need to retreat from their own family."

King Nolan eyes Archibald over and asks.

"may I ask why your father did not attack us, why his men retreated?"

Archibald looks over King Nolan and comments.

"As our clan says peace before death is an honor. He has had many wars brutally won with strategy and slaughter. My father did not want any more slaughter my lord, just peace."