Posted: Mon Feb 04, 2008 3:35 pm Post subject: The Cronicles of the Snow White Queen War (working title)
Chapter 1
The Red Dragon Inn
Tirinthad, Capital City of the Kingdom of Byzadium
April 1st, Fourth Age, 1836
It had been just over two years. Two years since William Sharpe of Byzadium had ridden to all the major leaders on the continent of Gilinril and warned them of the danger that was coming, but they would not listen. They all felt secure and comfortable now that the darkness that had once poluted the continent had been destroyed bringing on a new age, the fourth age of Gilinril, but as one Elvish Queen once stated “There are always new battles to be fought against the darkness.” However no one listened.
Many of the northern nations were just coming out of the devistation of an invasion from the ice pass of Valwald, and didn’t even want to think of the prospects of another war. A new City had been born, and with it a new Queendom, and so they couldn’t afford a war this soon after it’s founding. The southern countries weren’t interested in hearing the prospects of a war at all. All in all the general opinion of almost all the leaders in Gilinril was that there was no threat to be feared from any phantom queen that Sharpe seemed so convinced about.
Then, the next year the unthinkable happened. Springborough, a quiet, peaceful, farm country that lay in the western side of Gilinril, was invaded by King William Lathspell of Aginius. For years the anchient kingdom of Aginius had been abandon, it’s castle in Rockmoor had been in ruins while it’s royal family sat in exile accross the sea in Arcycus. Then durring the invasion from Valwald, which it was speculated Lathspell had a hand in, the Lathspell Family snuck back into Gilinril and began rebuilding their kingdom. Slowly the Kingdom of Aginius, which was once the bane of the north, was rebuilt until it had enough power, men and material to launch an invasion. Then, most likely with the express orders of the Snow White Queen herself, Lathspell invaded Springborough leaving death and destruction in his wake.
Several battles were fought to protect it, Sharpe, who was the Steward of Linden at the time, and King Thandir of the Mistford elves, formed an allience and fought a losing battle against the increasing numbers of Lathspell’s army. One by one the towns fell to the darkness of Lathspell’s advance. Sharpe and Thandir fought battles to stall him, but they both knew it was hopeless. Finally the pair made one last vallient stand in Havenhill. Against all odds, and in the blistering cold of the early part of 1835, the two armies met and fought the First Battle of Havenhill, which would become better known as The Battle of Coulter Farm. The two armies sat and stared at eachother for almost a month before finally in Febuary of 1835 the two armies would clash again atop Glasgo Heights and in the Barber Wheat Field. The allies, now numbering a little over ten-thousand, held bravley, but their leadership had taken in a hit durring the past months. The commander of the Noldorian faction of the army, a man by the name of Benedict Agder, had left, Sharpe had gone to follow a lead on someone who might be able to help defeat the Snow White Queen when the time came, and King Thandir had returned home, due to problems in Mistford, that left the army under the command of Major General Braum, a man hardly qualified for the job. All these factors would eventually lead to the allies defeat that day.
That was the last opposition to Lathspell in Springborough. From there life had gone way downhill for William Sharpe. His wife left, because of Sharpe’s obession with the Snow White Queen, his son, Donovan, had gone to school in Faywick, in the East, he was asked to resign as Steward of Linden, and then asked to leave the country altogether. Sharpe had hit rock bottom. He began drinking hard, and even contimplated suicide once or twice, but his love for freedom and his dedication to preserving it kept him going. More than that it was a dedication to a woman he’d adopted as a seragant sister that kept him going.
Intriguing... a lot of names are throw about, but I managed to get into in despite that. It's sort of like reading Homer where "So and So son of Whosiwhatsit" is stated in such a matter of fact way that the reader goes "Oh, okay, so there is history here."
The "unthinkable" threw me off, but, obviously, I got back on track. If there is one thing I know it is that you do not use the term unthinkable if your readers are starting to think something. I suggest altering it to "what was seen as unthinkable" or something like that.
Really, other then that, I'm hooked. I was actually half expecting it to be dry, but I was pleasantly suprised. _________________ Everywhere I go I find that a poet has been there before me.
~Sigmund Freud~
Just a reminder, I think I've told some of you, but all these names will start making sense as the story goes on, because you will start meeting them. _________________ “Fixed fortifications are monuments to man's stupidity.” ~General George S Patton Jr.
Dolly Saralonde, one of a set of twins born to Thea Saralonde, daughter of the King of Linden. Her twin sister, Elana, had given up any wishes for the throne, and had well seperated herself from the throne and the majority of her family, moving to Byzadium with her husband Steven Keleb. Dolly was a loyal woman. She was loyal to her fiance, Kit, even through his years of absence. She was loyal to her people. When the King had taken a leave of abscence, indefinately, Dolly took the throne, being crowned Queen of Linden for a while. Durring which time, with Sharpe’s help, she implimented laybor unions, created welfare programs for the poor and created many jobs to get the unemployment rate of the country going again. In short, she took a country that was going downhill, and turned it into one of the most influential countries in the north.
However when the King came back Linden went through a lot of trouble. Thea, the King’s daughter and Dolly’s mother, had married into a rival family, who wished control of the country. They used her influence on her father to move their people into key places in the government before taking power for themselves. Then, little by little the King was pushed out and Thea and her husband took power in Linden. Dolly then saw little point in remaining in a country that was no longer truely hers, and desided that she would move to Byzadium to live near her sister. Sharpe desided to tag along. It had been a long time since he’d been home and much had happened. He also figured that traveling back to Tirinthad would help him clear his mind, and perhaps get his life back on track.
Now, in the spring of a new year, news reports were reaching the Byzadium papers, that large groups of troops were gathering in Springborough. No one could believe it and desided that it was most likely a tabloid, put in the papers to make people fear and cause a parinoia throughout the land. The Queen almost had it pulled from the papers, but when her own intellegence agents began reporting the same thing she let the story run, just to see how people would react.
People seemed relatively calm. The idea of armies in the north didn’t seem to bother them. If the information had said that the threat was coming from Lioncoast to the south of them, then the responce would have been much different. To Sharpe however this was a completely different story. This was the beginning of everything he’d feared.
“What did I do wrong?” Sharpe asked Dolly one April afternoon as he sat by the window reading the paper, “I covered more miles than perhaps anyone else in the history of this continent, and yet it didn’t convince them. Do you think this will finally make them see reason?”
“Most likely not.” Dolly said turning from the book she was reading, “I’ve found that most monarchs and people don’t like to admit that there’s a threat out there until it’s knocking on their doorstep. I highly doubt you’ll find anyone gearing up for this. Besides, if I remember correctly, it clearly says that they don’t even know who’s armies they are.”
Sharpe sighed setting the paper down, “Which worries me all the more.”
“You worry too much lately.” Dolly said.
“Maybe.” Sharpe responded, “But you watch, I’ll bet that this is exactly what I’ve been trying to tell people for almost two years.”
Dolly simply nodded. She knew how dedicated Sharpe was to this idea of an anchient Queen that had just sat and bided her time while the peoples of Gilinril fought and forged their continent, while driving the darkness from it completely. However that was exactly what had happened.
Now, all over Gilinril, people were getting the news that there was a new force to be reconed with, a new kid on the block as it were. However the general consensis was, particularly in the south, that an invasion of the north had little to do with them and that they were better off ignoring it completely. It seemed as though a sense of isolationism had taken over the nations of Gilinril, and that each country seemed more interested in it’s own domestic policy than their foreign policy, while their enemies were practicing imperialism and tyrany. Sharpe knew, as many would soon discover, that the fate and survival of a free Gilinril would depend on all of the nations on the continent working together to defeat this enemy. However with the isolationist verses imperialist viewpoints, Sharpe began to realize that it would take the actual agressive acts of the Snow White Queen to force the governments to act in responce.
For now all Sharpe could do was sit and watch as more and more reports continued to flow in from the north. Reports that seemed to prove him right with every passing moment. The Snow White Queen had arrived and it was only a matter of time before she would unleash her furry and her allies upon the world.
Imperial Headquarters
Havenhill, Springborough
April 3rd, FA 1836
A man in a dark blue coat, which colored turnbacks on the lapells, collar, and cuffs, and long tails, which were split up the center of the back to about waist level and then each corner pinned to it’s opposite, this was known as a Regimental Coat. This man’s was dark blue, with a satin shimmer to it. It was buttoned accross, which made the facing colors impossible to tell. The cuffs were the same color as the coat it’s self, as was the color. The man’s face looked as though he were a very important leader, which he was. This was William Lathspell, King of Aginius, and the man who had conquored Springborough. Soldiers, with coats of varying color, cleared the path as he and one of his aids made their way for the town hall, which was the largest building in the town. The two gaurds at the door, each dressed in grey regimentals with dark blue facings, came to attention as he walked by. As he walked in the door he found another officer also in the room.
This one wore a red regimental with dark blue cuffs and collar, however he had no colored, turned back lappels. Around his buttons was gold braid, which gave it him the obvious look of having money. His white small clothes were a bit dusty from traveling, and looked almost tan. His waistcoat was a bit different from the norm, in that it had a double line of buttons which started a quarter of the way up. He left the top buttons undone, which caused it to fold back, showing the dark blue on it’s reverse side. His gold sash with a dark blue stripe was wrapped around his waist, and his sword hung at his side. On his shoulders were gold eppuletts, signifying him as someone who held a high command in whichever army he came from.
Lathspell seemed unfamiliar with the new officer as he entered the room, but paid little attention to him, as he looked past him to the officers sitting at the desk. This officer wore a black coat with dark blue facings, cuffs and collar. His buttons were silver with silver trim around them. His waistcoat and knee breeches were also black, with silver buttons. On his shoulders were also two gold eppulets with four stars on each one.
“Ah, King Lathspell.” the black coated officer said standing up as he saw Lathspell enter, “I trust you’ve met King Achaicus Spade of Manicium.”
“No, General Kahne I don’t think I’ve had the honor.” Lathspell said looking at the strange red-coated officer who stood before him.
“Oh, well alow me to introduce King Achaicus Spade of the Kingdom of Manicium.” General Richard Kahne of the Snow White Queen’s Imperial Forces said, “King Spade, King William Lathspell of Aginius. King Lathspell was kind enough to secure this staging area for us.”
“I couldn’t have done it without Her Majesty’s graciousness in sending us supplies and men.” Lathspell said, being as diplomatic as he could be as he shook Spade’s hand.
“I was just explaining to King Spade our next step in expanding our sphere of influence and giving us a wider base of opperations from which to launch our forces.” Kahne explained as he walked back around to his chair.
“Isn’t Springborough large enough?” Lathspell asked confused as he stepped next to Spade.
“Her Majesty is greatful for your effort in capturing Springborough, but she has noticed, as I would be forced to agree with, that this is hardly large enough to launch an effective invasion of the entire continent, and so we will be expanding.” Kahne said, “This, gentlemen, will be the first major offencive in our efforts to put Gilinril under The Snow White Queen’s thumb and in turn expand your own empires. It will take place in two parts. One will be a drive west, knocking out perhaps the biggest threat to our posision here, Amica.”
“Amica doesn’t have a military that could do anything to us. I’d be more worried about Linden to the west of us.” Lathspell pointed out.
“Under normal circumstances, your Highness, you would be correct. However we’re in a bit of a different situation. The Linden Royal family has had a lot of infighting going on. Ever since Thea and that son of Feanor took the throne from the King, things in Linden have been a bit hectic to say the least. That is keeping them from paying any attention to us. That leaves Amica. Amica would be the perfect place for an organization to rally members and forces to attack us here and drive us out.” Kahne paused a moment to let the information sink in, “So Her Majesty wants it taken into our control.”
“Tell me when you want me to leave.” Lathspell said.
Kahne shook his head, “No. Her Majesty has placed this job to King Spade and his forces. You are to return home to Aginius and from there launch an attack south along the mountains and the river. The two of you will meet in the city of Oiolad.”
“When we reach Oiolad, are we to wait for one another, or take the city?” Lathspell asked.
“Situation will dictate.” Kahne responded, “It will depend on where each army is in respect to the target. I will leave that to your disgression gentlemen. For now, King Lathspell I would like to ask you to prepare your men to march and return to Aginius as quickly as possible. King Spade, I would like you to prepare your troops for the attack west. You will depart in one week’s time. I am also attatching Colonel James Ward’s brigade to your attack. He’s from Ugibaea, a good man from what I’ve seen. He’s anxious to get some action, so I’m sending him with you.”
“Very good General.” Spade responded.
“Good luck gentlemen,” Kahne responded, “This is the beginning of our invasion.”
The two monarch’s nodded and walked out. Spade put on his three cornered military cocked hat, or tricorn for short. It was black, as they all were in the era, and trimmed with gold, “So it looks as though we are the beginning.”
Lathspell nodded, “Indeed it does.”
“What do you know of Amica?” Spade asked as they began walking.
“Nothing except that it was settled by a group known as the ‘wild men of the mountains’.” Lathspell explained, “It’s only defence is a small block-house along the western road. Shouldn’t be much of a problem.”
Spade nodded, “Thank you. I wish you luck in your endevors.” He offered his hand.
“And I to yours. I look forward to seeing you in Oiolad.” Lathspell said shaking his hand.
Spade turned and walked down the street. The orders had been given, and soon the first piece of the conquest of Gilinril would soon be moving. It would be a long time before any of these monarchs, soldiers, and generals would see home again. For a many of the one million, five hundred thousand, and seventy four troops they would never see home again.
Spade desided to write to his wife probably for the last time for a while:
“My dearest wife,
We are soon to be off. Taking our first step in this great venture that we are embarked upon. Unfortunately I can’t tell you what we are preparing to do, but I can tell you that we will be moving for quite some time. If you send a responce as I pray you will, send it here and it will be forwarded to me wherever we are in this continent.
If we weren’t here to help conquer this land, I would like to bring you and our daughter here to see it. Perhaps when this is all over. I think you would like it. The sunsets are beautiful, but not as beautiful as home. I do miss looking at the mountains as the mist surrounds them in the morning, but it gives me all the more reason to return home safe, as do you.
I miss you my love, and I dream of the day I can return home to you.
Love always,
Ace.
Many of the officers did the same as Spade did. This would be the last time many of them would be able to write to their families and dear ones in a peaceful enviornment. The Seeds of Imperialism had been sewn and all it could do now was grow, and unchallenged it would consume the entire continent of Gilinril. _________________ “Fixed fortifications are monuments to man's stupidity.” ~General George S Patton Jr.
Hmmm... I'll be honest, I am still having a hard time getting into this. The dialogue helped, but it is very dry to me yet. Oddly, I almost feel like you're just giving us a recap and that there is more bubbling beneath the surface. Maybe the way to get beneath the surface would be to start with a character instead of an epic?
I know you are sort of doing this with Sharpe, so I don't see why not go all out and fill in the history later as we come upon it. Does that make sense?
I think the story will be just fine, it's just the tone that is fighting with me. Although there is an audience, I am sure, for that tone... it just bothers me, I guess.
I hope someone else reads this and can either agree or disagree with me- no writer should change something on one person's say so. So all I can ask is that you take into mind this little bit of thought. As always, this could just be me. _________________ Everywhere I go I find that a poet has been there before me.
~Sigmund Freud~
I know it's going a bit slow, I think that's why I'm having some of the problems writing it. I promise it'll speed up, but I may take a break from this for a bit and start posting something like my Hubbardton Short story or something.
But yes, please more people read. _________________ “Fixed fortifications are monuments to man's stupidity.” ~General George S Patton Jr.
Well I'll post the last part of the chapter, and if People are still thinking that it's slow (and I'll almost garentee that they will, I'll switch. I have plenty of other stuff up my sleeve. _________________ “Fixed fortifications are monuments to man's stupidity.” ~General George S Patton Jr.
Royal Palace
Espiatad
Capitol city of the Queendom of Espiatad
April 5th, FA 1836
A shorter man, roughly five foot, six inches, stood looking out the window towards the south. His stocky build made him block out most of the light from the lower part of the window, making just his profile visable as he leaned on the window frame. Behind him a desk full of papers and a chair sat unattended, papers that the man was less than anxious to attend to.
Below him was the newly established city of Espiatad already bustling with activity. It had been less than two years since Siliril the Purple of the Mayar had moved there and declared it the newest city in the North. She wished for it to be the becon of hope and a reminder of the once glamorous elvish Kingdoms of Gilinril. Though she was not of elvish herritage herself she knew and had many friends of that race. Being a Mayar, Siliril had lived through all the ages of Gilinril, since the beginning of time. She’d fought in every major war with the exception of the latest which involved the destruction of Coronda, and their lord Kazuman the Deciver.
Since the end of that war, and after the conclusion of the war between Linden and the Empire of Tirn’Allil, hundreds and thousands of people had been displaced and left homeless. The percentage of homeless in Linden was at record highs until Dolly took her brief period on the throne, durring which her and Sharpe had completely reworked the economic and social structure of the country, providing jobs for the homeless and unemployed.
Thousands of others, however, were not able to prosper by Sharpe and Dolly’s social reforms, and sought a place where they could start a new. That place would become known as Espiatad. Siliril had openned her arms to these poor people, and victums of horrible attrocities and given them a new place to call home. She had taken three people with her to help her design her perfect haven, Faron Tihomir, who was a former Citidel Gaurd officer in Byzadium, who would serve as her Field Marshall. Napolde Napharon, a pirate captain who she had met durring a stint of captivity in Coronda, that would serve as her naval commander. The third man was the one, now staring out the window, Benedict Arnauld, a former general in the Linden Army. Arnauld had become fast friends with Siliril, and the two had adopted eachother as brother and sister, and now Arnauld served as her Steward, her second in charge, and her partner in forming this country.
Arnauld turned his head as the door to his office opened, “Ben....” a soft voice came from the door as it closed.
Arnauld turned around fully when he saw that it was Siliril who had entered, “You’ve been staring out that window more and more lately. What is troubling you dear brother?”
Arnauld walked over to his desk and sat down, “It’s just,” he paused, “I don’t know. Am I really fit for this job?”
“Of course why wouldn’t you be?” Siliril asked, her tone explained her deep concern.
“I don’t know. I feel as though I belong somewhere else. I don’t know where, but I can’t help but wonder.” Arnauld felt helpless, which is something he hated feeling.
“It will come to you.” Siliril said, “But that’s not all that’s bothering you. I’ve seen you pouring over any report that comes in from the Springborough area. What interests you there?”
Arnauld shook his head, “I don’t know.” he tried to lie, but it was clear that the woman sitting accross from him wasn’t buying it. Arnauld sighed, “Do you think that Sharpe could have been right? The invasion of Springborough couldn’t have been just for the hell of it. It’s too far from Aginius for it to be territory expansion.”
Siliril smiled slightly. She knew had it figured out. She knew what Arnauld was craving, and what was driving him so crazy, but she couldn’t say anything herself, he would have to realize it on his own, “My dear brother, if you sit here trying to figure out what an enemy almost two hundred miles away is trying to do, you’ll go crazy.”
Arnauld smiled, “Probably true, but I guess it’s habbit.”
Siliril smiled warmly, “You’ll figure out what it is you long for in time.”
Arnauld looked at her, “What are you saying?” He was fast growing skeptical that she knew something he didn’t.
Siliril stood up, still smiled, “All in good time my dear brother, all in good time. For now you have a meeting with the laybor board to mediate higher wages with their workers.”
Arnauld rolled his eyes, “Bloody hell. Can’t they figure it out on their own?”
“No.” Siliril said, “That’s why you get paid the big bucks.”
Arnauld smiled evilly, knowing that Siliril was diliberately changing the subject. He stood up, and grabbed blue regimental coat and put it on. It was a dark blue, with the same color facings, cuffs and collar. The buttons were gold with a small amount of gold braid and two plain gold eppulates on his shoulders. He grabbed his tricorn as he walked passed Siliril, “I’ll be back in a bit.”
Siliril simply nodded as he walked by. As she watched him go her thoughts returned to what his future might hold for him. She saw him on a great battlefield inspiring thousands of men and women to fight for their homes and families. She saw a great, and trying struggle that would push him to the brink of breaking and disaster, but she saw a great triumph rise from that. In that thinking she felt safe, but she couldn’t help but wonder if it would cause him his sanity or not.
Arnauld walked briskly down the hall as he came upon a man in a red jacket, not dissimilar from his own. This one was a bright scarlet, similar to the color Spade wore. The dark green facings, cuffs and collar were trimmed in a very small amount of gold trim, with gold buttons. His waistcoat and breeches were also green with gold buttons. He wore no eppulettes, and a sabre hung at his waist. He was in the middle of issuing some orders to one of his aids as Arnauld walked quickly by.
“Ah, Mister Arnauld, a word if I may?” the Field Marshall asked.
“I would hate to be rude, Marshall Tihomir, but please keep it brief, I’m off to a meeting with the Elvish Laybor Union.” Arnauld responded.
“I was going to ask if the funds had been appropriated for the extra artillery pieces or not.” Tihomir asked.
“I’m not sure. It’s probably in with the ten thousand other pieces of paper I have on my desk.” Arnauld said, “But I’ll get to it as soon as I can.” He was usually very good at getting the military what they needed because he understood how desprate their need usually was.
“That’s all I ask.” Tihomir said, “I’ll stop by your office later to confirm with you.”
Arnauld nodded and continued walking to his meeting. He thought it nothing more than another annoyence he had to deal with, but sooner than he thought he would be dealing with headaches much worse. The winter was blowing out, and with it was the relative peace that the north had enjoyed over the winter. The winds of change were coming, and it was a change that no one would want. Everyone had shunned William Sharpe and his forewarnings of disaster, but soon they would all realize just how right he was, and they would all be wishing they’d listened just a little bit closer.
This will be all the Snow White QUeen war, for a while unless there's a screaming roar for more of it, but I don't see that happening, so this is it. I'll be focusing on other things!
_________________ “Fixed fortifications are monuments to man's stupidity.” ~General George S Patton Jr.
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