Dewdrops on Brambles
Prologue
A long time ago there was a man who was king of his country. He worked hard to be just and kind. As a ruler and leader he never asked his people to do something he would not do himself. Consequently the people loved and respected him. They gladly gave of their substance and obeyed the laws willingly. Like their noble king, the people of the land believed and followed the Bright One who reigned over earth and sky. They gave Him their hearts and devoted their lives to the well-being of those less fortunate. They were all very happy in this peaceful time.
As the wise old men say, however, where there is great good, great evil must reside. So evil entered the land in the form of one of the king's lesser advisors. Hungry for more power and cold to the ways of the Bright One, this man polluted the mind of the good king's son. The young man became adverse to work in the fields, study the words of the wise ones, or sages, learn the affairs of the kingdom, or listen to the teachings of his parents. He grew to be proud and haughty; disrespecting and scorning women and children. He mocked the sages. He slumped about, always a sarcastic or insulting comment on his sneering lips.
The good king and his queen grew distraught at this seemingly sudden change in his behavior. The flattering persuasive words of the crafty advisor however, over ruled all their pleadings, threats and advice. The young Prince had become so black hearted that he had begun to convince many young men of the army to do the same vile, rude, and haughty things he did. This group of disreputable young men became the bane of the land. They mocked, insulted, pushed and shoved. They burdened, burned and called their deeds brave. If there were troubles to be found, the culprits were most likely to be had in the faces of these young rascals.
The people were at first saddened and angry and did their best to demolish the growing group of bullies. However, as others joined their motley crew, and their power increased, they were tolerated or accepted.
Since the aging king had no other son, he asked the wayward prince to wed a girl of his land hoping the sweet spirit of the native maids would tame his wild son. The prince agreed, and his father died at peace. No sooner had the good king gone, than the evil advisor persuaded the young man to visit a neighboring country whose vices were infamous throughout the land. The new king consented and returned home with a foul mouthed beauty who loved only riches and pleasure.
Immediately the sages and the people protested against this marriage reminding the young king of his oath to his father. Because they made such a ruckus, the king cancelled the wedding to the foreign wench, and took a rich native girl to wife instead. With a good wife at his side the people were pacified, and pleased with the king's renewed good faith.
Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned, however, and the first would-be bride exacted her revenge on the young queen who was with child. Kidnapped and disposed unceremoniously into a swamp, no one knew what happened to the queen when she mysteriously disappeared. Like a dog to its vomit, the young king returned to the foreign whore, to the grief and despair of his family, people, and the sages.
He became a tyrant; proud, uncaring and lazy. Over time his bad example and that of his notorious queen convinced the people particularly the younger generation that they too could act selfishly. Darkness covered the land as the Bright One was no longer followed or revered.
The first young queen was not completely lost, however, under the protection of the king's sister and a sage, she bore a son. This son, cultivated with caring and true breeding grew to understand his position in life as the true heir to a disintegrating throne. He was taught the teachings of his grandfather and wise ones by the sage who stayed with his mother and aunt when all the others had left due to the darkness spreading over the land.
The corrupt queen learned of this faithful band's existence and poisoned the king's mind against them. Blinded to all good, the king sent men to destroy his former wife, his sister, his young son, and the sage. The son and his aunt managed, with the help of the sage's grand-daughter, to escape to a friendly neighboring land, but the former true wife was killed instantly. The sage was captured and before they burned him before the king, he prophesied that his seed would one day return to the land and restore the peace and the belief of the Bright One.
The king and his evil wife tried to destroy all of his kinsmen, but one escaped. The sage's grand-daughter accompanied the exile young prince. Together with the aging aunt they built a humble home and lived out their days as farmers, always reminding their children of their lineage and the promise they were to fulfill.
I know this was long winded, but it is essential to the story. Don't worry, it gets A LOT better. So, any predictions to the plot or characters? Is there something I need to clarify about the legend? Please stick around. I promise I will finish it. This story has been stuck in my head for years. It's nice to finally put it out. Oh, and I decided no beta-reader, so feel free to point out corrections.