kingdom-

It was mid-afternoon before the king's arrival the day was rather warm and sticky almost as if gallons of tree sap had rained upon the people waiting for the king in broad daylight. The gates were closed only to be opened once the king's party were to arrive, the peasants stood nearest the gate while the nobles of the kingdom stood on the thousands steps of (…) awaiting their favoured king and among them was the queen herself wearing the lightest of colours as if her entire colour palette had changed from all dark to all light just for her loving husbanding her were her four children except for her oldest child whom was with the king during the battle of the red bridge. His name was Erlend and he was the kings son yet most people thought him a bastard as he had none of the queens features but both the king and queen assured everyone that he was the legitimate heir and not that the crowds were displeased quite the opposite actually, you see he was a rogue and a rebel but he was loved by all ,winning almost against any opponent when it came to tourneys and when it came to battle he was at his others right hand. The other four children were too young for such extremities and they stayed in the keep while the king fought off the elves who thought themselves the next generation of gods and warriors after a time gone by. The elves were never gods nor were they viewed as such they all just thought themselves better and higher than us wait was long but it certainly did not drag on, there was much to look at or even gawk at. So many foreign merchants and nobles outside the kingdom came wanting to see our kings last war, even a high prince from the lands far east where almost none dared to venture as the desert lands are vast and arid, filled with natural death traps. It was late when the first drum started playing one singular note infinitely, a sudden silence broke out almost deafening if not for the single drum. Soon after thousand drums joined into the beat roaring through the city, separated by thousands of miles and streets yet all sound perfectly clear for the king. By now every instrument was playing in the city, the tune was strange it was glorious and magnificent true to a king yet it sounds grim like something played at a funeral. So full of life yet so full of death. The music kept playing quieter than before yet still loud enough for the whole city to hear. We were all thousands of miles from the gates but the keep is positioned in such a way that you can see all, and all we saw the gates opened laying a frozen breath upon the city and a party of dead men wondering through it's streets. The first man came by on horseback all cheered and buried him and all behind with flowers and gold, but he and the others were empty husks getting dragged around by their horses which also seemed drained of all life. Soon after the king arrived and now i knew the reason for the grim music, it was the kings last war and last breath. Soon after the crowds were uncontrollable for the town militia so the queen ordered the troops to maintain the peace but what that meant was just blood on the cobblestone.

Midnight-

The queen had called for a hearing in the throne room many hours after the bloodshed which took place on the city streets. The whole court was there with the famous silver knights who were sworn to protect the king and his family at all costs but they weren't silver any longer, they were as black as the kings body once they opened the casket containing his body. It wasn't natural and the queen clearly didn't take his passing lightly. She sat on her new throne; black in colour guided with white pearls and and silver lining while her children sat either side of her in all black looking solemn and contempt. She had no expression on her face only red eyes and bloody tears running down her face, the queen looked up and told everyone to hush down making everybody turn and bow towards her. " The kings death has affected everyone thought the kingdom, but we must stay strong and vigilant" not a word was sincere it was as if she was holding a script. She then called in the former kings party " you all were tasked with keeping my husband, YOUR KING ! alive, you have failed and you will not leave un punished" none said a word all just hanged there heads to the floor and stood silent as she order her black knights to slaughter the innocent men. Finally she called in her son Erlend, he was in chains and his scruffy face was covered in blood and tears "mother i.." before he could finish the queen held her hand up singling the knights to push her son down to the cold floor. She clenched her jaw and closed her eyes letting a few tears run down her pale face covered by a black vale, " you blame me, don't you mother ?" the boy asked knowing the answer " did you always hate me then, even when you smiled and played with me DID YOU HATE ME THEN TOO?". The boy was balling in tears and spitting as he screamed at his mother and he seemed to strike a nerve as she stood lamming her fist down onto her black throne shattering the wood " I HAVE ALWAYS LOVED YOU !, i.. i.. you killed him and i will never forgive you for that you will rot in the ground forever alone". The court was in shock as was I but the boy just looked down onto the floor then lifted his head with tears running down his face but a crooked smile directed at his mother, "I'm sorry Eliane and I hope you find happiness once more" and with that finally sentence he was dragged out of the hall without effort as the queens children screamed in protest they were also taken away and locked in a tower, once the colossal doors shut what was left of the flickering fire turned to darkness itself.