The Apprentices Prologue
**Note**- Alright, so this is a new project of mine since I've hit a wall with the Lost City, and I'm reworking parts of Evolution. I'm posting this more as a taster than anything else while I write up more notes on the characters and the setting.
The Apprentices
Prologue
‘The Aldar is growing old. He is no longer strong enough to protect the capital.’
‘No,’ said a young man. He was talking on his phone, long fingers idly stroking the edge. His pregnant wife stood off to the side of him, wearily watching their two children play with another boy their age. She looked worried when her youngest fell over, but sighed in relief when the boy helped him stand up. ‘What do you suppose we do?’
‘The south is falling- Port Sussex has collapsed.’
‘You wish to continue this assault?’ The man’s wife turned to him, mildly alarmed by the choice of words, but was silently ushered out of the room by her husband, whose face remained impassive.
‘I do. The leniency of the rebels has led this country to become a shadow of what it once was. Aramenia was once great, but now...’
The man sneered. He had now taken his wife’s place at the window. The three children were laughing together, wide grins plastered on their faces. ‘We are but a shadow of who we once were. Dentshire is a mockery of the country, and the Danelaw? Bah.’
‘I would hold your tongue if I were you. We Lawen don’t take kindly to insults.’
‘My apologies,’ the man bowed his head though his correspondent could not see it. ‘I only meant that you are ruled by that foolish old man, and we cannot speak out against him.’
‘You certainly are impudent.’
The man flinched. ‘If word reached the mayor-.’
‘Then I shall personally see to the mayor’s... retirement.’ The voice laughed a low sound from the bottom of the throat. ‘Of course, I have my own plans against the Aldar.’
‘Which are?’
‘Irrelevant, I assure you. You ought to count yourself lucky that you know this much of my plans for Elna Reeves.’
The man, scorned as he was, accepted this response. ‘Yes. I apologise for prying.’
‘Hmph. I bid you farewell, Richard. I have business to see to.’
Richard’s brow creased, but he responded with little reaction. ‘Yes, goodbye.’ He heard the caller hang up on their end, and he let out a sigh, falling to his settee heavily. ‘How will I convince them...?’ he groaned, a hand covering his face.
A week later, and the city of Elna Reeves was destroyed.
The Apprentices
Prologue
‘The Aldar is growing old. He is no longer strong enough to protect the capital.’
‘No,’ said a young man. He was talking on his phone, long fingers idly stroking the edge. His pregnant wife stood off to the side of him, wearily watching their two children play with another boy their age. She looked worried when her youngest fell over, but sighed in relief when the boy helped him stand up. ‘What do you suppose we do?’
‘The south is falling- Port Sussex has collapsed.’
‘You wish to continue this assault?’ The man’s wife turned to him, mildly alarmed by the choice of words, but was silently ushered out of the room by her husband, whose face remained impassive.
‘I do. The leniency of the rebels has led this country to become a shadow of what it once was. Aramenia was once great, but now...’
The man sneered. He had now taken his wife’s place at the window. The three children were laughing together, wide grins plastered on their faces. ‘We are but a shadow of who we once were. Dentshire is a mockery of the country, and the Danelaw? Bah.’
‘I would hold your tongue if I were you. We Lawen don’t take kindly to insults.’
‘My apologies,’ the man bowed his head though his correspondent could not see it. ‘I only meant that you are ruled by that foolish old man, and we cannot speak out against him.’
‘You certainly are impudent.’
The man flinched. ‘If word reached the mayor-.’
‘Then I shall personally see to the mayor’s... retirement.’ The voice laughed a low sound from the bottom of the throat. ‘Of course, I have my own plans against the Aldar.’
‘Which are?’
‘Irrelevant, I assure you. You ought to count yourself lucky that you know this much of my plans for Elna Reeves.’
The man, scorned as he was, accepted this response. ‘Yes. I apologise for prying.’
‘Hmph. I bid you farewell, Richard. I have business to see to.’
Richard’s brow creased, but he responded with little reaction. ‘Yes, goodbye.’ He heard the caller hang up on their end, and he let out a sigh, falling to his settee heavily. ‘How will I convince them...?’ he groaned, a hand covering his face.
A week later, and the city of Elna Reeves was destroyed.