Kelith
One of my older works, longer and a bit more involved then my stories tend to be. I love this one, but I also see some room for improvement. My greastest fault, I don't want to be bothered with stories I've already finished xD
The streets of Kelith were dirty and worn. All the houses seemed tired, slumping over with age and their windows broken and stained with the greasy smoke of oil braziers. The sky seemed to be smudged the same color as the windows, as if a great fire had burned; bringing the rancid smoke into the Gods’ domain. Outside the walls of Kelith lay rocky farmland maintained by poor farmers, and beyond that a cold sea that ruthlessly crashed against the rocks.
I remembered when Kelith had been a grand city. Its fortune and beauty whispered among many mouths of many races and places. Other kingdoms would envy the architecture and the wide, open streets welcoming people of all backgrounds. It had been a place of peace, of a new generation.
So much had changed since then when it first started. The old man who had made this country great, who had also made Kelith, had passed on. The country mourned his death deeply. His son, Arom, has been placed as king. He was a young man, trusting, with a pure heart. Foolish. He was only a mere 19 years of age when he became king. Not a year later there were several marriage proposals from many kings hoping to marry their daughter to him for power. Then, there was the king of Eirlin. More importantly, there was his youngest daughter, Cathiel. She was barely a woman, but she looked no less like one than her older sisters. She had found from an early age, she could use her curves, and large radiant eyes, to make a man do anything. There was nothing in the world, no man, and no empire that could not be hers.
As soon as Arom set eyes on Cathiel, he knew she had to be his. Not much later he was taking her to be his wife. His love for her bloomed, anything she desired, was given. She was satisfied.
. . .
Seventeen years later and much had changed. Arom was not the man he had been. It had just started with the amazement of the power he held. In a single gesture he could get the most exotics pets and tapestries. In another he could order a grand feast to be held in merely three hours time. Then his desires grew. He wanted more than a feast, he wanted a port for trading good with far away lands; he wanted more territory to grow more food for his people, and to feed his own royal stomach. Slowly a change took place in him. He craved so much more. He abused his power to take what he wanted; he had gone crazy from the responsibility placed on his shoulders. He believed himself invincible and he knew no man could stand in the way of his immense armies and wealth. The people soon became wary, then afraid of their deranged king.
Cathiel saw the change in him. The more he desired and loved other things the more distant he became to her. Still striking in her later age of thirty-three she felt the desperate need to get what she wanted. Always being spoiled and yet here, her own husband, did not desire her.
Then he arrived. He had come to the palace from a southern country, Kirthan. He was handsome to say the least. He had skin the tone of a chestnut stallion and eyes as black as midnight. He had a sharp nose and brow, high cheekbones, and a jutting jaw.
He had come on a mission to make peace; he was the son of an elderly king. He announced himself as Prince Kelj. There was a parade welcoming him and all the citizens cheered at this newcomer. Peace is a rare and elusive thing and the people welcomed it gladly. There was a royal welcome for Prince Kelj and then he rested and changed into formal attire. Then there was a grand feast for which Arom held back no expense. The serving women whispered about this mysterious, handsome prince. The men drank and soon the music was loud and joyous, the men and woman danced, and celebration took over the city. The merrymaking lasted long into the night and early morn. It finally started to end with drunken men and woman retiring to each other’s beds.
That night Cathiel found she could not sleep, images of Kelj came into her mind and she felt that need in her, dark thoughts came to her and a primal want rose in her. He was something for once, she could not have. The first stirrings of an idea arose in her mind’s eye. Affected by the late hour and the fine wine that was provided at the feast she quickly got dressed and left the chamber her and her husband shared. She would always get what she wants. She always had, nothing, no man, no vows, no gods, would keep her from her desires.
She found the room Kelj resided in, and awoke him. There was not much more to be said about this night. Her curves and large radiant eyes prevailed again.
Cathiel went back to her chambers, feeling satisfied yet again. There was no more to be spoken about Kelj, peace was made and everyone was enlightened by it. Yet there was someone who would speak about Kelj. Cathiel’s older sister was a brooding princess. Living in the shadow of her father’s favorite daughter, she had not been offered to Arom, or any other prince. She had not the title of queen or the immense wealth that accommodated it. She had not the love of the people or beauty that could stun a man. What she did have was a cunning mind. She knew she sister all too well; she also knew which certain maids would do anything for a few cold coins. She knew what had happened, and she also knew she would use it.
She presented the king Arom with both reason and evidence. He went into a rage; he loved Cathiel he believed she could never do this to him. Cathiel would never betray his trust. She was executed with high treason. His word was law. Even though she was dead her words and image still mocked him. He knew down in the depths of his mind, it was true. Months went by, and then years, until he could take no more. Deranged by the betrayal, hurt, and a twisted love for Cathiel he confronted her. No matter what she said, he knew it was true. Even through all this, he still loved her. She would be his, forever. He locked her in the palace. No one was to see her, only her maids were allowed near her. The trusting pure hearted Arom was no more. No one could be trusted. He wanted revenge.
The peace was broken and war was waged. Kelj once a prince now a king, fought back. For years the war slowly leaked the treasury out, the once grand city of Kelith was not proud and rich anymore. Overwhelmed with the problems of war, crime wiped through the city. The city, once symbol of peace was now a symbol of despair, and greedy desires.
Cathiel’s punishment continued, until she could take no more. One day a maid came in to find her body cold on the sheets, blood soaked through from her wrists. The gruesome site was a testament to the king’s madness. Even more pushed into a dark type of despair the king brought the country into debt just to reach Kelj.
After decades of war, the power crazy king won. He sought his revenge on Kelj, and brought down his on blade on his neck. Yet this was no salvage from the darkness. Now with nothing but an empty, once great country, the old king had no purpose. He spent his life, and his country, to get his revenge.
This king, was an awful man; horribly cruel and merciless. He would go down in history as tyrant. What had happened to that young man? His youth, innocence, and heart had been sucked away from him.
How did these things happen? It had happened so slowly at first. It was hardly noticeable. Now Arom was left with no one. No friends, no one to trust. How could one act drive a man insane?
I shook my head remembering the past deeds of this king. He was driven mad, yet there was a solace for him. He would bring this country back. This king would not be hated, not forever. This is the one thing he vowed before he died. This old man would reclaim his title.
“I am King Arom, and I will bring this country back,” he promised himself.