Chapter 1 I've been framed

Chapter 1, I’ve been framed

Setting: The bustling town of Athring, 200 miles South of the capital city of Cyradon in the Mhendarian Palatinate. A White castle set upon one of the higher rolling hills in the area is surrounded by stone buildings radiating out in a concentric circle away from the city at the cardinal points. The cobblestone roads that lead to, or away from the castle come to abrupt halts for the most part after but a mile or two out of the city except for the North and South roads. A young man in his late teenage years looks on at a couple of female servants that have caught his eye lately while ignoring the well appointed and heavily guarded Grande Entry. The Mhendarian Palatinate and Athring have been peaceful for 1000 years and thus there has been much time to amass the finery that adorns the castle and ensures the structure is kept in top form at all times. The Castle in the town of Athring belongs to Toradoc Rhennigar who bellows down to his teenage son who is lost in a carnal imaginary world, “Khel, get up here. I have some work for you to do.”

Looking down the marble staircase one last time at the girls Khel waves goodbye to the girls and raises his eyebrows while nodding his head to show his appreciation of their form before entering the “war room”. “I am at your service Emperor Rhennigar.”

With a wary eye Toradoc looked up to his son, “As much as I appreciate the vote of confidence, please…Our Lord would be none too pleased to hear you referring to me as the Emperor when they have been waiting centuries for “his” return.”

“To Death with them…they sit on their hands enjoying their supposed freedom while we have to grovel at their knees. We’re better than them and we know it.”
“Yes, well, be that as it may son, the sheep don’t get counted on their own so I need you to get out and bring back a tally of the sheep we now have in our lands. It hasn’t been done in a few years now.”
“Ooo, ah…counting sheep….now there’s excitement for you..”
“Before you get too downtrodden wrapped up in your woolly endeavour…funny no?”
“No dad, not funny”
“Anyhow, before you go there is a messenger here with an invitation I’m sure you’re going to want to see”
Running from the room and down the hall Khel nearly bowled over the headmaster of communications, “Where is it, where is it?”

Flourishing a gold embossed invitation stamped with the royal seal the headmaster bowed slightly and presented Khel with the invitation, “You’ve been invited to the King’s 80th birthday party sir”

Khel smiled….Excellent….Alot of beautiful women at these things….although the Lord’s daughter might be there….oh well… a good opportunity to extend the lash of his tongue.

The City of Cyradon, the Main Ball room of the Palatine Castle. A man approaches Khel, he is well groomed, dark black hair, moustache, perfect in many respects…Count Victor Villar.

The Count stroked his moustache while smiling at the young teen in his tight finery wishing for the opportunity to trade places with the young man for but an evening or two, “I see my friend that you have wasted no time noticing the fine fare at this evenings festivities. I’ve noted you have also been talking to many of the friends of the Rhennigar. Well rest assured, I won’t be taking any of the nubile youth off your hands today…in fact I am here because I want to introduce you to someone. Lady Elicia.”

“Why? She some hideous toad in need of a man?”
“No, quite the contrary, she is quite the exquisite specimen of female…ah and here she is now.”

Khel was seldom at a loss for words but the lithe yet buxom beauty daintily strolling over to him in her shimmering dress mesmorized him for a moment before realizing that here was a challenge. A woman worthy of conquest.

Acting quickly, Khel strode forward and deftly grabbed the hand of the beautiful blonde before him, pressing his lips to her hand. “A please…Lady Elicia is it?”

The rest of the evening is a blur as the young teen realizes that he has a challenge on his hands but just as he is about to give up with one tactic he finds that the Lady Elicia is dancing ever closer to him and leaner her head on his shoulder briefly. Finally, Khel has his breakthrough as Lady Elicia is called, she turns to Khel and hands him a key whispering softly, meet me in the sapphire bedroom, 3rd floor in 2 hours.”

Khel can hardly believe his luck as he tries to distract his male appendage by speaking to others to while away the intervening time.


The key slid easily into the heavy oak door’s lock of the sapphire bedroom as Khel slipped in quietly.
His breathing quickened as he noticed the shimmering of the dress draped over a chair and the lithe form shadowed on the four poster bed dimly lit on the far side of the room. As he stripped his finery off and walked forward grinning his face dropped. Oh shit, she’s not moving….not good…not good at all…damn it…she’s dead.
Running for his close Khel barely has time to reach his clothes as the pounding on the door starts as guards scream on the other side “Open this door immediately in the name of the King”

Well….wasn’t this a fine pickle….surely he could talk his way out if it though. Opening the door started talking fast as he was held by two burly guards in Palatine Plate-Mail. “Hey, I found here like that. She invited me up here….I get here and she’d dead”

The guard approaches the silent beauty noting to the guards, “Looks like he choked her to death”
“Hey”, yelled out Khel “I didn’t touch her”

Cut Scene….A shadowy corridor o Lord Palatine’s castle, a servant talking to another man in the shadows,
“Everything is set sire”“Is the Assasin in place”
“Yes sir, he’s ready to go”End Cut Scene

Marching down the corridor between the quad of guards Khel decided he should at least try to get out as much as he could out of the guards before they threw him in the jails. He shouldn’t be there long anyhow as his Dad should have something to say about this issue.

Khel sat in the cell as the straw filled mattress poked him unheeded. The young teen had only been able to get a few snippits from the guards….nothing I can piece together yet…sure has been a while since I’ve been down here….hey if someone killed the Lady Elicia….what’s to stop someone from killing me.

Trying to peer out the small window at the top of the door Khel notes the thump of padded feet rather than booted feet approaching his cell door with purpose. “Oh crap, here it comes.”