The Twisted Tale of Mercina and Durnstan

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The Twisted and Confused Tale of Mercina and Durnstan

The neighbouring countries of Mercina and Durnstan have always had an underlying feeling of unease that rolled over the idyllic countryside. The feeling of unease had been there since the two countries had been created and had subsequently affected the policies that the nations had put in place, and as Mercina and Durnstan were completely identical, that same feeling of unease brought on seemingly innocent neighbourly competition.

The residents of both Mercina and Durnstan were happy in their peaceful existence. The land was lush, green and fertile meaning that the nations grew all types of vegetation. Each nation also had a stretch of coast meaning seafood was also widely available. The land was also populated with many animals so fresh meat was part of the diet, rather than a luxury.  The deep connections that the inhabitants of Mercina and Durnstan shared with the land around them had led to the natives tapping into the power of nature and learning the magic that so many other nations had forgotten.

Farming and fishing were the main occupations across the two lands, and those few who did not work on the land or sea had the privilege of attending the university of each country and had become Lawyers, Doctors or Politicians.

The only difference between the two countries was the location of the castles in which the Royal Family resided. King Etheldred of Mercina had his castle on the edge of Mercina's beautiful speckled cliffs while King Fallon had located his castle on a hill in the midst of Durnstan's Sepheric forest.

King Etheldred was a knarled twisted old man who was quite handsome in his youth. So handsome that he married Esther, who many people thought was the fairest lady in the whole of Mercina and, to some controversy, Durnstan in her youth. Soon after the marriage Prince Elwin was born, who was now 25 years old and had his mother's beauty.

King Fallon was a tall, thick set man in the midst of middle age. He lacked any defining features and had very few charms. His wife Rosia was attracted to power and had set out to become his wife. She would have been beautiful if she did not have a sharp nose that resembled a beak. King Fallon desperately longed for a child and after only 3years of marriage Princess Charlotta was born. She had her mother's good looks, but had inherited her father's nose. Now she was 21 she was the most beautiful woman in the whole of Durnstan.

King Etheldred had become paranoid in his dotage and spent many hours staring into the seeing mirror he had. This mirror would let the owner spy upon anyone they desired. Etheldred spent days staring into the mirror monitoring King Fallon's actions and twisting their purposes in his paranoid and suspicious mind.

And that is how Queen Esther found him on his death day, slumped over the object that had poisoned her husbands mind.