Rebuilding Salyan

Chapter 1
Back in ancient times, there was a mighty kingdom called Salyan, located next to the Red Sea. For many years, it thrived, and all were happy. The king ruled the land peacefully, and was not threatened for many years.

However, the king had his enemies. These enemies were part of an organization called Rose Works, a group of rag-tag men who felt the king was not ruling fairly. These men, according to some rebel peasants not in the organization, were simply civilized protesters.

However, the organization's leader was hardly civilized.This leader was known by the name of Black Rose, but her real name was Lady Margaret BlueOrchid, the adopted only child of the elderly Madam Tenderloin. She had ran away at the early age of five, to meet her lover Sentar, the son of Lord Brokenbeard. The two had run away, and were known as Lord and Lady BlueOrchid.


As the story continues, Lady Margaret and her husband decided to create Rose Works, an organization for people who felt the king was unfair. The two, however, had different reasons and intentions for this organization. Lady Margaret, now at the mature age of 20, built the organization as a hide out for herself and her husband, to hide from her family members. Her intentions, however, were far worse. Secretly, Lady Margaret wanted to use the people who joined as slaves for her goal in life-to take over Salyan.

Sentar built the organization for people to express their thoughts without being arrested. His intentions were to use these people as supporters for his dream of putting a new king, particularly him, on the throne.

However, as the ideas were shared, Sentar raged at the thought of using Salyan's people as slaves, and lunged at Lady Margaret. Lady Margaret, however, when she and Sentar met, did not tell him a specific things about her hands. She reached into Sentar's body, and, with clasped hands, brought out his soul. Sentar's body dropped down lifeless. Lady Margaret smiled She planned to operate on that soul to make it her Mr. Perfect.
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Meanwhile, in Salyan there was a profound drought, and the King called on his most faithful knight, Mendran, to aid him.

"Mendran, I need your help to quiet the people.If this goes on, the monarchy will be threatened, and chaos will cover the land!" the king pleaded. Mendran stroked his beard pensively. He watched Lady Fairfield, the king's youngest daughter, cozing over tea with Queen Mengrane. He took his glance away from Lady Fairfield to the king.

"I think it would better, my Lord, if you stayed behind." Mendran replied. Mendran saw lines of worry leave the King's face.

"Very well then. I will allow you a party of up to ten people." the King declared, as he smiled with gratitude at the knight. Mendran prostrated himself before the King, then walked towards the King. "Would you grant me permission to travel with whoever I choose, Your Highness?" the knight inquired placidly.

The King hesitated, but then realized that the magnanimous knight might want something more tangible than just a mere thank you for sparing the King's presence in the journey.

"Of course, my dear Mendran, whoever you choose." the King answered. Mendran bowed.

"With that in mind, My Lord, I request bringing Lady Fairfield for one of my companions." Mendran proposed serenely. The King had knew the risks of securing his permission of companion pick, but knew he could not reverse his promise now. The King heaved a great sigh, hoping that Mendran would hear.

Mendran, however, was unaffected, and wait patiently for the King to answer in his usual articulate way of his. The King sighed again, this time in despair, but smiled.

"Whatever you want, Mendran." the King replied gruffly. Mendran smiled. " I better be going now; I have quite a lot of errands to run." Mendran ran out of the throne room and into the garden where Lady Fairfield sat.

"Greetings, Cornelia." Mendran put his arms around her waist gently, and kissed her on the head. Cornelia snuggled up closer to Mendran. Her turquoise eyes shone with a content feeling. She looked into Mendran's shoe-button eyes. They sat there for a long while, in the same romantic position.

Suddenly, Mendran remembered what he had come for, and cleared his throat, breaking the silence. Cornelia frowned, and a shadow or worry came on to her face.

"What's wrong, Mendran, dear?" Cornelia asked patiently. Mendran ruffled his thick black hair. "Well, Lady Fairfield, I have been chosen to calm the villagers of the big tragedy. The King, your highly father, has granted me the royal permission to have 10 companions of my choosing. I, considering the offer, have chosen you to accompany me on my journey." Mendran explained in a mannerly fashion.

Cornelia blinked a little, then laughed. "Mendran darling, why this formal fashion all the sudden?" she inquired, kissing him on the cheek tenderly. Mendran hesitated, then smiled bashfully. He remembered the first time they met. It was when Mendran and Cornelia were four. Cornelia was playing in the castle garden with her friends, and Mendran, a page, was fetching hot towels for Sir Gindlewick.

"Look!" Cornelia has exclaimed inn derision. "It's the little page boy!" Mendran's thoughts had changed from the past to the present.

"I, I, I thought that the formality might bring down your rage if you didn't like the idea." Mendran answered quickly, his mouth flying at his words.

Cornelia smiled gently at his nervous words. "Why would you think I would be angry, you silly knight?" Cornelia inquired boisterously. Mendran, shocked at her words, shrugged weakly.

"Finally, a chance for us to be together. I do not care who else comes with us, I just ask to be with you at all times." Cornelia proposed.Mendran, still overcome by shock, forced a huge grin on his face.

"Call me Cornelia, I can not bear hearing that Lady something or other any longer." Cornelia demanded haughtily. Mendran smiled, an unforced one this time,into Cornelia's eyes.

"I plan to bring my squire, Daragon, along with me." Mendran finally said. Cornelia put her hand in his, and stood up.

"Well then, I better start packing.When are we leaving?"Cornelia questioned. Mendran fiddled with his mail. "I'd say at the crack of dawn." Mendran proposed. Mendran thought a bit more, then looked up. "You can pick one more person- I want to use a few spots empty for other travelers." Mendran added, then both departed.




Chapter 2

It was the crack of dawn, and the four companions were sated upon their horses by the lowly stable boys.Mendran waved farewell to the King, who was there to see them off. "Don't hurry the horses, remember they have a good amount of luggage on their backs!" the King hollered, as the party set off. Madam Tenderloin, at the time Cornelia's godmother, patted her horse on the head.

"Faster, Hemlock." Madam Tenderloin murmured. Daragon looked back behind them. The streets were filled with clouds of dust. "Where exactly are we going, Master Mendran?"Daragon asked. Mendran grinned. He cleared his throat noisily. "To the village!" he exclaimed, in his voice he had used when he had crowned a King in Germany. Daragon grumbled something about how the village was boring, and how Mendran was exaggerating the whole thing, but when he got a sharp glare from Mendran he quieted immediately. In front of them were poorly made houses with badly thatched roofs.

"Is this what the drought has done to our people?" Cornelia mumbled in a strangled voice. Mendran slowed. "You alright back there, Cornelia?" Mendran shouted. Cornelia forced a smile on her face.

"Everything's fine, Mendran!" she called back. She felt sleep overcome her, and her eyes began to droop. She had not got an ounce of sleep last night. She trusted the sagacity of her horse to lead her in the right direction. Madam Tenderloin eyes Cornelia with worry.

"Is everything okay, Cornelia dear?"Madam Tenderloin inquired. Cornelia, awoken by the noise, straitened. "What?" Cornelia asked sleepily.

Madam Tenderloin sighed. "Nothing." she replied.