The Books of the Shadows II - The Broken House

6

10 years ago... the war of the south started.

It began as a rebellion against an edict of King Madon, which earned him the nickname "crazy king". The man had a vision: to unite the houses through cross-marriages so that there would be no more pure blood, which in his mind, of course, meant the destruction of loyalty to the caste.

King Madon of Warchild was known to be ruthless and impulsive like a woman. His mission was to preserve the power, his power, for as long as he would live, and with this thought in his mind, he ruled his kingdom and his family. He was not loved, but feared by everyone to the point that he was called the mad king because no one knew what he was really up to until it was too late. 

His son, Sheng Zung, who killed all his siblings in order to get the throne for himself challenged him and became king after him. During both reigns, King Madon and King Sheng Zung both tried to weaken the house of the first shadow kings, so none of them would dare to raise against them, claiming the throne for this house.

The Shadow Assassins was the second powerful house of the shadow people, after the house of Warchild. In comparison, the Assassins were fewer as the ruler's house would always take care of the threats first, to secure the throne. As the major threat to the house of Warchild, they were close to disgrace. Their territory was not very vast now that they were outnumbered by the Warchilds, and was consisted of 3 cities left out of 7, whom they lost on different occasions when the King felt challenges in any way.

There were only 3 Shadow Assassins Lords left, each ruling his fortress and each having the secret mission of playing his part in regaining the ruler's power, therefore each took 3 wives, and yet they had not enough male heirs to cover the maintaining of the ranks.

The Lord of Lundun was the oldest of all. He was happily married, having only one wife left and also 2 mistresses that have given him three daughters and two sons.

The Lord of Beranbur was a member of the War Council, and the Lord of the Assassin’s House. He had two wives left, and from all his unions he had a son of 15 years old, almost a man now. The rest of his children died at young age or there were stillborn. His wives were sisters and they were getting along so well, that people would say he was the happiest man of them all.

They were living in the fortress of Beran, which was about a week of riding from the Shiran fortress, with only stopping for the night and not wasting much time on the path. His second wife have just given birth to his second son when the rumor of the king's arrival spread through all the south. 

The ruler of Hisa was an old general of king Madon, Sheng Zung's father. Being an old soldier, he was suffering from the war wounds, and the Lord of Hisa was not fit to travel as much to be a member of the council anymore, so only the Lord of Beran was part of the War council anymore. The Lord of Hisa had lost his firstborn son along with his wife in the war of the south. He came unannounced with his second son in the city of Beranbur as they were closer, and he just walked inside, followed by the beran guards inside the city, entering the long, majestic hall of the fortress where the Lord of Beranbur was waiting for them.

-My friend! He walked towards them when they showed up in the hall, with a worried and serious look on his face. You brought the young Lord, you should know better. These are not times to play with fire.

-Eh, is good to see you, friend, as always. No Assassin will tremble in fear only because the bears announce to go hunting, Lord Hisa said. Let the boys talk as I have news for you, he almost dismissed his own son who immediately glowed hearing they spared him of the long politics talk and went searching for his best friend, the young Lord of Beran.

They were close age, and best friends, and they would always run away to spend time together outside their fortresses.

As the servants left the hall and the two mature lords of the house talked with a glass of wine in their hands, they started the south Alliance.

As he found out, the Lord of Hisa had something to propose him, and in that evening, the secret engagement decided at birth became a secret union that had been arranged, between the young Lord of Beranbur who was now 14, and the young Lady of Hisa, who just turned 4year old only a few days before. They made the arranged marriage in secret, to protect the house of the Assassins and to keep the bloodline clean. And as fast as they came, the Lords of the Hisa left with his son that same night.

Nevertheless, it appears that someone found out about it as the news also reached the king's ears. He has summoned to the court the young Lord of Beran for a mission. Being the king's orders, he had to obey, and with all his mother's crying and his father's anger, he left to the capital. Of course, his father did not let him go alone, and he joined him to face the king and hear about this mission, riding with his son right to the city of Shiran, only to find out that king Madon was no longer the king, and instead, his son, Sheng Zung was in charge. 

The new king was young and serious, standing on the throne, proud like a God.

He measured the young Lord of Beranbur and it would appear that he did not like what he saw much. Of course, he was half of a child and half of a man, as he was only 15. But still, the king considered him ready to be sent on his first mission abroad.

The Lord of Beran tried to make the young king change his mind, but it would appear that he had something in his mind and he knew what he was doing, asking such a thing from the young Lord. No one understood why, not even the Lord of the Beran.

-My king, he is not ready yet… Let me send the men…

-He will never be ready until he will try!

The king was decided. The Lord of Beranbur did not like that. He stood no chance in changing the king’s mind, because he was already decided to make the order official. Being made official, the order could not be refused. Well, it could be, but refusing a direct order from the king, would mean to face execution with no other explanation.

So he had no chance to refuse the order. The young Lord did not see beyond his father’s and the king’s conflict. He was just excited to prove himself. Being so young, he was vulnerable, because it was living that moment when the young boys want to change the world and they do things to prove themselves. Until they learn the truth…

He saw his father’s trying to convince the king to send him back, but he was a fighter and a good soldier of the Assassins. He decided he will go as the king has ordered him to, and he decided to come back full of glory when his mission would be a success. Knowing that his decision would hurt his father, and without confronting him, he just left on his secret mission, to assassinate one of the light kings in the east.

As it was known, the Shadow Assassins were the fittest for these types of missions. Hearing the news, his best friend, the young Lord of the Beran wanted no more than to leave with him, which he did, of course. 

And gone they were. Lost in the deserts of the east light kingdoms, they never came back. Also, words of their mission accomplished reached the king's ears. That means they would give their house retribution and glory for losing their blood.