I decided to start an episodic story series, because… why not? But before we start, I want to say that this will be an episodic story. That means I’m going to create a new post for every “episode” so that the story doesn’t lose it’s freshness. Now for a quick vow:
I vow by the might gods of stonehearth, I will eventually finish this story, sooner or later!
Where was I? Oh yes… the story…
“Gather around, for that, I, Beedle the brad, will tell you the story of our two towns uniting…”
Prelude: The Uniting…
It was a beautiful Sunday morning. The sun began to rise over the crimson-soaked battlefield. A battle that lasted a good ways into Saturday’s eve was finally coming to an end. But not in the way some may expect. A mighty Orc warlord rose over General Tristan with his mighty battle ax in hand. Tristan cowered in fear. Half of his army’s blood and corpses painted the battlefield dull shades of red and maroon. Now, he was going to be another splatter on the canvas. General Garvoc rose his battle ax in hand… and dropped it. Tristan opened his eyes. He saw nothing but a tall silhouette rise above him. He whimpered a brief quote, he was barely able to deliver because his lips trembled so fiercely. “Am I dead?” He asked. Garvoc simply replied,
“No.”
“Then finish me quickly…”
“Finish you? No, my good man… I seek to speak to your township’s leader,”
“Y-y-y-your looking at him.”
“Ah, yes, very well then. Head to your village. I wish to have a… to say the least… formal meeting with you.”
“And if I decline…”
“Then you will be dead.”
"I’ll see you at noon."
The clock tower in the town square hit noon. The orcs dotted the horizon. All the townspeople trembled in fear that they would be slain. The foot soldiers armed themselves.
“Shall I sound the alarm, Tristan?” Asked the one Commander that survived the fight.
“No. Just let them in, for that they are here on business,” Replied the Mayor.
He told almost no one of the event, for that he didn’t want to frighten the common folk. The burly Warlord and his court barged into the dining hall, interrupting the public meal. The cook grasped his spoon tightly. Upon their entrance, Tristan didn’t gasp like everyone else in the hall. He didn’t grip his hammer or hoe. In the calmest voice he could muster, the Mayor blandly stated: "Take a seat."
Immediately, a group of people got up and pulled 9 chairs to the table for the Warlord and his court.
“Allow me to properly introduce myself.” The orc announced. "I am General Garvoc."
Tristan glanced at everyone else in the hall. They merely looked back at him, like a herd of sheep. Some had a look of horror on their faces, others astonishment. Some even looked at him in disgust. Turning back to the meeting at hand, The Mayor replied, “I ought to introduce myself as well. My name is Tristan, both Mayor and general of the town of riverside.”
“How many children do you have, Tristan?”
“One. Why do you-”
“I’m not quite done yet. What’s your child’s name?”
“Aston.”
“A boy, I suppose?”
“Yes. Now I get-”
"Let’s talk about what really, matters, at the moment."
Garvoc began to slouch in his chair and put his feet on the table.
"Although your town lacks in military, it prospers in almost every other aspect? Is this not true?
Tristan paused, for a second, in confusion. Then he began to speak, in the near-silent hall once more.
“Yes, it is indeed, true.”
"I see. Well since all three I, my court, and my superiors at the capital prefer to conquer rather than destroy, I propose that you add your town to our empire, we offer you the defense you lack, and you support us in our quest of uniting all that dwells near us."
Many of the villagers who decided to come to lunch in the public hall were shaking their heads in an effort to get Tristan to say no. However, Tristan knew the uniting of their people would be for the better. If anything, it would help the town of riverside. Garvoc smiled. It was quite clear his court approved as well. Tristan decided to smile with him.
"Very well then! The uniting shall happen, and our peoples shall be together in your quest of conquest."
That left the hall in an uproar. Many began to shout at Tristan. The priest frowned so hard that his hat came over his eyes. Tristan shouted something that ended the pandemonium;
"But!"
The uproar was silenced. The priest managed to fix his hat. The weaver stopped poking the Mayor with her needle.
"I have one mere question. Why did you ask all those questions about Aston?"
Garvoc stopped smiling. He began to speak again.
"Ah yes. Where is this… this…"
Garvoc paused for a moment. He began waving his hand in the air. Tristan raised an eyebrow.
"Aston?"
Garvoc started to speak again.
"Ah yes! Aston! Where is he?"
Aston raised his hand. He was sitting next to the weaver, whom was attempting to shove Aston’s hand down. Garvoc looked awfully puzzled.
"How old is he exactly?"
Tristan looked twice as puzzled as Garvoc did.
"Coming up on his 19th birthday…"
Garvoc looked thrice as puzzled as he originally did.
"Really? Because he looks a tad bit…"
Aston sighed. Then he proceeded to finish Garvoc’s sentence with the word “Tall?”
"Ah yes. That’s the word. Not tall, compared to us, but… Never mind! That’s all the better!"
Aston and his Father both stared at Garvoc. So did the rest of the hall. Everyone except the Warlord, his court, the priest, and the scholar were befuddled. The scholar was beginning to cry thanks to her ruined fantasies, and the priest left the table, muttering "I’ll begin preparations…"
Aston dared to ask the question his father was preparing to. "Why, exactly, is that all the better?"
Garvoc grinned. A she-orc in his court turned to him, whispered something in his ear, and left. Garvoc said in a very happy voice,
"Because your getting married, of course!’
“Well, folks, looks like we got rained out. Get inside the hall, and I’ll finish my story. But for now, I have to get my spare copy of this story…”
Tune in next time for part 2 of the prelude! Yes this is a long prelude, and yes, it could have a story of it’s very own. But for now, I’m gonna take a break from typing so my fingers don’t snap. Tell me what you think, and I’ll see you later!