Astoria

e i g h t e e n

Astoria is a huge empire, encompassing miles and miles of land, hundreds of towns and cities, and millions of people.

Where the rivers diverge in King's City, they flow away towards the sea as a swift-flowing whole. The sea forms Astoria's southern borders.

To the southeast, some distance from the mainland, there is an island. As it is uncharted, it only exists in sailor's stories and legends. It is a frightful place, this island, in the stories and most sailors are relieved of fear in their belief that it is merely a tale.

However, legends often are based, little though the basis might be, on truth.

When dissatisfaction with the kings of Astoria grew among the empire's people, a few forward-thinking minds, knowing of the island's location, made their way there to be free from the conditions of society in the kingdom.

Soon, however, the location of the island spread to the wrong ears and a group of rebels to the cause of Astoria made their way to the large tract of land in the middle of the ocean. It would make a perfect, little known base of operations. Any ship that grew near could simply be destroyed, and every man on board would be killed. The waters of the area became dangerous zones for ships, and men stayed away, thinking it to be stormy waters.

The men on the island watched and waited, longing to make their move.

The current man in charge, a man named Nathan, was a descendant of one of the men who had objected to the founding of Astoria in the very beginning. He ruled his followers with an iron fist. Only by obeying his every command did they manage to survive, scratching out for themselves a meager living on the face of the island.

All the same, they were equally devoted to Nathan's cause. The man was a born leader, even if he was, for the most part, unkind. It could not be denied that he had a gift. He instilled fear within his men, and yet they did his bidding.

Throughout the years since the rebels had based themselves on the island, they had bided their time for an opportunity to attack the large empire.

Nathan, conscientious of the news spies brought from Astoria, was convinced that that time would shortly arrive.

Nathan was tall and well-muscled; hard work on land and boat had given him dark tanned skin. His dark brown, almost black eyes, glittered from beneath his shaggy, brown hair, as if daring his men to question him, or daring Astoria to discover their island base.

He was usually seen being shadowed by a thin- wiry man, an archer, named Sawyer. Sawyer's job was to shoot promptly anyone who would not give Nathan the respect he felt he deserved, as well as anyone who might threaten the security of the rebel position, and he was very skilled at his job. No one knew about the island. Anyone who did was quickly hunted and disposed of.

If Sawyer was Nathan's shadow, the man with a thatch of blonde hair and a long nose and pock-marked face was Sawyer's.

No one knew where Spad had come from, and what the connection between he and Sawyer was, but Sawyer was almost never seen without Spad. The two were a constant warning, walking through the camp, announcing with their mere presence that insubordination would end badly. No one dared ask the two what story their past carried. Both remained a mystery.

That evening, a small ship bearing the crossed torches of the rebel flag, a sign that they were allies, docked and its three occupants disembarked, making their way down the street of makeshift homes, tents, and small fires like shadows flitting through the night. The third parted from the group leaving the remaining two to continue on.

They stopped and received permission to enter for an audience with Nathan.

Sawyer's upper lip curled in a smirk and he shot a sideways look at Spad who casually rested a hand on his sword hilt.

Nathan turned around in his chair.

"Well?" he spat, his eyes narrowed and glittering in the torch light.

"The coronation will go as planned," said Sawyer. "And spies report that the planned laws will be enacted soon after. Many of the troops of the royal army will be withdrawn from the borders."

"Wonderful," said Nathan, sitting back in his chair and steeple-ing his fingers.

"Soon then?" hissed Sawyer.

"We must bide our time," snapped Nathan. "Our own army must be gathered. Surely there are others who are discontent with the way Astoria has been ruled. They will make valuable allies. It will be a good while before we launch our attack; hopefully the delays will ensure that nothing is left unchecked and unplanned for."

Sawyer looked disappointed and his smirk soured, replaced with an ugly frown. He turned on his heel and strode from the tent, Spad following him closely.

Nathan looked down at the letter just delivered to him by his personal spies: a list of laws to be enacted in the coming days.

By reducing the army around the borders and sending soldiers home to their families, Antony is sealing the fate of the empire. For eventually, we will be ready.