The Monarchy The Burning Lands

Chapter Fourteen

Two men escort queen Galvin out of a helicopter but before she can say anything the two men in white are shot. she looks them over as two masked men step forward. she demands as she tries to sound secure.

"I am the queen!" one of the men looks to the other and back to the queen as he states.

"We are not stupid, lady galvin.."  she has a hood placed on her head and hears some voices as she is shoved into a car. the two men get inside as she states hearing their voices.

"O'Sullivan's?" she states sounding sure and they stop their talking trying to hide their voices. they drag the woman out of the car and up to the estate. they sit her down as the man whispers to the other.

"We should report this to Edmond."

 the other replies back.

"let it go for now." a voice replies sounding demanding and the two men walk away as a younger man walks in. he nods to a soldier and they remove the queen's hood as she glances up unsure.

"Welcome to the plateau lady Galvin." she stares over the younger man and asks.

"Who are you?"

"Dalt, just Dalt." he states firmly and turns his head as he stares over the queen and she asks.

"Why have you kidnapped me?"

"hardly a kidnapping and just following orders of my king."

"Archibald?"

"Edmond." Dalt states and stares back at the woman as she looks over the poorly dressed boy and asks.

"you are peasant?" he looks down at his dirty clothes and shakes his head.

"I am inline for the O'Sullivan throne actually-"

"oh right that Dalt..." she stares him down and lowers her voice speaking firmly.

"The reapers are still investigating your, your crime."

Dalt remains quiet as he looks to the ground and hears the queen as she whispers.

"what do you want from me? I cannot pardon you. I have no title anymore."

"The vote passed." the queen looks up and asks.

"what?" Dalt nods to her.

"everyone voted yes at the proclamation hearing-"

"But Alvis-"

"told you what he needed to tell you. just like he told the king what he needed to tell him."

"Alvis lied to the king?" The queen stares at the floor thinking of the consequences and looks up.

"if Ruck finds out."

"Edmond is working with the wardens to put it into place. Alvis is working to ensure the king doesn't know."

"then why am I here?"

"to hide." Dalt states and the queen turns her head.

"hide?" she asks sounding unsure and Dalt nods as he states.

"Edmond ordered it and I follow my king."

"What is Edmond planning?"

He looks down and the queen asks.

"Dalt?"

"his name is Edmond the inhumane" Dalt says with a smirk and looks down at his nice watch as he eyes the time tick and nods to her.

"it should be happening as we speak."

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the music plays loudly as an older man sits on a bucket telling a story.

"and I looked in that O'Sullivan's eyes kids and I said no, no I will not build your sword.." the man smiles but the sky grows dark and the music around him dies down. he stares up at the darkening sky and a light rain begins to pour down as he speaks firmly.

"inside, now."  the kids run indoors and a man comes to his side.

"what's wrong?" the man sighs and turns to the other man.

"the dark death approaches." the older man stands there and hears screams as the thunder roars and the older man questions out loud.

"why the Shaws?"  the sky opens up pouring down harder as an army drenched in black trots through the small city. the man stands there eyeing them and watches the horses stop. a white horse makes its way forward and the man on it turns his head as he points to the old man and speaks firm.

"king shaw..." the voice raises and the man lifts his eyes as he acts nervously.

"king, king? I have no idea what you speak of."

"do not falter, king.." slowly the man removes his helmet revealing himself to be Edmond O'Sullivan. Edmond eyes the man and the shaw turns his head.

"I am retired... this is no longer my Shaws. I have now lost my boy we are a kingless clan..." the old king motions around and speaks freely with the young king.

"We sing songs, write poetry, and walk in the grass barefoot..." the king's eyes shift and Edmond asks.

"do you want your army again?" 

king shaw glances up.

"Edmond boy what treachery you speak? we do not have armies-" the old king laughs and Edmond turns his head as he comments.

"I know of the trenches, the hidden caches of weapons, and how you broke the true king's orders."

the old man let out a laugh.

"Your father was a, well. I don't have to say it, Edmond. Dorian was quite a handful."

"I am not here to slaughter nor is this the dark death..." all the men behind Edmond remove their helmets revealing themselves to be soldiers and Edmond motions back.

"O'Sullivan's and Nolan's under one flag." the shaw turns his head commenting on the sight. 

"terrifying" the old man comments as he motions to Edmond as he speaks softly.

"as you know this throne is in a debate-"

"your daughter would be the rightful heir. would she not?"

"she is, well. she is tough to marry."

"then I offer her a husband who is tough too" the shaw turns his head and Edmond speaks to the man.

"my brother Archibald is in need of a new wife to provide heirs and your daughter is in need of a king who is not a shaw" the shaw remained quiet and Edmond states.

"Archibald being the shaw king would be a good move."

"the wicked?" the shaw man stares down Edmond and Edmond shrugs.

"he is good to his woman-"

"then what happened to his wife?" the king asks and Edmond speaks firmly.

"a sad demise. she had fallen."

"I don't wish for my daughter Edmond to take a fall." the king says knowingly and Edmond puts his hand to his heart.

"you have my word my brother will treat her like the queen she will be. this will also allow a way around the demilitarization as this will no longer be a shaw kingdom..."

the king glances up.

"so, that is your plan?"

Edmond remains quiet and the king asks outright.

"Why do you want us to have an army?"

"I sense soon we will all need protection."

"From who?"

"the Galvin.." Edmond states and the king speaks openly.

 "The Galvins you mean?"

"no, the lone Galvin, the white armored son. he holds the second blade."

the man swallows and Edmond states outright.

"marry your daughter or the dark death will come but it will not be mine but his."