The three Kingdoms (First Book)

The three Kingdoms.



Introduction.



Founded in the northeast corner of the continent, the  kingdom of Romm emerged as the vital piece of unification between the kingdoms of the south and the west. For many years these last 2 reigns where battling between them for the control of the coast which stood only at the bottom of the land, right on the skirts of the South Kingdom which was also known as the kingdom of Agrim. Both of them were aware of the trading power of the control of the seas and all its merchant ships, and were decided to keep it from the other.  During all this time Romm was focusing itself on getting stronger in case one of them decided to make another way of living, and even tough these 2 other kingdoms were never interested in all the mountains and snow surrounding Romm nobody can never be sure when the outcome of war could make them think otherwise.

Desertors and thiefs were making a great way of living with all the attention focused on the battles, and they started taking control of some of the small villages around the countries. People were being abused with no one to protect them and when the kings knew about these problems they realized all the power was  needed in the front line.

The war was being very tough and none of them were getting close to level the balance on its  favor and the power of these criminals was growing really fast and dangerous. When the raids were being really high the knights from Romm were send to restore the problem. Along with 5 Lieutenants and 3 Captains they took care of the treat almost 300 bandits represented for they own land, because they were moving so fast and free along the kingdom that they were starting to cause damage in Romm towns. The force of the attack surprised and killed all the enemies, but it also surprised both of the kingdoms in war when they hear about that fight. It wasn’t a surprise the thieves were killed, it was the way they were annihilated by only 50 knights and 8 officers not even from a high rank. It was a serious dilemma for both countries; if 58 men were able to killed 300 without even a death between them the calculations started digging their heads. Romm had an army of 50 thousand, almost the same as them, but if the war continued and they lose more troops all the balance was going to be in Romm side and they could take care of both of them and rule the whole continent. A truce was settled and they requested an audition with king Visre from Romm. The meting was schedule in the borders of the 3 kingdooms but Visre requested it was on his own castle, he said there were other matters he wanted to discuss with the 2 other kings. None of them enjoyed the changed but seeking reasurence on knowing more from the possible enemy they accepted. Not even Crystof from Agrim or Ruppert from Desland had being in Romm for at least 7 years and all its prosperity amazed them and worried them even more. The ancient castle had being replaced by an astonishing one with splendid and intimidating high walls, the market places were very alive and troops across all town were posted maintaining a desirable order in any place, the houses were in great shape and not only the landlords seemed to flourish even peasants look so different than in other places, and the main stores for war were even greater than they will have wanted, iron and wood workshops had swords, ballista’s, shields, armors and all kinds of war equipment ready for sale. All around they could feel this country was ready to stand greater attacks than they could imagine. 

When the meeting began the 3 Kings were sited on a large table with 5 captains at their side. The head of the table was, for hosting right assigned for Visre, the other kings stood facing each other at both sides of the king of Romm.

-Greetings my fellow comrades. Thank you for accepting my invitation to my castle.-Saying this Visre waited awhile in case one the others wanted to replied and he didn’t waited long when Deslad responded.

-Its not like we had many options to let you down Visre. I would have being more comfortable in the borders like we said at the beginning. –With this Crystof gave Ruppert a look for reasurement on the stated.

-Well –started Ruppert- don’t look at me like that, im feeling really confortable here, with all this display of power from our “friend” king Visre.

King Visre was expecting this kind of behavior from his fellow kings, it wasn’t something odd that they feel this way,but he was sure they have to get to a better atmosphere if they were to get to were he wanted in this meeting.

-My apologies for insisting the meeting was here, and also my apologies if our entry to finish those criminals on our land and your borders distressed you somehow. –The kings look kind of confused when Visre was saying this to them, it wasn’t  like they were expecting these apologies, they were more expecting something more like land negotiations for the expansion of his territories with them on a war and Romm troops so ready and prepared for anything. Therefore this speech was taking them out of balance. – We had to do something with those outlaws cause they were causing riots on our lands too. – King Visre took a deep breath before continuing, he never liked to go around the bushes to much, so he was going to the point straightaway- Our meeting here, even though both of you asked for it and its necessary for me to hear your situations, its more than on time for me to discuss the following with you-here again both kings were surprised, not only was their fellow ruler taking aside their demands, he was also going to expose something he tought was more important than what they were there for, soon , both of them couldn’t agree more with Visre-, we found some manuscripts in one of the caves of the initiation mountains, three of our young nobles were commming back from the peaks when one of them fell from the horse and landed in a strage hidden cave, what they found there were these strange manuscripts that some of our elders tried and succeded to translate them, these manuscripts contains what its likely to be the ancient history of our lands, a history that none of you it’s going to like.

After the meeting was over the truce between the 3 kingdoms stood strongly than ever, the boundaries were redesign so that all kind of trading and travel was easier for all of them. The knowledge of the 3 was being passed between them and the army training was focused in protecting not from one another but from dangers from the outside of the big island continent in which they live, the people from all the countries were radiant with the new way of living in a great peace that no one had ever saw or dreamed of.  Yes, it was all being so wonderful, but only the kings knew they were preparing all their people and all their force and might for what was to come.





The initiation.



It had been 5 years since the peace was established in the kingdoms, all the labors were flourishing at huge pace, especially because they were all working together trading materials and products for internal consumption as well as for overseas commerce, the navy ships were heavily reinforce with crafts from all 3 kingdoms and they were effectively protecting them from pirates during all the trading routes. Wherever they went all people could see were those merchant ships were coming from and they were astonished with all the change in power those kingdoms had have. They were before known as a small trading force and no one ever blink twice with them, now it was very different and some other people were watching too.

During these years the kings decided to send some nobles into the other kingdoms so the peace could be sense more sincere between them and also some marriages took place.

One of the other things they also decided was that the external walls of Agrim, the ones facing the sea, were to be reinforced. They were the ones who would stand the heaviest blows if someone attacked them, and for the way the world was, all their prosperity will attract somebody sooner or later.

Each kingdom had their way to develop their power, they weren’t really certain of why getting the young ones to different places cause them to reveal their special abilities but they kept doing it whenever the kids reach the right age, always between 15 and 17. They were supposed to stay and train for a whole year in one the initiation places from the kingdoms under the supervision of the elders and high rank officers. They had to pass several hard tests in order to get stronger and put their spirits to max, because it was there , when at the brink of extreme situations, the markings began to surface in some part of their bodies, and their power was shown only then. It wasn’t common that the kids die in these trainings but it had happen, sometimes because of the tests and other times because of some of their powers was to strong and without control that it hit one friend close by.  After finishing all these tests, the kids were send back to the kingdoms to properly fulfill their training. And they were these kids with different displays of power who raised the military power of each kingdom. But it wasn’t never really power enough to destroy themselves because they weren’t balanced enough, now with all the cooperation they could raise an excellent army against any big enemy who could treat them.

Sometimes some youngsters came back from their journeys empty handed and never develop anything special on them. One of the years one king send one of these kids to the initiation places of the other and he came back with his new ability. So whenever one of the boys came back with nothing from his hometown, he could be send to the other 2 kingdoms in later years to try and develop something. Some of them got nothing even going to all 3 places, they became then just simple soldiers and were train for the regular army lines. The most powerful Captains were the ones with two or three family lines with developed power. These were in charge of the different lines of the army or were send in missions of high risk along with 2 or three more. They were the shields of each line and they took care of the rest of their  soldiers.

The King's Sons



It was a cold winter morning in the scalps of the mountains of Romm, specifically in the ones for the initiation, it was also a tense one for some of the people waiting for the boys. They were specting 4 of the most promising kids in the late years. It was because they were all princes from the 3 kingdoms. Two of them from the south one from the west and one from Romm itself. It was the last try for Alexei from the south the oldest son from King Crystoff. He had already tried in the other 2 kingdoms so his father was a bit anxious about it and was also expecting his other son's outcome, it was Dante's second try as well as Nicolas.  Nicolas was  Alikai's  younger brother from the west kingdom, Alikai was the only one from the kingdoms with 3 marks on his body after going to his initiation, therefore everyone believed he was to be the strongest from all the sons and he also believed that himself; they were expecting something similar from Nicolas too. And finally King Visre was expecting his only son's first try.

-It’s a really cold morning Visre –said king Ruppert shaking his own hands in an slow motion and breathing trough them- its sure tougher than some other places to accomplished the year in here.

-Sometimes we think they are not coming back from there when the storms hit the mountains over and over again, but they manage to survive it all, and marks or not, they always come back stronger – Visre was saying all this because in some many ways it was truth, but also because he knew how Crystoff was feeling, having both of his kids retrying and one of them in his last chance.

-I guess having them back will be sufficient enough then, but, hey! One little mark here or there couldn’t be bad  ha ha- Crystof was one of the weird persons with high spirits most of the times even in great peril he was always trying to raise good feelings in everyone, this time he was doing it to himself.- Now now, lets not get too cooky here, those boys have to see us with our heads high and with high expectations, im pretty sure they will show us some great powers soon.

-Speaking of that, how's Alikai doing now Ruppert? –Visre ask

-Well after these two years from his coming everything is going better now, he doesn’t have complete control of all three powers but his doing so much better, its just the dark night marking which is troubling us, sometimes it takes control  of his emotions and makes him act foolish and arrogant between other captains, one time he crushed Dimitar's left arm cause he contradicted him in some deploys, Dimitar was right in not listening cause those moves weren’t allow in the skirmish, but Alikai just lost it.

-I heard about that, also heard Alikai was severly punished by you, how that came off?- Said Crystof.

-Well, wasn’t my favorite thing to do, raising his punishment I mean, cause I knew he deserved it, but talking to the elders they explained me this internal control fight, and we put him with them to learn to overcome this situations.

-Sure as hell its got to be difficult to control 3 markings, sometimes just one its hard enough. I hope he gets the hang of it- This time it was Visre talking about the matter, he knew it was great having Alikai on the lines, but also knew the disaster it could be if the dark knight mark were to control Alikais will.

-Don’t worry about it he will be fine, and all our kingdoms too, look , the kids are coming. – King Ruppert said this and call the royal messenger asking him to announce the news to the rest of the family and the guards who remained about a horse ride of 5 minutes behind the kings, because the kings had to receive the new initiates on their arrival before the rest of the people. The messenger took a stroll and went to tell the queens the news, they were waiting with some of the family and about 300 guards.

-We'll have to discuss some things later, one of the elders is reminding me about the words from the prophecy, I can’t  tell i’m really worried about cause we have only seen one sign from there, but I think it will be wise to double check whats going on so far. –It came really quick from Visre's mouth, everybody knew he was a always rechecking every plan he had in mind, he was very perfectionist and was always trying to be sure everything went according to plan. –

-I agree, if Crystof its also ok with it we'll schedule  a meeting before we go back to our kingdoms-

-Yeah its fine by me- Said a worried Crystoff, who tried to encourage himself once more, before his kids could look at him- Just don’t forget to put some nice wine in those tables, and some extra rations of meat, because i’m sure as hell it will be a long meeting with the face you said that Visre.

King Visre just nodding understanding his comrade's words beyond his immediate meaning, he sense the worries and the efforts in his words.







-I bet I can beat you turtles all the way down to our fathers, ha ha, it will be easier than picking up this fresh mark from the mountains, iija!!

-Hold your horses Efrein, remember what they told us back there, an emotional rush could deliver an unwanted lost of control from the mark – It was Efrein's older brother Alexei who was trying to calm him down- Specially you moron, with a berserker mark, not that anyone will notice that or wonder why you got that. –It was now that the other two princes were laughing, everyone knew about Efrein lack of sensibility or measurement when it came to rules or strategy, he had always been a bull rusher, and sometimes he had cause more than  a problem because of that.

-Mmmm, you ….., -Efreins face was turning red of the shame he was feeling with his three companions now laughing at him, and with every second it passed, he was getting angrier and angrier. It was only when Dominik realized it wasn’t a good thing for any of them that Efrein loose all his short temper that he stop laughing and spoke to him.

-Hey, Efrein!!!! What about that race you wanted, I think I can make it here before you in no sweat.- And hi pulled his horse strings up and the horse retaliate bringing his front legs up in the air- So?, What do you think, baby?

-What? What did you call me?

-I said….. baby!!!

- Loser pays everything tonight Dominik!, Eah!!- He said angry but more focus than before, and with the shout he stomped at full throttle towards the kings-

Dominik gave the other boys an anguish and amused glance and raced towards his competitor, he was satisfied with his strategy of calming him down, now he had to find a way to avoid losing a vast amount of money in Efrein's unhealthy drinking and eating habbits.

-Oh boy, we got to be sure we never go out with him without Dominik- He said laughing- I think he’s the only one capable of molding and controlling Efreins rushes.

-Well, one thing’s for sure- Said Alexei- Dominik better catch my brother or his pockets are going to regret his strategies.

Both of them were laughing when Nicolas said after composing himself- You know, I think we should put some money in there in case Dominik loses anyway, we could have had a rough time if your brother completely lost it.