Of Royalty
Once upon a time on an island very far away, lived a monster so fierce that the people yielded to its will, offering it sacrifices and working for it just to keep it docile. Some say the monster was a cruel God, some that it was a powerful mage, and some yet that it was a monster of old, one of the rare still alive. None however dispute its power, for it has left a mark on the culture that cannot be denied by any rational mind.
When this monster came to power, a long line of kings was in the midst of their benevolent reign over the kingdoms. Fair skinned, with big golden translucent wings, light hair, and a light tail to match, they were a sight to behold. But a king who ruled when the monster came was old and blind, and darkness has set into his old heart, not allowing him to heed the warnings of the youth, and so the beast took over, slaughtering his family wherever it found them. Unbeknownst to the beast, however, the king had a lover, and that lover bore him a child, and the two of them escaped far away from the kingdom, where the baby's light features would not be a cause for a hunt.
The beast reigned for a hundred years, while the king's son ended up having three sons of his own. The story of the terrible fate that befell their family was past down to them, and the three brothers decided that they wanted to rescue their people from the claws of this terrifying beast. The eldest brother wanted the glory of being the people's hero, the middle one was hoping for the power restoring the throne of their family would bring him, while the youngest one simply thought that the people's freedom was of utmost importance and it deserved protection from those who would threaten it, as he wanted his freedom defended as he would defend that of others.
The oldest brother went to fight the beast first and was not heard from in seasons. The last one to give up hope was his wife, after which his death was official.
The second brother followed suit, and he was not heard from in seasons. The last one to give up hope was his wife, after which his death was official.
His grandmother begged of the last brother not to go, as his death would end the line, but he said that he must, and promised her to live. The youngest brother then went, and as the seasons past the people had begun worrying that they had lost all three of the remaining fertile people of king's blood, but they have soon received a gift that dissuaded them. The youngest brother had sent them the beast's head, and nothing else, but it was invite enough for them.
When they came back to the kingdom they were welcomed as heroes, their descendant pronounced royalty for his heroism. Keeping only some of the land his family used to own, however, he pronounced the island a free city, making its people swear to never succumb to a corrupt hierarchy again, and to use their lives to pursue virtue, knowledge, and beauty.
When asked how did he defeat the beast, the youngest brother explained that he had not. He simply got the people to put an organized effort up against it, using their unique talents and perspectives to think of the best plan.
When this monster came to power, a long line of kings was in the midst of their benevolent reign over the kingdoms. Fair skinned, with big golden translucent wings, light hair, and a light tail to match, they were a sight to behold. But a king who ruled when the monster came was old and blind, and darkness has set into his old heart, not allowing him to heed the warnings of the youth, and so the beast took over, slaughtering his family wherever it found them. Unbeknownst to the beast, however, the king had a lover, and that lover bore him a child, and the two of them escaped far away from the kingdom, where the baby's light features would not be a cause for a hunt.
The beast reigned for a hundred years, while the king's son ended up having three sons of his own. The story of the terrible fate that befell their family was past down to them, and the three brothers decided that they wanted to rescue their people from the claws of this terrifying beast. The eldest brother wanted the glory of being the people's hero, the middle one was hoping for the power restoring the throne of their family would bring him, while the youngest one simply thought that the people's freedom was of utmost importance and it deserved protection from those who would threaten it, as he wanted his freedom defended as he would defend that of others.
The oldest brother went to fight the beast first and was not heard from in seasons. The last one to give up hope was his wife, after which his death was official.
The second brother followed suit, and he was not heard from in seasons. The last one to give up hope was his wife, after which his death was official.
His grandmother begged of the last brother not to go, as his death would end the line, but he said that he must, and promised her to live. The youngest brother then went, and as the seasons past the people had begun worrying that they had lost all three of the remaining fertile people of king's blood, but they have soon received a gift that dissuaded them. The youngest brother had sent them the beast's head, and nothing else, but it was invite enough for them.
When they came back to the kingdom they were welcomed as heroes, their descendant pronounced royalty for his heroism. Keeping only some of the land his family used to own, however, he pronounced the island a free city, making its people swear to never succumb to a corrupt hierarchy again, and to use their lives to pursue virtue, knowledge, and beauty.
When asked how did he defeat the beast, the youngest brother explained that he had not. He simply got the people to put an organized effort up against it, using their unique talents and perspectives to think of the best plan.
