Carpathia III: Bonus Episode 2 - A New Era
The Palace, Zhail City
It had been three days since the rain started and that, coupled with the constant rumblings in the ground, was taking a severe toll on the palace. Leaking ceilings, cracks in the walls, and flickering lights were all the new normal now. As the rain hammered away at the palace, two figures consulted with each other on the top floor, both focusing on the issue at hand, but also silently considering the very real chance that the palace may crumble around them at any moment. The room was bare, its contents having been carted away to a safer place, to which both of them soon intended to follow.
Shai: The skywater has been coming for three days.
Prince Riven tossed one of the last remaining trinkets in the room into a box before turning to Shai.
Prince Riven: It's called "rain." Adell told me this was common on his world. I suspect that he has managed to destroy whatever was preventing this phenomenon from happening here. Further to that, I imagine that he has either departed for his home or died in the endeavor. While I sincerely hope that the former is true, I do not expect to see him again.
The palace creaked, like a sinking ship, as it had continuously done for three solid days. Shai quickly scanned the ceiling for any new cracks.
Shai: Apologies, my Prince. I did not mean...
Riven waved his hand frantically in front of Shai's face.
Prince Riven: Must I remind you so often? Enough with this "my Prince" nonsense. You are my companion, not my servant.
Shai did his best to look Riven in the eye, but he still found it difficult.
Shai: It shall take me quite some time to accustomize.
Prince Riven: If that is the case, expect me to correct you for quite some time. Is everything ready at our new home?
Shai: Yes, my... um... Riven.
Shai stammered through Riven's name and flushed as he struggled to say it.
Shai: The roof is sealed and the surrounding water has been diverted away. The furniture is being moved in as we speak.
Riven gave a deep sigh and gazed out of the cracked window overlooking the courtyard, which he could hardly see for all the heavy rain beating against the panes.
Prince Riven: In that case, there's nothing left to do but carry out the plan.
There was a long pause while Shai waited for Riven to clarify what he had just said. When nothing was forthcoming, he realized that Riven could only mean one thing and apprehension began to well up inside him.
Shai: Now?
Riven turned and lowered his head as he folded his arms across his chest, striking Shai by how confident he appeared.
Prince Riven: There will be no benefit to a delay. To the contrary, the longer we wait, the more difficulty to act.
Shai was still not completely on board and made one last effort to change Riven's mind.
Shai: Are you certain of this? We could simply wait for the palace to come down on its own. Since your father has no intention of leaving, it would solve your problem for you.
Riven was already shaking his head before Shai even finished.
Prince Riven: And how long will that take? Days? Months? The kingdom is in chaos and father does not know how to bring the situation under control. He awaits word from Maelstrom, which I believe may never come. We must act so that we can perform without hinderance.
Seeing how resolute Riven was, Shai felt he had no choice but to follow him.
Shai: If that is your will, I shall follow.
Riven stepped resolutely toward Shai and reached up, cradling Shai's chin in his hand.
Prince Riven: We do this together, not just for the good of ourselves, but for the good of all.
Riven leaned in and gave Shai a quick kiss before whispering in his ear.
Prince Riven: Let us go forth and build a new nation.
Shai, momentarily flustered, recovered quickly.
Shai: I shall be at your side always, dear Riven. If this is what you want, let us go.
Riven gave Shai a smile and a quick nod as the timbers in the palace creaked ominously yet again. Together, they marched out of Riven's room and into the hallway toward the King's room. They found the main reception room empty upon entering, which neither found surprising. Both knew that the King was likely in his study, behind closed door, as was often the case. Together, the approached the double doors, astride which two guards stood sentry. As Riven drew near, one of the guards stepped forward.
Soldier: My Prince, I'm afraid I cannot allow you access. The King has ordered no visitors.
Riven stopped where he was and said nothing. Shai immediately recognized his cue and took over.
Shai: I needn't remind you that this is Prince Riven of the Kingdom of Zhail and he has important information to deliver to His Majesty.
The soldier recoiled, clearly very unsure what he should do next while Shai placed his hand on this hilt of his sword.
Shai: Allow us to pass or I shall reassign you to the sewers.
The soldier finally decided that it was not wise to challenge Shai and stepped aside.
Soldier: Apologies, my Prince. Please proceed as you will.
The soldier cast a nervous glance at the other as Shai reached for the knobs of the heavy double doors leading to the study. The sinking of the palace had them wedged tightly together and Shai had to pull hard to wrench them open. Creaking and scraping the thick rug, the doors opened, leaving just enough of a gap for Riven and Shai to squeeze through. Inside, they found Erosia sitting stiffly in a chair on one side of the room and King Elmlund lazily reclining on the other. Both had their gazes directed at the door, wondering would dare disburb their meeting.
Erosia: What is the meaning of this intrusion?
Riven stood in the middle of the room and said nothing while Shai struggled to pull the double doors closed again. In the meantime, Erosia, growing more furious, rose from her chair.
Erosia: Answer me!
Shai finally managed to pull the doors closed and then finalized his action by looping a rope around the knobs and quickly tying it tight. Riven, ignoring Erosia's hysterics, turned back to Shai and asked him a question, as though Erosia didn't even exist and was not hollering at him.
Prince Riven: Is the door secure?
Shai: It is secure, Riven.
To this, the King took notice and sat up in his chair while Erosia looked around, confused as to why her shouting wasn't getting any results.
King Elmlund: Are you now allowing your manservant to call you by your name? I did not raise you to be so graceless.
Erosia: And you still haven't answered me! Why are you here?
Riven answered by pulling a revolver tucked into his belt and, without a word, turned and fired it at Erosia's head. Silenced at last, she toppled back into her chair, dead. King Elmlund leaped from his chair as though he were about to do something, but stopped as soon as he was on his feet, completely stunned into inaction. Meanwhile, the double doors began to shake as the soldiers on the outside began to pull.
King Elmlund: Have... Have you lost your mind?
Riven turned slowly and faced his father and would-be murderer calmly and deliberately. The soldiers still tugged frantically at the door while Shai guarded it, but to Riven and Elmlund, they may as well have been the only ones in the room, so focused they were on each other.
Prince Riven: You may call it self-preservation. I know you are in league with Maelstrom. I know you intended to have me killed and for it to look like an accident. Fortunately, I bear no pretense toward such deception.
King Elmlund lowered his head and sneered at Riven.
King Elmlund: A dandy fool such as yourself will never have any success administering a nation.
Riven turned his head as though he were giving his father's words some actual thought while the palace heaved again, causing a crack to spread through the floor between them.
Prince Riven: Perhaps. Perhaps not. I am certain that I shall never be the abject failure that you are.
Prince Riven raised his revolver once again and fired twice, striking King Elmlund in his chest. After two more labored breaths, he too expired in his chair.
King Riven: Shai, you may cut the ropes.
Shai gave a quick nod and unsheathed his sword. With one stroke, he slashed the ropes binding the door handles and took several steps back to be by Riven's side. Almost immediately thereafter, the soldiers muscled the doors open from the other side and rushed in with their swords drawn before immediately halting in their tracks. Both looked around the room, finding Erosia dead in one chair and King Elmlund dead in another with Prince Riven in the center of it all tucking his revolver back into his belt.
Shai: You will bow to your King!
The two soldiers hesitated for only a moment and then, with enough understanding of the situation, bent down on one knee. With that, Riven took a step forward and addressed them.
King Riven: I want one of you to go quickly and find as many soldiers as you can. Bring them here and begin carrying all the effects of the King's chambers outside, except those in this room. The other shall guard this room and ensure nobody but myself and Shai can enter. You will speak of nothing you have seen here today with anyone. Understood?
Soldier: Yes, my King!
The other acknowledged in kind and Riven sent them away.
King Riven: Shai, as you have observed, this palace may only have hours to live. We have no time to go through all of my father's effects to determine what is important. Take any documents you can find and dump them outside the door. We shall go through them later, along with the furniture the soldiers salvage from this place.
Shai: Understood. Let us hurry, then.
Shai and King Riven then set about ransacking the King's study, ripping out drawers and dumping shelves with reckless abandon. Thus it became the story that nobody would ever tell, the dawning of a new era of Zhail's history and the birth of the Great and Final King of what would become Ramewet.
Commissioned art in this episode from:
Miyumon
Jenova87
Catnappe143
Kurama-chan
Iniphineas
All city pictures from SimCity 4
