I am getting awfully tired these days, my bones started to ache more than usual, my breathing is coming painfully out of me
and the wounds from my countless battles are giving this old body a really hard time.Even for a man of my age this is more than normal and i am concluding that my days are numbered.I am not complaining though, the gods have blessed me with a long life and in those 87 years i've been around i have experienced things most people would never dream of.Like all the men who have lived such a life though, vanity forbids me to leave this mortal realm without leaving behind a testament of my adventures.I have been a lot of things in my lifetime, a soldier, a leader of men, a hero, a murderer, a father, a kingslayer.
The name is Stanley Madelor and this is my story!
My story begins as a son of a farmer at Barcley, a land as torn appart by war as Pendor.Come to think about it, is there any land of Man not ravaged by war?Is it a coincidence that the Noldor words for war and man are almost identical?Anyway i was the third son of Michael Madelor, a poor but fair and honorable man.The farm we were working belonged to Lord Vandian, may his soul rot in hell for his cruelty.The first dramatic thing that ever happened to my otherwise plain and regular life at the farm was falling in love with the Lord's daughter. Fair Eloaine, i still remember her vividly despite the years that have passed.We were both young and innocent, unaware of the difference of our status.Her father laughed at my face when he heard about us.He told me "Lad you are a fine man but a fine POOR man.Unless you can come by with a small fortune, there is no way you will be considered as a candidate for her hand."
I was heartbroken.I had to find a lot of money but that was not an option for a farmboy.Two months later the recruiters from the army passed by our farm.They had been through our farm before but this time their promise of riches and plunder filled my youthful mind.All i could see in front of me was an opportunity to marry Eloaine.At the age of 14 i became a conscript for Baron Ferdenor's army.
The Baron was a very clever strategist but also he was cursed with an unsatiated lust for land and power.We were constantly on the move, either drilling or fighting.By the age of 20 i was already a veteran of 3 campaigns and had participated in 7 great and decisive battles, including the battle at Droendall pass and the siege of castle Byonthan.Most of our fights were victorious and the Baron was nicknamed "the winner".His victories had earned him the right place at the King's side.My passion and determination had earned me, my own small regiment of heavy footmen and the title "master sergeant".Baron Ferdenor was paying his men handsomely and in those 6 years i had stashed an amount of money good enough to impress Eloaine's father, perhaps even to buy all of his land if i wished to do so.I took only what was neccesary to survive and left the rest at the care of the Baron's quartermaster, who was rather impressed that i was saving up, while everyone else was spending all their coin on ephemeral pleasures.Janek the quartermaster had taken a liking in me, especially after he had heard and sympathised with my story.It was he who proposed my name to the Baron to take me as his aide on his next visit to see the King.
I was thrilled to be at the palace!All that luxury was breathtaking.I had never dreamed of such things as a farmer and now here i was, at the King's court, where every important person in Barclay dreamed to be.Eloaine would be amazed if she could see me here.During the trip we exchanged no words with the Baron.He was isolated in his carriage while i was riding beside him acompanied by the rest of his entourage (and mind you i totally hate horses).He only made sure that i was properly dressed and that i would not open my mouth during our stay at the palace, out of fear that my low upbringing would be offencive to His Majesty.I promised i would not utter a single word.Finally we were anounced to the King and we proceeded into his hall.His Majesty was holding a feast to honor the ever-victorious Baron.My lord would sit next to the King while i would be seated at another table that was set nearby for the aides and bodyguards of the lords that were present.When we reached the throne i stayed behind, while my lord approached the King.He kneeled and kissed the ring on His Majesty's pinky finger, a sign of submission.Then he briefly anounced me and it was my turn to bow before Barclay's ruler.The King gave me only one look, although it was a look i knew all too well and it chilled me to the bone.It was the calculating stare of a warrior seizing up a potential opponent to figure out his true potential.I had seen it a lot of times during my battles and duels and i took every precaution not to let him know my true value.For all he knew i was just one of those spoiled young nobles, who are given a title at the army and see war as a sport.Apparently satisfied with what he saw, he withdrew his eyes from me and focused on his honored guest.My guts told me something was wrong.I could not warn my lord without any proof but i would remain vigilant and keep my sword with me at all times.My sword was the only thing i ever spent good money for.I needed something trustworthy and thankfully its superior craftmanship made it worthy of an aide's weapon and i was allowed to carry it with me.
When the feast ended, King Geladre invited my lord for a drink and to discuss matters of the state together.Me and the King's bodyguard acompanied them to a small room with a small table carved exactly like a map of Barclay as i recalled it from the maps that quartermaster Janek had.Me and the bodyguard, a guy with a face you could never trust would have to wait outside.Half an hour had already passed and during that time i was constantly making sure that i never let my guard down or leave a spot open to the only other person sharing the hall with me.This guy was also trying to find out if i could pose a threat and i was really trying to convince him otherwise.Leaving a spot available that was not entirely safe to exploit, or appearing to be nonchalant but looking at his direction were tricks i knew to make people believe i was just a foolish youngster.Finally he went to look at a tapestry and invited me to look on some of the details.He was about to make his move and i knew it.I approached him from his left making sure my finely crafted cape was hiding the fact that my left hand was grasping the hilt of my sword.I hadn't yet trained my left hand to the extent i would in my later years, but still it was good enough for one deadly move.I came close to him, so close i could smell his breath, foul from liquor and bad teeth.This was no ordinary royal guard.This man was an assasin.I pretended to be interested in his remarks, when all i was doing was keeping all my senses awake to "feel" when he would strike.I heard a blade leaving its scabbard.I reacted.My body moved on its own, used to the way of the fighter, after 6 years of constant warfare.My right hand knocked the dagger from his hand while it was still half isnide the scabbard.All the while my sword was unsheathed and covering a small arc landed on his unprotected abdomen area.His face was a mask of pain and amazement.Before he even realised what had been done, before he even realised the pain my hand was on his mouth while i gave a twist on the blade to finish off the poor bastard.In a few seconds he collapsed but i had no time to relax.My lord was in grave danger and i stormed through the door.The door of a king.
"What is the meaning of this?" the King demanded when he saw me rushing into the room."What have you done young fool?" the Baron added, but when he saw the blood on my blade he paused.He was not a fool either and although he didn't know a single thing about me, he trusted his quartermaster's decisions and looked sceptically towards the King.His royal highness was furious and for the first time in my life i saw an enraged King."This changes nothing of my plans you basterd!I will finish you off with my own hands!GUARDS!"King Geladre shouted as he removed a dagger from his belt and moved against my lord.It all happened so fast, that its still a bit blurry in my mind.What i believe i did was that i moved quickly between the two nobles, taking the hit that was intended for my lord and striking down the King in the process.I started feeling dizzy and the blow had hit me in the chest, just inches above my heart.I looked at my hands bathed in blood and heard Baron Ferdenor's voice ring heavily in my head "thank you my boy, i will make sure you somehow make it out of this with your life".Then i collapsed.
I woke up feeling a bit numb, and my vision slowly fixed on two persons standing above me.One was the baron, the other was a complete stranger to me."Where am i?" i managed to say."Don't speak", i recognised the baron's voice."Leave us alone, i want to talk to the prisoner", "the prisoner" i thought to myself.This can't be good.When we were alone, the baron explained that he had to put the blame for the king's murder solely on me.I tried to point out that it was not a murder but lord Ferdenor said nobody would believe us.He promised me again to find a way to release me.Then he explained to me that i was in the
palace's dungeons and that i was asleep for 3 days.My wounds were patched up by the late king's own physician."Why not just let me die?" i asked.He explained that they wanted me at full health before they could punish me so that they could set an example to all.At least that would give him some time to act.
A week passed after my talk to the baron and everyting was becoming monotonous.They would feed me well, tend my wounds and then try to question me.I told them nothing as per the Baron's instructions and when they tried to get rough, i pretended that my wounds were aching.Well i wasn't pretending much, a stab in the chest is quite a painful experience, believe me i have felt it more than once.Still it would put my captors in a defensive position and so i was never interrogated.That was when the baron made his move.It would take a full month before the late king's son was declared the new ruler of Barclay, but a week
after his death he would have to be annointed by the Archbishop himself.I have never been much of a religious man so i had no idea what this represented, but according to my jailors, i was to be executed at that ceremony, as the murderer of late King Geladre, may his soul rot in whatever hell knigs go."Great!What's the good news?" i asked and the jailors laughed.What the jailors didn't tell me though was that the temple where i was to be delivered was a good 3 days march from the palace.At least i would see the sun before i died i thought.
I was on my way to what i thought would be an unworthy way to die, not as a warrior on the fielad of battle, but as a kingslayer.At least as murderers go i was aiming at the top, none can argue about that.Lost in my thoughts of my final moments i didn't notice the figures that were following us from the shadows of the trees, as we moved through the countryside.maybe it was partially assisted by the fact that i was trying to remove the rotten food from me.I forgot to say that i was paraded through the streets of Regovian, the city directly below Barclay's royal palace.The crowd wa sreally enthusiastic and rewarded me with all sorts of "gifts", calling me all sorts of names.Their love towards my face was obvious and equally appreciated.I started to notice that something was on our trail only at the second day.Didn't know what to think,all i could do was to remain focused.And then the revelation hit me like a charge from Sarleon's heavy cavalry.The pattern of the chasing was extremelly familiar.The spreading of the men, the way of signaling, this was my unit!My own men handpicked and traind by me were on my track!The Baron held true to his promise.At night my men made their move.The palace guards are a unit highly skilled and trained but when it comes to war they are "green".They are no match for a veteran army unit, especially one fighting for Baron Ferdenor who wages war 300 days per year.The fight was a massacre because they were caught by surprise and more than half of them were wiped out at the start of the ambush.My men got away with minor injuries and only one who was moderatelly hit and would require some attention.After a quick reunion and some happy faces, we went for the horses they had brought with them.We headed east towards the port city of Asderith and during our ride they explained that the idea to execute me at the annointment was all the baron's idea to get me out of the palace where he could organise a rescue.The second part of his plan involved me getting on a ship for another continent, with orders never to return in Barclay.That was the first moment after the death of the king that i thought of my beloved Eloaine again.I would never lay my eyes upon her again.I was grieved beyond describing but there was not much i could do about it now.I was a kingdom's scapegoat.The criminal who killed their beloved king,regardless if i was right and he was a mischievious bastard.I parted with my men outside Asderith, as a bunch of armed men like us would draw attention.We said our farewells and they gave me a bag filled with precious gems and coins.These were my savings from the endless campaigns in Baron Ferdenor's service.They would get me safe passage to a faraway land and ensure i had enough to make a fresh start.I was also given some sort of pole wrapped up inside a blanket.I took a peak and recognised my sword.My own sword that served me loyally all these years.A sword that had killed a king.
The same night i managed to board passage on a ship that was departing shortly for a faraway land."Where did you say we are headed?", i asked the captain of the ship when we were ready to set sail."Valonbray" he replied."Where the hell is that?", i continued."Pendor, laddy, the land of Pendor, say ye look like a warrior type to me 'aight?".I nodded cautiously."Oh ye're gonna luv Pendor!".That said i went to my cabin and took a good rest.As good as a "landlubber" as the captain called me can sleep on a sailing ship.And that's how i ended up on the lands of Pendor.
But that's someting i'll have to continue another day.I can feel my old body begging for some sleep.
). I know its not really nice to categorise persons but that's how the market works.So as far as the market is concerned Fawzia (sorry for using you as an example F , but i didn't think you would mind) and i belong to the same target group.The teenager i brought up as an example belongs to another one.So the dev's and the publishers simply select the target group(s) that their product will attract.
