Chapter 3

The fight between them had occurred for hundreds and hundreds of years, one family was rich, one was poor, in fact Driddon was the family of paupers, the slaves to Ludso, Ludso had made it clear that the family of Driddon were blessed to have him as their master, for if it weren't for him they would be slaves to other task-masters who would have used their women in the most obscene ways, but he vowed to never touch the women of Driddon. Ludso began to feel insecure with the family of Driddon, although they were a peaceful family, working hard, they never displeased him, but Driddon's women grew more beautiful each generation, and the men were growing in strength. Ludso knew they were a mighty people. So Ludso began to treat them harsher in his old age, when he saw that the people were gaining favors as the white slave trade was coming to its end, the black slave trade was booming, the masters found a new era was dawning and Ludso was losing his service. Angered by this Ludso uprooted his entire family and the Driddon family from the mother-land to a large island, where he could treat the family of Driddon without any cause for complaint, this was his Island, he was King, his family were royals and the family of Driddon would obey his command, he was able to hire an army force from the mother-land and thus the Ludso family grew in wealth, for the mother-land's King was impressed at how quickly he took over an island, so the King of the mother-land and the King of Ludso formed an alliance, the army he took from the mother-land was now his to command, King Ludso was thrilled at how easily he was able to manipulate the mother-land, using inside help, he was able to undermine the capital's stability, every kingship has it's enemies and loyalists, the loyalists protected the family leaving the spoils free game. The enemy to the crown took what they could and secretly joined Ludso, no one on the mother-land ever knew where they went, King Ludso offered his condolences and support to the King of the mother-land, making false proclamations to keep the truth hidden after a trying summer it was all forgotten and by winter King Ludso grew in might and power.

The Driddon family were left, they thought they had nothing before, but this was worse, they had no friends, no connections, they were lost to the greed of the Ludso family, Driddon encouraged his family not to grow bitter, he taught that if you show hate to your adversaries, they win every time, he promised that freedom was just a breath away. Driddon secretly sent his strongest sons along with their wives on a mission to find another island, so that the family could disappear. Driddon's sons obeyed, along with their wives they were gone. Ludso noticed that Driddon's three sons were missing, they were his strongest men. The family noticed too, but made no movements to be shocked, Driddon's wife sobbed and told Ludso that there is sickness in the air, not only did her three sons die but over night their wives were found dead. The rest of the family began to make noise of anger and aggression for there was nowhere to burry their dead, so they had to pretend to carry them to the ocean where the current took them away. King Ludso began to fear over his own family, for this sickness took the weak along with the strong, winter was almost upon them, and they had no where to protect themselves, they needed more slaves. King Ludso begged the King of his mother-land to send more slaves, the King obliged and sent twenty black slaves, mainly women to him, King Ludso was disgusted by what came off that ship! His wife calmed him, saying a slave was a slave, at least we will be warm through the winter. With that Ludso put them all to work, he made the black work harder than the Driddon family. Driddon noticed the other slaves were lacking the necessities to stay alive, so he showed them kindness and welcomed them into his family, the work load remained the same, but together they were able to accomplish more.

King Ludso noticed how happy his slaves were, it was like nothing had changed, he was absolutely disgusted by how they were treating the black, as if they were an equal, in his heart he vowed to make the Driddon family pay for this. Winters were more severe here then on the mother-land, so he would deal with the Driddon family when the winter had past.

Driddon had set up a campsite for his family including the other slaves, to him there was no difference a slave was a slave despite their colouring. Together the family listened to all twenty different stories, each one was ripped away from their families, their partners, their children, their lives. Not one was related, some weren't even from the same part of the country. Driddon was able to pick up on different rifts between the people. Over the course of many weeks, Driddon was able to get them to see that no matter the land they came from they were the same. With compassion and reasoning, he was able to win them over, they softened to him, even looking up at him as their own father and Driddon welcomed the affection. By the end of the winter, they were one family. Many of those twenty married into his family, others he adopted as his own.

Driddon felt the change in weather, and it was time to get back to work, as they worked through the Spring, the days were short but slowly they could feel it warming, however they worked harder than they had done before, building up the Ludso empire just as he had instructed them to do. King Ludso sat in his hut, he was not the same, the Driddon family had been at peace all winter, but the Ludso family had not, there had been murders and anger through out the months, Ludso held blood on his hands, he had allowed the power to fester and he had felt suspicious over the rebels who had fled the mother-land, the suspiciousness consumed him, he had killed those men and had taken their wives for himself, he forced himself on them each one was pregnant with his child. His wife couldn't cope with the man who now stood before her, so she left with one of the army men who had not signed up for this, he and her took off through the winter. King Ludso didn't know where they had gone, he lived his life assuming they had died. Little did he know that they had made it through the storm, and they were not the only ones who had run away from his rule, other royals and army men had followed their footsteps and had accidentally stumbled across them. They formed another Ludso group, they were both slaves and royals. One day they would overthrow King Ludso, but until that day, they lived low and hidden.

King Ludso began to notice his people were thinning out but the Driddon people were growing, his anger and hatred for Driddon grew deep, he executed Driddon blaming him for the loss of his people, in front of his family he was executed for murder and for spreading threats of rebellion. King Ludso wanted to hear him say that he was sorry for speaking against his rule, and that he would never be overthrown, for his rule was the best. Driddon refused to speak, this caused King Ludso to grow insane well after Driddon's death. The Driddon family mourned their father's passing, his wife couldn't bare it, the day King Ludso murdered Driddon he killed his wife and condemned himself. Upon hearing reports of Driddon's wife, he couldn't bare the thought of love, love was a sickening feeling, which bought back memories of his own wife leaving. So he ordered that five women would be sent across the sea every winter. Before the chills set in five women would be forced from their families and sent into the ocean, the cries of the family would fill the winter. King Ludso enjoyed it, finally his winters would be happy like Driddon's was during their first winter, and the Driddon family would suffer like he suffered that first winter.

The first five women made it across to an island when the wind stopped howling the women got out of the wooden box, and they sent it back across the water, in hopes that their family would know they made it safely out, the women missed their family but new they couldn't go back. As they walked across the island, they noticed a family getting into a boat, the women ran to them in hopes to find help, for the thought their must be a village or town near by, but as they neared the boat, one of the women noticed that they were her brothers, one of them heard her calling and jumped from the boat. He ran to his sister, upon seeing he sent a call which mimicked a birds, to his brothers, immediately they went running to him, they couldn't believe their eyes, their sister, and four other women that they recognised, one of them was heavily pregnant. Immediately the brothers inquired, their sister told them what had transpired from when they had left, a year ago. The brothers were angry and wept bitterly, for they loved their father very much.

Their sister reminded her brothers their father's words 'if you show hate to your adversaries, they win every time, he promised that freedom was just a breath away. We are one family, no matter how big we get, no matter how far away we are, we are there for each other, nothing will seperate our love and kindness for each other." She encouraged her brothers to not let their father die in vain. She also encouraged her brothers not to return, for it would go badly for their family. They obeyed their sister and during the beginning of winter they were on the look out to save the next five women, and that was what they did every year.

Back under the tyrannical rule of King Ludso, the Driddon family set up a home worthy to be lived in, together they happily reminisced their father, Driddon was the heart of their camp. Each year the pain worsened as they learned how the oppression continued with much severity, and the pain of losing the women each year was harder to bare than the year before. The women of Driddon were united on the second island, it was time to send one back to the family to let them know, everyone is still well and living. The brothers agreed. The three men cast lots to determine which couple would return, so as to keep it fair, for they all longed to return. Once the lot had been cast, the couple ventured forth in a wooden box so as not to be detected, upon arrival the couple traveled to find their family, once united hope filled the family, seeing the couple in their midst it was as if Driddon had returned to them, for awhile they had struggled with the his death, for the first time since that horrific day they felt comfort. It had been many years but seeing their brother or their nephew bought much needed hope and joy, the family quietly celebrated their return, as if a baby had just been born into their midst, this was their cover so has to keep the truth from their deranged king, during that night when both families were asleep and the King was passed out from intoxication did the couple secretly return back over the ocean, by morning it was as if their presence was a blur, a dream, one to be treasured for all eternity and so it was, the day of joy and hope, the Driddon family made that day a remembrance day for years to come, so as to never let their joy or hope diminish.

King Ludso couldn't handle the guilt anymore, the death of Driddon tortured his every waking moment, he wasn't sleeping, he couldn't eat, every time he saw his slaves, Driddon was amongst them, he killed the person but not his spirit, he still lived inside his family, and that torture forced him to suicide on the tenth anniversary of Driddon's death, so ended the tyranny of King Ludso the first. The death of the king didn't bring joy to the people but caused anguish to the royals, which caused more pain to the slaves, the royals blamed the family of Driddon for killing their King, the new King, named this Island, this empire after the death of his father. The King of Ludso began his rampage on the slaves, he decreed there were too many slaves, he would honor the tradition of sending women across the ocean during winter to appease his dead father, he reasoned that his father needed some more women in the after life. This bought fear and an outcry among the people, his second decree was that the slaves would be halved, half the people were sent through the ocean and lost from view, the King expected the people worked just as hard to build what they normally would build. The family of Driddon were exhausted and could not keep up with the work load the only day they looked forward to was the day the of remembrance, the festival of Joy and Hope.

The slaves sent into the sea were saved by their family who were on watch, they caught all of them, not one was missing, the survivors told them what was occurring, and so another couple volunteered to go back to their family to report good news to them, they timed it to fall on the day of remembrance the festival of joy and hope, that way their presence would go undetected. Their presence was one of great joy and just as before they were free to leave undetected. The day of festivities was made sweeter by the good news, this was not a coincidence, there was true hope and not one of their fellow members had perished into the ocean. Together they made their father live on, Driddon was once again in their midst, the heart of what they believed, and they worked harder than they ever did, accomplishing more than they had before. The King of Ludso saw the people, he didn't care about them being happy or not, as long as they worked. He felt it was time to expand his empire, so the slaves expanded.

Away from the cruel rule of King Ludso the second, the family decided to name the island they were on after their father Driddon, so the island of Driddon became a place of hope, kindness and love, they expanded their home to all corners of the island, they were a free people, a hidden people, but many were a learned people from the home-land, although they were slaves, the king had wanted them to be above the black slaves so all had, had an education, because of this the white slave trade fell under it was getting too expensive to train slaves. Thankfully because of this training, ,the family were well-equiped to set up a true empire, so they installed schools, medical rooms, although they had no doctors the skills they had were a low level nurse, their supplies were few, however a nearby country sent a real Doctor to the island, they country of Robico would be their funder to help them set up this island, in exchange for assistance the family would give sixty percent of the food they grew to the country of Robico, for they were going through a drought and would die if they didn't accept. So the family made a deal, until the drought ends they would take sixty percent of the food grown. Many, many years past, and the drought finally ended, the people of Robico were so grateful for their assistance that the Island of Driddon grew to be a beautiful town, free and still filled with hope.

The country of Robico saw that their aide was no longer needed for the family so they formed a treaty with the family instead of a business deal, together they would be there to help each other in need. The family delved deep into the treaty, the contract held nothing secret, there was no fine print that had been missed. Feeling secure about the treaty the family agreed to sign. Once the treaty was signed, two copies were made, one which was kept on the Island of Driddon and the other was to be kept in the Country of Robico. The family organised a large feast in honour of their new alliance, and the night went well. However it was this night that the five women were sent across the ocean, two of the countrymen from Robico were scouting and saw the men pull in a box from the water, with his own eyes he saw five women being pulled out of the box, he saw the women were happy to see them. The countrymen were disgusted by what they saw, they reported the matter back to their ambassador. Outraged the ambassador forced the brothers to explain themselves. The brothers reminded the ambassador that he had signed a legally binding treaty with them, due to this they were not compelled to answer him. The ambassador sighed sitting back down, he acknowledged that the brothers had spoken correctly, he warned them that this path of slavery was not looked upon with a friendly eye. This bought a smile to the brothers faces and the evening was filled with cheers, the family found good news and hope in their alliance, the ambassador and the countrymen were confused, until the countrymen recognised the women, it was the five women who were taken out of the box, the ambassador listened intently, he could hear their happy voices, it was here he saw, that these women had not been stolen, this was not a slavery investment. The ambassador looked to the brothers and called them to his side. It was here that the Country Robico heard the sad tale of the Driddon family, it was here that he learned where they came from. That night the Ambassador and all that were with him left back to their country and the Island of Driddon carried on their life, filling it with prosperity and good fortune.

Many months later, the ambassador from Robico was back along with the Prince of Robico. This was a big day for the Island of Driddon. It was here that the Prince informed them that their family was protected by the crown, no one in their family was allowed to be a slave. Along with the prince came many historians, and great explorers of the renaissance, for this was a proud day for the world, another part of their planet had been found. Amongst them was Dr Albert Saunders, the greatest astronomer, mathematician and historian in all Robico, he had been informed about the odd form of the ocean, and it was his duty to understand this phenomenon. With great investigation he informed the Prince that the family of Driddon had not crossed the ocean, on the contrary a large canal, however the higher up you get one can see the shape of part of a Pegasus, he explained that the only way this would be possible was if the magnetic pull of the constellation itself. This was all he had time to say, for he had far too much to document before they left. In later years his book was complete. He names his paper "the great phenomenon".

The Prince of Robico awaited his fathers command, only once permission was given was their plan put into action, a bridge was being made across the canal, it was this day that the brothers were informed that they had never crossed the ocean to this island, but it was a canal, or a river, a wide river which separated this Island and the Island of Ludso. King of Robico alas arrived with his large army although the Driddon family were unaware of what was taking place, the Prince was well in expectancy. Together they waged war against the King of Ludso and rescued the Driddon family who had been left behind. Although the second King of Ludso did die in battle, what surprised King Robico was that the weeks on end siege ended not by his own hand, the victory was won by the betrayal of that King's own army. King Robico lead the people to victory and was marked as a hero by all when really it was the King of Ludso's army that ended the tyranny of their own slaves. What King Robico witnessed today was what he had been training his own son to avoid in the future, the Prince took to heart what his father had taught and he never forgot what caused the downfall of this King.

So peace was found among the people on the Island of Driddon. But peace didn't remain for the royal family they were bitterly angry with the Driddon family, they were their runaway slaves, each time they tried to cross the bridge to kill their runaway slaves, Robico was there to protect them, the army stayed which fuelled much hate and anger towards the other island.

The fifth King of Ludso decided not to wage war against the Island of Driddon, his anger towards them was the strongest, but he would not do what the other king's had done, he built his city up, he stretched out his boarder to the rest of the Island, when he found another people taking his land. He had found the hidden children of the wife of King Ludso the first, five generations this family had lived in peace, now the peace had ended. The wrath of the king was hot. These people had abandoned the first King when he needed them the most. These people became prisoners to the king, and thus Ludso remained divided forever. During the time they were prisoners, the uprisings were loud and many died, to the point the next king sent them away, if they weren't going to add to the prosperity of the empire there was no point in keeping them, they had enough to worry about with their slaves obeying, so the King sent them away to the east, where they stayed. When they left, their backs remained toward all people, no one was to enter their Kingdom. The East became a whole world of its own.

The anger between West Ludso and the family of Driddon never ceased, for in the minds of Ludso if Driddon hadn't driven their first King mad, his wife would never have left and he would never have died, keeping the peace between slave and owner, even though the time had past, Robico's influence had ceased and the mother-land was lost, only the quarrelling and hate for each other remained. Yet nothing that the City of Ludso could do could ever break the family of Dridden, they stood as one every-time, which angered the last King of Ludso, because his home was divided into two, the West followed him but the East followed the ancient ways of the first wife of king Ludso the first, nothing would change that, the day he reached out for peace was the day his people turned and murdered him. History would always repeat itself, the selfishness of the people in the west was the same as Ludso the first, the people on the Island were the same as Driddon himself, and the people in the east were like the queen. The people had not changed despite the hundreds of years that would go by.

In the east the story of the queen is held fast, when the people were captured they kept her story alive, she was their dearest queen, she taught them they were noble and they were no slave, no task was too small for them and nothing would ever be out of their reach. What they wanted they had to work for. The people in the East carry that thinking, she wanted the best for her people, she made a good ruler, when she died, no one dared to take her place, there would never be a great ruler like her. So the people chose two daughters to take her place as leader, two princesses to guide them, one was driven the other was compassionate, together they balanced each other and the teaching of the queen and her husband lived on. Together they worked as one, the effect of Driddon's life affected the Queen's and that influenced her decisions, although the princesses were unaware of Driddon, they knew what he stood for, although having no idea what had transpired they lived with the belief no one should be a slave, but the queen felt that when you help someone they deserve compensation. That was the way she ruled, that was the way things were done, for no one was greater than the other.

So ends the story of our past, our future is based on what we have done in the past, but also which past we choose to follow, Ludso, Queen or Driddon.

Meghan thought about the story again, this was the story which was read to her through out her early years, this was the history which was drummed into her throughout her school life, we were taught how our forefather thought, the way he handled conflicts is the judgement which is passed down through the court systems. If a Driddon member turns against his family he his excommunicated from the family and is sent over the bridge to live as a slave once more. This has deterred all problems, for it happened once, one man he turned evil somehow, Meghan was only young, he murdered his sister and severely wounded other kids in his class, he showed no remorse so he was sent over the bridge in a box like one that had held the women in the stories. A few years later he was found in the water in a similar box with his wife, he came back ready to serve his family, upon much debate he served time as a criminal and later he served a family who was willing to forgive, he was later free from his service, for no one should be kept a slave, he has a family now and his wife is still content, it is unclear where she came from but rumour has it she's come from the East.

Meghan continued playing with her food as she thought about the story of her history for her appetite had not returned. Pierre entered the room speaking to her, which caused her to jump in share freight. Pierre jumped, he wasn't expecting her to be frightened. Pierre regained himself and turned on the lights around her, he then noticed she still had not eaten. Concerned he sat next to her and inquired "are you not well? You have been at this table for hours? Did you not hear me come in? For I have been talking to you from your living room" Meghan stared him with wide eyes, she hadn't heard his voice "I'm sorry, I didn't even know" Pierre said in hum "obviously" Meghan sighed "don't worry, I wasn't hungry anyways." Meghan went to get up when Pierre held her hand, softly he said "what is it that is troubling you?" Meghan slumped back into her chair "I was just thinking about us, you're from West Ludso, the great City, and I'm from the Island of Driddon, a grand family. The story of our history came to mind, will we ever be at peace? Will the two ever be one?" Pierre sat back in his chair, he looked away and thought before speaking to her again "the anger in Ludso has disappeared, just the prejudice remains, that's what makes it a dangerous place for a Driddon, I think there will be peace, they just need more time" Meghan wondered "how much more time, hundreds of years of 'peace time' have past" Pierre agreed, "I however don't understand how that could have taken away your appetite" Meghan sighed, "It's not that, it's just I enjoy my family and I want you to enjoy them too, I want you to join our family, but I don't want to cause dissensions for my people and further harm to you" Pierre still didn't understand but didn't inquire, Meghan inquired "what's wrong?" Pierre leaned away from her and said "I will never understand you're connection to your family, I was hoping you would move in with me one day, not me move in here" Meghan felt confused "of course, I never imagined that you would be moving here, your work is there. But when I move in with you, we will still come back to my family, at least once a week to show that we haven't abandoned my family" Pierre's countenance fell "you've got to be kidding me, I'm not going to come back here for a family meal once a week, I don't have that kind of time, stamina or care to, when you join me, that's it, I won't be making any special trips. You can while I'm working" Meghan's heart sank "But Pierre, my parents are ageing, they need me, and they'll need our support" Pierre rolled his eyes "fine I'll give them an allowance" Meghan felt enraged "not money support, honestly Pierre! From now on, every week you will be joining my family for a meal, if you don't show, I will not be coming to you the following night. Just as important as my visits are to you, is how important your visits will be to me" Pierre wanted to retort, but there was nothing to say, once again she boxed him in, "fine" Pierre grumbled and walked out "where are you going?" Pierre said nothing and left the apartment. Meghan couldn't believe it, he just walked out on her, this was not the Pierre she knew, with a sigh she asked "who are you really, Pierre?"