HOLBETHEM KINGDOM

"Clear the way for his majesty." shouted a soldier.

Five stallions came galloping, the crowd dispersed immediately even before the horses reached them. On the biggest black stallion with a white mane was a warrior. In his presence everyone in the kingdom bowed. He had three soldiers in front of him and back. The hooves of the horses stumped the ground with such force that even the mounters seemed to carry with them, it was as though they expressed their master's forces.

The warrior on the black stallion unlike the rest of his men, he wore a bronze armor with a woolen dull colored overcoat. He put his horse to a halt and swept his gaze across the bowing heads from afar,

"We are honored that your majesty, the crown prince of Holbethem chooses to come and see us, your people." A voice seemingly in the crowd, which later proved to be a stout old man in front of the crowd spoke bravely.

"We the people of Hallom village declare our submission to you, the crown prince," added the old man, "and we shall offer our full loyalty to you and to our Kingdom in honor of our ancestors."

The prince seemingly pleased by the old man's praises, he let his gaze sweep across the crowd with cold eyes, even they had their gazes down, the people felt cold chills sweeping through their spines.

"Look at me." Commanded the prince.

Everyone timidly held their faces up to look at the prince. It was a direct command that everyone had to obey.

"You the people of Hallom," he spoke with such authority that the people naturally felt it to be his subordinates. "are known of your bravery from your ancestors!" he continued.

"Fifteen years back during war with Hilbethem, my king, your king, our king and my father was slain by those callous Hilbeths! The warm blood of many of our great warriors, our brothers, our fathers and our relatives was poured in the cold soils! Rain washed it and dust covered it. Plants are enjoying fertility of our peoples rotten bodies that we could not even retrieve!" His voice was hard and deep with emotion. "These we shall not let to roam free; we must unite and take our revenge, they have to atone for their action, and it is us who are supposed to repay them for our dead ancestors."

At the end of his short speech, everyone was wholly touched, some shed tears as they remembered their loved ones that perished in the battle.

This battle had happened fifteen years back. Holbethem was fighting Hilbethem over a large chunk of land, Hilbethem had been at an advantage over Holbethem because they had reinforcements from the emperor and many of Holbeths were killed including their king who had been slain by King Regan himself.

Because of that, there was known enmity between the Holbeths and the Hilbeths, despite both being under the same emperor.

By the time the king died, Holbeth's crown prince was only ten years old and so it was ruled out the brother to the king, the uncle of the crown prince, should keep the throne until the boy grew.

The hatred grew stronger as Holbeth's crown prince grew older; this was because he always drilled it into the people that what the Hilbeth's did was something they could not even fathom. The intensity of their action is more than what they could comprehend! The hatred and love for revenge among the people also grew and were just waiting for the day the crown prince shall lead them to battle.

His majesty Bekham Hoffman, the crown prince of Holbethem, at the age of twenty-six years was the best warrior in the kingdom. He was as cold as his late father had been, king David Hoffman, who did not tolerate blather. He was a prominent personnel in the kingdom who was loved by everyone. This was not because he was a prince, but because the people had high hopes in him!

He had promised, during the funeral of the king, and whenever the kingdom gathers to commemorate the blood shed by their brothers every year, that he shall not sit on the throne before having Hilbethem surrender to him! He swore to let it face doom under his feet.

"Son, you do not have to solve things with battle every time," said the queen mother one day, "you can sit down on a table and discuss things through!"

"No mother, I promised to my people and must fulfill!" replied Bekh.

"My son, a good king is not the one who destroys, he is that who unites" said the queen mother.

Queen Morgana Hoffman, the queen mother, tried several time to drill it into him that he is not supposed to solve things with revenge always, but he did not listen to her.

Time had come and he was supposed to take over the throne, his uncle was also aging and wanted to hand it to him but he could not sit unless married and also his added condition, unless ha has made the Hilbeths repay! 

In the throne room one day, the king was sat with crown prince, and a royal messenger came in with a letter,

"From Hilbethem, your majesty." He said as bowed.

"Bring it on" said the king.