Protectors of Duval
Revolution
By Luke Whiteman
Copyright 2013 Luke Whiteman
Introduction
Two kingdoms, White and Logar, rule the planet of Duval. Trene White is the king of the White Kingdom. The day seems normal whenever there’s suspicious activity in the kingdom. Before he realizes it, Trene is faced with a revolution. The Logars’ are behind the revolution, but Trene has doubts to if he can stop it. Soon, he is faced with a choice that he may not be able to make.
This book is a work of fiction. The
names, characters, places, and incidents are products of
the writer’s imagination or have been used fictitiously and
are not to be construed as real. Any resemblance to
persons, living or dead, actual events, locales or
organizations is entirely coincidental.
Acknowledgements
Thank you to all of my friends and family who stood behind me with your support. I wouldn’t have pursued this dream without you all. You’re all amazing. Special thanks to fellow author Doug Ward for listening to all my crazy ideas and giving me all the advice and information I needed. A very special thanks to dimitri_c on sxc.hu for allowing me to use one of his images for the cover, you’re awesome. I would also like to thank my parents for never doubting my writing skills and always pushing me to challenge myself.
Protectors of Duval: Revolution
Chapter One
Duval was a peaceful planet. Three kingdoms had emerged that were powerful and bountiful. The first was the White Kingdom. The second was the Logar Kingdom. The third was the Kilimi Kingdom. All three of these domains wanted the most power, but settled in splitting the planet’s land in equal three parts. Each realm was bordered by the others, which were also kept in line by them as well.
War erupted between all three kingdoms, known as the Great War. All three kingdoms fought against each other, believing this was their chance to seize the most power on the planet. Months past and the violence was only getting more intense. Each kingdom lost land and gained land. The number of soldiers killed was almost unbearable. After one year of fighting, the three kings declared peace on Duval.
Since the battles there has been over a thousand years of peace on Duval. The Kilimi Kingdom had been through hard times after the Great War. There was an agreement made between the Kilimi Kingdom and the White Kingdom. The two zones would merge and the Whites would continue to rule the now larger realm. The Logars’ felt cheated, and now they knew that they were the less powerful of the two kingdoms. They had to do something.
Chapter Two
My eyes slowly started to flutter open. Two beams of light flooded the spacious bedroom from the two large windows on the wall. The light toasty brown stones, the walls and ceiling were made of, brought me instant peace inside. I knew I was home, and that’s all I needed to feel to be calm inside.
I looked to my right and saw my partner in life. Her black hair tumbled over the green sheets of our bed. Her tan skin was beautiful. I slowly got out of the bed, careful not to wake my wife and walked over to the window and looked out at the sun. Its warmth instantly washed over me.
I turned and went back over towards the bed, opening my nightstand drawer and pulling out a metal rod. It felt good in my hand, natural. I also took out an item alien to my planet. It’s called a watch. After sliding it onto my wrist, I felt protected by it. Both of these items were not made by Duvalian hands, but they were made for my species.
I heard movement in the bed next to me. Looking over I saw my wife stirring. “Hello, Linet,” I whispered to her lovingly.
“Good morning, Trene,” Linet whispered back at me. Her green eyes were beautiful, just like the oceans of Duval.
She got out of the bed and walked to the windows, absorbing the sunlight as I had done moments before. I walked over and put my arm around her shoulder. We stood there for a few moments, enjoying each other’s company. There was a creaking sound and I looked to the wooden door that was opposite of the bed.
A small child entered the room, only a few years in age. His black hair reached his chin and his green eyes lit up his entire face. He would be strong when he grew older. He would be able to lead an army and rule our kingdom without opposition. That’s if I can make sure he has a kingdom to rule when he is older.
“Lukus, come to your father,” I told my son, who gleefully ran over to me. I picked him up off the ground using my telekinesis. He giggled, and I smirked. He always loved it when I used my transformations.
“How did the young prince sleep?” Linet asked Lukus. She tickled his stomach and he giggled some more.
There was a knocking at the door. I turned around and saw who it was. Placing Lukus down, I kissed Linet. Slipping a heavier green shirt on, I exited the room. The person was patiently waiting outside of my room. The person was my most trusted general, Klid Logar.
“My Lord White, we need your assistance in the throne room,” Klid reported to me. I nodded and walked with him to the throne room.
Yes, Klid’s a Logar. Yes, the Logars’ are the only other kingdom on Duval. Yes, the Logars want power and are willing to attack us to do so. Klid’s the second oldest Logar son, which means he does not rule the Logar Kingdom. Klid was angered by his brother when his father passed away and joined the Royal Army in my kingdom. Klid ranked up and earned my trust.
Klid has a child as well, Clar’s his name. Lukus and Clar are best of friends. They often play in the fields below the castle near the ocean. They always think they are alone but I have someone watching over them at almost all times.
The big wooden doors to the throne room opened up. Klid and I entered the room and joined the men circled in the middle of it. The group was composed of soldiers and other high ranking officials of my kingdom. I looked around the circle and saw familiar faces.
“Why do you summon me here this early in the day?” I asked the group of people.
“There’s a rumor spreading my Lord,” Klid started to tell me.
“A rumor? Why should I care about a rumor?” I grunted, now walking past the group and up to the three thrones in the back of the room. I sat in the middle one, and looked over the group.
“They’re rumors of a revolution,” one of the men said. The man was tall and muscular, his black hair was short compared to the other men in the group. He was one of my most trusted soldiers I had. His name was Pote Mark.
“A revolution!” I exclaimed. It seemed as though the wind was knocked out of me.
“Yes. That’s what we’ve heard,” another man said, his face was painted with worry.
“Where did you hear these rumors from?” I asked, curious to find the root of the possible revolution.
“I heard them in the market place east of the castle,” Pote reported to me.
“Take me there, Pote. Klid, you too will come. The rest of you, guard the castle. I’ll return by noon,” I ordered, and everyone bowed to me.
I walked into the castles stables and went to my steed. It was a frup. It had a thick hide, two tusks and could easily hold three people. I mounted my frup; the other two did the same to their individual steeds. The three frups took off towards the market place east of the castle.
The possibility of a revolution against me was hard to take in. I had done nothing wrong as the king. I always listened to what the people wanted and tried to answer their requests. I had a son who I would teach right from wrong making sure he would be a good king before I passed the throne to him. The kingdom’s in good economic state, even the Kilimi section making sure that the Kilimi section got extra economic support to take it out of its slum.
The possibility of a Logar infiltrating the ranks just to poison the kingdom and bring it to its knees is a possibility. I trust Klid though, so I doubt it’s him. I know Linet isn’t so trusting, and she told me to keep and extra eye on him while she looks for a prophet.
“We’re here my lord,” Klid told me. We slowed our frups to a stop and tied them to a few posts outside the market.
“Pote, lead us to the area in which you heard these rumors,” I said to him, and he nodded his head.
The market place had dozens of shops with assorted goods. People were crammed in the spaces all around shops trying to get their goods and go home. We forced our way through the crowds. People bumped into us and then apologized when they saw who I was.
We approached a small hut after a few minutes. It was made of wood and had a roof made of a straw like vegetation. There was a black triangle painted on the door. “Is this the place?” I asked Pote curiously.
“Yes, my lord, it is,” he responded to me.
I took my time making a plan of action. I needed to do this carefully because everything I do the public will hear about. I could break the door in and force an answer out of the people inside but that would reflect badly upon my family and me. I could enter and then ask them, but they would probably lie to me. There’s no right way to do this.
I opened the door with my telekinesis and walked in. Klid and Pote followed me and I could sense they were tensing up, unsure of what I was going to do. The shack had two rooms with one doorway to access the other. “I’ll be right there,” a frail old voice called out. I stood there with my two trusted men behind me, waiting to see what was going on. I looked to the walls out of boredom and saw a multitude of swords, axes and knives hanging off of hooks.
A little old lady walked up front from another room in the shack. She looked at me and her face grew serious. Bingo. She looked from me to Klid, and she gave a face of confusion. She then looked to Pote and nothing registered on her face. “Can I help you?” the elderly woman asked me.
“Yes, I’m looking into a rumor that has spread from this section of the market place,” Pote said to the woman. ‘Act as though you are looking for a weapon. I will see what I can do,’ Pote said to me telepathically.
Walking over to the wall, I picked an axe up off the wall. I swung it a few times, and then hung it back on the wall, then selected a sword and held it with both hands. It was long and expertly crafted. I looked and saw it was marked cheaply, and I like the sword. I’ll purchase it; maybe Lukus will like it when he’s older even though he too already has a weapon.
The lady then took Pote into the back room, and she waved Klid back too. This was interesting, but I need to keep busy. ‘Leave the store. She talked about how her plan may be achievable sooner than she expected,’ Pote’s voice told me in my mind.
I walked over to the counter and placed the correct amount of money down for the sword and selected its scabbard. I attached it to my waist and left the store. I went to another place and looked at some exotic wines and fruit. I honestly was concerned about this revolution.
After twenty minutes, Pote and Klid emerged from the shop. Klid was sweating and Pote looked serious. “What was that?” I asked them curiously.
“That’s one source, but there are more. There are multiple areas that concern us,” Klid said quickly, and Pote nodded.
“What other places are there?” I asked, wondering what other parts of my kingdom are tainted.
“There are a lot. We must strategize before we try anything else,” Pote told me.
“I asked for locations,” I grunted and Klid sighed.
“The Islands of Brohm, The Solitary, and many more,” Klid told me, and Pote gave him a confusing look.
“The woman said nothing of the Islands of Brohm,” Pote reported and Klid made a face of regret.
“Let’s go back to the castle. We can talk there,” I said and the others nodded.
I walked up to my frup and mounted it. I waited for the Pote and Klid to do the same, and then we took off back to the castle. I couldn’t stop thinking about the way Klid was acting. Also how Pote was able to point out something that made Klid act the way he did. Could Klid really be planning a revolution against me?
As we rode back up the cobblestone path to the castle I saw Lukus walking down the hill by himself toward the beach. He was innocent, and I feared his life would be a difficult one. Nothing good comes with having power, just stress and distrust. I hope that he will not know the taste that I had now, but only the future knows what’s in store for us.
I tied my frup up in the stable and gave the sword I purchased in the market to a runner boy. “Take this to the ship and put it in the armory,” I whispered to him.
“My lord, the ships have been moved to Sow,” the runner told me.
“Still get it there, it is important to me,” I told him, and he nodded. He walked over to a frup and got on it. He took off down the hill and towards the town of Sow.
“My lord, will you accompany us to the throne room for a meeting?” Pote asked me.
“No meetings yet, I’m hungry and I wish to spend some time with my son,” I told them.
“Shall I send for someone to fetch your son?” Klid asked me, a little bit of sweat running down his forehead.
“No thank you. I’m going to take him some food,” I said, and he nodded.
I walked out of the stables and into the castle, and then walked through the great halls. I walked into the kitchen and fetched a basket and got some bread, meat, cheeses and fruit. I also took two glasses and closed the basket, then exited the kitchen and walked back towards the entrance to the castle.
“Trene, where did you go?” a familiar voice asked me. I turned around and saw Linet. She was in a green dress with white spirals moving down it. She also had on a small crown with a single green gem in the gold sea of metal.
“I went to the market place to investigate a rumor,” I said discreetly and Linet walked closer.
“What rumor?” she asked me in a whisper.
“A rumor of a revolution,” I whispered to her and she gasped.
“How did the investigation go?” Linet asked me, I could sense the fear in her voice.
“Corruption’s spread throughout the kingdom. Klid seems to know a lot about it,” I told her, and she slapped me.
“I told you not to trust a Logar!” she quietly yelled at me.
“I have no proof that he is the source!” I fought back.
“Where are you off to now?” she asked me, changing the subject before we got into a fight.
“I’m going to see Lukus and spend some time with him,” I told her and she smiled.
“Good, he needs a father,” she told me gently, and walked away.
Chapter Three