Traitors of the Realm - Kingmaker Book 1

Lobo - The Talk of Rebellion Chapter 1

The days when men rode dragons and Kings fought against Kings were gone, and all that was left were ruins and death. There were many cities that were destroyed by dragon fire and Alcadia was one of them. The triangular towers stood tall and half-torn, waiting for strong winds to knock them down. The buildings looked burnt and grim, struggling to stand on their own with wood at all sides, bracing their fall. The city of coal, the soldiers of Mordrid would often call it mockingly for there wasn't a stone in the city that was not covered in black. The streets were filled with human remains, buried beneath the ashy ground, being stepped upon by all those who dwelled there. But the men who were buried there didn't die by the dragon's wrath but by that of King Ryker, who had no mercy for the men. There were once twelve Kingdoms and now there was one, the Kingdom of Mordrid, where King Ryker ruled over all.

The King's word was law and it was considered treason to speak ill of the King and his family, but it never stopped Old Lobo. He was the greatest storyteller in all the land, or at least that's what he told the people of Alcadia. He stood on his small wooden stage he made for himself, speaking to over a hundred people who would listen to the tales he had to tell. Old Lobo believed that telling stories was his hobby, but telling a good one was his job. He would often tell the stories of the dragons, the men who rode them and the war they fought. He stood there, taking in the cold air of the morning while the rain poured slightly over his red leather robe. His head was half bald and he wore a beard upon his face, grey and trimmed short. He was a man that appeared well over the age of sixty and was tall, thin, and stronger than he looked.

"There was no beast greater than Melador," said Old Lobo with a raspy voice for all to hear. "Melador was ridden by none other than King Rowan of Elsinguard, the most beloved King in all the Kingdoms. King Rowan had the war won, killing Heldrix in front of his master. The unruly King Ryker had fallen on the ground next to his dead beast, begging for his life as Melador's mouth came closer to him. Some say the man shit himself." Old Lobo laughed as hard as the crowd, pretending to have not told it a thousand times before.

"But as the great beast came closer to devour the sly King, Melador was struck in his heart with the largest arrow ever made. As the creature drew his final breath a dozen arrows descended upon his master. King Rowan died next to his beloved beast. The man who killed them was the traitor known as King Kade, better known as the Dragon Slayer."

When old Lobo was finished telling his tales, the men cheered him on by throwing pennies onto his stage and the women who had no money to pay showed him their bosoms. The old man smiled as he gazed upon them, all different shapes and sizes, all in many colours. After the crowd left, the soldiers of Mordrid approached him, clutching their steel swords as they came closer. Thirteen of them circled around him. Their armour covered in red and silver, their helms opened to show their faces. On their chests was imprinted a flaming sun with a dragon at its centre. One of the men gripped Lobo by his collar, his light brown eyes were staring back into the dark lonely eyes of the old man.

"You mock your King behind his back," the man told him. "You will be hanged for this."

"I wasn't mocking," said the old man trying to defend himself. "Everything I said was true."

"Nothing you say is true, old man. It's just another one of your stories."

"None of you were there. I witnessed it myself." Lobo confessed. "How old are you, boy?" Lobo asked. "You look twenty."

"It matters not how old I am. I do the asking, not you," said the soldier.

"When the war had taken place, I'm sure you were still swimming in your father's ballsack. You will not charge me for anything, boy, for I know what I know and you know not." The young man moved his hands from Lobo's collar while his men looked on. "What's your name?" Lobo then asked.