A Rock and a Heart Place (gxg)

Chapter 1

Present day

Heavy footfalls echoed throughout the hallway as Prince Joppa haughtily strode towards his father's personal office. He was the second most powerful man in the kingdom, and with his father's age, he knew it was a matter of time before he took over the kingdom himself. As long as his father didn't do anything that upset his plans, he would soon have everything that his heart desired.

The palace in Glirion was cold in the winter, though not nearly as cold as those back in Winterhaven, but his breath still steamed as he walked through the passages. Not that he'd been back in their ancestral home more than half a dozen times, but his father always made sure he appreciated his roots. Once he reached the heavy oaken door, he knocked with the side of his fist for entry, having learned long ago that knuckles rapped on wood in the cold would sting for quite a while.

"Enter!" came the booming voice from within.

Pushing down on the door lever, Joppa pushed open the door, and walked into the office, closing the door behind him. He was immediately grateful for the fire that was to the side of his father's desk, as it provided heat to warm his bones. His father certainly enjoyed it, as he was dressed in a thin tunic even as storms raged in the mountains.

"You wished to see me father?" he asked while taking a knee.

"Rise my son, you don't need to take a knee on your birthday!" the old man's voice was jovial, and Joppa was shocked. Normally his manner was much gruffer and more intimidating.

"Thank you, father," he said gratefully.

"Eleven daughters, and almost that many wives. Did you know that is what it took to get you to where you are today. Did you know that?" his father asked, a twinkle in his eye.

"No father, I didn't," Joppa was on his guard now. He knew that there had been wives galore for the King over the years, but they never produced sons. Said wives and their daughters were soon disposed of in diplomatic marriages, divorces, or in at least one case death. He'd never heard an exact number, but eleven was higher than he imagined.

"But now, you're 18, and I can finally reveal your birthright. Your wife!" Hudd exclaimed, his eyes brimming with mirth.

Joppa's heart sank. He didn't want to be tied down to a wife, some sappy princess from a kingdom he cared nothing for and never would. He wanted to sample every woman he wanted without restraint before settling down with a woman to produce him an heir. "You're arranging a marriage for me?"

"No, my son. You're going to get the prize of Appalya, Princess Inez herself as a wife!" his father announced.

"Princess Inez? Your first wife? I thought she died long ago!"

"I'll tell you a story, and then explain how you're going to get the fairest bride you could imagine producing the strongest heirs you could ask for," the old man cackled, motioning to the leather chair in front of his desk.

Intrigued in spite of himself, Joppa sat down in the chair, and gave his full attention to his father.

"I never married Inez all those years ago. Of course, I never told anyone that, and the populace believed the story. I had her parents killed in the fake bandit raid that gave legitimacy to my invasion, and in a day the kingdom was mine with no blood spilled. Well, none of ours anyway. The citizens of the kingdom accepted it. They didn't have much of a choice. But even now they don't like our rule. What nobody knows though, is that Inez is alive. Well, somewhat. With the help of a sorcerer, I turned her to stone in the shrine we were to be married in. She is, even now, a statue up in the Great Hall of the Stone Teeth and has been for 40 years. I even banned all magic from the kingdom to ensure nobody would be there to free her, not that anyone knew her state." Hudd seemed to relish telling this tale after all this time, and Joppa was sucked right into it. Hudd pulled out a small pouch and tipped it over, causing a silver looking orb to roll out onto his desk in front of Joppa. "All you need to do, is place this sphere on the altar in front of her and heat it with a torch. That will activate the magic, and it will break her curse."