THE ROSE REBELLION

It began a couple years ago when the prince of house Vhalniiria discovered the fountain of eternal life that allowed him to inherit the vampiric flesh and blood, granting him the power of abnormal strength. With his new found strength on his hands, he sparked a rebellion against his father--the first king who ruled Imiria in fear with his mighty legions of Vhalniirian Guards. He prefer to fight his own battle so he could hide his power from everyone's sight. But even with the strength to crush a stone with his bare hands, he could not lay a finger on his father at the very first battle he started. With the son of the first king that serves as a beacon of hope to inspire treason among the peasants, the King lifted his sword to deliver the final blow to end his son. But then-- "I gave you power, boy", the King lowered his blade as he look at him in the eye. "I led you to that fountain to give you purpose. Yet you misused it to pursue your foolish dream like a child who want to live in a fairy tale. And now you want our subjects to live in a world filled with your weakness?". The Vhalniirian guards arrived before them along with the peasants who fought beside the rebel prince. One of them is the women he loved who now bows before the king, begging for her life as to admit she never loved him to begin with for the sake of power. "Please, my King", she began. Regret swallowed her face, making it hard for Prince Ramerius to hate her for her betrayal. He couldn't even bare to look at her. "He forced me, my King! I never wanted to betray the throne! Spare this foolish wom--". Before she could finish her words for mercy, the King raise his hands for an execution. The Vhalniirian guard who have her pinned to the ground raise her halberd of death, aiming for her head to be removed. "Father! No! Don't hurt her! Spare her please!". "You know the consquences, my son", King Bloodmourn intoned. "But I had enough. What I hate the most is to dishonor the family name by falling in love to a coward who want to save their own skin". Add that to her perverse obssession for power and her lying tongue. King Bloodmourn can forgive many things. "But this...this is unforgivable. End her". With a single wave of his bloodied and armored hand, this guard swinged her weapon in one, quick chop, having her head rolling to the bloody ground. Prince Ramerius grit his teeth in anger and mental anguish. His hands clenched in fury as he look at his lover's face--tears streaming down on her cheeks, lifeless and despair and an absence of hope. "I will kill you for this, father!", Ramerius bit his lips. "The night will come, when you think you are safe and happy, and that night will burn you to the ground! And the world will know our pain!". Prince Ramerius opened his mouth. Before the guards could even stop him to whatever he is about to do, he bit his tongue hard enough to cut it in half, ending his own life before his father could even react-- mourning and weeping for the only heir he just lost. ..... ..... ..... A NEW BEGINNING, YEAR 500 AND ONE He was the first and the last king who walked the continent of Imiria for one hundred years. He led Vhalniiria to the heights that even gold and foreign power cannot reach, and his victories against the northern wolves would earn him the crown of blood--making him the one and only king of Vast Imiria. "And we shall say King Gaius Potimus of House Vhalniiria, and we shall declare him as the one, Unconquerable King! Long may he reign!". His trusted advisor shouted his name in glory before the nobles of the great court. But King Bloodmourn sat on his jeweled throne, his mind was likely focus to something else, and he couldn't care less about his recent victories he hardly fought. "It looks like he wasn't happy, Lord Rein", advisor Maurice said as he grab a glass of wine. "I wonder what's bothering his majesty. For every battle won keeps him distant from his subjects and to himself. Some say he is being haunted by his son for ten years. Imagine what it feels like". "Careful now, lord rein. The mention of the cursed prince cannot be taken lightly. If his majesty heard about this...". Maurice poured another wine. "You're a hypocrite, Lord Maurice. We all know you are waiting for his majesty to die of loneliness or something. But the entire court want him dead", Lord Rein smirked. "I guess we're on the same side then". They cheered their glass of wine with mischief covering their faces. At the throne where the king sat a few stairs away, the cup bearer of the King was standing beside him. "Look at those noble fools, boy", King bloodmourn said to his personal cup bearer. "They are eating my food, dining on the great halls that I designed. What do you think of them? Come on. You can say it", King bloodmourn eyed the young cup bearer with a steel look on his face. "I think... I think they are speaking treason, your majesty...And Lord Maurice is one of them, I think?". King bloodmourn laughed at this. "I think you should be my advisor, boy. Tell me your name". The cup bearer cast the goblet aside and kneeled before the King as he speak his name. "Its ramerius, your majesty. In the flesh". King bloodmourn shoot his eyes wide open as the cup bearer suddenly changed his face before him with a dark, grim one, probably the face of his own son. He revelead his tongue that was cut in half as he smiled. "I remembered what you did to me, father, and you will pay for what you've done". King bloodmourn's arms was shaking in fear, staggering back on his throne as he look at his cup bearer that he mistook as his own dead son? "Get---get away from me!". The nobles stopped themselves from drinking and eating as they heard the scream. Even on the highest throne a few stairs away, they can predict what is happening above. They saw the cup bearer who was shock just like them as he suddenly spilled the wine. "Aren't you happy to see me, father?". "I said get away from me!". King bloodmourn closed his eyes in fear as he wave his arms aimlessly, begging the boy to get away from him. The nobles erupt in shock whispers at this. Maurice and Lord Rein exchange glances with shock, but also with amusement and smirk around their faces. "Call the guards! Now!", maurice screamed. Meanwhile, at the King's throne... "I can wait another ten years for you to feel safe and happy, and you will know that night, will be the time that I will burn you to the ground!". The cup bearer who is in shock and have no idea what is going on stood before the king, trying everything he could to calm him down. "Your majesty! Are you alright!? Did I do something to offend you?!", he said. He is shaking in fear the same way King bloodmourn was feeling. But on King Bloodmourn's head, he closed his eyes and staggered in fear. Then he heard the voice of his son's lover who is begging for her life once more. "Your majesty! Please! Spare me!". King bloodmourn's fear grows stronger at this. He tightened his grip on his goblet of wine as he cower on his throne. His eyes are still shut in fear. It was the last voice that made him scream even more. "He forced me to put his tongue on your cup! Your majesty! Forgive me for what I've done!". A great shiver run down his spine as he opened his eyes to see his goblet. There it was a wine of blood with the other half of Ramerius's tongue? He saw it with his own eyes even though it wasn't true. Then he throw the goblet on the boy's face. "Kill him! I want him dead this instant!". Before the boy could even run, still not sure of what's happening, the king's guards ascended to the throne to pinn the cup bearer on the ground. But it was Maurice who told them to take the boy away instead, rather than to spill blood on the very sacred night of celebration for their victory on the north. King bloodmourn was escorted by a handful of maiden back to his bed chambers to rest. The rest of the nobles were still whispering from left to right, but it was lord rein and the advisor maurice who brought back the same atmosphere that they tend to enjoy. "I guess we need a new king, lord rein". Maurice poured another wine. "Shall we take the throne for ourselves?". "As long as I remain advisor to the king". "You really are a snake, my future advisor". "And my advice is to take it without rebelling". "Shall we begin?". "Ah, yes, my lord. It is time for the next rose to bloom in the garden of thorns". "Long live to me". "Aye. Long live the king". . . . THE ROSE REBELLION Introduction And it will soon take its place. There at the back of the great hall was a hooded boy looking at them. "They really think they can get away with this. The nerve of those guys...Lord Rein, you call him? My father's traitor?". "Should I get rid of them, your higness?". The hooded boy took a sip of water. "No. My father may look like he is about to break, but he lived for hundred of years, and he still proves to be capable than those backstabbing traitors". "What are you planning to do then?". "We shall simply wait for him to recover". "And what if he can't? your higness?". The boy broke his glass with his bare hands. "Then I will have to study harder so I can learn how to lead just like what that voice was telling me". "What voice? Your higness, if may I ask?". The boy gave him a long glance. "He always appear on my dreams. He said he know my father and his victories and flaws. He said he know better than him and would gladly give me his wisdom. I want to live in a fairy tale where everyone is happy. And now he is helping me to get what I want. I only need to wait for him at night". The man was curious about his dream. "This voice...did they tell you their name?". His frequent questions started bothering him, but he answered him in honesty. "He never say his name, but he said something about the Rose Prince...".