Shadows over Erosa

The Kingdom of Erosa was a land of peace and prosperity, ruled by the just and righteous King Robert. At his side stood his beautiful daughter, Princess Elara. The people of Erosa were happy and flourishing; they deeply respected their wise king and admired the clever, graceful princess. To the north lay a kingdom quite unlike Erosa. The people there were ruled by a greedy and wrathful king named Thomas. His subjects despised him, though they clung to his hollow promises of wealth and prosperity. These promises were the only thread keeping them loyal. For the people of the northern kingdom, hope alone bound them to their king. King Thomas ruled the Northern Kingdom of Horne and was desperate to conquer Erosa. The feud between the two realms began three years ago, after the death of Horne’s former ruler, King Lawrence. Unlike his successor, Lawrence was a gracious and devoted king who understood the delicate balance required between the two kingdoms. Horne lies far to the north, a realm of ice, snow, coal, wolves, and elk. By contrast, the southern kingdom of Erosa boasts warm beaches teeming with fish and resources such as palm trees and coconuts. Dense forests surround Erosa’s outer lands, home to wildlife that provides food, clothing, labor, and even companionship. Erosa is rich in resources compared to Horne. Under King Lawrence, a treaty between the kingdoms created abundance for both. Without such a treaty, Horne cannot sustain itself for long. King Robert is well aware of the growing threat. For the past fortnight, scouts have patrolled the border. Horne’s spies search tirelessly for weaknesses in Erosa’s defenses. Inside the castle’s meeting chamber, King Robert enters to find his advisors waiting. “The presence of scouts at our border has many of our people fearing an imminent attack!” Sir Martin exclaims. Sir Martin, the king’s first knight, stands tall at 6’4”, a formidable man with a perfect smile, blue-green eyes, dirty blonde hair, and a slightly scruffy beard. “Indeed,” King Robert replies gravely. “We must not give them further reason to continue this aggression.” “We have to act, Your Majesty. We can’t just let Horne terrorize our people,” Sir Martin urges. “The time will come, Sir Martin. We must begin strengthening our defenses against the growing threat of war,” King Robert responds. Princess Elara steps forward. “We should all be ready, Father!” “No!” King Robert snaps. “I will not risk my only child and heir to the throne in a war brought on by a tyrant!” “At the very least, I should be trained to defend myself if they reach the castle,” Elara pleads, her voice soft but firm. King Robert sighs. “If you insist, I will entrust Sir Martin with teaching you to wield a sword—though I sincerely hope you’ll never need to use it.” He exhales deeply and adds, “With any hope, this war will end in a new treaty before it festers and erupts into chaos.”