Last String of Hope - Excerpt

A Story by Madam Bu

Prologue to a very old story idea, Ghost, redone.

It happened so long ago.

       To people in this country, it still feels like yesterday. The people of Ethein once slept peacefully at night, knowing that they were governed by a good, if not always perfect ruler. They had complaints as any nation did. Still, there had been far fewer who went hungry. Men did not find themselves reduced to begging in the streets quite so often and women were held better as equals. Orphans were rarer then. The amount of sick increased as well. It all went to pot, really. It's incredible to think that it all boils down to a set of brothers born just as any others. Two brothers who had once been close, but the prospect of being the next High Prince dashed that friendship. For there was a brother out of the two… This brother wanted it more.

       Xavier was generally very loved by the people. Surprisingly enough, Xavier was the younger brother and not destined to the throne as his elder, Avery. It was noted by those who lived in the palace that Avery coveted his father's crown. The closer he got to his reign, the worse he became. His spoilt attitude was bitter and foul, as was his temper. Entitled and rude, Avery frequented the fair-sized harem kept for the two brothers to enjoy until marrying. Avery was known to be a notorious flirt; women of noble birth were warned against being alone with him, as if that alone could dash their innocence and mark them. Avery was cruel when he felt wronged and took an odd enjoyment out of punishing the guard for the littlest things.

       Meanwhile, his little brother stayed out of most public notice. Keeping to his studies, Xavier was content to spar with the men in the yard and carry on polite conversation with whoever was interested. The polar opposite to his brother, Xavier was.

       A mere week before Avery was to take the crown from his father, Usef, it was announced that a treaty of peace was to be signed between Ethein and Telis �" a tribal country to the south east. This news was met by rejoice from the south eastern people especially, who had for years suffered raiders to steal livestock and trash barns. While the people rejoiced, however, Avery seethed. He felt that the Telis tribes were far too barbaric and that the land would be better for Ethein's use. Upon discovering that his father meant to make peace with them, he rounded up a fair sized group of men who saw his point of view and lead an attack on the border. This attack caused so much anger in the people of Telis that the idea of a treaty became a thing of the past �" and within a month, the only peace Usef could get was a wall built on the border and a promise that it would not be crossed again.

       Usef was in a rage. Not only had his son obliterated twenty years of effort in a single afternoon, but he had directly defied the law of his High Prince �" and the will of his father. Arrogantly, Avery expected a particularly furious lecture and some kind of reprimand but Usef had much more in store for his oldest son. With no delay, Usef summoned his sons before him in the throne room. He did not dismiss the court goers as one might have expected. It became quickly evident that he wanted an audience for this moment. Rapt, the room was silent as Usef stared down his sons.

       He took his time. He drew out the suspense of what was to come. Despite the out of character behavior, Avery showed no fear and even seemed to be amused by this. Xavier, however, was stock still and stone faced. Finally, the truth of what was to come rattled the halls of the throne room. While Avery was not banished, he was refused the right to ever wear the crown. Usef made it clear that Xavier would take it instead �" and that Avery would be permitted to live his life, long and happy, forever cared for in the palace. He would live that life, watching his brother wear the crown that would have been his. This was possibly the cruelest kind of punishment that Usef had ever passed down, if only because of how acutely it would hurt its receiver. Avery did not believe it at first and spent months insisting that his father merely jested; still furious from the ruined attempt at peace with Telis.

       Once he finally came to believe… Things took a turn for the worst.

       This caused a great hate to fester in the elder prince's heart. As the two men grew older, Avery privately gathered followers to rise up against High Prince Xavier. It happened the very day that Usef passed away. Avery attacked the palace with his men and brought Xavier's guard to their knees. The amount of traitors was staggering. Most assumed that the number could have only been brought on by Xavier's repeated attempts to mend the damage his brother had caused �" damage that those plagued by border raids had heavily agreed with. Many in the south east of Ethein had praised Avery's actions, despite the repercussions. Xavier wanted peace for his people, not war. It was, ironically, one of his most greatly opposed choices in his reign.

       Avery took advantage of this divide and summed up more traitors, promising to demolish Telis. After the castle was taken, Xavier and his wife fled into hiding. For ten years, they remained hidden from Avery and his treachery. In those ten years… Ethein began to fall.

       Acting on his promise, Avery invaded Telis. It was a massacre. Ten thousand men marched over the border and less than half returned home in one piece �" Avery had greatly underestimated the power of the Telis Tribes. Outraged families started riots. Cities began to feel the wrath of the people as Dukes were run out of their homes, watching as their nice things went up in flames. It was only fifteen years after the disappearance of the High Prince that the rebellion, also known as the Black Rebellion, gained power in the east, hidden by the mountains. By the time twenty years had passed, it became unwise to travel in the mountains. Rumor spread that lone traveler on mountain roads might come out naked with nothing due to the thieves and rebels that ran rampant throughout the trees.

       Fifteen years ago, it was discovered that Xavier �" who had been hiding with the Rebels in one of their many massive hideaways �" had died of scarlet fever. This news was met with sorrow all over the country. Entire towns were splattered with mourners wearing black for weeks. Two months later, hope was reborn in the people. While Xavier's wife was also rumored to have died �" she left a child in her wake. Better, she had left a son.

       That son, to this day, lived among the rebels. He was their hope for the future of this country. Many rebels hoped that when he got a bit older and when the time finally came for it, he would take his father's crown and revive what had once been a very beautiful legacy.

       I don't know if I'll live up to expectations. But I can try… Right?

© 2011 Madam Bu

Author's Note

I've been working on this story for roughly five or six years. Normally, it's a much different take. But I think this is the absolute best I've ever done with Ghost. The reason behind him becoming known AS Ghost is even better this time around.

And oddly enough, the very core of all this happening spurred from me playing a video game at my best guy friend's house. Seriously. One character in that game. Not even the actual character - just his weapon. That sparked a complete and total new change for Ghost and the trilogy.

I can't post it here because of publishing issues - and I want to get this published someday - but feel FREE to ask about trading emails to become one of my beta readers.

This is the rough draft of the prologue (which is why I'm comfortable posting THIS. It'll get changed when I come back to edit the manuscript.)

The prologue is titled "LAST STRING OF HOPE" -- Guess you can see why, huh? Hahaha

Tell me what you think!