Solsae Kingdom - Part 1

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Episode 1: Fall From Heaven
“I'm Falling…”

“I'm falling down and down”

“The stars as my guide, the moon as my beacon”

“A beautiful, full moon. Its as though its calling out me.”

“I reach out and grasp the night air, my fingers trembling from the biting cold, my breath as white as snow”

“The canopy brushes my skin as I hurtle towards the ground.”

“I fell so far. I fear I forgot the feeling of standing.”

“I take one last glance at the full moon.”

“Its so beautiful. So round and so red.”

“The shadows on the moon almost make it appear to be smiling at me.”

“As though it is offering me its blessings.”

“I beam a struggled smile back at it”

“And then I black out."

________________________________________________________________________________________

A rumbling crash shook the kingdom of Solsae. Well; rather than kingdom it might be better to say Settlement, for its not really a Kingdom at all.

But it does have a king. A man with hair that stands taller than any crown, an ember atop his chiseled face. The people of Solsae gathered around him like fishing boats hurrying out of a storm and towards the comforting glow of the lighthouse.

They trusted him to guide them and keep them safe, and that faith allowed the once flourishing Solsae to once again bloom.

And so, the people named him their King. Rex didn't pass up on this title either. He swore to protect Solsae, his Kingdom, he swore to provide for his subjects and he swore to be the king that this Kingdom needed in these dark times.

But there will be more on that later.

Right now there is another matter. One of the utmost urgency.

The star that fell in a blaze of red and blue fire, the tremor of its impact felt throughout the small kingdom. Gossip ran amok – Talk of treasures falling from the moon and landing somewhere in Wil'o'whisp woods, Rumors that the Kahrlon (The Space Conquerors from the recent Action Feature, Gald's Greats) had sent Dragons to enslave the people of Terraia - and foreboding warnings of an illness that befalls those who go searching for what ever it was that come crashing down from the sky – An illness that makes men perfectly sound of mind so sick in the head that they nary can they tell even up from down. The Lunatic's Curse.

"My king! We have captured the culprit responsible for the lunacy ailing our civilians!" A knight explained. His comrade had a young girl with the reddest of eyes bound in chains. Clearly no dragon or manticore, but an ordinary girl with soft fluffy bunny ears perched atop her head. She was trembling in fear. A pitiful sight.

"You lout... Can you not tell the difference between a civilian and a monster? That girl you you have chained up is no different than those very civilians you claim to be protecting."

"But Sir! I implore you to heed our council! This girl appeared in a crater just outside of town at the same time as the lunacy ran rampant! She took on the form of a giant beast, but when we defeated it, it shape shifted into this form you see! Do not be swayed! It is monster through and through!"

"He's right, my king! Only a true villain would try to sway its captors with such a helpless form! We must put it to death as an example to all monsters. We shall not tolerate pretenders and fakes!

Rex pondered this with his eyes closed. They might have a point. They are doing their job, hapless as they might be. But he thought otherwise, and suggested an outlandish idea.

"In that case, I will adopt this 'fearsome beast' and decide for my self weather it is evil."

S-sir!?" The nights exclaimed in shock. Before they could get a word in, King Rex with a wave of his sword to silence their doubt, insisted "that is the end of the matter!"

They bowed and scurried off leaving the girl chained on the red carpet before his majesties throne.

He sighed. "Imbeciles. All of them."

And with a few brisk strides and a swish of his sword, the chains snapped and pooled around the girl, the only remainder, the broken shackles around her ankles and wrists.

"Welcome to my palace, rabbit."

"M-my name is Amami..." She whimpered meekly, wiping her tear-stained eyes with her now free hands.

"What would you have me do here, sire."

"Let us sup together!" He announced, grabbing the girls(monsters? ) paw in his own, and striding off, practically dragging her along with him to a dining hall already heaped with roast meats and poultries, fresh vegetables and fruits and a myriad of the finest ales.

The two seated at opposite sides of the table, and began to feast on the delicacies. The sounds of munching and crunching, slurping and guzzling filled the hall for a good half an hour before Rex broke the ice:

"Whats your story then, girl?"

She was about to correct him on her name again when he himself corrected "Amami."

With a wry smile, "you wouldn't believe me, even if I told you." She sulked

"Try me"

"I told them... They just said I was a witch. Beat  me with their weapons and tied me up like a Gyuboar!"

"Ah. I saw. Now tell me this unbelievable story." He reiterated, downing a tankard of ale and slamming down the glass, wiping his chin with his sleeve.

She sighed, rather melodramatically. She had a defeated look in her eyes, but she wanted more than anything for somebody to help her. Even after falling again and again, she just wanted somebody to reach out to her. So, even though she might curse her own wavering heart later on, she found her lips moving almost on their own...

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