Part I

It has come to my attention that people that I don't know are now reading, or at least visiting, my blog. To them I say "Welcome, take some time and read my stories. Then post a comment telling me where you are from, leave a prompt, a sentence that you would like to write into a story, and tell me what you think."
To the rest of you thanks for your comments and prompts, I chose this week to use Elliott's, Mikey's, and Mrs C.'s, keep reading and sharing with me. And now a little clarification, my first post was the Prologue to my book that I am writing, I do not intend to post my entire book on this site, my other posts are totally unrelated.
The story this week is part one of two, and I need some help on the title so leave a title in your comment if you wish.
Thank you,
R. Wesley Nance

The king of Dearst, Sorachael, sat high on his horse peering down at the battle below him through a spyglass. He wanted to be with his men, but his generals strictly forbade him from moving off his hilltop perch. His life, they said, was in extreme danger if he dared venture near enough for his brother's long arm to strike a blow.
Five years before Sorachael and his brother Octolivius lived with their father, Coramthor, while he ruled over Dearst. Octolivius was older and therefore next in line for the throne when Coramthor was killed in his sleep. Every shred of evidence but one portrayed Octolivius as the killer, Octolivius maintained his claim to innocence but fled after his father's funeral with a small guard of his followers.
Sorachael was given the crown and, as much as it pained him, set a hefty price on his brother's head at the advice of his cousin, Iotorth. The reward availed to naught and Octolivius escaped the country. Sorachael proceeded to hunt for his brother in the neighboring kingdoms but as he failed again and again to bring his father's killer to justice he let the matter slide into the realm of forgotten things.
Although the kingdom forgot, Sorachael was always plagued by the seeming betrayal of his brother and his own apparent failures and weaknesses as king. So he sunk deep into the counsels of his advisers, in particular Iotorth. Thus Sorachael ruled a peaceful and contented kingdom for three years, until rumors drifted in with the overseas traders of incoming vengeance.
Vengeance landed in the form of Lord Octolivius backed by King Earast, the father of Lord Octolivius' new bride. Initially they were driven off by a hastily raised, but well rested army detachment of Dearst, but returned by way of different shores and gained a foothold in the forests by the western sea.
Lord Octolivius requested a parley with his brother during the ensuing stalemate but his request was refused at the direction of Iotorth, and King Sorachael renewed his assaults on the forest strongholds. Time and time again Lord Octolivius' parley requests were denied until the two armies issued out for a final test of strength.
And so it was that King Sorachael sat upon his horse longing to be among his men but denied even that small privilege. He looked down upon his army, they were losing this engagement, unable to turn the field to their advantage. It appeared as though the new come vengeance would have its day.
* * *
Lord Octolivius looked across this glorious field at his slow coming victory. A sorrow lay still on his heart, he had not come for this, he had come to talk to his brother. But the deep sown hatred against him could not be rooted out and his own people who had once loved him turned and drove him from their shores.
Lord Octolivius saw a flash from the top of a hill across the plain, it could be no other than his brother who refused even to hear an honest plea of innocence from a forgotten comrade.
After he fled Octolivius made his way to the sea and set out across its vastness with no destination in mind and landed in the realm of King Earast. He found refuge in Earast's court and caught the attention of Earast's eldest daughter. The king was taken by Octolivius' tale of persecution for a crime he did not commit and made Octolivius the sole inheritor to the kingship and gave his eldest daughter to bind the will.
For two years Octolivius lived content but became troubled as time passed. The king gathered a force to protect his son-in-law and accompanied him after finding that Octolivius wished only to speak with his brother. They landed and attempted several times to peacefully seek a parley but eventually discovered that only through force would they gain an audience with Sorachael.
Victory was slow in coming but Octolivius had one more move to make that would seal it.
At once a great chorus rose from the nearby shore, the sirens were singing. Octolivius looked at the moon, "They've started too early!" he shouted to his captains. And it was true, the moon had not yet reached its prime, the song sung too early and without correlation from the moon could cause disastrous effects.
Octolivius could see now that his final blow had turned upon its wielder, his men fell dead on the spot, more than half of them. The rest were shocked and fled, as did he, flying to a small house on the edge of the woods.
For the better part of an hour Octolivius hid in the house before his brother found his hiding place. An incessant pounding on the door continued until the blows to the door finally shivered the door like a rock taken to a window. Sorachael strode into the room and hauled Octolivius to his feet by the collar of his shirt and pressed a pistol between Octolivius' eyes.
"Why did you kill him?" Sorachael asked.
"I did NOTHING to him." Octolivius replied.
"Then why did you come back?" Sorachael asked.
"All I wanted was to…" Octolivius started before his brother cut him off.
"Was to return and receive the kingdom you stole from our father." finished Sorachael and before his brother could answer Sorachael released his pent up sorrow and anger with the bullet ending his brother's life. He held the body for a moment before letting it fall to the floor and turning to find Iotorth.
"He did nothing, my cousin" Iotorth said, then drew his own pistol and in an instant cast his cousin's lifeless body to the floor with his other cousin.
"I did."
To Be Continued.....

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