#{The Callous King of Gehenna}: Royalty Verse

[the-taboo-king]

@more-than-a-princess liked [+] for a starter.

   A king on his throne, fingers tapping with an itch he is no longer allowed to scratch. He does hope the visit from this royal representative from Novoselic will lighten his burden some but he suspects it won’t. The neighbouring kingdoms have been surprisingly resistant to the pressure he has been placing upon them. It can be quite frustrating, especially for a tyrant who does not wish to wholesale slaughter people. Not that he is advertising that fact. Let them believe he is a power hungry king with an iron grip on his growing empire. It makes the other rulers terrified of him and he quite likes that.

   A herald announces the arrival of his esteemed guests. He takes a breath and adjusts his position on his throne, relaxing into the cold metal and single cushion. He did not like the lavish display his greedy father portrayed. He prefers intimidating and cold. Still, the way he lounges makes it appear he is quite comfortable with his authority. Another part of the image.

   Hard eyes watch the princess and her entourage stream into his grand hall. Many of the wealthy trappings of the merchant king before him still adorn the walls but it is a little more austere than it once was. The increased military presence only adds to that harsh appearance. The young king briefly wonders what these foreigners think of this. Did any of them have dealings with his father before his untimely death by his bastard son’s hand?

     “Ah, the Princess of Novoselic. There was no need to come all this way to tell me your parents have agreed to all my demands. A simple letter would have sufficed,” There is such arrogance in his tone, such surety. It is as if he knows exactly what she is here for but in truth he doesn’t.

   He does hope they have agreed to giving him the stretch of land his army has invaded. That would be preferable to the grizzly message he’ll have to send if they plan to waste his time here.

[the-taboo-king]

@hcpefulmarshmallow​ gets a Royalty Verse Starter because dumb royal boys!

   Gundham stands among the ashes of an estate, smoke still curling off of the charred wooden supports as the sun rises over this destruction. The king sighs, eyeing this devastation with some regret. How often he wishes there was no need to resort to these extremes but a rebellion has to be crushed, its members dealt with as brutally as possible. In this case a siege of this wealthy estate with the intent of an arrest led to the building getting burned down with its inhabitants still inside. It will send a clear message.

   “You needn’t be here, Your Majesty,” says the officer who is in charge of this operation.

    “I do,” Gundham says, voice grave. “I need to witness the price of my ambition. ... Anything else that needs reporting?”

   “... We found a survivor. The son. He is alive and, beyond some singeing, surprisingly unharmed. He was placed in a traitor’s cell.”

   “Hmm ... Well, I supposed that will be my next destination this morning. Thank you captain,” the King says, turning on his heels and striding towards his horse. Perhaps he can find something good in all of this.

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      The young King’s boots echo in the cold silence of the dungeon. It smells so damp down here, creating a musty humidity he finds unpleasant. Perhaps because it reminds him of too many nights sleeping in a gutter. But at least this level has windows. Small slips cut into the walls at the top of each cell, peering out into the street at foot level, each one with iron bars set into the stone. Gundham comes to a stop before one such cell, eyes peering through the bars to the cell within.

   It is a standard cell on this level, considered the nicer cells. A moldy straw mattress sits upon the floor and a bucket for waste is in the corner. Upon the back wall, beneath the window, is a wooden bench set into it. Useful to sit on but nothing more.

    With a gesture the King orders the guard to unlock the cell. The creaking of the door echoes around them and Gundham strides inside, a wooden chair held under an arm. He then places it down in the center of the cell, making certain to make enough noise to wake the occupant, that is if he hasn’t awoken yet.

[the-taboo-king]

@gungambled liked [+] for a Royalty Verse Starter

   Gundham pauses in his stride, a sigh passing his lips. How thankful he is for the instincts his less than glamorous life has drilled into him. It makes him able to sense the presence that appears behind him well before she makes herself known. Of course she is closer than he would have liked but it is what one can expect from a spymaster. Even if she has an army of little spiders that do her biding she has to have some way to silently observe others herself. Which leads to why he feels her eyes on him more often than he’d like.

   On instinct his hand settles on the pommel of his sword. Its comforting weight upon his hip is a constant thing here. The young king isn’t exactly among friends here, at least not yet. He is working towards that end but even one who has lived a life far from the intricacies of court can tell he has quite a bit of work cut out for him.

   “What has transpired now?” He asks, the report he was perusing as he moved towards his official quarters lowering. The king does not turn towards her but eyes slide in her direction, the injury to his left eye still aching some. “I am beginning to believe your presence in of itself is a bad omen.”

   He does feel that quite a bit. It seems this kingdom he has claimed for himself struggles to come to heel.

[the-taboo-king]

@vainvandal liked [+] for a Royalty Verse Starter

   A king who commits regicide does not sleep soundly, least of all this one. Deep slumber does not find Gundham often. Instincts honed through years of scrounging to survive the streets of Gehenna’s cities have made him a light sleeper. Dangers arise when your guard is down. It is best to be prepared for whatever the darkness might throw at you.

   Thus, the moment he feels a presence enter his chambers the young king’s eyes slip open. He does his best to stay still and gauge where the figure is. He keeps his breathing regular, keeping it as close to the soft breaths of a sleeper as possible. He doesn’t wish to alert a would be assassin to his alert status. That would be about as disastrous as trying to go back to sleep.

   He lets a hand slip out from under the covers, flopping it as if it was a motion made in slumber. Fingers brush the hilt of his sword, the trusty blade always on hand. Gundham takes one final breath and then he moves.

   In a single, smooth motion he rolls out of bed and onto his feet. Blade is pulled from its scabbard and Gundham spins, pointing the tip right at the intruder. Harsh, grey eyes fall on the silhouetted figure, a sneer on his lips. The moonlight streams in through the now open window lights up his features, revealing the angry red scar that runs over his left eye. A relatively new addition to the scars that adorn his body. Most can be seen on his currently bare chest.

   “Either surrender or flee, assassin,” He snarls, wanting none of this idiocy this night. “Or you will be the newest fool to feed my blade.”

[the-taboo-king]

And have a starter call for his Royalty Verse. I’ll get to them in between catching up on my 36 drafts.

[the-taboo-king]

@soaringpilot-and-littlewing liked [+] for a Royalty Verse Starter

   Eyes scan the crowd of people before him. So many wish to petition his help, so many coming to him with their disputes and fears. The true weight of his responsibility falls on his broad shoulders when he sits on this throne before his people. At first it was daunting and perhaps enraging. His first opening to the public revealed a truth he had suspected for years. The only people allowed to petition the king had been nobles or the richest of merchants. The peasantry could not raise their grievances and so their poverty continued. This was the first of many laws he has changes.

   Thus, the sight of the nervous peasantry milling about pleases him. What is more pleasing is how the nobles twitch and shudder, almost as if they are afraid the peasants will pass on their poor standing to them. It is so amusing but it doesn’t lessen his irritation with how petty and insignificant these petitions can be.

   “Theft is a grave crime,” He starts, focusing on the two before him. One is a merchant, the other a peasant. The merchant claims the other stole from him. The peasant admitted so but claimed the merchant didn’t pay him properly for his work and so he took what he felt was due. His words make the merchant look smug but he hasn’t finished yet.

   “As is reneging on your promises. Both should suffer for their transgressions. The thief shall lose a finger for each gem he stole and the merchant will pay the man double the salary he is owed. Is that clear?”

   The merchant blusters but the advancing guards shut him up soon enough. The thief bows his head in supplication, even thanking the king. It is then Gundham waves them on. He has other petitions to see to.

[the-taboo-king]

{The Callous King of Gehenna}: Royalty Verse

A bastard sits on the Gehenni throne. Gundham Tanaka’s rule began with blood and vengeance, now it is fueled by necessity. Under this new king’s tyrannical rule the Kingdom of Gehenna has begun to expand, new territories taken for his growing empire as months pass. It is rumoured his methods are brutal, his hold on his people that of an iron vice. Rival kingdoms cower in fear, terrified of that moment when the young king’s harsh gaze turns upon them. And yet, the stories told within Gehenna itself are tales of liberation, of a balancing of scales as he turns the once wealthy, merchant focused kingdom into something more. Some even say he is the prophesied king who will bring peace to the people of Gehenna.

Which is the truth? A cruel tyrant bent on world domination or the kind ruler who truly cares for his people? Will Gehenna thrive or will it crumble beneath the weight of her king’s ambitions? As the Gehenni say, Causality reveals all.

[the-taboo-king]

@infinitestella liked [+] for a Royalty Verse Starter

   The King’s gaze scans the streets, a scowl touching his dark features. He loathes the false cleanliness here. Everything seems so pristine, so perfectly cared for and happy. Street fronts made to practically shine with the wealth of this kingdom, his kingdom. It is a lie. All of this built on the backs of the downtrodden and exploited. He knows that better than most and yet these prancing, arrogant nobles continue to insist on showing this side of the kingdom to him and any guest that visits. It does make them look good, even if it is a lie.

   His retinue turn into another street. Again it is gleaming and clean with cheering crowds and banners flying the royal purple and gold of the Gehenni royalty. Of course, his addition to the flag is noticeably missing. Further evidence that the noble and merchant classes don’t accept him. Another reminder that his grip needs to get tighter but he is certain these guests won’t understand the subtle jab here.

   The cheering starts to irk him, body hunching into his saddle. There is a low snarl and finally the young king pulls on his reigns. The entire procession comes to a screeching halt as his great black horse snorts, prancing a little before falling still. He gives the beast a calming pat before swinging a foot over and dropping to the flagstones.

   With a purposeful stride Gundham starts towards the guarded barrier that keeps the folk milling about and cheering from getting too close to him. He hears the mutters of his noble entourage, the way they bemoan his need to take this ridiculous farce elsewhere. He ignores it. He’s never truly cared what they think he should do. He is the king. He does whatever the hell he wants.

[the-taboo-king]

@novosonian gets a Royalty Verse Starter because I promised.

   Fingers tap at the armrest of his throne, eyes staying trained on the massive ornate doors that lead into his grand hall. The day he received a missive from the kingdom of Novoselic requesting he accept the presence of an envoy for diplomatic talks was a strange one. It had brought with it some relief, the young king seeing this as a chance to come to an agreement. It made him feel his encroachment into Novoselic's boarders had finally led to something worth while. But it also felt like a slight. Instead of the king he was supposed to treat with an envoy? It is as if the Novoselic royalty were not taking him seriously. How tempted he is to just throw the envoy out. Perhaps even behead them and send the head back to Novoselic. That will teach them to insult him like this.

   The thought grows within his mind, almost becoming a decision by the time the heralds announce the envoy’s arrival. The great doors open, revealing a procession fit for royalty. His brow furrows and he straightens, eyes searching the group of people entering his palace. He could not have heard the herald correctly. Did he just announce that this was the princess of Novoselic?

   She steps forwards, stride determined and proud. Golden hair trails behind her, a clear sign of her Novosonian blood. His hand clenches, symbolically crushing the brutal idea that had spawned within his mind. He certainly can’t behead her. Doing so would start a war he does not want. It does leave him wondering why they would send their daughter and heir to negotiate with a man known for his cruelty.

   “The princess of Novoselic?” He says, deep voice carrying around the spacious chamber. His hand shifts, rubbing at his jaw. “Intriguing. Now I understand why the missives from your family were so secretive about the envoy’s identity. Well ...” He stands, arms opening in a welcoming and sweeping gesture. “Welcome to Gehenna, princess. ... I do hope you have brought me something worth considering.”