Chapter 3 2

Dunab was the largest kingdom in the entire plain. Apart from an impressive land mass and a dense population, the kingdom also boasted the most developed and equipped military in all of the plain. However, they were not exactly feared, because the precedent of Anox, his father, was a most peace loving king. Half a year after Anox was made to leave the council chamber due to his arrogance and sassy statements, an assassin was caught in the corridor that led up to king's bedroom. He was apprehended by some of the guards and, after being forced to confess, said that he was sent by Anox. Aghast at the effort on his life, Quincy sent out word to all of the kings in the plain, including Anox himself, for an emergency meeting. Anox, however, was not present at the meeting. The other kings deliberated over the brazen defiance of Anox. Meanwhile, Anox had called a meeting of his security chiefs. His plan was to execute a full-scale assault on the kingdom of Ceiptu. "But what for?" Asked Francis, the overall head of security. He had been the head of all issues relating to security since the time of Anox's father, and together, they had maintained peace in the plain. "What the hell are you asking me that question for?" Anox shot back. "My king," began Francis, standing up, "I believe there is a better way to solve these trivial problems than fighting." "Trivial?" Screamed Anox. "Did you say trivial, Francis?" Anox looked like he would explode in rage; the muscles in his neck and face tightened, and his lips were drawn into one thin line, his eyes looked like they would shoot fire. "My king" Francis began again in a placatory tone, "your father and I fought..." "Don't," yelled Anox. His voice shook the walls of the palace. "Don't bring my father into this, he's dead and gone." "Dead, yes, but his wisdom can be relied upon," Francis said, raising a voice. He was starting to get angry, and had decided to air his views damning the consequences. "You will not disrespect me, Francis, not in my own kingdom," Anox retorted. "The kingdom belongs to us all," Francis said under his breath. But Anox heard him. "What did you say, Commander Francis?" He asked, lowering his voice dramatically. "I said the kingdom of Dunab belongs to us all," he said in a louder voice. "Guards," he yelled for the guards that stood armed with swords nearby, "take Commander Francis into custody." Everyone was struck. Commander Francis had served the kingdom for decades, longer than any soldier, any guard, any servant. He had been faithful and there never was any reason to question his loyalty. The guards, obviously uneasy with Anox's orders, shuffled on their feet, darting nervous eyes around the palace. "I said arrest the Commander," he yelled, a spray of spittle escaping his mouth. "You don't have to do this, my king," Francis said. "I've only wanted good for the lives of the citizens of Dunab and everyone else in the plain. Violence shouldn't be an option." "Arrest the Commander," Anox screamed again, staring at the guards with menacing eyes. They took tentative steps towards him, held him by his hands and walked him off to the dungeon. * Three months after Anox threw Francis into the dungeon, he and his army laid siege to the kingdom of Ceiptu, cutting off their supply of food and other resources that constituted the daily lives of the people of Ceiptu. The other kingdoms of Djon and Blanco, too afraid to be involved, were simply tacit while Anox and his soldiers tried to sack the kingdom of Ceiptu. Quincy tried to hold talks with Anox to see if they can reach a compromise. He couldn't understand why the two kingdoms would be warring over something that would be considered minor. He sent letters, but they were not returned. He sent some messengers, but they were brutally slayed and their heads sent back to him. Soon, feeling a need to defend his kingdom, he sent his soldiers to the outer walls to fight and the battle that ensued was one of the bloodiest the plain had seen. The Ceiptu army were outnumbered almost five to one, and very soon, Anox and his army broke info the kingdom. Quincy was murdered in cold blood by Anox himself with a sword that went directly through his heart. "Your father wouldn't have wanted this," he said to Anox after he was cornered. "Don't tell me what my father would have wanted," Anox said in a low threatening voice. He felt no remorse, no sense of wrongdoing as he drove his blade into Quincy's chest. * Anox and his soldiers proceeded to sack the palace after they had subdued the army and taken over the kingdom. They went to the treasury that was located at the base of the palace and began to plunder all of the precious jewels, expensive artefacts and mementos that were stored there. Anox looked at the spoils of war that he had gotten from all of the bloodshed, and felt a wave of self satisfaction course through his bodies. He started to imagine how good the gold and bronze pieces would look in his own palace, how fitting the expensive regalia would look on his own body. But then he had another idea. He looked around and saw women and children that had been cowed from the violence of the battle, and instructed his men to take as many young women and children as they could. "What for, my king?" Asked Andrew, who had been appointed commander of the army soon as Francis was thrown in the dungeon. "We'll use them as slaves, Andrew," responded Anox in a smug tone. "Ah, good idea, my king," Andrew said smiling. His face was splattered with dried blood, and he smelled of death. And so little girls were torn from their mothers and siblins, young women, too, and were taken into captivity by the Dunab army. Among those that had been captured was Susan.