Challenge Submission All Hail King Casper

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Challenge Submission All Hail King Casper

Ice

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ALL HAIL KING CASPER

PURPLE - Casper
YELLOW - Eimir
RED - King Titus
BLUE - Wilfred

A single arrow to signify the end of a war. An end to an era even, but it was not without casualties.

Prince Casper awoke from his slumber. His steward Eimir was already at his bedside when Casper rose to a sitting position, the bottom half of the Prince's body still enjoying the warmth of the silken sheets. Eimir did his regular routine bow to the Prince, making sure to dip his head below the level of the bed.

"Don't you ever bore of watching me sleep Eimir? Also I thought I told you not to bow to me like that." Casper rubbed his eyes.
"Ah, sorry my Prince. I didn't want to disturb your royal beauty sleep." The edges of Eimir's mouth curled into a smile as he helped Prince Casper out of bed.
"Eimir, I've told you a thousand times before. If you catch me sleeping past daybreak, you can just wake me. Especially if you're just going to be snide about it anyhow." Casper rolled his eyes and slung himself over the side of the bed as Eimir watched him slip on his slippers.
"Yes, and you've also told me before that if I wake you up one more time, it would be quite easy for you to find a new steward."
"I was jesting Eimir. You don't seriously think I would replace you? After all we've been through." Casper gave a slight frown.
"Well it's hard to tell with royalty when you're being serious or sarcastic. And it's not an assumption I want to make either when you have every guard's ear at your beckoning call." Eimir led Casper over to the large mirror that stood on the other end of the room, helping him dress in his purple and gold robes, and placed the amethyst bejeweled crown atop Casper's head.
"Ah, glad to know our friendship is still segregated by royal bonds." Prince Casper adjusted the crown in the mirror until he thought he looked presentable.
"Ah, but that's the difference between you and me Casper. I can be as sarcastic as I like, and even if you happen to guess my tone wrong, you won't have any troubled thoughts of risk or repercussions. Do you want to wear your mantle now?" Eimir held up the loose, sleeveless, gold and white furred cloak.
"Not now. And you're wrong Eimir. If I don't catch your sarcasm, my thoughts are still troubled. Because you are my dear friend."
Casper and Eimir had become best friends ever since adolescence. Growing up in the Castle Drand had been extremely bland, and would've been even more boring if the stable boy hadn't started to make conversation with Casper as he went out on his hunting trips. Eventually Casper started to invite Eimir with him hunting, and the two became close enough that Casper promoted him to become his steward. Eimir was usually the only one who had the balls to skip the formalities and just tell Casper how things were, and for Casper, it was quite the breath of fresh air.
Eimir was the one to roll his eyes this time and put the mantle back into the wardrobe. "You're so dramatic Casper. You know, if you talked like this with that woman down at the docks, I'm sure she'd take fancy. And I'm sorry Casper, but I'm afraid you've been sleeping longer than you thought... it is nearly time for the ceremony. The sun is going to fall soon, and it's common tradition for the Prince to adorn a mantle tonight."
Casper had tried pushing the ceremony out of his mind. "Okay just... bring it with you. I'll put it on before I address the crowds. And Eimir..." Casper had an annoyed look on his face, "Keep your voice down... someone could be listening." Casper lowered his voice a bit. "And I'll have you know, the reason she hasn't taken fancy is she's out of both our leagues."
"You've already told me that now. Thrice. And no, the reason Siofra won't have a normal conversation with you is your status. In fact, it's for the exact reason that I'm cautious to wake you. You're the Prince of Port Drand, and she's just a fishmonger... but..." Eimir made sure to choose his words very carefully; "...now that you're almost King, you should be able to choose whomever you wish as a love interest."
Casper didn't answer right away. The ceremony... Instead, Casper chose to walk towards the window and look out at Port Drand and the rest of the kingdom that was soon his to be.
King Titus of Port Drand had fallen in battle a week prior, and so had Casper's brother Davis, who had been next in line for the throne. It had been a largescale battle between the two warring nations of Almeria and Ebonmire, and there had been many casualties from both sides.
Casper had not been conscripted by his father to fight for their kingdom. He wasn't much of a fighter, and he didn't share the same bloodlust fueled fire that coursed through his families' veins. His brother Davis had been the opposite.
Although Casper had been born before Davis, Casper had been born with a deformity; he only had one arm. As a child, Casper had barely noticed his abnormality, but as he grew older, his father's distain for him became quite clear;
"You will never be fit to rule our Kingdom."
Titus and Davis' bodies had just been brought back a day before, and it was Prince Casper who delivered the news to the rest of Port Drand.
The death of King Tutus and Prince Davis had meant very little in the grander scale of things, but it would change the rest of Casper's life immensely from this day onward.

Casper looked down at the market square from the castle tower's window. "I'm not ready Eimir... And no, that's not why Siofra won't fancy me." Casper made a gesture towards his missing limb with his left hand. "I wonder, what will the people think of having a cripple for a King?"
Eimir gave his old friend a wary smile. "Casper, isn't this what you told me you always wanted?"
"Yes Eimir, but... just..." Casper watched as a large, burlap covered cart made its way towards the docks, no doubt delivering the casket for the large ceremony happening later tonight. "Not like this." Casper continued to stare out the window, and the two of them remained silent for a time. Breaking the silence; "Eimir, I'll wear the mantle now. Perhaps looking the part in the meantime will help me feel more ready."

Port_Drand.jpg

The two had made their way over to the docks, and Casper caught a glimpse of Siofra amongst the front of the crowd. Nightfall had come fast, and the gangways and ramps of the docks were lit with numerous torches that kept the area aglow. Nearly everyone in all of Port Drand were in attendance, some filling up the shoreline, others looking on from windows in buildings nearby.
The city's court mage, Adra, stood beside him, along with Eimir and King Titus' old advisor, Wilfred. "Go on Casper. The people need to hear your voice." Wilfred gently pushed him forward. Eimir gave his friend a nod, and Casper stepped forward, walking atop a raised platform that was centered on the docks.

Casper looked over the crowd of people, many of their faces obscured by the shadow of the night. Some of them had pained looks on their faces, others masking their fears of what came next for their home with disinterested expressions, but to Casper he only saw dark figures, ready to be disappointed in their new King.
Adra began to cast an incantation on Casper's voice so it would be projected to the rest of the crowd; "Hello, sons and daughters, citizens of Drand. We are here to celebrate the rule of our late King Titus..." Casper could feel a lump forming in his throat; "...who has fallen in our battle with Ebonmire. Now begins the day of new rule. As you are well aware, Prince Davis has also fallen victim to the scourge of Ebonmire's devastating invasions upon our lands. I pledge to you, the people of Drand, that I will do everything in my power as the rightful heir to Port Drand's throne, that we will uproot these Ebonmire bastards, purge the nation of this filth, and sent them back over the mountains from whence they came!" Casper raised his one arm into the air triumphantly, but the crowd didn't seem to react much to his speech. They were right to question Casper's competence as their new ruler.

Wilfred gave the signal as the largest ship in the King's fleet lowered the King's casket into the water, and it started to drift off into the ocean.
Once the casket had floated a distance away, Wilfred then walked up to Casper's side, and handed him a bow and quiver with a single arrow inside.
Casper took the bow into his hand, lighting the arrow aflame with one of the surrounding torches, and nocked the arrow with his teeth, something he had done so many times before while hunting game.
The crowd held their breath as Casper pulled the drawstring back and released the arrow into the air, watching it spiral, merely a small speck of light as it disappeared further and further away... and it found its mark, embedding into his father's casket which immediately arose in flame and smoke.

Wilfred then took off Casper's amethyst crown, and replaced it with that of his fathers. "All hail to King Casper! The new, and rightful King of Port Drand!"
 
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