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There
arrived one Prince Sherman, from the
northernmost coast of the northernmost island of that
archipelago, where
place names are so
unpronounceable that we aren't even going to
try. "I will not waste your time, King Everyway. I've heard of your
dissembling, and your daughter's
parlour tricks." said Prince Sherman, striding
haughtily back and forth
across the
throne room. He was covered in all manner of
weapons and
armor, all of which
clinked or
clanged with each
movement.
"I have only this to say to you, and to her." He continued, playing with his
silver amulet inset with what might have been
human teeth. "In this fjord is
assembled the greatest
fleet in the
history of this land. Not even the
Senseless Wars saw such an
armada all in one place. There is not only my navy, which is
substantial in its own right, but the
ships of every prince who has ever been
rebuffed by Princess Ute."
The king
glanced at the
southern window, and
sure enough, there were so many ships in the fjord, he couldn't see the water.
The room
darkened as Prince Sherman's
silhouette blocked the light from the southern window. "Furthermore, all my men, and the other princes' men are assembled in a vast host along all of your borders." continued Prince Sherman.
Sure enough, through the northern window, the king could see the
plumes of
campfires
dotting the
landscape in the
distance.
Prince Sherman paused and stared at the king, for so long that the king
shifted uncomfortably from one
foot to the other. The prince's amulet seemed to be moving in the
dim light, like it was some kind of
crab or
giant bug. Just as the king was about to
break the
uneasy silence, Prince Sherman spoke again. "Ah, that's not all, Everyway. One of the princes you have
dishonored is Tribbledick, of the
Cloud People. Notice those
storm clouds gathering over the land?"
The king nodded, starting to feel ill.
"Those clouds
conceal countless flights of
dragon riders and
airships
bristling with
steam cannons."
The king sat down in his
throne, massaging his
temples.
"Do you,
in all honesty, Your...
Majesty... believe that even your Everyland Elite Royal Marine Corps can
stand up to this
combined allied might?"
"We've done you no
harm, Prince Sherman. What is it you
want from us?"
"I want but one
simple and
reasonable thing. I want your daughter to marry one of us. It does not matter which one. But she has to choose, and choose soon."
"But what good will this do you? You know she does not love any of you."
Prince Sherman smirked. "Love. My
sword does not love me, but it
cleaves the
skulls of my
enemies. My
horse does not love me, but he carries me to
victory. I couldn't care less whom Ute does and does not love. All she needs to do is obey, and that is something women learn quickly, if trained by
the right man." He glanced at a
portrait of Queen Everyway hanging to the side of the throne, then back at the King and smirked again. "If Ute is as
clever as they say she is, why, she will learn in no time at all."
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This non-true mostly-finished story brought to you by:
The Unfinished Stories Metanode