Now would be a good time to explain a few things, I supose. The place, actually, the kingdom, they had come to was Princewood. A docile place in general years, but war was not too uncommon of an idea to happen there. Many kingdoms about held a constant covetous eye on the prosperity of Princewood. Rarely though did another kingdom challenge them, for their king had many allies and power at his right hand, respect and wisdom at his left.
The king was a well thought of man, he was no tyrant but a goodly, and regal gentlemen. Of later years, to much of the dismay of the villagers, the king had taken to a graying sickness. It was a slow, but disabling one, which left the prince to be leader of the now mourning kingdom.
The first few years of the prince’s rule were blissful, and many agreed that he did a just job precisely as his father had--but, then--times took to a terrible turn, seemingly out of no reason or suspicious preludes. Something strange became of the once presumably reserved and worthy prince. He began to reign with a darkening brow, and a congealing heart. He trusted few and locked away many of his father’s once honored advisors. He picked out some roguish new comers from the north lands, and presented them with the new positions as advisors to his thrown.
A darkness hovered over the villagers of Princewood now, fear crept into their common houses. No one dared to undermine the prince, for even a whisper against him would lead to the person’s mysterious, and imminent disappearance.
They truly were mysterious: a few of the most popular stories state that a friend would be seen working in his field in the morning, then by noon when he was called in for meal time would be no where to be found--not even a foot print or sign of a struggle could be visable.
The prince’s laws were often outrageous, self indulgent, and dark at times. A silent groan came from the villages of Princewood, as Mylen and Nefry would soon come to find.