>>6000101>>6000183>>6000265>>6000312>>6000362"You have endured much, and you have my deepest sympathies; such cruelty ends with his reign," you vow. "Suial was a despicable tyrant; I vow to rule with honor and justice, not through cruelty and fear as he did. What changes do you hope to see in our kingdom, for House Chion, and for yourself?"
"I would like our kingdom to prosper and grow stronger," the Queen muses thoughtfully. "The kingdom has stagnated and weakened under Suial's reign, as has House Chion. I would like both to return to their former glory, as they were in the times of Sumdaq the Great. And for myself, I envision myself as a matriarch, though my own son was taken from me long ago."
"I am sorry," you express your sympathies sincerely. "I cannot even begin to fathom how a father could order his newborn sons to be buried alive."
"I believe Suial feared a prophecy, one that claimed he would be killed and usurped by his own son. That fear drove him to such horrors," the Queen sighs deeply.
"Yet, in the end, it was not his son who deposed him, but a foreigner raised by sheepherders in a distant land," you murmur, reflecting on the irony and the tragic consequences of the false prophecy. "Are there any prophecies I should be wary of?"
"There is one," the Queen grimaces. "It's said that the kingdom, founded by Sumdaq the Great, will be destroyed unless someone from the direct male bloodline of Sumdaq sits on the throne. Many commoners hold this belief, which might complicate your reign."
"Well, I cannot change my blood, so that prophecy will have to be proven false," you shrug. "As insensitive as it may sound, I am relieved that Sumdaq's line has ended. I wouldn't want monsters like Suial to rule simply because they had the 'right' blood."
"You cannot change the nature of your blood, true," the Queen nods, a thoughtful look crossing her face. "Though, I must admit, you bear a striking resemblance to Suial when he was a younger man."
"I hope to look better than him when I reach his age," you chuckle, the laughter hiding a serious hope that your reign avoids the monstrous transformation Suial underwent. "By the way, I just realized I neglected to ask your name, my queen."
"It's Jocasta, my king," the Queen replies, her voice carrying a hint of warmth for the first time.
> End of Chapter I