Frux - Part 1

Note: It's not historical, it's not fantasy so I am sticking it here. It is supposed to read like a history book, and in a great narrated way. And lastly, names and places are all literal. Those who speak English will have a tough time with this, you are entering a different world then what you know, and the meaning of a person's name is understood in native speech. So much so that how the name is written changes the meaning of the name. This is the case for asian languages and a great among those well versed in religion in western nations, as most names come from religion here.

If you review, please tell me if you were drawn to any parts of the backstory you are interested in. If I do not satisfy the reader's interest then I am writing too little. Or if the politics are not clear.

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Chapter 1 -The Wise King of the Frozen North

His Majesty, King Silver Wolvenglory the Sixth ruled the vast expanses of tundra and inhospitable mountains of the Frozen North from 1080 to 1126. He was a just and fair ruler, the same as his father and his father's father had before he. Descended from a line of political scholars and merchants, Wolvenglory the Sixth had some hundred and thirty three years of fame to continue. By the time he ascended the throne after his father, Silver Wolvenglory the Fifth passed, he was just twenty four and thought unsuitable of the throne. Nevertheless, the resulting events in the court did prove his ability to control, lead and thus ascend the throne of his father.

It was late in April, the 28th by most accounts, that Wolvenglory the Sixth first took step outside his room since the passing of his father. In mourning for over a month, the young king-to-be had distressed the court as the only male heir to the throne had succumbed to the death of just one man, when the fate of tens of thousands rest upon each decision he would make. Members of Ironspear, Wolfsblood and Icenland families openly exchanged their concerns in the presence of his mother, Queen Rose Wolvenglory the Second.

“If he is to mourn but the passing of one man, what shall he do for my ill father?”

“Emotion should not rule a king's thoughts, it will bring only ruin.”

“He delays us while we scurry about in fear, has he no concern for others?”

Such was the tension within the court of the late king, that when the young Wolvenglory the Sixth emerged, the general consensus was that he would be broken and useless should he be placed upon the throne. The end of the Wolvenglory dynasty would likely end with him, so great was this conviction that the three noble families of the Frozen North sought to breed sons and daughters to suit the needs of the vacant throne. A new prisoner in which to rule from above and to sacrifice their happiness and life for the good of the people

As Wolvenglory the Sixth descended the staircase and entered the court, a metamorphosis was witnessed by all present. He bore no emotion in his face and had reserved himself in such a way that his features resembled a cold, lifeless statue then that of a man. He spouted orders as if possessed by the spirit of his father, “In two weeks time, a line of wives shall be placed before me. I will not accept foreign brides. The strength of my father's kingdom will not be shaken by my momentary weakness.”

“And what of your mother, the Queen?” Hide Ironspear replied.

“I will relieve her from my selfish ways so she will not be burdened further.”

These words did have a harsh and immediate effect, yet the month long mourning must have been greater still then his words, for Hide Ironspear so doubted the prince he left the court before dusk had fallen. To understand the fear of Hide, it must be made clear that he was a proud man and even prouder father who had, but one beautiful flower to give and he would not give her away willingly. Breaking from tradition of naming girls after flowers or gemstones, Hide gave his daughter the name Toheal. Toheal was the name decided upon her Naming Day, the seventh birthday of a child. Blessed with compassion, grace and patience, she had taken care of the wolves and bandaged their wounds from hunting.

Toheal was now seventeen and perhaps the most suited for Wolvenglory, but the fear that he will destroy her honor and damage the Ironspear family consumed his thoughts. With mind to marry her off or to make her disappear, Hide returned to the estate and locked himself away in the study. Though his tears were not seen, his sobs were heard by the maids and servants of his estate, one of which was named God's-Grace . It was her words which would be the first to reach Hide.

God's-Grace, a name originating from within the Holy Land was a common name given to those of low birth and aristocrats. Though uncommon in the Frozen North, no fewer then three hundred people bore names from the Holy Land, and with it the teachings of their god. To understand those of the Holy Land, was to understand the divine and its mysterious wonder of humbled strength and chastised pride. Each blessing was sin and trial, and its mandates impossible to follow, yet in trying to do so said more about a person then their words. The moral conundrum resulting from her duties to the earthly and heavenly master delayed her for little more then a week.

More importantly, the existing state of affairs in the Wolfsblood family was to become a driving force to test Prince Wolvenglory as they had in the past three successions, in what became known as the Rites of Kinghood in the Frozen North. Wolvenglory and Wolfsblood were of the same tree, with the leading house, Wolvenglory, garnering the approval from main branch each generation. Stretching back in time to the master, Easton Wolvenkin the splitting of the clan was once a closely guarded secret detailing the master's wife and his mistress and which kin from both ladies were descended. During a period of civil unrest, they and many persecuted nobles changed their names and head into the mountains to scrape out a living. The name Wolvenkin died out as Wolvenglory and Wolfsblood made their starts in the land which would become known as the Frozen North, or Frozen Northern Kingdom.

Taking the name of his great-great grandfather, Modest Wolfsblood the Fourth, the current elder of the Wolfsblood family sought to test the lad as his grandfather and great grandfather had before he. The prior three generations during that period of turmoil were ruled in a diarchy so upon the conversion to a monarchy it was Modest who created the Rites. Since that time the Wolvenglory princes had to fill the tasks dictated by the eldest Wolfsblood.

These Rites were straightforward and easy enough for a capable ruler to complete, while incompetence in any form would make itself clear. Silver Wolvenglory the Fifth's tasks were, first capture and tame a wild snow wolf, to give a gift to all his future subjects, and to memorize the works of Scribebail which included the most important book of 'The King'.To accomplish these feats was to possess the strength of character, the support of the people and the wisdom to rule necessary for the very survival of the kingdom.