Concerning the Last King and the Empty Throne
It was the chill Spring of 4519 when Rigel the Elder came to the throne. Like his fathers before him he was a stern man of noble features. He ruled fairly and he paid the Goblinsilver, but an unlikely arrow fell him on the field of battle. So Rigel was no more. The years of his rule were 21 and then the crown passed from his brow.
Now Rigel, like the many before him, was impoverished in the manner of producing an heir. He had but one son that survived childbirth, just as he himself was the only son of his sire, and so on. So it was that the bloodline of the throne of Collonia was sorely weakened. Yet, the power of the petty nobles grew. At the time the arrow fell the King, the son of Rigel was but a boy with ten Summers with six more before he would see manhood. So his cousin, who was the Duke of Havenar, and a brother-in-law to Rigel assumed the throne and held it in the stead of the boy who would be king. Havenar assumed the throne as steward in 4540.
Now Havenar was a heartless man and exceedingly cruel. The boundaries of his holdings grew, but people of Collonia were sore under his rule. It was said that eventually even the nobles chaffed for the weight of him. So came the saying of many, "We wait for the Return of the Heir." This was noised abroad among the people often enough so that Havenar heard the discontent and became wroth.
Havenar brought the Games to the people and caused the Stadium to be built so that the people might have distraction from their discontent. Still, few in Collonia were pleased so that even many of the nobles sought to withold their taxes. With each passing day the reign of Havenar became disquiet and would not be settled. Havenar was filled with jealousy and ever he plotted against the son of Rigel and whomever might share Rigel's blood -- for Havenar shared it not, except by marriage.
One by one the distant kin of Rigel were taken ill or killed, but Havenar did this in secret with many schemings and the people knew it not. The summer of 4543 was called that of many mournings because so many had died. Some believed that the blood of Rigel was not only grown thin, but spoilt. Many feared that his son might not live to become king.
Havenar had departed from the way of Rigel and Rigel's fathers. He did not pay the Goblinsilver, neither did he raise an army, rather he kept all for himself. Whatsoever the 7 nations paid him as Lord of the Marches, he kept and thus lined his vault and greatly increased his coffers. Then the hordes became restless in the lands of their exile and spilled from its borders. Bloodthirsty they came marauding across the plains.
At last the hordes came to the gates of the great city itself, and so camped around it and lay in seige. For many weeks the people of Wanderhalt held fast within its walls and would not sally forth for they lacked the strength. Many years had passed since the campaigns against the Goblins and few were the veterans of those wars who still drew breath. Havenar knew that help would not come from Peakshadow for the horde had come suddenly and without warning. Moreover, Havenar did not send word, fearing that the 7 nations might ask about the Goblinsilver and where it had been spent.
When the seige had grown long and people drank from the rainfall and ate the millet that remained in their bags, men of Wanderhalt sallied forth without hope. This they did as often as they might raise volunteers, but the siege was not broken and thereby thousands were slain on the western plain. This is the plain which is now haunted by their sacrifice and apparitions appear on it during starless nights.
Unto this travail, Rigelson finally came of age and so Havenar sent for him in secret, saying, "Now is the hour of greatest need. No coincidence is it that you are ready to resume the throne of your family. All that you lack is a deed of greatness for which your people might respect you, for you have neither years nor battles to acclaim you."
Then Rigelson rose indignant, for he was brash with youth, saying, "What deed may I do to prove myself in the eyes of this people? What deed is possible save the slaying of many Goblins which outnumber us by 10 for every man?"
So Havenar tempted his pride with words and said, "If you are not consumed with fear, you must meet with the King of the horde and parley."
Rigelson said, "Even if my heart be stout, how shall I know the king of such a host? All these are as bloodthirsty animals which slay all that they see. They camp in lots here and there across the plains. Surely I will be killed before I can meet such a one as might be lord among them."
Then Havenar said, "Go forth into the Goblins under the white flag and bear the colors of the royal house. Then when you are brought to the King of the Horde, offer him threescore chests of gold and silver and all the other treasures of your own house. For such an amount, the Goblin King may break his seige and wander back across the plains. There to stay until an army may be raised from among the 7 nations to defeat him."
"This I will do," said Rigelson. He did not know of the Goblinsilver or the tradition his fathers had in collecting tribute as Lord of the North Marches. Nor did he know that Havenar had kept the treasure for himself to line his vaults and fill his coffers.
Havenar spoke again, saying, "When you are before the Goblin King and he has agreed, sound the horn, and the greatest of the warriors of Collonia shall come to you carrying a train of treasure. When you have paid the king of the hordes, return with the warriors in safety."
Then Rigelson cursed, for his own house had grown greatly in debt and no grain had been grown and no glass had been blown since the seige was laid. "I have not the treasure to offer," said Rigelson.
"Nevertheless," said Havenar, "There is treasure to be had in Collonia. For my wealth, which is held in secret, has been great since the time of my fathers. I will make a gift to you of it, if it will only save Wanderhalt and the people of Collonia, whom I love. Only speak of it not, for I would keep honor from myself when the people need you as their king." And Rigelson would not be outdone by the generosity of his steward, so he purposed within himself to carry such of his house as he could as a sign of surety to the Goblin King.
Rigelson then stood before the people of Wanderhalt, even in the portico of Kings and made a great speech. "This day, rise I, Rigel son of Rigel, to be your King. I go forth with strategem to deal with the hordes without our fair city and when they be gone I shall return to sit upon the throne of my fathers. Only know this, if I return not and some evil befall me or I be slain by an arrow in the manner of my father, know you that Havenar is to be as a king in my stead and his sons shall follow after him. For he is of noble character and great love for you, though you have borne it not for him." Then the people marveled at the bravery of the youth, but foreswore oaths saying it would be so, just as he said.
Havenar's schemes were not at an end. He summoned the Company of Hawks who were archers of exceeding skill. For each had bent the bow since his youth and each was picked for his eyesight under tests of great difficulty. To the Captain of the Company he said, "Position your men upon the western wall and wait for the sounding of a horn. When you hear it, have each archer send the contents of two quivers to its source. For the horn will be a sign of a spy who shall have found the king of the hordes. Thus you will slay the leader of our enemy and thus drive them forth before our rightful king."
Now Suanna was the wife of Havenar and the sister Rigel and the father-sister of Rigelson. Long had she lived in the house of Havenar and esteemed him not. Though he was her husband, he did not measure well against the standard of her brother and her fathers. So Suanna heard all that was said between Havenar and the Captain of the Company of Hawks and marveled for it seemed to her that her husband had become noteworthy at last. But this she kept silent in the depths of her heart.
Then under cover of night, Rigelson sallied forth from the walls in the armor and bearing of his fathers and with the Sword of kings girt on his side. Many bags hung from his saddle and they were filled with the treasure of his house, though it had been slight. But he bore no lance of war upon his steed, for he carried only a staff before him which was affixed with a white penant. And the hordes surrounded him and seeing his raiment and the royal tree upon his breast, conducted him to the great king of the horde.
Now when Rigelson had himself conducted to the king of the horde, a sounding of a horn was heard from the western wall and the Company of Hawks let loose as commanded. So it was that two score times two hundred arrows were sent after the sounding of the horn and each arrow was as true as the last.
Now the Captain of the Company of Hawks and his loyal men possessed eyesight not rivaled in all the land. So it was that some saw the banner of the House of Rigel fluttering on the plain and perceived at once that their King was among those that they had slain. So they too, without hesitation, sallied forth, and fought their way to his dying side. To a man, each of them was slain by the Goblin Horde and such as had their skill with a bow has not been seen since.
Finally, a great howling noise was heard coming from without the city for the Goblinking was slain and he along with all those who stood in his retinue ready to assume command. In the ears of his subjects, who knew not the treachery of Havenar, the prophecy of Rigelson was true. Great was the mourning in the city, for the Last King of Collonia had disappeared in the night.
The seige lasted only a month after the death of their king. For the Goblins fell to fighting about which of them should be master. So thus finally was the seige broken and many ascribed that act to Rigelson and his promise of a strategem but others credited it to Havenar. When the Goblins finally departed, it was espied that they left an altar in the shape of a serpent upon the plains. So many sought to unmake it, except that the plains were haunted by the many dead who lay upon it. It time, it came to be ignored and was thought best that the plains should swallow it whole.
But of the ancient Kings of Collonia, the line had been bled dry and so Havenar rose to be steward. Yet his wife who was sister of the dead king, remembered the oath he had sworn from the Company of Hawks and accused him thus before his assembled court. So she was slain of Havenar but not before pronouncing a curse upon him and his house. So Havenar lived long, but died childless in 4599 and the the Noble Congregation was formed in his stead.
So it was that the Noble Congregation rose to be steward of the throne of Collonia and Lord of the Western Marches before the 7 Nations and these are all their generations...
[Here the text moves into the next chapter of the Histories of Collonia]
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