Arthur, Lord of the Wastes

There was a knock on Arthur's door after he finished washing his face. He opened it and found his aunt, Katriona, waiting patiently for him outside. A strong woman, about twelve years Arthur's elder, she had been training him to fight ever since he was a child. One of four legitimate children, and several more if the illegitimate ones were considered, Arthur never thought that he would become the King of Itheria. But here was, one of the five kings who served Empress Aria of the Jadaiki, ruler of all Motania.

His eldest sister, Arrabeth, was the best fighter of all the legitimate siblings. She was certainly his father's first pick to succeed him as ruler. She was a military commander, one of the best ever and had led their father's campaign against a horde of Minotaurs that appeared in the wastes. She died in that campaign. Arthur blamed his father and went on himself to go and avenge her. He liberated camps from the Minotaurs and they hailed him as Lord of the Wastes. He had earned himself a crown he never thought he wanted.

When he returned to Itheria, he learned that his father and his uncle, Gabriel, were out on a scouting mission. More Minotaurs, likely those broken off from the now shattered horde, were sighted near the borders of Itheria and Karavld. When his father and uncle didn't report in, Arthur did the job a son should do and went after him. He found his father and uncle, held captive within a camp of the Forsaken. Before he could rescue them, Arthur himself was discovered and restrained. The seven assassins pinned down Arthur and Gabriel and made them watch as they tortured the King of Itheria. They were relentless, only giving Arthur's father peace when they heard the approach of Katriona and her Kingsguard. When Katriona found Arthur weeping over the dead body of her brother-in-law, she knelt down to him and so did the rest of the Kingsguard.

He was their King now.

But he didn't want to be. He wanted to return to the wastes, go to Jhuild - the city of the Forsaken - and hunt down the seven who killed his father. There was something deeper at play. First a horde of Minotaurs out of the wastes, enslaving humans wherever they went and then assassins killing his father? It didn't make sense! It had been a month since his coronation. A month since Katriona forbade him from going out to seek his answers.

"What did you do, nephew?" asked Katriona, her voice sultry but with a hard edge.

"What do you mean?" he asked and she held up a note, from Gabriel.

To my liege. I cannot let this go. Do not pursue me. Do not send anybody after me. I must avenge my brother.

It was simple and to the point. Gabriel intended to go after the Forsaken and hunt down the assassins.

"I wish him luck," said Arthur. "I wish I could be with him."

"You did not sanction him?"

"No, Aunt Katriona," said Arthur and he looked at her. She looked like a smaller version of his mother in terms of height, though she was much stronger and had always been the better warrior between the two sisters. She had well defined muscles, appreciable breasts and a rounded ass.

"He must be stopped," she said.

"It's a good strategy," said Arthur. "One man going sneaking into Jhuild has a better chance at bringing the assassins to justice than us marching an army."

"Gabriel could start a war if he is discovered," Katriona reminded him.

"Then I'll lead the armies of Itheria into battle," scoffed Arthur.

"The Empress will not support a war that you start in her name," accosted Katriona.

"I didn't start the war," said Arthur. "I didn't send the horde of Minotaurs."

"We shall talk abut this with your war council," decided Katriona. "Get ready. A lord of Ikva has arrived to meet you."