The Monarchy The Burning Lands

Chapter Thirty-Eight

Hannah sits with her back to the bed staring at the door and eyes King Crane as he walks into the room. He stops staring down his wife and she stares forward feeling the shock settle in as Crane stares her down. Crane goes to kiss her but he feels a pull on his neck and is forced to stand up as he whispers.

"why, can't I breath?"

He feels the grip around his neck tighten and Hannah stares behind him at Edmond O'Sullivan with his arm wrapped around Crane's neck tightly but Hanah shakes her head.

"ed.."

Ed glances to Hannah and he hits crane knocking him down as he whispers.

"You will leave this land crane. the Nolan's won't follow you."

"This isn't Nolan terrority anymore O'Sullivan.," Crane says it loudly trying to get the guards outside attention but notices the guards by the door looks in and shuts the door over. 

Edmon smiles down at Crane and whispers.

"one chance leave now and go home, Crane."

"it is my throne!" Crane yells and Edmond turns his head looking down at Crane who thinks carefully to himself and slowly he removes his second ring with the crest of the Nolan clan on it. He holds it out to Edmond and he takes it from Crane staring it down and slowly places it on his finger securing its place next to t he O'Sullivan ring. Hannah remains quiet and Edmond motions to the door.

"leave crane."

"There will be retribution O'Sullivan. taking another clan's land is against the law of the Glavin's."

"I take my wife's land Crane your marriage is null as long as I live. you never had right to the land but I do."

Crane gets to his feet fixing his robes and stares after Hannah.

"I can do better anyway.."

Crane goes to walk away but Edmon calls out to him.

"wait."

Crane stopped swallowing hard and Edmond asks him outright.

"was it you? were you the one to hire the poison maker?"

"the Galvins Edmond, to be precise Alvis Galvin."

"Alvis?" Ed turns staring down Crane who nods to him.

"yes I would have sent your son back to the plateau to you but Alvis forced my hand and the word of a Galvin is the word of the land..."

"then the land will burn." Edmond stares down Hannah who stays still taking in Edmond's words as Crane thinks to himself and asks outright.

"do you mean to start a war with the Galvins?"

Edmond closes his eyes and opens them thinking over his words carefully and lies to Crane.

"of course not but the gypsies tell me a war will occur very soon and the monarchy crane will need to unite"

Crane laughs out but quiets down hearing Ed speak firmly.

"the plateau Crane."

"what of it Ed?"

"Dorian has made a move on it. he wishes to claim it for himself."

Crane thinks over those words and speaks firmly.

"the plateau is neutral territory. for generations, it's where we hold our councils where wars are started and where they ended. the place our father's signed the treaty of end. It stopped the battles of the Crane war saved thousands of lives."

Ed looks over Crane and Crane gets to one knee and bows his head.

"The Crane's will stand with you if you choose to fight Galvin we will answer your call."

"why?" Ed looks over Crane unsure and Crane looks up to Edmond.

"the Galvins need to be stopped. we can finish this feud when they are gone."

"yes, Crane I look forward to it."

Crane walks out of the room and Edmond feels himself grow weak and sits into the chair. Hannah comes to his side and grabs some water pouring it out and hands it to Ed. He takes a sip and she stares him over feeling uneasy.

"Are you still sick?"

"just a bit dizzy but I will check in with the doctor when needed."

"is the medication helping?"

"as much as it can."  Ed motions to her and Hannah stays by his side as she asks.

"Ed."

"no." Ed shakes his head and remains quiet as Hannah leans forward giving him a hard hug as she whispers.

"it's okay love." She kisses his head and he feels his anger build and lessen as she kisses him again and whispers.

"it's okay."

The door opens and a man in nice robes steps in eyeing Edmond O'Sullivan and glances back to Hanah.

"as is a tradition you will have to undergo a traditional Nolan wedding to be named legitimate king and also as is a tradition you will have to choose your title and purpose Lord O'Sullivan."

"what do you mean?" Ed stares down the man and he opens a large book in his hands reading out the passage.

"all kings of the monarchy must bestow upon themselves a purpose that they promise to uphold till their dying breath. A title will be named on the king for all to know his purpose and it will be marked in the history by lore keepers of the Galvin Monarchy and remain there for all to know and see forever from that day forward." 

the man closes over the book and stares down Hannah as he nods to her.

"be sure it's done as we the lore keepers need to report to Lord Dorian himself it is his word."

Edmond thinks to himself and the man reminds him.

"The tales of your atrocities are already marked Lord Edmond so may I suggest King Edmond the inhumane the murderer of thousands, the loser of sons and the taker of thrones. yes, that would fit quite nicely in the history books with your actions so far."

"I am not inhumane" Edmond states coldly and the man nods his head as he shows compassion.

"my lord it is but a title for the young ones to read in their studies and your name does need to speak for your"

the man clears his throat but finishes.

"atrocities against the monarchy of course Dorian is willing to accept you have taken the Nolan throne in fact he is happy to see a Galvin on a throne."

"a Galvin?" Hannah asks unsure she heard the man right and the man looks to Edmond and back to Hannah.

"oh, I'm sorry dear I assumed you were aware of Edmond's relations to well to Dorian."

"do not" Edmond says coldly and the older man steps back afraid of the man as he stutters.

"I met no disrespect it's just he is your real father and as such in times that makes you his eldest son."