Peril of Lumentia

By Thomas Woolnough

In a chaos of war, where spies have infiltrated a small kingdom standing in the way of utter domination. A small band of Lumentians will take control and win the war.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Thomas Woolnough
• Release date: Jun 2, 2013
• ISBN: 9781301224081

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Peril of Lumentia

Peril of Lumentia

By Thomas Woolnough

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Published by Thomas Woolnough at Smashwords

Copyright 2013 Thomas Woolnough

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Smashwords Edition License Notes

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Chapter 1

Sitting in a simple but sturdy chair, an old king gazed across the empty expanse of his kingdom with failing eyes. Under his rule, plague had ravaged his homeland to the ruins he now looked upon. His reign would end with him, Hadius the third, the last of his line. He coughed and thought back to the founding of Lumentia.

His great grandfather, the first Hadius of the line, had become sick of the country in which he had been born, and with much money in his pockets, had set out on a quest for a new land. Whisking away seven builders and a band of families he found and claimed vacant land.

Now as he sat in his rundown castle, Hadius sighed as he remembered the stories of how the newly founded kingdom had thrived and, looking out the window, he saw his villagers.

Most of them lined the streets, away from the houses that are so close to toppling over. Children begged for scraps from those fortunate enough to have food and women cried over their dead babes. The only things that were still sturdy and standing were the barracks and this castle, even they were not much to look at.

It was to much to bear and looking away, he scanned his pathetic excuse of a room. The only things that were in the dusty and spider infested room were the mite ridden bed and a cracked, old table.

Choking on the musty air, Hadius shakily got to his feet and hobbled over to his bed, each step pained from arthritis.

As he lay down on his bed, he thought of his wife, long dead now, but still fresh in his memory. He thought of her last dying moments as she lay stricken from the plague.

Falling to sleep, he almost wished that he didn't have to get up the next day.

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Emerald hung her head in shame. Her pale brown hair covered her face as she bowed her head and blushed. She stood there, her small, weak and scrawny build making her look fragile under the intense yelling of the king's assistance. He was dripping wet from the soup she had accidentally dropped on him. His voice echoed through the hall as he spoke in his rage.

YOU INSOLENT FOOL! He screamed as he went into a fit. YOU CAN'T DO ANYTHING WITHOUT STUFFING IT UP!

Emerald shrank further away as he went on. Looking around she was surprised to see no one about, as this hall was usually full of the people.

He kept screaming insults for over ten minutes before his voice started to go hoarse. Emerald looked up at him as she realized how old he was. He had grey hair beginning to cover his head and his face was covered in wrinkles.

"AND YOU KNOW WHAT! YOUR PARENTS WERE JUST AS BAD