The Sultan - Part 1 (standard:fantasy, 1855 words) [1/3] show all parts
Author: Imaginator	Updated: Jan 05 2006	Views/Reads: 3178/1976	Part vote: 0.00 (0 votes)
In a land of combined science and magic a young sexually confused prince encounteres his destiny, as Sultan.

Click here to read the first 75 lines of the story

achievement of Lunis, the 14th Sultan of Rizt (Who by the way happened 
to be very artistic and cared nothing for the duties of court, or of 
his people in particular, and thereby bankrupted the kingdom.) who was 
known as the worst, and shortest lived, Sultan the people had ever 
endured.  Inside the ring to the south side was a 3 tiered dais of a 
deep emerald colored stone, one throne on each level.  Three rows of 
hard stone tiers, meant to be uncomfortable to discourage onlookers, 
surrounded the open floor of Court. Court had been for many centuries 
the famous place where most of the public plays and exhibitions were 
held, despite the uncomfortable stone, as well as trials for the 
highest crimes.  Suspended on thick metal cables in the center of the 
dome was a wooden platform that held not only all the lighting and 
security equipment for the Court dome, but a gallows arm as well on the 
side facing the thrones. 

Prince Amr sped as fast as he could toward Court, weaving around
servants who only got in his way while trying to get out of it, and 
stopped nearly breathless at the top of the Court Stair.  He did his 
best to control his breathing and seem relaxed when he walked between 
the pillars and across the Court floor just as the second Chimes began 
to play, Amr's Sultan father waved him to the second of the 3 thrones 
with a small smile playing on his lips.  Amr's eyes could not help but 
widen at what his father said next. 

"Amr," The Sultan chuckled, "I just lost a bet.  I bet your sister you
would not make it here on time today. Well, there goes another silk 
dress down the drain!  It's well known she has an ever changing taste 
in clothing."  He grabbed Amr's chin and looked deep in his surprised 
eyes.  "My son, I want you to choose a wife tonight."  Amr mutely tried 
to nod back. "Son, do this for me.  I want grandchildren to make this 
palace come alive again with laughter!" 

Amr pulled back from his nearly wild eyed father uncertainly, his father
seemed terrified of something, and something intangible had to be 
causing this fear. For Amr knew Father feared nothing physical.  Amr's 
eyes widened as he noticed the bright blue pin dots forming on his 
fathers' eyeballs.  He immediately jumped up and shouted toward the 
captain of the guard. 

“Guards, Let no one leave!  The Sultan has been poisoned.” 

The red haired captain of the guard stared in shock for a moment at the
young prince among the screams of the panicked crowd behind him, until 
he felt the forceful blow of a hand on his face.  He blinked at Amr and 
then spun on his heel and ran around the great ring of Court shouting 
orders to the soldiers he passed. Within moments there was a ring of 
grim faced soldiers just inside a magical forcefield created 
desperately by Amr himself. 

As the crowd began to quiet down the sultan began jerking and spasming
despite the best efforts of those physicians nearby.  Within moments 
bloody foam erupted from the Sultans nose and mouth and he died. The 
sight of this caused several renewed screams of panic, not to mention 
more than a few broken goblets as people dropped their drinks with 
horrified stares.  Amr was startled out of his welter of shock and 
sudden grief by the shout of his man servant Boyo. 

“Long live Amr, Heir and Sultan!  Long live the Sultan of Rizt!” The
high thin voice reverberated around the room among exchanged glances.  
Then as grass bowing in a gust of wind, the people knelt and bowed low 
in a wave spreading out from Amr himself.  There was a sudden bright 
flash as one lone figure in rags was bounced off of the forcefield into 
the hastily cleared space at the center of the room.  Instantly half of 
the guards inside the shield moved to encircle the red haired youth who 
had begun trying to get away through the crowd. 

After a brief struggle the guards had mostly subdued the captive and
brought the boy before Amr.  The copper hair flashed in the sunlight as 
the youth continued to struggle despite his bound hands.  One of the 
burlier guards raised a club with a mean looking knob on the end made 
of dark stained steel. 

“Stop!” shouted Amr. 

The pudgy faced guard hesitated just long enough for Amr to knock the
club from the guard's surprised hand.  Amr yanked the fearful boy from 
the guards grasp and stared deep into the fear filled grey eyes. 

“Why?  Why did you try to run?” Amr demanded. 

“I-“Stammered the quivering boy.  “I wasn't supposed to come here, sir. 
My father is gonna beat me now.”  The boy began to shake even more at 
that statement, as if that thought was more to be afraid of than being 
held for murder. 

“Go question him.” Amr ordered the guards. He then shouted to the
remaining guards at the outer ring of the great Court Dome to search 
everybody present then hold them until morning if the murderer was not 
found.  He then pulled the bristle jawed Captain of the Royal Guardsmen 
to the side of the sudden bustle of guards shaking down the protesting 
nobles and peasants alike.  In their swift whispered conversation Amr 
asked the guard to question the youth for only a short time before 
bringing the boy to Amr's rooms as undamaged as possible. 

Captain Odji Berennen. Often called Oddy by his friends, gave Amr a curt
not and ran off to enforce that request.  By this time most of the 
crowd had been bustled into a like waiting for the shield to be dropped 
by Amr.  He finally did so and then nearly sagged down onto his knees, 
in fact he would have if Boyo's strong arms had not caught him.  Boyo 
yelled at one of the Guard to bring a litter quickly, and was rewarded 
with the Sultan's litter borne by six strong young soldiers in golden 
livery.  Boyo hesitated only a moment, glancing at the golden silk 
covered body, before lifting the exhausted Prince into the litter and 
setting off with the soldiers at a fast trot toward the Palace. 


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