[hr][hr][center][h3]Morganthyn - The Bridge of Skulls[/h3][/center][hr][hr]

The King waited for his betrothed on the bridge of skulls. He sat atop a horse, armed and armoured as if he were expecting battle, a retinue of warriors five abreast behind him. The feeble rays of the sun that made its through the overcast clouds glinted off of the crown affixed his brow. In the gorge far below the dark waters of the Kazadun river churned and boiled as it cut its way through the mountains. His eyes searched the horizon, she would be here soon. 

Ozragad was not sure himself why he had chosen this particular place for their first meeting. He could have met the convoy at their borders, he could have received her at his capital. But instead he had chosen the bridge. It was the only way to cross the river for twenty leagues in either direction. When the war had first turned against him, Ozragad had tore down all other bridges and fords along its course. It had been his great defensive line. 

[i][color=f7941d]Am I in need of such defences today?[/color][/i] The King thought to himself. [i][color=f7941d]No, perhaps I merely wish to frighten her.[/color][/i]

The bridge was itself a frightening place. It was narrow, with almost no parapet and a perilous drop to the waters hundreds of feet below. That alone was enough to make the stomach churn, but the bride would have another meaning to a member of the Hydaelyn family. This was where he had slain Crown Prince Magnus and destroyed his army. After the battle he had ordered the river picked clean of corpses and had lined the bridge with the skulls of the fallen Eorzians, a warning to all those who entered his lands. One of those skulls could very well belong to her long dead ancestor. 

Looking back it seemed crude, but in those early days of the war he had often let his rage get the better of him. He was older now, more cautious, tired. [i][color=f7941d]But still crude enough to try and scare some Eorzian girl I've bartered away my pride for?[/color][/i]

It was true, he could feel his anger simmering away inside him at what he was forced to do. It had not been his idea, but his advisers had been correct. If Ozragad wanted her lands, then he must wed the girl. Pacts were made through blood, either on the battlefield or through marriage, not through words. But still he wished it had been the other way, that he had beaten Eorzia into surrender, he had come so close so many times. 

It would not be though. His last war council had made that abundantly clear.

[hr]
[center][h3]The Council[/h3][/center]
High in the palace of Cirith Anyr, King Ozragad had held council with his generals and his advisers. It was coming to the end of winter, and they gathered to plan the campaigns of the King's armies come the spring. Their voices were raised in argument, echoing in the draughty stone chambers. The faces of dead Formori kings and queens loomed down at them from the shadows above.

[b]"It cannot be done, we do not have the manpower to launch a second offensive front to the south."[/b] 

Manawyndan, a stern man with close cropped iron grey hair and rasping voice stood his ground against a tide of dissent. He was the oldest and most trusted of Ozragad's generals, his preferred regent when the King was away on campaign. He spoke slowly and calmly. He was one of the few who had stood in this chamber when Ozragad had planned his first campaign. He had seen it all.

[b]"Our garrisons at Northandur and Gurrandas are depleted as it is. If we open another front we leave our defences critically weakened. If we can't protect our supply lines any new offensive army is doomed."[/b] 

[b]"You have too little faith in your King, old man."[/b] 

A young woman answered him, with a sneer of derision. Rhiathon, captain of the Ozragad's personal guard. She was one of the war's most ardent supporters on his council, and always favoured the most aggressive of actions. 

[b]"The Nemesis of Eorzia has beaten larger armies with fewer men! This war drags on because you shy away from bold strategy."[/b]

[b][color=f7941d]"Enough! Both of you!"[/color][/b] 

Ozgarad's voice cut through the arguing like a knife. His face was still, but his brow was furrowed and his eyes burned with fury. This council had been to help him find solutions to the problems he had been considering, none were forthcoming. He rose from his chair and began to pace the breadth of the room. He was not used to being so vexed when it came to crafting his plans for warfare. 

[color=f7941d][b]"Manawyndan is correct, a second front to the south leaves us vulnerable to counter attack. I am looking for alternatives."[/b][/color]

[b]"Perhaps sire, The Mountain Clans to the north? Could we not pay them off to increase their raids against Eorzia? Force them to move their troops north, opening up the south for for us t-[/b] 

Another of the younger generals spoke up this time, but Manawyndan shut him down before he could even finish.

[b]"The clans are too unreliable. We did the same thing fifty years ago, they melted back into the hills after one defeat and that let the Eorzians trap us into that bloodbath outside of Tradeforth. Besides there is the matter of paying off the clans. Our treasury is not looking healthy. Our harvest was poor, and we will need to import food for some time yet. If this years harvest is as poor as the last we will need every coin to keep our people from starving."[/b] 

[b]"All the more reason to attack Ezoria! They have all the food we need, we just have to tak-"[/b]

[b][color=f7941d]"I said enough!"[/color][/b] 

Ozgarad roared at his council, his patience worn away. It was just the same argument going round in circles. They were spent, they could not continue the assault. But if they did not continue then the Eorzians would smell weakness and all the gains he had made would be lost and he would be pushed back into the mountains once more. There had to be some other way.

[b][color=f7941d]"Leave me. You are dismissed."[/color][/b]

His generals and counsellors filed out of the chamber, until only the King and Manawyndan remained. A tense silence hung between them.

[b][color=f7941d]"I keep looking for a solution, some way to turn our predicament into advantage, as I have done a hundred times before. But I see nothing."[/color][/b]  

[b]"We need time to heal, time to recover our strength."[/b]

[color=f7941d][b]"The Eozrians are hardly going to hand me that are they?"[/b][/color]

A ghostly flicker of a smile passed over the old Formori generals face.

[b]"There's an envoy on his way to the capital. They stopped him at the Tower of Rhudlan, one of my spies searched him during his confinement there. He is carrying a peace offering and a marriage pact between Your Highness and Regis's daughter."[/b]

Ozgarad's eyes bulged, the fire within them burned incandescently. His face contorted in rage for but a moment before he regained his composure. Manawyndan was as close to a friend as the King possessed, he knew that the old warrior had his reasons for raising such an insult to his pride.

[color=f7941d][b]"And what makes you think I would entertain such a ridiculous proposal?"[/b][/color]

[b]"Negotiating a settlement and a marriage will take months, there will be a betrothal period as well. All time for you to come up with a new plan without appearing weak. The marriage is the seal on the peace, no agreement is binding until you wed..."[/b]

It was all true, he could string them along for a few months with talk of peace in order to give his armies a chance to rest. He could even use it to lull them into a false sense of security and launch a surprise invasion. But Manawyndan was not finished.

[b]"But you know, I have been thinking that going through with it could be even more advantageous."[/b]

[b][color=f7941d]"What!?"[/color][/b]

[b]"Just think about it. They probably weren't expecting you to accept this, its all posturing for the royal court, the Eozrians love their precious good reputation."[/b] 

The old general laughed, his eyes gleaming as he began to unwind the schemes that he had been weaving in his head.

[b]"She's one step away from the throne itself! She would make an excellent hostage should we go to war again. You could refill our treasury with her dowry, or better yet, claim it in fertile lands along our borders with which to feed our people and push the front line further into Eozria. But most of all, should anything befall Prince Ravus, she could be the heir to the entire Kingdom. As her husband, you could be King. If you produced an heir with her, they could rule both Morganyth and Eozria."[/b]

Manawyndan glanced away from a moment and seemed to draw back into himself, becoming grave. He approached his King and touched his arm lightly. Ozragad knew what he was going to say before he opened his mouth.

[b]"Besides, its been more than long enough. The past is in the past, you need t-"[/b]

[color=f7941d][b]"You overstep yourself."[/b][/color]

The hand withdrew from his royal person. The general lowered his eyes.

[b]"Forgive me, sire."[/b]

Neither of them spoke for a minute, until the King turned to leave the room.

[color=f7941d][b]"When the envoy arrives bring him to me, I will have conditions to make."[/b][/color]

[hr]
The King looked at his land as he waited for the Princess to arrive. The rocky scree slopes of the mountains, the black depths of the gorge, the few trees stunted and twisted by the wind and ash fall. Morganyth was smaller than Eorzia, poorer too, his people were fewer, every man lost was a greater blow for them than the Eorzians. For all his martial prowess, he could not win a war of attrition. [color=f7941d][i]If they do not have time to heal, then I will be King of nought but bones and ashes.[/i][/color]

She was his chance to let them heal. 

A horn sounded from one of the towers that flanked the side of the bridge that led deeper into his kingdom, she was here. A few moments later a carriage accompanied by armed guards rounded the bend, it came to a halt on the other side of the river. 

[b][color=f7941d]"With me."[/color][/b]

He took his herald and two of his guards with him as he rode out across to the Eorzian side. They stopped at the foot of the bridge. He let the herald announce him.

[b]"King Ozragad of the House of Gwydion, King of Morganyth, Lord of all Fomori and Nemesis of Eorzia!"[/b] 

Ozragad trotted his horse forward and got his first good look at the princess. He had met many of the Hydaelyn dynasty over his long years, but rarely in civil circumstances, and few of the fairer sex. She was pretty at least that was for sure. More mature than he had expected, but of course humans bloomed far quicker than Formori. Twenty five sounded like half a child to him, but this was a woman grown. The contrasts between them were stark, fair where he was dark, petite where he was tall. Even their colours, she in a blue dress while a blood red cloak billowed down the back of his armour. 

He didn't smile, his eyes searched her face, looking for something. [color=f7941d][i]Weakness? Doubt? Fear?[/i][/color]

[b][color=f7941d]"I am King Ozragad, you must be Princess Elise. I bid you welcome to my Kingdom."[/color][/b]