vineri, 14 martie 2014

“Veni, vidi, vici. (I came, I saw, I conquered.)”


“Let your plans be dark and impenetrable as night, and when you move, fall like a thunderbolt.”

I've never imagined how much a woman's decisions can change the course of history, nor what an impact one person's folly can influence other people's lives. And although no one recalls her name anymore, I don't think there is a person in the realm, peasant or noble who could question her role in this war.
It all began that fateful December night, the night when the first snow fell over the realm.

The air was cold and tiny snowflakes began descending from the sky as the night settled. It was quiet in the village. Almost too quiet, but no one suspected a thing and everyone went to bed early that evening. By midnight nothing would ever be the same.

They thread their way through the woods like wild beasts, masking their footing, so the moment when they reached the dormant village they took everyone by surprise. The poor people never stood a chance, for they were farmers, not warriors. Most of the men died that night, trying to stand for their wives and daughters and those who survived were mutilated for life. They killed babies in their cradles and profaned wives and young girls in their own beds, because that's the unwritten law of war. That's how the awaited war between the Duke and the Marquess began.


Dear Mother,
I lost the count on how many weeks have passed since I haven't seen my children and I barely managed to find a moment to take breath and write you a few lines.
First of all, I wanted to say how relieved I was when I found that father's soldiery wasn't among the ones that invaded the Marquess' domains last week. I know that our family serves the Duke and I even heard rumours about a possible promise from the Duke that he would marry his oldest daughter to Albrecht, as a way to express his gratification for father's loyal service, yet I can't help but feel disquiet about the events that took place this winter.
After the attack, the Marquess called his people and assembled an army to return like for like and, from what I've heard, they're preparing an onslaught. I can't tell you more, for I fear that this letter might get intercepted on its way to you, so I will end it here, by entreating you to be careful and take earth for yourself. I know that father and even Albrecht will be summoned by the Duke and will probably have to go join in his army, so I can only hope that we won't find ourselves on different sides of the barricade.
Yours truly,
Alleken Marie

I knew that the last lines would probably confuse Mother, but I couldn't risk telling her more. After my marriage to Gregory, I have lived on the opposite side of the realm, the territories under the Marquess' trusteeship and although  I don't plan to take part with someone on this fight, I know very well that such a desire is probably pointless, because my husband will likely end up fighting my brother and father.
For now, all I can do is try to alleviate the misery on those poor, pitiable people that are caught in the middle of this 'brotherly' conflict, while trying to ignore the fact that I might actually be among them.

I haven't seen my family since I was called to assist the injured, and that must have been more than two weeks ago, but I know that there is no need for me to worry, because my children are back home with my mother and they are well taken care of. For now. Our town is far from the actual battlefield and I still hope that this conflict will come to a standstill in the next weeks, before more people will lose their lives in vain.

10 comentarii:

Ekho spunea...

Damn, I hope Alleken can find a way to be with her kids. Being torn away from them must be heartbreaking, and I don't know how she's going to handle the war - especially with her brother and father on opposing sides to her husband.

Auteur des Rêves spunea...

I've got my first comment (on this chapter)! ^^ Hey there, Ekho! It's good to see you around ^^ Thanks for reading&commenting. It means a lot.
Well, things will only get worse from now on, not only for Alleken and her family, but for everyone. Regardless of what Alleken still hopes, it's going to be a war. A very bloody war, that's going to last around 5 years (I don't think I can play like this for more than a rotation; I want my simmies to be happy ^^" )
As for Alleken's fate ... Well, she's got quite an adventure waiting for her. She might not be one of the peope that's going to make history, but I've got quite a role prepared for her. You will discover more about that in the next chapter (which is already written; I think I'll post it on Sunday).

Anca spunea...

Great start, got me hooked on the story!^^

Auteur des Rêves spunea...

Thank you ^^ And see you around ^.~ I hope you will enjoy the other chapters too.

Adi spunea...

If you already have a chapter written, why the delay ? =_= go on, share in your imagination!

Auteur des Rêves spunea...

I ... don't have the pictures ^^" I have to load my game (which takes around 10 to 15 minutes XD due to the huge amount of CC XD), take the pictures and edit them XD Aaaand ... I'm lazy >.> I know, I know ^^" Sorry. I promise I'll have it posted by Sunday ^^ Thanks for reading. It means a lot =^.^=

Adi spunea...

Well, once you get into the story, it makes you curious about the characterscas it is not a plain love story with stupid cliches (?), but something new about a young girl with terible things done to her by the cruel life lived in that age, but also viewed from someone who shares in her life's point of view. My english is kicking the shit out of me ~_~ ... carry on.

Auteur des Rêves spunea...

You know what? The fact that you don't see this as a plain love story actually made my day ^^ It's not that I was trying very hard not to make it too clichéd (which I wasn't, because I wrote those chapters as a hobby, so I'm not trying to make everything into a book or something XD I actually have no idea where this story is going), it's just that ... it's nice that someone sees it as something more than just a cliché ^^
And yes ... Alleken is ... me. Well, not me as in ... real me XD Because even if she is currently my age (or older by a year or two), she lived through far greater things in her life and she had more opportunities that forced her to grow up, so her character is shaped quite differently. I just ... or we just share some opinions, because when I began writing this story, I wanted to see how it would be to find myself in some of those situations ^^" I find it quite challenging sometimes.
I'm also glad that you like the characters. There are far too many in my game to mention them all here (last time when I counted, there were around 150 people still alive and maybe 40 that died since the beginning) and, no matter how 'famous' Alleken would ever be, she would never get to know every person in the realm (like the woman that appears in the second and third picture; Alleken has no idea who she is and I doubt the two of them ever met, even if that woman's story is quite a tale - maybe I'll tell it here another time). She writes about the people she encounters and sometimes about those whose stories she heard. But there will be some recurring characters besides Alleken (and those characters will be connected to her somehow).

Sandy spunea...

YAY! I have be waiting for this, and was NOT disappointed, your writing is awesome, and the pictures are gorgeous! Keep writing,this story is terrific! ^_^

Auteur des Rêves spunea...

Thank you very much for your kind words ^^ The fact that you like both the story and the pictures means a lot to me ^^

Trimiteți un comentariu