The past five years had been difficult for Doreille Torghin, queen of Aridhol.

She had become queen after her mother abruptly died.  At 15, she had become
a young  queen.  Although she had made the popular decision to join the
Compact of the Ten Nations, she was an unusual queen, refusing to trust any advisors or
help given.  One day, she heard a knock at the door of her throne room.  
Adjusting her crown, she replied "enter"  A middle-aged soldier walked in.  Bowing
slightly, he bluntly stated, "I will not fight for you anymore."  Startled, the Queen
asked,  "Have I seen your somewhere before?"  The soldier answered:

  "My name is Dalyn.  I have been in your army for five years."  Letting
the man inside a side room, the queen regally stood and waited for him to speak.

 "I have often sat looking at your palace, wondering who it was that we
have been endlessly fighting at dying for.  It is over; I will be leaving tomorrow.
You can continue your battle:  what I want to know is : why?"

Not answering, she led him down a hall untile they reached a sitting room.
Letting him inside, she offered him a seat.  The queen had to show him that she was
queen and what she felt was necessary should be enough.  Looking over at her, his
eyes softened slightly as he said,

      "you are so young." His eyes hardened. "I have seen so many useless
battles, many of which we have lost.  For what?  You have signed the Compact of the
ten nations.  I somehow feel that all of this is just for your sport!"

   Queen Doreille gathered herself up and spat, "How dare you question your Queen?!  How could you ever understand
why?" She turned away from him, so he could not see the tear fall down her
face...she had to remain strong.

"You don't think what I'm doing isn't tearing me apart inside piece by
piece?  Every battle lost is a piece of my soul lost."

  Leading the queen to the window, the soldier argued: "Look at your land!
How long can you go on living not trusting your own people, not letting them know who
you really are?  No longer will I fight on your battlefield."  The soldier now
seemed to be offering a promise to the creator.  "I want to live as an honest man, to
fall in love and to live in peace.  My queen, I don't understand your ways."

   The queen turned away from the soldier--she refused to look at him
again. Slowly, the crown slipped from her head.  She thought her heart would split, it was
aching so much.  For the first time, she was utterly ashamed of herself.  After a long
moment, she picked up her crown and moved the soldier to the door.

  "Please wait for one minute.  I will be right back."  As Dalyn waited, he
heard the queen's voice in the distace.  His eyes only widened slightly as he was
killed by two palace guards.

   The queen walked back to the room and stared out the window, all the
while wondering what to do next.  Faintly in the distance she heard herself sob;
another piece of her soul was gone.


OOC:  I hope it was ok....


Muirne Oisin
novice of the wt