The kingdom of the three brothers, Rinehart, Aodhan and
Amon, ruled well. Their three armies defended their shores from the godless
invaders of the east, and the heathen of the south. It was told in all foreign
lands that their armies were given a fever and lust for blood as never before
seen among any warrior or band. Their determination to serve their king and
land, their loyalty to their families and soil, were traits only wished for and
sung about.
A decade of peace followed the invasions, and many nations
paid tribute to the kingdom and clan of the three brothers. Together, Rinehart
and Aodhan journeyed out to conquer more lands, to expand their empire, to amass
more wealth, and acquire more subjects under their power. Amon, on the other
hand, stayed behind and handled the internal affairs of the kingdom. Here was their
greatest fall.
While the two older brothers conquered, Amon was left to the
castle to plot. He did not plot with councilors, or under a secret band with
signs and passwords, but within the great library. Book after book was read,
tome after tome was opened and shut, scroll after scroll unrolled and rolled,
candle after candle was melted. He searched for the history of the kingdom, of
other kingdoms, of ancient kingdoms, and of politics. His kingdom, the one
shared among three brothers, was not the first to occur in its fashion, and the
endings were all similar. Brother was pitted against brother, army against army,
and not long after the victor slew his own flesh and blood, another kingdom,
baited by weakness and fatigue, would lay waste to an inheritance.
There would be no hope to preserve his kingdom, or to save
his people, unless he could change history and forge an early peace among the
brothers. Ideas swam through his mind of separating the brothers through the
power of their conquest, but in each scheme, Amon saw his brothers pitted
against each other as to who ruled who. As long as there was power, there would
be corruption.
Upon return from their three year conquest, Rinehart and
Aodhan shared liberally their spoils with their younger brother. Amon accepted
their gold, jewels, ornaments and other treasures and invited them to a feast.
A spread of goose, stag, boar, and beef was laid upon the table with bread and the season’s
freshest crops. An old keg of ale was tapped and the barley brew was divided
among them.
Towards the middle of the feast, when the brothers and their
captains were at their second helping of meat, and on their fifth mug of ale,
Amon stood and called for attention.
“To my brothers, these spoils be,” he cried. The group
applauded and cheered in reply. “But to this end I ask you, are you yet equal
in your conquest? Will you still look at each other as one, brother to brother,
eye to eye? Or will you subvert this kingdom by allowing pride to take seed
within your heart? I see it now within you Rinehart and Aodhan. There is a
gleam within your eye that speaks the truth of your soul. The kingdom is already
lost, for neither of you will yield to my words.” As he spoke, both brothers
stayed focused on him, lowering their heads slightly to take an awkward
drink as to not may eye contact with the other. “Let go your foolish pride my
brothers. Is not your conquest enough? Is not this spoil enough? Is not the
love and adoration of your people enough? Is not the fear and terror of other
nations enough? Is not the word of your brother enough to stay your hand
against one another? Be still, take heart, and reflect upon the words of our
father. If you do not, it will not be before winter's end when this kingdom will
fall and its people placed under the rule of another.”
When Amon finished speaking, he sat down. The rest of the
feast was had in silence, though an unheard anger brewed against Amon for his
words. Neither Rinehart nor Aodhan spoke to defend against what was said
against them, for it was truth. They knew it, but did not fear it.
