The War of Brothers
Previous: Birth of a Regent
Upon Kaeduric's death, Berric assumed his father's title and as his first act declared Dalton an enemy of the state. Fortunately for Dalton, the order came through Braedonnal Tuare. The elf commander's sympathies lay with Dalton, whom Braedonnal admired far more than he did Berric. Forewarned, Dalton escaped and fled to Monsedge with Lanelle, his new bride.
There they could have lived anonymously, and so Lanelle pleaded with Dalton. But fear of Berric, and Dalton's growing ambition to be archduke, held sway.
With Braedonnal's help, Dalton quietly gathered support among the army. He believed that the common people would support him and that a united opposition would force Berric to step aside.
In the time that Dalton spent mustering support, Lanelle bore a daughter, whom she named Telaena Alam. Berric kept as calm a public face as he could man- age and did not allow his jealousy to prevent him from taking a bride of his own.
By the winter of 1547 MA, Dalton believed he had enough support to force Berric from the throne without bloodshed. But the archduke, apprised by his intelligence agents of Dalton's plans, thwarted his half-brother. Berric surprised Dalton's supporters with a carefully orchestrated series of attacks and arrests, and put to the torch whole villages thought loyal to Dalton. Had he not attacked the villages, Berric might have ruined his rival in a single stroke. As it was, however, his rash cruelty swelled Dalton's armies.
Alamie divided neatly along either side of the Tuor River, since most of the villages Berric attacked were in the west. Berric fought from the relative strength of Lofton; Dalton, from the rebellious city of Haes.
After a year of staining the land with the blood of siblings and cousins, the war continued with no end in sight. Dalton offered a compromise: He would rule the lands west of the Tuor River, a land now known as Tuornen. Berric refused his terms.
The war continued, its number of casualties swelling to include Dalton's wife. Lanelle fell prey to an opportunistic horde of goblins that descended upon the provinces of Ghonallison and Monsedge while the War of Brothers raged to the south. Word of the invasion reached Dalton too late for him to send troops to protect his family and others who lived in the invaded provinces. Telaena, mercifully, had been rescued by fleeing farmers.
The final battle of the War of Brothers was fought in Alamsreft, a new province formed at the secession. In a sea of struggling bodies, past blood-slicked armor and shattered spears, Dalton and Berric fought toward each other. When they met, they exchanged terrible, unrestrained blows. At the last, Berric smashed Dalton's sword away. But as the archduke raised his blade for the coup de grace, Dalton drew a dagger from his belt and plunged it deeply into his brother's heart. Berric's eyes widened in surprise as his life ebbed, his bloodline power surging into Dalton. Dalton met his brother's gaze, his own expression revealing both triumph and sadness. The war was over.
Upon Kaeduric's death, Berric assumed his father's title and as his first act declared Dalton an enemy of the state. Fortunately for Dalton, the order came through Braedonnal Tuare. The elf commander's sympathies lay with Dalton, whom Braedonnal admired far more than he did Berric. Forewarned, Dalton escaped and fled to Monsedge with Lanelle, his new bride.
There they could have lived anonymously, and so Lanelle pleaded with Dalton. But fear of Berric, and Dalton's growing ambition to be archduke, held sway.
With Braedonnal's help, Dalton quietly gathered support among the army. He believed that the common people would support him and that a united opposition would force Berric to step aside.
In the time that Dalton spent mustering support, Lanelle bore a daughter, whom she named Telaena Alam. Berric kept as calm a public face as he could man- age and did not allow his jealousy to prevent him from taking a bride of his own.
By the winter of 1547 MA, Dalton believed he had enough support to force Berric from the throne without bloodshed. But the archduke, apprised by his intelligence agents of Dalton's plans, thwarted his half-brother. Berric surprised Dalton's supporters with a carefully orchestrated series of attacks and arrests, and put to the torch whole villages thought loyal to Dalton. Had he not attacked the villages, Berric might have ruined his rival in a single stroke. As it was, however, his rash cruelty swelled Dalton's armies.
Alamie divided neatly along either side of the Tuor River, since most of the villages Berric attacked were in the west. Berric fought from the relative strength of Lofton; Dalton, from the rebellious city of Haes.
After a year of staining the land with the blood of siblings and cousins, the war continued with no end in sight. Dalton offered a compromise: He would rule the lands west of the Tuor River, a land now known as Tuornen. Berric refused his terms.
The war continued, its number of casualties swelling to include Dalton's wife. Lanelle fell prey to an opportunistic horde of goblins that descended upon the provinces of Ghonallison and Monsedge while the War of Brothers raged to the south. Word of the invasion reached Dalton too late for him to send troops to protect his family and others who lived in the invaded provinces. Telaena, mercifully, had been rescued by fleeing farmers.
The final battle of the War of Brothers was fought in Alamsreft, a new province formed at the secession. In a sea of struggling bodies, past blood-slicked armor and shattered spears, Dalton and Berric fought toward each other. When they met, they exchanged terrible, unrestrained blows. At the last, Berric smashed Dalton's sword away. But as the archduke raised his blade for the coup de grace, Dalton drew a dagger from his belt and plunged it deeply into his brother's heart. Berric's eyes widened in surprise as his life ebbed, his bloodline power surging into Dalton. Dalton met his brother's gaze, his own expression revealing both triumph and sadness. The war was over.
