Snippet #2779155

" Ettonia was order. Ettonia was power. Ettonia was civilization!"


These words had once propelled the Ettonians to great lengths. In their original world, they were the dominant Human force. An Empire with many puppet and vassal states paying tribute. Ever vigilant of their Elven neighbors, their armies were vast and always at the ready. Ettonia stood as Infernian's favored people. So had he decided to forsaken them?
An entire Kingdom, abducted and thrust into an unknown wood. A sky that was foreign. In their own world, Ettonia was strong. What about here? The distance between rival lords was gone, the coffers to buy loyalty were nonexistent, and the parchment which bound them to one another were no more. Chaos was quick to envelope them and the differences grudges, although archaic, were many and great. This led to violence. And so it was Violence that stopped it.

Whilst commoners bickered, lesser Lords drew blood, and all manner of decency was discarded. Queen Emilia Auguste Von Dornburg kept her cool. It was an unpredictable crisis her country had found itself in but the same was said when Ettonia was to have a woman as it's ruler. Emilia had not navigated the tangled web of the Court, traded wit for wit and honey coated venomous words with foreign dignitaries, showed the strength of her now Queen's Royal Army on the field of battle against would be Usurpers that thought they could best her for it all to be brought down by the tricks of elven magic. She knew how to bring this lot back under her boot. Sure these inbred commoners and country bumpkin nobles were quick to forget their standing when there was no noose or parchment to remind them of it but among them were men who were bound by more than mere parchment or fear of punishment. Emilia still had the Knighthood.
The Knighthood were bound by a code. A code of chivalry that demanded they remain loyal to their rightful ruler and the people of Ettonia. It was something that was indoctrinated into them from a very young age. The more prestigious the Knight Order, the more harshly the chivalric code was push onto them. Like moths to a light, they flocked to her. Kneeling and of course this caught the attention of others. There was no crown on their head and yet, the icon of Ettonian military might bowed in submission to their Queen. Lord Protector Hans was amongst them as well. The Queen's faction, by her merely being alive and visible, was gathering strength.

No doubt others had similar idea but the Knighthood were the heroes of the common man. Any who was not too enraptured by brawls, fled, or were merely stunned by the confusion, came to her. The Dwarven engineer caste were also bound by their unwritten word and by debts they were too proud to leave unpaid and thus they came to her fold. Ultimately she had what she needed. Skilled Craftsmen, Competent Protectors, and those willing todo the arduous but necessary labor. Perhaps more hoped to follow but they would have to catch up. With a motion of the hand, they cleared a path for her and in absence of a Sedan a large Infernian Knight carried her so that she would not have to suffer walking.


"Yisser majesty, excuse me questionin' but we are gonna let dohs idiots stay oyt dare?" Lord Hans asked his words made obscure by the dialect he spoke. In her younger days, she too struggled to understand and the old man was far too stubborn to adjust or retire. He was a proven military commander and despite his age, his sword arm was still strong. Over time she came to like the old fool and more importantly, she learned how to understand what he was saying.

"We have no money, no food, and no castle wall. No doubt we could perhaps outmaneuver my opponents here but they would not be still alive to call themselves my adversaries if they did not hold some form of competence. Any real threats to me have gathered what they could and left. We must make haste and establish ourselves before we move to bring more into the fold."

The old man pondered her words and nodded." Roi, true so 'tis. gran' so den. naw doubt more 'ill cum an' not al' loyal ter yer. i'll 'av dis lot orderly an' ready ter start gatherin'. Maybe we can even fend yer a 'orse. surely a few got tossed in wi' us whaen dis cutty knife eared witchery 'appened. "

"That would be splendid. I'm sure even one as light as eye would eventually become a burden to carry."

The Knight beneath her answered without hesitation. "The Queen's place is to bask in Luxury and govern over her people. We of the Infernian Order shall sooner die than permit you to march any distance on foot.".


Pleased with that remark, they ventured deeper. With cautious, anxious steps some followed while others remained stalwart and courageously vigilant. The future of the Ettonian people would be decided in these woods.