The Elementalist (The Kothian Chronicles Book 1) Read Online Free Page B
Author: Andrew Wood
streets.
As it was, both co-existed, the governors made most of the rules, with the king, as overall ruler, passing them as law. Despite the years of peace since the magician Galdor had tried to overthrow both the government and the monarchy, it was only a matter of time before something had to give.
Although the majority of people loved their royal family, many thought important matters should be dealt with by elected officials, and to make matters worse, worrying reports were coming in of their neighbour Bosaria. They had recently had a change of leader, and from the news coming over the border, changes were taking place, and not all of them for the good. Apparently, hundreds of government officials had been arrested and executed, all on jumped up charges of treason.
To others looking on, it was clear this new ruler was making sure he had overall control. The two neighbouring countries had both agreed to outlaw magic after the ordeal with Galdor, as both had culled the mere threat of someone using magic. Now, if rumour were true, this new ruler of Bosaria wielded those same powers.
If indeed a magician had taken leadership of their neighbouring nation, then the future was worrying indeed. Fortunately, since the changing of the law regarding magic a few years back, Oran had set plans in motion to counter such an event. This had followed when he had decided to judge over a case brought against a man with the magic. It had been at this hearing, when the man had claimed he had foreseen the future of the nation, should people with magic be continually exterminated, and persecuted.
At first Oran thought the man insane, but the more he was told, the more realistic it sounded. The jury decided a man who could see the future dangerous enough to be charged. As a result of this, the man was officially executed. Whereas in reality he was spared and discreetly moved to a safe house, where Oran had visited him several times, and each time he was told things the man could not possibly have not known. It was after the final meeting the king made a decision.
The man was moved far to the south, away from prying eyes, and was to be given the use of an old border castle and the lands that came with it. The purpose was to secretly amass and assess others with magic, with a view to training them to aid the nation should they ever be needed. Over the next few years the small community grew, and a network set up to help find magic folk before they were found by the state.
During the king's early meetings with the strange seer, he had also been told something on a more personal level. A male family member of his, would reveal himself to be magical after his fourteenth year. At first Oran had worried this might be his son Anden, and that setting up the small magical community in the south, would give him somewhere to be kept safe. As it turned out, the family member happened to be his nephew, who at that moment was probably travelling down to his new home.
That afternoon Oran was due in a meeting with his government, although each time he had such a meet, he felt he was getting less and less say on matters. To a man, he did not trust any of the slimy men that ran his country. He had often wondered why his grandfather had implemented such a system of government; as king, it should be he who makes the decisions for his people, not a bunch of greedy, backstabbing bureaucrats.
He was interested to see how much information they gave him on the situation in Bosaria, luckily though, he had his own network of spies to rely upon, and keep him updated on world events. What he did not want, was his government feeling they did not need him to make important decisions, and he knew that eventually there would be an ultimate struggle for power between him and those that governed. Over the years since his grandfather had seen fit to create the system of government, they had somehow managed to gain more powers.
With
As it was, both co-existed, the governors made most of the rules, with the king, as overall ruler, passing them as law. Despite the years of peace since the magician Galdor had tried to overthrow both the government and the monarchy, it was only a matter of time before something had to give.
Although the majority of people loved their royal family, many thought important matters should be dealt with by elected officials, and to make matters worse, worrying reports were coming in of their neighbour Bosaria. They had recently had a change of leader, and from the news coming over the border, changes were taking place, and not all of them for the good. Apparently, hundreds of government officials had been arrested and executed, all on jumped up charges of treason.
To others looking on, it was clear this new ruler was making sure he had overall control. The two neighbouring countries had both agreed to outlaw magic after the ordeal with Galdor, as both had culled the mere threat of someone using magic. Now, if rumour were true, this new ruler of Bosaria wielded those same powers.
If indeed a magician had taken leadership of their neighbouring nation, then the future was worrying indeed. Fortunately, since the changing of the law regarding magic a few years back, Oran had set plans in motion to counter such an event. This had followed when he had decided to judge over a case brought against a man with the magic. It had been at this hearing, when the man had claimed he had foreseen the future of the nation, should people with magic be continually exterminated, and persecuted.
At first Oran thought the man insane, but the more he was told, the more realistic it sounded. The jury decided a man who could see the future dangerous enough to be charged. As a result of this, the man was officially executed. Whereas in reality he was spared and discreetly moved to a safe house, where Oran had visited him several times, and each time he was told things the man could not possibly have not known. It was after the final meeting the king made a decision.
The man was moved far to the south, away from prying eyes, and was to be given the use of an old border castle and the lands that came with it. The purpose was to secretly amass and assess others with magic, with a view to training them to aid the nation should they ever be needed. Over the next few years the small community grew, and a network set up to help find magic folk before they were found by the state.
During the king's early meetings with the strange seer, he had also been told something on a more personal level. A male family member of his, would reveal himself to be magical after his fourteenth year. At first Oran had worried this might be his son Anden, and that setting up the small magical community in the south, would give him somewhere to be kept safe. As it turned out, the family member happened to be his nephew, who at that moment was probably travelling down to his new home.
That afternoon Oran was due in a meeting with his government, although each time he had such a meet, he felt he was getting less and less say on matters. To a man, he did not trust any of the slimy men that ran his country. He had often wondered why his grandfather had implemented such a system of government; as king, it should be he who makes the decisions for his people, not a bunch of greedy, backstabbing bureaucrats.
He was interested to see how much information they gave him on the situation in Bosaria, luckily though, he had his own network of spies to rely upon, and keep him updated on world events. What he did not want, was his government feeling they did not need him to make important decisions, and he knew that eventually there would be an ultimate struggle for power between him and those that governed. Over the years since his grandfather had seen fit to create the system of government, they had somehow managed to gain more powers.
With
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