Ajax and the pit of doom
Ajax stood over a mountain of dead bodies, victorious. The seer had been true to his word. He had seen the visions and he had spurred Ajax onwards to attack the little village of Tartarus on the shores of the Blue Sea of Panthea.
The seer had also told him very specifically to spare the fairest maiden in the village for she was to be his queen. Ajax had specifically ordered his troops to spare all the young maidens of the village so that Ajax could select the fairest one.
Thus his army had rode through the village, pillaging and burning it to the ground; And all those unfortunate souls that did not meet Ajax's criteria for mercy were slaughtered without remorse for such were the times that the great king Ajax lived in.
As Ajax stood victorious over a mountain of dead bodies, his armour glistening in the sun for it was made of Gold and Mithrael, a mysterious metal to be found only in the realm of Javas over which Ajax ruled; ajax the great King of Javas stepped down to inspect the gaggle of fair maidens his troops had assembled.
Ajax was a tall man, strong and handsome with jet black shoulder length hair and a beard. Under different circumstances he would have had the women swooning over him. But this was not one of those situations. As he neared the brood, the women cowered under his glare as he examined each one of them closely as a farmer does his goods before he goes to the market to sell them.
As he scrutinised each maiden, he reached a particularly defiant looking girl, so beautiful that even Ajax had to look twice. Ajax knew he didn't have to look further. This was the one.
As he came close, she spat in his face with petulant anger. Ajax wiped away the spit and laughed for he liked the fact that she was feisty.
He grabbed her by the hair and pulled her close to him. He looked deep in her eyes with a fiery passion that would've made any woman limp.
But Merah, the woman he had grabbed was not just any woman. She was a hunter and she had a very strong will. She was still a virgin for no man was deemed worthy to so much as walk in her shadow let alone mate with her. She was tall and very beautiful but her beauty was often hidden by her viciousness, an animalistic instinct that made full grown men cower in their boots.
To Merah men were boys, lost in the world, begging to be guided by the wise words of a woman.
Thus Ajax had found for himself the one woman who would be a pillar at his side. Neither did Merah know it yet nor Ajax.
He tied her hands and feet and then with a grunt, he slung her over his shoulders; Merah, resigned to her fate, lay limp allowing him to carry her away.
He lay her belly down on his horse in front of himself; Then turning around to face his troops, he signalled for them to take a bride each for themselves from the remaining lot.
There was a lot of pushing and shoving as the warriors jostled amongst themselves to get fair maidens for themselves as well.
As Ajax and his army rode out, they left in their wake a burning village, burnt to the ground on the whims of the seer.
As Ajax reached the gates of Javas, beggars and lepers that lined the streets outside the walled city beckoned to him for help. Ajax being a just ruler, hurled gold coins at those faceless urchins as they scrambled for the pieces that fell on the ground.
Merah just lay there quietly waiting for a moment when she could lay her hands on a sharp item that she would use to cut his heart out. Unknown to her though, Ajax was well aware of her intentions which is why he had left her hands and feet bound.
As Ajax rode in through the gates with his warriors in tow and made his way to the entrance to his castle, a blind woman broke away from the crowd of bystanders that had thronged the streets to cheer their victorious king.
She prostrated herself in front of Ajax's horse and begged him to hear her pleas.
Ajax signalled to one of his posse to raise her up from the ground where she lay pleading.
"What do you want woman?"
"Oh great King, ruler of Javas, merciful and kind, I beg you have mercy on me and send some troops to help find my husband."
"Where is your husband?"
"He is a fisherman and two days ago he went fishing but never came back. I waited and I waited but he never came back. I beg you please help me my Lord."
Ajax grunted and beckoned to one of his lieutenants, Count Gallardus.
"See what you can do for this woman. And arrange a townhall meeting for tomorrow morning. I would like to know what else ails my countrymen."
Without further incident, Ajax rode onwards and finally reached the door to his castle.
The Kingdom of Javas was located on top of a mountain and it was almost impossible to mount a successful attack as there was just the one road that led up to the main entrance. The other three sides were sheer cliff sides and would be impossible to scale without being spotted.
It was a self contained sanctuary, where noblemen stayed in minarets and towers, whilst commoners lived in houses crudely scattered across the hill on which the Kingdom was built. There was a clear social distinction as far as the social classes were concerned. The taller the building of the home you live in, the higher your nobility. Therefore, the castle in which Ajax and his mother stayed was the tallest building in the Kingdom. It also served as a lighthouse for the fishermen and his navy.
The castle itself was built at the center of the walled city, with four thick, round towers at each corner and high walls to keep out unwanted guests. The stones were brought in specially from a quarry that had been discovered by Ajax's ancestors on an island close by.
Here and there were scattered small windows to allow the noblemen a view of the Kingdom. Lookouts were posted on top of the walls surrounding the castle as well as the towers.
Ajax rode in to the courtyard through the heavy wooden door that served as the entrance to the castle. As he dismounted from his horse, he was greeted by the Seer and his young cousin Ian Hart. Ian Hart was a warrior in training and though he hadn't come of age, he was very skilled with a sword and a bow and arrow. He always wanted to accompany Ajax on his adventures but a stern reprimand from Ajax's mother (Queen Amelia) would put him in his place. Ajax's father King Aunrey had died a few years ago battling the Mormonds of Maret's creek. Though they had won the battle, Aunrey had suffered a wound from an arrow that went clean through his shoulder. The wound got infected and eventually claimed Aunrey's life. Luckily Ajax who was next in line to be king was up to the task and he immediately took over as King.
Ian's parents had also been killed in a mutiny on a ship they were travelling on. Ian had been visiting Javas at the time so he had been spared. His parents were in fact coming to fetch him.
His Father, King Logie was a foul tempered ruler who wasn't very popular among his subjects. His wife, Queen Lonnet was a mild mannered woman who acquiesced to every whim and fancy of the cantankerous king. Ian was their first and only child for all the rest of their efforts had resulted in still born children.
Ajax handed over Merah to the hand maidens to get cleaned up and be made to look presentable. He gave them express instructions to be careful around her as she was dangerous. He sent a couple of his warriors to ensure that Merah behaved herself.
Then he turned and embraced Ian ruffling his hair as he drew away. He was very fond of Ian; To Ajax Ian wasn't just his cousin, he was his confidant and pupil. He liked Ian's never say die attitude and eagerness to contribute in Ajax's efforts to rule justly over his Kingdom.
Ajax then turned to the seer and acknowledged his guidance with a nod of his head, indicating that he had been successful in his endeavor. The seer gestured obeisance to the deities and raised his hands as a gesture to Ajax signalling that he was happy with the outcome.
They moved inside the castle to the throne room, a large hall with beautiful architecture, cut glasses in various colors in the windows that cast a faint yellow glow on the hall in the daytime. On either side of the throne were two more chairs, one reserved for his Queen and the second one interchangeably used for Ajax's mother Queen Amelia or for his counsel when the court was in session. In these times, Count Gallardus served as his counsel but Ian was in training to assume that position once he came of age.
In the middle of the hall was arranged a large table with a large spread of food, specially prepared that day in honor of Ajax and his troops. Queen Amelia was sitting on her chair when Ajax walked in and she immediately got up to embrace Ajax.
Taking his face in her hands, she said
"Yet again you make us proud. I wish your father would have been here to see the fierce warrior that you have become."
"Come now mother, you say the same thing every time I return from the battlefield."
"It is because I always feel the same way Ajax. Proud of how you have turned out. A mother is blessed to have a son like you. Protector of his lands and a just ruler over his subjects. I might go so far as to say, you may just be a better ruler than your father."
They sat down at the head of the table to continue the conversation, Ajax at the head and his mother to his right side.
"You flatter me mother for I am your son. I have some good news for you."
"What is it?"
"I have brought back a bride mother. She is very beautiful and possesses strong spirit. You would like her."
"Yes, the seer spoke of this. I didn't think you would really find somebody worthy of you in that village."
