Crisis in Esplandia

The Northern Pass, Idjo Province

Princess Amelia was bored. The royal train made its way from Lestinburg across the Northern Pass on its way to Ivernia Province. There was nothing for her to do. No one else was near her age and they were all busy with matters of state. Her grandfather had tried playing a game of knights and castles with her but even he had eventually had to attend to more important matters. She couldn't understand why her grandmother had insisted on dragging her along. Her brother got to stay behind in Karthied.

For a time she watched out the window as farmlands passed by until there was no more farms, only mountains and trees. She had at first hoped to see some animals but the forests became so thick that there wasn’t much to see. At some point she had dosed off. When she awoke the train had stopped and it was getting dark outside. The sun had gone down behind the mountains and the train was in deep shadow. The station they were at was dwarfed by the rising mountains, so she knew they hadn't reached Cedricstown yet where there was only rolling hills.

The station platform was crowded. Dozens of men and women roamed about. Some were on phones and others conversed in small groups. She recognized Donal Fitzpatrick, and a couple of the others. Most the people had been on the train she was sure. She also saw Alphius Skywing, Duke of Idjo, but she was sure he hadn't been on the train. Alphius was a handsome man with dark hair that he wore in a ponytail to his waist. Amelia liked Alphius because he always asked her about her school and such, and she could tell he truly listened when she talked. Alphius was talking to a younger man with the same dark hair in a ponytail. She guessed it was one of his three sons.

Amelia wondered where her grandmother was. Why had the train stopped? They were supposed to travel through the night, arriving in Cedricstown in the early morning. As she got up to go find her mother the car door opened and her Grandfather came in. She knew something was wrong by the grim look on his face.

"Amè," he said, calling her by her pet name.

"What is it, Grandpa?" She asked. "Why have we stopped?"

He was quiet for a moment, fighting against some emotion that had set his usually smiling face into a grim mask. "Your Grandmother has had a stroke," he said, his voice catching in his throat. "She has been airlifted to Karthied. They don't think it's good."

Amelia didn't know what to say. Her grandmother had always seemed so strong and tough. In truth Amelia was scared of her grandmother a little. Amelia wanted to cry and she wasn’t able to stop herself. Her grandfather came over and wrapped her in his arms. They stood that way for a couple minutes while Amelia sobbed quietly.

She slowly began to regain her composure, her sobs quieting. Someone coughed at the door to the car. Alphius stood looking their way. "My Lord, My lady," he said. "I'm sorry to interrupt but another helicopter is on its way here. I requested they take the both of you to the capital."

Her grandfather turned to face the duke, but he kept his arms tightly around his granddaughter."No, take Amelia." Her grandfather answered. "I must still go to Cedricstown. These matters are too important to delay."

"All due respect, my lord," Alphius said. "You're in no state to continue. I am familiar with the details, as is Donal. We can handle the negotiations. Please."

Amelia's grandfather looked down at his granddaughter. He wiped her eyes with his sleeve. "Alright," he said. "Send Amè first. I'll need to fly down to Tiberus. Sherwin must know. Can you send for another helicopter?"

Alphius nodded and backed out of the room. They heard him start giving orders to someone outside. As he left the sound of an approaching helicopter could be heard echoing amongst the hills. The stood only a little longer, then Amelia was led outside onto the platform by her grandfather. The helicopter was landing in a field next to the station. Above the platform the station sign read ‘Bradford Mills Crossing’, which was the midway point of the Northern Pass.

Alphius returned as they descended from the platform to the field. He followed by the young man that he had been talking to earlier. "Another helicopter is on its way," he reported. "I'll send my son along with the princess to keep her company."

Amelia's grandfather thanked him. Alphius lead their small group towards the helicopter which sat, rotors whirring, awaiting for them. Her grandpa led her up to the door and helped her in. He kissed her on the forehead and back away, forcing a smile. She wanted to say something but the aircraft was too loud, so she waved instead. Alphius's son climbed in next as Amelia was being strapped in. She was handed a headset which she put on but all she could hear was the pilots running through a checklist as they prepared for takeoff.

The doors were closed and the sound of the helicopter's blades picked up as they took off. Alphius's son said something to her, but she couldn't hear him over the noise. He reached over and pressed a button on her headset. "...channel for us to talk on without bothering the pilots," his voice came through. "It also helps cut out the noise."

"Thank you," she responded. He smiled. She looked at him. He was a lot like his father, just younger. She had met one of Alphius’s sons before, but she couldn’t remember the name. "What's your name?" she asked.

"Oh, I'm sorry. I should have introduced myself. I'm Typhus." He reached out to shake her hand, thought better of it, and did a little awkward wave instead. As the helicopter flew back across the path the two began to talk. Typhus was quite sweet and for a while he was able to take Amelia’s mind off of her grandmother which was a huge relief. She still didn’t know what to think. He talked about his home in Idjo, his brothers and sisters, and his favorite pet. He had never been to Karthied so Amelia talked to him about the city and her school and everything she liked and hated about the capital. She was thoroughly enjoying having this conversation with someone who was close to her age. Like his father, Typhus also truly listened to her.

Then there was a bright flash and something struck the helicopter. Her whole world started to spin violently and a warning siren wailed as the aircraft went down.

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Alfred Rhodes watched the helicopter carrying his granddaughter away until it was out of view. Then he returned to the platform and waited for the next helicopter. It wasn't a long wait and soon he was being flown south. He sat in silence the whole way. The mountainous lands of Idjo then Urraca below him gave way to hills as he passed over Morratagne and then flatlands as the helicopter crossed Lorragne and headed eastward towards the Holy City of Tiberus.

The helicopter passed over the city as the sun began to peek over the horizon, lighting up the ocean with the many hues of sunrise. The helicopter landed outside the Holy Cathedral, a giant edifice of marble, built in the days of King Cedric ‘the Great’. After the helicopter touched down, Alfred crossed the landing pad and found his son, Prince Sherwin, waiting for him. They gave each other a quick but affectionate hug and then Sherwin lead his father into a small antechamber where there was coffee and pastries. Alfred skipped eating but gladly downed some coffee.

He sat down in a padded arm chair across from where his son had sat down. "I've arranged for a jet to fly us to Karthied." Sherwin said. "How'd Amé take the whole situation?"

"She's shook up but she'll be alright." Henry answered, wishing he was there right now. He could have easily gone with her and flown south from Karthied later in the day but the truth was that he needed to speak with his son.

"Alphius says you sent her ahead.” Alfred nodded a response. “Why’d you come down here so quickly?” Sherwin continued. “There must be something you think is important.”

"As High Chancellor and now acting Regent, there are certain things that need to be addressed immediately.”

Sherwin sighed and leaned back in his chair. “I think I know what you’re going to say.”

"Esplandia cannot be without a strong leader right now." Alfred continued. He paused, taking a gulp of coffee. "That's why I'm raising you to the title of Duke of Valdonia."

He watched Sherwin's reaction. His son had already refused two attempts by his mother to advance him to the duchy as tradition demanded. Sherwin could refuse again, in which case Alfred was prepared to use the Landesgrad to vote him into office anyway. He doubted his son would refuse. Sherwin sighed. "She's that bad?" Alfred didn't answer. He didn't have to. "It was inevitable, but how I wish mother could live to be a thousand."

It was a father's true gift to be blessed with strong sons and Sherwin was as strong as any father could ask for. There were other matters of importance and he wondered how his son would handle them. Sherwin was a competent man, but until now he'd never been tested.

"Irwin should be in Wolfsea by now." Alfred stated, waiting to hear what his son would say.

"Yes, but it would be unwise to recall him. He will be informed, of course, but I'll tell him it's his royal duty to continue with this trip to meet Princess Zara." The answer was what Alfred expected. He nodded at his son in approval.

They were interrupted by an aid coming in and informing them that a jet had arrived to transport them to the capital. A car was waiting for them and it carried them across the city to the airport. As they arrived another aid opened their door. The young man was nervous as the climbed out of the car. He quickly informed them that the helicopter that had been carrying Princess Amelia had disappeared from radar and she was now missing.

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Amelia ached and hurt. It was still dark out. The helicopter had come down hard, slamming into something before stopping with a jolt that had left her jarred. She was leaning forward against her straps, the nose of the aircraft pointed downhill.

Her ears rang and she was having trouble focusing. She was aware that someone was moving around in the helicopter, but she couldn't see who. "Typhus?" She called out. She was surprised by how shaky her voice sounded.

"I'm here," he answered, moving up next to her. "Are you alright?" He leaned in close and his face finally came into focus. A trickle of blood was running down his face from a cut above his left eyebrow. She nodded in an affirmative. She could see one of the pilots moving at the front. He was flipping switches and turning dials.

Typhus helped her from her seat and held on to her as she stood up. Her legs were shaky but she didn’t think she’d fall. The pilot was now on the radio, trying to raise someone. He spoke quickly in Urracan, then in Albionic, requesting a response and assistance. There was no reply.

Typhus opened the helicopters door and climbed out. Pale moonlight was poking through a crack between mountains, lighting up the forest. Amelia followed him out. The helicopter was sitting on a lightly wooded hillside pushed up tightly into a clump of pine trees. She found a fallen log a couple feet from the crash and sat down. It was cold out, she realized. Not freezing, but definitely cold.

Typhus returned to the crash and a couple minutes later he returned with a blanket and some water for her. She wrapped herself up and drank deeply. She hadn’t realized how thirsty she was. When she finished Typhus drank, but he was more sparing. When he finished he returned to the crash and soon after he and the pilot who had been trying the radio climbed out, carrying the second pilot. He seemed awake, but seemed unable to straighten up. They laid him against a pine. He cried out quickly when they sat him up.

“It’s a broken rib, I think,” Said the first pilot. “We hit that tree right where he was sitting.” Then Typhus and the pilot returned to the helicopter again. The first pilot came back quickly after with a first aid kit> He checked over Amelia, but aside from her headache she was uninjured. He then went over to the second pilot and began checking him over.

Typhus left the helicopter and came over to Amelia. He had a couple small cases marked with an army symbol. He put them down next to her. “You hungry or anything?” he asked. She was about to answer when she became aware of a noise. Typhus heard it as well and looked up the hill behind her. It was a motor, or maybe two. She turned and looked. Two motorcycles were coming across the clearing straight at them.

At a short distance one of the bikes pulled up, but the second one came on. It pulled up a dozen yards from the crash and a tall man carrying a rifle got off and approached. The first pilot walked forward to meet him.
“We saw you crash,” the stranger said. “Glad to see you’re all okay.” He looked them over, his gaze lingering on Amelia a few minutes too long.

“Why doesn’t your friend come on up as well?” The pilot asked. There was a tone of suspicion in his voice. She noticed that Typhus had put his hand into his jacket and stood watching the stranger intently.

The stranger ignored the question. He looked at the second pilot resting against the tree. “He injured?” He asked.

“Broken rib most likely,” the first pilot said. The stranger nodded, then turned his attention back to the first pilot. He looked at him and there was something that Amelia didn’t like about the way he stood.

The first pilot felt it to. “Who the hell are you?” he asked. She noticed that the second pilot had drawn his sidearm and was resting it in his lap. The stranger flicked his gaze to the second pilot then returned to staring down the first one. In a quick motion he brought his rifle up and fired a shot point-blank into the first pilot. He went down hard, taking an involuntary step back. The stranger whipped around and fired a second shot, hitting the second pilot who was trying to lift his sidearm up.

Amelia was frozen in shock. She had a momentary fear that they were going to kill her. She saw Typhus pull a pistol from out of his jacket and he fired quickly at the stranger. The stranger was hit in the chest by every shot and he never had enough time to point his weapon at Typhus. Now she also noticed that the second stranger was head their way on his bike then she was being dragged by Typhus downhill into the forest. As they entered the tree cover a machine gun opened fire, tearing up the foliage around them.

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Amelia lay quietly amongst a thicket of wild raspberries. Typhus had found the spot for her and she had crawled in to hide. They were lucky they hadn’t been hit by gunfire. They had run for what seemed like a long time before the gunfire had stopped. After Typhus found the spot and made sure she was relatively safe, he had left, heading back towards the crash.

She laid there on the cold ground, hardly moving and trying to breathe quietly. She didn’t think much, just listened. Daylight was beginning to creep up on them when she heard someone approaching. At last she saw Typhus walking towards the thicket. He was carrying a couple of the cases from the helicopter. When he got close he called her out.

“Whoever it was left” Typhus said as he helped her from the thicket. “He left the pilots, but took his friend.”

“Why’d they try to kill us?” Amelia asked.

Typhus just shrugged. “I don’t know, but I don’t think they were Esplandian.” He opened up one of the cases and gave her some dried fruit out of it. She ate greedily, and then drank some water he gave her. Typhus ate as well and they sat in silence. He would look at her for a while, watching as if he was waiting for something. At first she pretended to ignore him, but eventually realized he was concerned.

“I’m ok,” she said.

“I know,” he responded. “In fact I’m impressed with how your handling all this. You’re very brave.” She took his compliment quietly and finished eating her food. Afterwards they headed back towards the crash. They crept up quietly as they got closer, keeping to the foliage as best they could. By time they got back to the crash the sun was shining down fully on the hillside. They watched for a while, but nothing moved. Typhus motioned for her to stay then he crept the rest of the way up to the crash and checked inside. A few seconds later he motioned he forward.

As she came up to the crash she noticed that both the pilots were now covered by blankets. She assumed Typhus had covered them up when he’d come back before. She was glad of that. He had climbed up into the helicopter and was trying the radio for a response. After what seemed like an hour or so while she went through the supplies and equipment from the helicopter, Typhus got a response.

“This is the Esplandian Royal Air Force, we hear you,” a voice said. Typhus explained their position as best he could and was told rescue was on the way. They sat and waited, talking very little, listening for approaching motorcycles. It was past noon when a helicopter came down the valley they were in. Soon after the helicopter came into view they were back in the air and enroute for Karthied.

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The Jet carrying the Prince and his father arrived in Karthied just ahead of the news that Amelia had been found. It was good news for both the nobles in a day that had seemed to want to end badly. Alfred Rhodes had been happy to see a smile on his sons face. Even now his eldest son, Stuart was waiting for them by a car that would take them to the palace. Stuart sat in his wheelchair, his crooked legs covered by a thick wool blanket and greeted his father and younger brother as they arrived.

Stuart had been born with muscular dystrophy. He had abdicated from the line of succession in favor of his brother, but even now as he neared fifty, he continued to serve the Kingdom as the minister of trade. He expressed his joy at the news that Amelia had been found. “She should be arriving at the palace within an hour.”

“Thank, Aela,” Alfred said. They all climbed into the waiting car (Stuart had to be lifted in), then headed to the tunnel beneath Lake Erde that would take them from the airport to the city.

Stuart gave them the doctor’s report as they travelled through the tunnel. “They don’t think she’ll last another day,” he said. “She’s comatose and not likely to awake. The stroke was only a small part of much larger health issues. They aren’t fully sure what caused it all.”

Alfred closed his eyes, holding back tears. Both his sons held one of his hands. He opened his eyes and asked, “What happened with Amelia?”

“Alphius is leading an investigation at the crash site. So far it looks like they were shot down with some kind of EMP device.” Stuart handed his father the initial report. “As far as the two men that attacked them, there is nothing to go on. The younger Skywing is sure they were foreigners. Possibly mine workers in Idjo since they employ many foreign laborers, but…” and he shrugged.

“We may never know?” Sherwin finished.

The car left the tunnel, heading out onto Lakefront Parkway. It was such a beautiful day. Alfred felt it was fitting if this was his wife’s last day.

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Official Message from His Majesty's Government of the Syrixian Empire:

His Magnificence's Government
Official Message from the Syrixian Empire​

His Magnificence's Government sincerely regrets the news of Queen Catheryn II's passing and would like to offer our deepest condolences. Her Majesty brought Esplandia into the modern age, and was a delight to all those who met her. We are truly fortunate to have lived during her reign over Esplandia, as such an inspirational ruler will likely not be seen again for a long time.

The Queen was benevolent, kind, and most definitely forgiving, pardoning the Empire for the callous and disgusting attack on Esplandian soil perpetrated by Emperor Rajesh the First, and granting the Empire an embassy in Kartheid. We sincerely hope the international community shall never forget her, her kindness, and her legacy. We certainly will not.

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