The Water Tower

The Never Ending Quest - Episode 86770

Author's note: This is the first part of an arc of about six episodes. I will have to ask for the reader's patience. I am including it in the NEQ because the final episode will end with five options that go in different directions. The writer who wishes to extend will have a great deal of freedom, as he (or she) will determine who Astra's kidnappers are, and their motives. The episodes that I will be writing leading up to that will describe how the characters react in the aftermath of the kidnapping crisis, as well as introducing a certain box of dominoes with a history.

I will leave the new extensions option on in case someone feels that they have a great idea that they want to try.

The palace grounds had many buildings that had been built over the past two hundred years. There was a royal stables, a greenhouse in the gardens, a couple of hunting lodges, as well as a number of buildings dedicated for storage of a number of items. A knight from Allaria would immediately notice the one thing that the grounds lacked: a defensive wall that could protect it. The palace grounds had been built in days of peace, when Themsycria was the capital of a large and united land, and Aqualaria was mistress of the Ryngaerd, as the neighboring tribes were weak and friendly to her. Walls and gates beyond what was needed to enforce the collection of taxes were torn down or used as part of other structures, as they were considered ugly and confining. The palace guard was trained to prevent petty theft and breaches of etiquette, and not to repel invaders. The regiments of horse and of foot were mostly dispersed in the north, taking advantage of the aftermath of the dragon's destruction to restore order and annex certain valuable lands, and open the roads to the Havnheim. One company of cavalry was headquartered at the Parade Grounds near the stables, and one company of infantry was based at the Water Tower.

The Water Tower was a patch of Themyscira that was built in the old days, when Aqualaria had not been a unified land, and Themyscira was one of many small towns in what would be Aqaualaria, and as subject to being pillaged as any other town. There was an artifical hill - a motte - that had been raised to guard the fledgling market town below. On that hill was built a castle. It was gloomy, ponderous, and inconvenient by the standards of modern Aqualaria, but fitting for a monarch who often went to war. The castle had been surrounded by high walls and watch towers, as well as a deep ditch. The eastern half of the ditch had expanded over time to become a large pond. There was a high stone bridge on the south where people from outside could enter the first floor of the palace. There was also a ground floor below, and in the Water Tower itself there were two additional storeys.

In the years of peace, the Water Tower had been vacated, and put to a number of other uses. The Water Tower was the one place in Themyscira which could be secured from attack - or so it was thought. Astra was to be given a suite in the Old Palace until the day of the wedding.

  1. Both the prophets of the college of seers and the soldiers of the Water Tower were charged with protecting the princess.

Add New Option

Go Back

View Forward Story Tree
View Back Story Tree


Anableps

11/21/2009 10:39:53 AM

Extending Enabled

The Never Ending Quest Home

Extend-A-Story Home

21384120 episodes viewed since 9/30/2002 1:22:06 PM.

Do not click me.