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“I have been told that good always triumphs over evil and that bravery is but the

defiance of one’s fear. I have seen men and women perform great deeds and speak modestly of them. I have seen with my own eyes the pride of wicked men, who on

their deathbeds have boasted of their evil actions. I have heard many songs of 

pishogue, of necromancy and of death. I have seen and heard stranger things than

these in my lifetime.

“I shall begin to tell today the tale of a nation in whose soul evil dwelt and gnawedaway at all that was good in it. Many years have passed since the things that I am

about to tell you occurred. Even the eldest among your kin were not yet born.” 

The person that spoke these words was an old man whom every one referred to as

Old Man. He was a wanderer and was seen only a few days every year in every town.

Very little concerning him was known except for the fact that he loved children and

whenever he was in town children gathered around him and listened to his tales in

avid rapacity. Even the older people remembered his tales fondly.

Seated in the middle of the crowd was Engel son of Mathaen the merchant. It is he

that interrupted Old Man saying “What are you talking about Old Man? Historica l

Records of The Realm date back thousands of years!” 

“Ah, Engel that must be you. What you say is true but you yourself know well that there are some blanks in those records spanning over two centuries at a time. The

time of which I speak lies partly within one of those blanks. My tale Begins right here

in Piem in the town of Rad-Maroth. My story begins during the reign of King Arquins

I. The …” 

“Ah, Old Man! I have you there. The Historical Records of The Realm have

information on King Arquins the First.” 

“Right again, Engel. Nevertheless, The Historical Records only go ten years into thereign of Arquins I. He reigned over Piem for seventy-one Years. Even the ten years

found in The Historical Records of The Realm are quite sketchy if I may say so. Let 

me make it clear that I will not reveal my source of information on the rein of Arquins I, but in order for my narrative to be understood, I must begin from there.

Suffice to say that the information is accurate and when the time comes you shall

know where I got the information from.

“As a young man, Arquins the First was of a placid disposition. He was by no meansweak or foolish; he was in fact the opposite. His quiet temperament fooled many into

thinking that an imbecile would inherit the throne after the death of Queen Aranella,

who was on her deathbed at the time of our narrative’s commencement. . This

perception of him would change within the months following his ascension to the

throne. In a matter of months all the corrupt officials that had at times misled theQueen had been dismissed, and judges, tax collectors and generals who had been

found guilty of unjust dealings were ceased, tried and imprisoned. I do not wish to

expound on the political success of King Arquins I; all I wish to get across is that he

had in a matter of months achieved beyond all expectation of his subjects. Piem grew

and prospered under his reign.

“Arquins fell in love with the Quantinite Princess Dalmena (Delma, as she is knownin Quantin). In the second year of Arquins I rein, they got married (with the blessing

of the king of Quantin). That is when it all began. Dalmena was a beautiful woman;

bright as the star of morn was her smile. Her figure was perfection and grace. Her

eyes were dark and mysterious and seemed to call ones very soul. She made a great wife to Arquins the First and a great Queen to the people of Piem. Shortly after they

had been wedded however, the Queen seemed disquieted. She would go to sleep very

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“Come now Engel. We were talking about The Historical Records of The Realm. Your

sister questions the authenticity of some of the records.”“But father, I am not questioning the authenticity of The Records, I merely wonder

whether information with regard to history should be inferred  and further more

entered as fact in the Records.” 

“Why not, Licia? Why not? If these inferences can be made with certainty then I see

no reason to be opposed to it.” “How can one be so certain about historical facts without tangible evidence? Engel,do you think that the blanks in The Historical Records of The Realm should be

inferred  as in scientific experiments?” 

“Of course not. I think that inferences should be made and recorded separately. That 

way father’s argument that the study of history is a science remains valid and theunfilled blanks remain so until further discoveries are made with regard to the

aforesaid blanks.” 

“That the blanks should remain thus is simply absurd.” 

“And to record these inferences separately as you put it would have its own

consequences. These inferences will sooner or later be considered as or confused

with facts.” 

“Look,” said Engel turning from one side to the other, addressing his sister and

father. “There are many blanks in The Records of the History of the Realm. Of therein of King Arquins I, all that is known goes only ten years into his rein. The

happenings after this period are unknown. What happened during the next two

hundred years remains virtually unknown.”