Katose's Hate (Lost Druid)

Dear future queen of Kamo

I can't be I now have to change the way I do entries now because I now know that you're a GIRL! Oh, the beauty that will radiate from your face and how your smiles will warm everyone's hearts. Oh, I can't wait til you are born and to see your powers manifest into something both terrifying and yet beautiful. I also can't wait til you figure out which animals you'll be able to turn into. Will you be a dragon? Or what about a sea monster? Perhaps something simple like a unicorn? Then there's your animal form like will you be an elephant? An ox? a lion or tiger dare I say a bear? Ah, the possibilities and choices are endless. I do hope I get to see what you become.

I remember when I had just become the High Druid of Kamo a couple with a baby came to my tower and offered their child to me. They said the child was a druid and they were going to dedicate him to the Druid Circle. I was astonished as I had never seen anything like this when I was the apprentice of my previous High Druid. So I told them when the child was old enough that I would teach him how to control his magic and grow more powerful. I still remember their smiles and the pride they held in their son.

5 years went by and the couple offered up their child once again. I first did a druid blessing ritual followed by prayers to the Great Lion Gods after which I had some members of the Druid Circle take the child and give him his druid cloak. The child cried as he was taken from his mother's arms and she held back tears. My circle of druids raised that child and pushed him to become stronger. They took great care of him. Of course, he wasn't alone but his potential dwarfed those around, even some high-level druids were impressed by his hidden abilities. However, with such power came more responsibility.

Throughout the years I was there the boy's parents would send letters and once a year for a month all the druids in training would go back to their parents. However, when the boy was 15 his parents died in an attack by the half-orcs. Those green-skinned hybrid barbarians had captured many of our kind and so without hesitation, I sent a group of druids along with the boy so that he may enact justice and avenge his family. That was a careless mistake as the half-orcs knew that we would try to seek revenge and ambushed the rescue team. My heart sank that day when that dreaded letter came talking about how my druids were either killed or captured. However, based on the report it seemed they did stand a chance as they took out many half-orcs before losing the battle. Enraged I gathered any remaining druids I had left and we marched into the Green Swamps.

The travel there was brutal. We suffered greatly from the heat and humidity. Our horses got stuck in the mud multiple times. We pushed onward until he saw a village and stood the night to rest and ask questions. After some discussions, we found out the half-orcs were rebels who despised King Shreo and so they wanted to cover the land in darkness and evil to show how weak and useless the king was. I couldn't have cared less but from that, we figured out that they weren't from the monarchy so this wasn't in kingdom politics which spared a lot of time and headache. Anyway, the next day we tracked down the rebels and took no survivors. After freeing the prisoners and my circle of druids we went back to Kamo. The incident caused a fuss in the Green Swamps but King Shreo in his unusual wisdom waved away any concerns as it was just Kamo "seeking justice and taking care of a common enemy."

However my heart hardened against the half-orcs, I already had distasted them but this was the final straw. That was until I heard rumors that the King of Kamo was trying to form alliances with the Green Swamps. I cannot experience the anger and feeling of betrayal I felt when I heard. All my fellow druids had similar feelings as well. Did the king not know of what happened? Did he not care that the Green Swamps had rebels running around causing chaos and that they were not doing anything to stop them?

"If the king is going to form an alliance with those human monsters then he must know of what happened to us." said one of my druids. "At this point, he should make one with the White Valleys." was my response. "I hope you know the planned alliance is so that we can fight the White Valleys," said the King as he came up from behind us. "Excuse me my king, but the White Valleys haven't attacked in over 200 years," I said. "That is what concerns me. I have been receiving reports from adventurers, military scouts, and from the border towns that undead are hunting and kidnapping innocent people. I believe they are planning to invade and such an invasion requires time to get them thus, we can use this time to solidify alliances with other neighbors and call upon them whenever the necromancers do invade." said the king. "I seriously think allying with the Green Swamps is a good idea. King Shreo is getting too elderly for the throne and from what I've heard his wife is very racist against humans if she takes the throne she'll stab us in the back. Then there's the Silver Mountains. Those sorcerers could care less about us or the rest of the world. Plus they're not even that good at countering the undead armies." I said. "I know your recent encounters with the half-orcs have twisted your perspective. However, I see that as a benefit as I need a council of nobles to look over the incoming half-orcs to see if they would good husbands for Princess Zera." Said the King. Those words shattered my heart. Zera was the most beautiful and innocent person I knew, to marry her off to a disgusting half-orc would be criminal, especially since the rebels would take advantage of the situation and send people to be spies. Then again perhaps that was the king's plan to lure the spies in and send their heads as gifts. "I accept but I will try my best to explain why shouldn't be allowed to marry your niece. I will make tests to ensure failure and make their lives miserable." I said. "Hence why I need you on the council your bias would be helpful in such time as this." said the King. From that day on, I and my Druid Circle began drawing up plans and figuring out every possible reason to eliminate potential candidates. The half-orcs were going to pay in more ways than one.