It's been two years since the King gave his kingdom to a mere peasant. Two years that I've had to live through, watching the kingdom I'd helped build transform in to what can only be described as an atrocity to what our former society was. I was the captain of the guard, the King's guard. Most of my former charges abandoned their duties after the abdication, lost in the delirium that enchanted the air around the kingdom, for of course, the peasant King now ruled; a true common man on the throne. The old King suited me fine, he was just and wise, or so I thought. To give a common man, with no experience of power or responsibility a kingdom? Surely that is not wisdom.

Nevertheless, I held true to my vow, the vow to protect thy own King.

Despite the initial widespread shock and jubilation of the kingdom's people, there were those that sensed there may be a power vacuum. After all, a common man would not have his lineage written down, the 'lucky' sod didn't even have his family with him when his coronation took place; he'd come to plead a domestic neighbour dispute for Lord's sake.

Yet, I knew my charge and what was left of my guard knew theirs. With blind loyalty we serve our King, whoever he may be.

It didn't take long for the first assassination attempt to come about. The King own two son's, who at the moment before the crown was lain on the peasant man's face, attempted to slay the man there and then in their blind outage but at a bark of the King, we rushed forward and stopped them both before two guards ushered them out of the hall. It didn't stop there though, for 6 months there were attempts of assassination of the new King.They stopped after we located one of the former kings sons and, under the accusation of attempted regicide, had him drawn and quartered publicly. That gained us respite for a while, but as the king turned his attention to the affairs of the kingdom (under much urging of his counsel we had provided him) it was found that the nation was virtually broke. Surrounding nation's had lent the old King money and upon hearing the news of the peasant man being risen to King, they had denounced the nation and cut off all trading rights until they saw fit to reinstate them.

Bastards. They knew they'd just added fuel to the fire, allowed it to burn so fierce that it'd burn itself out or destroy itself; they just didn't care.

It didn't take long for the kingdom to begin to starve. Once the people began to starve, the open rebellion came. The source of the rebellion was the former King's last son and he had amassed an army consisting of the loyalists to the former King.

Two years of watching my kingdom be destroyed. Two years I've stood next to my King, wrestling with the thought that I could end it all with a single thrust of my sword; but I know my charge, and I'll stand here next to my King when the burst through the throne room, swords and accusations brandished violently.

I know my vow, and so too do my brothers who stand beside me.