*Chapter One*
=The Collapse of Lunar Imperialism=
Bill and Enid were coming back through Tadger's Field when suddenly they saw
the collapse of Lunar Imperialism.
"Gosh," said Bill.
"So a combination of factors, both magical and martial, has brought down the
mightiest Empire the world has yet seen." murmured Enid.
Soon they were home, and gobbling up thier tea.
Enid inclinded to the the thoery that imperialism of any sort was a
self-defeating process and she argued her case forcefully until Kallyr sent them both
off to bed.
"Good heavens," she said."It won't be the first empire that's collapsed," and
she tucked them up and snuffed out the candle. But secretly she was worried.
What would replace the Lunar hegemony? Would it mean a return to... she could
hardly bring herself to think of it...
Argrath returned home late that night. He had had a bad day at work. Someone
had thrown a thunderstone at him and broken four of his ribs, and he had
caught his leg in a plough and severed it below the knee. As if that wasn't enough,
he'd broken his nose sorting turnips and his heart had stopped beating for
three minutes. He flopped down in the chair, killing the alynx.
"They're all taking about it down at the chief's stead." he said, pulling his
boots off.
"What dear?" said Kallyr innocently.
"You know..." he said impatiently, breaking one of his legs just below the
knee, "the collapse of Lunar Imperialism."
"I know", admitted Kallyr, "it worried me stiff when the children told me
about it."
She out some butter on the table.
"Mmm...it's nice with butter," said Argrath.
"I suppose," said Kallyr, "that what with the collapse of Lunar Imperialism
it'll mean the return to..."
"Sssh!" said Argrath, wrapping a tourniquet round his arm to stop the
bleeding, "the children."
But Bill and Enid were wide awwake in their beds, listening. What did the
collapse of Lunar Imperialism mean for the ordinary Sartarite? What was it a
return to...?
They were still awake an hour later when Argrath finished the table and came
to bed damaging his skull on the door jamb.
to be continued.
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