Yep. When dealing with evil, you have to take hostages against the mere "promise" of loyalty.
What? You think that evil *human* kings haven’t been doing that all down through history already? Pffft. Marriages were nothing more than a political tool.
And that was just ONE method of official hostage-taking.
Another was to have the other kingdom’s non-heir royal children sent to be educated in your kingdom. Officially, they’re there to learn and "foster understanding between our peoples", but in practical terms, they’re spending their lives surrounded by your guards, who can be ordered to cut them down with a single word. They’re also being indoctrinated in the culture of your kingdom, and denied the culture of their kingdom, so by the time they grow up and are taking up positions of power and influence, their loyalties are, at best, muddled.
Evil kings? Well, if you assume all of the are evil, that's okay, I guess. But hostages in one form or another were part of pretty much every royal or higher noble court for a very long time. And being a hostage wasn't necessarily a bad position to be in.
‘Bout time Glon settled down and, at the same time, figured out what it means to be royalty.
Mum should have gently introduced these concepts to Glon already though, so I’d put the blame on her.
Pick up your copies of YAFGC Volumes 1 - 5 at our online store. Multi-book bundles and sketch editions available.
Yep. When dealing with evil, you have to take hostages against the mere "promise" of loyalty.
What? You think that evil *human* kings haven’t been doing that all down through history already? Pffft. Marriages were nothing more than a political tool.
And that was just ONE method of official hostage-taking.
Another was to have the other kingdom’s non-heir royal children sent to be educated in your kingdom. Officially, they’re there to learn and "foster understanding between our peoples", but in practical terms, they’re spending their lives surrounded by your guards, who can be ordered to cut them down with a single word. They’re also being indoctrinated in the culture of your kingdom, and denied the culture of their kingdom, so by the time they grow up and are taking up positions of power and influence, their loyalties are, at best, muddled.
Yes, that worked well when the Ottoman Sultan raised Vlad the Impaler.
Evil kings? Well, if you assume all of the are evil, that's okay, I guess. But hostages in one form or another were part of pretty much every royal or higher noble court for a very long time. And being a hostage wasn't necessarily a bad position to be in.
And together green and red shall unite to create, the Christmas Orc. The Christmas elves will never know what hit them.
‘Bout time Glon settled down and, at the same time, figured out what it means to be royalty.
Mum should have gently introduced these concepts to Glon already though, so I’d put the blame on her.