Year 26:
The Merrisians have annexed yet another country! However, they appear to have taken vast casualties, and even more from quelling riots of their recently enlarged empire.
The barbarians are silent.
The crocodile men have signed a peace treaty! Our kingdom is no longer at war with them,
but at the cost of the swamp lands we annexed.
It is confirmed, the mermaids ARE raiding ships and capturing the crew, for purposes unknown.
The dwarves sell the herb for a large fraction of the kingdom's treasury.
They leave shortly after with their enlarged purse.
Matilda is given the herb in a cup of water, and she slowly lifts her eyelids. She is alive!
Near the end of the year the advisor comes into the throne room to read the scrolls of taxes and what not.
"The treasury is looking rather low this year.
Taxes are at perfect levels, no shortage of man power.
Happiness is at a medium right now.
The population is in tolerable levels.
And the army is in fine condition. Oh yeah, One last thing. It appears the castle is being attacked b-"
The advisor's scroll reading is immediately stopped when the door crashes off its hinges and Undolush charges into the throne room!
He punts the surprised advisor out a window(and the wall with it) and charges at the king!
His bodyguards move in to engage but are ripped to pieces by its razorsharp maw.
The king himself pulls out a dwarven steel sword from before the forge explosion to fight the foul beast, and Matilda cowers behind him.
With one, rapid swing of his gleaming sword he slices an arm off the creature, which howls in pain before chomping his head off.
Matilda is utterly terrified. She releases a wild magic that opens a portal to the underworld under the beast.
A strange, hazy form is seen rapidly fleeing through the portal as Undolush is sucked in.
After a few more seconds the portal closes with a strange slurping noise.
The King is dead...
Long live the Queen!
Matilda, at age 10, is now queen of the entire kingdom.
(Didn't have time for a map update this time, sorry!
Also thanks a million for posting imic!)