Tiger's Tale of Kanadia

Okay, so President Fantasy gave me really good advice, and I want to use them. They are minor details, so if you are bored with this story now, don't continue.
  Chapter 1 The Beginning

 Gandan stepped into the room and grinned. He knew this room. Oh, yes he knew it well. Here was the room where he played with his father's crown. Where he sat upon the throne and pretended he was king. Here was the room where his brother stole his fortune. The room he HATED.

  This "room" was lavishly decorated with detailed paintings and portraits, tapestries full of rich history. And at the other end of the hall, a tall throne was raised slightly, due to the fact that it was on a low dais. Upon this throne, sat a [slightly] taller man, whose hair was slowly graying, due to his age. He had hansome features, but stress had taken its toll. His clothes were silk, and he wore a simple [ but still stunning] crown on his head.  When Gandan entered the room, the king was reading a book upon his lap.  Either he thought it was one of his servants coming to serve him,  or his book was very interesting, because he didn't look up when the door shut behind Gandan.

  Gandan scowled for a moment, thinking that if the "king" had not been chosen for the crown instead of himself, HE would be the one on the throne. Not that foolish monkey of a ruler- his brother, Alagin. Then he smiled a mocking grin again as his brother looked up [ perhaps he was a boring part in his book] and when he saw who it was, his face contorted into an angry grimace.  Gandan started walking to throne, still smiling. The king's face grew stiff as stone as he walker ever closer. Finally, when Gandan was within throwing distance, the king couldn't stand it any more.

 " Stop", he commanded.
 Gandan stopped, and his expression rendered one who was promtly surprised. His tone was mocking when he spoke.
  "What is?"
  " How did you enter my palace? You should be in the dwarves' realm."
  " Oh, I left them. And how is it that you have no smile and welcoming hug for your DEAR brother?"
  " You are no brother of mine, Gandan."
  " How could you say such a thing? We are joined in blood, you and I."
   " True... but I take no pride in my own kin who now controls the dwarves. And I have asked you a question. Answer me."
Gandan answered smoothly," Oh, let's just say your guards are... out for a while."
  
  At this, the king was like a statue. He seemed like he didn't think he ever had had a brother.Gandan let a small smirk cross his lips. Oh, let him be stony . He will change his mind once he hears what I have to say, he thought. He then proceeded on with the conversation.

    " Ah, so you have noticed! I can't belive that you actually realized that I have now gained control of the stout little men! I think that the dwarves were drunken fools; they are much better off in my hands."
  " Noticed? Of course I noticed! What are you trying to do? The dwarves may be pretending to surrender now, but they will not go down with out a full battle against you. Do you realize that? They can not be ruled by a human! It is unthinkable! You will send us our land into choas!"
 Alagin was angry now.  Gandan smiled wider, revealing pearly white teeth. Oh let him be mad... it will only make him more gullible, he thought.
 
  Then he went on, " Choas? No, I will only be doing them a favor. Controlling all their silly mines and caves will make me the richest man alive. Don't you see? If only I could have you on my side, then we would be unstoppable. We could become kings of everything. This could be a turning point. We could be rulers of Kandia... elves would be powerless. The dwarves wouldn't think of fighting back, and your humans?" Gandan chuckled. " They would love us... if only you joined me. "
    " Gandan... you think that? You think... we could be that powerful...together?"
    " Oh, I don't think it. I KNOW it.  Just imagine... we could control everything. Anything you ever wanted could be yours. Once the dwarves and elves knew our power, they would never be able to defeat us..."
   " I don't have that kind of power and you know it. I am content to lead my people to glory, back to the Golden Age- a time of peace and happiness. Prosparity and wealth. L- "
   " Yes! You and I... we could make that all happen. You and I. Join me."
   " You think I could do that? With you on my side? I know how you rule. You have no power over me. All you want is a title to control. I want many things- but not that."


  Gandan scowled. This wasn't what he wanted. What happened to being gullible? Alagin now was on a roll. He plowed on with what sounded like almost a rehearsed speech.
 " Why? Why did you so this? Why would you seek to control them? I have gotten word that you are ruling like a tyrant. No mercy. What happened to you; to the brother I used to know? The one who laughed at the idea of ruling a kingdom, saying he would rule pround and strong. The brother who used to play on his father's throne. My true brother."Alagin stated. He looked up at Gandan, and his expression was one of somebody who was so hurt, Gandan softed for a moment. Just for moment.

 Gandan stared at his brother and he slyly answered, " You know I was joking right? Me- king of the elves with you? Ha! "
 Gandan laughed, but it had an edge of an icy tone to it.
   " You... were joking?"
   " Yes! I thought you knew me to have sense of humor. Or have you forgotten who I am on the inside?"
 Gandan looked up at his twin with a mocking look. Alagin just looked as though Gandan had grown an extra head. His brother than continued his speech.
  No, I was not joking actually. In answer to your question, I had to. You wouldn't let me have what I wanted, so I had to get it myself. And I doubt that I will be statisfied with just the dwarven king's title..."
 "This is why the Elders didn't let you get the crown. They knew what I should have seen. You are an tryant!  You shall bring choas to the dwarves. I would rather die than join you. Guards, sieze him!"

 Alagin was now seeming more like a king; ordering his people to do their tasks- and when he was finished speaking, guards appeared out of secret hiding spots. One was even hidden in a secret compartment carefully concealed within the wall. Gandan rushed out of the room, and ran out the palace doors. He hastily pushed aside a bush only he knew about in the vast palace gardens, on the left side of the palace doors. The pulled aside bush revealed a hole dug cleverly to fit and hide a human, and hold a bush at the same time. He dived inside the hole and put the bush back in its place. He then slid down the hole with minimum difficulty. At the end of the tunnel, was a small, dirt room.  Its few peices of furniture were crammed into the space. There was an armchair, a cabinet full of food, books and things, and a painting of a royal man in a very high ruff,  that was hung on the wall.

 Gandan sunk into the armchair, only to jump back up as if he had been stung. He got up and searched the room, looking for something. He was pulling aside the cabinet when he bumped the painting. Instead of swinging and revealing a dirty [literally] expanse of wall,  the painting swung and revealed a big circle shape, dug into the wall. Gandan pried his fingers into the lines making the circle, and pulled HARD. A dirt plug was pulled out,  the perfect shape of a circle. He smiled smugly while putting the dirt plug back into wall, and smoothed out the circle shape carve lightly into the dirt. The dwarves had come through. The armchair sagged as Gandan's weight sunk into it again. His face was thoughtful, remembering the struggle to build this cavern.

 He had ordered his dwarven slaves to bring him the best miners and magicans. They came to him, [with full struggle and fighting], and Gandan had explained the plan with much pride. The dwarven magicans and miners would sneak to the human king's palace, cloaked in the magican's spell of invisibility. The miners would set to work building the tunnel, while the magic users waited and concentrated on keeping the spell up and running. Once the small cavern was built,  the dwarves would wait for a cart coming that way, carrying the things to fill the underground room. The magicans would once again use their magic to make the hole wider for a while, and they rest of the workers would pile in the furniture. Once everything was done, all of the dwarves would leave back to their land in the mountains.

 Gandan had told them not to forget to build a secret exit, used for emergencys.  Even though they fought and argued, they had come through. The hole behind the painting would serve its purpose soon enough.  He took out his pipe and started puffing on it. What a day! Traveling here, then seeing his DEAR brother, getting kicked out of the palace, then here! He smiled as he recalled the reason he wanted to enter the palace. He had wanted to try to get his brother on his side. He knew that Alagin would proably refuse, but he had to try. They could have been so powerful...the human king and the dwarven king, ruling and seeking out more king titles to grab. The thought caused him a twinge of regret. They could have had everything... then a noise shook him out of his thoughts.  A gardener was searching the garden, pulling bushes apart, weeding and pruning.  If he went towards this patch of flowers, he would find the untidy bush- therefore realizing that it needed pruning and would find out that there was a hole underneath the plant! Gandan cursed. He pushed aside the painting, and waited. If he wasn't found, he didn't have to use the secret passage. Sadly, he heard the gardener getting closer- he pulled aside the plug, tore it out, got inside the hole, put the plug back in and let go of the painting as he did so. Gandan then wiggled deeper into the tunnel, praying he wouldn't get caught.
-Tiger