"What madness is this?" declared Fhajo. Even with the sharpness of his words, the people of the realm still held him in high esteem. He was, after all, the son of Sapar and the half-brother of Matar. Whispers circulated that Fhajo was the rightful heir to the Ossibian throne, and were it not for Sapar's decree, Fhajo might have been the people's chosen king. Sapar's reign had been steeped in brutal violence. In truth, Fhajo was a bastard son of the King (Matar's father), making them half-siblings. Only Matar's mother was ever officially recognized as the King's consort, thus the line of succession passed only through her. Nevertheless, Fhajo's mother had been granted a portion of power, giving him a voice within the palace walls.
"Does the son of a King, once renowned for his savagery, now shrink in cowardice?" scoffed an elder amongst the gathering, a man well past his prime. "I cannot believe this treachery!"
