The Great Castle and Ivy

There once was a majestic castle, it was stronger and more beautiful than all others. The people who lived in the town surrounding the castle on the hill were a reflection of the castle itself. They were a strong self-sufficient people. Their strength came from the castle, and the castle's from them. Together they were the crown jewels of the kingdom. From all across the lands people came for wisdom, trade, home, peace, security, and to taste greatness.

There was one king, of the low country that had very little with only a wood castle to defend his people. Their life was hard, constantly fighting off bandits, dealing with poor crops, and fighting disease. But even through all that he helped other kings were he could. He was envious of the ease of life that the people of the high country had. One day his country fell under attack. He quickly saw that he would need help to save his people and his land, so he sent his fastest courier with a message to the great castle and it's king. After a bitter day of fighting his courier returned with the answer to their desperate pleas.

"Would that I had been killed trying to return that I should not need to be the deliverer of such terrible news," The courier sobbed.

"Nay, you are a good man and I would be greatly grieved hear of your return to the earth," said the noble king, "Now of your news, what has happened?"

"My lord, forgive me for I do not wish to speak it," said the courier, "But as thy will, it shall be done. The noble king of the high country will not give us aid. He wishes the greatest of blessings upon our endeavors."

"Now I see my trust in the noble king of the high country has been betrayed," said a stunned king, "Are you well enough for a reply?"

"Yea, lord, I will go," said the totally devoted courier.

"I fear that there will be no land to return too, take as much as you can carry with speed. Ask the king of the highlands this: Has wealth and comfort grasped you with such strength that you cannot help you neighbor? Do you willingly turn a bind eye to the suffering of your brethren? If this is so then you will fall. You have much, but will give none?" the king said with a voice full of sorrow, "Now go, deliver my message and find a new home, we are overrun."

The messenger fled the city with terrible haste. As he came to the crest of the nearest hill he turned around. Smoke from the city was starting its long slow rise into the sky. The city was aflame and his lord's castle had fallen. Turning once again he rode as if he was wind, silent and swift.

The raiders that destroyed the city and castle of the low land king and marched on the great castle. They fell on the city with the fury of a storm rolling off the sea. Yet they were defeated. Raiders broke against the thick walls of that great castle. Once again the strength of the castle carried it's people through. On that day seeds caught in the hair of one of the raiders fell to the ground at the castle's base when he was slain. Those seeds took root and began to grow. Many years past, the seeds grew into ivy. The great king's general ordered his men to pull it all and burn it. As the soldiers were about their task they were met by the king.

"Why destroy such beautiful plants," the great king asked.

"My lord, the general commands it," replied the captain of the guard.

"Do not destroy any more, I will speak to the general," said the king as he stroked a leaf of the plant, "This small plant could not possibly harm this magnificent castle."

With that he left the guards, who were feeling foolish, to find the general. The general and king argued for the remainder of the day and well into the night. The general trying to convince the king that the ivy growing up the walls was dangerous.

"Nonsense! This castle has never fallen and is impregnable!" roared the king.

"It only became that way through careful preparation and constant vigilance," the weathered general wearily said, "The castle cannot defend itself, we must keep it clean, strong, and whole. We cannot afford to let our guard down."

The king would not listen and finally the general gave in. The general and half of the guard quit the next day and left the kingdom. The king was in a rage, he sent some of his best men to find the general and his men and bring them back. The searched for three months but could not find head nor hair of the general or his men. They returned to the great castle.

Forty years past. The kingdom of the low country was rebuilt. The courier had returned after he had delivered the message to the high king. He built a fortress on the foundations of the old one and rebuilt the city. The people in all the lands prospered and grew. Perhaps this is what brought the raiders back. This time was different though. They came and took town by town, castle by castle, but they did not just loot, they stayed. Tired of fighting to survive many of the bandit groups settled down in their newly conquered land. The king of the high country had been neglecting his army and defenses because he was sure that his castle was impossible to capture. The largest army that had ever been assembled bore down on the great castle.

Ivy had been growing around the castle for forty years, it had spread to many places on the castle, and around the castle grounds. Many shoots had thick trunks and where very well secured. As the enemy army approached the people flooded into the castle. The battle commenced, a bloody and vicious affair. The people were confident that the castle and their army would be able to defeat the enemy at their gates. The first day the raiders took the city wall, and most of the city. Fighting continued through the night by the light of burning houses. When dawn came the confidence of the people had been crushed, the city had fallen and a desperate battle for the castle had begun. Raiders attacked with flaming arrows, and tall ladders. The battle was fought all day and ended with a stalemate. During the night the raiders sent their best men to climb the walls and open the gates. The beautiful vines that the king let grow all over his castle made their job easy. Hope was rekindled when the forces from another kingdom came to the rescue. Two hundred men fought through the city and to the castle, only one hundred and twelve made it alive.

"Open the gates, we are here to help!" their commander shouted. The gates opened, and the castle was put on full alert. Fights broke out as each of the raiders were found.

"Who are you! Where did you come from!" a tired and dispirited king bellowed.

"I am the son of your lost general, we are from the north country beyond the forests," answered the commander, "We are here to answer your call for help."

"I had lost hope that anyone would come. I thought they would think it a trick." the king said, "This fortress is... was impenetrable."

"My father knew that you had let your guard slacken," replied the commander, "He wishes you well, and hopes that we can win this battle, though I have lost many of my men."

"What should I do?" asked the king.

"We will show you, will you accept our help? You must do as we say, do no stray from our instructions" the commander said as he took on a commanding tone.

"We will," came the short reply.

The general's son and his men went about strengthening the defenses, they destroyed as much of the vines as they could, but it had rooted deeply, and they could not destroy it all. They made the walls safe and gave weapons to all the able people. The next day passed without much happening, though there was much noise that came from the city as the raiders tore it apart. The morning of the forth day the castle's defenders beheld a discouraging sight. Four large stone throwing devices had been built from the timber of the city. As soon as it was light enough to clearly seen the castle walls the trebuchets started lobbing stones, carved from the city walls, at the castle. Soon the castle began to tremble under the rain of stone.

Near dusk the castle finally gave a final shutter and let a wall crumble. Weakened by the ivy's roots the wall succumbed to the raider's bombardment. When the dust cleared there was a huge hole in the wall and a pile of ruble at it's base. The king ordered everyone to fall back to the keep. Raiders began to pore through the hole in the mighty castle walls. The sun had barely risen on the fourth day. Hope began to fall with every soldier that the raiders cut down. The fighting was desperate.

In all of the confusion the king nor the general's son noticed that among the raiders were many knights on horseback. The knights surged through the raiders, killing any who resisted. The knights surrounded what was left of the people of the high country.

"Where is thy lord?" a knight asked the king.

"I am the lord of this land," the king answered, "Do what you will with me, but spare my people."

"Sir, I am here to save you and your people," replied the great knight.

"Who are you?" asked a stunned king.

"I am he who was denied help, and watched his lord and people fall," said the courier, now a great knight and king.

"Forgive me," the king said.

"You were forgiven long ago, why else would I aid you in your hour of need," answered the knight, king of the low country.

The majestic castle was saved that day, the raiders were driven out of the lands. The king of the high kingdom left his throne to repay his debt to all the nations. The lost general and his son returned home and took up the throne.

Though the great castle was saved, it never was a great as it once was. The kingdom that the courier build on the grounds of the old became a great and loved nation. He offered aid, and helped were he could. He only wishes that the once great king could have learned this lesson before destruction came knocking on his door.