King's story

First story, feedback appreciated! Not a native speaker, writing for recreational purposes.

The king’s secret

‘Why would he do that though? The country at his feet, possessing riches most mortals cannot fathom all whilst being beloved for being the most diplomatically skilled leader in recent history. Truly it makes little to no sense.’ I heard him shout. 5 years after the incident I still can’t wander undisturbed in public without unwillingly overhearing people react to the tragedy.

The first year was better. Back then (find a word here) were treated as a menace and traitors of God and country if they even dared to whisper about the former Majesty. 5 years after his passing and I can’t recall if I’ve had to endure listening to fifty or a hundred rumours concerning his death.

Hundreds of stories circulating and not even one of them manages to grasp the truth. Linus was a magnificent ruler. A man once so loved that no other man or woman of this country even considered bad mouthing him. Yet what remains of his legacy is a bunch of ignorant tales told by those who can provide little to no legitimate claim for their story. It bothers me. It bothers me more than anyone.

‘I mean he even had guards right? How did they not intervene?’ The blacksmith made the blood boil in my veins faster than any woman had ever managed before him. He continued to mock his Majesty’s guard to his friend, the innkeeper. 2 fools, I could not for the life of me comprehend how they were able to survive in this rat hole. The blacksmith continued his mocking until (insert smth here). ‘Do not mock what you fail to understand.’ I shouted, marching out of the inn and slamming the door shut behind me.

Enraged I crossed the street and headed home. The streets were filled with beggars these days. Poverty has risen significantly since the enthronement of our new king. Jeremy the first is what the people are supposed to call him. A ruler with no legitimate claim to the throne. No royal blood running through his veins. As hard as it is to admit, in many ways I had become jealous of him these past few years. I knew the man all too well. Jeremy was a royal guard of the former Majesty and took his opportunity to seize the throne after the incident. As a result, the idiot had no clue how to properly look after his country. Since his rise to power it’s been the one international conflict after the other, resulting in death and poverty throughout our streets.

It was clear that most inhabitants were unsettled about the whole situation. Many could not cope with the fact that Linus had no kin. No children were birthed by Linus’ wife for she had claimed for the longest time that Linus was not able to do so. Carella had always been full of nonsense. No matter the cost, no matter the means deployed she would always have her way. A woman who cared more about her reputation than anything else in this world. Manipulation and deceit were the key words one would use when describing her.

It always boggled my mind how Linus ended up marrying a woman like that. Maybe their marriage proves that even the most brilliant minds make mistakes every now and then. Linus’ mood would always decline after having seen his wife. It may seem like a horrible thing to say but if there was one thing that made his Majesty miserable, it was that woman of damnation. It’s the woman that I’ve seen carry out the most selfish act imaginable. After the death of Linus, her Majesty the queen decided not to mourn her fallen husband. No, she would not shed a tear nor would she show the slightest fragment of sadness. Instead, Carella rushed to the aid of Jeremy in his conquest to rule the country so that she could maintain her position as a queen.

One might think I exaggerate, or that I’m slightly biased in my way of describing her and that may very well be the case. However some things are factual and cannot be denied. The country would simply be way better off with a new royal family at the throne. Jeremy and Carella are like a potion made of the most maleficent combination of ingredients. One could call them a recipe for disaster. A disaster that has been plaguing this nation for the last 5 years. Slowly but surely our neighbouring kings realised that our country grew fable. It couldn’t be long now before the nation was invaded, swept and put under the ruling of another dynasty. Maybe that would be for the better of the remaining inhabitants.

I still think about his death every day though. It was my duty to protect king Linus and his best interests and I miserably failed to do so. Linus had 4 royal guards. Me, Paden, Paxton and Jeremy. It was no secret that he trusted Paden and myself more than the other two.

How could he not? Linus had always known that Jeremy was a man filled with ambition. I never fully understood why Jeremy was allowed to be a royal guard. I guess Linus didn’t really see another option. Jeremy was a successful war commander that had lead this country in battle to many victories. After which he would often request that a piece of the conquered land be bestowed upon him as a reward for his efforts. Linus grew weary of his unrivalled ambition and ‘promoted’ him by giving him a place in the royal guard. A gesture one could not decline. With this tactical move, Jeremy’s ambition had abruptly come to a closing. Much to his own disliking.

Paxton was a very mysterious and reserved person. Close to nothing was known about his personal life and not even the meddling Carella could figure out what type of person Paxton truly was. Nevertheless he was a loyal swordsman and his family had served at various levels in our army for over a century making him an ideal candidate for the royal guard position.

Paden and I had known Linus since he was a child. All 3 originating from the same hometown, growing up as childhood friends. There were little to no things we did not know about each other. We were his trusted advisors and would have gladly given up our lives if it meant saving his. Or so I thought…

The 3 of us had always agreed on most things. Given our similar interests and background this wasn’t all too surprising. The friendship we developed over the years further reinforced our political relationship. This feeling of brotherhood that had established itself between us would always enforce our minds to remain calm, cool headed. As a result, the uncommon disputes that did arise were settled in simple fashion. We were simply looking out for each other.

There is one night that might make one doubt my statement though. It’s one that won’t easily be erased from my memory. It occurred a few years before the death of the one true king. Late at night, one could often find me wandering through the halls of his Majesty’s castle. When sleep eluded me, I found those illustrated halls the ideal distraction to put my mind at ease. The illustrations varied from hall to hall. One hall was dedicated to showcasing the numerous victories of our empire, homage to the finest generals and kings this kingdom had seen. Another would shed light on the foundation of our empire. There were a tremendous amount of halls to be found in that castle. A child might have easily mistaken the castle as a maze.

The one hall I liked the most was the artist’s hall though. The name is self-explanatory really. For decades, the best artist available at their time would come through our castle and make their legacy immortal by painting a portion of the wall. Many legendary painters had come to the castle to leave their mark and this hall was the result of their work. Seeing these paintings truly was something magical. How one part of a painting transitioned flawlessly into another whilst shifting styles was marvellous. I’m fairly certain the most aggressive people in the world would find some form of peace or quiet whilst observing these masterpieces.

With all that being said, it is no surprise that I roamed these halls quite often. One night, the noise of loud chatter disturbed my walk. I say chatter, the appropriate use of words would be shouting. As I heard these loud, disturbing sounds my mind became intrigued. Partly because I was being disturbed and partly because I could not for the life of me figure out who was awake at this hour of the night. As I moved closer and closer, my mind started to become uneasy very rapidly. For the voices that I was able to distinguish, were those of Linus and Paden. I am not a man who fears many things, but this event did make my heart pound way faster than it should have. In all my years of serving the king, in all our years of friendship I had never witnessed the two of them shouting this heavily.

As my body moved closer towards their location, the opportunity arose to make a decision. I could violate my principles and eavesdrop on the two of them in order to hear what all of this was about, or I could enter and risk them having to put this matter on hold. After thinking briefly, I knew that both Linus and Paden would never want me to get involved in their personal problem and they would have postponed their fight.

Curiosity got the better of me; I had to know what they were arguing about. Over the years I’ve had the displeasure of hearing the tales of many criminals. Despite Linus’ best efforts, thievery was quite the common occurrence in our kingdom. The result being that I managed to pick up a thing or two about eavesdropping and espionage.

Every bone in my body was now dedicated to making the least sound possible and get in prime position to listen in on this dreadful conversation. My efforts were about to be rewarded. The only ‘good’ thing that their shouting manifested was the fact that outsiders could easily hear them from a small distance. A distance that I had now reached. I sharpened my ears and heard the hateful words that Paden directed at our Majesty.

‘After all that we’ve been through, I’d expect some form of understanding. Some sort of reward for my loyalty.’

‘You know very well that I want to grant your wish, but rules are rules and they were not implemented so that they could be ignored or bent in any form or shape.’

‘The great Linus. Many say you always help those in need. You’re sheltering the homeless, taking in refugees �" even granting mercy to defeated foes after our countless battles. However, aiding those who have stood by you for the longest seems to be too hard of a task even for his Majesty.’

- Paden’s tone was bitter; he snatched at the king with hatred that resembled that of Jeremy’s. Never before had I witnessed his wording to be so hostile towards an ally.

‘It is my duty as a king �"‘

‘That’s the primary goal isn’t it. It’s always been like this now that I think of it. Ever since you met that wretched b***h Carella you’ve neglected the values you once considered so important.’

‘That’s enough Paden. I will hear no more of your badmouthing. You may be one of my most trusted comrades but I will not stand here and tolerate this barbaric behaviour.’

Paden shook his head and had a distinct emotion of disgust on his face. That was the first time the thought of Paden harming our Majesty had crossed my mind. My fingers were sweaty for I grew nervous just thinking about it. In this state I was unsure whether or not I’d even be capable of lifting my sword without shaking it all over the place.

‘Then perhaps the time has come for this aforementioned comradery to conclude.’

‘Don’t make any harsh decisions my friend. We both know that king’s guards have never been allowed to have a romantical relationship. As much as it saddens me, the fact that you are the closest thing to family I have does not change that rule.’

‘That rule was implemented ages ago. The only reason it exists is because some fool let himself become seduced by his enemy and betrayed his king. It’s not even in the slightest relevant to our situation.’

‘Be that as it may…’

‘You actually think I could ever betray you? After all this time?!’

The conversation had calmed down significantly before, but Paden looked the angriest at that moment. Angry might actually not be the correct term to use here. He looked disappointed, beaten and demoralised all at once. The emotions that were running through his head must have been unimaginable for his face portrayed that of a man that looked truly betrayed.

‘That’s not what I said.’

‘It’s what your face indicated. You do not trust me, and it’s the only reason you won’t give me what I most desire.’

‘Paden, don’t be ridiculous �"‘

‘Your actions today have cut deeper than any blade ever could. You speak of comradery, when all you care about is your own interests and ambition. Truly disappointing…’

After that last exchange of words Paden stormed off and out into the hallway. As I saw him running towards me, my whole body froze. The fear of being discovered, the fear of upsetting both of them even more got to me in ways that my body was not prepared to handle. I couldn’t lift a finger and hated myself because of it.

Luckily for me Paden seemed so upset that he did not even bother to check his surroundings as he left. Face like thunder, marching straight ahead without so much of a glance in any direction that wasn’t straight ahead. My heart rate slowed down, which isn’t to say it wasn’t still pounding heavily.

Another sneak peek into the chamber let me know that the king was heavily burdened with what had just occurred. He sat in his glamorous throne, one hand to the face �" the other bald up in a fist on his knee. A look of distraught on his face, clearly he didn’t know what to do next.

A part of me wanted to aid Linus and the wiser one told me to halt my intentions. The fact remained that my ears were not supposed to have endured this conversation nor did I know how to help him at this point. My mind grew puzzled, for I realised what I’d have to do in the foreseeable future. Pretending that I didn’t know anything about this debacle wouldn’t be the easiest of tasks. Furthermore the question remained whether or not this would be the end of their dispute. Surely it wouldn’t be �" as I would learn later. At the time I had to flee the scene, the fear of someone spotting lingered too long.

As fast as lightning while remaining as silent as the wind I ordered my legs to move me to my chambers. Insomnia was already a regular visitor before. Now however, it occupied every night of my schedule.

I’m finally home. Living in the middle of the city was not an option anymore. Few have seen the muddied roads that lead to the filthy ban lieu as much as I have these last few years. They are sticky and wear you down. It’s but one of the many reasons my face doesn’t appear often in taverns anymore. The trip just isn’t worth it. My home doesn’t consist of much. Keeping a low profile applies to pretty much every aspect of my life nowadays. Very few people would call this heap of bricks a home. Very few, except for me. When all is taken for you, you start looking at things differently. You take less for granted. You value everything a lot more and most of all you long for the day that you can get back what you’ve lost. I had lost my honor, my job and my best friend because of that wretched b***h carella. It’s hard to keep my emotions in check. It’d be best if I lay down a bit to cool off. Shortly after I dozed off the sound of loud banging against my door made me regain consciousness. Nobody knew where I lived. What the f**k? A merchant? A lost traveller perhaps?

Loud impatient knocks again, even stronger this time. Maybe I shouldn’t do anything, this rotten place looks abandoned anyway. Another sound. No knocks this time but a voice �" one I recognize but had forgotten.

‘Open up, it’s urgent.’

‘What do you want, who are you? I’ve got nothing of value here.’

‘It’s me, Paxton.’

My heartrate dropped to the point where one might think I’m barely alive. Which accurately reflects how I’ve been living for 5 years. Paxton was alive? Why was he here? How did he find me? How did he know I was alive? All these questions and more raced through my head. My body wanted to know the answer to them all and started moving towards the door. One thought emerged as I got ready to open the remnants of a door. A fear more than anything. What if he came here to kill me? Not many can hide for 5 years like I did, perhaps he was working with Jeremy? A conflicted battle took place in my mind. Curiosity battling to overcome fear.

‘Hurry.’

This last word triggered me and my mind forced my hands to open the door. Paxton appeared before me and looked exactly the same as he did 5 years ago. He had not been hiding, he had not suffered like I did �" my fear must have been well placed. There wasn’t much I could do now. My skills were rusty, my body barely capable of moving and my will broken. But above all, my sword was out of reach.

‘May I enter?’

‘Might as well…’

Paxton entered and took a quick glance at the mess. He giggled briefly before looking at me again.

‘Time’s been rough on you I see…’

‘can’t say you’ve been in the same boat.’

‘People don’t remember me. You on the other hand are branded a kingslayer.’

‘Hence the lifestyle…’

‘I guess you had no choice, did you?’

Get to it. My mind couldn’t handle the pressure anymore. Why was he here. Was he going to end it? Why didn’t he just get it over with. Perhaps he knew he had nothing to lose and this was some twisting way of toying with me.

‘Did you ever wonder… what happened to me?’

‘I thought you ran or died. One of those. But I see you’ve been playing buttbudy with Jeremy.’

More giggling. Never before had I seen so much expression coming out of him. He must really be enjoying this.

‘That’s rich. No my dear friend, I continued to remain loyal to the one true king. ‘

‘What do you mean?’

‘I took care of the boy.’

© 2016 Anonymousshortst

Author's Note

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Pranav Sampara

Disregarding the spelling errors, the narration is very good. Got me hooked to it quickly. I think, the main part of the story where the king's fate is revealed is missing. Or is it left for the imagination of the reader? That would provide more clarity and much better character depth to the narrator and his close friends. If there is a continuation, I'd like to read it. Good work!