Kingdomnation

Kingdomnation


Foreword

It is the privilege of record keepers to witness and record the events of the world. There were record keepers when the first dirt was formed from the unseen matter and there will be record keepers when time runs out and all existences cease to exist. Record keepers are not bound by time. They record the past, and futures, and write the present. how record keepers comes to be is a marvelous tale of itself but we much prefer to record the account of others more than our own.

There is an account to be found of three layman busy at work on the same structure. An inquisitive child asked the first layman, "What are you doing?"

"I am laying bricks," the layman replied.

And indeed that was what the layman was doing. The child, satisfied that indeed that was what he was doing moved to the second layman.
"What are you doing?" he asked.
The second layman layed mortar on the topmost bricks and while placing another brick said, "I am building a wall."

"Oh," said the child and marveled as the man continued building his wall.

The child almost did not see the third man and, perhaps to complete the rounds, shuffled over to him. "What are you doing?" he asked.

The man paused and looked at the child. He laid down his trowel and bent down until he was face to face with the child. "I," he said, "am building a castle." Perhaps it was the attention he was getting, or perhaps it was the light in his eyes but the child began to think that this "castle" might be more important than the bricks being laid and the wall being built.

1

The air was heavy and wet. The wee rat scuttled across the rocky road surface. Little did it know that today was a special day. It stopped to sniff the air and then scurried aside dodging horse hooves and a rather large carriage. When the commotion had passed it scuttled back on the road as if it knew exactly who almost killed it.

The carriage traveled in a smooth continuous motion. There were eight mounted men to guard its precious cargo beside the coachman. The journey had been long but without incident. Now on their last leg they were going to arrive with speed and vigor. Their haste was well merited for inside the carriage was the Princess Theresa. The carriage lurched uncomfortably and a pair of eyes disappeared from view. Those pair of eyes belonged to Vivian, lady in waiting to Princess Theresa. She looked across at the princess and thought to herself that she looked exactly like the weather outside, cold and unhappy.

"Be of good cheer, my lady," she said, "he might not be so bad."

"They call him the miserable beast for a reason," the princess replied tersely. "The only reason my father wants me to marry him is so that he doesn't have an enemy at his back."

"It's for the good of the kingdom."

"The sooner we get this over with the better. Father does not want me to be with him anymore than I do. As soon as the war is over so will this marriage."

"Perhaps you will not want it to end," Vivian said hopefully.

"You are tenderhearted and a hopeless romantic," the princess said with a wry smile.

Of the Kingdoms of the Mountain, two were constantly at war, Mariark and Botsvi. The third, Desmark, was always left alone up until this point. The marriage was a union of the two kingdoms of Mariark and Desmark. It was a union that would place Botsvi forever in check.

As the carriage and its renowned occupants moved toward their destination so did the day move from morning to noon. The sun drove the dew away and the fog fled in slow haste. They arrived outside the beautiful city just as the bakers brought out the fresh bread and the blacksmiths were lighting their fires. But the occupants of the carriage knew nothing of this as they sped to the King's palace.

They were escorted to the Main Hall where they were to be received. But they realized what kind of reception they would receive much sooner than they thought. They could hear screaming far ahead.

"I DO NOT WANT TO!"

"IT IS NOT WHETHER YOU WANT TO OR NOT. I AM TELLING YOU AND THAT IS THE END OF IT."

The doors were opened to reveal the king conversing with two individuals. One stood erect while the other was stooped. The king was obviously in rage.

"Princess Theresa," the king said, his rage turning quickly to pleasure. "We were not expecting you so soon."

"We prefer not to be late," the princess replied with a slight bow.

The king’s smile turned cold once more as they settled on the two individuals before him.

"Well go on!" he snapped.

The erect figure turned and the Princess thought to herself that perhaps she did not indeed want this marriage to end with the war. He had a most excellent figure with a handsome face to match. At his approach she offered her hand.

"Princess," he said with a deep bow over her hand. "I trust you had a safe journey."

"Quite peaceful," she replied. ''And how fairs my Lord today!"

"His highness is in rather dark mood."

"I would not believe it possible,” the Princess replied with a smile.

“My name is Hector,” he said as a small smile raised the corner of his lips. In a low voice he whispered, “I am not the prince.”

The Princess hid her surprise well but her eyes widened and betrayed her. Hector bowed once more and stood aside nodding toward the stooped figure as he did so. The figure had not turned since her entrance. It was then that she realized that the figure had no head. One of the servants nearby approached the stooped figure only to be stopped in place by an unseen gesture. He turned around and it took all of the Princess’ courtly training to restrain herself. His head was not where it should be. The Prince of Desmark was a hunchback. She could not see his face. All she could see was an eye looking up at her from behind a wall of thick greasy hair.

“This is Prince Victor,” Hector said introducing him.

“The pleasure is all yours,” the Prince said curtly.

The Princess was then surprised as he then left the hall without another word or glance. The King was livid but he did not stop him.

“I apologize for my son’s behavior,” he said. “He-“

“Has many things to worry about concerning the realm,” the Princess finished for him.

“Yes,” the king said. Under his breath he added, “His mental realm.”

Hector heard it and once more a smile tugged at the corner of his lips.

“But come I will take you to your rooms,” the king said.

The Princess declined with an elegant bow. “I am sure there are other more worthy pursuits.”

The king laughed. “In a house of men there is little worth pursuing. Come.”

The Princess took his arm and they left the hall along with Vivian and the rest of her royal entourage. As they passed Hector the king turned and gave a stern order,

“Find him.”

Hector bowed.


*

The princess surveyed her quarters once the king had left. The room was indeed fit for her station. The luxurious bed was against the east wall across from a fireplace enormous enough to roast a hog. In the center of the floor lay the softest, one piece, fur carpet she'd ever seen. Her lady in waiting was at this time testing the softness of the fur.

"It is quite soft" Vivian said with obvious pleasure as she softly walked across it with her bare feet and put on her shoes.

"It will suffice," Princess Theresa said.

The princess and her lady in waiting stepped out onto the balcony to judge the view.