The Implement of Peace

Clarence peered through his bedroom window at the castle towers. The morning light lit up the clouds.

The boy heard the door open, telling Clarence his father left for work at the black smith’s corner.

Clarence walked out of his room to see his mother in the living room.

“God morning, son.”

“Good morning, mother.”

“How did you sleep?”

“I got up early. May I go exploring with Russel?”

“Eat breakfast first.”

Clarence sat and began eating a bowl of porridge.

“Is your tooth ready to come out?”

Clarance tilted his head. “Almost.”

Clarence opened his mouth as his mother looked at it. “It seems like it could come out tonight. Have you asked anything from the tooth fairy?”

“A gold coin.”

“I see.”

“May I go?”

Clarence hopped off his seat and dashed out the door and Russel was there.

“Hey, Clarence. Ready to go?”

“How about something new?”

“What?”

Clarence grinned. “Let’s sneak into the castle!”

“We could get caught!”

“We will be careful.”

“Well...okay!”

They ran up the cobblestone path and they made it to the royal courtyard steps. Two guards stood on each side of the castle door.

“I have an idea,” said Clarence. The boy got out two flint stones and sparked a fire onto a bush on the left of the door. The two guards ran to it as the two friends circled back and cracked the door open, entered and hid behind a huge bronze statue.

“King Thourn is coming!” said Russel.

“And my father is with him.”

Clarance and Russel listened:

“I need all blacksmiths to work double-time, John. A lot of weapons were lost in the last battle. They may also have a dragon.”

“A dragon!”

“Indeed. Now go your way. We attack in a week.”

The king walked away and John made for the door to exit.

Russel sneezed and John looked behind the statue and reeled back. “Clarence! What are you doing here!”

“We were exploring. Please don’t be mad.”

John sighed. “Let’s go, then.”

John led the children out back to the path.

“I should reprimand you, but my mind is too preoccupied.”

“You mean the war?” said Russel.

John looked down at the boy and exhaled deeply. “Yes…the war.”

“The king said we will attack Aries in a week,” said Clarance.

“You heard that, huh? I guess you heard about the dragon too?”

Fifteen minutes later, the two children broke off to go into the forest outside the town.

“Do think it’s really a dragon?” said Russel.

“Don’t they eat people?”

Russel picked up a stone and threw it. “Maybe it’s a spell.”

The rest of their day was about catching frogs, skipping stones on ponds, climbing trees and other such things.

The day ended and they returned home.

“Mother, I must tell you something. Aries has a dragon!”

“What are you talking about!”

John walked inside. “Clare, we need to talk.”

Clare shook her head. “Our son said there is dragon in the possession of Aries.”

“I have been to see the king. That is the rumor. There is something else…I am to go off fighting the next battle in a week.”

“What! You can’t!”

“It is out of my hands, dear.”

Clare ran to her bedroom crying.

John sulked into her bedroom. Later, when they came out, Clare was not crying and was in a calm, complacent mood.

Finally, it was bedtime.

Clarence’s tooth wriggled free, and he took it out of his mouth.

“Remember to put it under your pillow. Off to bed.”

Clarence put the tooth under his pillow and slept. He awoke in the middle of the night. He flipped his pillow over. “My coin! And what is this?” Under the coin was a folded up piece of parchment. He unfolded it and read:

To Clarance beloved of God,

Through you the Most High will engineer peace and brotherhood between the warring kingdoms. My Spirit will lead you to a special object that will win the heart of the kingdom of Aries and make them one!

The Tooth Fairy,

A spirit of God.

Clarance dressed warmly then took a lantern and sprinted for the forest. It was like a mental compass directed his steps. Soon he saw it-a small golden lock-heart with a small painting of a young woman inside.

Clarence rushed home and waited for dawn. When it came, and his parents were awake, Clarence showed the object.

“That is a picture of the late princess Ithia, the princess of Aries who died years again!” said John. “Where did you find it?”

“In the woods.”

“This could end the war!” John ran to the king Thourn and it was agreed to present the item as a peace gift.

“The king of Aries lost this over decade ago. It is agreed then,” said the king. “I will bring it to him myself.”

“My lord they will kill you!”

“I have a strange premonition it will work to our advantage. Ready my horse. John, you will come with me.”

They rode the wilderness to Aries. When the castle came into view, they said short prayer then rode on.

Two guards recognized them and brandished their swords.

“We come I peace. I come bearing an object dear to the king.”

“What do you mean?”

“We must speak to the king, himself.”

The guards showed politeness and ushered them to the castle.

King Grithin, of Aries, was about to speak then John held up the locket.

Grithin teared up. “Where did you find it? You could have kept it but you risked death and forsook great riches this would have brought to bring it to me. Such a noble act warrants…peace. Will you put the past bloodshed and animosity behind us?”

King Thourn and King Grithin embraced.

To solidify the new union, the son of Grithin and the daughter of Thourn were married and the new joined kingdom was called Evercrest-a word that means peace in the ancient language.