Kingdom Calling

An absent ruler is no better than an omnipresent tyrant. A fantasy story.

In the kingdom of Everbrook there existed an old, wise king who had two sons and a daughter. His wife, the queen, had already passed. As he was getting along in years, he instructed his younger children that after his death they should venture out into the world. Only then could they overcome their weaknesses by persevering through trial and tribulation.

“I have provided all that I could, and you have been well taught and cared for, but the safety and security of the castle has not allowed you to grow to your full potential,” the king said. “Let my final instructions remedy this.”

To his daughter, Eleanor, he said, “You are intelligent and compassionate, like your mother was, and you have the capacity to become a powerful cleric. Where your faith and confidence lacks, your many spells cannot protect you.”

To his youngest son, Luther, he said, “You are a barbarian by nature, fierce and mighty, and one day you will lead the king’s army into battle. Where your stealth and agility lacks, your brute force will fail you.”

To his eldest son, Aurik, he said, “As the first born, you will take over the throne. While Eleanor and Luther seek out adventure beyond the city gates, you will learn to care for the people of Everbrook.”

Aurik was disappointed by his allotment in life because he loved his brother and sister dearly, wanting never to part from their side. When his father died, he grieved tremendously, now without father or mother, and soon to be without brother and sister. With a heavy heart, he did as he was instructed, bidding Eleanor and Luther farewell so they could fulfill their destiny.

The king’s former council wasted no time inundating Aurik with requests from the people and reminding him of his royal duties. Among other demands, they asked him to provide a solution for refilling the moat that had dried out in the summer months, a detailed agenda for Everbrook’s upcoming centennial celebration and a defensive strategy against encroaching Orc raiders on the Western front. 

Thinking he could escape his duties with more space between him and the council, Aurik decided to build a bigger castle. This would keep the council busy overseeing the design and managing the project to completion. With so much responsibility, it would be impossible for them to bother him.

To pay for the construction, it was necessary to raise taxes. The citizens groaned in protest, but marveled at the great detail and beauty of the castle. Resolved to comply, many of them became poor due to the exorbitant cost, secretly jealous of Aurik’s many rooms.

When the castle was finished, it required more attention and upkeep than before, several more servants being hired to manage the daily cleaning. Aurik could not find a moment’s peace due to the busyness. Angry that solitude escaped his grasp, he fired the entire council, thinking they should have been wise enough to foresee the end result. In their place, he hired sorcerers that claimed to tell the future.

Unknown to Aurik, these sorcerers were aligned with dark forces, immediately taking advantage of their newfound status. The leader of the group, Samael, was the most conniving, able to convince Aurik that an assassination attempt was being orchestrated.

“My dear king, I suggest you give us the new rooms to inhabit so that we can keep watch over you from within the castle’s walls,” Samael said. “You should also increase the size of the royal guard twofold, so that you can be protected on all fronts from foreign invaders.”

In fear for his life, Aurik gave him the power to hire men of his choosing. Samael conscripted a large group of farmers for a pittance a day, tearing them away from their families. The sorcerers took over the rooms, abusing the servants at every turn, creating turmoil that was never brought to Aurik’s attention. Left alone to his own devices, he was finally satisfied not having to deal with any public or private nuisance.

Upset with what they thought was the king’s decision, some of the former farmers plotted against him to steal from the treasury. Since they could not spend time with their families, then they would ensure their loved ones were provided for in their absence. That’s how Aurik came to lose most of his fortune. 

While he was no longer troubled, Aurik became increasingly bored with royal life. Wandering around the castle one day, he visited the treasury to determine if there were sufficient funds for planning the centennial celebration. To his surprise, little remained, causing him to go into a panic and approach Samael.

“What happened to all the gold?” Aurik asked.

“It was a thief in the king’s royal guard. I discovered who at the very moment you called,” Samael said. “Let’s go find and put him to death!”

Samael brought the entire guard together, pulled out the weakest of the lot, and placed him before Aurik — knowing that the others would corroborate his story to save themselves.

“This is the man you want. He is quiet and crafty,” Samael said.

The man stepped forward, issuing a plea, “My king, if I may, bring my poor wife and children to see me at the hanging, so that they can visit with their father one last time after such a long absence.”

Aurik thought it odd, his thievery and choice of words, assuming that the farmers enlisted to serve as royal guards and were paid well. He decided to grant the man’s request to see what would come of it.

At the hanging, a large crowd gathered from the town, including the man’s wife, his two sons and a daughter. They stood in the front, weeping bitterly, so much so that Aurik heard their cries. Looking down from the terrace, he saw a family reminiscent of the one he had loved so dearly, whole and innocent. All of the people were in tattered clothes, a sure sign that they struggled to make a living, while the king enjoyed a life of provision, free of responsibility.

The man’s children brought to mind a vision of Eleanor and Luther leaving, the words of his father weighing heavy on him. Aurik had only considered his well-being, never once bearing in mind his duty was to care for the people of Everbrook. He was moved to tears and ordered the execution to stop.

“People of Everbrook. I have failed you as king. Nothing can change the poor decisions I made that put you in this state. The best I can do is offer up the castle rooms for those of you that are homeless. If the treasury is returned, I can promise that none of you will go hungry, or be without home and family ever again,” Aurik said.

Furious that their positions would be eliminated, the sorcerers hatched a plan. They cast a spell over the royal guard and the people in the crowd, which caused them to fall into a deep sleep. With no one to protect him, Aurik was dismayed, believing that his poor choices would be his ultimate downfall.

To the surprise of Aurik and the treacherous sorcerers, two mysteriously cloaked figures were still awake. The first was Luther, who stood cunning as a fox, with a blade at the throat of Samael. The second was Eleanor, a single cleric against multiple masters of black magic. She paid little attention to their numbers, raining down lightning and fiery brimstone onto their heads. 

When Eleanor had broken the spell on the people, they all decided that Samael’s fate was clear, the gallows pole ready made for his execution. 

The three siblings gathered together at the centennial celebration, enjoying the companionship of the townspeople. Aurik was amazed at the wisdom of their father. He had allowed them to recognize their shortcomings and learn from their mistakes, giving them all of the necessary skills to live long and fruitful lives.

Aurik became an old and wise king himself, instructing his own children as his father had before him.