by Mike Shelton
Chapter 24
THE NEW KING
Darius sat in a carriage on the way to the coliseum. The morning was warm but threatened rain. The leaves on the trees were fuller every day and flowers adorned the entry way of shops along the way. The city held a nervousness that seemed to be barely under control. City guards were abundant in the streets, and so far the general citizenry were behaving themselves.
News had reached Darius there had been sightings of soldiers from the Kingdom of Arc gathering in the northwest across the border from Sur in the city of Herro. Nothing serious had happened yet, but it was a problem Darius would need to face in the coming weeks. Soldiers from Denir had also reported a Gildanian buildup of men across the border, but Darius had talked to Mezar. As soon as the ceremony was over his new friend would be going back home, meeting with the Emperor and his father the general and taking care of any confusion at their southern border. Darius sighed. He had not inherited a peaceful Realm.
Belor also still sat in upheaval, as no one firmly ruled the city. A few men, who had sided with the Preacher but now had removed themselves from him, tried to regain some control, but the people were not very supportive. Darius would have to help find and appoint a governor there quickly.
The hours between his meeting with the councilors and the official announcement had been filled with meetings and planning sessions. He had met with councilors, ambassadors, farmers, mayors, and religious leaders, as well as his father many times. They disagreed on many things and agreed on a few, but progress was made. By the time the ceremony in the coliseum approached, Darius felt confident.
His mother, Elizabeth, had been a great comfort to Darius in the last few days. Just knowing she was there to talk to helped Darius feel more confident. They had spoken a few times the previous day about Darius’s wedding plans. She was so excited to be able to help plan a wedding. She had not met Christine's mother yet, but Darius knew they would get along well. His mother got along with everyone.
Six white Cremelino horses pulled the large carriage. They were all from White Island and it was hard to stop them all from trying to communicate to Darius at the same time. They had not been able to speak with the previous king and so were anxious to voice their thoughts and support. The Cremelinos were also able to keep in contact with one another across great distances. They were almost giddy with excitement to have a wizard on the throne again and someone to communicate with. It was what they were born to do, but been deprived of for a long time.
Darius opened the curtains. He smiled and waved at onlookers as they drove their carriages and walked to the assembly. Slight butterflies grew inside of him. His mother affirmed it was natural. She looked better since moving into the castle yesterday. Richard had been spending more time with her also. Darius was happy, though he admitted to Elizabeth that he would miss her, as he would be very busy being the King. She smiled and patted him on the head. It was kind of silly, but Darius knew the gesture meant she loved him.
He entered the coliseum between two large white stone pillars. A rumble sounded across the large expanse as everyone rose to their feet. He was startled. “I wasn't prepared for this,” he told his mother and father, who sat opposite him in the carriage. The ancient structure of stone seemed to be larger than before and held an over-capacity crowd. He remembered back to times when he was younger and had seen King Edward enter. Now he would be the King. The crowd cheered for their young ruler, chanting songs and yelling praises. Tears threatened the corner of his eyes. He keenly felt the loyalty and love of the people. As he waved to the crowd, he recognized familiar faces. He realized they would treat him differently now.
Ahead of him, he spotted the colors of Anikari and the four major cities of the Realm: Mar, Denir, Sur, and even Belor. He wondered who had come from Belor and hoped for no trouble on this day. Colorful flags had been posted and waved over their respective leaders.
The King’s procession was almost to the stand when he saw Kelln sitting next to Alessandra in the front of the crowd. He waved at them, and Kelln waved back. He was dressed in his finest clothes, which looked too formal on him. Kelln’s hair was still unruly and hard to keep in place, especially in the growing wind. Alessandra had dark circles under her eyes and looked tired and nervous. When Darius looked at her, she did not meet his eyes but looked down instead. Once again he got a nagging feeling that he would have to watch her more closely.
Darius ascended the stand, and the crowd sat. He hoped it wouldn't rain. The skies were threatening, with bulging black and gray clouds gathering over the city. The coliseum was filled to capacity. The breeze rippled the flags that stood around the border of the stand.
Richard San Williams, councilor to a king but never to be one himself, stood up and approached the pulpit. He rested his hands on the unique carving of olive wood laced with gold.
“My fellow citizens of the Realm, I welcome you to this assembly. Today we join in a joyous occasion of welcoming our new King and Protectorate, King Darius DarSan Williams.” His voice broke ever so slightly, but the applauding crowd covered it up.
Darius stood and walked to the pulpit, standing beside his father. He looked over the crowd. He touched his sword at his side and gained comfort through its power. Christine smiled up at him from a side chair. He hoped they would accept her. Should I tell them first or last?
Darius stood in his full kingly attire, dressed in the black and red of Anikari, his purple cape of royalty blowing behind him in the increasing wind. Richard lifted up the crown, and Darius knelt in front of the crowd.
“Upon the death of King Edward,” Richard continued, “Darius lawfully became the King. Today we formally acknowledge that bestowal and set upon him the crown of the Realm, and welcome him as our King and Protector to inherit the Throne of Power that is now his by right.” Richard placed the golden circlet on his son’s head. His piercing gray eyes looked down at his only son and a small smile escaped his lips. “You may now arise.”
The crowd erupted in applause and enthusiasm. Richard went back to his chair and Darius approached the podium, “Welcome, my friends and fellow citizens. I regret the passing of our former king, King Edward DarSan Montere, a great man that led us in a period of unequaled peace. As we all know, new problems have arisen of late throughout the Realm. I pledge that the problems will be corrected, that wrongs will be made right, and the Realm will continue to be looked upon by our neighbors as the peaceful, successful, and great kingdom it is.”
This brought applause again from the crowd. Many seemed pleased to hear their new king speak so openly and candidly of troubles.
“With the passing of any great king, changes need to be made. So it is today.” Here it goes. “My father will be Senior Councilor to me, the same position he held previously under King Edward. His word and command will be as mine own, except in things a king cannot delegate. As a member of the royal family, the title Dar will now be added to his name.” He glanced at his father and smiled. His father looked genuinely surprised at the additional words and title Darius had added.
“My second and third councilors will be Jarad San Newlyn and Michael San Lazier, if they will accept.” He motioned for them to join the other councilors on the stand. Jarad was known as one of the older religious leaders throughout Anikari. It was the first time people could remember a religious man being put into the nobility as a councilor. Michael was in his mid-thirties but had as a junior councilor proven his loyalty to King Edward many times.
Darius next announced that Cray Dreydon would also be a councilor. Cray had been surprised and flattered when Darius had approached him about the appointment earlier that day. He would be the King’s military councilor.
The other new councilor was Martin Halverssn, a man from the farmlands who had gone with Christine to deliver the farmers’ petition the previous year.
Martin approached the stand, and whispers grew throughout the crowd. Dressed as well as he could, his homespun wool pants and worn boots sti
ll marked him as a farmer. Some yelling came from the back of the crowd, and Darius called for his soldiers to remove the troublemakers. There were even hushed whispers among the other councilors. Many did not like this decision of putting a farmer formally on to the council, but Darius had decided any future problems of discrimination between the two groups could not be blamed on him. He was doing his part.
He named Kelln El’Han as his ambassador at large, to travel the Realm and report back to Darius on conditions. Kelln smiled from ear to ear.
Finally, Darius brought Mezar forward and announced him in his official capacity as second heir to the Gildanian Empire. The crowd cheered and seemed impressed their new king had already established such contacts.
Now it's time, while they are cheering, he thought to himself.
A misty rain began to fall around them, and the crowd tried to cover their heads. Darius paused and took a breath. He called Christine to come forward. She looked radiant in the new light blue silk dress she had designed herself. Seamstresses had worked nonstop to get the dress completed on time. Her soft blonde hair cascaded down over the burgundy cape she wore. Her curls bounced softly as she stepped forward. A servant walked beside her, covering her head with a large parasol to keep off the rain.
The crowd strained to see who she was. They surmised that it must be the daughter of some high noble. Her green eyes had a new edge to them but still held their dramatic sparkle. Darius took her hand as she approached.
“Along with naming my new councilors, I would also like to announce my engagement and impending wedding to Christine Anderssn.” The crowd cheered for a moment for their young and handsome king, but as the last name sunk in, the applause thinned. “She is from the farm lands surrounding Anikari.”
Darius thought the entire crowd stopped speaking at the exact moment he finished his sentence. Thunder roared overhead, and the rain picked up.
“We will be wed at the end of the month,” Darius continued. “Then we will tour the Realm and our neighboring countries.”
His announcement had taken a moment to sink in, but now the crowd was in confusion. Some of the farmers cheered from the back and were quieted by neighboring city people. Others began to shout up at Darius. Even some of the councilors had looks of disgust on their faces. Darius felt anger grow. He was the King! Why shouldn't he marry whom he wanted? The division between the different factions of people had gone on too long and had affected too many lives.
“Stop!” The power-filled shout echoed throughout the coliseum, the words seemingly coming from the heavens, even louder than the thunder itself. Even Christine, next to him, shivered at the sound. Power seemed to emanate from Darius’s body. “Look at this woman, whom I love.” The crowd looked, and Christine blushed. “Nothing is wrong with her or with any of you. Whether we are farmers or born in the city, whether we come from Mar, Belor, Sur, Denir, Anikari, or any of the smaller towns in our Realm, we are all the same. We have a shared heritage as members of the Realm. Even the reign of the kings has been affected by the great inequality among us, as my grandfather was denied his place as heir when he married someone from outside the city. Fighting has erupted in Belor because someone thought they were better than others and deserved power. All of us, whether from Mar or Denir, from outside or inside a city wall, are all created equal. We all have our own intelligences, talents, powers, and perspectives. Let us celebrate our differences and let old hatreds disappear.”
Darius drew his sword with a ringing sound and held the powerful relic up high above his head with one hand, the other still holding onto Christine’s hand. His muscles bulged with strength and control. His sword glowed a golden color, and with a release of his power he sent a bolt of lightning high up into the cloudy sky. The power spread out over the people in cascading colors to form a dome of power stopping the rain from touching those within the coliseum. Some of the dignitaries in the front began to shrink back in fear. Such use of power had not been seen openly in Anikari for as long as any man could remember. Darius prayed inside that his power would be accepted and that he hadn’t just made a cause for a full-scale revolt.
“I challenge any person who disagrees with my choice for peace to come forward.” He looked back at the councilors and nobles. “And, that includes any of you.”
The crowd fell silent. The look on their faces mirrored the questions in their minds. Who was this fierce young man who had become their king? Could he defy the entire assembly at such a young age? What power did he hold?
Darius stood silently, tall and proud next to his fiancée, holding his golden sword high in the air. Kelln walked forward next to him and held his sword high next to Darius’s. As his sword touched Darius’s, the white light engulfed him also. He looked at Darius nervously.
“As his Ambassador I accept his pledge of peace,” he proclaimed to the crowd with a smile to Darius, “and will publish that peace in all reaches of our Realm.”
Mezar came forward next. “I, Mezar Alrishitar, named second heir by my grandfather the Emperor of Gildan, hail your King and support him until the end of my days.”
The people realized this was not an oath to be taken lightly by their southern neighbor. The Gildanian Empire had always been a powerful neighboring kingdom.
Mezar pushed his hands up into the air. The sleeves from his golden cloak fell down his brown arms. His eyes turned a lighter color of brown, and golden fire erupted from his fingertips to join with the lightning from Darius’s sword. The entire Coliseum was bathed in a brilliant mixture of yellow, gold, and white. The crowd stayed transfixed.
Out of the corner of his eye, Darius saw someone else stand up and walk toward him. He walked deliberately, but proud. A look of respect and awe covered his face.
“My son is your king, so named by King Edward. His word is law, and his law is just and righteous. I, Richard DarSan Williams, accept his proposal of peace, bow to him, and pledge my sole support.” He smiled over at Darius.
Cray walked forward, holding his fist in the air. “As the general commander of his armies, I, Cray Dreydon, pledge the support of the entire army of this great Realm in defense of Darius DarSan Williams and his laws of peace.”
The other two Senior Councilors also joined Darius on the stand.
As if on cue, a single clap echoed through the crowd. Then another. The applause continued until the entire coliseum rocked with support and acceptance of their new king. The sound was deafening, but sweet to Darius’s ears. He knew he had caused quite a spectacle, but that is what the people needed. They needed to be shocked from their complacent ways and join him in finding peace. In quick bursts he had thoughts about the last year of his life. There were many paths filled with decisions. He was glad he had chosen the way he did. He felt right about where he stood.
Darius lowered his sword, and the normal color returned. Mezar turned his arms in a circle, and the golden light rapidly expanded with swirling circles around the tops of the walls of the coliseum and then extinguished with a loud thunder clap of color. The dome disappeared, but by now the rain had stopped falling.
Richard turned to Darius and whispered, “It worked this time, but don't think there won't be any more troubles.” He smiled.
“I will take it one day at a time. Today I have acceptance.” Darius shrugged his shoulders.
Darius dismissed the crowd with a wave of his hand and declared the next day a holiday full of festivities.
Christine clung to his arm and kissed his cheek. “I am so proud of you, my future husband.”
Darius laughed and held her tightly. “You are worth more than the kingdom to me, dear Christine,” he whispered into her ear. “I would defy them all for you!”
Mezar walked up to him and pulled him aside. After making sure no one else was around, he clasped his arm in a handshake. “Welcome to the ranks of wizards. It’s been a long time since we have seen one declared openly in the leadership of the Realm.”
Darius laughed. “And to think I thou
ght you were my prisoner. With that show you just put on, Mezar, you could have destroyed me at any time, right?”
Mezar’s smile was even bigger than Darius’s was. “Yes. Yes, I could have.”
The two of them laughed while the rain came down once again. Kelln motioned Darius over to the carriage.
“I have a lot of questions,” Darius said to Mezar as they walked toward the carriage. “I hope you’re not leaving too soon.”
Mezar looked at Leandra, who just approached, and then back at Darius. “Even if I do, I will not be gone for long.”
The rest of the day was filled with greetings and festivities. The people seemed to enjoy a new spirit of cooperation and hatreds between groups were starting to recede.
The next day Mezar stood with Darius outside of the castle doors. Darius was readying an honor guard to accompany the man south to his homeland.
“Do you think I need protection on the way through your Realm?” Mezar gave him a questioning look.
“No, my friend. I’ve only seen a small amount of what I am sure you could do with your power. It is my way of showing you my thanks and respect. I hope the Emperor will see the Realm as an ally and pull his troops back.”
“You have my assurance there will be no attack. I am sure my grandfather is only anxious to see me again.”
Darius looked down at the ground. “Mezar, what do I do about my power? I’m not really sure what the people think about it. Rumors are flying.”
“Darius, you are a wizard. Never be ashamed of that fact. Even in Gildan, where the power is more accepted, it is still a rare and precious thing. The royal family seems to have more of its share of those who are strong in this power, and it has helped us many times.”
“Maybe that is why I have it… as part of the royal family. Cray told me yesterday that my grandfather, Alric, had it.”
Mezar lifted his eyebrows. “That is quite interesting. I wonder if all of the ruling families have been blessed with this power. I will do some research in the wizard’s library.”