Back to Caanom

Yeah, sorry about not posting yesterday. I’m back at Life Care to work until I can find a job that uses my degree. First day back and they had me work a double shift…Sigh. I want a real job.

Enough of my complaining. To the story!
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A decision had to be made. He didn’t want to make it, but he had to come to a decision before the week was out. Rob was out finishing something or other and the Great Kings were out patrolling the land. However, one was still with him. As Ben understood it, the Great Kings were connected and could communicate with each other despite the distance between them.

He was glad that only one of them was there.

“Hey,” he said, looking up from his project. Rob had left the dishes for him to wash again. “Could I ask you a question?”

“You already did,” teased the King. “But sure. What would you like to know?”

“Well,” Ben said, scrubbing a pot, “I need some advice.”

The King raised a ghostly eyebrow. “Oh?”

“It’s about my quest,” he said softly.

“You want to know if you should go back.”

Ben stared in surprise at the ghost. The King smiled kindly.

“There’s no need to hide the question from us. Our friend has been worrying over what you are going to do. Your quest was to find him. And you have. But what will you do now? Will you ask him to return to the capital? Will you respect his wish and let him stay here? He’ll do what you ask, but he may not like what you ask for.”

Ben stared down at the soapy water. “I wasn’t going to ask Rob to come back with me,” he said softly. “I know he ran away from the memories and that he only wants to go back to his peaceful life. And mom is buried here. I don’t want to rip them apart.” He sighed. “But I don’t know if I want to go back.”

“Really?” the King sounded surprised.

“I like being with dad,” Ben told him. “It’s hard work, yes, but I’ve gotten to know my dad. That’s worth more to me than anything.” He moaned. “I know that grandfather wants me back in the capital, but dad’s here. I can’t live both lives.”

“Hum,” the King said, thoughtful. “That is a problem for you isn’t it. How much longer do you have to decide?”

“By the end of the week,” Ben admitted.

“Have you considered all the factors?”

Ben frowned. “What all factors? Return to the capital, a bastard prince, to tell everyone that I don’t want the kingship. Or do I stay here and be with my father, a man I greatly admire?”

“You’re making it sound like you have no choice,” the King said blandly, “but I think you failed to point out the advantages for going back to the capital.”

“What advantages?”

“Do you really see yourself living the rest of your existence in these mountains?”

Ben flinched.

The King snorted. “I thought so. You’re a city creature, Ben, born and breed. This is no place for you, even if your father does live here.”

“Then you say I should go back?” Ben asked, a bit annoyed.

The King shrugged, an odd sight considering his old armor and transparency. “It’s nice that you want to stay with your dad but… our friend has been alone a long time. You’ve notice how awkward he acts around you, and you’re his own son. He’s been the happiest here than we’ve seen him anywhere else.

“You on the other hand,” he said, pointing at him. “You have a hard time of it out here. Farm work doesn’t suit you. You’ve been here for little over two months and you still haven’t gotten used to our life.” Ben flinched. That was far too true.

“And have you considered the good of the kingdom?”

“Good of the kingdom?” Ben repeated. “I’ve heard that all my life, even done my part. I’ve saved my grandfather from assassins, I’ve kept my mouth shut, I’ve gone to court and played politics… I’ve done what’s good for the kingdom.”

“And what if you’re the one heir who will be the best king?”

Ben didn’t answer.

“We Great Kings judge character all the time,” the ghost pointed out. “You would make a good king, Benjamin. A great king if you worked hard enough. And your father thinks so too.”

Ben blushed with embarrassment. The Great Kings thought that he would make a good king? His father also thought so?

“You have to be wrong,” Ben said, dropping the dishes into the soapy water. “I’m not even a good prince! I’m the bastard! No one wants me on the throne!”

“Then why did your grandfather send you out on this quest if you think that you wouldn’t be on the throne?”

There was no answer for that.

“Your grandfather is a very wise man,” the ghost went on to say. “I and the others were impressed by him when we met him before. He knew what it meant to be a king and he obviously taught those things to you.”

Ben paled. All those times he sat at his grandfather’s knee, listened to the old man’s stories and lessons… He had learned about how to be a king since he was little.

“I don’t know your cousins,” the great king went on to say, “but I do know you. King Cameron has a hard decision on his hands to pick one of you. He wouldn’t have sent you out on these quests if he thought you wouldn’t come back.

“Can you live with yourself, Ben, if you didn’t return? To live out the rest of your life knowing that you let your kingdom, your grandfather, yourself down? Yes, your father is here, yes you enjoy his company and want to stay longer with him, but you are a grown man, one who has lived as a prince.” The ghost shook his head. “I don’t honestly think that you can stay here. You’ll only be hurting yourself.”

Ben groaned, bowing his head, his eyes closed as tears came. The Great King was right. He wouldn’t be able to stay. He had known it all along. He had to go back to the capital.

“Will my dad understand?” he asked softly.

“More than you know.”

Ben spun around. Rob stood silently just inside the door, his expression both sad and hard.

“I too had been torn from my own desires at life,” Rob sighed, coming up beside him. “Destiny pulls us all in ways that we don’t want to go, but we just have to follow and enjoy what life will bring us. For the short time I’ve had your mother, I would have never known her if not for destiny. Nor would I have you now. I don’t regret what I had to go through to get that.”

He sighed deeply, putting his hand on his shoulder. “But my time has now past. And you are a grown man. You need to fulfill your own density, whatever it brings.”

Ben said nothing, overwhelmed by what was crashing around him. He really had no choice but to go back. Not only would his grandfather be disappointed in him, he would never be able to live with himself.

He wasn’t like the other men in these mountains. He couldn’t run away from the life he knew, the world he belonged to. He was a Prince of Caanom. His duty was to the kingdom. His father’s duty was finished. His, Prince Benjamin, had just begun.
*************
“Before you go, I want to give you something.”

Ben looked up from his breakfast dishes, surprised by his dad’s pronouncement.

“You want to give me something?” he repeated. “What do you want to give me?”

Rob half smiled. “You were a fool to come up here without any weapons. I’m not about to send you back out without being prepared.”

Curious, Ben helped finish cleaning up breakfast, quickly watered the field, then followed Rob to another glen close by. It wasn’t the same one his mother was buried, but very similar in size and flowers. He immediately noticed the round targets on the other end of the meadow.

“I hope you’re not going to teach me how to use a bow and arrow,” he mumbled. “I’ve never been too good at that.”

Rob snorted. “Like I’d teach my son to use one of those primitive weapons. No, I’m going to teach you to shoot this.” He held out a small version of his rifle, a puny thing that could fit in a large pocket.

“What’s this?” Ben asked, taking it.

“It’s called a handgun,” Rob answered. “I developed it out here after the wars. My rifle is a bit large and gets a lot of stares if I take it anywhere. This thing, I can hide in my things and then use it if the need arise. I haven’t had chance to use it other than for practice, but I think it’ll do better in your hands than mine.”

Ben held the weapon up, unsure. “You sure you want to give this to me?” he asked. “I’m a prince surrounded by guards…”

“Guards can’t stop everything,” Rob said bitterly. “If worse comes to worse, I want you to be able to protect yourself. This is the best way to do so.”

Ben took a deep breath. This was a precious gift from his father, one that only he could give him. He shouldn’t turn it down.

“I’ll teach you how to use it before you go,” Rob promised. “Starting today.” He pointed down at the target. “Once you’ve managed to hit that, we’ll end for the day.”

Ben took a deep breath. It was time to learn. If learning to use this thing would put his father’s mind at ease about his up coming journey, then so be it.
*********
It was time for Ben to leave. Rob had tried hard not to think of it, even during the shooting lessons, but not thinking about it did not prolong the inevitable. Ben didn’t belong in these mountains. As a prince, he belonged to his kingdom. Ben had other duties, another life he belonged to.

Telling himself that didn’t help either.

The day came and they were both very subdued. Nothing much was said as they ate breakfast, cleaned up, and the final packing began. Ben’s horse had been restored to health by the kid’s careful hand. Rob was glad for that. While he knew animals and how to care for them, he knew more about cows, chickens, and donkeys. If the horse had been under his care, then the poor beast would have died.

Together, they packed the remaining supplies and all too soon, Ben was set to go.

“You have everything?” Rob asked. Ben smirked at him.

“For the tenth time, yes,” he chuckled. He patted his side pocket. “I’ve even got Gift with me.”

Rob also smirked. Ben had decided to call the handgun Gift. An appropriate name.

“And your money?”

Ben pointed at his boots. “It’s uncomfortable,” he admitted, “but it’s hidden. I don’t think anyone is going to rob me on my way back.”

“We can only hope,” Rob sighed. “I guess then…” He couldn’t finish.

“Yeah,” Ben muttered softly. They stood silently for a long time, saying nothing but wanting to say everything.

“I’ll try to come visit,” Ben promised. “I’ll be discrete so no one will follow me here.”

Rob nodded. Ben didn’t have to say it, but the prince had already made the decision to not tell the court that he had actually found his famous father.

This kid is very wise, Rob thought. Wiser than I’ve ever been.

“Don’t push it,” he warned. “You might become king and you won’t be able to get away.”

Ben snorted. “I doubt I’ll become king. I have three older cousins who are far more qualified than I am.”

“You never know,” Rob pointed out. “Don’t let your cousins push you around.”

“Alright,” Ben weakly chuckled. “I should go.”

Rob just nodded, a lump in his throat suddenly making it hard to talk. “Good journey,” he managed to croak out. “Son.”

Ben jumped slightly at the word. He stared at him with wide, tearful eyes. Without warning, he grabbed him in a hug, hanging on tightly. Rob returned the hug, closing his eyes against tears. He badly wanted his son to stay. Ben had been more than just a long lost son. He had been a balm to the pain, actual proof that he had done some good in this world. His only legacy won’t be that he killed a tyrant. No, his legacy would be this young man, a wonderful young man who he was proud to call his son.

“Goodbye, dad.”

Rob couldn’t stop the tears then.

Reluctantly, Ben pulled away and mounted his horse. He constantly looked back as he rode off, similar tears streaming down his cheeks. Rob just stood there, his heart wrenching as he watched Ben disappear into the forest, traveling back to the home he belonged to.

“I’m going to miss him.” The Great Kings materialized around him, also watching the boy’s departure.

“I still think he’ll make a good king.”

“He’s needed back home.”

“Still… Life seems a little empty without him.”

Just a little? Rob silently asked. Life had been empty before we met. Now… I know that life has a lot more meaning. The void that had been his life before had been filled by Ben. With Ben gone, the void was back and it hurt.

“Do you think he’ll be alright?” he asked softly.

“Of course,” one King snorted. “He got really good with that Gift of his.”

“And he is a sweet talker,” a second pointed out.

“He’ll talk his way out of anything.”

“We shouldn’t worry.”

“But we do,” Rob said softly. The Great Kings fell into silence. It was the truth. They all worried about the kid.

“I guess there isn’t much I can do,” Rob sighed, turning to his cabin. “I won’t ever stop worrying about my kid.”

It was only right for a father to worry about his only child.
***********
Ben sat in his chambers at the castle, looking out the window at the bright day. He had arrived a week earlier than his deadline, but his grandfather had taken him back in, on the condition that he talked with no one and stayed out of sight.

Ben didn’t mind that.

Knock.

“Come in.”

The door opened and his personal servant walked in. Although he wasn’t supposed to talk to anyone, his grandfather had provided him with a servant to attend to his needs and inform him of news.

“Your cousin Albert has arrived,” he announced, bowing low to him.

“So all of us are back,” Ben said blandly, continuing to stare out the window. It was such a nice day. He wished he was out, riding his horse. As always, he focused north, back to the mountains. Back to his father.

I miss him.

“The court will hear from all of you in one hour,” the servant informed him. “Your king wishes for you to come and report on your quest. Do not bother changing. His Majesty would like all of you to appear without time to groom.”

My cousins won’t like that, Ben thought. He wasn’t the first to arrive back to the capital, Matt had beaten him by an hour. Pat had arrived a few days after him, quickly whisked away like his cousins before the court could see him. Not even Ben had the chance to meet up with his cousins.

It’s all an act, he thought, ignoring the servant as he left. Grandfather wants a grand revelation, a great play, for the court to see.

Maybe he thought the theatrics were a bit much, but Ben understood what his grandfather was doing. The court was going to see princes brought low by the lessons of their quests. They had to see the change in the princes themselves.

And so did King Cameron.

Once they had made their report, the king would decide which one of them was going to get the throne. It was as simple as that.

So much trouble for one over gilded chair, Ben sighed.

But others sought that throne. Wars have been fought, blood had been split, fighting had raged over a single position in the kingdom. It was the highest in the land. With the crown on, a person could change the world.

There’s so much power with the throne, Ben knew. Grandfather doesn’t want someone to abuse it.

The Great Kings had said that he would make a good king, a great one if he worked hard enough. Ben thought they were wrong, but he couldn’t easily dismiss their words.

What if grandfather picks me? Ben wondered, staring north towards the mountains. What am I going to do? He had said that he never wanted the throne, it had never been his ambition, but what if that was what his grandfather wanted? To put on the throne a man who didn’t want it?

It’s why he sent me on the quest, Ben thought with a sigh. He had seen the cost of winning the peace their lands now enjoyed. He knew it was up to the new generation to keep the peace.

He wanted me to see that. Then, if he offered the throne to me, I won’t refuse.

If the only way to keep the peace of the land was by giving him the throne, then so be it. His father, fathers of nearly everyone he knew, had all fought for the peace. It was now his duty to keep that peace.

On the throne, he would do that.

“Grandfather,” Ben mumbled under his breath, “you’re a sneaky one. You’ve backed me into a corner.” He sighed. Backed into a corner for the throne and only his grandfather could release him from that corner.

“Your Highness?”

Ben turned to find that the servant had returned with four guards. “It’s time.”

Ben took a deep breath and stood.

It was time to see if he was released or crowned.
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Next time: the princes relate their tales and what they learned. Enjoy the journey!