What Makes a King

Welcome to this week’s installment of A Hero’s Wish, in which each prince will relate their quests and a decision that needs to be made. To the story!
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King Cameron sat on his throne, watching with the rest of the court as his four grandsons entered. This was the first he had seen them since he had sent them out on their quests. He had refused to greet them as they came, knowing that he had to see them all at once. This was a decision for the throne. He had to be objective towards his own grandsons.

The four young men who walked in were not the same young men that had left the palace one year before. Those young men had been moody, proud, high strung, and shy. Typical for princes but not needed for a king. The four young men now were not the same.

Matthew, who had always been so high strung, seemed now strong, confident in his stride and not a hint of fear around him.

Patrick, a proud prince with a reputation, was now a scrawny wisp of a man, dressed in rags but new compassion in his eyes.

Albert, a quiet young man who let others ride over him, stood with a straight back, meeting everyone’s eye without a hint of his former self.

And Ben… A moody child who had often sought solitude over the company of others, was now solemn, gazing at everyone with a sense of duty.

They’ve learned, Cameron thought. They’ve all learned their own lessons.

Now it was time to see which one learned it the best.

The king struggled to his feet, waving aside his vassal’s aid. “Welcome, Princes of Caanom,” Cameron said, his voice carrying over the court. “Welcome home.”

A cheer erupted through the court hall. Cameron knew that some truly felt joy at seeing the princes again, others just cheered because the question of the heir was about to be decided. It had been an interesting year with the princes gone. Some had tried to take the throne while the princes were gone. All attempts had been squashed before they got out of control. Cameron wasn’t going to let anyone but one of his grandsons on the throne.

“Princes of Caanom,” he said clearly, “a year ago you were sent out on a quest, forbidden from using your title, and left to complete your quest alone. A year you’ve spent out in the world, seeking the objectives of your quest. That was a year ago. Today you have returned, either to prove victorious in your quests or to admit defeat.”

The court was filled with whispers. There had been a lot of rumors about what the princes had been doing in the last year. Their appearance now caused more speculation.

“Matthew,” Cameron said, sitting back down on his throne. “My eldest grandson. You have my permission to speak.”

Matthew bowed deeply and took a step forward from his cousins.

“King Cameron,” Matthew said, his voice confident, “people of Caanom. My quest was to find the reason for joy.” Mumbles filled the hall, obviously confused at Matthew’s quest. “To say that I was shocked by this quest would be pointless, since all of you are shock,” Matthew went on to say, his voice carrying over the mumbles. “But I would not back down from my duty. The king had given me strict instruction. For a year, I was not allowed to use my title, my features concealed, and I was to find work as a sailor.”

Even his cousins chuckled at that, joining the rest of the court in laughter. Cameron didn’t smile, though he wanted to. Matthew was a known land trotter; he was terrified of deep water and only went out on a boat if he was ordered to.

“My fear of the deep has not been vanquished,” Matthew reported, smirking himself. “However, my time spent with the sailors taught me much. I learned the workings of a ship, the importance of teamwork, and at last, I learned the reason for joy.” The court quieted down, ready to listen to the prince’s reason.

“There are many reasons for joy,” Matthew said solemnly. “And perhaps a sailor knew this more than anyone. Any day could be our last, any moment terror could strike, and for that reason many people find only sorrow in this world. However, the sailors taught me to look for the good things in life. The beauty of a sunrise, the strength of friendship, pride in your work. There are moments of good and bad. The trick, though, is to keep the good moments alive, to seek for them instead of dwelling on the bad. Bad things happen, we cannot prevent that, but we can look beyond that, to find the good and beautiful things in this world.

“Joy is everywhere,” Matthew said, smiling. “But it’s up to us to find it.” He bowed. “And so ends my quest.”

The court cheered as Matthew stepped back and joined his cousins in line. Cameron nodded in approval. So, Matthew had learned his lesson. He had always been high strung, constantly finding the bad things in life. He had finally learned joy.

“Patrick,” Cameron called once the cheering died down. “My second grandson. You have my permission to speak.”

His scrawny grandson stepped forward, bowing. “King Cameron, people of Caanom,” he stood up, his face ashen. “My quest… was to live in poverty.” The people gasped in shock. Patrick had been one who loved to live a rich life, to enjoy every pleasure and sneer down on others. Poverty was the exact opposite of what he was.

“I was unduly upset over the quest my king had given me,” Patrick explained. “I, a prince of Caanom, was told to live in the dirt and common people of the streets. I will not reveal which city my grandfather sent me to, but it was quite large and there were many living in poverty. At first, I resented my quest, what I had to go through to be picked for the throne, however, the thought of the throne kept me going.” Cameron frowned, that wasn’t what he wanted to hear from Patrick.

“However,” Patrick explained, “quickly, thoughts of the throne were pushed out of my mind as the need for survival took over my every thought. I spent most of my time living in dirt, sleeping wherever I could to get out of the elements, eating anything that was remotely editable. I soon stopped being a prince of Caanom and became just another wrench living in the streets.”

Suddenly, Patrick had tears in his eyes, his voice quivering. “It was about then, when I thought I would never survive this cruel twist of fate when someone showed me compassion.” He wiped the tears away. “It was from another wrench, an older man who had been thrown out onto the streets more times than he could remember.

“This man…” Patrick coughed to clear his throat. “He showed me, showed me more than I ever thought possible. He showed me human compassion and that sometimes, we have to be the ones to show it. I saw many people afterwards who helped those in poverty, those who worked for the good of the people.” Patrick sighed, looking up and meeting his gaze.

“I understand what my quest was truly about,” he confessed. “It wasn’t to live in poverty, it was to learn compassion, to serve my fellow human beings. I am no different from the man begging in the streets. He is not any greater or less than I am. We are all of the human race and we must bear each other up or will we will all fall.” He bowed. “And so ends my quest.”

There weren’t many dry eyes as Patrick stepped back to join his cousins. Cameron let out a soft sigh of relief. So, Patrick had learned his lesson. The proud prince had finally been brought down and now knew the importance of serving others.

“Albert,” Cameron said. “My third grandson. You have my permission to speak.”

Albert took a confident step forward. “King Cameron, people of Caanom,” he bowed low, very military in style. “My quest was to find leadership.”

That got the court mumbling questions.

“My quest was fairly simple and hard at the same time,” Albert explained. “I was to join the army and achieve the rank of captain within the year. Joining the army was easy, but to rise in rank,” he paused to chuckle. “Now, that was hard.” Cameron raised an eyebrow. Before, Albert wasn’t this confident. “I was assigned to our southern boarders, where the desert people have been harassing us.

“When I asked other soldiers how they gained rank,” Albert said, “they told me that it would take time, unless I proved myself well in serious situations. Because of this, I volunteered for many dangerous tasks, hoping for my chance to prove myself. I fought many skirmishes, endured many hardships, but not once was my efforts recognized. I had thought that the quest my grandfather had sent me on was set up for me to fail.” He paused, standing proudly.

“But that is not the case. King Cameron was wise to put such a hard task before me. It was only recently that I finally became a captain. And I learned many things about leadership, how to delegate responsibility, to take responsibility, and how sometimes, you have you listen to yourself than others.

“Leadership is something that I’ve never had before,” Albert concluded. “Something I did not understand, but now, I do. It’s a great and terrible thing, one that someone should not abuse or use rashly. People follow their leaders and a leader must never take advantages of it.” He bowed before the court. “Thus I end my quest.”

The cheers were enthusiastic and Cameron nodded his head in approval. Albert had always let others ride over him, letting himself to be pushed aside. But now the young prince had learned to stand up for himself.

“Benjamin,” Cameron said once the cheering faded. “My youngest grandson, you have my permission to speak.”

Benjamin took a step forward, his expression revealing nothing of his inner thoughts. It was a skill he had learned in his youth, to cover his bitter feelings. Cameron wondered just what his grandson was hiding behind that expression.

“King Cameron,” Benjamin said, then turned to gaze at the rest of the court, “people of Caanom, I am here today to admit that I did not complete my quest.”

Gasps filled the hall as Cameron sat forward in his throne. He hadn’t completed his task? Of all his grandsons, he knew Benjamin would have the hardest time completing his, knowing there was a chance that he wouldn’t complete it. Oh, he had hoped, but he guessed that was asking for too much.

“My quest,” Benjamin continued, once the mutters of surprise died down, “was to find my father, Trenton the Hero.” He paused long enough for another round of mutters. “Or at least, find his grave.

“I went to the Caanom Stronghold,” Benjamin reported. “To the last place my father had been seen. I got there and met up with a professor who helped me figure out that my father might be hiding in a town where news did not reach. With this information, I wandered up into the northern mountains.” He started to touch his nose. That made Cameron smile a bit. Well, that habit of his didn’t seem to go away during his time away. Not that the king thought it would.

“There I had been attacked by robbers and they were about to kill me when a hermit came to my rescue.” Benjamin suddenly became very solemn, a new sort of sorrow and pain in his expression. “He took me in and had me work for my stay while I tried to get enough money to return. It was while I was there that I met several old soldiers, men who had fought in the wars.

“These men,” Benjamin said softly, “they had fought bravely in the wars and paid a terrible price for the peace we now enjoy. The price,” he said, looking up to lock eyes with his king, “was that of their own peace.”

Cameron sat back in his throne, not looking away. So, Benjamin had learned a completely different lesson than he had intended. He had wanted his youngest grandson to learn that he was different from his father, that he could forge his own way.

But this seemed more important to Benjamin.

“We have heroes who are still suffering,” Benjamin said to the court, “men who feel as if they cannot return to face the horrors that we forced upon them.” He shook his head. “I learned that a price has been paid for peace and that a duty had been done. Those men have done their job and now it is up to us of the new generation to keep the peace that our fathers have fought to have. It is now up to us to take on the duty of peace.”

He bowed. “And thus… I have both failed and completed my quest.”

No one said anything as Benjamin took a step back, everyone surprised by the sound of resolution and determination in the young prince’s voice. Cameron also took a moment to pick through the young man’s words.

He’s grown so, Cameron thought, much more than his cousins. His three oldest grandsons had learned to change something of themselves, to realize their own weaknesses and change them. Benjamin, though, did not seek to change his weakness, of being labeled as the bastard son of a hero. It didn’t even worry him.

His concern was for the people, even those who had run away.

Cameron took his time to stand back up, allowing the court time to get the mummers and rumors in before he spoke.

“People of Caanom,” he said loudly, “you have heard the reports of your princes. The time has come for me to decide.” He paused, his face hardened. “However, I do need time to consider all that my grandsons have said. Therefore, I will announce tomorrow who I will pick as my heir.”

There were grumbles, but no loud protests. Everyone must have suspected it; the princes were in no condition to receive anything. All of them still looked travel worn.

“Tonight,” Cameron announced, “we will have a feast celebrating the return of our princes!”

This got cheers out of the crowd. Everyone loved a good party. His grandsons, however, looked less than thrilled. Cameron was sure that each of them wanted at least another week to get their strength back.

But he wasn’t going to allow that. He had questions he wanted to ask each of his grandsons in private. A party was just the place to do it.
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Ben knew that the party had another motive, but he didn’t know what it was. As usual, his cousins were the center of attention, basking in the adoration of their peers. A bit of their old selves started to show up, Matt as the calm oldest prince, Pat enjoying the socializing of the nobles, and Al gravely listening to everyone’s patter. Ben stood away from his cousins, trying to stay out of sight.

It somewhat worked. He couldn’t stop people from staring at him strangely though.

No one approached him, which didn’t surprise him. He had told the entire kingdom that he had failed his quest. No one wanted to hear the adventures of a failure; they wanted to hear about Matt’s time at sea, or Pat’s new view of humanity, or Al’s time in the army. To hear a bastard report on failing did not appeal to anyone.

And that was just fine with Ben. He didn’t want to talk about it.

I wonder what dad’s doing, he thought, keeping mostly to the walls of the ballroom. He gazed at it, knowing that his father and mother had met in this very hall. Marie’s diary provided very vivid details of that encounter and the subsequent argument that had followed. That made Ben smile a bit. Now having known his dad, he wasn’t surprised that the Hero and his mother argued. Rob wasn’t the type to listen to stupid things.

“Prince Benjamin?”

Ben turned in surprise to find his grandfather’s personal assistant behind him.

“Yes?” he asked.

The assistant bowed. “Your grandfather wishes to speak with you privately. If you will follow me.”

Frowning, Ben followed after the man, wondering what this could be about. He glanced back to the party, realizing that his cousins had all disappeared at one time or another during the ball.

He wants to talk to us privately, he realized. The party was just a cover to keep nosy nobles out of it.

The assistant led him to a nearby room, bowing out of the way to let him in. Ben entered alone, his eyes quickly focusing on the one candleholder that provided light. His grandfather sat next to the candles, seeking the flames for something. Ben closed the door softly.

“You summoned me?” he asked, not bothering bowing. The king was still his grandfather. He had no intention of forgetting that.

“Ah, Benjamin,” his grandfather chuckled, turning to smile at him. “I’m glad you’re back. It’s been quite lonely without you here.”

I bet dad’s thinking the same thing.

“You survived,” Ben said, walking up to him, noticing that there wasn’t another chair. “I’m back, no harm done.”

“Hum,” Cameron said, keeping his hard gaze on him, now searching for something in his face. “You said you failed your quest. You found nothing of your father?”

Ben almost reached for Gift hidden in his suit. He had promised his father that he would never be without it. Instead, he reached for his nose, stroking it like he always did when he thought about the Hero.

“It was an impossible task,” he said softly. “Find someone that no one could track for the last twenty years? What chance did I have?”

For a moment, Cameron didn’t say anything, frowning. “But you met up with a professor,” he mumbled. “And you came up with a plan to visit towns where news did not reach. Why? Why that sort of place?”

Ben shrugged. “If Trenton knew about me, then he would have come out of hiding and come for me.”

“Perhaps,” Cameron said, unconvinced. “He didn’t like nobles. Why come for a prince?”

Ben snorted. “What difference would that have made? I’m his son. Family is important to him.”

Cameron shot to his feet, his eyes wide. “Family is important?” he breathed. Ben bit his tongue, realizing his mistake.

“You found him,” Cameron nearly hissed. “You found Trenton! You found the Hero!” The king slammed his fist on the table, shaking the candlestick and nearly knocking it over.

“You lied!” he snapped, taking a step forward, forcing Ben back. “You lied to me! You lied to the court!” Though old and nearly a foot shorter than him, Cameron suddenly took on his kingly mantle, seemingly standing over him in rage and authority.

“Why Benjamin?” he demanded to know, shaking with anger. “Why lie?”

Ben flinched. No one ever disobeyed his grandfather when he was in this mood. “Because,” he said softly, “he didn’t want to come back.”

Cameron blinked, still scowling. “What?” he asked.

“My dad,” Ben repeated, “didn’t want to come back.” He took a deep breath, steadying himself. He had to explain to his grandfather why he lied and about keeping Rob’s existence a secret.

“I didn’t lie about those men in the mountains,” he said calmly. “There are people up there who are trying to forget the war and the peace that had been taken from them. My dad… He’s no different from them. Yes, he was the prophesied hero, but that didn’t mean that he was different from them. He did his duty, he did as the prophecy said and defeated the Tyrant.

“And he’s up there now,” he went on, noticing that his grandfather’s gaze hadn’t changed a bit. “He’s just trying to forget. We shouldn’t ask any more of him.”

“Benjamin,” Cameron said in a warning tone. “You realize what Trenton can do if he returned? So many problems can be fixed.”

Ben snorted. “Really?” he asked. “By a farm boy?”

Cameron blinked in surprise.

“He’s the hermit who saved me,” Ben explained. “I’ve worked with him and saw just how much care and attention he gives to his property.” He shook his head. “Dad never liked nobles because he only saw their greedy waste. At his very center, he’s still a farmer, someone who cares about the land and his own work. Politics will drive him nuts.”

“And what about you?” Cameron asked, his tone still harsh. “You’ve never liked politics either.”

Ben shrugged. “Yes,” he agreed. “I don’t like it, but I’ve been raised to it, at your own knee. I came back because you might pick me as king.”

Cameron suddenly took a step back. “Wait,” he said, frowning. “You came back because I might pick you? I thought you didn’t want the throne.”

“I don’t,” Ben admitted. “But I have a duty. My dad, everyone who fought in the wars, they’ve done what was asked of them. They’ve done their work, now it’s up to us, my cousins and I, to keep the peace they won.” He sighed, bowing his head.

“The Great Kings told me that I would make a good king,” he confessed. “They told me that I would make a grave mistake if I didn’t return. I came back because it’s my duty as a prince of Caanom to be here for the kingdom. If that means being the king, then so be it.”

He looked up, locking eyes with his shocked grandfather. “I’ve a duty here,” he said seriously. “My dad has no duty here. But that duty has now passed to me. That’s why I came back.”

“Then you knew,” Cameron breathed. “You knew when you were lying that you might never see your father again, if I gave you the throne.”

Ben flinched again. “We talked it over before I left,” he said softly. “We both know it might happen. We’ve both accepted it.”

“Leave,” Cameron said, his tone devoid of any emotion. “Leave so that I may think.”

Ben sighed but left and returned to the party, not knowing if his grandfather understood or would expose the truth.

I’m sorry, dad, he silently said to his father. I tried the best that I can.

And he knew his dad would understand.
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Cameron collapsed on his chair, exhausted from his confrontation with Benjamin.

He found Trenton, he kept thinking. And he lied about it.

And yet…

“Well?” His attendant came into the candlelight. He had been hiding in the shadows with each interview he had with his grandsons. Cameron trusted this man’s judgments and advice.

He needed that advice now.

“I can’t believe Prince Benjamin,” huffed the attendant said. “Lying about his father like that. He of all people should have been the one trying to get Trenton back to us.”

“Instead,” the king said softly, “he honored his father’s wish and lied.” He shook his head. “Benjamin has grown so.”

“All of them have,” the attendant pointed out. “Each of their quests has forced them to grow up. Picking which one to be king will be hard.”

“Not really,” Cameron whispered. “I’ve already made my decision.”

This surprised the man. “Who?” he asked.

“There’s only one of my grandsons who put others before him,” Cameron said quietly. “Benjamin has learned that he has to put his own needs and wants aside for the good of the people. He even came back when he wanted to stay with his father…” He glanced up to stare at the door that his grandsons had left through. “Benjamin is the clear choice.”

“You’ll pick Prince Benjamin?” the attendant said, shocked. “But… He’s the bastard! He even lied about finding his father!”

“A lie to respect the wishes of his father,” Cameron pointed out. “I cannot blame him for that. And besides, he did come back because he thought I might pick him.” With a groan, he struggled to his feet. “Tomorrow, I will tell the people that Benjamin will be king.”
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Too bad that you’ll have to wait until next week for “tomorrow’s” grand reveal. I hope you’ve been enjoying reading this novel. I had a lot of fun writing it. A nice small break from what else I’ve written in the past. It is time for me to start broadening my writing anyway.

Enjoy the Journey!