WC-What it Means to be King

That morning had begun like any other. I was pleasantly enjoying my slumber when the light of the morning crept through my chamber curtains. It instantly dawned upon my face, pulling me from my sleep. "Confounded light! I yelled towards my curtains. "How dare you wake me?! The hatred against the light was quickly subsided since nothing could be done about it. The sun was a foolish thing that danced above the creatures of the earth. Nevertheless, I had been woken up and needed to prepare for the day. Hobbling across the room rang the maid servant's bell innumerable times. "Kimei! Kimei! Get in here, Kimei! I need to be tended to! I yelled hobbling across the room to my bed. Kimei entered the chamber just as I began to yell again.

"You're quite feisty already, Il, Kimei commented.

"Ack! You of all people should know not to call me that!

"Oh yes. I'm sorry Il-err¦your Excellency, Kimei quickly corrected herself. She always had trouble addressing me correctly. But I guess that is to be expected since she has been in servitude since I was a child. She was one of the few people that I gave some partial trust to.

Every morning after I had woken Kimei would come after I rung the maid servant's bell. Kimei was the only person I had allowed to dress me. She's replace my evening robe with a decorative Kimono, to signal my royalty. It was quite ironic that I would be dressed in such decadent clothing, since I were to remain isolated from nearly everyone.

Since I was a youth I always had been ill. Bed-stricken due to my weak health. Because of this I was constantly restricted to the confines of my chambers. I spent most of my time studying my heraldic texts, due to my natural talents with heraldry. My mother, noticing my talents hired a tutor from the Heraldic Guild, whose talents I outgrew during the time he was at hand. Within seven months of the tutor's leave I had even surpassed the master of the Heraldic Guild.

Kimei was working on the final stages of the dressing when I had begun the interrogation of her tardiness. As my maid servant, Kimei knew well that I didn't appreciate impediments from anyone. Over the years I had given her many a scolding concerning this.

"I'm sorry Il-I mean your Excellency, said Kimei. "Some news has delayed my coming.

"What news may this be?

"Apparently some miners have brought a singing sword to the palace.

"So? This is not implausible. The miners have brought many singing swords to the palace previously. I have seen three in this year alone. None are different from the last. Surely you know this?

"Yes I do. But this sword is much different from the others.

"And what is so special about this sword? I asked.

"This singing sword was brought to announce the next king of Rethwellan. It has announced a ceremony in the coming week to decide who will become the next King. Only your brothers and yourself will be able to participate, of course. But I do believe your parents are trying to make you become King. It makes sense I guess, since you are the oldest of the King's children-

"Ack!! Why do they always have to do this?! I interrupted.

"Do you not want to be King?

"¦.No, I don't.

"Why not?

"I just can't say. It's hard for me to explain. I guess it just something I don't want to burden myself with.

"But I'm sure you would make a great King, Il.

"I thought I told you not to call me that?! I exclaimed.

"Haha! You're as silly as ever. Don't worry I'm all finished for all now. I can leave you be¦.for now, said Kimei. Who then gathered her small bin of things and exited my chambers. She could be a pain at times, but I was glad that she gave me some company once in awhile.

I had spent most of the day pacing around my room trying to conspire on how to avoid my inevitable role in this ceremony that was to come later. It had only been a few hours after Kimei had informed me about the state of affairs, that Ly, the court messenger came to affirm the business concerning the ceremony.

"Isn't this great news, your Excellency, Ly shrieked blissfully.

"Great to who? I groaned. Ly had been the court messenger for my parents years before I was born. I had always found him to be a pest since he always tried to snoop into the business of others. A vibe that I was picking up at the moment he proclaimed the news of the ceremony to me.

"Why to you of course.

"I find nothing great about it.

"Are you not interested in becoming King after your father?

"I have no such interest for my future.

"May I ask what do you intend to do instead?

"You may not ask. It is none of your concern of what my future holds. That is my concern and mine alone! And I wish not for nosey court messengers to poke their fingers into my personal choices. If I
wished that so I would have sent you a notice concerning the matter. I said.

"Okay. You don't have to be rude about it. I was just asking, he said.

"That's exactly the problem. Now leave me!

"Yes, your Excellency he said. He hastily exited, muttering under his breath. I cared not what he thought, not many people did. Though I couldn't understand why my parents kept him as the court messenger. A pest, I thought.

I continued to pace around the fissure pondering what to do concerning the ceremony to come. The only thing I could think of was to visit the singing sword in order to determine the truth pertaining to the ceremony, and the idea of placing me on the throne. I could do it tonight, I thought. From what I heard from Kimei and Ly the rumor was that the sword was inside the throne room. Luckily the throne room was close to my quarters, which would allow me easy access to get inside the room. I would leave after Kimei had finished dressing me for my slumber and pretend to fall asleep. After that I would escape and head to the throne room. With a set plan I had not much to think of for the remainder of the day. I decided to study my texts until it was time for Kimei to come and dress me for bed. I had pretended to sleep earlier, partially because I was really tired and also that I wanted a jumpstart on my excursion to the throne room.

When Kimei had left for the night I had laid in bed for an hour or so, a trick I used on many night trips outside my chambers. I crept through the hallways of the palace slowly so as not to catch the attention of the guards. Not that it would really matter since I could easily take care of any guards. I was slowly coming towards the throne room when I realized there was a figure behind me.

"Oh hello, Kali I said startled. Kali was one of my numerous sisters. Her full name was Kalirdantara, but condensed to Kali. Like my name, people had a tendency of shortening it for their own ease, though she didn't mind if her name was abbreviated.

"How'd you figure out it was me? she said.

"There is nobody else that could sneak up behind me besides you.

"I guess that's true, she settled with a slight nod as she peeked around the corner. "What are you doing out here? Shouldn't you be in your chambers?

"I decided that I wanted to take a stroll around the palace.

"At this hour? I don't think so. I bet you want to look at the sword in the throne room, huh?

"¦.

"A-ha! I was right! It was kinda predictable, though. Honestly, I don't care if you go look at the silly sword, it means nothing to me. But don't complain to me if you get in trouble, got it? said Kali.

"Whatever, I said rolling my eyes. With that Kali vanished using a ninjutsu technique.

With Kali's leave, I thought I heard an echo as I entered the throne room.

"Who does enter these chambers? echoed the voice. I looked around in the darkness to try and discover the origin of the voice. However I could not locate it. So I walked into the center of the chamber and decided to reply to the voice.

"It is I. Ilithnennyethkel, Crown Prince of Rethwellan, I announced.

"Ah. You mean Ilithnennyethkel, future King of Rethwellan?

"No! Ilithnennyethkel, Crown Prince of Rethwellan!

"So you do not wish to become King, do you? Well, by keeping the title of 'Crown Prince' you make yourself inevitable to become King.

"Tch. Whatever, that really doesn't matter unless I choose to become King. Would this voice happen to belong to the singing sword that was brought here today by the miners?

"That is true. I am that sword, which was brought here to speak forth on the future of the throne of Rethwellan, answered the sword.

"Then why have you announced this ceremony in the oncoming week to determine the King? I asked.

"The ceremony is only a curtain to show who will really become the next King.

"Curtain? Do you intend to have me placed on the throne?

"That is certain.

"But why have I been chosen to be successor. Is it because that I'm the oldest?

"No, it is not determined because of age.

"Then why have I been selected to become King?

"It is because you are best suited to sit on the throne.

"How can I be the best suited to sit on the throne? What about Kali? Even she would be a better selection to sit on the throne than I. I have no such desire to become the next King.

"That is exactly why you are the most qualified to become the next King, said the sword.

"Huh? I don't understand what you mean by this, I contorted.

"It simply means you would make a good King since you have no desire for it. Because of this you would be a King lacking corruption. Lacking the temptation for more power. It would mean you would be just to your subjects and the people of Rethwellan. You would not invade neighboring kingdoms in desire of more land. Because of all this you would make a good King.

"¦.I guess that makes sense¦

"Do not worry. You do not have to make your future set right now. I am just clarifying your concerns.

"I understand. I think I know why everyone wanted me to be King now I said.

"That is good. However, you look tired. You do not want to ail yourself at the moment. You should return to your chambers and rest. And you shall meet your destiny at the ceremony in the next week. But do not fret. The choice is still yours said the sword.

"Thank you. I will return to my chambers now. And I expect to see you again at the ceremony next week?

"That is most plausible, said the sword. I left my fixation in the middle of the room and headed back towards the door. "Goodnight my sweet Prince.

"You're wrong, I clarified.

"I am?

"Yes. It should be 'Goodnight my sweet King.'

"I'm glad to hear that, replied the sword. "Well then. Goodnight my sweet King.

"Goodnight dear singing sword, I said, closing the door.