A King's Son

The King Within

Chapter 1

"The Green Elk"

Prince Westgate remained still as death. He had learned his lessons
well. Silence, patience and the application of swift power form a
deadly trio. He was a master warrior and an accomplished hunter.
Hunting and learning, as much about weapons and their use were his
passions much to the Queen dismay. His father the King encouraged his
hunting and weapons training because he suspected these skills may be
more beneficial in the near future than a keen understanding of
politics.

If only the Elk he now stalked would cooperate he would win the King's
contest with ease. As he slowly placed more snow into his mouth to mask
his breath he heard the snap of a large branch. A very large branch.
This must be the one he had been stalking for the past several hours.
The tracks in this part of the woods were massive. Surely, this was the
same animal moving along the river toward Prince Westgate's hide site.
Could it be the Green Elk. The elk of legend? Father Falcon had told
him the tale of the Green Elk many times over the years.

The Green Elk was so advanced in years that moss had started to grow on
it's antlers and portions of its hide making the animal to appear green
especially at a distance. Some say it was over 100 years old, other
believe it to be an animal blessed by the fairy folk with long life for
some earlier service. Many hunters have told tales of seeing the great
Elk but none have gotten close enough for a kill. They say he has a
keen sense of smell and an uncanny ability to detect a human's
presence.

Prince Westgate almost gasped when he saw the massive antlers and head
come into a clearing along the river edge. This area was perfect for a
huge animal such as this to obtain a drink from the river. The
riverbank slope is ideal and the most dense and dangerous forest for a
hundred miles protects the area. Prince Westgate had traveled nearly
two days to this secluded area. At the beginning of the hunting contest
he departed in a direction different from all the other hunters. To the
north. There were two reasons not to go north. The Black forest and the
North King's evil Empire. The risk had been worth it. The animal was
huge and indeed did have large amounts of moss growing on its antlers
and some of its fur. From a distance the animal would appear magical
and fully green.

Prince Westgate was close enough now to see some of the animal's
natural color as well. Spouts of steamy breath erupting from the elk's
nostrils. He felt the ground shake as the massive beast continued to
lumber toward the bank of the river.

The Prince knew he must force himself to remain calm and control his
breathing and heartbeat. Slowly, quietly he began to pull back on his
bow. The arrow must strike true and deep. If the arrow does not sink
deep into the animals heart the Prince may never be able to retrieve
the animal. Suddenly, the Green Elk stopped just in front of the river.
Its massive head rose and began to deeply breathe the air. The prince
knew he could not be detected because the wind had not changed since
this morning. The Elk was almost in an ideal position.

Then the great animal turned slowly away from the river and faced
toward his hiding spot. Was it his imagination or was the Elk looking
at him? The distance and position of the animal was perfect for a clean
kill. The animal breathed deeply again in his direction. It was as if
he knew he was there. Were the stories true? Was this animal magical?
Should he slay such a beast? He was still fascinated at the creature's
size. Never had he seen such a huge elk. He would win the contest with
ease upon his return with this beast upon his sled. The other hunters
laughed at him for taking two horses but this was a normal hunting
ritual he had learned from his father.

He whispered a small prayer of thanks for his father's teachings and
for this great beast. His arrow was completely drawn now. He was
confident of a clean kill. Then the beast slowly lowered his great head
in the Prince's direction and raised it back again. The Prince was
stunned. Had the beast just bowed to him? He was royalty and very much
accustomed to this practice from the citizens of Hudson but not from
animals! The beast continued to stare in his direction. The Prince's
arm began to grow tired. It was then that he heard the wind
whisper?

"You are the One to find them,
with your powers bind them.
Kings are mighty, strong and true,
None are fair and bold as you.
Water and Wind are your closest friends,
Fire and Earth will cause you to bend.
Hope and Truth are your true guides,
Seek them always where ere you abide."

The Prince was confused and thought maybe the fairies were playing a
trick on him. Besides he did not understand the meaning of the words.
His focus quickly returned to the Green Elk.

It was then that the beast raised its head high into the air and
released a massive bugle to the sky. The prince knew this was his death
cry. How he knew this was uncertain. Only that one warrior, animal or
human, recognizes another's death cry. The sound was deafening. He must
kill the beast now. He checked his aim one last time and released the
arrow. It drove deep into the massive chest of the Green Elk. The
beast's braying stopped instantly. The animal lowered its head and
looked back toward the Prince one last time. It stood there as if
nothing had happened. The Prince knew the arrow had found its mark. The
beast dropped to its knees and once again bowed to the Prince. Then
it's massive head lowered to the ground. Never had the prince seen an
animal go to the ground this way.

Eventually, the great beast rolled over on its side toward the river.
The Prince heard the animal breathe it's last. Time seemed to stop as
the Prince stood and made his way to this fallen majestic animal. It
was only as he approached the carcass that he realized how truly
majestic this animal was in size and form. The antlers, massive head
and body were a sight to behold but the Prince was drawn to the eyes of
the creature. They were emerald green. Was this possible? Maybe it was
the moss reflecting in the animal's eyes? Suddenly, from the mouth of
the animal there was a green glow. Right there in middle of the Black
Forest Prince Westgate witnessed one of the most incredible events of
his life. The spirit of the beast was leaving the carcass in a long
trail of green light and flowing into the river.

As the Prince retrieved his two horses and sled through the deep snow
he pondered all the events that had just taken place. Who would believe
any of it? He doubted even Father Falcon would believe him. What they
would believe; however, was the size of this beast! His mind began to
imagine the envy of the other hunters and the ceremony that would occur
three days from now. Also, his marriage to Martha was now certain! The
King was obliged to honor one wish of the hunter who brought in the
largest game animal. Unless elephants have begun to migrant into the
kingdom he was sure of his victory.

Chapter 2

"The Hunting Ceremony"

It took two full days of hard travel and if he had not happened upon a
Hudson farmer clearing a plot in the extreme northern part of his
father's kingdom it may have taken much longer. People were still
talking about the size of the animal and how three animals were
required to pull it into the city and how the Prince had brought it
down with only one arrow. It was the fabled Green Elk! The giant beast
that every child loved to hear of and that every hunter dreamed of
killing. Every child had heard the stories of the Green Elk a dozen
times or more and now here it was in the city of Hudson being prepared
by the King's men for presentation at tonight's ceremony. There was
much excitement and many variations of how their beloved prince had
taken the Green Elk. Many say that he was attacked by the beast and had
to drive the arrow into the beast chest with his bare hands. Other
stories circulated saying the Prince shot the Green Elk from the top of
a mountain. The Prince had been too tired to tell the tale upon arrival
the last evening and everyone was excited to hear his version of the
tale.

There was a tapping at the Prince's door.

"Enter." The Prince said dazedly, as he slowly awakened from his deep
sleep.

"Sire, your lunch is ready." His friend Ernest said in his most
stately and subservient voice.

"Ernie! Stop with the "Sire" stuff, have you seen the Green Elk?" The
Prince said as he was starting to wake.

"So you don't want anything to eat then?" Ernie said as he pulled out
one of Martha's famous cheese sandwiches.

"Ernie! Bless you soul! I'm starved." The Prince replied as he caught
the tossed sandwich in mid-air.

"So then, have you seen the carcass?" The Prince continued between
bites.

"Kenneth, you know I have as well as nearly the whole kingdom! It is
magnificent! Tell me the tale of the hunt!" Ernie said as he pulled a
chair close to the bed.

"Ernie, you are as a brother to me, but I cannot tell the tale to even
you." Prince Westgate said with much seriousness.

"Why friend?" Ernie replied, disappointed.

"Because, that's the way it's been for hundreds of years. The winning
hunter tells his hunt story for the first time only in the presence of
the King." The Prince reminded his close friend gently.

"Yeah, I know?but it's the Green Elk!" Ernie shouted as he dove
forward to slap his friend heartily on the shoulder.

"You said you were going to win and I believed you but the Green Elk!
This is more than even you could have expected I would say. So might I
ask what you plan to ask the King for? Would it have anything to do
with a certain red haired maiden?" Ernie asked teasingly.

"Ernie, most people will think me a fool for not asking for the
usual?land or money?but my heart desires only one thing?the maid
Martha." The Prince said earnestly.

"Kenneth, we have been friends since childhood. I have been at your
side much of your life. I thought I knew you well yet I cannot help but
notice a difference in you. Nothing I can easily describe yet there is
a certain something that has changed in you." Ernie said.

"My friend, I seem to feel the change as well. It began during the
hunt. Maybe after the hunting ceremony tonight you and I can talk
further on this but for now I feel obliged to properly thank the lady
who prepared my lunch?away Serf!" The Prince teased his close friend as
he leapt from the bed to get dressed.

The Westgate Castle is the largest castle of all the surrounding
kingdoms. It is famous around the world for the size of the banquet
hall and for having a very impressive collection of game trophies.
There is a 14 foot bear, numerous large dear, mountain lions, and
various other animals. The most impressive animals are the huge Elk's
that take up the majority of the display wall. It is widely known that
the hunter who returns with the largest Elk is almost always the
winner.

There was a time some forty years ago when two hunters brought in a
massive Elk apiece. The King's men could not determine which was the
largest. The King was forced to declare them both winners. They asked
only to be in the Kings service in which they both serve as advisors to
the King to this day.

Prince Westgate decided to walk through the Hunting Hall and mentally
size the Green Elk up against some of the largest Elk currently in the
Hall. By his estimates the Green Elk would have stood a full six
handsbreath over the largest Elk in the Hall. His heart pounded with
excitement as he anticipated telling his story in front of his father
the King and all the knights and hunters of the Kingdom.

The smells coming from the kitchen reminded him of his other love
besides hunting. It was a love that made his heart sing and his skin
tingle more than any good hunt could. His fair maiden was the light of
his life. And to think soon he will have her as his wife! With her by
his side as Queen what trouble could overtake them? Their future was
bright and tonight would be the sunrise of a beautiful life together.
With these thoughts and dreams flowing through his mind he made his way
to the kitchen being lead by the smells of the banquet preparations and
the longings of his heart.

"Oh, it's the Prince what got the big deer, eh?" The chief cook,
Mister Caswell said with a smile.

"I bet I tested even your enormous oven's with the meat from my kill!"
Retorted the Prince not being able to help himself from bragging just a
bit.

"Indeed, my Prince, your kill was grand in size but a bit long in the
tooth!" Mister Caswell said as he slapped the young prince on the
arm.

"Almost your age, maybe?" The Prince replied quickly.

The both laughed and talked a while longer about the menu for the
evening.

"So where is your most beautiful cook?" The prince said not being able
to hide his true reason for being at the castle kitchens.

"Who Miss Snodgrass?" Mister Caswell said with a huge grin on his
face. Everyone knew that Miss Snodgrass was a skilled cook but was a
bit difficult to look upon. Some believe there may be a bit of troll in
her family tree, which may explain her horrid appearance and her
amazing ability to roast, boil or bake game meat to perfection.

"You know very well who I mean. Is the maid Martha available to escort
me through the gardens this afternoon?" The prince asked.

"Well, she is an excellent cook and we are very busy with all the
preparations but I suppose I could spare her for awhile. Rumor has it
that I may loose her come tonight anyway." Mister Caswell said winking
and smiling to the prince.

"My good Sir, I have no idea what you mean. My only hope is that my
Elk will be the winner. I understand there were other Elk brought in
before mine." The Prince said.

"All mule deer compared with yours my Prince!" Mister Caswell said as
he congratulated the Prince and turned to fetch the maid Martha.

To be continued?are you interested in finding out what happens at the
ceremony? E-mail me.