Cantrell Chronicles RESET, Part One

Long Live the King! a Cantrell Chronicles Reset update - Chapter Twenty-Seven

“Say, Erik, have you got a minute?” King Joseph hailed as the boy came through the archway from the dining room.
“Sure, Dad, what is it?” The day was a warm one. As he stood awaiting the revelation from his father, Erik could feel the bead of sweat rolling down his face and into his collar.  He had a photoshoot to attend, but judging by his father’s face, this conversation was on the urgent side.

“You know, next year I have to be off-planet for awhile. Your sister is required to sit the K’Matra at age seventeen, to make certain she has her mind powers under control. If she doesn’t I have no idea what will happen. I don’t want to just drop her off at the Temple and come home. She should have me there with her, your mother and me,” he corrected, “just in case things go from bad to worse.”

“Are you asking me to sit in for you? I’d be more than happy to, you needn’t fret over it.”

“Thank you, but it’s more than that. You see I expected to be around your age or a tad older when I took the throne. But that’s not how it worked out. And while I did all kinds of planning while I was away on what I wanted and needed to do for Ondarion and her people, I am now an old man.”
Erik grinned, “Come on, Dad, you’ve been sixty-five for all of three days. Unless there’s something else that has you concerned. Are you ill?”

“No, not ill just worn down from all of the push back from the nobility. Ondarion is woefully behind the times . . . they must move forward. I’m thinking a constitutional monarchy combined with a parliamentary democracy.”
“And that’s precisely what you’ve been working toward.”
“I think what I’m asking of you, son, is to take the throne.”
“Dad, forgive me, but I’ll miss the photoshoot if I don’t get there like right now. Can we discuss this when I get back?”
“Sure, son. You go on. Give it some thought, if you will.”

*~~*~~*~*~~*

With the photoshoot complete, Erik climbed the stairs to the private quarters of the estate, hoping his father hadn’t gone to bed. He was well aware the man was retiring earlier and earlier these past few evenings. “Dad, I’m back,” he called out.
“I’m in the gym.”
“Thanks for waiting up for me. So, the last thing you said to me is you wanted me to take the throne and to think about it.  Well, I’ve had a moment to think. I haven’t even completed my college education. And what about Kayleigh?”

“I will allow the two of you to wed, sooner rather than later, provided her father has no objections. And I will allow her to take the title of queen.  Just be certain you don’t start bringing children into the mix until after you graduate, so she can graduate, too. Strange arcane rules, she can’t even sign-up, let alone attend while she’s pregnant. I don’t get it, but we must work within the system. That’s only a couple of years from now. At the end of Summer, you will have completed your first year.”

Erik gazed into his father’s tired blue eyes, “Are you really certain you want to abdicate the throne? You are so good at it. Wise, informed.”

“Yes, I find increasingly that I need to have the life I got used to back, in so many different ways. So, why are you hesitant?”
“Oh, just because I’ve lost a duel to a Commoner, not once but twice and I have this Purple Cloud of Shame hanging over me. . . No reason, otherwise. What makes you think the people will accept me as their king, under the present circumstances?”

“Don’t undersell our people, Erik. I tell you what. since you’ve reached level eight in your swordsmanship skill, why don’t you go to Verdemar and see if you can pull that sword out of the stone. It may not be a myth, after all. And, If you’re successful, you can just put all of your insecurities aside, knowing you have the swordsmanship skill, the love of the common people and you’re a noble. This should allow you to freely take the throne and marry your sweetheart. Deal?”

“That is quite a proposition. Okay. I’ll go there first thing in the morning, which won’t be too long from now. You should get some rest.”

*~~*~~*~~*~~*

Would be King, Erik, took the shuttle from Bellacorde to Valdemar, hardly able to believe he was doing this. He loved his father very much and realized there was a reason after Aaron backed down, that Joseph selected his second son to be his heir. Trust the Timing, he silently reminded himself. After a very short jaunt, he arrived. He recalled from a time before, the same day he ran into Kayleigh, he had explored this portion of Verdemar.  As he remembered, across from the bar, just a few paces away, in fact, was the big white rock with a fancy-looking sword hanging out of the top.  He stopped to read about the legend, again to refresh his memory.

“Okay, doesn’t seem too obscure. I just grab the hilt and give a pull. I either have the right stuff, or I don’t. Here goes nothing.” And if I fail, I marry Kayleigh after graduation as planned. No huge loss. We’ll be a little older, and just maybe wiser?  With that, Erik hoisted himself upward holding onto the hilt with one hand, placing his sandaled feet into the footholds carved into side of the stone.

He gave it a tug. It wouldn’t budge.  So, he gave it yet another tug using both hands this time.

Refusing to give up too easily, he went at it again. Grunting and groaning, he pulled with all of his might, two hands on the hilt. Still, it wouldn’t release.  Just as he was thinking, this is a sign, the strangest thing occurred. He heard the distinct scraping sound of metal against stone. And the thing let out a glow. What the heck . . .

Encouraged, Erik pulled with all of his strength lamenting the massage he was going to need, putting his back into it.

As the sword slid out of the big white stone, Erik heard the metal sing, like two metal swords when clashing together, reverberating into the very early morning air.  Suddenly, he was holding it above his head in triumph, as he stepped one foot down onto solid ground again.

It was at that moment he realized he had drawn a crowd. He couldn’t hide the sword fast enough. Threading through the crowd he got into the shuttle and took off for Bellacorde, less than two minutes away.

*~~*~~*~*~~*

“Dad,” Erik called as he took the stairs two at a time. Finding him in the gym again, he stood before his father and removing it from his inventory, he held the gleaming weapon out for the old monarch to see.

“It glows. I’ve never felt such power from an object before, let alone a sword,” Erik said. 

Joseph smiled and nodded his head. The youth seemed transformed. “Whenever you’re ready, take the throne.” his father bid.

All for now, thanks for reading!