We The Kings (Completed)

Chapter 9

"Mavis? Mavis?" I reached my hands into the deep tub. She wasn't there. Did someone take her? Was she hurt?

"Zander." She said behind me. Wrapped up in a long robe.

"Thank gods! I was worried for a moment."

"Sorry, I didn't mean to startle you."

"I'm alright, are you?"

"Yes. I am."

"You can be honest with me."

"It shook me a bit. I never thought I'd have to kill anyone before. I think I'm just still processing. The children are safe, I had someone check on them. We will have a casualty count by tomorrow." She said in such a melancholy tone that hurt to hear.

"We're safe, Mavis. The kids are safe. The people we love are safe."

"Our people aren't. They were slaughtered in the safest place in the entire kingdom. Right before our eyes. I hope Samuel's army is enough to defeat them."

I looked longingly at her.

"It will be."

The early morning the soldiers arrived with a body count. Seventy two. Counting our guards and the ballroom guests. I could see Mavis's heart break when she heard the number. First day as king and queen and our whole lot of guards murdered, along with of our own devoted citizens. I couldn't bare to see her like this. She was heart broken. I had to help Samuel, if not for my people, for my queen.

"Samuel." I pulled him aside and shuffled him down a hall.

"Seventy two? We need to do something right now." I said.

"I have a plan. A list of items we need. Come with me."

I entered the first chambers he was residing in. It was plain, he didn't have much stuff. On his vanity he unrolled a scroll. The scroll was not in our language, next to it was handwriting that translated it.

"I found a translator during my journey here. They transcribed this."

He handed me a tightly rolled scroll.

"What? What does this mean? Mind, body, and Soul? What does that even mean? You're crazy!"

"Zander. Listen. We can do this. I know we can find these things. I have resources that will help us and people along the way. We can survive the journey and come back heroes. You'll go down in history as the greatest king the world has ever seen."

"Survive the journey? I said I'd help, and you want me to leave my kingdom to help you look for imaginary creatures that don't exist? That have been dead for hundreds of years? If they were even real?"

"I need your help. It must be you. You're the king. Plus, Mavis will be fine to rule without you for a few months. Can't say much if it was the other way around."

"Months? That's so long! The war could be over by then, my people dead!"

"Your people are already dying. If we don't try the we'll regret not trying. If we don't do this you will lose the war. I want us to do this. I want us to do this together."

I sighed.

"What will we tell them? Mavis and my parents?" I asked.

"That we need to go to my kingdom across the sea to bring back our armies. In the meantime, they need to be recruiting soldiers. Men, women, anyone who is healthy. Train them to defend themselves and their kingdom. I need a couple days to map out our route, but we should be able to leave then. We'll need your two finest horses."

"Should we bring guards?"

"Your kingdom needs guards more than we do. Your people will need all the protection they can have right now. We'll go alone. Guess you'll have to learn how to use a sword after all." He smirked.

"I learned.. A little bit. I was never good at it."

"You learned how to defend yourself? Didn't show that at the party! You laid down quicker than a crippled horse! Guess I'll have to teach you a thing or two."

"Very funny." I crossed my arms.

"I'll see you in a bit, Princey. Oh, wait. Not princey anymore. Hmm, Kingsley? I'll think of a degrading nickname for you. Don't worry."

"Can't wait."

He left. What was I going to tell Mavis? She was going to ask so many questions that I didn't have an answer for. Lying to her felt wrong.

"Zander. Our kingdom needs a distraction." Said my mother in the courtyard. I walked with her.

"Our grand coronation was meant to be a distraction, it was just the opposite." I said.

"A different kind of distraction. Some good news."

"Such as?"

"A royal baby."

"Huh?"

"You and Mavis. Having a child."

"Mom, we are so very young."

"Me and your father had you young. Good thing we did, we had fertility issues after. You have twenty five years of rule. You need to have a child by then. And the kingdom could use some good news from us."

"I just don't think the time is right with everything going on." I said.

"Mavis! Darling!" Mavis was walking in the opposite direction, carrying a stack of books in hand. My mom ambushed her.

"Hello, I was just reading to the children." She said.

"That's delightful, how are you feeling?" My mother asked.

"Tired, but alright."

"Wonderful. I was just telling my son how the kingdom needs something to lift their spirits and distract themselves from the war."

"You think we should send out food? Or money? To help them?"

"What? No. We couldn't possibly do that for everyone." My mother said.

"Well, we could." Mavis said.

"I think we need an announcement of a baby." My other skilled over Mavis's fine suggestion.

"A baby? That's so soon." Mavis said.

"You'll need an heir to the throne, and the younger you begin trying the better odds you have. The kingdom also needs a morale boost. I was queen for twenty five years, I know what needs to be done."

"Alright, we'll try. Thank you." Mavis said. My mother left us in peace.

A baby was so much to think about. First comes the terrifyingly awkward part of conception. Probably more than once. And to be a father, having a child grow up in these dark times. It sounded like too much.

At night after dinner, I met Mavis in our chambers.

"What do you think?" She asked.

"The chicken was a bit cold but well seasoned." I said.

"No, Zander. Not about dinner. About a baby."

"Well. What do you think?"

"I think it's scary. We had our coronation yesterday."

"I agree. It's soon."

"But we did know this would happen eventually. Not this soon, but I understand why your mother wants the throne secured right now. Childbirth is scary, but I do love kids." She said.

"Plus you'll have a staff of help. And me. I don't know the first thing about kids, but I'll be here."

"Thank you, Zander. Let's try for a baby."