Joseph Danias
My dreams were empty as my alarm went off, just barely out of reach from my current position. It was five o’clock in the morning, which wasn’t abnormal for me. The alarm was my favorite song, “Only the Strong: by Flaw.” After stretching my arm to the alarm clock, I slowly swung my body to the edge of the bed. My limbs were stiff with the sleep that still gripped me, producing a small groan. My hand found the light switch with little difficulty, but my eyes were not ready for the assault that came from the ceiling. My eyes burned and my head reeled as I fell back into my bed. “Son of a bitch!” I never could have a peaceful morning. My eyes were still on fire as they adjusted. Blinking as my life depended on it, I stood from my bed and made my way to the bathroom. I tilted my head to the right and left to feel a satisfying crack that relieved enough pressure to wake me a bit more. I shimmied out of my boxers as I got to the door and pulled my towel off of the rack. I swung my arm around with a grunt as I stepped up to the sink, “My joints are sore as fuck again. Another growth spurt maybe?”
I pulled the top drawer open and pulled out the essentials, floss, mouthwash, toothbrush, and toothpaste. I leaned into the shower and turned the dial to hot. Then I looked into the mirror and sighed. My blonde hair was a total spikey mess and my usually bright grey eyes were dim with drowsiness. Then I got slightly excited because I could see a little bit of stubble coming in around my jaw. It was one of my dreams to grow a beard worthy of a mountain man. Then I looked around the dimly colored bathroom that was my morning abode. It was a small thing, mainly because I was staying in my parent’s guest house. It was a single store one bedroom, one-bath affair but it was just right for me. A little rundown and in need of some repairs but I liked it.
I poked a finger into the mirror with a smirk, “You’re an odd one aren’t you?” I stepped into the steaming shower and instantly regretted my decision. “Aaaaggghh!!” I hadn’t expected the water heater to actually work this morning.
King John
A whole dimension away, in a faraway land, I awoke to the sun blasting my eyes in my chambers. The light smashed me in the face like a hammer. My body shot to a sitting position and I glared accusingly at my most trusted servant, who was standing next to the open curtains. “Ugh, what is the hour George?” I slowly maneuvered my legs to the edge of the bed and sighed. Today was not going to be a pleasant endeavor.
George turned from the window with a bow, in his usual attire of a fine suit and slicked back hair. “It is precisely six o’clock, Sire.” He strode over to the edge of the massive bed that I sat upon and awaited any further instruction that I may give him. As I stood from the bed and winced slightly at the unexpected cold of the stone floor, George sighed, “There is still time to back out, Sire.” He was out of turn speaking to me so casually, but he was only trying to help his king and, I could only hope, his friend.
I began stretching my back and limbs as I stepped over to the window, “Whatever time I have left is to say farewell to my daughter.” I groaned at the prospect of leaving her in this cruel world, but she would not be alone, which was my only solace in the fact. I tightened the strap in my robe over my now protruding gut with a grimace. Some of my joints popping with the simple motion. “And I don’t even know if I can do that without breaking down in front of her.” As I finally got to the window, my thoughts drifted to all the other mornings that I had experienced. Almost all of them started this way. I would be alone with George and overlook my kingdom. From this vantage point, I could see a good portion of my lands. The rolling hills in the distance made me reminisce on my time as King, questioning some of the decisions that I had made in such a high position. I also reflected on my life as a father and was not entirely sure if I had accomplished that feat, few men did. “Have I been a good ruler, George?” It was a question that I had posed to myself on serval occasions but with today possibly being my last, I wanted to know the opinion of my friend.
“As your servant, Sire, it is not my place to speak on such matters.” I glanced to see that he was bowing again. I hated when he did that. Opted for protocol over a simple answer. He strode up next to me after finishing his bow.
“George, there is no need for you to hold back, you have been at my side for more than thirty years.” I placed a hand of brotherhood on his shoulder to make an attempt to encourage him. “I haven’t considered you a servant for any of that. Speak your mind friend.” I was speaking to him as a man, not a King.
I saw George relax for the first time in twenty years of his service, “John, I think that you’ve done the best that you could with what you were given, which is a lot more than some of the greatest rulers that our history has ever known.” A single tear came to George’s eyes and I clasped his forearm as an equal, for the first time and the last.
“Thank you for being gentle with me for all these years.” I choked as I felt my own eyes grow wet. I choked back a sob as the door to my chambers opened and we turned to see a servant rolling in my armor rack. “I guess it is time, George.” I sighed as I strode over to the worn but well-taken-care-of plate armor with my house’s sigil on the chest, a wolf’s head. George strode over behind me and started the process of helping me don my armor. I had lost count of the number of times I’d donned that armor in defense of my lands but never in anger. I had promised my late wife, Queen Helena, that I would never raise my arms in the heat of rage and I had kept that promise to this day.
The armor itself was of old quality but fine, making it light and maneuverable. The shoulder plates were smaller than the average but they covered what was necessary. The arms were properly jointed and didn’t hinder any of my movements. The gauntlets were perfectly fitted to my hands with chainmail on the inside. The design was simple with gold and red colors popping out in every direction. The wolf’s head being the only thing that was black.
Once the armor was strapped tight enough to be comfortable and effective, George stepped back and sighed, “Good luck, my friend.”
It meant a lot to me that this man, who had every reason to despise me for having him in my service for so long, saw me as a friend. “Thank you, George. Please make sure that Mia is taken care of. I have plans in place with outside help for her future. All of the documentation will be provided for you. Goodbye, my friend.” We clasped arms again and shared a nod before I started out of my chambers.
I walked the halls of my castle with a new view of life as I continued to think about the fact that this very well may be the last time I see these sights. I greeted every servant who crossed my path on their way to perform their daily tasks. Most would shy away from me with a smile and a bow, knowing what I was on my way to do. I do not know how many felt sorrow in that knowledge but I hoped that it was not many. I did not want my passing to bring their lives to a stop. I had not ruled like my predecessors, treating servants like slaves. I had always believed that everyone was equal to some measure with no man being less than any other. There were many in neighboring kingdoms that did not agree with my sentiments. It had probably become common knowledge that I was about to participate in a duel that did not give me much of a fighting chance. It was due to the very neighboring kingdoms that I was in such a predicament in the first place.
One of my neighbors was a conniving man who only had a love for power. I had tried to outsmart him in court but failed in that endeavor, resulting in a duel against his most accomplished soldier. The crown was not among the winnings, but it would get me out of his way. The man had planned everything out, having me drugged during the announcement of the duel. In my inhibited state, I had named myself as champion in the duel. That was why I was sure of my demise in this fight. I knew the fighter that he had brought against me and he was well into his prime, while I was well past my own.
I was thinking about how I had gotten to such a situation as I passed a window that overlooked my gardens. I froze where I was when I saw the lone figure striding among the greenery. My daughter, Mia, was picking flowers in her favorite yellow dress that made her dirty blonde hair glow in the morning light. She had turned to wave up at me with a smile warm enough to melt the great ice of the North and I weakly smiled back. I knew that she would know that I was not truly smiling but I wanted to try, for her sake.
I finally pulled myself away from the window and continued down the corridors until I came to the exit leading to the courtyard. There was already a massive crowd of men that had gathered around the small ring of dirt, not for the spectacle but to make sure that the winner didn’t overstep their bounds. A sigh of relief left my lips as I saw the man that I would be facing in the center of the ring, already having removed certain pieces of armor, letting me know what style he would be fighting in. I began shedding certain parts of my own armor to limit what little weight I could and still retain enough defense for the duel. I heard the scuffling of feet behind me, knowing that it was a servant collecting the discarded armor. The fact that the man had given me the courtesy of removing his armor first was a testament to his honor and his respect for me. I suspected then that he wasn’t doing this of his own volition.
A servant was waiting at the edge of the ring with my sword and shield. I took them gratefully before the young man retreated to the castle. I gave the customary salute with my sword and the soldier returned it with in single curved blade. With those two simple gestures, the duel began.
Joseph Danias
I had finished my shower with the efficiency that came with having a very short amount of time to clean one’s self, before drying off and heading back into the main room. Striding over to the dresser, I removed a plain t-shirt and jeans before putting them on and slipping my flip-flops on. I shouldered my gym bag and started out the door. I had about fifteen minutes before swim practice, but it only took a five-minute walk to get there in the first place. I came to a stop as I rounded the guest house, however, because my parents were already awake and packing stuff into the box trailer that we had. I racked my brain for any information about the fact that they had planned to go anywhere or that we were moving anywhere. There was nothing. My parents had never mentioned anything about us going on any kind of trip.
Jogging up to my mother, a small but wiry woman who could probably beat the crap out of someone twice her size, I asked the question that would change everything. “Where are we going?”
Mom didn’t stop as she loaded box after box onto the porch. “It’s a surprise.” The usual light tone that was a hallmark of her personality was nowhere to be seen, which worried me.
“Mom, what’s going on?” I followed her along as she moved inside to grab more boxes from the living room. Had the two of them packed the house up overnight? Everything had been taken off of the walls and the furniture was missing. The television was boxed up and the place was bare of anything remotely related to them having lived in the house. “Mom?”
A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.
She stopped over a box and sighed, “Your father will explain when we get on the road. Please toss your gym bag into the back, to help us get everything into the trailer.” Her voice didn’t allow for descent, so I found myself grabbing boxes and playing Tetris in the box trailer.
There was a small box that was labeled knives, which was probably my small collection of hunting knives, so I grabbed it and hopped into the back of the trailer. I was surprised by what I could when I finally got around the wall of boxes. In the far back, against the wall of the trailer, was a full set of armor that looked like it was a modern take on medieval plate armor. It was black and white with red splatters here and there. I thought that it was just a display piece until I got a closer look at it. There were dents and dings where repairs had been made and based on the number, this armor had been used quite a lot. It was awesome to know that we had something like this. Was Dad some kind of secret warrior nerd or something?
I heard a thud behind me and spun to throw a knife that I had in my jeans. The throw was smooth and the trajectory was perfect, but my eyes widened in panic as I saw that the tip was headed directly for my father’s forehead. Images of jail time passed before my eyes until I realized that Dad had actually fought it with his bare hand. He flipped it in his hand a couple of times before sighing, “Good reaction, but your timing was off for the rotation that you were using.” He looked passed me to the armor that was on display and sighed, “Is that why you’re so on edge? I know that you’ve been practicing your knife throwing out in the woods. What if your mother had been the one behind you?” He crossed his arms and squared his face into a disapproving glare. I felt terrible. Why had I even done that? It had never happened before. As I was trying to figure it out, Dad interrupted my thoughts, “That armor is mine and you’ll have to make your own someday. For now, get your butt into the truck so that we can explain what is going on.” He hopped the rest of the way into the trailer and started organizing the boxes.
I maneuvered around my Dad and slowly made my way to the truck. What was going on? My mind was racing with all the realizations that were coming to light. My Dad was an accountant. How could he catch a thrown blade so casually? I opened the back door of the Chevy and climbed up into the back seat, where Mom was waiting for me in the front. “So, what’s going on?”
Mom spun around in the front seat with a fake smile on her face, “We’re going on an adventure.” My mother’s old cheeriness had returned but there was something off about it. It was almost like she was sad about something. It almost seemed forced.
As I adjusted myself into the back seat, with the awkward ear-to-ear grin that was on my mother’s face, I asked the question that I was almost scared to ask. “What kind of adventure?”
Mom settled into a kneeling position in the front seat and started her explanation, “There are other dimensions and they are ruled by Royal families that are in harmony or at odds, depending on which dimension you go to. There is one King or Queen that presides over the entire dimension, but they keep their families in the royal line because it would be hard to manage otherwise.” I noticed that she was getting more and more excited as her absurd story continued. Other dimensions? What the hell was she talking about? “We serve a King in one of those dimensions, however, he is not the ruler of the dimension. He is still hailed as the kind of his region though.” Suddenly her entire demeanor had changed, like she couldn’t keep up the charade anymore. “Today, he will fight in a duel where the odds are severely stacked against him. We were his personal bodyguards but some time ago, he gave us a more important mission and we had been out of contact for quite a while. Yesterday, we were notified of the duel and we have orders to return as fast as possible. Your part in this is important as well.” I thought that she seemed proud to say that, but the words that were coming out of her mouth seemed like a fairy tale. There was also that slight hint of sadness that I felt from before. “You are going to be added to our ranks and will be assigned to his successor, which will most likely be his daughter, Mia.” I didn’t like the glint of joy that came from Mom’s yes then. “You have been chosen as her soon-to-be husband.” My mind blanked at that statement. I was fifteen. How on earth would I be married at fifteen? As my brain went through the process of grief, my Mom interrupted my thoughts. “Ok, so when we get there, Mia, won’t know that you are to be engaged. It was up to your father and I if you got a choice in the matter and we weren’t going to take that away from you. However, all that we could barter for was a few days.” Then my Mom went completely silent, with me staring at her like an idiot.
I was to be married, but I did have a choice in the matter. However, I only had a few days after meeting this, Mia, to decide if I wanted to go through with it. What the hell was my life turning into? As I tried to comprehend what was going on, I looked up at the expectant stare of my Mom. “So, let me get this straight. We are moving to another dimension, where Kings and Queens rule and I am to be wed to a princess only a few days after I arrive?” My Mom was just nodding along as I finished asking my questions. However, she didn’t actually answer any of them. “Are you insane? What the hell is actually going on?” It was impossible to believe such an absurd story.
Mom sighed, “I know that it’s hard to process.” She had a worried look on her face for the first time I had ever seen and turned back around in her seat. “Just bear with us, ok?” She straightened in her seat as the driver’s side door opened and my father climbed inside.
King John
I was the first to strike in the duel with a heavy overhead strike that the soldier appeared to narrowly block. The next few strikes that I sent made it resoundingly clear to me that I had been wrong in my initial assessment. This man was very skilled, far more skilled than I had heard. Not a single one of my attacks was landing. He was evading everything that I threw at him like a seasoned veteran. It was like I was facing the culmination of every form of combat known to this world and he was being defensive out of respect.
After the initial onslaught of my attacks, I could feel my stamina running out, which forced me to retreat for a breather. I was also taking the chance to reassess the situation. That was when he went on the assault and I would have liked to say that I was able to defend easily, but that would be a lie. The strikes he was delivering were harder and faster than any I had ever experienced. Each blow was like an expert blacksmith hammering away at an anvil. My defenses were crumbling with every hit and I was being forced back one step at a time. I thought that I saw an opening to turn the tides but he easily parried the overhead strike and plunged his blade hilt deep into my chest.
The initial feeling of searing heat faded quickly to a cold more numbing than anything I’d ever felt. He had pierced my heart and, to my surprise, he was slowly lowering me to the ground holding my hand all the way. I got to see the look in his eyes then and was comforted by the fact that I saw a man who understood the sorrow that I was feeling. There was no regret in those eyes, just a simple understanding of a terrible situation. I felt as though everything would be ok. My long past bodyguard would return soon and take care of all those that I loved. I held no regrets as darkness took me.
Chamberlain George
I watched with tears welling in my eyes as I watched my King, my friend, die at the hands of a man who hadn’t even wanted to be a part of this event. All was silent down in the courtyard as the soldier stood and saluted the still corpse of the King. He had made the smart move by doing that. The King’s men had no reason to resent him for his action but he was making sure that there was no mistaking his action. After he finished his salute, the soldier strode right up to the Captain of the guard. How had he even known who held that position? The men at arms didn’t have their uniforms on. It was only by the grace of the gods that I was able to overhear their conversation with the deafening silence that had seemed to consume the entire kingdom.
“I apologize on behalf of my land and Lord for having to participate in this duel.” He bowed at the waist to the Captain as a sign of the utmost respect. “On my own behalf, I am sorry for the loss of your King. I hope there will be no ill between your kingdom and me.”
Captain Swain was just as stoic as ever, standing with his thick forearms crossed over his chest. “There will be none, it was a fair fight. I just hope that you keep your honor intact while serving under the man your land calls King.” He made a small bow of his own out of respect for the soldier. “Where will you go now that everything is over? I was told that you had been in retirement before being given this last task.”
The soldier nodded his head, “That’s correct. I was living up in the North Mountains with my wife and dog. I suppose I’ll be headed back there now.” He removed his helmet and I was shocked. He didn’t seem older than twenty. How did he have such exquisite skill at such a young age? Let alone be sent to retirement. He placed his fingers on his mouth and an ear-piercing whistle blasted from him. A massive wolf of a dog came bounding from the main gate, its back easily at the head height of the average man. There were saddlebags hanging from its sides. The soldier shed his gear and placed this equipment in the bags. Then he pulled out a small pack and walking stick. “May your days be filled with the joy of remembering.” He left with that last statement, turning North just outside of the gate.
As the soldier walked off, I watched the men-at-arms. There had been a few that looked like they were going to lunge at the man. The only thing that seemed to keep them in check was the gaze that Captain Swain sent after the mysterious man. On the other hand, the men from our rival kingdom simply picked up all their gear and sent scowls over their shoulders at the man, almost like he was hated by them as well. As the crowd thinned, all the soldiers formed a rudimentary circle around the fallen King, with Captain Swain at the forefront.
One of the soldiers had angrily stepped up to him. “Sir, are we going to do nothing about this?” His voice was heated, probably from the combination of his young age and flaring emotions.
He quietly backed down when Captain Swain glared at him. “Take the King to the burial preparation chamber before I have to ask the servants to carry their Lord instead of those that are supposed to.” With that order, six men quickly gathered and hoisted the king onto their shoulders. I could tell that Captain Swain was having the same thoughts that I was. He looked up at me then and made a small resolute nod. Swain, like me, was becoming an old man with grey and white hair covering his features. He was the epitome of a grizzled veteran. We had both known the soldier that came to this place but in reputation only. I had not known that he was so young but he was skilled enough to have ended the duel in a single strike. Instead, he had opted to let our King have a final fight.
I returned Captain Swain’s nod and turned to the few other servants that were around me. “Get the preparations ready for the funeral.” As the young men scurried away to perform the tasks, I looked down to find Princess Mia striding through the gardens, still picking her morning flowers. I caught the attention of one of the maids and sighed, “Please start the preparations for the Coronation as well.” She made a small curtsy before departing. I thought I saw a tear falling down her cheek.
At that very moment, Mia’s eyes met mine and I could tell that she knew what had transpired. I watched as tears fell from her face freely, clutching the flowers close to her chest. Even I didn’t want to admit that I knew King John would lose. Now, she would be the ruler of these lands, with those who would seek to take advantage on all sides.
Joseph Danias
When Dad got into the driver’s seat, he tossed a thick leather-bound book to me. “Read that.” He didn’t say anything else as he started the engine and pulled the Chevy out of the driveway.
“Dad, what the hell is Mom talking about?” I was getting worried that Mom was losing her mind. This story about other dimensions and Kings with me getting married off to a princess had to be some kind of demented lie, right?
Dad slammed his foot on the brakes and we came to a hard stop. He slowly turned in his seat and glared at me. “You are going to have to come to grips with a lot of facts that sound like fairy tales from now on. For now, read that book and take my word that everything in there is a hard fact. You got that?” His gaze was level and offered no disobedience.
I sat back in my seat with a sigh, “Ok, I got it.” This was getting insane. The book that Dad had given me was an interesting thing at the very least. It had a look like it was hundreds of years old but all the materials simultaneously seemed brand new. The pages seemed like they had been made out of super thin tanned hide while the leather binding was thicker in that aspect. The words were in English out of dark black ink and were extremely small for someone’s handwriting. The cover was arrayed with all kinds of symbols and words, with the imprint of a man who was transforming into a dragon and a minotaur. It was extremely well preserved.
“Stop admiring it and open the damned thing.” My Dad’s voice cut into my attempts to examine the book.
I was surprised by how blunt my father was being because he was usually rather calm in everything that he was doing, which meant that whatever lay in this book was serious. I thought of the fact that even though my Dad was not the tallest man, I couldn’t think of a single person that my Dad couldn’t beat in a fight.