The Fate of the First Hero of Light

I open the door to the throne room...

Zelda is locked in arms with a tall man with light blonde hair.

She is staring dreamingly at him.

Immediately his head is against the wall I close my hand slightly.

CRACK

I just fractured his skull without breaking it or killing him.

THUD

I let him fall on the marble tiles.

"GEIR HOW COULD YOU!"

"Zelda why is this degenerate here?"

He wants to speak, I kick his disgusting head into the wall.

Most of his teeth are broken and his mouth is bleeding.

"GEIR STOP! GUARDS SEIZE HIM!"

I glare over my shoulder at Zelda.

She steps back.

She signals towards the frightened guards to stop.

I produce an ice pick in my hand.

While screaming he explains his plots and schemes, the magics he used, where they were bought and all the other questions.

I have heard enough.

"You will regret this you wi..."

I freeze him and shatter him into large red chunks, that start bleeding.

Zelda does not know how to react her emotions having been manipulated.

"Zelda you must ask me first so that I can ascertain the persons real intent. If I am at war or away on business consult my Grandmother first."

Zelda starts sobbing.

I signal for a messenger.

I present the Royal Seal of my House and give him the order to signal for my Grandmother.

Not even for a short whiles later...

CRASH

The throne room's wall shatters.

My Grandmother is in her bloody parka, undoubtedly hiding her tools of torture inside the many pockets, that the garment has.

After being reprimanded for killing the suitor too fast, my Grandmother moves and attends to Zelda.

She signals for me to leave...

Even though Zelda is almost 10 suncycles older than myself, she is looking younger as I am aging.

Her clans peoples are not true Humes but an Elf like race.

Their lives lasting many times longer than that of a Humes.

She looks now like a woman of 20 suncycles.

The Royal Houses have accepted, that they cannot depose her anymore.

The logical next step would be to arrange a partner for her from within the Houses.

Normally the Knight and myself identify the suitors who are out with a hidden agenda.

If they are lucky, I torture them, if they are unlucky the Knight finds them first.

The totally destroyed and mangled bodies of the "SCOUNDRELS!", are disposed off by myself.

The Knight having known Zelda since she first became the Queen and also served the King before her.

He took it upon himself to protect her when the King passed on.

He would not suffer anyone approaching her indecently or with an ulterior motive.

If not for Zelda and my informal relationship.

In his mind seeing us of the same station, as I am the Warchief and leader of the Tulok tribe.

I would be dead, years ago already.

I absolutely believe in my heart if he were to set out to kill me in earnest.

No amount of my ice magics could save my life.

That is also why.

When the "FIENDS" are discovered he kills without hesitation.

"Knight the day will come."

He drops the broken corpse of my cousin Romeplix out of his silver gauntlet onto the floor.

"GEIR WHAT DO YOU MEAN?"

"Zelda will not stay unmarried forever. We will have to be prepared for that day."

"Yes, you are correct Geir. How should I act then?"

My vision fades...

I wake up on a park bench.

The shock being too much finally the Knight can speak like a normal person!

"GEIR ARE YOU COMPOSED NOW?"

No!? Why?!

"I WAS ASKING HOW I SHOULD ACT?"

I sit upright.

"Knight would you follow the orders from someone else except Zelda?"

"DO NOT BE PREPOSTEROUS... GEIR COULD THAT REALLY BE REQUESTED FROM ME?"

"It might, if there is a new king, even though he would not be the ruling party. He would absolutely be in his rights to command you."

"I DID NOT THINK THIS MIGHT BE! I HAD SERVED HIS MAJESTY THE KING WHEN YOUNG! IT WOULD NOT BE IMPOSSIBLE TO BE REQUESTED TO SERVE ANOTHER KING!"

"Our quests would also end. A king so impotent, that the Queen must go on quests to save the realms, would immediately be deposed by the nation's people."

"THAT SEEMS A REASONABLE CONCLUSION."

"We might even be forced to fight another, if a war is declared on my Tribe."

"GEIR IS THERE NO WAY WE CAN KEEP THINGS AS THEY ARE?"

"We need to find a child to marry Zelda"

"WHAT DID YOU SAY GEIR"

"Yes, why should we find a child?" asks the Fire Mage.

"DEFEND YOURSELF FIEND!"

The Knight withdraws his blade.

"FORGIVE ME MY FRIEND I DID NOT HEAR YOU APPROACH!"

"My friend forgive me I had not meant..."

"Enough of your brotherly romance! We will have to arrange a marriage for Zelda. The child should be no older than 6 suncycles."

"THAT IS BUT A STRIPLING!"

"Yes, Geir is that not a bit too young?"

"The younger the better if the child is 15 we could at most only have 5 more suncycles to adventure in. Also a boy that age is already expected to wield a blade. With training from the Mighty Dwarven Masters I had mastered each blade type at 12 suncycles."

"BAHAHAHAHAHA! GEIR SURELY YOU JEST! I HAD MASTERED THE GREATSWORD AT 7!"

"Yes, even I could use a dagger proficiently at 9. I had mastered Fire Magics fully at 10. We are having an important meeting, which could decide the future of the nation. This is no time for foolishness."

My ears are hot and my face is turning red.

"Well never mind all that, we should create a shortlist then compare notes."

"THAT SOUNDS LOGICAL. WHERE SHOULD WE START?"

"She is not born a royal so it does not automatically mean she needs to be..."

"whisper" "whisper" "WHISPER" "whisper".

"WHAT ARE YOU DOING OVER THERE? WHY ARE YOU ALL CLUSSTERED TOGETHER!?"

"GRANDMOTHER!"

"YOUR LADYSHIP!"

"PRINCESS TEELA!"

"WE WERE ENJOYING A GAME OF JUCTUS YOUR LADYSHIP!"

"I DO NOT SEE ANY DIE?"

"I BROKE THEM WHEN YOU STARTLED US GRANDMOTHER!"

My Grandmother casts a glare towards us.

"GEIR, SIR... AND SIR... I AM KEEPING MY EYES ON YOU!"

My Grandmother leaves, passing by, heading home through the park.

The servants carrying the goods she had purchased at the markets following her.

The next week we move through the Capital.

I am using my connections in the Capitals seedy underground to gather information.

I stalk the Royal Houses at night.

I move through House Vasilios.

I am in my white blood splattered parka moving in and out of the shadows.

I assess the men of the House looking for the right candidate.

A young man with clear eyes.

The Knight, Fire Mage and myself are at the park.

We have the notes.

We are comparing them all three of them list the same name it is...

"WHAT ARE YOU SCHEMING NOW!? WHY ARE YOU BUNCHED TOGETHER AND HUNKERING?!"

"PRINCESS TEELA!"

"GRANDMOTHER!"

"YOUR LADYSHIP!"

"WE WERE PLAYING A HAND OF COCOU PRINCESS TEELA!"

"I DO NOT SEE ANY CARDS?"

"I BURNED THEM WHEN YOU STARTLED US PRINCESS!"

My Grandmother casts an even more intense glare towards us.

"SIR..., GEIR AND SIR... I AM KEEPING MY EYES ON YOU!"

My Grandmother leaves, passing by, heading home through the park.

The servants carrying the goods she had purchased at the markets following her.

Returning to our research we compare them.

The lists all contain the same person, Tassos of House Vasilios.

A dejected Zelda is sitting on the throne.

"YOUR MAJESTY WHAT IS AMISS?"

"Sir... my heart is hurt. All these men approach me with ulterior motives. They use the slyest of tricks on me. Will I ever love again?"

"What if we could determine, a suitable candidate for Your Majesty?" asks the Fire Mage.

"Could you do something like that!"

"Zelda do not worry we will resolve this."

"Please do!"

We are at the park.

"That seems suspicious do you not think Geir?"

"YES, THE QUEEN DID NOT PROTEST! BUT IMMEDIATELY AGREED?"

"They say fortune favours the bold, our confidence must have convinced her! Back to matters at hand, our plan is shaping up well."

"Geir! This must be your greatest scheme ever!"

"GEIR! ALL WE NEED TO DO IS ARRANGE FOR THE VARIOUS CEROMONIES"

"Yes, Knight only a little while longer and we will be able to quest for at least 10suncycles longer!"

"OUTSTANDING WORK GEIR!"

"Geir I can almost see our newest enemy in my mind."

"YES, I CAN SEE THEM FLY, AS I CUT THEM DOWN!"

"Knight, Fire Mage I can also feel the ice magics form..."

"WHAT ARE YOU PLOTTING?! WHY ARE YOU LOITERING OVER THERE!?"

"YOUR LADYSHIP!"

"PRINCESS TEELA!"

"GRANDMOTHER!"

"WE WERE PLAYING THREE MEN'S MORRIS YOUR LADYSHIP!"

"I DO NOT SEE A CHALK!?"

"I CRUSHED IT WHEN YOU STARTLED US YOUR LADYSHIP!"

My Grandmother casts the most intense glare I have ever seen towards us.

"SIR..., SIR... AND GEIR I AM KEEPING MY EYES ON YOU!"

My Grandmother leaves, passing by, heading home through the park. The servants carrying the goods she had purchased at the markets following her.

The next few days we spend arranging for the various ceremonies. Ordering the bouquets for the nuptial. Filing out the forms to request that Tassos be represented as a candidate for Zelda to wed. We arranged to meet again, at the park.

"Fire Mage, Knight I have all the forms filled out. We just need to hand them in."

"GEIR I HAVE THE VARIOUS TENDERS FOR THE CEROMONIES AND ORNAMENTS!"

"Geir I have the list of prices for the feasts, gifts and all the multifarious pieces of crockery and silverware."

"Fire Mage and Knight we have formed the perfect plan!"

"Yes, Geir I agree, we have let nothing to chance." says the Fire Mage.

"AS ALWAYS YOUR SCHEMES NEVER FAIL TO IMPRESS. HOWEVER ALL YOUR PREVIOUS MACINATIONS PALE IN COMPARISON TO THIS ONE!"

"Knight thank you for your praise. I can see them, the massive amount of enemies charging towards us."

"Yes, Geir I am preparing my strongest spell Star Burst."

"I AM BACK TO BACK WITH SIR... DEFENDING HIM. CUTTING THEM DOWN ONE BY ONE!"

"Knight, Fire Mage, I can see a Earth Dragon flying with the enemy!"

"WHAT ONLY ONE!? I CAN SEE THEM! TWO EARTH DRAGONS AND AN ICE DRAGON!"

"Geir and sir... I see them hundreds, no thousands of armored enemies they have us surrounded!"

"YES SIR... I GO FOR THE STRIKE!"

"Knight I will support you with my Ice Magics!"

"I am unleashing my spell a hundred die!"

"I HAVE ALREADY KILLED A HUNDRED MORE!"

"I have frozen even more than that!"

"WHAT ARE YOU CONSPIRING! WHY ARE YOU IDLING ABOUT?"

"GRANDMOTHER!"

"YOUR LADYSHIP!"

"PRINCESS TEELA!"

"WE WERE PLAYING AGON GRANDMOTHER!"

"I DO NOT SEE A GAMEBOARD?!"

Everyone together and at the same time.

"I CRUSHED IT!"

"I BURNED IT"

"I FROZE IT!"

Instantaneously, my Grandmother is in front of us we hear bushes rustle behind us.

Zelda steps out behind the bush.

My Grandmother and Zelda speaking together and in unison.

"WE NEED TO TALK!"

After my Grandmother threatened us only once with violence, everything was disclosed.

Our perfect plan was undone.

After much screaming at us by Zelda.

My Grandmother chastising us beating us with an iron building rod she had removed from inside the castles wall.

Were we finally released.

Being black and blue we moved to open the door to exit the throne room.

"Geir, Sir... and Sir... thank you for thinking of me. I cannot imagine that I would get married anytime soon. But if you try any scheme like this again. I have given Teela the keys to the Royal torture room. ARE WE CLEAR!?"

Together and very frightened.

"YES, YOUR HIGHNESS!"

"YES, YOUR MAJESTY!"

"YES, ZELDA!"

We scurry off.

Finish.