~PART FIVE~
There were two funerals for my father. The first, a normal ceremony for local friends of the family. The second, a community gathering at my father's house. The first one was hard, because I had to play human. The second one was harder, because there was no escape from the harsh reality of what the gathering was really happening for: my Coronation.
I swallowed as I walked silently to where Lars White was standing, in the center of a circle made out of wrought iron torches that dated back centuries. The same ones used to perform this ceremony on my father, as well as the generations before him.
Lars took my hand slowly, and held it above another torch, which was in the center with us. He lowered it, and asked me "Will you withstand this pain for your people?"
I ignored the pain the best I could. "Yes," I answered, allowing the full responsibility of what I was doing to sink in.
He took my hand out of the flame, and released it. He picked up a chalice of liquid. The smell of sacrificial blood made me nauseous. "Will you drink for your people?" he asked, handing me the chalice.
"Yes," I replied again, holding my breath and taking a drink from the chalice.
Lars took the chalice from me and set it down. Then, he raised up a sterling silver dagger. I heard gasps from the crowd, and I felt fear from Jeff. Touching silver is okay, but if it enters your body, forget it. Yet, for some reason, I wasn't afraid.
He took a step back, and pointed it at me. "Will you give your life for your people?"
I stepped forwards, allowing the blade to be about half an inch from my heart. "I will."
He handed me the blade. I turned to face the crowd, and raised the dagger in the air. The crowd cheered loudly; I was now their king.
I left the circle, and walked down to where Jeff stood, waiting. I pointed the blade at him, then handed it to him. "I place my life in your hands," I began, aware that both Jeff and I were shaking slightly, "It is your call."
Jeff pointed the blade at himself. "I would rather rush this blade than ever harm you."
I took the blade from his hand, and lowered it to my side. Then, I extended my hand. He took it, and there cemented him as my Second.
I took a deep breath, and let it out slowly. It was time for my world to fall apart.
~PART SIX~
I woke up the next morning, and let everything sink in. I was king. My father was dead. This was a lot to handle at once.
So how was I supposed to do it?
I got up and stretched. I was in what was now my room, in Jeff's house. We had both decided that it was unsafe for me to stay at the house I shared with Dad, so we moved my stuff into one of the many guest rooms. Neither of us minded. We spend almost everyday together anyway, what would be so different?
I walked downstairs to find Adam and Raychele already up, sitting in the living room. Both of them were silent.
"Morning," I said, plopping myself down on the couch. I didn't see any point in saying 'good', because I already knew it wasn't.
"Morning," they replied in unison, as Jeff and Jay joined us.
Raychele yawned, then spoke. "We have two choices. We can either fly out to New York today, and join up with everybody tomorrow, or we can fly out to Hartford tomorrow and join up with everybody for the house show there on Wednesday."
Jeff replied first. "I don't really care which we do. I wouldn't mind getting back into things on Raw tomorrow night, but I also wouldn't mind waiting a day and letting things settle."
Adam and Jay echoed his sentiments, and it came down to me. I thought about it for a few minutes, weighing the pros and cons of both choices. "I think I'd like to go ahead and go to New York today. Get away from all the commotion around here."
Everyone nodded, and we went to pack our things. I was just anxious to get out of Cameron. As much as I love it, it didn't feel like a safe place to be. Too much had happened.
I packed up and went downstairs, and Jeff already packed (which means he just threw his clothes in his bag) and waiting. I sat down across from him, and tried to think of something to say. My mind was still numb, I couldn't come up with anything that would convey my emotions. I got the sense that he was going through the same thing.
After a slightly awkward silence, everyone else came downstairs, and we piled into Adam's rented SUV to go to the airport. On the way there, I got butterflies. I started thinking about Justin and Scott, and I began to wonder why they were being so harsh. The answers I came up with were not what I needed to be thinking about, and I let it go. The butterflies stayed.
There were two funerals for my father. The first, a normal ceremony for local friends of the family. The second, a community gathering at my father's house. The first one was hard, because I had to play human. The second one was harder, because there was no escape from the harsh reality of what the gathering was really happening for: my Coronation.
I swallowed as I walked silently to where Lars White was standing, in the center of a circle made out of wrought iron torches that dated back centuries. The same ones used to perform this ceremony on my father, as well as the generations before him.
Lars took my hand slowly, and held it above another torch, which was in the center with us. He lowered it, and asked me "Will you withstand this pain for your people?"
I ignored the pain the best I could. "Yes," I answered, allowing the full responsibility of what I was doing to sink in.
He took my hand out of the flame, and released it. He picked up a chalice of liquid. The smell of sacrificial blood made me nauseous. "Will you drink for your people?" he asked, handing me the chalice.
"Yes," I replied again, holding my breath and taking a drink from the chalice.
Lars took the chalice from me and set it down. Then, he raised up a sterling silver dagger. I heard gasps from the crowd, and I felt fear from Jeff. Touching silver is okay, but if it enters your body, forget it. Yet, for some reason, I wasn't afraid.
He took a step back, and pointed it at me. "Will you give your life for your people?"
I stepped forwards, allowing the blade to be about half an inch from my heart. "I will."
He handed me the blade. I turned to face the crowd, and raised the dagger in the air. The crowd cheered loudly; I was now their king.
I left the circle, and walked down to where Jeff stood, waiting. I pointed the blade at him, then handed it to him. "I place my life in your hands," I began, aware that both Jeff and I were shaking slightly, "It is your call."
Jeff pointed the blade at himself. "I would rather rush this blade than ever harm you."
I took the blade from his hand, and lowered it to my side. Then, I extended my hand. He took it, and there cemented him as my Second.
I took a deep breath, and let it out slowly. It was time for my world to fall apart.
~PART SIX~
I woke up the next morning, and let everything sink in. I was king. My father was dead. This was a lot to handle at once.
So how was I supposed to do it?
I got up and stretched. I was in what was now my room, in Jeff's house. We had both decided that it was unsafe for me to stay at the house I shared with Dad, so we moved my stuff into one of the many guest rooms. Neither of us minded. We spend almost everyday together anyway, what would be so different?
I walked downstairs to find Adam and Raychele already up, sitting in the living room. Both of them were silent.
"Morning," I said, plopping myself down on the couch. I didn't see any point in saying 'good', because I already knew it wasn't.
"Morning," they replied in unison, as Jeff and Jay joined us.
Raychele yawned, then spoke. "We have two choices. We can either fly out to New York today, and join up with everybody tomorrow, or we can fly out to Hartford tomorrow and join up with everybody for the house show there on Wednesday."
Jeff replied first. "I don't really care which we do. I wouldn't mind getting back into things on Raw tomorrow night, but I also wouldn't mind waiting a day and letting things settle."
Adam and Jay echoed his sentiments, and it came down to me. I thought about it for a few minutes, weighing the pros and cons of both choices. "I think I'd like to go ahead and go to New York today. Get away from all the commotion around here."
Everyone nodded, and we went to pack our things. I was just anxious to get out of Cameron. As much as I love it, it didn't feel like a safe place to be. Too much had happened.
I packed up and went downstairs, and Jeff already packed (which means he just threw his clothes in his bag) and waiting. I sat down across from him, and tried to think of something to say. My mind was still numb, I couldn't come up with anything that would convey my emotions. I got the sense that he was going through the same thing.
After a slightly awkward silence, everyone else came downstairs, and we piled into Adam's rented SUV to go to the airport. On the way there, I got butterflies. I started thinking about Justin and Scott, and I began to wonder why they were being so harsh. The answers I came up with were not what I needed to be thinking about, and I let it go. The butterflies stayed.