May 26, 1988
Ludwig and his father are no longer on speaking terms. Gods, the events of earlier today keep replaying over and over in my mind ad nauseam. What began as a friendly outing turned into something totally unexpected. My king certainly doesn't trust me anymore. The feeling has finally become mutual. What transpired before had little to do with me though, but I still feel racked with guilt over it. Everything started out splendidly and according to plan. I had promised the Alterian princess two weeks ago that I would soon bring her into Dark World's Capital. It was a promise she was quick to check me on, so I wasted little time making it happen. King Leirelat put his complete trust in me, allowing his daughter to venture into the Koopa kingdom under my ward.
My job was to prevent King Bowser from finding out about the unusual cargo we would be carrying on the airship. As not to arouse suspicion, I told him that I would be taking the Crown Prince, Lemuel, Roy, Ignatius, and Gwendolyn into the Capital as an early birthday surprise for the twins. Although they wouldn't be three until July, he didn't question my proposal. The less time him and I spent together, the better. Queen Adora was a bit more apprehensive with letting her twins go, but eventually crumbled when her daughter erupted into one of her infamous temper tantrums. The older the princess gets, the easier it is to manipulate her mother. While I think she's spoiled, Ludwig seems to only enable her. He gives into her demands, simply because he can't resist her chubby-cheeked face. In turn, she follows him around virtually everywhere, even into the bathroom at times, where he has to chase her out.
Ignatius is the opposite of his twin sister. A quiet child, he reminds me somewhat of myself at a younger age. While Gwendolyn screams at the top of her lungs, Ignatius tends to tuck himself into a corner and tinker around with blocks or paints. I've noticed that he has an interest in anything involving puzzles. Matching up colored blocks to their correct slots is one of his favorite pastimes. He also enjoys building things, like structures out of paper cups. Perhaps he'll be an architect, or some other type of engineer. Ignatius displays a type of intelligence that may even rival his eldest brother's one day. As for Lemuel and Roy...I've still got hope for them.
Despite all of their differences, it did not take much persuasion on my part for them to all agree on coming along with Ludwig and I today. Taking six children into the Capital was going to be no easy task, so I had requested of the Crown Prince that he and Victoria keep an eye out on the younger ones. After some early morning commotion about waking everyone up in time, we all assembled onto the airship. Captain Valor, always the gracious gentleman, didn't mind escorting us into the Capital. Nor did he seem to mind when I told him about the surprise pit-stop we'd be taking before reaching Blazaa Station.
"Head Administrator, we're traveling to Alteria first?" he asked, his features widening.
"That is correct." I zipped up the light jacket I had thrown on. The morning air was nippy for the end of May. "And King Bowser is not to know."
"Gods, Kamek! You've been getting awfully ballsy latelyI mean that as a good thing!" Valor chuckled. I cracked a small smile. "May I ask why our king is to remain unaware about my ship's true course?"
"Because I do not want him finding out what we will be carrying." I paused. "I shouldn't say 'what'. It's a 'who'."
He seemed intrigued. "Who are we bringing along, Head Administrator?"
"Princess Victoria."
"The sorceress! Are you shittin' me!"
"Keep your voice down!" My tone had become condescending. I quickly apologized, "Sorry. I didn't mean to snap at you. It's just that I do not want King Bowser to know. If he finds out, King Leirelat will have my head on a platter. He trusts me. I can't lose that trust."
"I understand. What are you planning on doing with her?"
"We're just going to take her into the Capital. She's never been there before, so I thought it would be nice if we showed her around. Recently, Leirelat's been watching her like a hawk. It's rare that she goes out like this."
"Yeah, the Oceanside situation is not getting better. Our king only makes it worse by acting like a greedy jackass." He suddenly grew silent. Before I could inquire as to why, he opened up his mouth to speak again, "Prince Ludwig, I didn't see you standing there!"
I turned around to find the Crown Prince behind me. Apparently, he had snuck up on the two of us. I did not enjoy being caught like that. It may be a sign for me to stop doing it to others!
"Good morning, young man." I greeted.
Valor echoed my words. The prince nodded his head in acknowledgment, shrugging his shoulders. "It's okay, Captain Valor. You're free to speak your mind. Anyway, when are we leaving?"
"Impatient?" our pilot smirked. "We'll be heading off shortly, Your Highness."
"That's good. Wendy just wanted to know."
"She did?"
From behind Ludwig's legs popped out a tiny head. Princess Gwendolyn clung to her brother and flashed us a toothy grin. "Going now, Lowee?"
"Yes Wendy, we're going soon." he answered.
Smiling to us, she disappeared behind him again. From the opposite end of the deck I could hear Lemuel and Roy laughing as they chased each other around to the chagrin of Valor and his crew.
"My ship's become a floating romper room." the captain sighed. His gaze turned back to Ludwig. "Gods, you look so much like your mother."
"Thank you." the prince said, unsure of how to react to such a comment.
"Take that as a good thing, young man." I ruffled his hair. "And you need a haircut!"
The airship departed soon after I managed to calm down the younger Koopa children. Sternly, I told them to keep our trip to Alteria a secret. Somehow, the thought of Lemuel's ability to keep a secret made me nervous, but he assured me that he wouldn't say a word to his parents. Roy eagerly agreed with his big brother and told me he was old enough to take on such a responsibility. Besides, I think the two feared the retribution of their eldest brother if they let the secret slip.
Our journey to Alteria went smoothly, where we picked up the princess. Valor grounded the airship at the palace's hangar, next to Leirelat's own jet. Lemuel and Roy peered over the ship as they watched the interaction between Alteria's king, Valor, and myself. Princess Victoria said goodbye to her father and scooted into the airship. Leirelat's eyes followed her as she vanished out of his sight. He then stared at me. He did not speak a word, but I could read the expression in his eyes. Apparently he was even more nervous than I was!
"I assure you, your Majesty, she'll be fine."
"Yes Kamek, I know." He bit his lower lip while he searched for the right words to say. "I trust you. You all go and have fun today."
"We'll take good care of the little lady for you," my airship captain reassured. "King Bowser's got no idea. It's none of his damn business what I do with my vessel anyway."
Leirelat showed no sign of calming down, but shook his head.
"Go! Kaaaamek! Go!" came a voice from above. Looking towards the ship, we saw Princess Gwendolyn bouncing up in down in place, anxious to take off.
"You better go." The Alterian king patted me on the shoulder. "The kids are getting restless."
After reassuring Leirelat for the last time that his daughter would be well looked after on our day-trip, Valor and I boarded the airship and departed for Dark World's Capital. Upon the vessel, Valor proudly showed Victoria around, explaining how the ship worked. It was much different than the jet she was used to traveling in, and she seemed to take interest in the Captain's words. Ludwig and Gwendolyn accompanied the pair, while Lemuel and Roy had fun playing hide-and-seek on the deck. I was left alone to watch Ignatius as he tinkered around with some toys he brought. The sudden peacefulness was a welcomed change. There, I began to clear my thoughts, allowing my eyes to close as I shielded them from the breeze. I only hoped I was doing the right thing by bringing the Alterian princess along. We all need a vacation once and a while, regardless of age. Besides, permitting this rendezvous made Ludwig happy. As I've come to realize, my life doesn't revolve mainly around my occupation anymore. Caring for the Crown Prince has become the biggest part of my life, which in all honesty, I never expected to happen. If Monika could only see me playing such a paternal role, she'd tease me in her usual caring way. Perhaps, wherever she is now, she is doing just that.
The hustle and bustle of the Capital only served in changing my mood. I had gone from relaxed on the airship to anxious as we landed at Blazaa Station. The realization that I had to take care of six children on my own hit me hard, and I found myself wondering why had I not thought out this idea more thoroughly. Fortunately enough for me, Ludwig immediately took charge over his little siblings. They all seemed to follow him and the princess like ducklings scuttling after their mother. The scene was quite humorous. I kept up the rear of the line, acting like the caboose, ensuring that no toddlers dart off without us noticing.
Assuming the role of tour guide, I brought the children to all the familiar places in the city that Ludwig and I had become accustomed to over the years. The twins did not take much of an interest in the bookstore. Neither did Lemuel or Roy. Come to think of it, I think only Ludwig, Victoria, and myself enjoyed being surrounded by so much literature. Surprisingly, the Alterian princess picked up several books which caught her eye. She did not strike me as one to do a lot of heavy reading. Noticing my eye on her, she quipped to me about how being bored back at home has driven her to read. I suppose all children aren't as attached to the television as I had imagined. After she made her purchase, we departed for some other areas of amusement in the city. I was grateful that no one seemed to recognize her, or the rest of us for that matter. When venturing outside, I encouraged the Crown Prince to dress casually. It wasn't a stretch from how he normally dressed; not to say he dresses sloppily, but he is a twelve year old boy after all.
While we were walking down one of the busy local streets, Lemuel stopped to giggle at a poster hanging up in someone's store window.
"Hey, isn't that you and Dad, Kamek?"
We all paused to look at the piece of anti-monarchical propaganda. Displayed on the poster was a photograph and King Bowser and myself, standing next to each other at some sort of Council function. I was clad in my traditional midnight blue Council robe, and for some reason I could not recall, my hood was up. We were facing away from each other. Scowls decorated our lips, clearly showing anger over something. Under us was the caption: The Only Thing These Two Can Agree On Is Which Woman To Fight Over. Clearly, it was a jab at the close relationship I shared with the deceased queen. Sadly enough, the caption was right. Ludwig quickly read the poster and smirked, pushing ahead his siblings before they could make out what the letters formed.
"C'mon, let's go."
"What did it say?" Lemuel questioned, sneaking a peek over his shoulder before his brother
could rush him away.
"Nothing interesting," Victoria added. She quickly took Ignatius' hand and guided him over to me. "It's just political stuff. Blah blah, you know."
"How about we go to the park?" I changed the subject. "There's a nice one only a few blocks away from here. You can all play, and I can sit."
To the joy of my aching feet, the children agreed. Along the way, Ludwig caught up with me. He dragged poor Gwendolyn behind him. Her little legs struggled to keep up with her brother.
"Kamek?"
"Yes?"
"Did that poster back there refer to my mom?"
"I'm afraid so."
"Did you and my dad really fight over her?"
I hesitated to answer, picking my words carefully. "No, I wouldn't say we fought over her, but I wouldn't be incorrect by saying that he was jealous of what your mother and I shared. Even though he was married to her, he never could achieve the bond with her that I had."
"She hasn't really mentioned much of it to me."
"Maybe when you get older she shall."
"Yeah, I think there's more going on there...between my parents, I mean. She doesn't like talking to me about him. There's a lot of resentment."
"I have to agree with you. I'd like to find out more myself, but it's none of my business. I only know what your mother told me about what went on in their relationship."
Questioning King Bowser has always been a thought at the back of my mind, yet I can never muster the gall to bring it up. Frankly, it is none of my business, but I believe Ludwig has a right to know about his mother, straight from his father's mouth. Despite the fact that I knew Monika longer than Bowser did, there are details only he can divulge. Then again, he's not the only one who has knowledge about the deceased queen that no one else knows about. I'm getting tired of such secrecy. There are details I cannot even find the strength to write down in my own diary about Monika. Ten years after her death, and she still continues to gnaw away at me.
"So...she does talk highly about you all the time though." Ludwig continued. It was almost as if he was reading my mind. "But you already knew that."
"I'm glad she continues to feel that way, considering the grueling tutelage I've been putting you through." I smiled.
"And I also think there's something more there too," The prince gazed up at me, squinting his large blue eyes as he tried to pick my brain. "Yup, definitely."
"You think so?" My reply was coy. The issue he attempted to bring up was highly personal to me. On more than one occasion I told him he would find out in time, but apparently he was losing patience. There are some things that should not fall upon twelve year old ears. Grinning to himself, he dropped the subject.
"Are we almost there?" Roy chimed in behind us. "My feet hurt."
"What do you expect Kamek to do? Carry you?" Ludwig joked with his sibling. The younger prince did not find the comment amusing.
"No, I was just wondering..."
"Why not? I'm carrying him." the Alterian princess said. I quickly turned my head to see her now carrying Ignatius in her arms. He seemed content, playing with her long raven-colored strands of hair. "He couldn't keep up with you guys. You walk too fast."
"Well, we're almost there." I assured the children before adding under my breath, "I could use a break."
I don't think I was ever so delighted to sit down in my life when I took a seat on a bench in the park. The younger princes ran off to play, but remained close-by so I could keep an eye on them. Ignatius plopped down on the grass at my feet. The toddler appeared as relieved as I was to finally have an opportunity to rest. Ludwig, Victoria, and Gwendolyn found shade under a tree, where the younger princess promptly claimed her brother's lap as her resting spot.
I took the time to reflect on the conversation I had with the Crown Prince earlier. Each time he brought up the topic of his mother, it triggered intense flashbacks for me. This time was no exception. Almost immediately I was transported nearly ten years into the past. Things were so much different back then. This particular memory I have never shared with anyone until now, on the pages of my diary.
It was the night after a large ceremonious Council affair of some sort. Truthfully, I don't remember what went on at the occasion, but it had something to do with the induction of a new councilman. Being a part of King Bowser's close inner circle, I was permitted to participate in the party which followed afterwards at the castle. It being of a formal nature, I remained decked out in my midnight blue council robe, which I found to be more of a status symbol than part of my uniform. The members of the king's Council were all very well respected, well-to-do men, and me being a part of that meant a lot to my family. My father was a councilman before me; I was merely carrying on the tradition of the Tirro family.
Anyway, all reminiscing aside, I found myself in the company of the relatives and spouses of my fellow councilmen. My own wife, Camille, was there too, but at the time I was unaware of her whereabouts. I certainly didn't care. Dark World's queen also was absent from the festivities, puzzling me. She was the perfect trophy wife for my king, and as much as she told me she despised it, remained at his side during public events. Nonetheless, King Bowser and I shared some friendly words, joked a bit, and even treated each other to a drink or two before I excused myself for some fresh air. The stuffy atmosphere was beginning to get to me, causing me to yearn for a quick, easy escape. People greeted me as I made my way down the stairs and outside into the courtyard. Leaving the party behind, I planted myself next to a castle wall and leaned my weight against it. I think I may have had a bit too much to drink inside. The warm spring air had a sobering quality to it as I breathed it in. Just when I thought I was all alone, I felt a hand softly squeeze the back of my shoulder. Whirling around, I stood face-to-face with my visitor. I smiled brightly at the sight that welcomed me.
"Monika..."
"Hey, handsome."
It had only been a little over a week since our last liaison on the balcony during the opera. While we had seen each other several times after that, this was our first time alone in days. Unsure of how to greet her, I clammed up. All I could think about was grabbing her and kissing her, but I held back. I did not want to get caught, even though it appeared that we were by ourselves.
"How are you enjoying the party?" I stupidly questioned.
She ignored my inquiry for the moment to play with the hood that went along with my robe. "Mmm...it's boring. I cut out early." I stayed quiet as she pulled up my hood over my head, screening my face.
"Parties can be fun up to a point-" Monika silenced me with a kiss. Relieved, I urged her closer, pulling her into my arms. She cradled my face in her hands and nibbled playfully on my lower lip before breaking our embrace.
"Gods, I've missed you, Kamek."
"Likewise." I leaned in to kiss her again, yet a noise in the distance stopped me. "Did you hear something? Almost like footsteps..."
"No, nothing. You're paranoid. Everyone is inside, fattening their bellies at my kingdom's expense." Her words were saturated with wryness. I sighed.
"How are you doing, Monika?"
"I could be better. My husband is untrustworthy and I fear for my son's safety, but other than that, I'm fine."
"Could've fooled me."
"What gave it away?" She rested her forehead against mine and breathed in deeply. I did the best I could to comfort the queen by keeping my arms wrapped tightly around her. "I only feel truly happy when I'm with you or my son, and the way things are going now, I'll never be able to have both at the same time."
"Monika..." My sentence trailed off. All I wanted to do was make her happy. After all, she certainly did deserve it for putting up with King Bowser. "Don't talk like that."
"You know, I think he's cheating on me, Kamek."
She took me by surprise. "Are you serious? What makes you think that? I'm around him all the time and I haven't noticed anything suspicious going on."
"With another little noblewoman around the same age as me. I believe her name is Adora or something like that."
"Funny, I've never heard of her."
"I've got spies around here other than you, dear Kamek."
"Well, it wouldn't be any different than what we're doing to him."
"Hmpf," she flirtatiously teased, eyeing me for a reaction. It almost drove me insane with lust. "Do you want to stop then?"
I replied in the only way I knew how to at the time. Mustering together my desire for her, I kissed her again, but this time, I did not let anything restrain me. She eagerly reciprocated my advances, allowing her fingers to dig into the fabric of my robe. I had never kissed her that passionately before and wasn't quite sure what to expect. Monika kissed me so hard that I forgot we were still outside in full view. I wasn't thinking straight then, being drunk in the moment, but her touch made time stop for me. The shadow of the wall cloaked us in darkness, covering us from any prying eyes. I caught my hands starting to wander to places on her body where they didn't belong and had to force myself to pull away. The moment was getting too intense. As much as I tried to deny it, I wanted her to be mine, both mentally and physically, when I knew damn well she couldn't. Sensing it, she bent her head in close next to mine and began to whisper.
"Tomorrow my husband will be departing for the Kingdom of Grasslands. He'll be spending the night there, in the good king's graces, but you already knew that."
"I did. Head Administrator Morrisson will be accompanying him as well."
"It can get lonely at night by myself."
I immediately knew what she was referring to, but couldn't find the words to express how I felt. One side of me wouldn't have minded escorting her back to her quarters right then and there, but my better half was all the wiser. Back then, it was the half of me I wished to forget.
"I'm going to spend some time with Ludwig," she continued, backing away. "Enjoy the rest of the party, Kamek. Will I be seeing you soon?"
"Soon."
"How soon?"
"Sooner than you think."
"Ah," the queen smiled, her brilliant blue eyes twinkling. "Soon it is then."
Unable to see her go, I reached out and took her hand. She knew exactly how to keep me captivated and permitted her fingers to twine together with mine for a few seconds before disappearing back into the castle. I stood still and watched her leave, admiring the control she had over me. Not even my own wife possessed me as wholly as Monika did. It's not even that I let her do it. She simply had charmed me the way no other person could, causing me to desire her more than anything else I could imagine. That moment, I made my decision about her proposal. It wasn't a difficult choice to make.
A loud scream brought me back to reality. Princess Gwendolyn was crying uncontrollably. Ludwig tried to console her by calling out her name in a sweet voice, but it didn't work. I got to my feet and joined the three under the tree.
"What's wrong?"
"She just started crying all of a sudden," Victoria explained. "I think she may want to go home."
"Yeah, I agree." the Crown Prince tried to make his sister sit back down, but she refused. Her cries only got louder, attracting the attention of her other brothers. They came over to us.
"Why is Wendy crying?" Lemuel asked.
"She always cries, Lemmy." Roy muttered to his older sibling. "That's all she does!"
"And I can't seem to make her stop!" Ludwig grew frustrated with the wailing toddler. "I've tried everything! I even cast some lower level spells to amuse her, but it's not working!"
Princess Gwendolyn's temper tantrums were notorious throughout Dark World. She had become known as one of the most spoiled children in the Eight Kingdoms. Whatever she wanted, she got. Queen Adora made sure to it that her adorable doll received everything she craved, including expensive toys and other knickknacks she didn't need. I don't ever recall any of the other royal Koopa children being so spoiled. Even Ludwig, the firstborn, was never pampered that much. Monika wouldn't allow it. The only real practice I've ever had with children came from King Bowser's bunch, so I learned as I went along. None of them ever carried on as much as Gwendolyn, which made caring for her tantrums almost impossible for me.
"I don't want to go home yet though!" Lemuel interjected. "Can't we shut her up somehow?"
"I've tried already." Ludwig paused to remove his sister's hand from out of his hair. "Ouch! Quit it, Wendy!"
"There's so much more I wanted to show you all. Going home now would cut short our plans." I said, but soon realized that we had no other choice. "I guess we'll have to bring the princess home. There's no way I'm going to put up with that screaming for the remainder of the day."
"Why don't we just drop her off, then come back?" the Crown Prince suggested. "We're right here in Dark Would. It wouldn't take long to bring her back home, then come back again."
"I'm not sure if Captain Valor would be up for that."
"C'mon. It would suck for our day to be ruined. Plus, Tori's never been to the Capital before. It's not fair."
"Oh no, it's ok. I've seen a lot already." Victoria butted in. "Please don't go out of your way on my account."
"And we want to stay out!" Roy and Lemuel cried in unison.
I was clearly outnumbered. "Fine, we'll make an attempt to bring Gwendolyn home then come back." Ludwig certainly did have his way with me. He had inherited his mother's gift of persuasiveness, causing me to be easily swayed. Monika had done the same with me years ago. We collected ourselves and walked briskly back to Blazaa Station. I held the crying princess the entire time to quicken the pace, which only resulted in a headache for me. Once back at the Station, I explained to Valor our plight. He did not seem thrilled at the proposal, but one look in Ludwig and Victoria's direction changed his mind.
"Fine, I'd hate to disappoint the Crown Prince and his lady-friend." he chortled at the two.
"Ew!" they yelped as innocently as children would when confronted with such a topic. The captain laughed. I would've done the same if my head didn't hurt so much. Unfortunately, Gwendolyn did not calm down for the ride home. Ludwig and Victoria took the child into the cabin so I'd get some peace and quiet. Thank the gods the journey home was only ten minutes long. When the airship landed back in its hangar at the castle, I immediately rose up from my seat and entered the cabin. There, Gwendolyn was still carrying on. Her red cheeks were wet with tears and her voice had grown hoarse from screaming. The Crown Prince and Alterian Princess looked too stressed out to talk.
"Ludwig, would you mind helping me with your sister?"
"I guess..." He got to his feet and stretched. "Let's go, Wendy. Time to see your mom."
"Victoria, wait here on the ship. It's bad enough you're here at the castle. I do not want King Bowser finding you. As far as he knows, you did not even accompany us on this trip."
"Understood!" she smiled. "I'll stay right here until you guys return."
I nodded my head, then picked up Gwendolyn. We exited the cabin and practically tripped over Lemuel and Roy, who had been waiting in front of the cabin's door.
"You two stay here as well. Watch out for your father. Remember, he can't know that Victoria is on this ship. I'm trusting you two." I sternly addressed the boys. Lemuel could be quite the blabbermouth, but for some reason, I felt I could rely on him.
"Don't worry! We'll stay here!" Roy assured me.
"I've got Iggy." Ludwig had picked up his little brother and carried him over to me. "Time for him to go home too. The twins probably need a nap or something."
"I could use one too..." I mumbled. "Let's get these two to bed."
We walked into the castle and ran into the queen, who had been alarmed at the airship's unexpected pit-stop. I was alleviated from any paternal duties when Adora reached out to snatch her daughter from my arms. After some baby talk, the princess's crying ceased. I swore I heard Ludwig and I exhale a long breath at the same time as soon as Gwendolyn was silenced by her mother. The prince released Ignatius from his arms. The boy waddled over to the queen and hid behind her skirt.
"Kamek, thank you for bringing her home. I knew taking her along today was a bad idea." Queen Adora stated in a matter-of-fact fashion. It didn't mean anything to her that I've been caring for the Crown Prince since he was a young boy. Children were not that alien to me. The woman probably thinks I have as much knowledge about children as I have about something I know virtually nothing about.
Ludwig came to my defense. "No, Kamek did a great job with her. It's just that Wendy can be a real brat at times."
Adora flashed him a look of annoyance, but chose to ignore his comment. "Well, as long as they're home safe. Where are Lemuel and Roy?"
"They're still on the airship." I answered her. "We're heading back out for dinner. I felt bad canceling the rest of the trip on the boys, so I agreed to take them back into the Capital once we returned the twins home."
"I see."
"Where is King Bowser?"
"I believe he went out to the airship when he heard that it had returned early. He wanted to know what was going on."
At her words my blood went cold. Ludwig and I exchanged glances, both fearing for the same thing. We hastily retreated back to the airship and were alarmed when we found no one on deck. Valor must've stepped off for a quick smoke. The princes were nowhere to be found. The cabin was our first destination. The door was still shut like we had left it, but just before I was about to open it, I heard a familiar adult male voice speaking from inside. Anger swept over me as I recognized who the intruder was. Ludwig apparently heard it too. Forcefully, I swung open the door to find King Bowser leaning down next to Princess Victoria, who was standing in front of him, listening to whatever he had to say. I could only hear the last part of his speech, but it was enough to get me even more riled up.
"...and you do want to see your mother again, don't you, sweetie?"
"Your Highness!" I snapped. "What do you think you're doing?"
"Head Administrator, I was just going to ask you that same question." Bowser turned to face me. "Why is Leirelat's daughter on this ship without me knowing? Are you trying to hide something from me, Kamek?"
"I received permission to take her and the princes out into the Capital today." I neglected to mention anything about hiding information from him. He was right, but being reprimanded by him wasn't what I was worried about. I wanted to know what he was saying to Victoria.
"I see. Thank you for not telling me. And were you in on this idea too, Ludwig? I really don't see why you two continue to sneak behind my back." the king smugly said. His casual tone made me nervous. "At least you gave me this opportunity to talk to the princess. I hadn't seen her in such a long time." Bowser turned his attention back to Victoria again. "Your father doesn't let you come to Dark World anymore, right? Your father doesn't trust me."
"...I don't know anything about that." she stammered. Bowser knew she was lying.
"Don't worry about it, honey. But yes, as I was saying to you before, wouldn't it be nice to see your mom again?"
"Your Highness, please! She has no idea what you're talking about!" I yelled.
"I think she does, Kamek. She's even a more powerful sorcerer than you, is she not?"
"Leave her out of what goes on between Dark World and Oceanside. She has nothing to do with it-"
"Kamek, she has everything to do with it. You know she's the only one with the power to help us."
"No, I want no part of what you are planning with Oceanside. Alteria already has made it clear they will not allow the search for the Netherrealm gate to begin. Have you forgotten about the alliance your kingdom has with Alteria? Do you even realize how you're endangering that alliance, Bowser?" I tried my best to remain calm, while the entire time I felt like screaming. It was even worse that Victoria and Ludwig were overhearing everything. I had never mentioned anything to the Crown Prince about the fragile condition of the kingdom before. He was aware of his father's greedy ambitions, but never had any idea to what extent. The Alterian princess, on the other hand, was probably in the dark even more than Ludwig. Her father hid almost everything from her, and her reaction to King Bowser's promise was concerning. Naturally, I could not blame her. The proposal must have hit a nerve for the young girl who lost her mother at an early age. My king knew this. There was no way I could stand back and watch him try to take advantage of her state. Apparently I wasn't alone.
"Victoria, wouldn't you want to help your father and I? You'd be participating in something so great that it would change the course of history. Only you have that ability." My king proceeded to drag her in even more. "Don't you hear your mother's voice, sweetie?"
"Yeah..." she cautiously answered. Her stance grew rigid, as if she was trying her best to resist.
"See, I knew you'd be convinced. All we have to do now is get your father in on this plan."
"King Bowser!" I cried, unable to say anything else. I couldn't physically restrain him, even though I seriously wanted to. Every word he said pained me. It made me think of how delicate Victoria must have been. I had failed to think of Ludwig's reaction to all of this. It was vicious.
"I have no idea what you're even talking about, but leave her out of it!" he shouted, joining the princess at her side.
"Ludwig, why must you be so defiant against me?" King Bowser asked, his tone more mocking than angered. "Is this your doing, Kamek? Did you turn my son against me?"
His accusations caused me to snap, but before I could say anything in my defense, the Crown Prince spoke, "Kamek has nothing to do with how I view you. You're only after your own selfish goals, and you don't care who you backstab or hurt to get them. You only want to use Tori...just like how you only wanted to use my mother!"
"Now Ludwig-"
"And just like how you only wanted to use Kamek and myself for your own interests. You couldn't care less about us in the end! I used to think that I was a failure as a son because of how you treated me. You always expected more out of me, and I had no idea how to give it to you. I'm so sick of trying to please you!"
There was no way I was getting involved in this heated father/son argument. Anxiously I awaited the king's response. I don't believe he expected Ludwig to react in such a way. He seemed startled at what his son was saying, possibly because he knew it was the truth. Everything I had wanted to say to Bowser in the past Ludwig took straight out of my mouth and made known. Acting well beyond his years, he reminded me of Monika's feisty nature and how it often got her into trouble with her husband.
"This has nothing to do with you, Ludwig." the king barked. He was obviously irritated by his son's protesting. What made it even worse was that he accused me of making Ludwig feel that way about him. "What I was discussing with the princess is none of your business." Then, he quickly added as an aside, "Why must you always bring up your mother? Like you, she has nothing to do with this. Now why don't you and Kamek leave me alone to talk with our guest here? You see, I wouldn't need her Ludwig, if only you lived up to my expectations."
With that snide remark my fists clenched at my side. My first instinct was to walk up to the king and inflict some type of bodily harm on him. It was that very attitude of Bowser's that caused his own son to hate him. I didn't have to say or do anything to make Ludwig resent the king. His father did a good enough job at it by himself. Victoria made a short high-pitched squeak as the king addressed the Crown Prince. She too knew of the rocky relationship between Bowser and his son, but had never experienced it firsthand. Ludwig failed to respond to his father's harsh comments. I was afraid to see if he would do anything at all. The prince had a habit of keeping things bottled up inside, only to let everything out in violent waves of outbursts. It echoed my own reactions at times. I had to say something.
"Your Highness, you've said enough." I interjected. "We'll be departing for Alteria shortly. King Leirelat will grow uneasy if we don't bring back his daughter in time."
"Very well then. Princess Victoria, please think about what I've told you. The most powerful magic in all the Eight Kingdoms resides in your little body, and you're the only one that can help us..."
King Bowser reached out to lay a hand on her shoulder, only to be thwarted by his son. The prince instantly reached out and took hold of his father's forearm.
"Ludwig!-"
"Don't you touch her!" the boy shouted, still squeezing the king's arm.
It was then I smelled the sickening scent of flesh burning. It only lasted for a few seconds, but was enough to make Bowser scream out in pain as he pulled away from his son's grip. Ludwig's hand was still glowing red when he returned it to his side, and he ignored me when I ran up to aid the king.
"You little bastard!" he yelled, rolling up the remainder of his shirt's sleeve. Already forming on his arm was one of the nastiest burns I had ever seen. Even the skin bubbled. "Why the hell did you do that for!"
"Gods..." I gently took the king's wrist to examine the injury, but was stunned when I saw what had developed in the short period of time after the burn was administered. Taking shape over the same spot was the imprint of Ludwig's hand. The image was so hauntingly clear that it triggered me to gasp. The king, after hearing me, looked down and saw it for himself.
"Shit!" He glared at the prince, who kept up his defiant silence. "What did you do to me? Do you hate me that much? You're so much like your mother that it sickens me!" He tore his arm away from me and stormed off the airship without saying anything further.
Captain Valor entered the cabin as soon as Bowser left. "I overheard everything... Kamek, I'm so sorry. I had just stepped away to have a quick smoke, and when I returned, you two were standing there with the king and princess. I would've never let him snoop around if I was on board. I don't trust him either."
"It's not your fault." I began, shaking my head. "We should've never left her alone...but I never expected this to happen."
Ludwig knew I was referring to him and looked up at me.
"He deserved it."
There was nothing I could say to that. I wasn't going to reprimand him for his actions, nor was I going to scold him about misusing his powers. At the time, I wasn't going to say anything about it at all.
"Victoria, are you ok?" I questioned.
"I'm fine. Are you ok, Louie?" She assured him by holding onto the same hand that he had burned his father with. The effects of the spell were over now. His temper had apparently cooled down.
"Yeah, I'm just sorry you had to see that." he muttered. "I just didn't want him mistreating you. He gets away with so much. I'm so tired of it."
The princess nodded, probably not knowing what else to say. Maybe some mental exchange was passed between the two, but neither of them said anything else to me.
"Head Administrator, are we to be returning to Alteria now?" Valor inquired. The events upon his ship must have rattled him, because he was now lacking his usual vim and vigor. He was uncharacteristically somber.
"Yes, I believe that would be best."
Once the airship had taken to the skies again, I sat with the children in the cabin. I wasn't expecting much of a conversation, but I was curious to speak with Victoria about her interaction with Bowser earlier on. Ludwig sat next to the princess and donated some occasional input, but for the most part was quiet.
"Victoria, what went on back there while we were away? What did he say to you?"
"He mentioned something about me seeing my mother again, Mr. Kamek." she slowly started. "He kept talking about some gate in Alteria that could be opened only by me, or something like that. That's it."
...The Netherrealm gate... I thought. Now that she brought it up, I wondered if she had any previous knowledge to the legend about the Netherrealm.
"Has your father explained anything to you about the issue?"
"Very little. What I can't get straight out of him I try to get by reading his mind."
"Wow, you've actually tried that?" Ludwig asked, amused. "I didn't think you would, Tori."
"That's not respecting your father's privacy, young lady." I smiled.
"I know, I know. It's something I avoid doing with him, but lately he's just been so weird. You two already know about that. He's more secretive than ever now, so...on more than one occasion I've tried to read his thoughts."
"And?"
"It's really hard, because his mind is so clouded. I've never encountered anything like that before. Usually, reading minds is crystal clear for me, but with my dad, it's hard. I've managed to understand some things here and there. I first learned of the Netherrealm gate from him, although he's never said anything to me about it outright." she explained.
"So you are familiar with the legend?"
"Not really. I just know that I'm involved somehow, and my dad doesn't know that I know about it. I try to play dumb, but it's getting annoying. I'd like to know the whole story, you know?"
"Naturally." I contemplated telling her everything about what King Bowser, her father, and Oceanside may potentially go to war over, but stopped myself. Not wanting to alarm her, I figured it would be best if she heard it from Leirelat and not me. "Your father will tell you everything when the time comes, Victoria. Right now, just try to cope with what's going on. I understand the situation with your dad can get...crazy at times, but he only does it because he loves you very much. He just wants to protect his only daughter."
"True, but that's not what's bothering me."
"Oh? What's bothering you?"
She grew tense, her voice coming out in almost a whisper, "Mr. Kamek, I read King Bowser's mind while he was talking to me."
"You did?" Ludwig's interest was again perked up. He leaned in closer to hear what she was about to reveal. I did the same.
"His thoughts were all over the place, so it was impossible for me to get a clear reading. All I kept hearing over and over was his desire for control and power. He wants to manipulate our sorcery for his own goals. He's especially interested in my summoning ability, and while he downplays it, he'd still like to use you too, Louie. I couldn't get anything specific about the Nertherrealm gate or about his intentions towards Alteria, but what I read scared me. Mr. Kamek, please be careful. I don't trust him at all."
"That's...rather unnerving." I can't say her words were a revelation to me, because I've had my suspicions about King Bowser for years. It's just what she included about him desiring the children's powers that irked me. He knew he couldn't get me to participate in his plans, so he went to the next best source. "I will heed your advice, Victoria. Thank you."
"And there's one more thing."
"Yes?"
"It involves your mom, Louie."
"What is it?" the Crown Prince coaxed. "What did you find out?"
"Again, I couldn't get a clear reading, but he's hiding something about her. Mr. Kamek, maybe you'd know more, but your king has some serious skeletons in his closet. He's straining to cover something up about her."
"I know he's hiding something. He hates my mother and refuses to speak to me about her. I bet you he's not telling us the whole story, Kamek." Ludwig spoke rapidly. He had good reason to be paranoid. I too felt the same. "When I talk to her, she sometimes hints at things, but she refuses to tell me what went on. She said she will eventually, but it's driving me nuts."
"Oh, I agree with you there. We'll get down to the bottom of it, Ludwig. Your mother was very dear to me. If I find out that your father had something to do with her death, I don't know how I'd react."
"Not sure if I'd go that far, Mr. Kamek, but as I already said, he's hiding something about her." Victoria stepped in. "Definitely don't trust that man."
Her warning remained with me long after we returned her safely to Alteria. Not wanting to hide anything from her father, I told King Leirelat about what happened back in Dark World. To say he was fuming would be an understatement. Guilty enough as I was, I don't think I could have apologized enough to quell his anger. Victoria somehow managed to calm him down. I knew from then on that I'd never be able to regain the Alterian king's full trust in me. Unsurprisingly, he informed me that I'd never be able to bring his daughter out again, but that Ludwig and I were still welcome in his home. The only detail I had left out was about my king's injury at the hands of his son. I left it up to the princess if she wanted to tell him or not.
The ride home was filled with much tension. Neither of us wanted to return to Dark World after what had transpired. I feared for how the king would retaliate against Ludwig. While sitting together in the cabin, we were both at a loss for words. There was a period where he briefly looked up at me with uncertainty in his eyes. It bothered me so much that I had to turn my attention downwards.
"You don't have to apologize to me, Ludwig. You don't have to apologize to anyone."
Straightaway after landing, I was summoned by one of King Bowser's lackeys to the planning room. Queasiness soon overcame me as I made my way slowly down the familiar corridors of the castle. The Crown Prince had departed for his quarters, where he refused to speak with anyone. Even his sister Gwendolyn, who was his favorite sibling, was turned away at his door after several minutes of profuse knocking. Upon entering the planning room, I found my king seated at his usual chair, examining his now bandaged up injury. He saw me and motioned for me to take a seat. I was not one known to fall victim to my nerves, but I couldn't help myself this time. Bowser must have noticed my uneasiness and took the opportunity to speak.
"Head Administrator Kamek Tirro," he began, his voice booming with authority. "I wasn't aware that one of your duties as my second-in-command was to go behind my back and lie to me."
"Your Highness, that was not my intention."
"Then what were you doing babysitting for Leirelat's daughter?"
"I thought I'd take her and the children out a bit. You know that her father doesn't give her much freedom anymore since..." I discontinued, allowing Bowser to finish the rest of my sentence.
"Since he disagreed with my plans with King Edward, correct?"
"Yes. You know how King Leirelat feels about it. I don't feel it's right that our kingdoms are supposed to be allies, yet their two figureheads hardly speak anymore."
"Well Kamek, you've been doing a damn good job at maintaining relations, have you not?"
"I have, but it's not only my responsibility."
The king chuckled to himself. "That's right. Your one responsibility consists of turning my own son away from me."
"That is not true!" I barked. No longer was I nauseated; his accusals made me furious. "Your Highness, the way Ludwig feels about you has nothing to do with me."
"Kamek, I trusted you to train the boy. I think you've done more than help him with his sorcery. He's become so agitated around me...so foreign. He was never like that before."
"Perhaps you should stop blaming others for his behavior and ask him yourself why he's so upset." I said in a low tone partially to myself. My remark only made the king more infuriated.
"What are you implying?" he hissed, getting to his feet.
I figured I was already digging myself into a deep ditch, so why stop there? "I'm saying that you should be more of a father to him. It's what he needs. He doesn't have a mother. You and I are all he has."
"No, you're all he has. He clearly sees you as his father. I don't hold much authority over him. He laughs at me when I try to tell him to do something! I've never met anyone so defiant...even his own mother wasn't that bad. Look what he did to me, Kamek!" Looking for pity, he leaned over and thrust his bandaged-covered arm in my face. What he didn't realize was that I was the last person you'd come to for sympathy. I was unimpressed.
"You cannot hold me responsible for that. I have followed your instructions by tutoring him as a sorcerer. Yes, I have helped him in other ways too, but never have I said anything bad about you to him. He bases his feelings over how you treat him. If you choose to ignore something, it's going to go elsewhere for nourishment."
King Bowser did not enjoy what I had to say. It felt good to let him know what I thought about the Crown Prince, although it bothered me to acknowledge him as the boy's father. After all the years I've spent caring for the prince, I've become so protective over him that even if Bowser did try to interfere, I wouldn't have it. Since I couldn't save Monika, I'd save her son.
"Ignore him? What the hell gives you the right to say that I've ignored my own son?"
"I'm just speaking from observance, your Highness." I had already gotten myself into enough trouble for the day. I opted to change the subject. "But this has nothing to do with child rearing, King Bowser. I realize that what I did today was wrong. I promise you that I will never do it again."
"You digress so politely, Kamek. As Head Administrator, we should be able to trust each other."
"Wouldn't that be a pleasant fiction?" I muttered under my breath loud enough for the king to hear. Goddamn my tongue.
"So just like my son, you don't trust me either? Have I given you any reason not to?"
"You've been suspicious lately, your Highness. Very distant...I feel as if I've lost contact with you."
"And what makes you think that? We used to be such good friends, you and I." Bowser's call for nostalgia didn't phase me. He was right that we used to be good friends, but that was before everything; before Monika, before Alteria, and most of all, before Ludwig. I couldn't be friends with such a man. Kissing ass in politics only went so far for me, and it was about time I ceased to do it with King Bowser. As Head Administrator, I owed it to Dark World and myself.
"Then how come you continue to hide things from me?" My voice grew tense as I rose to my feet to be eye-to-eye with him. "Over the last several years as Head Administrator, you've done nothing but keep secrets from me. I knew you only asked me to fill this position because of my reputation as a sorcerer. Knowing this, I still looked forward to working with you. Then you began hiding things from me. I can't even trust the Council anymore! You seem to be friendlier with Councilman Remir than you are with me. Every time I go in there to talk, they accuse me of not listening to you. They don't want to hear what I have to say, thinking that my anti-war speeches are nothing but babble. I've become an enemy among my own peers while you do nothing! If we're supposed to trust each other, you've got a very direct way of working around it!"
The king wasted no time firing back at me, "And that gives you the excuse to go behind my back and speak with King Leirelat and his Administrator?"
"Excuse me?" I wore a temporary look of shock on my face.
"Don't act like you have no idea what I'm talking about, Kamek. You've been taking many trips to Alteria without me. The gods know what the hell you are doing there, discussing matters with them without me being present."
"Your Highness, my trips to Alteria have very little to do with actual politics. I go to take Ludwig there to visit his friend."
"Ah, of course. Was that while I was ignoring him?" he snarled, sarcasm evident in his voice.
I really wanted to say, Actually, yes. Yes it was., but silenced myself. "While you were attending to other matters."
"I should be jealous of you, Kamek. You're quite good at stealing what belongs to me. First my wife, and now my son."
I couldn't take it anymore. He knew damn well bringing up Monika would incite a whole new topic of debate. It was a debate I was not ready to argue with him about, so I wordlessly walked over to the planning room's door and took my leave.
"We've said enough tonight, your Highness. I think the events of today have taken their toll. Whatever bad feelings we have towards each other, we should dismiss. Our duties are more important than any squabbles you and I share. Agreed?"
"Agreed." He turned his back to me, ending the argument.
That last comment of his angered me beyond belief. I had no other option but to leave the room, otherwise I might've done something I'd soon regret. Everything is quiet now back in my quarters as I write this. Writing helps me unwind more than any other activity I can think of. It is an outlet, a way to rid oneself of any negative energy they may be harboring without intentionally harming anyone else. Keeping this diary has helped me maintain my sanity over the past few years I've been Head Administrator. The occurrences of today were only a culmination of issues that had been brewing under the surface for far too long. I honestly can say I am not mad at Ludwig for what he did, and I certainly have no regrets about anything I said to King Bowser. The only thing that worries me is how Ludwig will react to his father when he gets older. He's getting to that age where it may become difficult to control him, and forget about the fact that he's still getting used to controlling his special gift. As for my future, that remains uncertain. For now, I'll continue to cooperate with my king. Part of being a good politician is learning to put one's own convictions aside and to work with people you may despise. It may be more difficult now than ever to do so, but I love my job too much to throw it away. I've worked too hard to let it all collapse in on me. And lastly, I never "stole" Monika or Ludwig away from the king. You cannot steal something from someone that wandered away from them. I just took what was mine.
Mwa haha, I have returned! The Wicked Witch of the East is back! It took me a while to get this chapter up, but it wasn't because of pure laziness this time! I got a new computer a few weeks back because my old one was giving me major problems. Now that I got this new piece of technology, I'll be able to get out my stories faster than usual. Hope everyone liked this chapter. I think it's got more of a darker feel to it, and it's a mood that's going to remain throughout the rest of this tale. It's time for the shit to hit the fan. As a result, it may also take a more mature tone, so I may have to edit some future chapters for content to keep the PG-13 rating. As always, reviews are welcome! Until the next chapter, bitches! Wee-woooo! ...Go to my website, goddamn you!
P.S.If you can spot the "Gladiator" movie reference in this chapter, I'll send you some stale Girl Scout Thin Mint cookies.