August 15, 1988
As my dear Prince Ludwig gets older, he gets more and more difficult to control. It's been years since I was the awkward age of twelve, and it is hard for me to grasp what is going on inside his head. Over the years I've tried, with much success, but I think now Ludwig is even beyond my reach. A conversation I had with him shortly after the altercation between him and his father only made me pity the boy even more. It was an early June morning, and I had been up running errands for the Council. During my adventures, I had walked by the Crown Prince's ajar chamber door. Being the snoop that I was (and considering the circumstances) I stopped and peered inside. Sitting up in bed was Ludwig, but there was something alarming about his demeanor. He appeared to have been awake for a long time as he leaned his back against the bed's headboard. His hands were clenched around parts of his blanket, and his already large eyes were wider than ever, almost bloodshot. I had to restrain myself from barging in and overreacting, as any good parent would do, forcing me to knock lightly on the door.
"Ludwig, are you awake?" I asked in a calm tone. "It's me."
"Yeah..." came his weak reply.
"May I come in?"
"Please do."
I found his responses odd. Eagerly I entered the room and shut the door behind me. Sitting down next to him on the bed, I began to survey him over. He looked like he had just awoken violently from a nightmare, or something of the sort. The prince didn't even bother to look my way as he addressed me.
"Kamek, I don't know what's going on anymore."
"Why do you say that?"
"Lately I haven't felt..." Ludwig hesitated. "I haven't felt right."
Unsure if he was alluding to the incident with the king last month, I was careful how to react. "Are you talking about your father?"
"Um, sorta. Not really." He finally faced me. "I think something screwy is going on with my powers."
"With your powers?" I was surprised. If anything was wrong, I figured it wouldn't have anything to do with keeping his abilities in check. After all, I was his teacher. "I thought you had been making excellent progress with your training, Ludwig."
"No, not lately." The boy shook his head and smirked to himself. "I haven't been able to...control myself recently. I keep having these strange dreams that freak me out. I can't sleep. I'm beginning to hear voices in my head other than my mother's. I don't know what's going on anymore."
His words came so fast that it took me a few minutes to absorb everything he had said. The thing that struck me most was the comment he made about the voices. He was clearly frightened. I decided to tackle this one step at a time.
"First off Ludwig, what happened? You look like you've seen a ghost." He appeared to be miles away from me. "Did you have one of those dreams you were talking about?"
"Unfortunately, yeah." The prince sighed deeply before continuing. His reply came rapidly, as if he was relieved to reveal the details to me. "Kamek, I have no idea what's been going on recently. I keep having all these freaky dreams...I can't sleep. I just lie here at night, dozing in and out of consciousness..."
"What kind of dreams are they?"
"It's like everyone around me that I care for is being taken away from me. You and Tori are totally absent, and then I see my mom–or at least who I think is my mom–and she's trying to tell me something, but I can't hear her." He chewed on the inside of his cheek before adding in under his breath, "It's all his fault."
I didn't even have to ask about who he was alluding to. "So it is connected to your father?"
"Maybe. At least I think so."
Growing tenser by the moment, I had to ask him about his mother. "Have you tried talking to her about it?"
"No, not yet. I'm too afraid to."
"What about the strange voices you previously mentioned?"
"Gods, you must think I'm really nuts now."
"No, of course not!" As much as it caused me to be uneasy, I found it strangely fascinating. Sorcerers hearing voices is something only read about in the legends. Modern day mages, such as myself and Monika, never heard of such things. "Ludwig, I find this all so intriguing because the things you speak of are so unusual to me."
"I'm glad one of us is enjoying it."
"Do you recognize any of the voices? What are they saying?" I quickly stopped my rush of questions upon seeing the strange look he gave me in return. "Oh, I apologize."
"It's okay. I don't really recognize any of them, nor can I understand what they're saying. It's more like muffled voices than clear words. I think, like my mom, these other voices are coming from...dead people. Ugh, it's so frustrating." Ludwig stopped to rub his eyes, and it was then that I happened to look down at the blanket which he was clutching onto. Part of the fabric had seen singed, apparently by his own touch. "See, this is what I mean..." he sadly explained. "I'm losing control of my abilities. Just by getting angry...this is what I can do."
"Don't think too much of it." I did my best to make light of the situation, but I don't think it helped. "Sometimes things like this happen to higher-tiered sorcerers. The slightest flaw in one's concentration can throw everything off balance."
"But I'm afraid I'm going to hurt someone if I keep this up. I can't imagine hurting Wendy while playing with her..." He grinned suddenly, giggling to himself, "But I wouldn't care too much if it was Lemmy or Roy."
"Now, now..." I playfully scolded. "What do you think it'll take for these dreams to stop?"
"I think I need to get away from here for a bit." He had become serious again.
"What do you mean, Ludwig?" I questioned, unsure of what he was talking about. "You mean away from your home?"
"Right now, everything–except you, of course." I watched as he wrung his hands in his lap. "I need to go somewhere to clear my head. I'm no longer thinking straight anymore."
"That's understandable." Letting my feelings get the best of me, I aimed to aid him in the best way I could. "What do you need me to do?"
"Can you make it possible for me to stay in Alteria for a while?"
"You mean with the Royal Family?"
"Where else?"
"That's rather bold of you," I grinned. "Considering what happened the last time you got together with the Alterian princess."
"Yeah I know, but she's the only other person who can really understand me, you know? Do you think you can arrange it?"
"I'm sure I can pull a few strings." Smiling, I got to my feet and made my way over to the door. He needed to get some more rest. "You won't miss it here?"
"Hardly."
"Then I shall see what I can do."
"Thanks. Hey, Kamek?"
"Yes, your Highness?" I turned to face him once again.
"I want to see my mom."
His comment was so random and peculiar. I had no idea what he meant by it. "What do you mean?"
"I want to see her." he repeated, his eyes cast down onto his blankets. He sounded like a stubborn child who had just gotten reprimanded for stealing a cookie from the forbidden cookie jar.
"Ludwig, you know that's impossible. You're fortunate enough to be able to hear her."
"It's not enough anymore." With narrowed eyes, he looked up and stared at me. "And I know you want to see her too."
Defeated, I left the room and shut the door behind me. Recently, I've noticed the boy's behavior growing more and more odd, but I attributed it to the circumstances surrounding the last few weeks. I waited until later that evening to bring up the topic with his father. Surprisingly, King Bowser granted the prince's request as quickly as I had asked it. His father, already a victim of the boy's explosive temper, was as eager as ever to get his eldest son out of the picture, if only temporarily. I pretended not to notice that my king wore a long-sleeved button down shirt in the middle of June, covering up the grim reminder about how horrendous relations really were between him and his heir. It saddened me to hear Bowser's nonchalant response, casting off Ludwig as only a mere obstacle and nothing more.
The mood around the castle has been depressingly frigid ever since my last diary entry. Of course, I expected such feelings to arise, but when it comes to me dealing with them, I choke. Instead, I would rather stand as a shadow in the background, watching with an observing eye. When I took the job as Head Administrator years ago, I had no idea that my duties would extend beyond politics.
Once acquiring King Bowser's permission, I contacted Head Administrator Gregory in Alteria and proposed my plan. He was as helpful as ever and immediately conversed with King Leirelat about the issue. At first I was afraid that any member of the Koopa family would no longer be allowed in Alteria, considering how dangerous his daughter's last trip to Dark World was. Thankfully, Gregory's answer came swiftly, and it was good news. He said that Ludwig and I were welcome in his kingdom whenever we wanted, but that King Bowser would never be granted such an invitation ever again. It certainly bothered me how the monarchs of two supposedly allied forces hardly exchanged words, and only made me think of how fragile things were once again.
Pushing my own thoughts aside, I reported to the Crown Prince the good news, and that we would leave first thing in the morning for his week-long stay in Alteria. I accompanied Ludwig on Captain Valor's airship the next day. I had wanted to see my Alterian allies, and to also have my own "good-bye" with the prince.
"Did you properly say your 'good-bye's' to everyone, Ludwig?" I asked as we took a seat on the ship's deck.
I could tell that he still dreaded riding on Valor's vessel, but he made believe it didn't bother his stomach as much. "Just to my siblings. I gave Wendy a hug and told Lemmy to stay out of my room."
I smiled, "That was very brotherly of you."
The rest of the short journey was filled with small talk. I could tell how excited he was to get away from Dark World, and I was glad to be the one to arrange it. Although he'd only be gone for a week, I could tell I was already going to miss him. I was never good at dealing with my emotions, and for the most part, neither was Ludwig. Upon landing in Alteria, we were greeted by Head Administrator Gregory, who immediately led us inside. He insisted that I stay for dinner, because King Leirelat was interested in talking with me. Naturally, I couldn't pass up such an invitation. The Crown Prince's visit had been kept a secret from the Alterian princess, so when she was called into the sitting room and saw us there, I thought I saw her do a double-take.
"You're staying for a week?" she squealed, clutching Isis the cat close to her chest. Every time I see that cat, I swear it grows fatter and fatter. "You're lying!"
"I'm not lying," the price chuckled. "Am I, Kamek?"
"Mr. Kamek, Louie's lying." Victoria started to bounce her cat in her arms.
"No, your Highness, he's being quite truthful." Gregory interjected as he placed his hands on her shoulders. "Is that the way you welcome your guests?"
"What did you do to get kicked out of your kingdom, Louie?" the princess jokingly questioned with a grin. "Hmm, it doesn't matter, you stay here with me. I've got something I want to show you!"
"What is it?" Ludwig walked over to his friend and instantly followed her out of the room.
"It's in the library..." I heard Victoria begin before the children vanished from my sight.
I was left alone with Head Administrator Gregory, who briefed me about the current situation in Alteria. Unfortunately, things were still the same. No news is good news, I suppose. Relations between his kingdom and Oceanside are still as stagnant as ever, and King Leirelat's become so much of a recluse that he now even avoids public appearances. He lets his advisors handle everything, including the Oceanside situation. As a king, he is neglecting his most important duties, but as a father, he seems to be putting in overtime. I remember Monika once telling me shortly after the birth of her son that she would be a mother first, and a monarch second. It was a choice I admired her for, but not until recently did I fully understand it. Experience is always the greatest teacher.
It wasn't until after I had a small bite to eat that I met with King Leirelat. Nervousness crept up inside of me, as I hadn't shared much with him since his daughter's last visit to Dark World. I feared that he would reprimand me heavily in front of Head Administrator Gregory for my carelessness about letting my king come into contact with the Alterian princess. He entered the room and I became rigid, clasping my hands in front of me as I bowed my head in reverence.
"Your Majesty," My throat was dry. I couldn't raise my eyes to meet his gaze.
"Oh, Kamek!" I heard him chuckle. Before I could raise my head, the king embraced me tightly, like I was his long-lost brother. I blinked, startled. Not one for physical signs of affection, I had to force myself to reciprocate. Still, I could not deny the feeling of relief that rushed over me; he wasn't mad after all.
"See, I told you so, Kamek!" Gregory said from behind me. "My king doesn't hold grudges against friends."
"Head Administrator Tirro," Leirelat sternly began in a silly manner. "No death sentence for you!"
"Your Majesty, I was not sure what to expect after-"
He silenced me with a calm wave of the hand and motioned for me to take a seat. Once we were all comfortable in one of the castle's many ornate sitting rooms, he addressed me not as a fellow politician, but as a friend.
"Kamek, I cannot be mad at you for what happened in Dark World. You're one of my only few allies left in the world today..." He tapped his fingers on his armrest before continuing, "I've come to realize that venturing out with you and the Crown Prince is what truly makes my little girl happy. Already, I've denied her so much...but I can't deny her that."
"I would have understood completely if you never wanted us to see your daughter again." I explained, still feeling a bit tense. "Ludwig and I only disappeared for a moment into the palace to return and find King Bowser on the airship. It was totally unexpected. We took a risk and had it backfire in our faces. I can't apologize enough for our folly, but-"
"Which is why I have to put down my foot as a father at some things. Kamek, you and the Crown Prince are always welcome in Alteria. That will never change. For now, I must continue to forbid Victoria from visiting Dark World. While there are some good forces working there, I cannot overlook the ones who plot against us."
Again, there was no need to even mention my king's name.
"Your Majesty, I thank you for your forgiveness and generosity. For a period, I thought I had lost it forever." I couldn't help but release a nervous snicker, "That would've been the greatest of errors for me to make. Your trust means so much to me."
"As I trust you, Kamek. Nor do I doubt your ability to watch over my daughter, but I believe there are things brewing, unbeknownst to even you, that are out of our control."
His comment was cryptic. It was almost like he had access to information that I couldn't reach. Quite possibly he could have also been referring to the general atmosphere between our kingdoms as of late.
"I'd especially watch out for Ludwig," he said warily. "His abilities are powerful, are they not?"
"Heh, that they are."
"Then I'd definitely keep an eye on him. Greed has no boundaries, Kamek."
"I hardly ever let him out of my sight while we're home, but I think he's pretty capable of taking care of himself." I sighed, thinking back about the incident between the prince and his father aboard the airship. "He's been making me worry lately, though."
"As all children are accustomed to making their parents do," Leirelat smiled, urging me to continue.
"Did Victoria tell you about what happened in Dark World?"
"About her speaking with King Bowser?"
"After that."
"No, what?"
"Ludwig, for a lack of better words, got very angry at his father for harassing your daughter and took it out on him physically."
"What did he do?" the king's voice sounded excited, almost too excited.
"When King Bowser went to put an arm around Victoria, the prince grabbed him and...and he burnt him so badly that his handprint became permanently etched onto the king's skin. I've never seen such a grotesque burn like that in sorcery. It wasn't an accident either. He did it on purpose."
"I always knew I had a strong liking for that boy," the Alterian king joked, pushing all seriousness aside for the moment. "Which is why I know that my daughter is in good hands with you, Kamek. She's got friends who care for her."
"And she'll always have that, your Majesty. I just wish I knew what was bothering Ludwig so badly." I already had several obvious thoughts about the matter, but wasn't about to divulge them to Leirelat.
"Well that's why he came here, right?" The king stood up. "Sometimes, we all need a break from the problems of home. Hopefully he'll enjoy his stay here and it'll do him some good."
"That's the plan."
"Good. Then would you like to wish him well before you leave, Head Administrator?"
"Yes, I'd like to."
"I think they're still in the library." Gregory said as he stood next to his king. "Victoria's been spending a lot of time in there recently, flipping through numerous books and throwing them all over the place when she's finished with them."
"She's found a topic of great interest?" I asked.
"Who knows. We're just glad she's doing this willingly!" King Leirelat laughed. "She's always been fond of reading, but never this much. It keeps her out of trouble."
With that, the three of us headed over to the castle's library, a room of theirs which I envied. It was filled with rare collections from all over the Eight Kingdoms. King Leirelat had told me that his family, going back generations, always had a love for books. Over the decades, the Tel'an Royal Family had collected several thousand volumes, making my library back at home look minuscule in comparison. There, we found the children lying on their bellies, with their noses planted into open books in front of them. Well, Ludwig was momentarily preoccupied with Isis the cat curiously sticking her face into his own, blocking his vision. Surrounding the pair were many other tomes, some of which were still opened to specific page numbers, marked with makeshift book marks.
"What's so interesting, sweetheart?" Leirelat questioned his daughter, who tore her attention away from her book for the time being to talk with us.
"Just looking up stuff."
"What kind of stuff?" I asked, interested. I tried to peek and see what she was reading, but she quickly shut the book and placed it to the side.
"Just on magic." Ludwig replied, gently pushing Isis away. "Ew, I've got a cat hair in my mouth."
"Hehe, you get used to that, Louie." Victoria giggled as she grabbed her feline friend. "We're just doing research on magic, Mr. Kamek. I thought Louie would like it."
"Well you two have fun," I hid the fact that their suspicious behavior bothered me and patted the prince on the head. "I'm leaving now. Shall I speak with you later?"
"Of course. I'll call home tonight."
"Don't forget about us!"
After saying some more "good-bye's" to King Leirelat and Gregory, I departed on Valor's airship and headed back to Dark World. I was glad to see Ludwig happy for a change of pace, and figured that he'd have a wonderful time in Alteria for the week ahead. Thinking no more of it, I returned home and continued about my usual business for the next two days. Then on the third day, late in the evening, I received a call from Head Administrator Gregory, telling me to come to Alteria immediately. He informed me that Ludwig had gotten hurt in an accident, and that he would tell me more upon my arrival. Shaken, I instantly reported the news to King Bowser, who instructed me to head to Alteria and bring the prince home for further treatment. The airship ride couldn't go slow enough as I paced nervously on deck. Numerous thoughts ran through my mind about what could've happened, and the only reassurance I got was Gregory telling me that the "accident was minor, but I needed to come as soon as possible." Then I recalled how intently the children had been eyeing the books in the library, and a frightening possibility came to me; they could have been toying around with a new sort of magic, but for what, I couldn't fathom.
When the airship landed I was quickly escorted by Gregory into the castle, where he directed me to a room down a long maze of hallways. I asked about what happened, and he told me that I should ask the children that. I entered the room to find the prince resting on a large bed, with dressings around his left ankle. Victoria sat next to him in a fetal position, almost protectively. As soon as they saw me their talking abruptly stopped.
"What happened?" I tried my best to remain calm, although I felt like screaming.
My inquiry was answered by an unexpected voice from behind me. "They were found in the mountains," King Leirelat interjected. He joined me in the room and spoke formally. I could tell he was masking his anger as well as he could. "They were found not too long ago."
"And what the hell were they doing there?" I growled. My gaze became fixated upon Ludwig, who avoided my stare. "Ludwig?"
The two remained quiet, not even bothering to look at us. Apparently Leirelat had already scolded them. It was rare for me to give the prince the third degree, and when I did I hated doing it, but now I couldn't control myself. Still, I found it difficult to remain angry at the boy without feeling sorrowful for him. "You didn't answer my question, Ludwig," I edged him on. "What the hell happened up there? Why were you two even there in the first place? Don't you know how dangerous it is-"
"I was only trying to help!" Victoria suddenly exclaimed. "I only wanted to help Louie."
"Help him with what?"
"I..." she paused and look at the prince. He lazily shrugged his shoulders, giving her the green light to continue telling her story. "We were looking for the Netherrealm Gate."
I felt a sharp pang in my chest as she said it. At that moment, I lost it. "Gods! Is that what you two were researching in the library? You were looking for ways to open up the Gate?"
"Yes, Mr. Kamek."
"Why were you trying to do that! It's only a myth! I can't believe you went up into the mountains yourselves! How did you even get out of the castle?"
"Erica, Victoria's nanny, told me that they were in the garden playing one minute, and the next minute, they were gone." Leirelat told me. "The Crown Prince has a gift for walking through walls..."
"But why?" I pleaded for a response from the two. "Why would you go and do something like that?"
"If we were to find the Gate, I'd open it. I know I'm the only one who can summon the Horsemen and break the barrier. Someone who can speak to the dead is needed for that...and well, that's me." Victoria stopped, taking time out to pick her next few words carefully. "I just wanted to help Louie see his mom again."
Any anger in me subsided, and I couldn't help but exhale a long exasperated breath. "So that's what this is all about..."
"I told you I wanted to see her again, Kamek." Ludwig finally broke his silence. He continued to avoid eye contact with me.
"And tell Head Administrator Tirro what else happened, Victoria." Leirelat urged.
Ludwig spoke before the princess could respond, "I lost my footing and twisted my ankle between some rocks. No big deal."
That got me furious for a second time. "No big deal? You shouldn't have been up there in the first place!"
"It's okay, Mr. Kamek." Victoria casually started. "I helped Louie get down the mountain. We weren't up that far anyway. At the base we spotted by some of my father's troops stationed there."
"At first I couldn't put any pressure on it or anything, then it began to swell badly when we got back here." Ludwig's attitude was so superficial that it drove me nuts.
"How could you act like this, Ludwig?" I snapped. "You're fortunate enough that it's summertime and the weather was forgiving in the mountains! Did you forget where you were? I don't understand how you could do something so foolish and endanger not only yourself, but your friend!" I then turned to Leirelat and felt a strong need to apologize. "Your Majesty, if I would've known what they were planning, I would've never let him stay here."
"Kamek, you had nothing to do with it. It's these two that are the mischievous ones." He took my arm and turned me around, so we'd be facing away from the bed. "Please, I know this sounds strange coming from me, but don't be too harsh on the prince. It's not like they deliberately went to endanger themselves. When Victoria first told me about what happened, I didn't feel anger, but I felt pity." he whispered.
What he said certainly did take me for surprise. "I figured you would be even more infuriated than me, your Majesty."
"You'd think so... You can say I shocked even myself."
"Fine." In full voice, I faced the children again. "You're both fortunate enough to have had the gods with you earlier. It still doesn't excuse what you two did. Ludwig, we'll be leaving shortly. Your father wants you to come home."
"Aww..." I heard Victoria mutter as she moved closer to the prince. He regained his silent composure and proceeded to ignore me.
Once Ludwig was able to stand for a bit, I made him thank everyone who had helped him in Alteria, then allowed him to bid farewell to the princess. I watched the interaction between the two and took notice how they didn't exchange words. Instead, they opted to talk through telepathy, probably out of fear that I'd scream at them again. After a hasty hug, it was time to go home. I wordlessly aided Ludwig as he limped onto the airship and helped him take a seat. The whole time he couldn't even look at me. The expression upon his face reminded me of how he sometimes eyed his father when he annoyed him. I hated to admit it, but I suddenly felt remorse when I viewed him like that. While I'm sure Ludwig didn't like it, I sat down next to him in the airship's cabin, hoping to initiate a conversation. He was the one to speak first.
"I thought you'd be the last to forget her, Kamek."
"Forget who?" I asked puzzled. As soon as I had said that, I knew what he meant. "No Ludwig, I'd never forget your mother."
"Then why are you so angry at me?"
"Because you went behind not only my back, but also King Leirelat's back, to venture off on some silly journey-"
"I wasn't aware that wanting to see your mother again was silly." His tongue was sharp. He wasn't about to let me off easily.
"That's not what I meant, Ludwig. What's silly is that you're searching for something that probably doesn't even exist."
"How do you know that? Apparently I'm not the only one who thinks it does. Victoria tells me that her father is doing his best to divert Oceanside away from searching for it. Now why would he do that if it doesn't exist? He's ready to start a war over it. There's got to be some truth behind it."
I couldn't answer him. He was right. "So you risked taking the chance to see your mother again... Does she know about what you did?"
"Well I didn't tell her, but I'm sure she does."
"And don't you think that she'd be quite flustered at you for doing something like that?"
"I'll find out later."
"Ludwig, you're fortunate enough to be able to speak with her. There are things in life that we can do nothing about, and we just have to learn how to live with them. There's no chance of ever seeing your mother again, at least not in this world. Don't you think I'd jump at the opportunity too? There's so much I'd want to say to her...so much she should know."
"That's why I thought you'd be interested in us finding the Gate."
"I won't lie. Just the idea of being able to talk to her again, to see her again, would drive me to do foolish things too." I had to lighten the situation. Even talking about Monika like this was making me uneasy. "Alas Ludwig, such things cannot be. If they are meant to be, you will get your wish granted eventually. Besides, you know she's always there with you. Just because you can't physically see her doesn't mean she's not there." He opened up his mouth to say something, but I lightly placed a finger over his lips. "No, don't say a word. You think about what happened today. I won't argue with you any further."
I had to get up and exit the cabin, leaving a very perplexed pre-teen in my wake. He probably thought that the last few things I said to him were odd. In fact, they were, but he couldn't understand where I was coming from. Today he unexpectedly opened up some old wounds for me, wounds which already had a difficult time healing on their own. An air of uneasiness accompanied us for the rest of the ride home. We were greeted by the Royal Family's doctor back in Dark World, and he examined the prince. Luckily, the boy only had a slight sprain and nothing more. He would be fine within the week. I went with Ludwig back to his room to help him prepare for bed, the entire time still in silence. It wasn't until I was just about to walk out when he stopped me.
"You told me not to say a word, but there is something I have to say to you."
"What?"
"I will see her again, Kamek."
"And why are you so sure of that?"
"Because she told me."
I found his revelation eerie, but bothered to question it no further. We both had a long day and needed to relax. I already wasn't looking forward to explaining what happened in Alteria to King Bowser the next day. I would be wise not to reveal his son's plan to find the Netherrealm Gate. Instead, I'd just tell him that while yes they were found in the mountains, they were only being mischievous (Leirelat's own term), and just wanted to escape the castle for a little while. I wasn't sure if he'd buy it, nor did I care. I was too tired to care. I was too shaken up to care. I returned back to my quarters late in the evening to find a peculiar request left on my desk in the form of a post-it note and a broken camera. The note was very amusing, and I had to read it out loud to myself.
"Dear Kamek, can you please fix our camera? Mom had given it to us a while ago and now Wendy broke it during one her tantrums. She threw the thing across the room! She's such a brat and we can't stand her! We really like taking pictures and Dad wouldn't fix it. Ludwig's too mean to help us. Can you try to fix it? From Lemmy and Roy."
Next I picked up the camera and took a look at it. It was the type that would spit out the pictures as soon as they had been taken, avoiding the need to develop film. I tended to like these better because they were simple to use. It didn't take me long to notice that a plastic piece had been out of place, which I quickly snapped back into its correct spot. Humoring myself, because gods I needed to out of desperation, I snapped a picture just to see if the thing worked. It did. Since it was too late to return it to the young princes in person, I wanted to leave it in front of Lemuel's door so it would be the first thing he saw when he woke up in the morning. Making my way down the dark familiar corridor, a slit of light from behind a half-opened door caught my attention. It was the Crown Prince's quarters. Inside, I could see that he had a light on, emitting a dim light. Upon the bed he slept, on his side and still in his clothes from earlier in the day. His ankle was wrapped up and didn't appear to be bothering him as he rested peacefully. The image of him like that was a nice one, and against better judgement, I raised the camera and took a picture of the slumbering prince. Without further thinking, I picked up the picture and continued to Lemuel's room, where I left the camera.
When I came back to my chamber, I shut the door and threw the now developed picture on my nightstand. Taking off my shoes, I paused to take a quick gander at the snapshot I had caught on film...and my blood ran cold. Not believing my eyes, I picked up the picture and stared at it under the light from my lamp.
"Gods..." I muttered in disbelief. It was the only thing I could get out of my gaping mouth.
At first the photo looked normal; it was the sleeping Crown Prince in his room, surrounded by a dim light. When I looked closer, behind the boy, I could make out the faint image of what appeared to be a woman. She appeared transparent, but all the features were there on her face, including a mane of long, light brown hair and a blue dress. The way Ludwig was positioned, it looked like he was resting his head on her lap as she sat next to him, with one hand gently placed on his back. Her profile was towards him, as if she was staring at him while he slept.
I must've stared at the photo for over an hour, analyzing all the possible things that may have caused such a startling image to appear. It could've been a trick of the light in the boy's room, but the apparition sitting on the bed was too detailed and familiar looking to be just a light trick or camera malfunction. I once loved something...someone more than life, and then she was gone. At least, until now, that's what I used to think. This photo proved to me that Monika never left, and perhaps one day Ludwig will see his mother again. It also makes me think...that I should stop referring to her in the past tense.
September 5, 1988
Life has somewhat returned to normal here at Koopa Castle, despite the ever lingering tenseness in the atmosphere. I suppose it's something I'll just have to get used to. Prince Ludwig and I continue to train with magic outside, since the weather is still being generous here in Dark World. Now, more than ever, he seems attentive and willing to learn. I feel that it has everything to do with his difficulty controlling his abilities. I can't help but find it strange why this has been happening lately, so for now I'll attribute it to possible physical changes of the body, since he is nearing that age. It's possible that it may have an affect on his powers, although judging by my own personal experiences, I've never seen it happen before. Only time will tell what is truly going on with him. On the subject of the Crown Prince, I opted to not show him the mysterious picture I had snapped only weeks before of him in his bedroom. It may only serve in scaring him more than he already is, especially since what happened in Alteria. When he's older, I will show it to him.
Onto business matters... King Bowser's Council is still as ignorant as ever (excluding myself, of course), with the exception of a new member who introduced himself to me in the most unorthodox way. Being Head Administrator makes me the figurehead of the Council, so naturally part of my job is presiding over meetings when King Bowser is absent. Ancient tradition states that the king is only allowed to enter our deliberation chamber when he's invited in. Technically, even the king is not permitted to speak with the Council while it is in session. I've come to admire this practice. I'm already outnumbered greatly by my peers, and the king's presence only incites the men up even more against me. I remember when the king's children used to watch minor meetings, but as they've grown older, it seems to have become boring. Even our future king, the Crown Prince, has found better things to do.
Anyway, yesterday I was sitting in the Council chambers with my fellow politicians, reading over some documents from Magnamar Chasm. When no formal meetings are taking place, the councilmen revert into acting like teenage girls, gossiping about events around the kingdom, in their personal lives, etcetera. Normally I ignore them, pretending that I don't have a penchant for gossiping, which I do mind you, but what they speak of rarely gains my interest. Honestly, I do not care to hear about who is cheating on who, or where to get the best alcohol, but the conversation I happened to overhear then forced me to pull myself away from my work.
Two councilmen, Lorran and Wyler, were sitting not too far away from me and were talking rather loudly. Considering the subject matter, it made me wonder whether or not they wanted me to purposely overhear what they were saying. Whatever their motivation, it worked.
"Did you hear about the Crown Prince?" Wyler asked as he pulled at his tie. "I hate these damn robes."
"You mean about him and King Bowser?" Lorran questioned his friend. "Are you talking about-"
"Yeah, how he burned the king's skin right off. Now what the hell could've prompted a twelve year old to do something like that?"
Now they had my full attention. I quickly peeked up from my perch and stared at the men. At first I don't think they noticed me and kept on gossiping.
"Well us councilmen don't know much about the private life of the Royal Family," Lorran stopped and added in with a chuckle, "besides the fact that they gotta stop making so many little princes!"
"That's for sure. Ludwig has a different mother though. Do you think that has anything to do with it? Do you think the kid's bitter?"
"I think the kid's a lot of things, but I wouldn't want to get him angry! If he could hurt the king that badly by just grabbing him, could you imagine what else he's capable of?"
"Well why don't we ask his tutor? Head Administrator Tirro is right here."
"And what does that mean?" I found myself butting in with a raised eyebrow. I couldn't help myself. "What goes on within the Royal Family is their own business."
"But you're more like a family friend than just their Head Administrator, Kamek. You've got to know some juicy gossip!" Wyler coaxed, turning his chair to face me. "You've known the Koopa family for years."
"Yes, that I have."
"Then you must know what's going on between Prince Ludwig and King Bowser." Lorran seemed very eager for me to answer his inquiry. That bothered me. "You're Ludwig's tutor and the king's most trusted advisor. You've got to know something!"
"I know as much as all of you know." I lied.
"Gods, Kamek..." Wyler sighed. The two councilmen exchanged looks before speaking with me further. When Wyler resumed the conversation, his voice had taken a sullen tone. "Do you really think she did it, Kamek?"
"'She'?" I was annoyed now, wanting to get back to my work. "What are you talking about?"
"You know who we're talking about." Lorran wryly said. "If anyone knew Queen Monika, it was you."
"What about her?" Remaining indifferent towards a topic such as Monika was challenging for me, but I didn't dare show anyone else my true feelings towards her. It was no one's goddamn business.
"Do you really think she committed suicide, as the rumors say she did?"
Councilman Lorran's question infuriated me. The rumor was something that had circulated around Dark World shortly after the queen's untimely death, and by now I had thought it was silenced for good. Seems that I was wrong. Again, I did my best to hide my emotions and answered back sternly, "The rumors are nothing but just that–rumors. The queen did not take her own life."
"And why not? Everyone knew how miserable she was, being married to King Bowser."
"Monika was a strong woman who had too much to live for." I slammed shut my work folder and glared at the two nosey men. "It is not wise to speak ill of the dead."
"But Kamek-"
"I need some fresh air. I'll leave you two to waste time talking about things which do not pertain to you while you should be discussing matters to better Dark World's future. Do not make me dismiss you." I rose from my seat and stormed out of the chamber. I'm sure that as soon as I left they began talking about me, but I couldn't care less. I figured that I should let them wonder about what's really going on. They weren't worthy of knowing the truth.
As soon as I exited, I headed outside where I could be left alone with my thoughts. I didn't get very far before I heard an unfamiliar voice call out from behind me, begging me to stop.
"Head Administrator Tirro! Wait!"
Already irritated by the conversation from before, I wasn't sure if I should stop, but something made me. I whirled around to see a man trying to catch up to me. Immediately my features calmed down and I felt a wave of relief. He was definitely a councilman, judging from his long blue robe, but his identity alluded me.
When he reached me, he took a few moments to catch his breath. At first I didn't know who he was, then upon further inspection I recognized his face...it reminded me of someone.
"Head Administrator Tirro!" he gasped. "I followed you out of the chamber. You left before I could introduce myself properly. I'm-"
"Yes, you're Councilman Geno Almont, are you not?"
"Y-Yes! That's me. How did you-"
"You have to forgive me, my mind seems to be elsewhere at the moment... Your father passed away last month. He was an asset to my Council, and he will be greatly missed. I was very sorry to hear about your loss."
"Oh..." He was surprised that I knew all of that just by looking at him. "You have an excellent memory, Head Administrator Tirro."
"Please call me Kamek. All councilmen do."
"Okay, Kamek."
I surveyed him over. He appeared only a few years younger than me and beared a striking resemblance to his father, which is why I recognized him so quickly. Usually when a new councilman is inducted, there is a ceremony filled with much pomp and extravagance, but considering the circumstances of his father's death, Geno did not want such an event to take place. He was sworn in formally by King Bowser, so I hadn't met Geno up until this point.
"It is nice to finally meet you, Councilman Almont."
"Please call me Geno."
"Subtleties are always nice." I smiled. When he noticed that I was now in his good company, he began to talk a mile a minute in boyish excitement. Apparently, he was my biggest fan.
"Kamek, I can't even start to explain about how much of an inspiration you've been to both me and my father. While a member of the Council, my father would always talk about you, and about how you were young and yet very wise about things. He admired you because of your pacifism regarding Oceanside and Alteria, and I admire you as well."
All I could do was nod my head and chuckle to myself. It was about time I got some praise for this job. "Geno, your praise is much appreciated. I am glad to have had such a strong influence over you and your father. I can only hope that I continue to remain in your favor, and now that I have you as an ally in the Council, I think you and I can make some positive changes together."
"I'm looking very forward to it, Kamek! We share the same views on virtually everything. From what my father told me, you and him were outnumbered by the other councilmen. Together I think we can work through that. Dark World has the capability to regain her former glory."
"I believe that too, but there are certain obstacles that stand in her way..." I had to stop myself before I revealed too much to the inexperienced councilman. Despite his age and lack of political skill, Geno rubbed off on me well. He seemed like someone I could rely on and trust, and not to mention he had high opinions of me and my administration. How could I not like him?
"Kamek?"
"Yes?"
"Where were you running off to just now? You bolted out of the chambers pretty fast. I was almost afraid to approach you."
Speaking with him had temporarily made me forget about Wyler and Lorran. "I...I was just about to see my favorite student, Geno."
I watched as his eyes grew wide. "Do you mean the Crown Prince?"
"I do. It's time I go check up on him."
"He's a truly powerful sorcerer, just like you, isn't he?"
"You can say that he's still in training, but yes, he has great potential."
"I've never met any of the Royal Family before. I've heard so much about Prince Ludwig though. A lot of people say that he's just like his mother...I was heartbroken when she died. The poor prince... At least he has you, though."
"Would you like to meet him?"
"A-Are you serious?"
"Sure, why not? Just don't tell the other councilmen that I'm allowing you to enter the private quarters of the Royal Family, otherwise I'd have you ejected from the Council permanently." I teased, but I don't think Geno realized I was just kidding. "Geno, I'm joking."
"Oh!" he nervously laughed. "I promise, I won't tell!"
Geno's reaction reminded me why I was never much of a practical joker. My ex-wife Camille often told me that it was hard to decipher whether I was kidding or being serious half the time, and how much it irritated her. I'm sure it irritated her as much as her mere presence irritated me.
I led Councilman Almont into the inner rooms of the palace, which were restricted to the rest of the Council. Along the way, we made small talk about numerous things of little importance. I listened while Geno reminisced about his late father. He reminded me of myself when I first assumed my position in the Council after my own father's death. Even I had to admit that it was a frightening experience for me, so I could empathize with Geno. About halfway down the hall my ears detected the sound of a piano being played from a room nearby. My intuition was right–the Crown Prince was in one of his favorite spots in the castle. The source of Ludwig's musical ability remained a mystery to me, since Monika wasn't one for instruments. She liked to tinker around with a piano when she got the chance, and sometimes played rather well, but she was far from being a prodigy. The rest of the Koopa family wasn't blessed with musical talents.
"Ah, here he is." I stopped in front of the half-opened door of the music room and faced Geno. "I knew he'd be in here."
We walked in to find the eldest prince seated at the piano, with his baby sister Gwendolyn at one side, and Prince Lemuel at the other. They didn't seem perturbed when we interrupted.
"Hey Kamek," Ludwig greeted, peering up from his sheet music. He caught sight of my companion and cocked his head to the side in curiosity. His little siblings seemed interested too.
"Hi Kamek," Lemuel casually said. "Who's that?"
I joined the three children by moving closer to the piano. Geno followed my lead. "This is Councilman Geno Almont. He's our newest inductee. His father was a friend of mine. He was just curious to meet you all." I introduced the Koopa children one by one. "The toddler is Princess Gwendolyn. The blunt boy seated on the far right is Prince Lemuel, and the boy in the center with the unkept hair is Crown Prince Ludwig." All three of them politely waved.
"It is an honor to meet you all." Geno bowed his head. There was a boylike innocense about his character that I couldn't shake. It was endearing.
"What were you just doing, Ludwig?" I asked.
"I was trying to show Lemmy and Wendy some things on the piano," He smirked at his brother. "But I don't think they're interested."
"I'd rather watch cartoons." Lemuel replied. "I like to listen to you play."
"You're just too lazy to learn, Lemmy."
"Well not all of us are as talented as you are, Ludwig." the younger prince retorted, even referring to his elder brother by his full name. Recently he had adopted Princess Victoria's affectionate nickname of "Louie" for the Crown Prince, and only called him "Ludwig" when he was angry or just teasing.
"Unfortunately not everyone can be as smart as I am. I pity you, Lemmy." The Crown Prince's cocky reply brought a smirk to my face. Apparently I had been a bigger influence on the boy than I previously thought.
"How's the ankle doing, young man?" I nodded towards his foot.
"It's getting better."
At that point, Gwendolyn started to bang on the piano's keys, giggling at the pained faces her brothers made. That was our cue to leave.
"Well, it is time for us to be getting back to business. I will speak with you later, Ludwig."
"It was a pleasure meeting you!" Geno exclaimed to the children.
We had just turned to exit the chamber when Ludwig called out to us.
"Wait, Councilman Almont?"
"Yes, your Highness?"
"I'm sorry to hear about your father."
Geno, startled at the boy's words, paused and lowered his head. "T-Thank you, your Highness."
The prince's remark had caught me off guard too. As far as I knew, Ludwig did not know much about what went on within the Council, including the personal affairs of its members. For much of the way back to the deliberation room, Geno remained silent. He only spoke just before we were about to enter the chamber.
"Kamek, did you mention anything to him about my father's passing?"
"...No."
"Then how did he know?"
"Unless if he found out through other means... Geno, I honestly don't know how he knew."
I've been doing a lot of thinking since last night. Ludwig claims that his powers are growing out of control, but I beg to differ. In a way, I think they're becoming stronger...almost as if they are evolving into entirely new abilities. As a sorcerer myself, I lament the fact that I've never experienced such phenomena, nor have any of my peers. Also, he mentioned that he can now hear voices other than his mother's. Is that how he knew about Geno's father? All of this leaves me rather dumbfounded. Some research on my behalf should help to clear things up a bit, but somehow I think that it's going to raise another series of questions for the both of us. Recalling the picture of the apparition I now have hidden in my dresser drawer, it makes me wonder... I don't think this spirit appeared on her own accord. I think this spirit appeared because she was summoned.
I have no idea what caused me to put off writing this chapter so much. Over the summer I thought I'd have time to work on my writing, but I ended up becoming burnt out because of my job. Once the semester started last month, I felt my inspiration return. Anyway, I hope you readers liked this chapter. I thought the subject matter was spooky, perfect for an update near Halloween. I'm very much into the supernatural, and I thought this chapter reflected that. I've experienced some weird shit in the past. I don't want people thinking of Ludwig as "Sixth Sense kid" creepy, but..er..you'll see what I've got up my sleeve. Now, for the first time, I feel that the story is really picking up. Events will come at a much faster rate and all that fun stuff. I also think I listened to too much Sonata Arctica while writing this. There are several references to their songs, as well as a Mario RPG one. I've been in a mood to write this story lately, neglecting my other writing. If any fans of my Zelda parody are reading this, turn away! I'll be updating that shortly. Anyway, as always, read and review. Until the next time, bitches!