Disclaimer: The usual bit about everything Disney is Disney's yada yada.
I hope you guys are liking the challenges thus far because here comes number three.
Thanks to my guest reviewer, I like your idea for the last challenge quite a lot, as you may see in the coming chapters.
And a Wahoo! for another favorite :)
Review for my fun and dance or eat chocolate or build a snowman but have some fun for you today :)
Also, do you think the ball should be a challenge or take place after the challenges, let me know!
Chapter 9: Fixer Upper
"Sire, how are you feeling?" Julius asked sympathetically as he approached the king at breakfast. "The doctors tell me you are utterly exhausted."
"I am doing alright, thank you." The king went back to looking at his gray, unappealing porridge.
"Yes of course you are, of course you are. I just wondered if I could help lighten your load."
Julius bit into a cherry pastry as he took a seat beside the king.
"What were you thinking?" The king sat up a bit straighter.
"Well it's just that these challenges, it must be so troublesome to prepare for them all on your own. Why don't you let me help with this one? What is it going to be by the way?" Julius leaned in.
"I am not sure I should-" The king stopped talking as the boys came in for breakfast. Kurt came and dropped his ax by his chair, grabbed the platter of bacon and dove right in, eating and grunting like a hog. Kane came in from the hall, straightening his hair and tugging on his cravat. He brought a faint whiff of perfume and musk with him. He sat down and began to slather jam and butter on a berry muffin and winked at Kurt when Kurt spotted his state of disarray and saw one of the court ladies fixing her hair in the hallway.
Kit came in a few minutes later, red cheeked and with wind tousled hair. He smelled like fresh pine and hay. He smiled widely at this father before grabbing a banana, grit cake and pouring a goblet of milk. He looked up a minute later, eyed his father's breakfast and called for a maid. He said something quietly and she left for the kitchen.
"Trying to flirt, simpleton?" Kane asked mockingly.
"No." Kit answered quietly, not rising to the bait.
"Good for you, to know your place. Girls like real men." Kurt commented and then belched. "Like me."
Kit just shook his head and went back to his breakfast.
"Don't mistake these challenges as your chance, brother." Kane hissed.
Kurt added, "They are just to prove to the court how dumb you really are and how fit I am to be king."
"Oh?" Kit questioned with a bland tone.
"Yeah, just because Father has gone with your ideas doesn't mean you're winning." Kane chimed in.
"Why would it? Why would meeting all of the challenges thus far mean anything?" Kit's chin was determined and he had a steel glint in his eyes. He was done taking everything his brothers threw at him without saying a word. Now was the time to stand up for himself, when he had a real chance to change things for the better in the kingdom.
Kane scoffed. "You haven't done anything, simpleton. Father just took pity on you, never winning any tournaments, never besting us in the training yard, never even having a woman. We all know who really deserves to be king here."
"Me." Kurt beamed proudly.
"What? No, me." Kane argued.
As the boys bickered, Julius kept trying to get the king's attention.
"Sire?" Julius tapped his shoulder.
"Hmmm?" The king looked away from his very different sons.
"How can I help you set up the next challenge?" Julius stared intently at the king.
The maid Kit had spoken to came up next to the king and set down a pitcher of honey and a bowl of blueberries. She curtsied and backed away. The king looked down at Kit who smiled and got up from the table and left in the direction of the library.
Kit had become used to quick meals, less time for his brothers to torment him and more time to learn and be outside.
He wanted to study some more about animal behavior, with all the strange interactions with animals he kept having as of late.
"Your majesty?!" Julius indignantly tapped the king's shoulder again and then knelt on the ground right beside him.
"What? Oh right, the next challenge is to see how well they can handle the public problems on petition day." The king answered absentmindedly as he added honey and blueberries to his now more appealing breakfast. Julius smiled gleefully and proceeded to whisper the challenge to Kane and Kurt.
Sometime later that day in the throne room
Kane, Kurt, and Kit approached three chairs waiting for them in one of the smaller halls of the kingdom. When Kit went to sit down, Kurt pulled away his chair. Kit stumbled but managed to regain his balance to avoid falling down in front of everyone. As soon as they were all seated, the herald announced the third challenge.
"Hear ye, hear ye. The third challenge of our beloved king is for his sons to handle the requests of the crown on petition day. The king will sit and observe. The peasants will tell their king what they thought of the answers they received. Julius will oversee matters and distribute the requests.
Kit inwardly groaned at the gloating looks on Julius and Kane's faces. He just knew they would send him the impossible requests.
He happened to see a tapestry of a clearing in the woods on the wall and remembered the maiden from the forest. "They treat me as well as they are able."
Perhaps he was being too harsh on Julius, after all, he could be more polite when he disagreed with the man.
He would simply to have to follow her advice, "Have courage and be kind" and maybe he could really help someone.
Thus the day began.
There were quite a few people seeking help from the crown that day.
The king's worsening health had led to a delay since the last petition day.
They had gone from being twice a month to no petition days for two entire months.
The crowd was very curious when they heard they would be seeing the princes instead of the king.
Most of them hoped they wouldn't get the simpleton prince or if they did, that he could pass on their plea to someone who could handle it.
Julius had sent the first three petitioners to Kane and Kurt.
He sent Kane two people: one that had a complaint about trade fees in the harbor and another who complained that the landlord needed to fix his roof.
Kane told the man that the harbor fees were unfair and he intended to fix them even though he had no such intentions and actually wanted to raise them to make a little extra money.
Kane then told the second man, that the landlord only needed to collect the rent, not provide for the upkeep and gestured for him to move along.
Julius had sent Kurt someone who wanted his sons to get a week of leave from the army to help with the harvest. Kurt simply told him that his sons worked for the crown and he should work harder himself to bring in the harvest.
However, Julius sent most of the crowd Kit's way, sure that the simpleton would fail and leave disgraced, thus finally eliminating him from the heir challenge.
Kit handled requests for loans, land disputes, and many others. He did his best to be fair to everyone. He made sure to take the time to get the full story if possible.
With regard toward the disputes, he tended to support the people over the lords or landowners.
He made a note to himself that the villagers needed more rights so that they could stand up for themselves.
For the money requests, he tried to see if there were ways to work off the debts or the loan in the castle.
If not, he apologized as sincerely as he could.
Julius eventually approached all three of them to let them know the king would be watching how they handled the last petition of the day.
He was surprised that Kit had lasted the day but figured he could stump him with the last request.
Julius smirked at Kit as he gestured the peasants forward, "This question is one that has even the king's councilors stumped. It will take a true king to find an answer here...not a simpleton."
Kane and Kurt snickered while Kit flushed a red as the peasants looked at him and frowned.
"State your case." Kane said imperiously, ready to be done with the day.
"My brother and me want you to tell us who our father's fields should go too."
"Why can't you just split it in half?" Kurt growled, ready to be done for the day.
The peasants recoiled but one continued boldly. "There's three fields, one 'ouse and one stable with a 'ay loft. We don't know 'ow to split it. Especially since it's gettin' 'arder and 'arder to get a good crop off the land each year."
"I should have the stable and two fields and the 'ouse because I am the oldest." One argued.
The other one countered. "I should have two fields and the stable because I'm better with the livestock."
"You should live in the loft then like your damn livestock and give me the 'ouse."
"No, I 'ave as much right to the 'ouse as your arse does."
"As you can see" Julius cut in. "They need a king's advice." He looked at Kane.
Kurt called out his answer first, wanting to beat Kane and prove he could be king.
"Why doesn't one of you just give up farming and join the army? That would benefit the crown."
The peasants glanced at each other.
"You first."
"No, you first."
Kane snapped his fingers and they both became quiet.
"I suggest that the eldest gets the house," The older brother smirked at the younger at Kane's words.
"And that the crown takes possession of the land." Kane finished with a smile.
"What? beggin' your pardon, your 'ighness" The older brother asked, nervously.
"As a fee for coming to us with such a petty problem. Besides, that way you don't have to argue any more over who gets the extra field. Your younger brother can live in the loft, I don't see any problems." Kane's eyes narrowed as he finished.
"But that...but we need..." the younger brother couldn't find the words without insulting Kane.
His older brother also protested. "Ummm, I don't think...well you see...we farm, we need land, your 'ighness."
Kit interrupted as it looked like Kurt was about to break off the arm of his chair with boredom and Kane was going to deport the villagers.
"I have an alternative solution for you."
They both turned to him hopefully while Julius frowned and Kane scowled fiercely at him.
"What could you have thought up, simpleton? Will you farm the land for them, farming being something better suited to you than ruling."
"What are your names first of all? Kit ignored Kane and leaned forward off of his chair.
"My name is Frank. My brother's name is Barney." The younger answered.
"Thank you. Now why doesn't Frank divide your inheritance in half-"
Frank preened at Kit's words while Barney's mouth opened to protest.
Both stopped as Kit continued, "And Barney can pick which half he wants."
They stopped to think it over before turning to face each other.
"That sounds fair to me." Frank said hesitantly.
"I agree" Barney said, clapping Frank on the shoulder.
Kurt cracked his knuckles and eye Kit darkly. He swore to find Kit in the practice yard and teach him a lesson in humility.
Kane could barely contain his anger, his hands were trembling and his eyes were full of fire.
He promised he would do anything to beat Kit next time.
Up until now, he hadn't bothered to cheat because he hadn't viewed either of his brothers as a threat. He thought the challenges were just a formality. Now, he promised himself, he would use all of his sway in court and Julius to beat Kit and remind everyone who the prince, nay the king, truly was.
Julius just stood there gaping at Kit.
"If you need help with the third field, might I recommend that you let it grow clover for the livestock? You can rotate which field has the clover each year too. I find that it improves the soil, it makes it easier to grow crops if you give the land a break and that way, you can still make a living off of it." Kit continued.
Frank and Barney smiled widely at hearing the last part.
"Thank you, your 'ighness."
"Yes, thanks!"
Kit smiled and walked up to them. "I wish you the best of luck with next year's harvest." He said as he shook their hands.
Frank and Barney were amazed as he shook their hands. Maybe his nickname didn't suit him as well as everyone said.
The king then approached Frank and Barney from behind.
"So, who answered your petition?"
"Sire" Frank gasped out while he and Barney both dropped to theirs knees.
"It was Prince Kit who did it, Sire' Barney answered. "'e 'elped us a lot."
"Kit?" the king questioned, surprised at the answer.
"Aye, t'was Kit, your majesty." Frank agreed.
"Oh," the king looked at Kit. "Good job son." He patted him on the back and then made his way to his rooms to rest.
Kurt had run off to the practice yard after punching Kit in the stomach while Kane wrenched his arms back with warning to respect his brothers.
Kane then pushed Kit to the ground and snarled at Kit that he had better quit his little game because Kane would show him no mercy if he continued once Kane was king.
Kit had simply and quietly taken the hits. Once it was over, he stood up and then left to visit his horse in the stables.
Julius met up with the king shortly after he scolded Kit for denying the crown a farm and a soldier and left him in the hands of Kurt and Kane.
"Sire, surely there are more challenges to be had? For Kane's solution would have gained us more land and Kurt's would have given us a soldier. Both had good answers that the villagers disregarded. Kit truly harmed the kingdom by speaking up."
"What else would you suggest? I have already tested their ability to handle the kingdom's trade, defense, and people? What else is there?"
The king sighed, he had thought his challenges were good but if Julius thought there was a problem, maybe there was. He wished his wife was around to tell him if he was doing good or not.
"What else is there? Hmm...let me see. There's...fashion! no, no, no...there's bloodline! No...umm...uh...reputation!" Julius cried out at last.
"Reputation?" The king asked eyebrows drawing together.
"Yes, how the kingdom views them as a king. Are they strong, confident? Or are they like a simpleton, unfit to rule?" He added with a sly look.
Julius continued. "What would the Queen say, eh? She'd probably want the future king to have the support of the court."
Julius tried that card, thinking the King would see how Kit could never earn the court's respect.
"Hmmm" The king thought it over. He then remembered that in his dream, three feathers had fallen from his wife's stuffed hawk.
"Yes, I know what we can do for the next part. We will let Fate decide, let Fate guide these lives we see."
"But, uh, um, how exactly, your majesty?" Julius realized he had been derailed again by another one of the king's strange moods.
It was a mistake to play the Queen card, it almost never worked like he wanted it too, much like Queen herself.
"I will put three feathers in the sky to be blown by the wind. The boys will have to follow one of the feathers to find the answer to the challenge. We will announce it tomorrow."
"Very well, your majesty."
Julius agreed but he already knew he'd give "Fate" a little push to ensure Kane got the throne.
The witch returned that evening just as the sun was about to rise.
She snapped her fingers and Cinderella fell to the ground in a heap of limbs and the net.
"Get up, it's time for you to answer me. My girls are growing worse, they keep getting more warts."
Cinderella slowly got to her feet.
She ached all over from the fall and from being trapped all night.
"Well?" Her stepmother tapped her foot impatiently.
"Perhaps I can find a herbal remedy for the warts madam. But I won't give up the location of the spring."
She knew she had to have courage now.
The witch grew very quiet and stared at her, her eyes full of hate.
Cinderella was afraid to breath.
The sun rose during their staring and Cinderella decided to change into a horse.
She wanted to go for a run, away from the witch and her fears and her pain.
However, the witch caught her mane before she could bolt.
"Tsk, tsk, tsk. You are a wild mare that needs to be broken in." Her voice was so mild, it scared Cinderella more than if she had hissed or shouted.
She then tied Cinderella to a tree using reins she conjured up.
Cinderella pawed the ground nervously but she couldn't get free.
"Now, remember, this is for your own good." Her stepmother said before she conjured a whip.
Cinderella's screams sounded for miles.