novel : King Thomas

chapter ten

Chapter Ten


The Celebration

         “The king is here. The King is here!” Claire runs into the hall where Yecheil, Queen Anne, Sed, and SanTrina were finishing up the last minute decorations. "He is crossing the mote as we speak."


         The queen was so excited that Thomas would be part of the celebration. It wasn't so long ago that Thomas was considered different because he could not speak. She went to the castle wall with many servants and her friends. She knew that Thomas would be proud that young Yecheil created this celebration with only the help of Claire to begin with.


         You could see the respect of the city. Every the sides of the road to the castle was crowded with people bowing to Thomas. They had never seen the King in person, and they all wanted to see the most honorable king of the century. He smiles to the people, and motioned them up as he passed each person. The king didn't ride a carriage. He did not wear his royal robes. No the King rode his steed, and he wore his armor with pride. He looked like nearly immortal.


         When arriving in front of the castle, He dismounted his horse. Then he kisses his mother on the cheek, and motions for everyone to rise. The servants took care of his horse.


         "Mother, how is the city?"


         "It is a strong city. It will make us even stronger."


         "What is this celebration all about?"


         "Yecheil was able to show his face here without reproach. He started thinking about others that may be hiding in fear of showing themselves. So he and Claire went about planning this celebration to show appreciation of people that are not the normal." Queen explains, "Then the two children went out and invite people to the castle. In doing so, the children met so many special people."


         "He is going about this strange city without his mask of his armor?"


         "Yes, wait until you see him. He is so happy that you almost don't notice how he looks." She was beaming with pride.


         Thomas holds his arm to his mother. The Queen takes a hold of this elbow, and they walk into the decorated room. There Yecheil was admiring the progress. "We need one of these tables to very small, and we need one to be very large. We have people that are not of the continental size." He informs the servants.


         The servants are bowing around him.  "Your highness,"


         Then Yecheil turns around and sees his father standing by Queen Anne's side. "Father, how was your trip?"


         "I had a great trip. I hear that you are making a difference." The King remarks. "You look so handsome in your robes."


         " People do not seem to notice my looks, and when they do, all I do is tell them my story. It has made me see that I am not alone. There are people that are taller than a door, and others that are smaller than chair."


         The king smiles. He had never known his son to be so happy and active in the open. Yecheil took his father on a tour of his new city.


         The King takes Sed's throne during his stay. Sed was more than excited to have the king as an honored guest. He had no resentment for Thomas sitting up on his throne. "Father, this is Claire. She is SanTrina's new daughter."


         "Hello, Claire." King Thomas greets the bowing child.


         "Your Majesty, it is a honor to meet you."


         " I hear good things about you, Claire. I would like to reward you tomorrow at the party for helping my son become himself without fear of being seen." The king reaches and takes the girl's hand and guides her to her feet. "You children have been hard at work. This is what this nation is made up of. Strangers becoming family. You are the future of this nation."


         "Thank you, My King." Claire said. SanTrina was beginning to tear up.


         "Ok, Let us all go to the kitchen. We need to see what the cook is preparing for the big meal, and to make sure that he has received the ram, goat, and fruit that I have brought for the celebration.


         They took a moment away from their ovens to greet the King. They did not get to spend as much time with him as the others did.


         Making the round throughout the kitchen, the king sees that the food that he had brought was being prepared to be cooked. The ram and the goat were being cleaned and dressed. The fruit was being mashed for deserts. The cooks were truly as busy as beas. The cooks became nervous and began to drop pans because they had the king in their kitchen. He told them that he was thankful for their service, and left them to do their business.


         The King was pleased with all that he had seen. He decides to turn in for the night. He kisses the queen on the cheek and then SanTrina. "Good night mothers." He said because he used to call SanTrina mother also because she was his wife's mother.


         The royal women take a couple more hours to work on the final touches of the decorations. SanTrina, "He has such a strong voice. Did Arrie get to hear it?"


         "No, he got his voice right before you were our guest in the tower." The queen answers.


         "Too bad. I think that she would have loved it."


         "Yea, but I think she is here with us everyday."


         "Me too. I feel her at night some times.”


         Queen tells her friend good night as she retires to sleep to be fresh for the celebration that a waits the next day.


         "Father, Father," Yecheil gentle rocks King Thomas. "We have to ready for the celebration in just four hours."


         King Thomas looks at his son who was more like a child at this minute than he ever did. He did not have the atmosphere of a warrior. He had the excitement of a child. Though King Thomas did not like to be awaken, he smiles up at Yecheil. Yecheil had never tried to get the king to do anything or come into the kings room with out having permission. So the King gets up and allows his son to chatter about the days events. The prince was grabbing the kings clothes and robes faster than the servants could reach them. King liked that his son was being a boy not just a strong warrior. He motioned the servants to leave so that Yecheil could help him dress for the day.


         The day went hectic as the castle was buzzing with excitement and activity getting ready for the big party. "Your majesty," Claire finds the King. "Is it time to lower the draw bridge yet?"


         " You may give the word to lower it, and to allow people to come in.”


         Claire runs to the guard of the bridge. Standing on the castle wall the guard, she could see an ocean of people waiting to enter the castle. "King Thomas says that it is time to open the bridge.


         At the door of the banquet room, SanTrina, Sed, and Yecheil greeted each guest. They directed them to where they would sit.


         "Hello, Sara," The prince greets the tall woman. "It is nice to see you here." He looks to Sed and SanTrina, "This is Sara, we met her the other day."


         "Nice to meet you finally. I wish that you had come to visit a long time ago." SanTrina said.


         Now Claire has joined them by the door. "Sara, I wondered if you would come. Follow me to your chair."


         "Thank you" she said as she bowed and followed Claire to her special larger seat. "It is nice to have a place that I can sit in some where other than my own house."


         There were many other people coming into the room. People that Prince or Claire had not met, but had left the invitation. There came people with no limbs, crooked eyes, extra limbs or fingers, and small people, and tall people. It was as if this was a different planet. There were hundreds of people that were different from the normal acceptance of what a person would look like.


         There was a surprise that no one had seen before. "Good Evening, My name is Sylia." Said a beautiful girl. This is my brother John. "Good evening."


         Sylia finishes her introduction as she shakes SanTrina's hand. We have shared the same body since we were born. We have different heads, torsos, arms, and mind. We do share the same hips and legs. We have never seen the light of day out side of the lights through our windows since we were born."


John finishes her statement,"We were thought to have been a curse from Satan so our mothers feared for our lives and kept us hidden."          


         "Yecheil, has freed us to be a part of the city and part of the nation." Sylia continues. "If one day he is going to be king being different, we can come out to support his boldness to show his face. We can show ours."


         John looks to Yecheil with tears in his eyes, "Thank you so much."


         Yecheil shows the twins to their seat. He had to rearrange the plates to make room for the different body type.


         When everyone sat down to enjoy one special meal, King Thomas stood up. "I would like to thank one of the boldest young men that I have ever met." He looks toward Prince Yecheil. " I am proud to call him my son. He has a love for this kingdom and new city. He felt your pain. Since his birth he has had his face hidden from the public. He was shunned and people feared him. Now I see the calling that he has on his life. I have met so many people that are beautiful inside and out." He raises his glass. "Let us cheer all of you who without you we would not have such a happy Prince."


         Everyone stood and cheered for their new founds friends. People from nine feet to three feet tall were standing. People with different deformities, hunch backs, crooked or clouded eyes, and those with missing body parts cheered. The twins were the only people that did not have anyone else like them, but no one noticed anything different about anyone.


         It was a beautiful night. Everyone danced and got to know each other. Several of the people were brought into the service of the king or Sed. Some of the taller people were asked to help guard their village. Some of the smaller ones did various jobs. There was jobs for anyone who needed on. Normal or different. The King found them jobs if they wanted to work.


         One woman was little over five feet tall, and she weighed over 300 pounds. She could barely walk, but she wanted to do some thing for her kingdom. King Thomas, "You have a kind heart, and you have a wise brain. I need someone to teach the young to read, write, and calculate. Would you like to teach the young."


         "Yes, my king," She said while tears dripped on to her chest.


         " Come see SanTrina, she will tell her how you should get started."


         Watching all the different people leave the castle, Yacheil felt normal for the first time. He loved his family, but he always felt like he was not the same as they were. He had gray skin. His eyes were much bigger than those around him. He was shunned by his own mother. Now only now, he knows that he is not the only person that has come out of hiding.


         Hundreds of people much different than the first. Yet each one now knowing that they don't have to hide who they are. They now know that they are important, and each as important as anyone else.