Guardians of the Throne; Part I

by Rose-Merry Unan

of the King’s connection to his father.

  William had been different, because he had been like a member of our family even before he had come to live with us.

  I hoped that William would turn out to be like Owen. Owen was everything that a son should be. He was loyal, obedient, and I knew that without a doubt he would do anything for the King and me.

  “What’s on your mind,” Mary asked me, after she put Catherine to bed.

  “Have I been a good mother?” I asked her.

  She raised her eyebrows at me. “Of course you’ve been a good mother. Why would you ask such a thing.”

  “Sometimes I just wonder,” I said. “Sometimes I think that maybe I’m to occupied.”

  “You’ve been a wonderful mother to Isabel. Isabel adores you, and the King.”

  “I don’t just mean Isabel,” I said. “ I mean all of the orphans we’ve taken in. I know that we’ve been good to William, but I don’t know that we’ve been good to our own daughter, and the other orphans.”

  “Of course you have,” she said. “You’ve given them all anything that they could ever want.”

  “ Except for love,” I said bitterly. “I haven’t shown them the love that a child needs from a parent.”

  “Of course you have,” she said.

  Tears rolled down my cheek. “Thank you for your kind words, but I don’t feel like I have.”

  She sighed. “You are the most motherly person that I have ever known. Who else would take in dozens of children, and give them the best that life has to offer. There are over 30 of these orphans. You can’t expect to give them as much attention as you would give them if there were less.”

  I shook my head. “They have no idea how much I love them, all of them.” Even the ones I didn’t know as well, didn’t they still deserve to feel loved? I asked myself. I couldn’t do that for over 30 kids. We needed a new system I thought to myself.

  I grabbed her hand. “ I need you to help me. I want these children to know that they are loved, and I can’t do it alone. I want you and Charles to take some of them in. And we need to find others. Other members of the government who will take in the children. It’s the least we can do for their parents who give up their lives fighting for us.”

  She looked taken aback. “ Of course,” she finally said. “ I will have to talk to Charles.”

  “Don’t worry yourself with that. I will talk to him for you, after I’ve spoken with the King.”

  “What do you need to speak with me about,” I heard my husband say as he staggered in with Charles.

  “You’re drunk,” I said. I had seen the king drunk on many occasions, but not like this. He staggered into the room barely able to hold himself up.

  “The bastard had me half fooled,” he slurred. “I really thought he meant all that stuff about peace. And what was that with Catherine?” he screamed slamming his fist on the table causing a couple of glasses to fall off.

  He stumbled over to the wine rack and poured himself a glass of wine.

  “Dear, I’m not really sure that’s a good idea,” I said. I looked at Charles. “How much as he already had?”

  “I can’t remember,” he said swaying.

  “Oh great, not you too,” I said annoyed.

  “Mary gets him out of here, and I will deal with the king,” I ordered. “Dear, give me the glass,” I said reaching for you it.

  “NO!” He screamed. “I need this right now.”

  “You’ve already had quite enough,” I said. “Dear, think about your soldiers. They need you to lead them tomorrow. You can’t still do that if you’re drunk.”

  “I’m fine,” he snarled. “I’ll be fine to fight that damn bastard’s halfwit warriors.”

  “What about your daughter?” I asked in a desperate attempt. “She was asking for you tonight. I told her I send you into see her,” I lied.

  “She’s fine too,” he grunted. “She should understand by now that sometimes a King has more important duties to deal with.” He took another sip of wine, and began pacing around the room.“ I’ll tell you what’s not fine. What’s not fine is that bastard coming in here claiming peace. He got my hopes up. I thought after all these years, that maybe there was still a chance. Especially after the way he was with the child. Especially after that way he was with me. I thought that maybe he still cared for us after all. But no! His damn army is camped in my backyard, and they are going to threaten my family in the morning. That’s what’s not fine!” He yelled throwing his glass against the wall.

  I grabbed onto his arm. “Please calm down,” I said. “The children will hear you.”

  “So let them hear me. They should know how evil that man really is. He’s not fit to be my brother.”

  I racked my brain for how to calm him down. No one needed to see the King like this. I had never seen him like this.

  I could see the wine starting to take its effect more as he stumbled more, until finally he crashed into a couch and fell over. I tried to help him up but was unable to.

  I called for Owen.

  Owen ran into the room with his sword out and quickly put it away when he saw the King. He stood there awkwardly for a moment, unsure of what to do or say. Suddenly I felt extremely awkward myself. I wasn’t sure if it was even appropriate for Owen to see the King in such a state.

  “Come now,” I finally said. “Help me get the King to the couch.”

  “Yes, my lady,” he said.

  My eyes met his as we bent over to lift the King up. “It’s perfectly fine to call me, Mother,” I said.

  I saw a light in his eyes that I had never seen before as I said it, and I almost became overwhelmed with emotion. Yes, I loved him like my own son, and it had taken me too long to even realize it.

  When we finally got the King to the couch, I thanked him and told him that he could go back to bed.

  “No, let me stay,” he said. “I can help take care of the King.”

  I looked over at my husband. “It’s fine,” I said. “The king will be asleep within a matter of minutes. Why don’t you go get some rest?”

  “Because, it’s not just the king who needs taking care of Mother,” he said.

  Isabel

  When I woke up in the morning, I was surprised that my mother or father had never come into see me the night before. I slipped my slippers on, and ran out into the common room. My father was asleep on the couch. I thought it was strange for him to be sleep there and still be in his clothes from the night before.

  Owen was sleeping in a chair adjacent to him. There was another guard, sitting in the chair by the door. I didn’t recognize him.

  “Who are you?” I asked.

  “I’m Sir Thomas,” he said kneeling. “I’m Sir Owen’s relief. It’s a pleasure to meet you, your highness.”

  “Where is my mother?” I asked.

  “She went to bed a few hours ago.”

  “Which apartment is she sleeping in?” I asked.

  “This one,” he said. “She’s in the room next to yours.

  I went into the room my mother was in and climbed up onto her bed.

  She rolled over. “Isabel,” she said surprised. “Did you get onto the bed all by yourself?”

  I nodded. “Yes, I’m feeling much better.”

  “Thanks are to God,” she said. She sat up, and grabbed me. “Do you have any idea how much I love you?” She asked.

  “Of course I do Mama,” I said surprised. It was unusual for her to be so open with me.

  “Listen, I need to talk to you about something’s. Will you go get William?” She asked.

  I nodded.

  “Are you sure you feel well enough? I need to dress, and I need to speak to both of you as quickly as possible.”

  “I feel fine Mama,” I replied. “I’ll go get William.” I climbed out of the bed it was still a little painful, but the last few days it seemed as if I was getting better by leaps and bounds.

  I ran into the next room to find
my father up, looking stressed. “What is it Father?” I asked.

  He looked at me gravely. “We’re under attack. I must ride out of the palace immediately.”

  I ran to him. “I don’t want you to go,” I begged. “Please stay here with us,” I sobbed, the tears flowing down my face in a steady stream.

  There was a knock on the door.

  “Come in,” my father called.

  One of his knights entered. “Sir, we need you right away,” the man said.

  “What’s going on out there?” He asked.

  “We’re taking heavy causalities,” he said. “We’ve ushered in as many of the villagers as we could, but I’m afraid that they’re advancing on our walls to fast. We had to shut the remaining villagers out. I’m afraid that they’re slaughtering them.”

  “What?” I heard my father asked astonished. “Isabel, go in the other room,” he commanded me.

  “But Father,” I said.

  “Go now Isabel.”

  I went into Williams’s room. “Wake up,” I said. “Something is going on.”

  I helped him out of his bed and into his wheelchair. We crept up to the wall and tried to listen to what was going on.

  William

  I was startled when she had come into my room. As we leaned against the wall, I couldn’t believe what I was hearing, and I couldn’t help but to be overcome with fear.

  The King’s voice was loud, and we hardly even had to eavesdrop.

  “What do you mean they’re slaughtering the villagers?” He asked. “Are they are even armed?”

  “No your majesty,” he said.

  “So it’s began,” I heard the Queen say. “So this is the last time that I might ever see you.”

  “No my love,” he replied. “I will protect you and I will make sure that