The Winter Letter

by D. E. Stanley

  “And now, rise for the High King of all Providences and lands of Pugian and regent of Baru: King Mel Masih the Only!”

  King Mel Masih stepped out from behind the throne as if he had been walking fast before his name was called. Urim, Thummim, and Andrias fell to one knee. Will and Wohie did not, but not out of spite, but rather awe. The first glimpse of the Majesty of Pugian was like a flash that made the room go out of focus. His image was like a man who had just kissed a star. The King was strong and tall, taller than Gatnom had been; his hair seemed silver at first, then white, then settled to brown; his eyes flickered fire, then rippled like rain, until they themselves settled to brown. His look was kind, but piercing, as if he could see everything about you at a glance, starting on the inside and working out. He wore a long coat with grey falls of fabric falling over each other again and again, like waves crashing upwards. It moved on its own, flowing like Urim’s dress in the sea, indifferent to gravity, and rarely did the train touch the ground. It looked alive, as if it was guarding its master. A sword with a golden hilt was sheathed at the King’s side, along with a matching dagger in his belt. His shirt seemed woven, grey and silver, but he wore no armor. His mirror silver crown looked like a crown upon a crown upon a crown.

  Yet, as awesome as the first glimpse of the King was to the eyes, there was something greater to him than just his appearance. With him came a feeling, a spirit if you will, that affects each person in a wonderfully unique way. It is the forgotten effect of unsoiled magic, the purest power able to cut the cords tied around your wrist. Wohie saw beauty ripple from the King’s cloak a wave at a time until each wave crashed into her tanned skin. When it touched her, she glowed enough to light the world. But, only she saw this. Will saw things much differently. A moment before he had been depressed, pushed down deep into himself, but at the first glimpse of King Mel he felt a foot of hard dried mud melt away and a fresh pair of clothes, made for running in clean rain, set themselves upon him. For a quick second Will lifted his head and forgot he was dead inside.

  Will and Wohie both dropped to one knee in respect.

  “Please, stand. You are my friends and I welcome you into my throne room,” the King said. His voice was neither deep nor high, but sounded like a normal man, the wind, and a running river all mixed together. His words carried peace and calm, just as much as sound and letters.

  The court of the King sat, Will and Wohie stood, and the King began to walk down the steps. Will felt uncomfortable, like they should go to him instead. To the left Andrias stood quickly and would have come rushing to his master’s side had he not been stopped with the raising of the King’s hand. “It is okay, Lord Andrias. They have been through much to get here. I’ll come down to them,” said the King. Andrias returned to his seat without a word.

  The King removed his tall crown and set it in his throne, then with the normal gait of a tall man he descended the steps, until he stopped and knelt beside Gatnom’s body. His robe danced about him with every movement, and when he leaned it seemed to lean with him. The King lightly ran his finger and thumb across Gatnom’s cold forehead and brushed a few strands of hair out of the pale face. One fall of fabric from his robe floated down on its own and wiped a stream of dried blood from the corner of Gatnom’s eyes.

  Wohie coughed hard as a new wave of weeping prevailed. She buried her face in Will’s shoulder. Will wanted to cry, but still he could not. There were no tears left. He wanted them but could not find them. He had not cried since he had read the letter. The pain was dammed up inside himself, all he felt was pressure. The King looked up at Will and placed his right hand on Will’s chest. The tall man’s face now looked normal, but his eyes were still just as pure, just as piercing, and from them a steady stream of tears began. King Mel wept. Will looked away, ashamed.

  “No,” said the King. “Look at me.” Will turned and stared straight into his eyes. As he did he felt a warmth on his neck. Wohie gasped. Right there, instantly, Will’s burns were healed; they disappeared completely, replaced with new skin. Will reached up and felt his throat.

  “Why did you—”

  “Quiet Will,” the King said softly. “One moment more.”

  Suddenly Will felt something warm shift in his chest, tunnel up his throat, and creep from the corners of his eyes. The next thing he tasted was saltwater, and then everything went blurry as the floodgates of his heart burst open. He wept louder than he had ever wept before. The pressure in his heart released, and for the first time in months his breath seemed to connect with his soul.

  The King smiled, then he turned his attention back to Gatnom. Reaching down he unlatched his dagger and pulled it from his belt. With his opposite hand he grabbed the sharp metal, and before anyone could react, the King pulled the dagger hard, slicing open the hand holding the blade. Blood instantly seeped from in between his fingers. The King did not even wince. He lifted his hand over Gatnom’s body and let a few drops of blood fall onto the chest wound. The first drop fell, and at its silent crash the color returned to Gatnom’s cheeks. Instantly the open wound started to heal; new skin grew, bones connected, charred skin turned tan. In less than five seconds Gatnom’s body had transformed from a bloody mess to whole. He looked asleep, as if he had never been injured, but still his chest did not rise and fall. King Mel leaned over and breathed into Gatnom’s face. There was silence in the air, then the noise came. It was the sound of hope being born again. It was the sound of a spirit falling into the world. It was the sound of joy waking. It was the sound of Gatnom coughing. Light flooded back into the young man’s eyes and he sat straight up.

  Wohie jerked her head away from Will’s shoulder. “Gatnom!” she screamed, and she knocked him back down with a tackle hug. Will stood wide eyed, looking back and forth between the King and Gatnom. He couldn’t believe what had just happened.

  “Where am I?” Gatnom asked.

  “We are in the city of Neba, in King Mel’s throne room,” Wohie answered, still holding on with all the strength her arms allowed.

  “How did I get here?”

  “We brought you. Well, Radah did,” Wohie answered. “You we’re...umm, dead.”

  Gatnom looked like he was trying to remember something. “I remember Jared being angry, then I was at the gates of a massive city, talking to a man with a grey sash. It was—” Gatnom turned and was met with the strong eyes of the King looking directly into his own. His first glance of the majesty of Baru was met with a rush of noble feelings of honor and courage, feelings of royalty and joy, but still, for Gatnom, standing before him was his sworn enemy. Gatnom rushed to his feet, scrambling away from the King. He lifted his hand and felt for his hat.

  “Peace,” said the King as he lifted his right hand towards Gatnom.

  “What’s going on?! Why are we here?!”

  Wohie stood. She pulled Gatnom’s hand down gently. “Gat, the King brought you back to life. Jared tried to kill Will, but you saved him by jumping in front of the blast. The King sent Lord Andrias. He rescued us.”

  Gatnom looked up at Andrias then back to the king “Why did you help us?”

  The King smiled. “Because I am not your enemy.”

  “I do not understand.”

  The King took a step closer to Gatnom. “In your heart your enemy was whoever killed your parents. You may have thought it was me, but it was not.”

  “Then, who was it?!”

  “Come to me and I will answer all of your questions,” said the King, inviting Gatnom, Will, and Wohie to come closer. “You three have had a long journey and lost much. I have guided you along the way without your knowing.” Will and Wohie stepped forward, and after a short quiet Gatnom followed. Andrias, Thummim, and Urim also stood to their feet. “William, it was I who wrote the letter,” said the King. “I sent for you and it is my joy you have come home. What Jared said is true. Your parents were from Baru and were once King Neba’s highest protectors.”

  Will felt his knees weaken. This couldn’t be real. The
King continued.

  “They were entrusted with the secrets of this world and its magic, because your father was the strongest of King Neba’s three High Knights. During the War of the Witch, King Neba sent him and your mother into hiding to protect the Ancient Book of Pugian. They hid in villages throughout Baru until word came of the witch’s defeat, but still your father was unsure about King Neba’s fate. So, they stayed in hiding and waited to see what would happen. He couldn’t chance bringing the book back to the city until he knew it was safe.”

  “What was he scared of?” Will asked.

  “Me,” answered the King. “As is much of Baru.” The King turned and looked at Gatnom. “Yes Gatnom,” the King said, answering an unsaid question. “They do say I killed King Neba and took the throne. They also say the King of All is dead, but he most certainly is not. King Neba was wounded, so he returned the crown and returned to the Kingdom of All to heal. I am in his place until a new King is named.

  “I am,” the King grinned, “his temporary replacement.”

  “If Lord Markus knew this he would follow you! I know he would,” Gatnom said.

  “Perhaps Lord Markus would,” said the King, “but he is no longer himself. He has become infected with the same spirit as the witch from the first war, an ancient spirit that fell from without. The pride the spirit infected him with has silenced all the good in the mighty Knight.”

  “Is it not true that Lord Markus defeated the witch?” Gatnom asked.

  “Yes,” the King said. “He defeated her in battle, but he was unprepared for her strongest weapon. Once she was at the tip of his sword the demon began to fill his head with pride based on lies. He did not listen at first, being a man of honor, but the seed was sown. In the end the witch threw a spell that killed herself and greatly injured Markus. He crawled to the cave entrance and awaited death, but as he waited he dwelt on the lies of the witch. Soon he believed them, seeing himself to be the rightful King. That is when and how the spirit, the demon that had first infected the witch, entered his deepest part and took full control. The devil saw a stronger host and took advantage.”

  “But the raids, they wore your emblem. They were…” Gatnom looked down and away as the truth revealed itself. He yanked off his cloak and tossed it to the ground, disgusted.

  Will shook his head. “Before Jared died he confessed it was all a show. He murdered your parents while dressed in the King’s men’s clothes, and all under the order of Markus. He’s trying to build an army out of the orphans. Making them hate King Mel for what he himself has done.”

  Gatnom looked down and said nothing more.

  “King Mel, how did my parent’s wind up on earth?” Will asked.

  “A few years into hiding they were in a small village beyond the Peaks. Markus had totally been taken by the demon from the witch and had learned from it to master dragons. He was searching for Eleazar and Helen, burning one village after the next. Finally, he found out where they were hiding and sent his men and dragons to find them and take the book. After a fierce battle your parents fled. Some time later your father learned to open a portal to a different world. They took the book and eventually settled in the world the portal carried them too.”

  “Earth,” Will said to himself. He teared up. “I wished they had told me before they died.”

  “They had planned to, on your birthday. They were to bring you here. Some time back your father took a chance in coming to the city. Here, I shared the truth with him. But before he could return with you and your mother Jared and his men followed him through the portal. Your mother and father were taken off guard and injured beyond the healing Earth offers.”

  “Now they are dead,” said Will. “I don’t understand. Why didn’t they tell me sooner.”

  King Mel looked at Will with a serious look that ended in a smile. “They wanted to protect you. William, there is much you do not understand, starting with what the word dead really means.”

  “It means I’ll never see them again,” Will said just above a whisper.

  Gatnom placed his hand on Will’s shoulder. “You have us now. It seems we are not so different after all. We’re both from the other side of the peaks.”

  King Mel smiled. “There is still something else I have to show you. William, you are not the only one I summoned here today.” The King turned and muttered some magic words Will could not understand. At those words two beams of pink light fell from the dark ceiling behind the stage of the throne. From behind the curtain stepped two figures. As they approached more colors appeared in the air. Slowly their brightness faded. Will shielded his eyes until he was able to see. Standing before him was his parents — strong, young, and smiling.

  “MOM! DAD!” Will screamed. In three giant steps he ascended the stage and hugged them both at once.

  “Hey sweetheart!” Helen said. “Hey Son!” Eleazar said. A new kind of tears had found their way down Will’s face, tears of joy. “We’ve missed you so much William,” Will’s parents said together.

  “I thought you were dead.”

  “Oh son, dead only means you move to another place. We died on Earth, but we live somewhere much better,” said Helen, Will’s beautiful mother.

  “I don’t understand,” said Will, but his voice was much too happy to sound confused.

  “We live where the King of All is. We are learning there. Learning to rule, to serve more honorably, so we can serve him again later,” she answered

  “Where is that? I want to go.”

  Will’s Mom smiled. “As long as you stay close to King Mel you will meet us there someday. But for now, you still have work to do here,” his Dad answered.

  “I want to be with you guys now.”

  “I know you do, and we want to be with you, but it is not up to us.”

  Will turned and looked at King Mel, who stood with his hand on Gatnom’s shoulder. Gatnom was smiling at the reunion; thrilled at his friend’s joy.

  “Eleazar, Helena,“ King Mel said. ”There is someone else you need to meet.”

  As soon as Eleazar and Helen saw Gatnom they gasped. In a moment Helen was holding Gatnom in a tight hug. Gatnom stood with his arms trapped beneath her squeeze.

  “Hello Madam. It is nice to meet you, too,” said Gatnom. Eleazar walked over, looked Gatnom in the eye. “Your taller than I am!” said Will’s dad with a tear filled smile.

  “What exactly is this all about?” Gatnom asked the King.

  In answer the King turned to Will, as if to finish his story. “The day the dragons raided the village in search of the book, your father went to see if he could fight them off long enough for your mother to get away. She ran deep into the forest, but she did not go alone. She had her son with her.”

  Will looked confused. “But I was born on Earth, I mean I saw the pictures.”

  “Yes honey, you were,” Will’s mom said as she put her hand on his cheek. “But you have an older brother.” She turned and looked up at Gatnom. Tears the color of light slid down her cheek. “When your father and I returned you were gone.”

  Gatnom looked to the King. “Is this true?”

  “Yes.”

  Helen reached over and took Will’s hand. “Let me see your pendent,” she said. Will reached up and patted his neck. His eyes fell. “Oh Mom, I’m sorry. It’s gone. Jared took it.”

  Andrias stood and walked onto the stage. “I took it from Jared’s body,” he said as he reached into his shirt and placed the pendent in Helen’s hand.

  “Thank You Lord Andrias,” said Helen. “And, thank you for watching out for my children.” Andrias nodded. Helen closed her eyes and whispered. When she opened them the pendent lifted up, the bars twisted apart, and it opened like a flower, loosing the tiny locket inside. She opened the tiny little piece of jewelry to reveal a key and a picture of a boy with dark hair, wearing a wide-brimmed bowler much too big for him.

  “Gat! That’s you!” Wohie said.

  “I kept this close to my heart ever since you dis
appeared,” said Helen. “It wasn’t until after the accident I even knew you were alive.”

  Gatnom’s eyes widened. “So, you’re my parents?”

  “Yes.”

  “And Gatnom’s my brother, like for real brother?” asked Will.

  “Yes.”

  Eleazar began to cry. “I searched for you everywhere son. I came time and time again, but I could not find you. I spent half my life traveling, looking for you. I’m sorr—”

  Gatnom interrupted his father with an strong aged hug, one stored up so long that its sweetness abounded. From that moment there was nothing else to explain. Gatnom did not care. All he knew was he was face to face with the family he had missed all of his life. The four embraced and cried and talked talk no one outside of them should ever know. Wohie and the King watched side by side, smiling.

  After the long moment had passed Eleazar turned to the King. “Thank You,” he said through his tears.

  “It is my joy,” The King said, “but I am afraid your time has passed.”

  “Yes, your Majesty. I understand.” Eleazar turned back to his sons. “Will and Gatnom. Everything will be different from this moment on. Much is going to fall on your shoulders. Be strong; I have faith in you both. Stay close to King Mel. You can trust him. He is good. Completely.”

  Helen kissed both of her sons on the forehead and whispered private words to each. After the goodbye the two turned and walked towards the back of the stage. At the last moment Helen turned around. “William. Gatnom. We will see each other again; never forget that. We are still alive, just not where you are. We live, although we died, and know that wherever we are, we love you both, forever.”