NOT WORTHY TO BE KING: FEARLESS WARRIOR

35. WELCOME BACK HOME

The following day, Arianna was discharged from the hospital and the doctor advised Clayton and Logan to look after her and make sure that she is stress-free. They decided that it was good to finish packing so that they could go on with their journey.

Malia and Mia arrived very early to help them pack as well as see them off.

"Take care of yourselves and don't hesitate to call me if you need my help. I know you will be a good queen when the time comes but as your brother, I won't stop worrying about your safety."

Malia nodded and gave her brother a tight hug. "Thanks, Thanks. We'll be fine. And I promise to take good care of Mia too."

Mia went to Arianna and hugged her, "I'm glad you're okay. Take care of yourself and don't let Logan and Clayton give you too much trouble."

Arianna laughed softly and hugged Mia back. "I won't. Thank you for coming and helping us pack. We couldn't have done it without you."

"Like my brother has been saying, we're family and families do all these kinds of things for each other." She then went to Tiara and also hugged her. "I'll miss you guys. Take care of yourselves."

"You too. Call me, okay?" She gave her a smile.

"You two must take care of yourselves and Mia, I'll call you when we're settled so that you can move to Eclipse, okay?" Mia nodded and both girls hugged Gail.

After saying their goodbyes, Logan loaded their suitcases into the car while Clayton helped Arianna into the back seat. He made sure she was comfortable and had everything she needed before getting into the back seat and pulling her close to him.

As they drove out of town, Logan and Clayton took turns driving and stopped at different towns along the way to rest and enjoy the scenery. Arianna's condition seemed to be improving as they drove further and that seemed to lighten the mood for everyone.

Out of nowhere, Clayton asked Gail. "What do you think our kingdom will be like when we get there? Do you think it will be different from what you remember?"

Gail looked thoughtful. "It's hard to say. I've been away for so long, and I don't know what's been happening there. But one thing is for sure, I know Logan will do his best to make it a better place."

Axel nodded in agreement. "We have a lot of work to do, but we'll do it together. And with Logan as our king, he'll make sure that our kingdom prospers and our people are happy."

Logan couldn't help but smile at that. Everyone seemed to believe in him and that gave him the courage to face whatever it is that lies ahead of them. He looked over at his wife and Tiara wore that proud smile on her face.

As they reached the border of Eclipse, they were stopped by the border patrol who asked for their identification and the purpose of their visit.

Axel went out to talk to them while Logan and the others stayed inside the car.

"Do you think they'll be able to recognise us?" Clayton asked the same question he wanted to ask his mother.

"Not us but him." She said as she pointed to Axel. "With him being my brother's son, he holds a powerful position in the council. I never thought of asking him about it but I know he does.

"My brother has always been influential and I don't blame him, your father was his best friend."

Logan looked at Axel as he spoke to the patrol guys. They looked in the direction of the car as they spoke and Logan knew that they were talking about them which was understandable.

After a few minutes, Axel returned to the car with a smile on his face. "They let us through. It seems like they were already informed about our arrival."

Logan raised an eyebrow in surprise. "Informed? By whom?"

Axel shrugged. "I have no idea. Maybe my father or some of his close friends, the council members. But it's a good thing. We won't have to go through the hassle of explaining our purpose every time we cross a checkpoint."

The group continued driving towards the capital city of Eclipse. As they got closer, Gail pointed out how much the city had changed since she last saw it. New buildings and businesses had been erected, and the roads had been expanded.

"So, it's like a completely different city," Tiara remarked, echoing Logan's thoughts.

Axel nodded. "Yes, the council has been working hard to improve the city and the entire kingdom. They have implemented various programs to support local businesses and create job opportunities for the people."

Logan felt a sense of pride and excitement, knowing that he would be a part of the efforts to further improve the kingdom. He couldn't wait to get started. Axel wasn't done yet. He looked at Logan.

"Your uncle has also been working hard to destroy everything my father and some council member have done. He's an enemy of progress."

Logan's expression darkened at the mention of his uncle. Gail had told him that his uncle had always been against his father's reign and had eventually killed him.

"What has he been doing?" Logan asked.

Axel shook his head. "I don't have all the details yet, but I've heard rumors that he's been trying to sabotage the programs that the council has implemented. He's been trying to undermine my father's efforts and influence the council to his own benefit and he's been trying to rally support from the other council members that are unhappy with my father's influence."

Logan's grip on the steering wheel tightened. He knew that he had a lot to learn about the political landscape of Eclipse, but he also knew that he couldn't let his uncle derail the progress that had been made.

"With you as our king, we can finally put an end to his scheming and bring real progress to Eclipse," Gail said to him.

Logan nodded, feeling a sense of determination building within him. He knew he had a lot to learn and a lot of challenges ahead, but he was ready to face them head-on.

As they approached the palace, Logan couldn't help but feel awestruck by its grandeur. The building was massive, with tall pillars and intricate carvings adorning its façade. He could see guards standing at attention at the entrance, watching them closely as they approached.

When they arrived outside the palace, Logan was surprised to see a large crowd gathered outside the gates, cheering and waving banners. He saw that many of the banners bore his name and welcome messages.

"Looks like they've been waiting for us," Clayton observed.

Logan smiled, feeling overwhelmed by the warm welcome. He stepped out of the car, and the crowd erupted in cheers.

"Long live King Logan!" they chanted.

Logan felt a lump in his throat as he raised his hand to wave at the crowd. He couldn't believe that he had earned their trust and support even before he had officially been crowned.

The guards seemed too happy to welcome him and didn't ask who he was. They just bowed their heads. "Welcome back home, Your Highness," they said in unison.

He went back to the car and drove inside.

Logan felt a sense of nervousness mixed with excitement as he entered the palace gates. He was now officially in the land that was his birthright. A land that he had only heard about in stories from his mother. Now he was here, and it was up to him to make sure that he made the most of it.

He pulled the car up in front of the palace, and they were greeted by the palace staff that helped them unload their luggage.

"My father told me that he arranged everything. Your uncle is very cunning and my father thought you being here will provide you with maximum security."

Logan understood what that meant. The most dangerous place is the safest place. He's had to use that principle a few times in his life.

Axel led them into the palace, and Logan couldn't help but marvel at the beauty and opulence of the interior. The walls were adorned with paintings, and the floors were made of marble. Logan had never seen anything like it before. Mercy Kingdom's palace was grand, but this was perfection.

They were taken to a large room where a man was waiting for them. He rose to his feet as Logan entered the room.

"Welcome, Your Majesty," he said, bowing deeply. He looked so much like Gail and Logan knew at that time that he had to be his mother's twin brother.

Logan nodded respectfully, feeling a little overwhelmed by the grandeur of it all. He took a deep breath and stepped forward, extending his hand for a handshake, and even though he hesitated at first, Axel's father shook it.

"I want to thank you for the warm welcome," he said, addressing him. "I'm honored to be here, and I'm happy to see you try to make this kingdom a better place."

Axel's father smiled warmly at him. "I am happy to have you here, Your Majesty. The council and I have been working hard to make improvements to the kingdom, but we need your help to bring real change."

Logan nodded in agreement. "I'm ready to do whatever it takes to help my people," he said, feeling a surge of determination.

"I have no doubt that you will," he said, still smiling.

Logan felt a sense of relief wash over him. He knew that he was in good hands and that his uncle's threats were not going to get in the way of his mission. He was going to work with Axel's father and do everything in his power to make Mercy Kingdom a better place for its people.

"Where is that son of mine?" Axel's father looked behind Logan and Axel appeared.

"Father," Axel said, bowing his head. "I apologize for being late. I spent a lot of time without finding Logan and when I did, there were a lot of things going around."

"It's alright, my son," his father replied, patting his shoulder. "I'm just happy to see you here with our new king. You have to go home to your mother soon though or she will get angry at me."

Axel nodded and turned to Logan. "Your Majesty, I will take my leave now. If you need anything, just let me know."

Logan thanked Axel for his help and bid him farewell.

Logan noticed that Axel's father was checking Logan's surrounding as if he was looking for someone until his eyes landed on Gail. His eyes lit up and at that moment he looked like a little child.

"Ariel? Is it really you?" He went to her. "Axel did say that he met his aunt but I didn't know if he was telling the truth or not." He hugged her tightly. "Twenty-six years is a very long time." He said, his voice a little husky, and Logan knew that he was trying to hold back from crying.

"I know and I'm sorry." She couldn't hold back her tears. "I missed you so much these years but I couldn't come back here and leave Logan all alone in Mercy.

"I took a vow that I will protect him with my life and I never want to break that promise."

Logan felt a pang of guilt. He had always known that Gail had sacrificed a lot for him, but seeing the pain in her eyes made him realize just how much.

"I'm not blaming you. I knew what you were signing for when you decided to join The Protectors and I know the queen treated you more like a friend than she treated you as naid."

Axel's father stepped back, wiping his tears. "Well, it's settled then. We have a lot of work to do."