Kingdom Chronicles Collection - Books 1-3

Chapter 5

Pen and the thin man in the suit walked down the path that led to the Main Hall. Each step was making him more nervous that the last and he didn"t know what to expect. He wanted to ask questions, but at the same time didn"t want to be annoying.

Whatever his fate was to be, he"d face it with all the courage he had. The thin man pushed open the door and stood to the side of it.

“Walk straight ahead and remember to not look at anyone else, go straight to the King,” he said in a whispered voice. Pen swallowed his emotions and walked out into the hall, smelling like dishwater and still being soaked by it.

Against the polished surface against his wet shoes he found that gaining traction was difficult, it was almost like walking on ice. He felt eyes on him as he walked down the center of the large ball room. Surrounded by tables of knights, royalty from all the kingdoms. All the world"s power was right here and in the middle of it all, a dishwasher. A nobody in the scheme of it.

Everyone was watching him, he didn"t know why. Pen walked until he made it to the steps of the throne, he didn"t dare look up.

“Do you know why you were summoned?” Lom asked him in a voice he"d become used to from the television, but something about it sent chills down his spine. “No,” Pen replied, still not looking up at him.

“Uh, why are you looking at the floor, do you like your own reflection?” Lom asked him. “No, I was told not to look at anyone,” Pen replied.

“Look at me, Pen, we have a dilemma,” Lom said and Pen couldn"t believe or understand what kind of problem he"d could be involved in when it came to the issue of royalty, Pen looked up at the king. An older man, clean shaven but eyes of blue that felt like they were looking right through him.

“In the ritual of Loa, as you and everyone knows, eight names are burned into the sacred pages of the book of names, as to the will of each deity of the guardian for each sacred blade,” Lom paused and continued.

“Normally the names are that of accomplished knights, and seven names proceeded as expected. The last name that was burned into the page was yours first and Sir Galia"s name second. This happens sometimes and the tradition is clear. We must ask if you would accept the responsibility of being the Guardian of our mimic blade for the next year,” Lom finished.

The air was tense, Pen could feel it that something had happened here just before he arrived. Everyone was seeing what he would do. Galia was there and his eyes burned into him most of all.

Pen hated the holiday. He hated the story and didn"t believe any of it. Here he was standing in front of all eight of the kings, their families and the knights expected to be the new protectors of the blade as it had been done for thousands of years.

Galia was everything Pen had always known he was not, good looking, ambitious and a leader. Pen knew this guy wanted the blade to add to his collection of titles. So, he did the obvious thing, the only answer he could give.

“Yes, I"ll take that blade home with me,” Pen said it, never taking his eyes away from Galia just to see the reaction he was going to have. That knight"s brown eyes went from a glare to the expression of silent rage, the rest of the hall erupted into a low murmur.

“It has been decided, then. Pen Kenders will be the guardian of the Mimic blade for the next year,” Lom said, reached to a table beside him that Pen didn"t notice before. He grabbed the hilt of the blade and pulled it off the table, with surprising grace he spun it around so that the hilt was facing Pen.

He reached out and put his water worn fingers around the handle, slowly lifting it and taking it from the King, to his surprise the thing was not as heavy as he imagined it to be. “I"ll take care of it,” Pen said as he held it in his hands, the blade was warm against his skin and it actually made him feel a little better.

“Then it has been decided, all eight of this year"s guardians have been decided,” King Lom announced, and stood up at the same time.

“Let the celebration continue,” he finished. “Um, thanks and all but I still have a job to do,” Pen said but the only one who seemed to notice he said anything was Sir Gaila. The crowd started to disperse and it was as over before he knew it.

The celebration had continued, after the tradition was complete it was clear not too many others cared much about it either. The guardians had been chosen and it was business as usual.