Winter of Our Discontent – The King
By Melanie Yeung
Instead of waking up to the peeling paint of my drywall, I awoke to the sound of stomping coming from the neighbour above as the wooden ceiling rained sawdust on me.
Shielding my eyes from the drifting particles, I sat up and reached for my phone on the nightstand only to recoil as my fingers made contact with cool metal. The curiosity grew as I flipped the worn blanket off of my body and stared at the blue-striped and holey nightwear, only to shiver at the breeze that wooshed past. Hasn't summer just started?
My eyes made their way back to the contact my hand encountered earlier only to see a suit of metal armour. My jaw dropped as I scramble out of bed and crouched in front of the object, dragging my fingers along the ridges. I glanced aside to a gleam that caught my eye and beside the armour lay its counterpart; an extravagant sword. Shakily, I gripped its handle and pulled it out of its sheath. I was breathless, as the sword gleamed in the light.
“What’s going on here?” I whispered it to no one. I opened my mouth again to say something else as I slashed the sword through the air. The door opened. “Ferdinand–!”
I flinched as he yowled in fright, staggering back into the hallway. “Ferdinand, what the bloody hell are you doing?!” The man yelled, guffawing before stepping back into my– my bedroom? He shut the door behind him as I re-sheathed my sword with burning cheeks.
“Uh, well,” I stuttered, glancing nervously at the raised eyebrow. My name isn’t Ferdinand! “You see...”
“Oh, don’t be so embarrassed, young lad!” He patted my back hard enough to knock the air out of my lungs. “The real question is why aren’t you dressed yet? We’re going to end the dragon once and for all!” Dragon, he said! I can’t even tie my shoes some days and we’re going to fight a bloody dragon!
Instead of breaking down like an insipid toddler, I gave him a charming grin. “I was just practising my swordsmanship, you see!” I set the sword down on the bed. “Wouldn’t want to get charred on the mission.”
“Eager, are we?” he hummed, striding to the armour that took residence on the rug-clad floor. What a hideous rug… Only then I realized that he, too, was in a similar suit of metal. I admired the shine of the iron and the structure of the parts as he beckoned me over. “Come here, boy, let’s get this on you.”
~
How the hell did I get here? I thought, wincing as I hobbled alongside Edmund, the old man from earlier. The steel armour, although a majestic ensemble, dug painfully into my calves and it felt as if I was carrying tens of kilograms on my back.
“Why the glum face, Ferdinand?” Eyebrow. He was smirking again, the bastard.
“Will I still be able to have kids after wearing this damned torture device?” I sighed pitifully, shifting stiffly to attempt some form of comfort. He chuckled lightly and shook his head in sympathy, but didn’t answer as we reached the other knights.
“Oi!” One of the knights stomped towards us like a man on a mission, helmet on and all. He waved his finger at us hysterically. “We’re going to be late because of you impertinent brats!”
“Oh, piss off, Archibald,” Edmund shot me a significant look as we brushed past him and into the main group. The knights cackled and slapped their knees in jest as ‘Archibald’ sputtered angrily. The old man’s got a damn attitude!
We ventured out on horses, only after I got laughed at for falling off my steed. Several times. I had given up on trying to find some reasonable explanation for what was happening other than that it was nothing but a ridiculous dream, so I just enjoyed the banter with the other knights and thought up possible ways to slay a dragon. Anyway, it was a nice break from my reality.
~
“Oh, lord...” Archibald whimpered as another of our soldiers got blasted with fire, his screams echoing hauntingly in the cave as he burned to his demise. The swords did nothing to pierce the dragon’s hide and bounced off at every futile attempt. We were losing hope at the same rate we were losing our men.
“Do something!” Edmund shouted as he dodged the dragon’s sweeping talon and jabbed the blade at its neck, only for the sword to split with a deafening snap. “Archibald!”
At the mention of his name, Archibald crawled deeper into the grooves of the cavern, his sword sliding to the floor as he shook with badly concealed terror. A bead of sweat slid down the small of my back as I trembled with indecision. Do something! Anything!
I dashed past the scorched bodies that littered the floor to where Archibald had cowered and grabbed his fallen weapon. Turning around, I searched for Edmund’s agile form. When I spotted him, I called his name with equal parts determination and desperation. “Edmund, catch!”
The knights rushed around the dragon, attempting to find some sort of weakness. The sword soared through the air and into Edmund’s waiting hand. I pulled my own sword out of its sheath and charged at the furious beast.
“Its eyes!” I cried, the metal helmet obstructing my vision. I hastily pulled it off my head and tossed it at the dragon’s mouth as it snapped its jaws at another knight. “Its eyes are vulnerable!” I rushed forward and impulsively jumped onto the monster’s back. I realised too late that it was the most idiotic idea I have ever had as the only dragon I’ve ever faced was in the Enderworld on Minecraft. Blast.
The dragon roared and bucked, attempting to throw me off its back but I held on to the spikes that trailed down its spine, climbing closer and closer to its head. Almost there, please! Through the eyes!
With my body leaning on the flat of the beast’s head, I plunged the blade through its left eye in one fell swoop and held on with all my might as the dragon flailed, yowling in agony. I pulled out the sword with a strained grunt and jabbed it through the other eye, the muscles in my back and shoulders cramped.
The vermillion-creature howled, pain-filled and desolate, before slumping to the ground, deceased.
The momentary silence that filled the cave was interrupted with loud cheers as I was carefully helped down to the ground by a beaming Edmund and supportive soldiers who insisted on slapping my back with a ringing clang.
“Congratulations Ferdinand!” Edmund’s blinding grin softened. My heart clenched as an ache I had long resigned myself to re-surfaced from its meticulously locked box. “You are a hero, young man!”
“I–” I furrowed my brow, and re-sheathed my sword. The adrenaline faded and I was left with shaking hands and buckling knees that failed me as I dropped to the ground, kneeling. “You nearly died!” I cried, accusation in my voice. I gave him a quick once-over as he suppressed what sounded like snickers.
“Yes, Mother,” Eyebrow. He lifted me off the ground by my armpits as if I were a child. “Stop fussing, Ferdinand, we need to go back to the kingdom so you can be crowned King!”
* * * * * *
It’d been seven days since I’d woken up in my dingy room. Seven days since I defeated the dragon that nearly killed Edward and seven days since my life had done a complete one-eighty.
Seven days since I’d become King.
After the fateful battle with the fiery beast, we went back to the Palace where I was crowned King by the townspeople. It was an overwhelming ordeal, with numerous people eager to shake my hand or pat my back. It was, simply put, exhilarating.
By charming a couple of the older ladies in the populace, the magnitude of my ‘noble deed’ became clearer. The dragon had killed the previous Queen in a fit of rage and burnt half of the town. It used to come out at random intervals to either eat the townspeople or to shoot flames at the already-weakened houses. Many innocent lives had been lost to the devastation and there was a deep-rooted resentment aimed at the dragon for ending the reign of the beloved Queen.
Eventually, the townspeople decided that the person who defeated the dragon would be crowned the new monarch. Many attempts were made on the dragon’s life but none successful; more often than not the soldiers who went out returned as nothing but a pile of ash remains.
Then I came along and “saved them all”. I scoffed inwardly at the ridiculous notion. It was true though, which made it all the more baffling.
That night marked exactly a week since the conquering of the beast and a ball was being organised in my name. Every family had an invitation to attend and even some noblemen from other kingdoms were to visit.
I wasn’t dreading it, per se, but I sure was weary. It was an hour before the start of the ball and the butler had come in with the outfit I was to wear for the whole ordeal. It was, admittedly, magnificent. The top was a dark blue velvet with gold accents from around the collar all the way down to the hemline, separated with an embroidered gold band around the waist. The shoulder had gold tassels and the ends of the sleeves had gold detailing. It was partnered with the same velvet blue trousers and black oxford shoes.
I was still uncertain about the way I should speak with people and such, however, it was a good thing that the butler explained all the proper etiquette as he helped me get into the garments.
With approximately twenty minutes left, I grabbed the crown off the dresser, placed it on my head and decided to go to the ballroom to see how the preparations were going.
~
“M-my king, is it to your liking?” The maid stammered, gripping the circular serving dish as if it was a lifeline. “Is it too sweet? Or sour? Oh, it was a tad too sweet for me when I had a taste, not that my opinion matters, of course!” She giggled nervously, looking vaguely sick.
I took some pity on her. “You’re right, it is a bit sweet,” I smacked my lips, pretending not to notice when she visibly deflated in relief. “Tell the chefs to add a bit of lemon juice to the blackberries.”
“Yes, my king, right away, my king!” She nodded and scurried away.
“Scaring the poor girl, Ferdinand?” A familiar voice filled my ears as I dabbed at the corner of my mouth with a cravat. I spun around in surprise as Edward entered the door to the ballroom.
“Edward!” I exclaimed, rushing over and giving him a proper brotherly hug; thumping back and all. “You are a sight for sore eyes!”
“Ah, always the flatterer,” Edward batted me away and pinched the invisible lint off his shoulder. “Terrorising your servants?” he said in a satirical tone.
“If you mean ‘doing my duty to my kingdom’, then yes, that’s precisely what I’m doing.” I turned my nose up to the air like a spoiled ponce and stuffed another hors d'oeuvre into my mouth. He cackled and slung an arm around my shoulder, leading us to the head where an extravagant throne sat innocuously on a platform.
Edward sat me down and fixed my crown as it threatened to slide off. “You’ll do great, Ferdinand,” he remarked sincerely. I grinned at him.
“Thanks, Edward,”
“Now, sit still and look pretty,” Edward jumped off the platform gracefully; which was a wonder in itself because he was wearing the stifling suit of armour. “The guests are coming through.” As if on cue, there was a rush of footsteps and chatter outside the main doors. I glanced over at Edward. “Good luck,” he winked.
As the door opened, he slipped between the masses and disappeared. A group of townspeople rushed up to my spot on the throne and shook my hand, thanked me with tears in their eyes, wished me well. I lost myself in the sea of the crowd and smiled humbly, patting their hands.
~
The night sky was clear that night, Ursa Major glowing bright against the midnight landscape. I had been mingling with the guests for about two hours and I was ready to hang my feet up like a pair of shoes.
Leaning heavily on the quartz balustrade, I sipped at the glass of red wine in my left hand and admired the clear constellations in the sky. In 2022, there was no such thing, for the skies were always gloomy with pollution and the trees were cut down for skyscrapers. I took a deep breath and sighed. The air was fresh and almost sweet whereas back in my reality, it would’ve been stale and smelt distinctly of smoke.
I had gladly accepted my fate to stay stuck in this wonderful fairytale. It was… astounding to be standing before a kingdom I could call my own. It wouldn’t do to question the authority of the universe; it brought me here and gave me the most generous blessing of my life, so who was I to argue?
“Oh, my King.” When the sudden words broke the silence, I turned around. “I was not aware you were here, I apologise.” It was one of the civilians, a beautiful lady who shuffled backwards at the sight of me.
“No, no,” I blurted hastily, I stepped over to the right a tad. “It’s alright, you can stay, that is, if you’d like to.”
“Alright.” She stepped out and crossed the short distance to my side at the balustrade.
There was an odd beat of silence as she cleared her throat nervously. I tried to relax but my focus kept shifting to the phantom of warmth from our almost-touching shoulders.
“Ah, so,” I started. “What’s your name, miss?”
“My name?”
“Yes, your name?”
“Oh! My name, yes.”
“Yes?”
“Celina, my King, it is an honour to meet you,”
“Oh, none of that, Celina, my name is Ferdinand,”
“Alright, Ferdinand.”
Celina held out her hand and all gentlemen-like, I planted a chaste kiss on the back of her hand. She smiled. It felt like the world had gone quiet.
~
“I now pronounce you husband and wife, King and Queen. You may kiss the bride!”
With our hands clasped together, rings on our fingers, I leaned forward and captured Celina’s lips in a gentle kiss.
The air was filled with deafening cheers as flower petals floated throughout the chapel. We pulled away from each other and she beamed earnestly. My mind hungrily stored the memory away as if it were a vivid dream; the planes of her face and the shade of her chiffon dress, the brush of her fingers and the gems in her hair.
The ring was a family heirloom and I had contemplated for a long time whether or not it was the perfect design. The band was made of gold to match the crown. The centre stone was a gleaming blood red ruby, surrounded by intricate gold carvings. It was not a common occurrence for a king to wear a wedding ring, but Celina had insisted and of course, I obliged. We went to the most renowned blacksmith in town and he created a simple gold band. Instead of a large centrestone, it contained three small rubies that ran along the front and wording engraved on the interior.
Together, we ruled the kingdom for the years to come. in our fourth year of marriage, Celina fell pregnant with our first child, a beautiful baby girl whom we named Lilian, followed by twins the consequent year, Jasper and William.
My twentieth year of sovereignty was plagued by a devastating war brought by the nation in Kent. Do not despair, however, as we won with quick and meticulously planned attacks. The town rejoiced at the victory and another celebration was held in my name and the name of the Knight Commander Frederick, Edward’s son. By then, Edward had passed on. A stunning funeral service was held in his honourable name to honour the years he had served the kingdom.
I had vowed to never be the man my father was, oh, to be that failure. Instead I watched, joyously, as my children grew under my careful nurturing and (occassionally) excessive doting. I never raised a hand against them; I could never be prevailed upon to commit those horrendous beatings that my own father handed to me with cool indifference and seering cruelty.
Lilian had taken up painting, Jasper did fencing, William horseback riding. Without a single doubt in my mind, I let them indulge, indulge, indulge; for I had no such luxury, and I was not about to deprive them.
Eventually, Jasper decided to become a knight and William courted his wife, while a noble knight from a distant town asked, graciously, for my Lily’s hand. Nothing and no-one would ever deserve her grace, in my good opinion, but if anyone were worthy, it would surely be him, for he was also a hero of his nation.
As I lay on my deathbed, surrounded by my dutiful wife, Celina, my sons, Jasper and William, and my first-born daughter and heir to the throne, Lilian, I found myself content. Not the brief moments of satisfaction in life, having a good meal, or a pleasant night out with the mates, no. This… contentment was bone deep. It flowed through my soul and filled me with love, so strong that it threatened to suffocate, so overwhelming that it felt like I would burst at the seams.
“It is time,” I whispered, my mouth curving into what Celina described as an impish grin. The wind carried my words as the tears fell from the cheeks of my beloved family. Do not weep, my dears, I open my mouth to say, but no words come out, rather a sigh as I closed my eyes. You all are my strength, and I am eternally grateful for the love you have given me.
~
“Felix, wake up this instant!”
Instead of waking up to the pearly gates of the afterlife as I had expected, I met eyes with a fury.
Blinking owlishly, I glanced around in confusion. The desks, the blackboard, the notebook and pens in front of me filled me with impending dread.
I glanced back at the banshee only to find a face that was distantly familiar, though I could not place it for the life of me. “Hm.”
“Hm..?! You insolent little boy!” she spat, her eyes blazing with a brazen fury that made me recoil. That and the spittle that flew, indecently, from her mouth. “Get out of my classroom and go for lunch!” She brushed the little amount of items on my desk into the book bag I had failed to notice on the left side of my seat. I stood up and clumsily caught the – my… bag, as she shoved it into my hands and gestured rudely for me to exit.
I caught a glimpse of a name on the board as I hastily made my escape, completely disoriented and befuddled. Ms Dennings.
I came to a halt when I was out in the hallway and the door shut loudly with a bang. Ms Dennings… my geography teacher?! The one from seventy bloody years ago?!
But that couldn’t be, the panic rose as I did my best to quickly but discreetly make my way to the bathroom. It couldn’t be. My family couldn’t possibly have been a dream, they couldn’t! It was too real, everything was too real for it to have been all a dream; it was impossible!
I couldn’t help the shimmer of tears as I came face-to-face with my eighteen year old self in all its glory, staring back at me in the mirror reflection.
I refrained from outright weeping as I made my way into a stall and locked it shut. Clutching the wall in support, I was hit with a wave of home-sickness. I wanted my children, my wife, my throne, kingdom, all gone. A mere fantasy. Cursed to continue in this reality, alone.
I sat on the closed seat and rubbed my eyes. Only then did I notice the golden glimmer on my ring finger.
Astonished but hopeful, I pulled my hand away from my face to examine it from a distance.
It was my wedding ring, in all its gold and ruby glory.
I took a shuddering breath and unclenched my clammy fist.
What to do, what to do…
FIN
OR TO BE CONTINUED…?