The World of Tom Stafford by D.A. Sanford - HTML preview

Chapter 13: The three kings

The thoughts of all the evil that was brought down here, weighs heavily on me. Not only was the surface criminal element returned to the water, but all of their trouble makers, that they expelled to the surface, have also returned. This has taken up a lot of my thoughts but I have to leave the investigations to the people that I have appointed to offices. Once this coronation is done, then they will be officially the heads of their line of expertise.

I still needed to keep focus on the upcoming coronation. The other kings will be attending. That will be the opportune time to bring up the matter. I will, however gather my people to come up with a plan to at least deal with those that reside in Seaden.

Things have now settled into a permanent blur. These past weeks, since coming home, have been a roller coaster ride. One that you know that around the next corner is the broken track at the highest point, the car is as fast as it is capable of going and there are no breaks.

The coronation, as important as it is to my subjects. I’m stopping here, I don’t like that term, my subjects. Yes, I will be their king and yes that term has been always used, I need to come up with a better term. It is my intention that they have a better say in my rule. That’s why I have Kar.

He has already been working on a form of suggestion board, made up by the people.

No noble rank or executive class will be allowed to be in this board. They can have direct access to the king and well, they can be, shall I say, very controlling.

Kar is setting it up so that the people select their area representative for one three year term then that person cannot serve again. With only one term, that person would not fall into the trap of career politician. They would funnel their suggestions or needs to that individual who would then present it to the board for consideration.

Back to the coronation. Nadean’s aide de camp, Doris, is like a drill Sargent. She has, along with the chamberlain, made a coronation schedule. I do believe that she has everything down to the seconds. Both the chief butler and the head maid have been run ragged. I must increase their shoe allowance.

Doris has scheduled the last fitting for my formal royal attire. The tailor has been in fear of his running afoul of her opinion. I, for being the king, have had very little to say in what this outfit looks like. To use her own words,

“Tom, if it was left up to you, the royal attire would be a worn pair of blue jeans, a band t-shirt with a hole in it and with stains of unknown origins on both.”

She is actually right about that with the exception of the fact that, being formal, it would be a clean white t-shirt over the band t-shirt.

Rooms are being prepped for the foreign dignitaries including the three other kingdom’s rulers. I have to memorize all of their names. Besides Seaden, the other three kingdoms are, Pacifica ruled by King Gildar Percian. Alandia ruled by King Harold Galintine and Tridinia ruled by King Arden Shaffer.

Doris has made sure that all the rooms for the kings have only the finest in furnishings along with staff. She has made adjacent rooms for the staff that they will be bringing. To avoid the conflict of egos, all the king’s suites are in the same area and the same size.

They are the same size as my rooms.

“First impressions. Nothing short of the best.” Doris keeps on reminding me.

I have to talk with someone about making me a safe room. I now realize that I need one to retreat with my tail between my legs to escape this madness for even a minute. I forgot, unlike those stories, I did not get a tail.

In actuality, it is good to see that Doris is so dedicated. She is a natural at this. It must have been that she always had this in her but never could bring it out but now it seems that in her new life she sees new potential. There are frequent times that I now see her with a satisfied smile. Compared to the person I first saw on the day they rolled into town. This may just be the real Doris. The one she hid all these years. I like both.

The kingdom is also getting into the mood. There will be country wide festivals to celebrate. Since I would not be able to attend each and every celebration, I have had Kar send to each of the towns and villages a royal proclamation thanking each for their honors and telling them that over my first year I will visit each.

That it will be a meet and greet so that anyone that wants to can talk to me and my entourage. I intend to be a people’s king not an aloof king that only nobles can talk to. I want to regularly have town hall meetings.

The individual kingdom’s support staff begin to arrive and it is quickly apparent that there are a lot of not so hidden rivalries between the kingdom. The first assault came when the staff of Alandia, the largest kingdom, protested to Doris that their suite should be larger than the other two kingdoms.

As if on queue, the staff leaders for Pacifica, which is the same size as Seaden, and Tridinia, the smallest of the kingdoms, verbally attacked Doris. Each were protesting the suite sizes. Each felt that they needed bigger rooms than the others. Also, they wanted different sections of the castle. It seems that the thought of being next to each other is repugnant to them.

I was listening to this and was about to step in when Doris went on the offensive.

“You all need to shut up, NOW! This is our kingdom. You are invited guests in Seaden.

Act like it! We have arranged these suites for a purpose. Seaden takes the position that

we will be all treated equally, PERIOD! We will not be inserted into your self-indulgent squabbling. I ask each one of you, are your rooms unfit for human habitation?”

“If the amenities are not to your liking, we will try to accommodate you, within reason but changing the rooms is not an option. Am I being very clear?”

To say that they are both unaccustomed and shocked at the dressing down they just received would be an understatement. Their mouths are moving but nothing is coming out, so I step in.

“Doris, please take these people to my suite.”

Then turning my attention to the staff leaders.

“I asked Doris to show you my rooms for a purpose. She has assigned your rooms that would be befitting me. They are the exact size as mine.”

Tridinia’s staff leader is the first and would be the last to talk.

“You are just a surface usurper of the Seaden throne. What does your opinion amount to.”

I turn to Gar, who accompanies me where ever I go.

“Chamberlain Gartage, get this person out of our kingdom now. He is not to even gather his belongings. I want a personal meeting with his second.”

I look at the terrified staff leader

“Technically you have committed what could amount to an opening of hostilities, if not a declaration of war between Seaden and Tridinia. I would be well within my rights to have you executed for insulting Royalty, but I won’t.”

“Chamberlain Gartage, I want a courier sent to King Shaffer to apprise him of this open act of hostility. I want it to state that, if that is his wish by sending this person, Seaden will defend itself with greater force than necessary to avenge our honor. Send that before you expel this person so that it reaches King Shaffer before this one gets there.”

Turning back to the offender

“How’s that for a surface usurper of the throne.”

I look around to find that Doris is smiling as she leads the others to my quarters. The guards are taking the offender away. With in an hour, Gar has the letter to King Shaffer in front of me.

“This needs your signature and we have a speeder messenger carriage waiting. That will get to Tridinia with in the day. The staff leader will get there tomorrow. We are providing his transportation to their palace. I would imagine that they will be waiting for him.”

I sign, then tell Gar,

“This job may just have its thrills.”

After a short while, Doris returns from the tour of my quarters with the staff leaders in tow. Their demeanor is quite different from before. They each apologize for their arrogance especially the replacement staff leader for the Tridinia staff.

“I humbly apologize for the outrageous comments made by a member of the staff.” He told me as he deeply bowed.

I accepted the apology but, with what my gut was saying, it sounded to me like the apology was a cover your ass rather than being sincere. I’m afraid that it will be an interesting meeting. I would be willing to say that it may be a universal opinion within the three other kingdoms. There is going to be some with that feeling in Seaden.

The day before the coronation, King Harold Galintine of Alandia is first to arrive. We are out front to greet him.

Chamberlain Gartage makes the formal announcement.

“Announcing King Galintine of Alandia and his Queen Elizabeth have arrived.”

The assembled crowd applauds as both Nadean and I approach.

“It is a pleasure and an honor that the royal couple of Alandia are attending my coronation.” and both of us bow.

King Galintine responds “I agree, it is an honor for you to have me here.”

With that, the fun begins.

“It was a long trip”, he told me with a baritone voice that reflected he was talking to a servant. “We would like you to show us to our suite.”

“Doris, would you” Before I could finish, he said in a commanding voice

“I said for you to show us to our suite.”

Challenge accepted. Picking up the imaginary gauntlet, I answer him

“I will have Doris, our aide de camp, show you. As you undoubtedly know, there are matters that need my kingly attention. My chamberlain will furnish you with the itinerary.

There will be a banquet tonight to celebrate both you and the other two kings’

attendance to my coronation.”

Before he can object, I leave. As I leave, I tell Doris to show them to their suite. Then I whisper to her.

“Make sure that the mini bars are full.”

She knows what I meant by it, but she whispered to me,

“Yours or theirs?”

“No, ours. We are going to need it before this is over.”

I still have two more kings to go.

Within a few hours, the next king shows up at the castle. I sigh and gather up Nadean.

“Brace yourself, here we go again.”

Again, Chamberlain Gartage makes the formal announcement.

“Announcing King Shaffer of Tridinia and his Queen Sophie have arrived.”

I watch as a short man comes up the stairs. Unlike King Galintine, who came up in a majestic manner, King Shaffer was, shall I say, was walking in a pompous self-important strut. He wanted everyone know that he is the most important person on the planet.

We again go to greet him. Before I could say anything, he looked at me then said in a perturbed manner. Again, I got the feeling that his words would have reflected what his servant said,

“I had that man executed. I thought highly of him, still do, but you pushed the issue. You surface people are offended easily. Now have my servants show me to my suite.”

The new leader of his staff came forward and started to lead the royal couple.

I motion to Gar to come over, “I want a palace guard to accompany him everywhere he and or his queen go while here. They are by no means allowed anywhere near any military fortifications. Matter of fact, inform all the royals that it is to honor them by having an honor guard. All the royal couples must have palace guards at all times outside their suites, for their protection of course. When it is the couples, I want a male guard by the king and a female guard by the queen. Inform the guards that there will be a hazardous duty bonus in their next pay.”

Gar said “It is a wise move.” and he informs the captain of the royal guard.

I tell Nadean “Two down and one to go.”

No sooner did I say those words, the last king showed up. King Percian of Pacifica.

Unlike the other two, King Percian came alone.

As he stepped out of the carriage, once again Chamberlain Gartage starts to make the formal announcement. King Percian stops him.

“No need to do that. I dislike those formalities.” He announces.

Coming up to me, he grabs my hand and says,

“Tom, I’m going to call you Tom, please call me Gildar, Gil for short. This must be Nadean.”

He gives her a hug. A little too informal for my taste. With that, I ask,

“Were you from the surface?”

“Nope, born and raised in Pacifica. For the record, Nadean, that is where your son came to when he triggered the satellite. A nice boy.”

Interesting I think to myself. We didn’t know that it was Bart that triggered the satellite.

Sometimes, trying too hard to be casual leaks feelings of distrust in who you’re trying to fool.

He now has my attention. I have his staff along with our palace guard escort show him to his suite.

After the kings are settled, I call an emergency meeting. I have Nadean, Jim, Doris, Gar and Kar meet me in the opposite end of the castle. Away from prying ears of the other king’s staff.

“We now have met all three of the kings. Let me give you my impressions. First King Galintine is pompous. Used to having his way with no one questioning them. Next is King Shaffer. He is a strutting arrogant man with a bigger ego than his body. He uses the power of his king to rule. Self-inflated.”

“Third, pardon me Tom” Gar says “King Percian. In public, where formality is actually required, he was too informal, too casual. He had too much information on how you act in private to be a coincidence.”

“I agree with you. He has inside information on how I like to operate behind the scenes.

I wonder. Gar what happened to the servant manager that told me that he would go to you to override my decision. I fired him. Have you ever heard of him after he left?”

“It was rumored that he could not find work after being fired by the king. The word is that he left the kingdom.”

“I think it may be that is where his information on me came from. The question is, why did he go to Pacifica? The first two kings made no pretext about hiding their personalities but I get an uneasy feeling that Percian is the one fake in the group. Did we ever find out where the initial push to have surface people come home originated?”

Jim says “All indications point to Pacifica being the most vocal on bringing us home.”

Things are starting to make sense. Once he mentioned Bart and that he was a nice boy.

How did he know that Bart was the one that triggered the satellite? I did not know that.

“Nadean, did Bart tell you he hacked the satellite?” Tom asks.

“No he didn’t say anything about that.”

“Percian probably will be aware of the fact that we will be watching the three. I say we show him no indication that we suspect him. Play along, let him act the way he did. I’m going to let him keep going the way he was on the steps.”

“Watch the other two kings as I interact. What I need to know is their reaction to him.

Particularly are they looking at him asking each other ‘What the hell has he been smoking? Are the two kings talking to each other in a way that would give the impression of him trying to pull something?”

All are in agreement. With a plan in place the meeting disbands.

“We need to get ready for the reception, especially you, almost King Thomas Stafford”

Doris commands.

A loud “Yes Mam” resounds from everyone and then we laugh as we go to get changed.

Back in our room,

“Nadean, is Bart still in the castle or has he gone off on his own? If he is here, I feel that we need to talk to him about” and I pause to swallow the bile I feel raising at the thought

“Gil.”

She tells me that she required him to be here, He is the prince of Seaden now. Uneasy thoughts entered my mind. What if this is as Pacifica planed it. Use Bart to start the whole process knowing that we would be coming own to rule Seaden?

But I did not meet his mother until after this started. Was it coincidence that Nadean was the last Thornton’s residence to be going down the road? That I was able to wake her?

That Bart was at our location to greet his mother when he was on the west coast?

Too many questions but it feels too much like someone was writing a script that we had to follow.

“If someone is writing this, why haven’t you written naked mermaids into the story?”

I had to talk to Bart. How did Gil know so much. How did all these seemingly random pieces coalesce? Too many questions that seem impossible to answer.

“We need to talk to Bart in the morning. I’ll tell him at the reception”

“Why not now”

“Because if we take the time now, Doris will be in here yelling that we are upsetting her schedule.”

“You’re right” Nadean says then goes to her dressing room and I to mine.

In my dressing room, I find that there is a contingent of butlers, waiting with Chief butler Louisianian damn near tapping his foot.

“Sire, you are barely giving us enough time to get you ready.”

“Sorry Lou, matters of state. I’ll make sure that Doris knows that it was my fault.”

“Thank you, your majesty. Now you need to bathe and then we will get you dressed.”

Due to time constraints, the bath was more like a drive through one of the automatic car washes, minus the hot wax. In and out. I was dressed in that specially made royal wardrobe and hustled out to the room. I find Doris standing there waiting for Nadean and I to come out.

She says “We are running close to being off schedule.”

“Aren’t you supposed to show respect to the king?”

“Those kings yes but I know you Tom. Way before they declared you royalty. To me you are still Tom. I’m going in to kick Nadean in the ass to get her going.”

“Please be gentle, it is my fault for being behind the time. Not the staff.”

“I know that. That’s why I said I’d kick Nadean’s ass. She should have kicked yours”

With that she gives me an evil smile, a fake curtsy and then goes into Nadean’s dressing room. A few minutes later we were walking down the hall towards the banquet room. Royal guards leading the way and following us.

Doris tells us that the chamberlain will announce us. We need to have Nadean put her left hand on my right forearm. The doors are opened and the show begins.

“My Kings and Queens, Lords and Ladies, the heir apparent to the throne of Seaden and his wife, King Thomas Stafford and Queen Nadean have arrived.”

There is applause as we walk in. My attention is on the guards as we follow them to our seats. The staff pull out our chairs. Now is the time for my speech.

“Would you all please be seated.” Everyone does include Nadean. Doris had already joined Jim.

“On this august occasion I would like to thank everyone for coming to the coronation but specifically I would like to thank the royalty for coming.”

“Alandia’s King Galintine and his Queen Elizabeth” and I sweep my hand towards them.

There is applause as they raise from their seats at the head table. They wave then sit back down. I continue.

“I would like to thank the royalty for coming. Tridinia’s King Shaffer and his Queen Sophie” and I sweep my hand towards them.

Again, the applause as they stand and wave. Why does he look a little taller. Elevator shoes?

“And last but not least Pacifica’s King Percian.” I sweep my hand towards him.

He waves and then sits down.

I say a few more stately things, my visions and goals. All in a vague political fashion.

After thanking everyone again I invite everyone to enjoy the meal then sat down.

After a fine meal of all that delicacies that Seaden had to offer, we adjourned to the ball room where there was music being played by an orchestra. There were waiters and maids milling about with trays of drinks and finger food. All high end. If someone wanted a special drink, there was someone at hand to get that for them.

Groups were forming for casual talks. It also looked like some were having formal talks.

One of those groups included King Gildar he was talking to Bart. The king was being

loud and boisterous. So much so that even I, could not help but notice the looks that the other two royal couples were giving him.

Nadean and I go over to him. She puts her arm around Bart’s right arm and greets him.

We have some small talk but Gildar, though he was not drunk, acted and sounded like he was. After a few minutes of that, I was ready to ask in a roundabout manner some of the questions I had. That’s when Nadean looked at Bart and asked him

“So how did you come to know King Percian?”

Bart answers with a smile, “When I came below in Pacifica, he was there to greet me.

He called me over by name. He was with another person. I asked him how did you know me and the other person told me that she was a seer.”

I saw a brief wince come over my pal Gil then it disappeared. The king then excused himself.

“I want to greet some of the others” he said in a loud voice and wandered off.

“Trying not to break character, but it answers a lot of my questions.” I mutter.

Nadean answers that with “You are right.”

Bart looks confused as his mother has him escort her to our room. I stay behind until the reception comes to a close. Tomorrow is another day.

I go to our room to find Bart still there but with an angry look. It is the look of being used once again.

Nadean must have talked to him.