Quote Queste | September

For this month’s QQ, I’m dabbling with a character who is still in the Inspiration stage, and will probably show up way in the future in my Ýdära books. At this point, all I know about him is that his name is Edward, and he’s the king (probably of Dunsmüir)…but he’s only around ten years old, so he has several people around him to train him how to be king.

Frankly, I don’t know if I’ll even use this storyline—I only have a bzillion other Characters to write in this world, LOL—but I like this plot idea, so we’ll see what happens….

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Via Pinterest

     “This sword is bigger than I am,” Edward complained, gripping the handle tighter as the long blade weaved drunkenly through the air. “How am I to learn proper swordplay if I can’t even keep my weapon steady?”

     “Your Majesty must concentrate harder,” Talír replied calmly. “Your arms are strong enough, but your Majesty’s mind is elsewhere.”

     “I don’t want to fight,” Edward confessed, resting the tip of the sword on the grass. “It’s because of fighting—and swords—that my father is dead, and I have to be king.” He threw down the sword and glared at the ground. “I’m too young, Lord Talír! I’m tired of trying to learn how to rule a kingdom; I’m tired of endless lessons. I’m tired of never being allowed to spend time with other children. I’m only ten years old, yet everyone expects me to act like an adult!”

Via Pinterest
(Ignore the horse for now)

    Talír rested one leather-clad hand on the boy’s shoulder.

     “I won’t deny that life has placed a heavy burden on your shoulders, your Majesty—shoulders that are, admittedly, too young for such a responsibility. But without you, Sire, our people have no leader.”

     “Father always said Elyon is the true King of any land,” Edward countered, folding his arms. “Why can’t we all just follow His Law, rather than forcing one man to make all the rules?”

     “Because people are like sheep, your Majesty, and need a shepherd to keep them in line. Yes, Yeshua is the Chief Shepherd,” he added, as Edward opened his mouth, “but He appoints under-shepherds to represent Him in the world. Just as your Majesty has lords and governors under you, so are the kings of this world under Elyon. Just as they are responsible to obey and carry out your laws and enforce them, so a king is answerable to Elyon, and it is a king’s duty to obey and enforce Elyon’s Law among his people.”

     Edward turned his back, but not before Talír caught sight of tears in the boy’s eyes. “I hate being king,” he sighed. “Other boys my age are allowed to run and play in the fields, or gather nuts in the woods, or swim in the creeks. I’d give anything to join them—to be a real little boy. I’m…I’m so lonely.”

     “Your Majesty’s destiny is a weighty one, and with great destiny comes great loneliness. Not everyone is fit to wear the crown.”

     Edward frowned at him over his shoulder. “But if I’m to be king, won’t I eventually have a queen? Perhaps I sha’n’t be so lonely then.”

     Talír laughed. “Now that’s a matter your Majesty is definitely rather young to worry about yet.”

     “I suppose so,” Edward conceded, lifting one corner of his mouth. He faced Talír with a humbler expression. “I don’t mean to be so difficult, Lord Talír—forgive me—but this has been building inside me so long, I simply couldn’t hold it in anymore. But I suppose a king must learn to be stronger than that.”

     “No king should bottle up his feelings, Sire; that only leads to harm. I know your Majesty desires to do right, but I also know that sometimes, one simply needs to ‘let off steam,’ as the saying goes. I’m not offended, Sire, so don’t trouble yourself on that head. Now then,” he continued, picking up Edward’s sword and handing it to him, “let’s resume your Majesty’s lesson.”

     Edward took a deep breath, nodded, and took hold of the weapon.

     This time, the blade remained steady.