LEGEND OF ZANAR: CHRONICLES IF JARREN

CHAPTER 3 Rebuilding a Kingdom

Kentar was planning to meet with the stag. His arrangement with the farmer would still be fulfilled. The farmer was killed the same night the stag took his place. Kentar knew what happened. The stag would be able to help Kentar even more now. Helena had given the stag his wish. Now he was a man. He would soon behave more and more like a man. His lust would lead him away from her. What he pledged to her would never be what she thought it would be. Her own expectations would leave her bitter. He did fulfill his end of the bargain. She was now pregnant and very happy. The years she cried for a child were over. What she didn't know was the child she was carrying she would never know. The stag had made an arrangement with Kentar to switch the boy with the prince. The stag had seven months to gain the trust of the midwife. The midwife to the queen owed him a favor. Many of the villagers owed the stag favors. Some favors he'd need to use to switch the babies. The stag always collected his favors. Usually what was gained was never worth what he asked in return. Many were too desperate to question what he'd ask for in return. This had worked for him for centuries. He would receive their help, and in return he would grant them his help, knowing he would return to collect something from them. His arrangement with Kentar was different. Kentar saved his life many centuries ago. He owed Kentar everything. This would be one wish he'd not collect on. They arranged to meet in the forest where they first met. The cavern was filled with marshland. Once as a man he was trapped here. The stag would have died if it wasn't for Kentar. The land was in pain, and Kentar could sense it. He went to see what harm man was causing to the land he guarded. When he reached the spot, he felt the pain. Kentar found the stag reaching for branches. Breaking the branches from the trees as he tried to free himself. He recognized him when he approached. As the stag, he could have freed himself. The forest would have helped him. In the form of a man, the forest didn't know him as the stag. Only a man, the man that was hurting the forest. "Well, you are in a pickle, Stag!" Kentar said. "How do you know me?" he asked. "I know everything's true form. You are not yourself. Whom have you tricked now? A young farm boy with dreams of glory or a sad farmer's wife?" Kentar asked. "I never trick anyone. I ask them to help me, and in return, they owe me a favor. I give what is asked of me," the stag replied. "Stag, I know you. You don't have to justify what you do to me. It seems you are in need of my help today. Should I help you, or let you die? What will saving your life be worth to you?" he asked. The stag didn't have anything to bargain with. If he died, the forest would replace him. Another stag would be born to restore the balance. He didn't want to give up so easily. He had been the protector for many centuries. He enjoyed his role in the forest. With all its downfalls, he loved his role. His life was worth whatever price he'd have to pay. "What do you want in return?" he asked, knowing whatever he asked would be more than he should pay. Kentar thought for a moment, knowing he would try to get him to be very specific. "I will take a favor," he said. The stag was trapped in his own game. Kentar only asked for a favor and nothing else. He had been very specific. For a favor could be anything and didn't need to be defined. This was how the stag conducted himself. In asking for a favor, he created a friendship. A friend would do anything when asked. In asking for a favor, Kentar had created a friend dynamic with the stag. "Very well, I will give you a favor," the stag said. Kentar lifted him from the boggy marsh. "Then it is done. One day I will collect my favor from you," he said and left. The stag would fulfill his agreement. Here where he almost died before. He waited for Kentar to arrive, and he was late. The stag wondered if he'd been late on purpose to refresh his memory on how they met. Kentar had a purpose in everything he did. He knew that helping the stag would be worth it. Many times he almost used his favor on other things. He held onto the favor until now. "Stag, where have you been? I have been waiting for you in the cavern for hours!" Kentar yelled. He looked around to see where he was. "I'm right here. Where are you?" the stag asked. Kentar appeared in front of him. "I have been watching you, wondering what it is about you that creates such loyalty to you," Kentar stated. The stag could tell he was up to something. "Kentar, let's be done with this. I have favors I want to collect for myself. I need to know what you want to happen to this baby," he rushed him. "The child is to replace the prince," he replied. "I need you to arrange to switch the children at birth. Both the future prince and the farm boy will be born on the same day. They were conceived at the same moment in time. In order to complete their destinies, they need to be switched," Kentar replied. Kentar wasn't telling the stag everything. He was holding back the truth from him. There was no way he was going to tell the stag anything he could use against him later. If he knew, he could tell Zanar and ruin everything. "Your favor is extensive. It will require much time to prepare. I may even need your help to accomplish it," the stag informed him. "When you need my help, you know how to get a hold of me. I just need this done, and I know you won't let me down. Your life depends on it. Like the ground I protect. I can return you to the moment I saved you and end it," Kentar warned. The stag was unaware of this and now was scared. He had never been scared of anything until now. Kentar had never thrown a blank threat at him before. So he knew it was something he could do and would if needed. "I'll see to your wishes, Kentar. If I need your help, I will call for you." With that, they parted. The stag returned home. Kentar returned to the forest and watched over the forest like a child. He would soon teach his daughter to care for the planet. Zanar knew nothing of what he was doing. If Zanar knew what Kentar was doing just to win a bet, she would kill him herself. Her state of mind since her pregnancy began has left her even more unstable than ever. King Trine was preparing for court. Normally Queen Derna would be accompanying him. She has decided not to attend court until after the prince was born. Her midwife had suggested she stay away from court. There were too many sick people attending court. In order to keep the queen healthy, her midwife was keeping her isolated. Having fewer people the queen encountered would keep her away from sickness. This isolation was the opposite of how the queen conducted herself. She had just started a campaign to clean up her city and to bring life back to the kingdom. On her trip to see the midwives, the queen realized how much despair the kingdom was suffering. She didn't go into the city often. Whatever she needed was brought to her. The queen had nothing to do within her own walls. She had found a cause. She could finally use her strength as queen. The city needed her, and she was answering back. Her pregnancy had brought unfortunate timing for the city. The queen was trapped in her room. She would have to hope that her husband would receive her orders well. She had been preparing her plan to repair the city for weeks. Her plans were precise. She would need to clean the streets and repair the buildings. The queen issued a decree to the king asking for conscripts to assist her in her repairs. The city needed to express the regal nature of the kingdom. "Maid, send this decree to the king. He is attending to new business in court today." Her maid took the decree and rushed to the king. They had discussed the issue in private, and she would need to announce her intentions in open court. Since the queen couldn't be present, her decree read in open court would be her voice. The rebuilding would begin without delay. The garbage would need to be removed from the streets. Finding a place for the refuse would be needed. The market needed to be washed and decorated to bring life back to the square. When the queen passed by the market, it was desolate and dirty. The market wasn't inviting, not a place you would want to purchase anything. Let alone the heart of the town. Life flowed from the market. If the market looked dead, the kingdom may look the same soon. The queen wanted her son to inherit the kingdom in glory. Her son would be able to grow their kingdom. Soon their legend would be born. Engaged to a goddess before he was born or conceived. His reign would be supreme, creating happiness for the Kingdom of Vanesly. This was the queen's hope and measure of her place as mother. Zanar had promised her kingdom much happiness and prosperity in the coming centuries. She was starting her kingdom's prosperity now, not willing to wait for the promise from the gods. Queen Derna wanted to create a kingdom like no other. With the gods' help, it would be just that. She'd start with the repair of the city. Lisa was now six months old. She was growing faster than time could pass. Although Zanar had been attending to her, they hadn't bonded. In the early months of Lisa's life, Zanar couldn't be with her. She was sad and lethargic. Tarina took care of Lisa, creating a bond between them. Tarina was longing for her own child now, knowing she would never have one. Her future as the goddess of love was set. There was no family for her to have. She was to create happiness for others. Her own happiness was of no concern. In some ways the gods had everything, and in others they had nothing. Tarina was starting to realize what that really meant. Eternity without a purpose was not worth living. Zanar, now healthier, had regained her place in Lisa's life as her mother. Zanar was breaking Tarina's heart and renewing the rift between them. Since children, they had always wanted what the other had. Lisa had started taking on traits of her father. She had spent most of her time with him and Tarina. While Zanar was ill, Lisa began learning about the forest. Kentar wasted no time in teaching her. He gathered the advisors together to begin her training. There was nothing more important to Kentar than his daughter's training and happiness. It was within her to repair the planet from anything. The balance of the soil the forest grew in depended on her. Zanar knew this was part of her destiny but had no patience with her training. She wanted Kentar to wait till she was older to begin her training. They had argued about this many times. Both now and before she was born. "Kentar, why does she need to learn now? She has plenty of time to learn about the planet and its cycles. She's not even one yet," Zanar demanded. "It is for her own good that I teach her these things now. If she wavers just a bit, there won't be a way to bring her back. Then the balance is lost," he replied. "I understand your worry, Kentar. I need to connect with her. I lost so many months with my sadness," she stated. Kentar walked over to Zanar and held her. "Zanar, my love. I would never keep you from her. Take all the time you need. Her lessons will be learned whether they come from me or you. I know you lost out on her early months. I wished so much for you to be with her when she was born." Zanar started to cry. "I don't know why I couldn't hold her. I was so angry when she was born. I look at her now and I don't understand how I felt or why," she replied. "That doesn't matter now. You are better, and you can now be with her," he said as he looked into her eyes. Kentar and Zanar stood watching Lisa play with a ball. In all the wonder of her future abilities, a simple ball occupied her now. Zanar had waited for this moment since she was a little girl. Her own mother told her how happy she would be to be a mother. Her own birth left her with the first months filled with anger and depression. If her mother only knew how hard it was on her. Maybe she would have had some words of wisdom to pass on. For now, Zanar watched her daughter in appreciation for what she did have, for the time she was spending with her now, trying to forget the feelings she first had for her daughter.