The Sword Thief

Chapter 24

"New King!"

"Listen--" he's cut off by a steel cup hitting him in the head. 

"This isn't working." He says coming back towards us and rubbing his temple.

"Here, Gimme a try." Balthazar says shape shifting out of the sword and appearing in his all white form.

"Mmm-ack I won't be shape shifting often that's for sure." He grumbles stretching and cracking some bones. Walking out the the banister that looks down upon the crowd he clears his throat.

"Silence!" He roars stilling the crowd. "What is it you want?" A silence passes as they all take in Belthazar's form. Somone throws a stone at him and they all gasp as they see it fly through.

"I said what is it you want?" He tries again. A collective murmur passes through the crowd as they decide what it is they want.

"New King!" They thunder.

"A new King?"

"Give us a King!" they cry again.

"That I can do." Balthazar says smirking. He reaches behind the pillar and pulls out Matilda. Her eyes widen and she seems to shrink infront of them.

"How about her! She is the rightful owner to this kingdom!" He announces. Silence passes once again as they think about this.

"What has she done for us? She does not understand what we need! Things will go back to the old ways! A New King!" One man says.

"New King!" The crowd bellows in agreement. 

"Good." Belthazar says tossing back Matilda and pulling me out. Tripping from the force of his pull I stumble into the center of the banister. 

"How about him!" he announces. Whispers erupt as they realize who I am. 

"We thought you had died!"

"This is proposterous!"

"He is not real!"

"Why do they lie to us once again!" 

"He is real!" Balthazar yells silencing them once again. "And any one who dare disagrees may tell me otherwise." He dares them sending threatening looks. The crowd erupts in whispers again.

"So that is really Garrett?" an old woman asks.

"Speak boy." Belthazar commands me.

"Yes auntie Lae." I mutter glaring at my Balthz.

"Oh so you remember me!"

"How could I not! You clothed my family when we could no longer afford even a thread!" I say surprised she would think I forgot her. She seems to contemplate this for a while.

"Yes...Yes! Yes, he is perfect King material! Choose the boy, people of the mainland! Choose the boy!" She yells turning round to coax the crowd. People who knew me immediately join in, but those who did not seem a little reluctant. But soon everyone joins in, in chants of "The Boy!" 

"Okay! That is enough!" Belthazar says again. He has a look of irritation on his face and the crowd quiets at his angry expression.

"The boy is now your king." he says smiling and in a flash returns to being an old rusty sword taking my shining armor along with him. 

"What! You can't just leave me here, you rusty piece of metal!" I say waving the sword round.

I have not left you! I'm just to tired to stay in that form! I'm old you know!

"Oh sorry." I mutter embarrassed placing the sword down. 

Tis okay, here have this.

A white and blue crown appears on top of my head, glistening in the light.