The Songster in Revenant Kingdom

Chapter 10

They decided to go back and bring Gascon and Camilla into their discussion before they started planning their new kingdom. They both knew that they'd want to be involved.

As they went back down, Gascon came running up to them, out of breath.

"There you are!" he panted, before grabbing their hands. "Come on! My mother'll be so mad if she finds out you two aren't in the castle! She's already worried about you, Evan!" Roland chuckled, pulling his hand away, but following him back to the palace.

"I'm sure your mother will be fine, as long as we don't go too far." That was when he saw Harmony herself, standing at the front gate, her arms crossed. She did not look happy with them. Gascon and Evan quickly ran behind Roland, who looked a little surprised to see her standing there. 

"Where were you three?" She growled. "Gascon, you of all people know better than to wander off without telling me! And you two." She turned her attention to Roland and Evan. "Don't think that just because you two are guests doesn't mean I'm letting you off the hook! The guards told me when you two left last night! Did you really think it was such a good idea to just wander off in the middle of the night after what happened?" Evan and Gascon looked down, ashamed.

"Sorry, Mother."

"Sorry, Miss Harmony." The two of them said at the same time.

"Go on inside and check on your cousin! And make you sure you two get some breakfast in you!" She took them both by their collars and pushed them through the gate. "And don't even think about getting into anymore trouble!" Both of the younger boys hurried away, and she turned to Roland with a sigh.

"You can't baby them, you know." he told her with a chuckle. "Evan already made it clear that he was going to become a king. And you said-"

"I know what I said!" She interrupted, thumping her staff on the ground and creating some small, electric shocks, before letting out a sigh. "I never realized it when I was your age, but when you have your own children, its hard to see them try and grow up. You want to protect them all the time, but you know that you can't. So you hover, and get angrier when they try to go off on their own. Don't you understand?" Roland's smile fell, and he looked at the ground, thinking of what else he had to leave behind. 

"No, I do understand." He told her. "I hate that my own son was left behind when I was brought here." She looked up, holding a hand to her heart.

"So you are a father." He looked up. "I have a little seer power. I saw him when I studied you." Roland nodded.

"His name is William. And he is very, very sick. He's constantly under the care of doctors, and I feel as though I never have time to see him." Harmony shook her head.

"There is always time for your child." She told him. "I'd leave the throne if Gascon were so sick. I'd never let him out of my sight." Roland felt a pang in his heart. He knew before that he didn't make enough time for his own son, especially after his dear wife had passed away. But to hear such words coming from another parent, he knew Harmony was right, and that he needed to make more time for William.

"I'll take that to heart." Harmony smiled at him then, and stepped aside.

"After you. The boys will be waiting for you."

Revenant Kingdom

They all met in Camilla's room, where Camilla was nearly quite literally wolfing food down. It was only the four of them in the room this time around. Harmony and Marcassin had gone to take care of paperwork, while Swaine and Nichole had gone to visit another kingdom, so it was only Gascon, Roland, Camilla, and Evan in the room.

"So, what's the first step?" Camilla asked as she practically inhaled a plate of waffles. Gascon looked a little grossed out, especially when a bit of syrup fell off the plate and made a splat on the floor, but Evan ignored it. He had to focus on their goal.

"Well, if I'm to become a king again, I'll need to convince a kingmaker to help us." Gascon jumped up at that.

"That should be easy! The kingmakers should be lining up to help you!" Roland looked between them, confused of course. 

"A kingmaker?" Evan nodded.

"Yes. A monarch must have the power to serve his people. A kingmaker is a magical creature blessed with great power. By bending one to his will, a king proves that he is worthy to lead his nation." Roland straightened at that.

"So, it's a mark of authority?" Evan nodded.

"Yes, but... not just that." He tried to explain. "It's also a guardian. In times of need, it can come to the nation's aid. A single kingmaker has the strength of an entire army." Roland nodded, his eyebrows furrowed.

"Is that so... I'm guessing they're pretty big?" Gascon jumped at that one excitedly.

"They're huge! Antioch is almost as big as our castle! That's my parents' kingmaker!" 

"And there are plenty more that are just as big!" Camilla added. "The one in Hydropolis could wrap itself around the entire city if he wanted to!" 

"You don't say..." Roland wasn't sure how he liked the sound of such a large creature, especially being in the hands of such young boys. "And you mean to... tame one of these things?" That was when Roland remembered. "Wait a minute. You were a king until just recently, right? Shouldn't you have one of those kingmakers already?" Evan looked at the ground, his cheeks pink.

"Well, my father only died a month ago, you see... We hadn't quite got around to that part yet... So... I was never a true king... Not really..." Camilla took Evan's hand from where she sat, urging him to keep going. If the ceremony had gone ahead as planned, I would have my kingmaker by now. But of course... It didn't." Roland looked out the window absentmindedly, thinking about how they had left Ding Dong Dell.

"I wonder what's happening with your kingmaker now that you're out of the picture..."