The Four Gifts of the King Read online

  Steward hurried to his friend’s side. “Trevor, I have so many questions. First of all, what’s with the name? And Czarrudolph said something about you being a king, but not the king of Petitzaros. Is that right? And how did you get to be so…so…old?”

  Czartrevor ignored him, busy as he was ordering servants to get clothes, shoes, food, and drink. Finally, he motioned to Steward to sit down. “Your clothes will be here soon, as will your Bracelets. And then the banquet. Now let me see if I can help you with some answers.”

  Czartrevor sat down, and before he began two Phaedra emerged from the shadows and sat down near him.

  “How can I explain Petitzaros to you? This is such a wonderful place. You can have anything you want if you are willing to work for it. I came here with nothing, and by working hard and looking out for myself I have amassed, well” —he looked to the immense ceiling and raised his hands in the air—“all of this. Pretty incredible, huh?”

  “It is, yes. But, Trevor—”

  “Please, Steward, my name here is Czartrevor.”

  “Yes, that’s what I mean. Why the name and the chains and the Bracelets?”

  “Okay, okay, one thing at a time.” Czartrevor’s smile reminded Steward of the way adults smiled at children who were trying to understand something too difficult for them.

  He didn’t like it much.

  Czartrevor leaned back in his seat. “First, you need to know that in Petitzaros every person can build his own kingdom. That is what the king put us here to do.”

  As soon as Czartrevor mentioned the name of the king, the two Phaedra began to whisper:

  “The king does not bother himself with the affairs of Petitzaros.”

  “The king is not concerned with what happens here.”

  “The king has more important things to do.”

  Czartrevor didn’t even seem to hear them. He just went on with his explanation. “You see, my dear Steward, the king has left this place to us to build lives for ourselves. He has given us all we need, and now we are to work hard and prosper and enjoy life.”

  “Does the king visit here?”

  “Oh, no. You see, the king does not bother himself with the affairs of Petitzaros. He is not very concerned about what happens here. He has more important things to do, after all.”

  Of course. Just as the Phaedra said. Over and over and….

  Steward shook his head. “And the name and chains?”

  “Ahh, the Bracelets.” His friend lifted one hand, letting the chains clang against each other. “Yes, let’s get to that. First, you must know that every person here is capable of building his or her own castle. That is our calling. To acquire and build and care for what we have.”

  The words grabbed him. He leaned toward his old friend. “Yes, that’s my calling, my destiny. Why, it’s the very meaning of my name. One of the Phaedra told me that very thing just yesterday after I made it past Callater Pass.”

  “Oh…yes. I remember now. Your journey! This is your journey! I had forgotten after all these years. You have come to find the meaning of your name and the purpose of your life. And it is here in Petitzaros. I am sure of it.”

  Steward nodded. “I think you’re right. My name means ‘one who takes care of all he has.’ That’s what the Phaedra told me. And he also told me that in order to care for things I must acquire them.”

  Czartrevor slapped his hand on the table. “And this is the place to acquire all you ever wanted. And I will show you how.”

  From the corner of the room a Phaedra appeared holding an ornate, carved stone box. He set it before Czartrevor and backed away.

  Czartrevor opened the box and held up its contents. Two large, heavy, golden Bracelets. “Here they are, Steward. Your ticket to abundance beyond your wildest dreams. They are a gift to you from the king.”

  “From the king? They are from the king? How do you know?”

  Czartrevor didn’t answer. Instead, one of the Phaedra stood, walked closer to the two and whispered, “Dear Steward, millennia ago when the king established this land, he wanted all of its inhabitants to prosper. So he created these golden Bracelets and commanded that all citizens of Petitzaros wear them. No one knew why at first, but the magic of the Bracelets soon became known.”

  A second Phaedra joined the other and continued the story. “All who wear the Bracelets are allowed to use the Elixir of Mah Manon to gain wealth, power, and position.”

  Elixir of Mah Manon. What was that?

  “And be generous,” Steward interjected. “The Phaedra told me that I must also be generous.”

  Czartrevor shrugged and looked at his hooded companions. “Oh, yes, of course. There is always room for a little generosity.”

  The Phaedra took the two Bracelets and handed them to Steward. “And these are for you. With them you can complete your journey and live out your destiny as a citizen of Petitzaros. You can amass great wealth and care for it.” He glanced at the Phaedra next to him, and with a slight nod he went on. “And, of course, be generous with what you have.” The Phaedra placed the bands around Steward’s wrists and, with a quick twist, secured them in place with a sound like the locking of a clasp.

  Steward ran his hands over them, feeling their weight. They were heavier than he expected, and they pressed tightly to his wrists. “How do I get them off?”

  The Phaedra rose. “You must never take them off. They are yours for life. They now mark you as a citizen of Petitzaros.”

  Citizen? But this is not my home. Steward sat up and studied Czartrevor, looking at his gnarled hands and shriveled face…and a chill ran through him. “What if I want to return to Aiden Glenn?”

  Soft whispers broke out in the room. Steward glanced to the side and saw they came from the other two Phaedra. The whispers echoed all around him.

  “This is your home now.”

  “You need never return to Aiden Glenn.”

  “There is nothing for you there.”

  “Your destiny is here.”

  The Phaedra who had placed the Bracelets on Steward’s wrists raised his hand, and the room grew silent. “Young Steward, you must seek your destiny here. This is the goal of your journey. Here you will find the purpose for your life. You need venture no farther down the road or return the way you came.”

  Czartrevor nodded. “The Phaedra is right. Stay with me here, and I will show you how to acquire all you ever wanted. Then you can truly be Steward. Isn’t that what you have been seeking?”

  Steward’s stomach churned, and his hands began to tremble. His spirit was wrestling with conflicting emotions. He wanted to run, to run back home and leave all this behind. Yet the words made sense. They were true, weren’t they? He was just tired from the journey. Best to listen to the Phaedra and his friend. “Yes, yes, it is.” But he couldn’t help adding, “I just thought I was supposed to complete my journey and find my true answers in the throne room of the king.”

  The whispers of the Phaedra sounded again.

  “You don’t need to see the king.”

  “This is not a matter for the king.”

  “Your destiny is here.”

  Then one Phaedra’s words increased above a whisper and were delivered with a venomous hiss: “The king does not care about you.”

  Steward froze. The words cut him. For the first time in his life a Phaedra frightened him. He glared at the hooded figure in front of him.

  As though sensing Steward’s reaction, another Phaedra continued in a more consoling tone. “The king wants you to be happy, young Steward, and so he has sent you on this journey to Petitzaros to fulfill your destiny. That is wonderful news, is it not?”

  Steward held his stare then looked away. “Yes, I guess it is.”

  Czartrevor let out a sigh. “Great, it’s settled then. Tonight we shall party, and tomorrow we shall help young Steward begin his work. Call to the people of my kingdom and tell them there shall be a great feast tonight in Steward’s honor. Go, and I will begin preparations.”r />
  As the Phaedra left the room, Steward adjusted the bands on his wrists. They may be blessings, but did they have to be so tight and heavy?

  Czartrevor rose and managed a feeble wave. “Come, let me show you the banquet hall.” Steward followed his friend into a huge dining room, which held enough tables and chairs for a hundred people or more.

  “Where will you get all of the food and wine for so many guests?”

  “Ah, now is the time for your first lesson in the magic that is Petitzaros.” Czartrevor walked to a large safe and began to turn dials until the clicks of the tumblers fell into place. He pulled open the heavy door and took out an ornate bottle with a stopper fitted in the top. He closed the safe behind him and walked to the empty banquet table in the center of the room. His eyes gleamed as he looked at the vial, holding it up to the light to measure the volume of its precious contents.

  Steward was mesmerized. “What is it?”

  “This, my dear friend, is the Elixir of Mah Manon. It is the lifeblood of Petitzaros. Watch, dear Steward, and see the magic that can be yours.”

  Czartrevor opened the bottle with great care and leaned over the table. A single drop made its way out of the top and, after clinging for a moment to the edge of the spout, fell from the bottle. It dropped onto the tabletop and exploded into a staggering array of fruits, vegetables, meats, cheeses, breads, flasks of wine, and more delicious, sweet desserts than Steward had ever seen in one place.

  This was incredible!

  Czartrevor placed the delicate stopper back into the neck of the bottle. “That, my friend, is the power of the Elixir of Mah Manon. Now aren’t you glad you have come to Petitzaros?”

  Perhaps his friend and the Phaedra were right. Maybe he should trust them. This was, after all, the most amazing thing he’d ever seen.

  Soon, Steward was the honored guest at Czartrevor’s great banquet. Hundreds of chain-laden guests were there; but, despite the lavish food, drink, and music, they all bore the countenance of somber resignation. How could they look so burdened with this abundance before them? Though he heard laughter and even merriment, the whole party felt like a sad facade, as if the people’s fun was forced to hide a deep despair.

  Steward rubbed a hand over his eyes. He must be tired—probably just imagining it all.

  Later that night, after the last guests had left, as Steward prepared for bed, he thanked his friend for such a grand welcome. “I do still have two questions, Tre…I mean Czartrevor. Why the new name, and what about the rings?”

  Czartrevor sat back in his overstuffed chair, his belly sticking out a bit from underneath his waistcoat. “Two answers and then to bed. We have much to do tomorrow. First, the name. When someone in Petitzaros gains a high level of wealth and prestige, they are given the title of czar, which is added to their given name. It is a sign of respect, marking one as a complete citizen of this land. It means your kingdom is large, and your power and influence are substantial. It is everyone’s goal to reach this place of honor.”

  “Everyone’s?” Steward had seen a few people with no chains when he entered the city.

  “Well, not exactly everyone. There is a sect of rather crazy people who live alone out in the northern country and believe an old superstition about the Bracelets. But that is not important. No, you must set your face toward nothing less than the day you will be called Czarsteward. After all, according to the Phaedra, that is the true meaning of your name—and your destiny.”

  “Yes, I guess it is. Czarsteward.” Steward smiled at the sound of the name. “And the rings?”

  “They are the great mystery of this land. No one knows how they appear or exactly why, except that they seem to increase with one’s wealth and prestige. One day you will have two, and the next time you look, there will be three. The Phaedra say they are part of the blessing on this land. You get the Elixir of Mah Manon, the golden bands, and gold rings in abundance.”

  “But aren’t they heavy?”

  “Oh, no, not at all. And we can take them off whenever we want. It is just that they are such a wonderful sign of our blessings that we never do. The more rings, the more honor in the land. Don’t worry. Soon you will have rings of your own.”

  Steward wasn’t so sure.

  The evening was over, and Steward was led to a massive suite with a four-poster bed as large as his entire room back in Aiden Glenn. He was exhausted and full and…confused. As he crawled in between sheets more luxurious than he had ever felt, he thought back on the day.

  Surely this is my destiny, the purpose of my journey.

  His momentary concern over the Phaedra probably stemmed from his fatigue, nothing more. They were wise, and he would do well to believe them when they said this was the completion of his journey. Still…

  I will return to Aiden Glenn one day. As soon as I’ve acquired enough to prove my name and fulfill my purpose.

  With that thought cheering his heart, he drifted off to sleep.

  From the corner of Steward’s room, a Phaedra slipped out of the shadows and came over to his bed. Leaning down, he whispered in Steward’s ear.

  “You never need to return to Aiden Glenn. Your destiny is in Petitzaros. You will stay here and become Czarsteward. The Phaedra are right. They are always right.”

  ~~~~~~~~~

  Walter’s heart rate quickened. He watched as Merideth set the book down and took a deep drink of water. She looked at no one.

  Reed rubbed his wrist under his Rolex. “Golden Bracelets…pretty clever.”

  Alex stood and walked to the fireplace, grabbed a poker, and jabbed at the dying fire. Sparks erupted and crackled at him. “I know some of those gray people. Lots of money, but no real happiness. Obviously, that’s what Dad is getting at.”

  Merideth finally looked up. “They’re not all gray. I know wealthy people who seem pretty happy to me. Money doesn’t always have to come with chains.”

  “Oh, they’re there.” Reed leaned forward. “They’re always there. I mean, I’m not filthy rich or anything, but those chains Dad’s talking about? Stress, fear, jealousy, all the stuff that comes with having money. Fear that you’ll lose it, envy against others who have more. Trying to protect it and grow it, keeping the government from taxing it and others from stealing it. Oh, yeah, trust me, sister. The chains are there. And they’re heavy.”

  Merideth’s face tightened. She stood and pushed past Reed to walk to the kitchen. Her irritated words drifted back to them. “I’m not buying it. Not for everyone. I get the point, but there are exceptions.”

  Walter waited until she disappeared into the kitchen. “What do you think, Alex?”

  He was still trying to stir life into the fire. He added two logs and pushed them into place. “I’m not sure. Still processing it, I guess. I’d like to think Mer is right. Seems an odd notion that money always brings burdens. I’ve done well and made good money. I’ve put some away, and it looks like a lot more could be coming. Will it come with chains?” Alex returned to his seat, his unanswered question hanging in the air.

  Merideth returned and sent an arch look at Walter. “So what do you think? Does it?”

  He didn’t expect that from her. He recoiled from the idea of being thrust into the discussion, their discussion.

  Help me, Lord.

  “I think Sam wants you to wrestle with those kinds of questions. But from my own experience, for myself and the people I’ve known and worked with, I’d have to say—”

  They all turned to look at him.

  “—the chains are there for most everyone. I know only a handful of people who handle great wealth without it becoming a burden. And they have one thing in common. They gave most of it away.”

  Merideth rolled her eyes and sat down next to Alex, leaving her mom’s chair vacant. Reed moved over in front of the book.

  “I’m anxious to see where Dad takes this. Mind if I read?”

  chapter

  Eight

  Five years later…

  ~
~~~~~~~~

  Reed stopped. “Five years? That can’t be right.”

  Anna drew back in her chair and frowned. “No, it can’t be. Are you sure we didn’t miss something?”

  Reed shook his head. “Nope, that’s what it says.”

  Merideth smiled and raised an eyebrow. “Well, this ought to be interesting.”

  Reed picked the book up and set it in his lap and continued.

  ~~~~~~~~~

  Five years later the Black Knight galloped his horse along the broad road leading through the gates of Petitzaros. He pressed his powerful steed along, its untamed mane sparkling in the morning sun as it rose and fell with the motion of the canter. He stopped to adjust his helmet, letting the rigid neck shield fall back on his shoulders and wiping some sweat from his face through the narrow front opening. The weight of his chainmail coat pressed down on his shoulders. Good thing he was near the end of his ride.

  Petitzaros.

  He had waited five years to enter these gates.

  The warrior rode beneath the stone and timber gates, and his senses sharpened. All around him were stares…

  And fear.

  Good.

  He reached down and pulled at the crimson, hammered metal sheathing covering his legs so the onlookers would take notice. He positioned the large sword at his side so everyone could see its cross-shaped hilt. Strapped to the back of the saddle was his small shield bearing the image of a crown. His horse pranced and neighed. They had everyone’s attention.

  The knight spoke to no one but paced his horse along the streets. He gazed back and forth as he rode along, returning the stares from the mass of people who scurried in and out of shops. A few people edged toward them, but most backed away.

  He had heard tales of this place, but the opulence was beyond his expectations. He made his way down the long streets lined with towering palm trees and countless shops and places to eat and drink. He continued past the bathhouses, banquet rooms, parks, and palaces. The palm trees were strung with lights, and everywhere the rich and powerful filled the sidewalks in their fine silk clothes, great sequined hats, and the ever-present gold chains thrown over one shoulder.