I stand in the King's throne room invisible to everyone inside. I know, I know- how am I invisible? Astral projection is what the rare stories call it, stories that were all denounced as myths. I was perfectly content with it remaining a myth; having everyone know I can leave my body scares me. If they did something to my body while I was gone...I don't know what would happen and I didn't want to find out.
Torches illuminate the throne room, casting the Kingdom's treasures with a purple glow. Thick pillars held balconies on both sides of the hall; they were the same color as the gray marble floor. Two thrones stood against a stained glass mural of the Magic king; the larger of the two held the King himself. The expensive décor so unlike the crumbling city that surrounds the castle.
"Etan, we have on rule in this Kingdom." King Edric not looking at Etan, his right hand man, but instead his gaze on a dirty farmer. A murderous smirk twists his face as his foul breathe engulfs my senses. Unfortunately astral projection only makes me invisible and silent; it doesn't apply to strong odors.
You'd think a man as rich as the King would brush his teeth every once in a while.
"There seems to be a bug going around making people extremely forgetful. So forgetful in fact, that they seem to not know our golden rule. It seems to have affected even me." The King paces back and forth; a fool for theatrics even without an audience. "Can you please...remind me what the golden rule is, my friend?"
"Outside of the Royals and army magic is forbidden." Etan answers feet shifting uncomfortably. When the King turns away I see the ever so slight eye roll Etan gives, I burst into laughter that echoes silently against the castle walls.
"That's right!" Edric clicks his tongue with disappointment. The farmers shoulders droop lower; it is well known that the King has grave punishments. "For a moment there what you did almost sounded reasonable. Silly me. Where is this magic item?"
Etan crams his thick sausage fingers into a side pouch of bag that held King Edric's seal. A watering can that could probably hold at most a gallon of water. The King studies it as if looking for something more and when he doesn't find it tosses it back to Etan.
"You've got be kidding me." Edric chuckles, the laughter sends chills down my spine. It is the same laugh that always accompanies televised executions. "This is enchanted to double your crops, isn't it?"
The man nods a little overenthusiastically. Poor sod thinking he has a chance to placate the King, probably hoping to be pardoned. As if the King had ever shown an ounce of mercy.
I want to scream in his face. Yell about the ridiculous demands he places on his workers. How it isn't a wonder that this man had to steal magic in order to feed his family. But it was useless. He wouldn't be able to hear me, and if he could I'd be tied up right next to the farmer.
I gaze over my shoulder apprehensively, I'm positive no one can see me I can't shake the feeling of being watched. There's no one there, I turn back to the King.
"Quite inventive, I must admit."
"Thank you, my King." The man sputters with a glint of hope in his eyes before the King's harsh tone booms so loudly it sends another shiver down my spine.
"However, you committed a crime, now I can't ignore that. Do you know why?" The King now towers over the captive peasant, his face growing increasingly red as he inches towards the man.
"Uhm...uhm..." The man seems unable to form a sentence, not that I can blame him I'd probably be crying my eyes out knowing what's coming next.
"Because you TOUCHED MY SHIT." The king spits, kicking out angrily, for a second it looks as if the man is suspended in air as the kick sends him flying back. His body crumples on the ground unmoving. I can't tell if he's knocked out or just in shock and too afraid to move.
The King stomps over to the fallen man as a girls voice screams out. Edric whips around and the sight of his daughter brings a new look of disgust and disdain on his face. Not much of a step up from the look the farmer was getting, if I'm being honest.
"What do you want Val? Can't you tell I'm busy?" Edric growls as he turns his back on his daughter, trying to dismiss her with a wave of his hand.
But the Princess shakes her head and storms back into Edric's line of sight stumbling as her lown, flowing gown twists around her ankle. It's obvious that she does not feel comfortable in the outlandish dress. I'd seen many women in dresses and most of them didn't get tripped up.
"He stole from me. I cannot have magic fall into the wrong hands, you idiot girl."
"You show not even your daughter compassion. Maybe it already has." She turns clumsily running for the door.
"Watch your tone, girl. It's talk like that that your mother lost her life for."
Her body seizes up for just a moment and I can see the disbelief in her sad blue eyes. A few moments of painful silence pass before she finally regains her composure and leaves the room. There is no doubt in my mind that King Edric is a horrible man; but did he really kill his wife?
"Sir."
"What, Etan?" Edric's eyes hold no hint of remorse for the pain he had just caused his only living family. He takes stock of a little messenger boy that neither of us had seen enter the room, the boy bows and exits the room just as silently.
Shit. I always try to make sure I know when people enter and leave the room. You can never be too careful when you enter the enemy's lair.
"A riot has broken outside of the castle gates."
I feel my heart speeds up ad a course of adrenaline jolts throughout my projected body, a riot right outside the gates? The myths say that one should be able to teleport back to their body; apparently that particular part of the myth is really just a myth. I've tried without success for years. And so my body is currently tucked underneath a bench near the castle's gates, right smack dab in the middle of a dang riot.
"Damnit, could everyone stop spoiling my fun?" He pulls a long staff with an unforgettable emerald set at the very top. Rumor was all of the King's magical powers were stuffed in that emerald. There had been many attempts to steal it over the years. "Hand me my sword."
Hello Everyone! I hope you all enjoyed the first Chapter! If you did enjoy hitting that little star and voting would make our day!
How long do you like your chapters? I cut down our original chapter 1 to about 1200 words for this. But if you guys want longer chapters let me know!
Stay tuned next week for the next chapter!
-Charlee
P.S Lightly edited
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Mundane to Magic - On Hiatus
FantasyA Kingdom suffers greatly at the hands of King Edric. It has been easy to keep them in line with the terrors past the Kingdom walls, and the magic that only he and his minions can use. Luka, his brother Grant and Val start their adventure to stop Ki...
