The Chosen King Collection

2. Falling

“Gordon?” called Uncle Loren.

“It"s me; it took a lot longer than I thought,” answered Gordon.

“I"ll say. I was going to send out a hunting dog to fetch you,” Uncle Loren came around the corner from the kitchen, “I told you the tower would be overrun by other thirteen year olds. Hungry?”

Gordon said, “Thirsty mostly. I took enough food, sweets and sour cakes just in case, but not enough water.”

Loren looked over Gordon, with the concern Gordon had grown up with. “Let me look at you.” Loren took Gordon"s face in his hands, looked in his eyes, and then took his hand, “Hands numb at all? Any tingling?”

“No, they"re fine.” He often got annoyed with how much his uncle checked him over every day, but he loved that he cared so much.

“Here, you know what to do,” Loren said, handing him a small metal pot.

Gordon sighed, “Now? Can"t it wait?”

“You know I have to test it. Either that or I take some blood,” insisted Loren.

“It"s okay, I need to go anyway,” Gordon said as he went into the next room and relieved himself into the pot and brought it back to Loren.

“I can smell a little sweet from here, I"ll go test it. Food"s almost ready.”

“Food smells good,” Gordon offered as his stomach began to rumble.

“I got some good stag meat and circle bread,” Uncle Loren left for his work room and Gordon went to the kitchen pump. He pumped the handle at the metal lined sink, and held his cup under the spout until he had finished two cups of water.

“It"s too sweet, nearly two hundred parts. Here"s some sour cake. Better let that work until you have any more food,” Loren handed Gordon a small, round purple cake, which Gordon finished with another cup of water.

Later, they ate the delicious stew and had the fresh bread. Gordon told him of the day"s events and how much his friends wanted to be king, “I"m just glad I won"t ever be chosen. Maybe I"ll be the king"s healer one day like you were.”

Loren said, “You"d make a fine king, Gordon. You are brave and kind. You never let anything take your good spirits, not even the sweetblood. But I wouldn"t wish the kingship on anyone. Working at the palace is not the fun it seems.”

Gordon said, “If you say so… well, I"d better finish that book you gave me. Only two days to go, and you said it had to be done by the choosing.”

“That"s right. Study your history carefully, otherwise you will be doomed to relive it,” said Loren, taking the dishes.

“But I"m thirteen, I don"t have any history yet,” Gordon said with a smile.

Loren smiled back, “Ha, ha, you know what I mean. Get to your book. We can discuss it tomorrow when we visit the sick.”

Gordon thought about his own history from time to time. He loved his uncle. All he could remember was living with him since his parents had died. His father died in a terrible accident aboard ship, before he was born. His mother had drowned in a river the same year he was born. It always made Loren sad when Gordon asked about them, so he tried not to. Gordon had a lot of questions. As he got older it was harder not to ask.

Gordon made his way to his bed and finished reading The Kings And Queens, Great and Small. Gordon realized why Uncle Loren wanted him to finish it before the choosing. The last two kings in the book both had memorable choosing ceremonies. Bartomm the Bold was chosen king during the second revolt. There had been actual fighting at the ceremony; more than fifty people died in the very same courtyard where he had been earlier in the day. Bartomm had to continue the war at age thirteen while learning to be king. The other king, Jamesson, had tripped and accidentally fallen off the choosing tower and broken both legs. He began his kinghood in a wheeled chair.

The Kings And Queens, Great and Small.Loren often found ways to teach Gordon about things using something that happened in history. When Gordon was helping Uncle Loren with the sick, he was constantly explaining what he was doing so Gordon would understand. Some of his favorite memories were of the talks they had as they traveled from house to house, helping the sick. Gordon also read many books from Uncle Loren"s private library. None of Loren"s books were taught in school. Whenever Gordon asked why, his uncle always shook his head and said, “I have my theories. But they should be taught.”

Gordon put out the gas lamp and fell asleep quickly. He didn"t dream that night. At least, nothing he could remember. The day before the choosing came too quickly. It was a regular day of chores and going around the village as Loren"s helper. He carried the bags of healing herbs and mixtures that his uncle used. There were only five people to visit that day. Most everyone seemed to be in good health, awaiting the excitement of the choosing ceremony. The streets seemed more alive somehow; people carrying bundles home excitedly, all the wagons and carts full of food for sale lined along nearly every road, and everyone talking of nothing but the ceremony.

The day passed quickly and ended with the dream again. Gordon was falling from the airship. He could feel the cold wind rushing past his face. He passed through a cloud and he saw his kingdom, and many more beyond. Large armies from every kingdom were smashing into each other like great waves on the sea. Everywhere there was fire, great plumes of smoke rising to the sky he was falling from. This time the sky was surrounded by the shadow, its eyes burning. There was no mouth to the shadow, but the laughter got louder anyway, coming from nowhere and everywhere. As the ground rushed towards Gordon, he could smell the smoke and feel the flames begin to burn his skin.

Gordon woke up, breathless.

“Gordon?” called his uncle. Gordon realized he must have screamed again.

Gordon called back, “I"m okay, Uncle Loren.”

Loren rushed into the room. Gordon threw his blankets off. He still felt like he was burning. He was sticky with sweat. Loren came to him, “Are you alright?” putting his hand to Gordon"s head, “You"re burning up.”

Gordon concentrated on slowing his breathing, “I"m fine. It was just the dream again.”

Loren asked, “The same dream? This has been happening since spring.”

Gordon nodded, “I know. It was the same dream, but it"s changing. I was falling again. There was fire everywhere. And the shadow is getting bigger, closer. I just wish I knew what it meant.”

“A terrible dream. I"ve consulted my books. Falling dreams means you feel out of control. Is that how you feel, Gordon?” Loren asked.

“I don"t know. Sometimes I feel like I have no control. I mean, I trip over my feet, I"m not very good at games, and the stupid sweetblood…” he said, trying to smile.

Loren continued, “I understand. Fire in a dream can mean lots of things: transformation in your life, something about to change, needing to change. Seems like many elements of your dream are about things out of control. But this shadow figure is the strangest part.”

“It sure is, and the scariest. I don"t know why it scares me, not exactly. And why is it laughing during all the fire?”

Loren offered, “Anything I can give you to sleep would complicate the sweetblood. But I suppose I can give you something just for tonight…”

“No… Thanks anyway,” Gordon said, “I think I can sleep again. I"ve never had the dream twice in one night.”

“Alright,” Loren said, kissing his own hand and putting it on Gordon"s forehead, “Love you, Gordon. About the control issues, well, we all have to be thirteen once. We all feel out of control sometimes, even at my age. Hopefully that was the last time you"ll have the dream. And don"t forget we leave early tomorrow for the choosing…. Oh, did Asa finish his name board?” Loren asked.

Gordon smiled, “Yes, finally. Sky thinks he painted it that morning.”

Loren smiled, “Asa"s a funny boy. Goodnight then, the choosing doesn"t wait for sleepy boys,” said Loren.

Loren went to his own bedroom. The dream scared Gordon, and he didn"t know if he should tell his uncle, but in some ways, it also excited him. It almost felt like flying. It had to mean something, dreaming it so often. Gordon always wondered why his dream ended before he hit ground, or why he woke before he puzzled out what it meant. He had heard that if you died in a dream, you died in real life. He wondered how anyone could know that, since the person dreaming would have died. How could anyone tell what they had been dreaming if they were dead?

Uncle Loren was right, though, he did want to be rested for the choosing. He had been only eight for the last choosing ceremony, and didn"t remember much. Gordon tried not to be, but he was getting excited about the choosing after all.

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