Aragorn and the Phoenix of Caspian (ENGLISH)

Chapter 3

CHAPTER 3

“You didn’t know the phoenix of Caspian?” Leo asked. Aragorn shook his head. His mom never told him that story. When he was young, his mom always told him stories about the kingdom and some other fictional fantasy stories. But he never heard of the story about the Phoenix of Caspian. A myth happening to his kingdom?

“I never heard about it.”

Leo sauntered to the window and observed the vivid green view of the forest. The trees were swaying along the forcing winds. Everything outside had no traces of the phoenix.

“A phoenix looks like a normal citizen during the day, but at night their hair turns into burning fire. Their eyes were like a halo sun. Phoenix is very distinctive among citizens at night. One power of phoenix is that they can turn into a firebird. They can splash hot and burning magma to their surroundings. They can create a fire for the whole city. That was a myth of the town, but no one had seen that phoenix many years ago.”

“Has anyone seen the phoenix?” Aragorn found the story amazing, but he believed that it was just a tell-tale like what his mother told him back when he was a child. He cannot believe something that no one had seen yet. It would look like he’s believing in fiction and making himself a fool.

“Many citizens of Caspian back then had seen it. Including the royal family, especially your parents. The Caspian became peaceful after the phoenix disappeared. We hope that there will not be a phoenix anymore.”

The story was amazing, Aragorn thought, but he wasn’t sure of the tale if it was only told by Leo. He never knew if Leo was making a fool of him, but the story ignited his curiosity to search for more answers about the phoenix of Caspian.

QUEEN Amira stared at the window, at the setting golden crown. Her son would be fine, she thought, he would be better. Aragorn is her only son and he wanted to protect him and care about him, but he already made a decision that he will train to become a better king.

Queen Amira knew that the citizens hated Aragorn for being weak, for being numb. She was the one to blame. She took care of Aragorn differently from any other queen. She took care of him passionately and until now he was her boy, her little son. She can never see him suffer, get bruises, and get hurt.

Aragorn is qualified for the position, Queen Amira played the thought in her mind, he’s different yet he can still be a king. Time will come, the citizens of Caspian will admire her son. A man of honor, of dignity, of passion.

King Argon entered the room, saw his wife staring at the window. He knew what it meant. His wife had always loved their son. The queen cannot pass a day or a lot of hours not seeing her son.

“Things would be fine, My Queen,” King Argon said, removing his tunic. A thin piece of clothing similar to the modern pajamas was left. He slipped to their bed, crawled towards his lovely wife.

“I don’t know. I missed him so much. I hope he’s fine and I hope I was there. If only the citizens respected him, things wouldn’t be like this.”

Queen Amira faced King Argon. Her face was swollen, eyes were watery, and her limbs were weak. King Argon’s heart was pinched by a creature with long nails. He cannot see his wife being like this, almost crying.

“Don’t cry, Amira.” He touched her god-like beautiful face. Even though they got old, the pieces of beauty and purity didn’t vanish on their faces and body. Queen Amira didn’t stop, she let out those tears like a waterfall. “Fine. We’ll visit Aragorn tomorrow afternoon.”

“Tomorrow morning,” Queen Amira said.

King Argon gasped. “Right, tomorrow morning then.” Happiness was captured within Queen Amira’s face before she hugged her husband deeply. The king loved her queen so much and he would do anything to make her smile and happy.

Queen Amira woke up earlier than usual. She didn’t sleep right last night because of excitement, but she’s still full of energy. She asked her servants to prepare tons of food and clothes for Aragorn.

“My Queen, what are these for? It looked like we’re going on a feast,” King Argon asked when he saw the things prepared by Queen Amira. For him, those were too much.

“This would be all for Aragorn so he won’t feel hungry in the Garden of Pleas.”

“He won’t get hungry there. The garden has a lot of resources. It’s even the source of food for some of the residents. I trust Leo a lot that he will take care of our son.”

“Leo and Aragorn weren’t brothers. They were even very different from each other. In my humble opinion, Leo wouldn’t know what Aragorn would feel or how much Aragorn could eat. You’re right that the Garden of Pleas has a lot of resources but our son isn’t a vegetarian. I brought a lot of meat for him and also ginseng for his strength.”

King Argon slapped his head. He wanted to laugh but he didn’t want to make fun of his wife. Queen Amira still looked at Aragorn like a baby, he thought.

“Am I funny?” Queen Amira argued with her forehead creased.

“No, I’m just surprised.” King Argon smiled.

Queen Amira rolled her eyes in her brain. She clasped her hands together and walked to the chariot. Their servants were inside the other chariot and their soldiers were going to walk with the chariots’ horses.

King Argon mounted the chariot and their vehicle started moving. He knew that Queen Amira was more than excited that he felt, but just like her, he wanted to see their son in that place.

Aragorn woke up with Leo’s wake up call. He rarely experienced it in the palace, only when the king woke him up. He was called by Leo for breakfast and he couldn't help but to stand up and go down the stairs.

Leo was already sitting on the chair near the table. Aragorn roamed his eyes around the table. There was no meat or chicken or beef. Only potatoes, spinach, and offset of different plants. After seeing the foods, Aragorn didn’t have the urge to eat. These foods were far more different than what he had in the palace.

“You should eat by now, Your Highness,” Leo said and bowed to the prince. Aragorn sat hesitant on the wooden chair opposite to where Leo was sitting.

Leo started eating. He was fast and Aragorn couldn't catch up. Aragorn reached the potatoes, it was slightly hot so it slipped on his hands. He reached it once again and placed it on his wooden place. He stared at it for a few seconds and then bit it.

That wasn’t bad, but he cannot taste the royalty in the food. He wanted something better, something that he would like, something like meat and chicken, something he can only eat in the palace. He decided for this and there’s no way to give up.

“You’re not liking the food. Aren’t you?”

Aragorn didn’t answer. He didn’t want to offend Leo, but he really didn’t eat these kinds of foods. “It’s not my…”

Leo cutted him off. “The royal family has always eaten the best foods in the palace. I understand why a prince cannot eat the food eaten by the normal citizens and warriors everyday. We people who aren’t part of the royal family rarely eat the food you eat everyday. And those in the royal family never eat the food that we have every single time.”

“I apologize.”

“It’s fine and I understand. But if you really want to improve as a king, you must learn to be a simple and poor citizen. You must emphasize to those people who can never eat the same food as yours. You have to appreciate the nature and simplicity of life and you must…”

“The King of Caspian had arrived.”

Leo stood up from sitting and headed outside. Aragorn followed him. The king and queen went down from the chariot. Queen Amira’s smile was from ear to ear when she glanced at Aragorn. She missed him so much.

”Mother, why did you and father visit me?” Aragorn said. Like his parents, he also missed them so much. He didn’t expect them to pay a visit. He didn’t expect them to be here but he appreciated it. It touched his heart and soul.

King Argon chuckled. “Your mom thinks that you’re a baby. She loves you so much and she could do everything just to be with you. At least she didn’t decide to stay here with you while you’re on your training.”

“Don’t be nasty, Argon,”Queen Amira said sweetly. “I know that you also miss our son.”

Leo leaned to the family, slightly bowed to them. “Thank you for paying a visit at my pace, Your Highness. We haven’t started that training yet but we’ll start sooner. I know that Aragorn would learn a lot in our training. On the other hand, he’s having difficulty with the food choices we have in the Garden of Pleas.”

Aragorn snorted. He wouldn’t have said that to his parents. It is fine for him to eat foods that aren’t in the kingdom. It is fine for him to suffer and learn just like what Leo said. He hated that Leo said that, the things he didn’t want to concern his parents.

“Luckily, we brought a lot of food for the two of you. I knew Aragorn is the picky prince and he always likes meat. I brought some for your stocks so the two of you won’t feel weak when it comes to training.”

“Thank you, Mother… but we’re fine with the resources we have in the garden. I’ll try my best to eat them. Don’t worry about me.”

“Thank you so much, Your Highness. We’re really thankful for the things that you brought for uis. Aragorn must’ve liked them so much.”

He really hoped so, Aragorn thought, Leo was the one who likes meat. Leo was the one who said how they suffer eating the foods in the garden.

“Your mother also brought clothes for you and things you can use in the hut,” King Argon explained.

Aragorn thought of something to say. Leo was grateful to his parents and his parents liked him so much. “Thank you for your concerns, but isn’t it too much?”

“Why is it too much for you, Aragorn?” Queen Amira asked.

“I am here to train myself to become a better person and ruler of the palace. I am your only son and child and I have the responsibility to improve myself. By giving me all of the things that I need, you are simply spoiling me and making things easier. Training is suffering and perseverance. The citizens didn’t like me to be the king and by showing them that I deserve the position, they should observe that Iam also suffering.”

Queen Amira’s eyes were catched by King Argon. Aragorn had a point, but they were eager to help him.

“What do you want to do, Son?” King Argon asked.

Aragorn let out a sigh. “I want to stand on my own and be independent. To look for my own food, to feel hungry, to become someone who can live on his own. I’ve been dependent on the two of you for many years and this time I chose to stand on myself.”

“He’s right, Your Highness.” Leo was about to say more, but he cut himself off. That would be respectful for the royal family.

Queen Amira helf Aragorn’s hand. She pondered it and pressed lightly. “I will let you on your own.” Aragorn smiled, but the queen had not finished what she’s going to say. “Only if you let the things we brought help you. We travelled for hours and minutes just to bring you things.”

Accepting the things would make things easier, Aragorn argued in his mind, but saying no would disappoint his parents.

“Fine, Mother. I will keep them.” Queen Amira and King Argon smiled delightly. “But in the preceding months, let me live independently with the help of Leo.”

“We will, Son. And we trust you enough. We trust you that you can do this.” Queen Amira hugged his son. He would miss this hug, the comfort, her son.

Aragorn released the hug from his mother. She then embraced his father. “I will prove to them that I am worthy,” he whispered to his father.

“You are worthy, Aragorn.”

As they released the hug, Aragorn grinned.

“I can do this as the crowned prince of Caspian.”