The Crimson Prince： Awakening 68 Chapter 6: Answer To The Crown

"When will he wake?" The same question had been asked thousands of times since returning to the castle. Jonathan had long since grown tired answering the questions a king was required to answer.

"No matter how many times you ask, you cannot put a timer on someone's consciousness." Jonathan replied to the man with his hand raised in the crowd. It seemed that as Aremesis lost power within the land, the people of Ebonhart had grown bold in their questioning. Jonathan had a hard time believing that only a week ago, all of the streets were barren. It was equally hard to believe that all of the people within the city were hiding within their homes for years while the king had been held prisoner. Didn't they question anything? As the streets turned dark and a permanent curfew had been put in place, couldn't they have come out and noticed the difference? Jonathan thought to himself.

"The King has returned," another villager's voice rang out from the crowd in the courtyard. "When are the gifts of the crown going to return to the people?"

"What gifts are you referring to?" Jonathan could feel his temper rising. He could already tell where the interrogation was going.

"The fire which was gifted to us by the first Ragnos." The man who was clearly of n.o.ble blood yelled back from the crowd. "It may have been years ago, but we still remember the Law of Ragnos."

"Could you tell me for a moment then," Jonathan could barely hold it in any longer. "What exactly is the Law of Ragnos?" He ground his teeth in antic.i.p.ation for what he knew the man would remember.

"To those in support of the Crown of Ragnos, righteous flame be gifted." The man recited from memory, as if he were ent.i.tled the power of the crown.

"What exactly do you believe to be support, young lord?"

"To live here, of course. To follow the edicts pa.s.sed from our king."

"And who is your king?" Jonathan repeated for the second time since returning to Crystallia. "What does he look like?" His voice began to boom at the crowd. "Have you seen him walking the streets lately?"

"He's an old man with a red robe of course!" the n.o.ble man called out, his voice bordering on insolence. "Until his son replaces him, as it always has been!"

"And that makes you ent.i.tled to what they have?" Jonathan roared. "What have you done in support for the king while he's been rotting in a cage?" The n.o.ble backed down slightly, a vein pulsing on his throat. "Did you stand to defend the king as we took back Ebonhart, or did you stay locked in your homes?" Jonathan raised a hand to stop anyone from interfering. "I know the answer, no need to respond." He waved his hand to the doors of the castle.

Men filed out of the double doors and positioned themselves where Jonathan indicated. The few remaining Crimson Knights that followed him into the dungeons to rescue the King filed behind him. The total number of men which remained was a flimsy thirty-five, plus forty villagers who followed the group into the Castle.

"Take a good look, Ebonhart." Jonathan waved his hand dramatically behind him for the people to see. "These are the only ones left of the brave men and women that saved our king." As he laid his hand back to his side, the group summoned their aura for the crowd to witness. "Is this the flame you were talking about?" he eyed the n.o.bleman with distaste. "What did you do to deserve this gift?" He pointed back at the knights and villagers. "This!" he raised his voice. "This is what the Law of Ragnos truly stands for!"

As he brought his hand forward once more, Jonathan sent a stern look across the courtyard. "Now, leave!" His voice boomed over a quiet crowd. "Leave until you are deserving of this gift, because that is truly what it is! It is not something that you just get because you live here, it's something you work for, something you earn!"

"His Majesty went into a deep depression and allowed his adviser to rule until he became well enough to continue." Another man yelled out. "How is that our fault?"

"Who is the Adviser?" Jonathan asked calmly. He couldn't fault them for not knowing all of the details, but he could fault them for having not questioned anything within the last decade.

"His name is Aremesis." A woman from the front of the crowd said.

Jonathan looked down to her, a look of pity in his eyes. He knew it wasn't her fault, it wasn't any of their fault for what had happened. How were they to know that the man responsible for the slavery, the extortion, everything they blamed the king for was the one they had so blindly followed?

"Aremesis is a dark G.o.d." Jonathan said simply. "He is Ragnos's older brother who is in charge of the souls who depart this world. He is in charge of darkness." He allowed the truth to sink into the people of Ebonhart. "It's not your fault if you do not remember," He spoke calmly." Though it was written in the same pages as the Law of Ragnos, many only remember the promises of gifts over the warnings of the future."

Jonathan could tell the courtyard meeting was over. Not one other person spoke as the men and women left quietly. He heard not even a whisper as they made their way back to their homes.

Turning around, Jonathan took one last look at the men and women the stood beside him as Aremesis blanketed them in his darkness. He looked one last time at the brave soldiers who remembered his training. "Thank you." Was all he said as he walked to the double doors and made his way back into the castle.

Michael

"Well that was subtle." Michael said as he shut the door behind Jonathan. "You do know it wasn't their fault, right?"

"Fault isn't the main concern." Jonathan said. "They gave up on the crown, now because the king has returned, they expect to become aura weilders again." He suppressed a sigh as he made his way to the double stairway.

"It seems like a rift has formed between the crown and the people." Michael said half to himself. "I don't think the king will be the one to bring order back to the kingdom, but maybe after William is done with his training."

"I would not put all the responsibility on that young man." Jonathan turned from the stairs to meet his good friends gaze. "He is someone who grew up away from all of this, it wouldn't be fair to just throw him in the middle and tell him to deal with these many problems."

"I don't think we have to throw him." Michael could see an argument forming in Jonathan's expression and swiftly lifted a hand requesting to finish. "Look what he has already accomplished. Just a few months of being here and he has already abolished slavery and held the slavers accountable for their actions. He has banished Aremesis from Ebonhart and has been in the front of at least two major wars." Michael's eyes glazed over while he thought if his nephew's many accomplishments. "That's not even addressing what he has done on earth."

Michael had long since told Jonathan about the Royal Flame Crusade's presence within New York. "Soon the flame sect will spread into other states as well as countries."

Michael said nothing more as he climbed the staircase. He knew just how impossible it sounded that a meer teenager from earth would be all they needed to turn the kingdom around. He had watched Will from a young age and see the responsibilities he had taken on.

Looking back, he remembered when Will was in public school in Minnesota. He was always a loner, reading his books and watching the other kids play at the playground.

Michael had often watch the young William from the rooftop of the school, seeing a boy who secluded himself from others.

To his dismay, he saw a normal boy who had a hard time relating to others. The young William kept to himself, reading whatever book he had brought along with him for the day. It wasn't until a young child with a mess of brown hair and gla.s.ses that seemed to big for his head came up to him that Michael saw any chance of the boy interacting with others.

He later found out that the boys name was Leo. He had recently moved from another school. He had known no one within the first week, but Michael could see him looking at the hill where Will always sat.

At first, Will would only engage in conversation while looking at his book, but much to Michael's delight, it seemed that Leo was able to draw him out of his fantasy world long enough to go to the playground.

Days turned into months, then into years. Will had grown into a young man who was a natural leader. He was the quarterback in football, everyone seemed to look up to him. His demeanor had always shown that he could talk charge of a situation.

Even after his mother disappeared, Michael saw strength within the child. He did not see a grieving child, instead he saw unwavering strength.

When he finally let himself be known to his nephew, he threw him into one impossible situation after another. He watched closely as Will gained support, and lost a few friends. He saw determination which could only be described as unyielding. He knew Will had no knowledge of the world around him, yet he kept his eyes forward and continued whatever he started.

"He can do this." Michael whispered, determination gleaming in his eyes.

Maya

The kingdom protested for their rights to the aura for a solid month. Every day there were citizens crowding the court outside the castle, yet no one had heard from or seen the king once. He remained within his office for so long, Maya had a hard time believing he was even there. Were it not for the six consecutive trips to his office, seeing maids bring trays of food and taking them away, she wouldn't have even guessed.

At the end of the first month, the people outside the castle slowly started going back to their normal routine. Though they wished for their words to be heard, words alone would not pay for the food on their family's table.

Hundreds of people turned into a hundred, then to fifty while Maya stared out of the window. Her ragged black dress remained adorned every day. Maids had brought her many different dresses to try on, yet she would turn them away. The ragged dress forever remained a promise to Will. She would wear it until he awoke. She would wear it until he took her to his world.

As the kingdom returned to normal, she stayed by the window. Her only source of entertainment being the people below going about their every day life. Every once in a while, she would turn around when she heard a twitch of movement coming from the bed behind her.

As the days turned to weeks, and weeks to months, she would sit, waiting and hoping for her love to come back to her.

"Maya?" A soft yet stern voice was heard from behind her making her jump slightly. No one had broken the silence for months of her sitting and waiting. The sound of someone else's voice was unnatural to her. Not even Jake seemed to bother her since he spoke to her months ago.

Turning around, Maya saw the king perched in the doorway. Reflexively she jumped from her chair and bowed deeply. "Your highness!" She exclaimed in a raspy voice. She hadn't used it for much lately. It was unnerving how her own voice was considered alien to her.

The king said nothing, but raised a hand and gave her a warm smile. "You needn't bother with such formalities young lady. You're practically family." He said as he gestured back to her chair. "I would tell you to sit, but I feel we have been doing much of that these past few months." His smile wavered as he took a look at his son who looked to be in a blissful sleep.

"Maya," He said as he cleared his throat. "We need to be prepared for the idea of Will remaining asleep for a long time to come." He sat next to his sleeping boy. Maya could see his eyes turn slightly gla.s.sy as he looked at the mess of long dark brown hair which was usually kept in a ponytail. "We can't just waste away behind these walls while we wait for my boy." His voice crackled as he spoke.

Maya could hear the raw emotion in the kings voice. She knew full well why he confined himself in his study. Were it not for her daily walks around the castle, she would feel like the recluse the king had become.

"He promised to show me his world." Maya said in a less raspy voice, finally becoming familiar with the sound of it once more. "I need to wait for him to wake up, so he can take me to a movie, and to eat pizza. He promised to buy me a new dress." She repeated everything Will had promised her before his final showdown with Aremesis.

To anyone else, Maya may have sounded like a needy girlfriend. Yet King Ragnos understood. It wasn't a promise of world things she was concerned with, but more of a promise of time with him. A promise that only Will could give her. A promise which when fulfilled, life would be normal once more.

"I know how you must be feeling." He said without taking his eyes off his boy. "My life stopped the moment my wife left with my son." He said simply, yet Maya knew just how hard it must have been to voice those words.

"For years I had stayed in this castle. I had stopped ruling this kingdom and fell into a stupor." He brushed a bang away from Will's eye much like Maya had done thousands of times. "I kept playing the day over and over in my head. I remember the time of day when the castle guards came to tell me that my wife and child went missing. I remember sending out the kings guard to find them." He finally looked up from Will. "I don't remember the last fifteen years." A tear formed from the corner of his eye. "I don't remember the shame or the worry. I don't remember orders I gave to my kingdom. I only remember my wife and child leaving, and it felt like I just came back to life when seeing him again."

King Ragnos rose from his son's bedside and went to Maya, taking her hand in his. "Please learn from my folly." He looked into her eyes. "My son would not want you to waste away in this castle. Not when you are meant for so much more."

Seeing such emotion from the king, Maya couldn't stop the tears from falling. She couldn't stop her heart from aching. Slowly she fell into her love's father's arms. She sniffled a few times before heart wrenching sobs left her. "I need him back!" She cried out while forming a fist upon King Ragnos's chest. "I love him too much!"

The king just stood there, cradling the powerful yet fragile girl in his arms. Tears came freely from his eyes as he rested his cheek atop her head. "I know." He said while patting her shaking back. "Me too."

While they comforted each other as if they were father and daughter, their love and affection for Will so evident, they didn't notice the smile which appeared upon the sleeping man's lips.