Chapter 159
1281words
"wrestle a bear?" I asked in utter confusion, as I looked from my father to my brother and back to my father again, hoping one of them would tell me that it was all a joke. But they stayed looking so sober that I knew that this wasn't a joke of any sort.
But they stayed, looking sober, and I had no choice but to believe that this was the truth. This was my reality.
“This is impossible. They can’t honestly be expecting be to wrestle a bear. I’ve never beheld one, but I know they aren’t to be contended with. An actual bear?!” I think I was slowly on the brink of losing my mind at this point, if I was being honest. And had my brother and father still not said it all wasn’t true, I wondered, somewhat close to tears.
"I'm sorry, princess." my father said, reaching for my hand, "but it seems like this will be the only way you can actually become queen without any word wagging their tongue about you not being good enough."
"The fact is, I think that the old son of a gun already knows this. I believe he knows that Ember would be strong enough. He just doesn't want to be ruled by a woman. It's a gender thing. I finally understand this. Because everyone else was just skeptical because they hadn't met Ember. But he simply was against it, whether or not he had met Ember."
"So in his judgment, the best way to deal with his gender bias is to make me embark on a journey that might end my life?"
"it isn't going to end your life. Not when it's your destiny to rule." my father said, squeezing my hand, and di looked at him aghast,
"destiny? Father, if that bear kills me, I will no longer have a destiny." I said, feeling myself bordering very close to hysterics, and he only smiled at me,
"There is something no one says in the history books."
"Which is?"
"Everything comes together to help you when your heart and intentions are pure," he said softly, the way he did when I was a child and was afraid and needed him,
"what does that even mean?" I whispered,
"it means.." he began and raised my hand to kiss my fingers, "that because your heart and intentions are pure, this land is in support of you, and won't give way to let anything or one hurt you. Not even a big Ruthsome bear," he said gently, while my lower lip wobbled,
"you're going to be okay," he whispered firmly,
"Father is right," Axle said and had him turning to him,
"Do you know about the secrets of the land?" I asked and he shook his head with a smile,
"That's news to me. He's right about you being okay. You're strong, Ember. Probably one of the strongest women I know. After mother that is."
I smiled at him, even though my heart hadn't completely settled, "Thank you, Axel." I said and sighed. Everyone kept saying I was strong. But I didn't feel strong. Not even in the slightest. I felt as though the lands might give way and let me slip and fall. It was not a very nice feeling if I was being honest.
"Father?" Axel questioned and we both turned to him,
"Yes, Axel?"
"the elders spoke of every ruler being subjected to such a test? He said you had been as well. What was yours?"
A dark cloud came over my father's expression, and that alone told me that whatever had happened, whatever my father had passed through, it had been a whole lot.
He sighed before he spoke, and smiled at me, "Unlike you, accepting your rule with so much strength, I didn't want to be king. However, the mantle fell on me regardless. I wanted then, what I want even now. My luna. But to have her, meant to keep her safe. And some would use my love for her against me. Salvador, the elder we had to deal with today, was one of the people who took that love and tried to use it as a cord against my back."
"I don't like that man," Axel said angrily,
"I don't either. But he was the strongest, even then, and so a lot of the other elders respected his verdicts. Even now, they still do." my father said and went silent before he continued, "he took your mother and made me search for her for days through the dark forests. That dark forest isn't just a dark forest because there are beasts that will hurt you physically. There are creatures in there that will toy with your mind, and break your spirit. I met my fair share of them that told me I would never find your mother." he spoke and his voice barreled through the quiet room, "but like I said, when your intentions are pure, the land doesn’t give way to your fall, rather it comes together to help you."
"So even after being put under a sleep that was supposed to suck out the happiness from my soul, help came and enlivened me. How I managed to find your mother I cannot say for sure, only that the help came right on time. When I came out of the dark forest, I became king, and the first thing I did was make Salvador step down as the head of the elders, I gave it to a much older one with kindness in his eyes. He rests with his family now, and Salvador even after all this time still years for the place of ruler."
"Who Is the ruler now?" I asked, still in wonder at the tale I had just been told,
"no one. There are no hierarchies in that order. although, Salvador likes to make decisions. But it is the place of the king to choose if those decisions stand. I only accepted this for you, because I know this is how it has been for eons. But perhaps, you can change things when you get there." my father said and yawned and I put my hand around his shoulder,
"Long day, then?"
"a little bit. I want my woman." he said and rose, before bowing to kiss my temple, "and I need you to show Salvador who is boss."
"I promise to try. " I said and he nodded, before turning to Axel, "you all have a good sibling time," he said and left us to ourselves,
"That was a bit overwhelming to find out," I said when I was sure father was out of earshot,
"I didn't even know. I mean, I've known that in times past, rulers have done quite a number of things. But some of it seemed like a myth. ' The goddess says to do this to prove yourself worthy to be king', and to prove yourself, you have no choice but to do it. I found it fascinating at best, but crazy and fairytale-like at worst. "
"I never bothered myself with knowing." I said and thought of all of those years with Paris, when I was sure that was all I needed in life, "Did the man say how long till I have to wrestle that bear?"
" two weeks," he said and I nodded,
"ought to be enough time to prepare." I said and thought about it a moment, before shaking my head, "or perhaps not. I don't think someone like me can ever fully prepare to wrestle a bear. "
Because it truly made no sense to me. None at all.
