No son of mine
He was trying for so long to get a child. This was his third wife and he was angry. Why cannot he find a wife that will give him a child, a hair to the throne of Keunim Kingdom?
If he does not produce a successor, the nobles will soon start supporting his brother in overthrowing him. He hated his brother, but the whole kingdom loved him - his brother was the only one in the royal family who succeeded in killing a Walpill in the last fifty cycles, and not just a small one, but an alpha. From then on, whispers could be heard that such a mighty figure should seize the throne and bring glory to the kingdom one more time.
But that will not happen. This time his wife was pregnant and if the apothecaries are right, it is a boy, thus securing his place on the throne.
He was sitting at his desk looking through the window. The raining season has begun and rain hasn't stopped falling for a couple of days now. "My noble king, your wife gave birth to a baby boy" said a servant in low voice.
The king smiled, stood up fast and ran to his wife's room.
As soon as he entered the room, everyone lowered their eyes. "Master apothecary, how is my son, show him to me, show me the future king of Keunim!" shouted the king.
The master apothecary averted his gaze and started mumbling.
"Louder! I can not hear you when you are talking to the floor!" the king yelled.
"I apologize my lord, but..." the apothecary stopped for a second "I, I do not think you want to see him."
"Such a nonsense, that is my son, move, you fool!" the king pushed him away. He grabbed the small blanket from the crib and screamed in horror. In it was not a person. It was something that you would see in the fishermen's net when they pull it from the sea. The child had scales all over its body, between fingers and toes there was skin, making them look like fins. It had gills on its neck and he stared at the king with fear in his eyes.
"What is this? What did you do? Answer, I am your king and then your husband!" screamed the king as he moved to attack his wife.
"You wanted a child, I did not know that this will happen!" she screamed with tears in her eyes. "I prayed each night to Rivod and one night he answered my prayer."
"You are lying, Rivod is The God protector of our kingdom, he would not create this, this whatever it is!" "My lord" said the apothecary "this child is his, no doubt, it looks like Rivod's children described in the holy books."
"All lies, you all want me off the throne, this is my brother's doing, you will all pay with your heads for this!" screamed the king as he reached for the knife on his belt.
Frear, the king's younger brother entered the room with his general, looking directly at the king.
"Brother, what is this madness? Are you trying to kill the son of Rivod? Are you so blinded that you are willing to dome the entire Kingdom?"
"You are behind all of this!" the king charged to attack his brother. One fast move and the king was on the floor, disarmed, as Frear stepped on his chest.
"Master apothecary, take care of my brother, he needs help. Do not worry, brother, I will take good care of the throne." The storm was still raging as a group of people moved from the castle down to the shore. Frear was escorted by his general along with priests and apothecaries. They were moving slowly while chanting.
They stopped a couple of paces before the water. Frear took the small child and moved into the water with him.
"Mighty Rivod, we are honored that you have chosen our kingdom for your child. We are here to give him to you."
From the sea a couple of creatures appeared, larger than the king, all staring at the child. They were covered in scales just like the baby. They were all children of Rivod.
"Our father thanks you for protecting his child. He is happy to see a strong king on the throne once more."
Frear smiled - he knew that the gods do not care about any of them, but he played his part. People bow to Gods and so must he.
"It is an honor to be in the presence of so many of Rivod's children." he held out his hands with the child "Here is your brother, as strong and beautiful as each one of you."
The creatures took the child with them and went under water.
"One day I will have their heads on the wall of the throne room." he whispered to the general "Just find me that spear. My patience is running out."
Frear and his entourage returned to the castle, chanting a song to Rivod.
He was sitting at his desk looking through the window. The raining season has begun and rain hasn't stopped falling for a couple of days now. "My noble king, your wife gave birth to a baby boy" said a servant in low voice.
The king smiled, stood up fast and ran to his wife's room.
As soon as he entered the room, everyone lowered their eyes. "Master apothecary, how is my son, show him to me, show me the future king of Keunim!" shouted the king.
The master apothecary averted his gaze and started mumbling.
"Louder! I can not hear you when you are talking to the floor!" the king yelled.
"I apologize my lord, but..." the apothecary stopped for a second "I, I do not think you want to see him."
"Such a nonsense, that is my son, move, you fool!" the king pushed him away. He grabbed the small blanket from the crib and screamed in horror. In it was not a person. It was something that you would see in the fishermen's net when they pull it from the sea. The child had scales all over its body, between fingers and toes there was skin, making them look like fins. It had gills on its neck and he stared at the king with fear in his eyes.
"What is this? What did you do? Answer, I am your king and then your husband!" screamed the king as he moved to attack his wife.
"You wanted a child, I did not know that this will happen!" she screamed with tears in her eyes. "I prayed each night to Rivod and one night he answered my prayer."
"You are lying, Rivod is The God protector of our kingdom, he would not create this, this whatever it is!" "My lord" said the apothecary "this child is his, no doubt, it looks like Rivod's children described in the holy books."
"All lies, you all want me off the throne, this is my brother's doing, you will all pay with your heads for this!" screamed the king as he reached for the knife on his belt.
Frear, the king's younger brother entered the room with his general, looking directly at the king.
"Brother, what is this madness? Are you trying to kill the son of Rivod? Are you so blinded that you are willing to dome the entire Kingdom?"
"You are behind all of this!" the king charged to attack his brother. One fast move and the king was on the floor, disarmed, as Frear stepped on his chest.
"Master apothecary, take care of my brother, he needs help. Do not worry, brother, I will take good care of the throne." The storm was still raging as a group of people moved from the castle down to the shore. Frear was escorted by his general along with priests and apothecaries. They were moving slowly while chanting.
They stopped a couple of paces before the water. Frear took the small child and moved into the water with him.
"Mighty Rivod, we are honored that you have chosen our kingdom for your child. We are here to give him to you."
From the sea a couple of creatures appeared, larger than the king, all staring at the child. They were covered in scales just like the baby. They were all children of Rivod.
"Our father thanks you for protecting his child. He is happy to see a strong king on the throne once more."
Frear smiled - he knew that the gods do not care about any of them, but he played his part. People bow to Gods and so must he.
"It is an honor to be in the presence of so many of Rivod's children." he held out his hands with the child "Here is your brother, as strong and beautiful as each one of you."
The creatures took the child with them and went under water.
"One day I will have their heads on the wall of the throne room." he whispered to the general "Just find me that spear. My patience is running out."
Frear and his entourage returned to the castle, chanting a song to Rivod.
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