Stone/Stone
#shortstory STONE The old man was staring out at him without a chance.. He was dressed in a simple but solid green velvet puff pants and a brown leather cardigan decorated with brocade on the neck and arms. At his feet he wore half-length boots that were so on sight years old, but still not worn. Under the cardigan he was wearing a graceful white shirt with two red letters embroidered on the neck: K S. The hair of the man called Konrad Steen was white and thinned by the years that could also be counted in the countless wrinkles of his weathered face. The brown complexion of his face was now gray, but testified to a long life outside under a scorching sun. At his waist he had a sword hanging with an impressive hilt. Gold and silver were woven over the handle and in the middle of it flaunted a large gemstone reflecting the scarce light of the candles in rainbow colors. The old man knew his time had come. He could have lived many years of prosperity and adversity. King Konrad was not allowed to complain. Fortunately, he had remained healthy for most of his life years. His life had been blessed with many friendships and a good wife. Lady Liliane, his life partner, escaped him five years ago. A short and ruthless illness had taken her away from him. Unfortunately, she could not have given him children. Now he felt like a lonely man without her, a broken old man who would be happy if death could get him soon.. Not that he was sick. Not at all, but his life was tied to the prophecies. He had lived well, but his fate he could not escape. He thought of the ancient words that the visionary Diana had once written. The tenth of the king family that will live in the century of the Dragons will become a good king, loved and praised by his subjects. Wealth and health will fall him in part. A sweet and faithful woman will accompany this king most of his life and make him happy. All this the king will possess, but his wife will not bear him heir to the throne, and she will lead him in death after five years of grief. As King Konrad grew older, he was tenth in the line Stone more and more began to believe in the prophecy. As a young prince, he received these prophecies with the spoon inside. Even though his teachers and the Magisters had alluded to the inevitability of these words, he did not really believe in these predictions as a young man. But unfortunately, as predicted, no heir came, no matter how much his wife and he had worked on it.. It was five years since Konrad's life companion had passed away. Would the prophecy be fully realized? He almost hoped it, because he would be reunited with his dear Liliane. On the other hand, he left his empire without a successor. It hurt him because he knew there was no good successor in his family. The law stipulated that if there were no successor in a straight line, there would be chosen between the firstborn of the King's eldest brother or sister and if he had none, with the next one in the line Stone. If the successor were a minor, his father or mother would take over the regency until the pretender to the throne was of the age of majority. If there were no successors to these persons, the eldest cousin would take over the scepter. In this way, one provided a young pretender to the throne instead of an elderly person who could also die within the shortest time.. Unfortunately, the next in line was the oldest adult son of his brother Harald . Unfortunately, this one was a loser and an incorrigible woman runner. In addition, he had quite a few friends and sympathizers under the covenant of the Black Magicians, an association of wizards who were not very popular among the inhabitants of the Empire. Karel Steen was certainly not made of the material that served as kings or rulers. The king felt a great disregard for the eldest child of his brother Harald. Konrad knew what the Black Magicians were capable of. He had consulted them at the death of his wife, at the end of counsel and ill with grief, also. They told him they could help him talk Liliane about death. He had to give them his blood and something from the body of his late wife. A hair, a tooth or something. He suspected that he would do more harm than good and that Liliane would never have approved to deceive death in this way. He rejected them, though it hurt in his heart that he would never hear or see his wife again. Konrad would not give in to the underhanded ways of the dubious covenant of the Black Magicians. He turned the King's ring on his finger. He had received this from his father Bartelomeus when he ascended the throne. It was a jewel, not really beautiful to call. The ring was connected to the throne like no other externally display of power and right to kingship. With a sigh he took him off his forefinger, and with an encumbered pass he rushed to the castle pit from which the fresh water was brought daily.. It was the only way for him to secure the future. A calculated risk to deny the throne to Charles. Without the ring, no lawful king, so it was written in the laws. Perhaps the people around the pretendent found something to work around it and yet seize power, but the people had power and knew the law as well as the nobles. If only on paper, the Council of the People had to give its consent if the successor was not of first rank. Come to the well, the old King sighed. With a tired gesture, he dropped the little jewel into the pit. The subterranean river would take him away. He hoped so far that none of his family would find him. If anyone but a rightful heir to the throne found him, he would not be able to carry him. It was known that he caused a severe allergy to a person who was not entitled to it. The hand then turned red and itched like a healing burn. Ultimately, the allergy would spread over the entire body of an unlawful crown heir. Konrad also knew of another prophecy from the books of the visionary Diana and hoped that it would come true as much as it had been fulfilled by his kingship. The ring itself seeks its bearer outside the family. Who has the right to put him on the finger, without pains and discomfort will be able to carry him on his finger. The ring will find its King, though he is on the other side of the world. Against will and thanks Konrad believed in the prophecies. It was his only hope. Having clipped the many castle stairs on his way to his room with one last effort, he laid himself on his bed to rest. Wish and prophecy came true. King Konrad Stone no longer awakened. © Rudi J.P. Lejaeghere In English: STONE The old man looked with glazed eyes in front of him. He was dressed in a simple but solid green velvet knickerbockers and a brown leather vest decorated with brocade on the neck and arms. On his feet, he had half long boots which were on first sight very old, but still not worn out. Below the vest, there was a stylish white shirt with on the collar two red letters embroidered: K.S. The hair of the man they called Conrad Stone, was white and thinned out by the years. You could also count his old age in the countless wrinkles of his weathered face. The brown colour of skin was greyish now, but it witnessed of a long life out-of-doors under a scorching sun. On his waist, he carried a sword with an impressive hilt. Gold and silver were woven over the handle and the middle of it displayed a big gemstone which reflected the scarce light of the candles in colours of the rainbow. He knew his time had come. He had the privilege of enjoying many years for better and for worse. King Conrad couldn't complain. He had stayed healthy for the greater part of his live. He had also been blessed with many friendships and a good woman. Five years ago, he lost his life companion, Lady Liliane. A short and callous disease took her from him. Alas, she had not given him a child. Now he felt as a lonely person without her, a broken old man who would be smooth if death would take him too, the early the better. Not that he was sick. Not at all, but his life was tied to the prophecies. He had lived well, but he wouldn't escape his destiny. King Conrad thought about the century-old words the prophet Diana ever had written. The tenth of the King Dynasty who shall live in the age of the Dragons will be a good king and he will be loved and praised by his subjects. Richness and health will accrue to him. A tender and loyal woman will accompany this king during his life and make him happy. All this the king will possess, but his wife will not bring forth an heir to the throne in his life. She will proceed him to death and he will follow her after five years of sorrow. As King Conrad grew older and being the tenth in the Stone line, he started to believe more and more in the prophecy. Being a young prince, the prophecies were grafted onto him. Nonetheless his teachers and the Masters had pointed on the inevitability of the outcome of those words, he didn't really believe these prophecies as a young man. Alas, as predicted there came no heir, despite the efforts he and his wife were making. His wife had passed away five years ago. Would the prophecy become true in full? He almost hoped it, because then he would be united with his sweet Liliane. On the other hand, he left his kingdom without successor. It was painful to know there wasn't a good follow up in his family. The law required if there were no descendants in the line of the king, there would be chosen by the first born children of the oldest brother or sister of the king. If they had no children, with the next in the dynasty of the Stone family. If the successor was not of age, his father or mother would take the reign till the heir-apparent became of age. In case there were no successors with this persons the oldest nephew or cousin would take over the sceptre. In this way, there would always be a young pretender to the throne instead of an older one who could die shortly by old age. Unfortunately, the next in line was the oldest and grown-up son of his brother Harald. Regrettably he was a good-for-nothing and an inveterate womaniser. He also had a lot of friends and sympathizers in the Brotherhood of the Black Wizards, a society of sorcerers who aren't very popular among the inhabitants of the nation. Charles Stone was not made of the material that served to make kings or rulers. The king had complete contempt for the oldest child of his brother Harald. Conrad knew what the Black Wizards were capable of. He had, seized by despair and sorrow, turned to them too. They told him they could help him, to let him talk to Lady Liliane beyond the limits of death. He just have to give them some of his blood and a string of hair or a tooth of his late wife. King Conrad suspected he would do more harm than good and Liliane would have disapproved any way to cheat on death. So he declined them though in his heart he felt the pain because he would never see or hear his beloved wife. Conrad wouldn't indulge in the sneaky ways of this dubious Brotherhood of the Black Wizards. He rotated the Kings Ring around his finger. King Conrad had received it from his father Bartelomeus when he ascended the throne. It was a just a gem, not really pretty. The ring was connected with the throne as now other pageantry and right on the kinghood. With a sigh, he removed him from his index finger and with a loaded pace he hurried to the castle well which servants used to fetch fresh water. It was the only way he knew to secure the future of his kingdom. A calculated risk to deny the throne to Charles. Without the ring, no lawful King, so it was written in the laws. Maybe the surroundings of the pretender to the throne would find something to avoid this and even take the power, but the people also had the power and knew the laws as good as the nobility. Even if it was only on paper, the Council of the People had to approve when the successor wasn't the son of King Conrad. Arrived at the well, the old king took a deep breath. With a weary gesture, he let fall the little jewel in the well. The underground river would carry him away. He hoped far, so far that nobody of his family would find it. If someone, other than the rightful pretender found him, then he would not be able to carry him on his finger. It was common knowledge that someone who didn't fit the title of King would be subjected to a heavy allergy. The hand would colour red and it would itch, far more than a healing burning wound. Eventually, the allergy would spread over the whole body of this person. Conrad knew of another prophecy in the books of the prophet Diana and hoped this would also come true as the one about his kingdom. The ring will search his bearer outside the family. He or she who has the right to shove him around his finger will be able to wear him on his hand without pain and discomfort. The ring will find his King, even if he is on the other side of this world. Above all King Conrad now Believed in the Prophecies. It was his only hope. With a last effort, he mounted the many stairs of the castle on the way to his chamber and his bed, where he would take a rest. Wish and prophecy became true. King Conrad Stone didn't wake up anymore. © Rudi J.P Lejaeghere
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