Note: This is the 5th in an ongoing series of Cautionary Tales. You can find the previous episodes here:
Part 1
Part 2
Part 3
Part 4
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The last time we left the kingdom, there was confusion and turmoil in the land. The (beloved by some, relived by others) Sir Richard had departed, leaving the knights of the realm, the assembled Kings, without leadership.
After a great deal of chest-beating and hand-wringing, the great and powerful Maloofs made a decision. They announced they would be bringing a young man to fill the shoes of the departed "coach." But this wasn't just any young man. It was a Mussel-man. He had grown up with the quest for the prize of O'Brien as he, Sir Eric, was the son of a Mussel-man, who had also served THE GAME for many years.
Slowly but surely the word spread around the kingdom. Even those who had admired Sir Richard were optimistic. Cries of "AdelMAN is dead, long live MusselMAN" were reportedly heard throughout the land. The loyal followers (the kingsfans) put away their torches and pitchforks and returned to their homes, feeling a little more secure about the future of their beloved Kings.
The joy was short-lived, however. Once again, rumors began to circle. Rumors, at first, without substance but with a thread of truth that could not be denied. All was not well in the house of Sir Gawen, who had told the kingsfans he wanted to stay in the kingdom and he would be happy to wear the colors of the Maloofs forever.
The evil William of Phillips, however, who spoke for Sir Gawen, had other ideas. He had looked and he had seen the riches piled upon the departed Predrag in his new kingdom and he honestly felt Sir Gawen deserved similar treatment. So, he and Sir Gawen decided to stand fast for their principles, and they told the loyal agent for the Maloofs, the wizard Petrie, that he would have to find a way to share more of the kingdom's riches with Sir Gawen.
The wizard Petrie thought and it is whispered around the kingdom he made an offer to Sir Gawen that would have allowed him to share in the wealth, to feed his family, to secure his castle, and to allow him security for the rest of his days as a King. But, for the evil William, it wasn't enough. He ranted and raved, both in public and being closed doors, and whispered of other, greater kingdoms that were trying to steal Sir Gawen away. He urged the wizard to tell the Maloofs, to convince them to raise their offer.
The wizard Petrie wasn't fooled. He had eyes everywhere and he knew there were very few other kingdoms who would be willing to give Sir Gawen as much as the Maloofs had already offered. So he declined to continue to argue with the evil William.
Finally, the wizard Petrie could wait no longer. He went out and he found another knight to come to the kingdom. The knight didn't have the reputation of Sir Gawen, good or bad, but he did have skills. The wizard announced the new arrival to the kingdom and, while some were shocked, most of the kingsfans were just a little relieved that Sir Gawen and the evil William hadn't been able to hold the kingdom hostage. It was rumored Sir Gawen was surprised, but mostly angry for not seeing the real image. And the evil William scrambled desperately to find even one other kingdom that would welcome Sir Gawen... and scrambled... and then crawled... and then seemed to disappear all together.
Some people of the kingdom still tried to think of ways that Sir Gawen could remain, reminded of his gallant performances against those fighting under the banner of St. Anthony but most had still another cloud on the horizon.
This time, the cloud wasn't just threatening rain. It was threatening to grow bigger and darker, it was actually threatening the very future of the kingdom itself ... and for the people, this could easily be the most trying time yet...
Part 1
Part 2
Part 3
Part 4
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The last time we left the kingdom, there was confusion and turmoil in the land. The (beloved by some, relived by others) Sir Richard had departed, leaving the knights of the realm, the assembled Kings, without leadership.
After a great deal of chest-beating and hand-wringing, the great and powerful Maloofs made a decision. They announced they would be bringing a young man to fill the shoes of the departed "coach." But this wasn't just any young man. It was a Mussel-man. He had grown up with the quest for the prize of O'Brien as he, Sir Eric, was the son of a Mussel-man, who had also served THE GAME for many years.
Slowly but surely the word spread around the kingdom. Even those who had admired Sir Richard were optimistic. Cries of "AdelMAN is dead, long live MusselMAN" were reportedly heard throughout the land. The loyal followers (the kingsfans) put away their torches and pitchforks and returned to their homes, feeling a little more secure about the future of their beloved Kings.
The joy was short-lived, however. Once again, rumors began to circle. Rumors, at first, without substance but with a thread of truth that could not be denied. All was not well in the house of Sir Gawen, who had told the kingsfans he wanted to stay in the kingdom and he would be happy to wear the colors of the Maloofs forever.
The evil William of Phillips, however, who spoke for Sir Gawen, had other ideas. He had looked and he had seen the riches piled upon the departed Predrag in his new kingdom and he honestly felt Sir Gawen deserved similar treatment. So, he and Sir Gawen decided to stand fast for their principles, and they told the loyal agent for the Maloofs, the wizard Petrie, that he would have to find a way to share more of the kingdom's riches with Sir Gawen.
The wizard Petrie thought and it is whispered around the kingdom he made an offer to Sir Gawen that would have allowed him to share in the wealth, to feed his family, to secure his castle, and to allow him security for the rest of his days as a King. But, for the evil William, it wasn't enough. He ranted and raved, both in public and being closed doors, and whispered of other, greater kingdoms that were trying to steal Sir Gawen away. He urged the wizard to tell the Maloofs, to convince them to raise their offer.
The wizard Petrie wasn't fooled. He had eyes everywhere and he knew there were very few other kingdoms who would be willing to give Sir Gawen as much as the Maloofs had already offered. So he declined to continue to argue with the evil William.
Finally, the wizard Petrie could wait no longer. He went out and he found another knight to come to the kingdom. The knight didn't have the reputation of Sir Gawen, good or bad, but he did have skills. The wizard announced the new arrival to the kingdom and, while some were shocked, most of the kingsfans were just a little relieved that Sir Gawen and the evil William hadn't been able to hold the kingdom hostage. It was rumored Sir Gawen was surprised, but mostly angry for not seeing the real image. And the evil William scrambled desperately to find even one other kingdom that would welcome Sir Gawen... and scrambled... and then crawled... and then seemed to disappear all together.
Some people of the kingdom still tried to think of ways that Sir Gawen could remain, reminded of his gallant performances against those fighting under the banner of St. Anthony but most had still another cloud on the horizon.
This time, the cloud wasn't just threatening rain. It was threatening to grow bigger and darker, it was actually threatening the very future of the kingdom itself ... and for the people, this could easily be the most trying time yet...
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