Cinderfella - 7. Chapter 7 The Truth and The Law

There was more than a murmur through the crowd after I said that. A few gasps, but what I didn’t expect, was Seth’s reaction. He pulled his hand away.

“No!” Seth said through gritted teeth. “Stop it. I won’t. I don’t want to be king.”

“Seth…” I began.

“No!” Seth said louder. “I refuse.” And he began to walk away.

“See!?” Arthur Thorne raised his hand at Seth who was clearly leaving. “He doesn’t want this honor. There is another choice to be made.”

“Seth, wait!” I started heading after him.

“A decision has to be made!” Arthur stopped me placing his hand on my arm.

“That decision has been made!” I shot back as I jerked my arm away. Looking back, I could see Seth was at the foot of the stairs. “Stop, Seth.” I pointed to the guards at the door. “Don’t let him go!”

Christian walked up beside me. “Erik, he doesn’t want it.” He said to me quietly.

I turned to my brother. “Did you want it?” I asked him. “If you had a choice, would you have wanted to be king?”

Christian’s face held thought, but my point was made! He had to think about it! “There wasn’t a choice to make. I was born to be king.”

I nodded. “So it is for him and you know it!” I watched as the guards at the door stepped in front of the door and blocked Seth’s exit with their spears crossed over the exit. “All I know is, he won’t be making an Ella exit! He doesn’t vanish as she did. Hell, it’s not even midnight!” I turned back toward Seth. “Seth! We need to talk!”

Seth’s head lowered in defeat and allowed himself to be escorted back down. We went to a small room off the ballroom.

“Please don’t do this to me.” Seth sighed, his voice shaking. “I can’t do it.” He turned to me. “I will refuse!”

Walking over to him, I put my hand on his arms. “If you don’t, who should I ask to be king? We’re talking about more than just your life, we’re talking about the thousands in Blethos! Not to mention the thousands in A’Dore! Should I have said, Darius or Deena?”

Seth shook his head. “Anyone but me.” Then he refused to look at me. “Why choose me? I’m cursed!!” He spat again.

My temper flared! “That is so much bullshit!!” I shouted turning him to face me. I almost never use that kind of language, and it startled even me, as well as Seth. “You! Are not CURSED!!” I reached up and pulled his mask off. “I’ll deal with that issue in a few moments. But I like you, Seth. I like you a lot! I’m drawn to you, unlike anyone I have ever seen or met. I want to build a life with you, Seth. I think we make a good pair. I can easily fall in love with you.”

“You can see…” he said as a tear came from his one good eye. “How will people follow this?” He touched his own scarred face. “I’m hideous!”

“No. You’re not!” I shook my head. Taking his face I drew it closer, kissing him with as much passion and desire as I could. He resisted only a few seconds before he gave in, kissing back and intensifying the kiss, his tongue instinctively brushing my lips, which I opened and practically sucked it in. Again the lightheadedness and dizzy feeling swept through me making me short of breath, not that I was worried about lack of air right now. I broke from him but kept my arms around him as my forehead rested on his. “Believe me, Seth. You are not cursed.” I brought him to sit on a couch nearby. “Now, what I’m going to say…just listen. Please.”

He nodded.

“How much of the past do you remember?” I asked. Then I added carefully. He had been a year younger than Thomas was now, so I couldn’t imagine what he’d been through. “Before the fire.” But I knew he’d have a problem with it.

Seth’s eye sort of lost focus. Then shut. as he shook his head. “No. no, no…” he was shaking and about to get up.

“It’s okay!” I assured keeping him down. “I’m sorry, I’m sorry. You’re fine. It’s okay.” Bringing his head to me to reassure him, hugging him close. “You’re fine. It’s over. But you don’t remember this place? The palace?”

He glanced around. “I’ve never been here.” He answered. “But…”

“A part of you may remember, Seth.” I began. “I believe, you were born to be king. That you were born here!” I watched his eyes widen. “Hear me out.” I got up. “Demetrius, enter the correct way, please,” I said to the air.

The door to the room opened and Demetrius poked his head in. “Is this the correct way?”

I grinned at him. “It is. Did you find who I was asking for?”

Demetrius nodded. “I found two of them, they are here.” He handed me a piece of paper with two names written on it. “I can’t find his brother, he seems to have disappeared.”

Seth looked up. “Why do you want to see my brother?”

I went back to Seth. “I’ll tell you in a second.” I went to the door, walked to one of King Alexander’s staff there after reading the names on the paper. “Can you find Miss Margret Cummings and Sarah Jones, please.”

The man nodded. “Sure, I know right where they are.”

“Could you ask them to come here, please?”

“Be right back.” The man bowed and walked off.

It just took a few minutes before the door opened again and two women walked in. Both were in their forties, but well dressed and looking curious as to why they were called in here.

“The reason I asked you in here will be clear in a second, ladies.” I began. “First, could you tell Mr. Thorne who you are? Rather can you tell us what you did twenty years ago?”

“Twenty years ago?” The first, a black haired woman with grey in her hair questioned. “Well, I’m Margret Cummings, I’m still employed with the palace staff. But twenty years ago I was a personal servant to Her Lady, Queen Leia. The king’s late wife.”

“I’m Sarah Dunkirk now.” The other woman, a reddish-blonde woman said. “I was Sarah Jones. I was also a member of the personal staff to the queen.”

“And your duties, Ladies?”

Margret shrugged. “Pretty much everything. We helped her with about anything she needed. We even cared for her two precious children until the attack.”

I nodded sensing a victory. “That’s wonderful. Did you ever help bathe them?”

Sarah nodded. “Absolutely.”

I grinned and walked to Seth. “Please…this needs to be done,” I begged him to understand. “Could you take your shirt off?”

A bare-chested male is not shocking, but not a regular thing in castles. But Seth looked curious before he nodded and pulled his shirt off. The scars on his right side were more evident as I’d seen before. The ladies had not and moved back a little in horror over the grotesque scarring.

“Ladies, please look at this,” I asked them, got Seth to stand up and turn around. “Do either of you recognize this?” I put my hand near his birthmarks to which I saw both women’s eyes grow, Margret gasped.

“Impossible!” She claimed. “Phillip?” She asked Seth.

“He’s dead!!” Sarah said quickly. “It can’t be!!”

I smiled. “And yet, here he is,” I said. “Now, ladies, thank you. Did King Alexander help with his boys?”

“Yes!” Sarah nodded walking toward Seth. “He was a devoted father. Often helping them dress and even at bath time when he could.” She reached out to Seth. “Phillip?”

Seth was now very confused. “What’s going on? Why are they calling me Phillip?”

“Because you are,” I answered. “Ladies, I will ask you not to say a word of this to anyone yet. I need to speak to Arthur Thorne with the company of my brother. Then I will tell King Alexander. After that, he may want to tell everyone out there, but until I tell him. Don’t say a word!”

Margret and Sarah nodded, but both ladies were coming closer, though Sarah couldn’t quite touch Seth…they walked out.

“Demetrius, could you ask my brother to come in here, with Arthur Thorne?” I asked.

Seth was pulling his shirt back on but didn’t tuck it in. “I don’t understand. I know what you’re saying, but it can’t be true!”

“We’ll talk to Arthur Thorne first,” I said.

Again the door opened and a sputtering Arthur Thorne came in, followed by Christian.

“I don’t see…” Mr. Thorne said angrily. “Why am I forced to come in here?”

“Tell me.” I began. “When did you hire Seth’s mother? When did she arrive in Thorne Valley?”

“She just appeared one evening. She and Seth and his brother Samuel.” He answered. “She begged for a job, as Seth was so sick. Samuel was just a baby, but…”

“But you don’t remember if she told you she was their mother?” I asked.

Arthur shrugged. “She didn’t really say, but the children were devoted to her. I assumed they were her children. Seth almost died. If I hadn’t taken them in, he probably would have.”

I shook my head. “But you knew of the attack here. You had to know about your cousin’s loss. His two boys supposedly killed during the attack, in a fire of unimaginable heat. Then later, a woman with two boys, the same ages of the king’s boys, one with burns like Seth’s…and you never questioned it?”

Arthur was understanding where my line of logic was leading. “She was not the Queen!”

“Did your wife always take care of your children?” I asked, trying not to shout. “Did she have help? Of course, she did!” I questioned and answered. “Did it not occur to you that she may have been one of those that cared for the boys?” I turned away. “Of course the boys were devoted to her. She probably cared for both all of their lives!” I turned again to face him but less worried about him seeing that I was angry. “What did she tell you? Did she explain Seth?”

Arthur began shaking. “She just said she was scared for her and the children’s lives. She begged me to help.”

I took a deep breath. “Well, for that…I’m grateful. You helped them. But I don’t for one moment think you are particularly thick in the head. Most people would have wanted to know more, asked questions and find out about what happened. The fact that you didn’t makes me wonder if you knew the truth. This is Prince Phillip!” I pointed at Seth. “The succession to the throne is by birth, his birth. He is King Alexander’s son!”

Arthur may have been a good actor or he really hadn’t connected the dots. I don’t know, but the look of horror on his face was pretty convincing to his own ignorance. “I…I…didn’t know!!”

I nodded. “I accept what you say.” I moved closer. “For now.”

Then his face hardened. “This can’t be proven!” He pointed at Seth. “It could be fake or a coincidence!”

I nodded, having expected some to react this way. “That’s why I had you introduce your children. Seth was included as your child before all nobility and the King. Whether Seth is Prince Phillip or not, he will be king as my choice. It’s the law and I read the laws carefully. If you contest this, you’ll lose.” I glared at the man. “Now, you’ve called him cursed for so long, even Seth believes it’s true. He’s not cursed. That is so much stupidity...I defeated Darius and made him and Deena swear to never call or refer to Seth as being cursed again, do I need to ask King Alexander to make it a law? I will if I have to. You are never, ever to refer to Seth, Prince Phillip again as cursed! Do I make myself clear?” I demanded in a tone that said there was no compromise.

Arthur was now red with indignation. “It’s perfectly clear.”

“If you do.” I threatened. “I will make it a point, to ruin you!”

“And I will, too!” Christian growled folding his arms in determination and stood firm behind Arthur. “And believe me, I can.”

“Go now,” I commanded. “Say nothing until King Alexander comes out of here.”

Arthur let out a snort. Then turned and walked out, not quite slamming the door behind him.

Seth was looking at the surroundings again. “It was a lie? All of it? My whole life was a lie?” He asked quietly as he was trying to accept what he’d heard. And told not only by me but those two ladies….he almost remembered.

I turned to Seth, putting my hand on his arm. “We’ll try to find out why, but yes…it was a lie.” Then I smiled. “Do you want to meet your true father?”

Seth looked at me as he worried. “Will he accept me? Like this?” He motioned toward his face.

“Accept you!?” Christian asked incredulously. “That man was devastated when he thought he’d lost you…and your brother. Finding out that you’re alive? He’ll be so…..thrilled! He won’t give a damn about what you look like! You will be the most beautiful thing he’s ever seen!!” Then Christian walked over to Seth. “In the meantime, welcome to my family, Seth.” He stuck his hand out and hugged Seth.

Seth was still in a state of disbelief but shook Christian’s hand, and the manly hug.

“Now, I will bring King Alexander in.” Christian smiled. “He’d love to see you.” And he went out of the room.

When the door opened, King Alexander preceded Christian through the door. “I don’t understand. The man said no.”

“Your Majesty,” I said softly, then turned Seth around again, pulling his shirt up. “Your son Phillip, is alive.”

“Phillip?” King Alexander asked, but saw the birthmarks. His eyes grew. “Phillip!!” He rushed at Seth. “Oh, my God!! Phillip!” He hugged Seth tightly. “Oh, my son!! Oh, my GOD!! My SON!!!”

I stepped over beside a beaming Christian. “A very, very happy reunion,” I said quietly to my brother who, like me, was getting a little choked up. It was a very sweet moment.

“I’ll say.” Christian agreed as he sniffed. “Long overdue.”

The next hour King Alexander hugged and talked with Seth. Tears, mostly King Alexander’s flowed as he was beyond happy to see his son. Seth looked relieved, but his own father was still a stranger to him now. Christian and I didn’t want to leave them if when we went back out to the ballroom the people would want to know what was going on. They were expecting us to come out and tell them something.

“Now that you know the truth, Seth,” I said to Seth. “I have named you as my choice. If you prefer, I can withdraw my choice if you decide to go by your birthright instead.”

“You don’t want to marry me?” Seth asked, and it pleased me that he sounded very disappointed.

I sat beside him. “Of course I do.” I stroked his face. “I’m saying you don’t have to. You will be king.”

Christian came over. “King Alexander, Arthur Thorne claimed that this…. the whole thing was a lie. Somehow faked.” He pointed to Seth. “That somehow it couldn’t be true. By marrying my brother, his rise to the throne is concrete. It will be done. That’s the law.”

King Alexander nodded not wanting to let go of his son’s hand. Clearly, he wasn’t losing him again. “There is a lot of discord with some of the nobility. There could be problems as Arthur tells others, and I’m sure he will. If they believe him, it could be a problem.”

Seth grinned. “I guess then, we have to.” Then he pressed his forehead to mine. “Besides, I want to.” He chuckled. “Same-sex marriages are only allowed politically. Not by the Church, but by powers. The alliance will go forth. We will marry. Besides, even if I were accepted as King Alexander’s son, a political marriage would still be possible for the alliance. Even if I had been raised here.”

I laughed. “See? It pays to be king. Besides, the scriptures were written by men for men. God never said we couldn’t or shouldn’t. Otherwise, there’d be eleven commandments.”

“You said, your brother left the Thorne House three years ago. He married?” King Alexander asked.

Seth nodded. “He asked me to go, but I didn’t go with him because of this…” he waved again to his face. “No one would hire me. At least with Thorne, I had a place to live. Samuel left shortly after he’d turned eighteen. He did it to get away from Thorne Valley. I’ve not heard a word from him since.”

“He could have changed his name.” I purposed.

King Alexander nodded. “I’ll have men search for him.” He grinned. “Well, he is married. Perhaps even has a child now. The line of succession is assured.”

“We’ve kept them waiting long enough.” Christian thumbed out the door to where the ball had been going on. “We better let them know what’s going on.”

King Alexander nodded standing. Seth stood next to him. “Welcome home, son.” He hugged his son again. “Do we tell them yes to you being king?”

Seth shrugged. “I believe telling them the truth will be fine, but telling them I will be king by the marriage to Prince Erik will seal the deal, legally.”

“So, let’s do it.” I grinned and we went back out to where the ball had continued in our absence, if for no other reason than to give the guests something to do. That ground to stop when they saw the four of us come out and stand near the throne.

“I appreciate your patience.” King Alexander said loudly. “In this unexpected….turn of events, a discovery was made. Due to…misinformation. Certain things were discovered by Prince Erik.” Now there was another murmur from the crowd. I noticed, however, none of the Thornes were still there except Seth, who was now a prince and no longer a Thorne except by name. “I was presented with evidence and found out, Seth, is really Prince Phillip. My son, I thought I had lost so long ago.” Now the crowd was not only murmuring but discussing it with each other in combinations of shock and there were those tones that had disbelief. “And to assure you, the evidence was conclusive. He is Prince Phillip. My son. But to ease your minds. Due to Arthur Thorne’s acknowledgment that Seth Thorne was a part of his House, Seth is an applicant to the throne. So whether or not you believe he is my son and rightful heir to that throne, his marriage and choice by Prince Erik means,” he turned to Seth. “This man is your next king.”

There was a burst of discussion now. But the musicians began that triumphant song they’d played for King Alexander. Only now, the people began to bow, not to King Alexander, but to Seth.

“Hail to the king.” All said as they bowed. “Long may you reign.”