With the chevalier, Zach and Adelaide on the horse, they advanced into the lush palace, surrounded by a beautiful garden and filled with even more nicely dressed people.
“Why the king wishes to speak with me?”
“If you’re Zachary, he’ll tell you, he didn’t tell me, but I don’t think it’s nothing major. If you’re not Zachary, he’ll just let you go. Well, follow me”.
The soldier guided Zach and Adelaide through the fancy hallways of the palace, which was beautiful and happy, until they reached the chamber of the king. The soldier then told them:
“The protocol is quite simple, just nod and only talks if he talks to you. I’ll give the Knock on the Door, and then, when he answers, we’ll slowly enter. I’ll then announce you and you to the room.”
The man gave a strong but also delicate knock on the door, and really soon the king said.
“You may go inside!”
Then, the doors were open by the servants inside, and Zach and Adelaide gave the king a respectful not. However, when he starred at the king, his chin dropped on the floor. Could this be?
The man was extremely similar to Kyle his missing cousin.
“Your majesty! This young man and this woman that claims to be his guide. He said he’s Zachary D’Onofrio.”
“Yes, quite right, you can leave us if you may, and thank you.”
“As you wish your majesty, I’m at your disposal”
The man left the room and the servants closed the door.
“Could this be? Zach?”
“Kyle? But how…”
“Your voice is the same!”
“Your hair is the same, I can tell, even with… even with the crown!”
“You’re still alive!”
“I thought I’d never see you again!”
Leaving all the protocol, the king hugged Zach. This hug started timid and uncertain, but as Zach hugged him back, they spent a long time in that position. Cousins were reunited.
“When I received the daily report from our border, when I looked at your name, I had to call for you! Zach! This is a miracle! I thought I’d never see you again!”
“You are alive! But.. how? What happened Kyle? Kyle! We have so much to catch up! Kyle! Kyle! My God! This is not real!”
“It is unreal indeed! We have so much to catch up!”
“Please tell me what happened!”
“Please… please, you too, madame, take a seat, I’ll tell you both what happened.”
Zach felt dizzy and felt amazed, a lot of emotions that he forgot how it were, came to him at once, his world was experiencing things he forgot how it felt. Then, he went mute and was on the place only in body, he obeyed Kyle, the king, and took a sit on the couch nearby, Adelaide sat by him, and hold his hand. Kyle then begin talking.
“Hope you guys are feeling comfortable, this story is not a small one, but I’ll try to cut the dull bits of it. A huge storm swept away our ship, Zach, when me and my step parents, grandma and grandpa, were going to Sonía, that town overseas. When the ship sank, I couldn’t see them anymore; I felt terrible but had to fight to survive. I held into the biggest chunk of wreckage I could find and prayed for the best. This is how I reached the land of socks. I spent two days on open sea after the storm, and was about to perish when I was rescued by a group of merchants going to the land of Socks. They told me that storms could happen and unfortunately my grandparents were probably dead, which would’ve made me cry, but I was just exhausted to do anything. They asked me where I came from and I told them. They told me then that those lands were unknown by them, but what they could do is leave me in the destiny they were heading to, the city of socks. And so we went there. The ship was wealthy and the merchants were generous, they gave me food and new clothes, and some days later we were in the city. They suggested me to go talk to the king, as he could help me. They would if they could, but they came from even more faraway lands and had no idea where my lands were located. I then, lost but at least on my feet, still feeling bad for my loss, but also determined went to the palace. I explained the situation to the guards, and they let me in. I then guided was to talk to the assistant of a minister, and I did just that. Some hours later, the assistant told me that the minister would receive me. I told the minister my situation, and he told me that the king was an aged man, and it could be a while for him to receive me, but he understood my position and said he would pass my case to the king, and invited me to stay in a bedroom on his apartment until things solved it were. I stayed there in the place of the man for four days, and then the king invited me in, to his chamber. He was in a bed, sick and old, but still going, and asked me everything, and I provided the answers. When I happened to tell him I came from a shoemaker family, the king was extremely interested. His eyes were bright after I told him that. He loved shoes, and was extremely sad that the old royal shoemaker passed away recently. He begged me to make him a shoe, and he would reward me handsomely. I thought about it, and decided to please the king, as he could make me return home. In addition, I wanted to pay my own tribute to my dad, papa D’Onofrio. I asked for the proper material and provided it was for me, I knew the craft of the family, and did him shoes so beautiful he did something I never thought he would. He named me his successor! I was shocked, I begged him to reconsider, everyone at the room was mad, they told the king that was not on the bill of rights, and the king told them it was his right to name a successor, and since he didn’t have more family on Earth, he was going with his gut and was naming me. He told me then I had a choice, I could, after becoming king, abdicate and return home, as long as I’d name a successor, or I could stay here and make my own legacy in this place. Now, what a situation! I was shocked, so I didn’t say anything. I wasn’t even sure what to say next. So the king told me “My time on earth is short, stay here until I’m gone, when I’m not on earth anymore, you shall have all the assistance to return, if you wish. For now, I appoint you my successor and my new royal shoemaker.” I wasn’t forbidden to leave the palace, but had no place to go. My next weeks were busy, I was receiving chores even before I met my workshop, I missed home like hell, but I discovered I should take this opportunity to honor my dad and my family, and start new. As I found out, though everyone was shocked when the king nominated me, everything on this place was a bit mad, but I rather got used to it fast. After some weeks, I was already very demanded in the palace, and I had a good reputation in my sector, so the idea of me becoming king got less and less unpopular, and a servant even told me that some of the best decisions comes when our conscience guide us. A week later the king died, and in the end I decided to take the position he left me in. I built a good reputation for myself here, and decided to embrace my adopted country. There was not a day I would not think of you guys, though, but as a king, I couldn’t leave this place, and the massive work kept me busy. Until now, you came to my kingdom, my cousin!”
The story ended. Zach paralyzed it was, Adelaide was scared with the expression of his face, and confused by the crazy story Kyle told them.
“You didn’t return home…” Zach didn’t know what to think, he just kept saying, “You didn’t return home… You chose not to return home…”
“Now tell me, I miss you so much dear cousin! What brings you here! Your beautiful clothes, reminds me of our Grandpa!”
“YOU DIDN’T RETURN HOME! I THOUGHT YOU WAS DEAD!”
“Zach… please, I told you the story…”
“NO, you… you had a choice, you chose to stay! You were my best friend, Kyle! We miss you so much! And grandpa, and grandma. Do you want to know what I’m doing here?! I’m trying to keep grandpa with me! His clothes, his socks, I’ve been collecting them for sometime now! I loved them because they reminded me of grandpa! He left us so suddenly! How could he! But when I heard of the land of socks, I did a huge journey, just to see this place, just to keep honoring grandpa”
“Zach… No, please, don’t cry, Zach! Zach!”
Zach couldn’t hold it anymore, and after a year of being managed, he just started crying. He cried, Adelaide was trying to digest everything, Kyle hugged his cousin, but he kept on crying.
Zach cried for two days, and then, he went to sleep.
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