Username: Meddled.
Name: King Leon
Gender: Male
Personality:
Leon is a reserved, quiet Sima. He's often seen sighing, or lying about playing with his ring. Although he is rather shy and would prefer not to have a real conversation, when he does speak, it's obvious he was a king. He has a strong, healthy demeanor, ruined by sad eyes. He will often walk as if he is towing a long, heavy cape, misjudging it and falling over. At which point he gets up, Sighing again, and apologizes for his unknightly behavior. He has a phobia of paintings and eyes, to which he very seldom explains.
He prefers to live alone and have no authority over anyone, or to help others toward a goal or cause. Although supportive, he has very little confidence in himself. He often searches for his queen or asks those who have talked to travelers of news. As for travelers, he will start fights and make snide remarks, especially if the travelers wear cloaks. Although he can be quite rude, sometimes he can be a gentleman, always chivalrous and kind.
Probably being a knight that taught him this.
Although he does have friends, Leon spends little time with them outside of his home. He feels ashamed, and won't hide it.
What happened to the kingdom?:
"I am a coward."
I stood on my balcony, leaning against the railing, lazily watching my kingdom. It was a warm, satisfying evening, it had been full of the usual festivities. There had been a feast for the diplomats again, which had been happening for the past week. My stomach was full. A little too full. It always was. That's the price of being king of a wealthy kingdom, you are fed until you are full and then force-fed dessert.
I sighed, both from the beauty of the evening and the heaviness in my limbs. The marketplace below was busy as always, and I could see My knights patrolling. I wasn't sure if they knew I was watching, or if it was simply them on a regular basis. I'd trained with some of them, when I was a knight, but I no longer talked to them. They addressed me as "Your Majesty" instead of using my name. They no longer looked at me like I was their friend - I was simply their king. It made me sad to think that they would never see me as anything more than a golden figurine on a high pedestal, cape drawn long, down to the rocks below.
"I am a thief."
I had not been born into my kingdom, but I had no less grown to love it. Still, my crown was false on my head, my smile a carving in stone. There was nothing about my life that was real any longer, and I longed to rule as the kings before me. As if I'd truly been a prince.
I always felt as if I'd taken the crown from someone far more deserving of it than I, especially since I had. I didn't have the valor, patience, or diligence of the other knights. I was the jokester, nothing more. I took the place of the knight who'd won the hand of the princess. He'd been out at that moment and I was in the wrong place - but the King accepted me as the other knight and led me in to meet her. She was radiant, perfect, like nothing else. I'd seen her from afar, but I'd never met her in person. It only got better from there. She was kind, caring, and loyal. It was love at first sight, and surprisingly, she agreed.
And now I'm king.
I sometimes wandered the halls, looking at all the portraits, hoping to catch a glimpse of wisdom from any of them. They only ever stared, only ever looked down on me in disappointment. As if someone not from their blood should never have set foot in this Castle.
And I knew they were right. I had to get out of here.
After awhile the eyes of the kings bothered me.
I ended up pacing my room instead of the halls, but it got no better.
"I am the one who ran when in need"
One night, as I was sleeping, I awoke to the sound of the door being knocked on rather loudly.
"KING LEON, KING LEON" Called the Knight,
"COME QUICK, WE HAVE VISITORS"
I rolled out of bed after waking up my queen, who sat up, looking frightened. She threw on her shawl as I set my cape about my shoulders - and we set off to the Throne Room, where our visitors were waiting. They did not look lost, in fact they didn't even look like they were here to offer a deal, they looked, he thought, like war.
When the two rulers had taken to the throne, watched by the prying eyes of the cloaked simas before them, They waited. The visitor in the front stepped forward.
"King Leon," He said in a cold voice, with a mockingly deep bow with a smile played across his features, "We are here to ask a favor of you and your queen. I see that your land is prosperous, happy, plentiful. I wish to partake in it's riches. I and my fellow comrades seek the right to live and grow here, to raise our children," The figure indicated several stone-faced young simas, "and to be of service to you, of course.
"In exchange for protection, I and my comrades will join the army - except for the children's caretakers of course. That, your majesties, is what I ask of you."
I knew something was off with this sima, something I just couldn't lace, but my Queen immediately stood up and said "We will protect you. I will have our cartographers plot yo an acre of land to be used to build your homes. If you do not cause trouble, you will be left alone. We will expect to see you joining the army tomorrow morning."
I knew that somehow this was a bad idea, but I trusted my queen. Still it bothered me, why had they woken us in the night?
The eyes of past kings bore down on me as I walked back to our room, harsher and crueler than ever.
I dreamt of monsters, led by the kings to come and tear me down, screaming "TRAITOR" and ripping my cloak - their cloak - to shreds.
The next morning we woke to screams.
Several knights were dousing the room in water, and trying to wake me up. My queen was gone.
Frightened, I looked around wildly, ignoring the frantic knights telling me She'd not yet ben found.
And then I saw her ring, untouched on the side table.
I picked it up and slipped it on my finger, then turned to the knights.
I looked around the room, where the fire had not been snuffed by the water and knew what I had done.
I ran.
The fire followed me throught the disapproving gaze of the kings, and I nearly tripped on every stair as I ran out throught the town, setting everything on fire in a terrored frenzy to find her. searched everywhere, until I came to the plot of land where the newcomers had settled.
I banged on one of the doors, and someone woke and answered.
"Where is she!?" I demanded, nearly setting the grass on fire.
The Sima told me to calm down, told me she was safe in a neighboring kingdom.
The kingdom that mine was at war with.
Angry, I barreled through them and checked the whole house. Several of their number were missing.
I ran into the forest and collapsed, sobbing.
How would I get her back?
Soon I looked up and saw the kingdom ablaze, the gravity of what I'd done setting on my shoulders like the cape I'd left behind.
I knew I had no way to repay them, and I knew the eyes of the kings would bore into me like flames, and that I'd never be able to forgive myself.
So I ran once more, far away, where my kingdom wouldn't find me but close enough that I could still find her, my queen.
and I
will find her.
His story will continue when I find him a mate - He will be happy!
Thanks for reading!