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Ben Medinets / story2i

Chapter 9: Another meeting with Malcolm

At the break of dawn, there was a knock at the door. When Cletus walked down to open it up and in came Soren. They had expected Soren to screech in his eagle form to rouse them up from their slumber. He said he wanted to keep them surprised, and also didn’t want to make a lot of noise to draw attention to himself.

After eating with them some bread, butter, a bit of meat, and having a cup of tea, he told them he didn’t know what to think of the GREEN MAGE’S crashing the party. He probably did know the real reason but didn’t think it was appropriate to give them a speculative opinion. There would be a time when it would be revealed, but at this point even he didn’t have all the facts.

Then he asked Cletus to leave, and to hang out with the guards in front of the Deputy Mayor’s house for a while, so he could privately talk with Benny. Cletus reluctantly agreed, and left the building. He was starting to wonder about all these private meetings between Benny and the others. His hesitation and curiousity was only temporary, however, since he still felt like he was only just a guard, Benny’s guard. And as just a guard, he didn’t think he was privy to such information.

After Cletus had left, Soren became blunt with Benny, “The Priest has made a recommendation that you should receive additional education, especially in religious studies.”

“What?” asked Benny.

“Religious studies to lead to a career in the priesthood,” Soren replied.

Benny exclaimed, “Priesthood....Oh No....I can’t become a priest. I can’t hardly even deliver a speech without choking up. What about my position as deputy administer at Leon’s Castle? What about Cletus?”

“Relax. Your working yourself needlessly up. The Priest has told me what you told him yesterday. I am very intrigued. He suggests you return to school for further study. After that, he suggests you spend some time with him and myself for further lessons. You will be the scholarly type of a cleric not the speaking kind. As for your position in Leon’s Household, you will most likely take a period of absense like you are doing now. Are you interested at all in what we, the Priest and I, are suggesting?” Soren said.

Benny answered, “I guess I would give it a shot, but I still wonder what’s in store for Cletus.”

Soren smiled, “I’m sure the Emperor won’t let Cletus go unrewarded. I and the Priest have a couple of items still yet to give you, but you’ll have to wait until we feel you are ready to receive them. I understand you have been given the GOLDEN BOW from the Druid of the Temple.”

After Soren had seen the bow, he told Benny to guard it with his life because of the Bow’s powers. He hugged Benny, and then told Benny to take Cletus out for something to eat and then to wait at the tavern for him to return.

So Benny left to find Cletus while Soren left in a different direction. Then Benny and Cletus went to the tavern to have something to eat. He still didn’t tell what the Priest and Soren had talked to him about.

A couple hours had passed, as they had drank several glasses of ale. They spaced out the drinks to minimize the effects of alcohal. Both of them were surprised that they weren’t guarded, to ensure their safety, especially from the GUILD,

At mid-afternoon, Soren returned and escorted them back to the Palace. As they entered the Palace, the trumpets blared. Benny wondered who important was entering. Soren said they were being sounded in honor of him and Cletus. When they entered the hall, there was cheering and celebration.

“Welcome back honored guests,” the Emperor exclaimed, sitting on his throne. Behind him stood his son, the Crown Prince. In the hall besides the Emperor and the Prince were the Imperial Council including Leon and his family. As Benny and Cletus entered the throne hall, they bowed before their Emperor.

Then as he signalled them to arise, he said, “we have began to celebrate the return of the prince, but we have yet to reward the two chiefly responsible for his return. Come forward and receive your rewards. Soren has spoken to me and Leon on this issue just recently.

“We have decided that Benny, since you have said you are willing, you are to receive clerical training under the supervision of Soren, himself. After your training, you are free to return to your duties at Wembly Castle. For Cletus, Benny’s assistant, King Leon has decided to make you protector of Wembly and to promote you to squire, so you are to receive training also.

“In addition, you are to receive Imperial Blessing from my own hand. There have been reports that you are more humble than you deserve, so in light the beginning of your studies, you are welcome to have peace and respect at least for the short-term future. Three cheers for Benny and Cletus....”

“Hip Hip Hooray!!”

“Hip Hip Hooray!!”

“Hip Hip Hooray!!”

Then he handed them certificates and medals for them to put on their “uniforms”. They shook his hand and then bowed to him. There was now more applause and then King Leon and his family then came up and congradulated them. Princess Lisa gave Benny the biggest kiss he ever received.

“I missed having you around...you make guard duty fun,” Princess Lisa said to him after the long, passionate kiss.

“Me too and I also missed sleeping in my own bed and working at my duties at the castle.”

“That’s alright John has been able to take care of everything fine without you,” Princess Lisa replied.

The rest of the family, Queen Beth, Princess Stephanie, and Vic (Leon’s Personal Squire and Princess Stephanie’s boyfriend) also chatted with them for a short bit.

After the ceremony, the group left to go home. Vic escorted the carriage containing the Queen and the Princesses back to the Castle. The King helped Benny and Cletus pack their things at his townhouse.

Then the remaining guards went with the three back to Wembly. It was a fairly quick ride that Benny and Cletus weren’t totally want to go through....they sitll missed being on mission at the townhouse. It was back to the almost routine and mondate for the two now. Both realized their paths would soon separate as they both would both be progressing in their own career paths.

Because of his promotion, Cletus was now entitled to sleep in the Officer Quarters in the barracks, or have his own accommodation in wembly. Instead, he decided to stay with Benny in his spare bedroom, at least for the time being.

So they tried to enter Wembly as they left, trying to be as inconspicuous as possible. Unfortunately, there was a crowd that waited at the gates including a bunch of students from the school. Benny and Cletus accepted floral corsages as thankful gestures on the part of the people of Wembly.

Then after a couple minutes, they went to Benny’s House and then quickly unpacked. On the floor of the foyer was something that gave them both bad feelings...they looked down...class schedules from the school. Soren wanted both of them to start off taking a couple of courses at the Educational Institute first.

I guess the fun is over for a little while for both Benny and Cletus. Tomorrow is the beginning of a term of scholarship for the two heroes.

End of Part I

Click HERE to Continue On to Part II

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