"Please do," Darius said, sounding relieved. He wasn’t a prince dammit.
"Darius, we all know about your grandfather, but we also know about you. About how hard you are working to show everyone you are nothing like him. I must admit, when your name was first mentioned, I was sceptical until I researched you." The Regent told him.
Researched him? He didn’t like the sound of that. Just how had they researched him? he wondered.
"We all were," Regent Holland said.
"And you’ve all have changed your mind?" Darius asked.
The Regents as one nodded.
"I know this path will not be easy for you." Regent Summers said, "but, we are all here to help you. Or you can remove us all and put your own people in place."
Darius gave a humourless laugh, "Like I’m in contact with that many different paranormal’s. If I do this, I would value your wisdom and council."
Get rid of the council? No way. They knew more about the politics of the Paranormal world and its rules then he did, he also knew they were all well respected, with no hint of corruption amongst them.
Just then the door opened and the Major Domo, stood in the doorway. “Prince Travellian, if you would follow me please the High King will see you now."
Darius looked at the council and his brothers, "Your brothers can stay here, they will be quite safe. We can talk to them about council roles, as I assume, they will be part of your inner circle." Regent Flint said.
Beck and Guy stared at Darius looking shocked, they had not considered that they would be involved in any of this.
"Hey, if you think I am doing this without you two, you’re nuts." He turned and looked at the council, "tell them anything you think they should know." And with that Darius turned and left his brothers with the Regents, to go and met the man who might have just changed his life.
~*~*~*~*~
The High King sat in his chair, hunched over, the once tall forceful King now frail and dying. He couldn't complain though, he had had a good life, led his people for nearly eight hundred years and apart from the Travellian uprising, had kept the peace. Sure, disputes broke out, but nothing his Regents couldn't handle. The one sad aspect of his life was his wife dying, two years into their marriage. No one knew what killed her, some kind if magic no one had ever seen before, and nothing any of the magic users around him or even he could cure.
He knew his choice of heir might cause a few problems, but he had confidence in Darius Travellian and his abilities.
What no one knew was, that even before he knew he was dying, he was actively looking for an heir. He used his magical mirror to watch different clans, packs, covens, bosses, prides, you name it, he had looked at them, getting frustrated that he couldn't find anyone he thought good enough. He let out a sigh and spoke to his wife’s spirit, like he always did when he was frustrated, "you could at least help me find a successor, my love." and just that quickly the mirror flicked to life on Darius Travellian. At first he was stunned. A Travellian as an heir? Whatever next. Then he paused as he watched more closely. He watched Darius try everything he could to show the community that he was nothing like his grandfather. The King watched as he saw Darius help those that needed it, when they quietly slipped in to see him, hoping no one would notice or who he slipped in to help, when no one else would. He watched for months, then consulted with the Seers, the Oracle and the Regents, a few Regents took some persuading, but then everyone was agreed, Darius Travellian was the man for the job.
To test this theory, under cover of darkness and in secret, only taking Adam, his Major Domo, with him, the King had travelled to Westerly, the town where the Travellian coven was located. He went to Darius’ house at the edge of the town by the forest that surrounded the town and asked for rest and food as he had travelled a long way and was tired. Dressed as he and Adam were, no one spared them a second look and no one realised he was the King.
William thought back to that little adventure and chuckled to himself.
William was stood looking into the scrying mirror watching Darius Travellian for the final time. He had spoken with the Council, his inner circle, the Seers and the Oracle and they all agreed with him, some of them after a little persuading, but they agreed that Darius Travellian was the best man to replace him as High King. Now all he needed to do was meet the man in person and get a feel for what he was actually like, just to be a hundred percent sure.
He wondered how he could go about that without anyone knowing he had left for the evening. When he was younger he was always going off doing things like that, but not now, not with his health deteriorating the way it was. He knew he would be stupid to go alone. He picked up his phone and sent a message to his Major Domo, Adam. A few moments later there was a knock on the door.
“Come on in Adam.” He called out.
Adam came in with a smile, “What’s up big man?”
William laughed, he loved having Adam as his Major Domo, a lot of people thought William was mad to offer the role to the young man, but William knew as soon as he met him, he would be perfect for the role. He was all prim and proper when needed to be, but when they were alone, his sense of humour shone, and he always treated William like a normal person not a King. He looked upon Adam as the son he never had. He had asked Adam once if when the time came, he wanted to be named his heir. Adam gave a dramatic shudder, and told William he was to fabulous to be King and was quite happy being a Major Domo.
“We are going away for the evening,” William said, bringing his thoughts back to the moment.
“No,” Adam said, folding his arms across his chest, “You’re staying here and resting. Tell me what you need doing and I will do it for you.”
William looked at his stubborn face, “We,” he stressed, “are going to Westerly to visit with Darius Travellian, so we can meet him in person.”
“Call him and ask him to come here to meet him,” Adam said.
“I don’t want him to meet me for the first time as High King, I want to meet him man to man,” he looked at Adam’s stubborn stance. “You realised I could have left already and not told you where I was going, don’t you? And anyway, why are we even having this discussion, I want to go and meet him, so we’re going.”
Adam sighed and uncrossed his arms, “Well,” he said, “Are you well enough to do this?” The concern in his voice was obvious.
“Yes, if we go today and come back tomorrow.” The King said.
And so, dressed in normal street clothes William used his Kingly powers to make them materialise just outside of the town of Westerly. William had also used his powers to disguise their magical signatures. They wondered round the town, looking at the shops and parks, all of which were surrounded by lush green forests. The town looked like a lost village in the middle of a forest, it was truly lovely. They walked down the road until they reached the other end and down a small road until they came to Darius Travellian’s house. It was a two-story house, that resembled an old manor house. It looked welcoming, with flowers lining the path and gardens. As they reached the front door, night was falling and William really needed a sit down.