|
THE MONTH
Chapter One
“I hate Mondays!”
Back in the days when there were dragons and knights and three-headed ogres, and wizards and fairies and hydroxes, and a lot of other kinds of interesting things, the Royal Quadruplets of the Kingdom of Zephram glumly gathered in the Royal Schoolroom for a long, Zephram Monday, spent learning important Royal Subjects. The Royal Quadruplets' names were Thomasin, Lizeta, Nedwyn and Elenlyn, but since they weren't quite grown up yet (and their names were sort of hard to say), most people called them Tom, Lizzie, Ned and Nell. And, of course, they were also called Prince or Princess too, because that was what they were. “I hate Mondays,” Ned grumbled again, for it was Ned who could always be counted on to complain. “Just because stupid old King Otto thought Zephram Mondays were a great idea a thousand years ago, I don't know why we still have to do it. No other country has to do it.” His brother and sisters ignored him because they heard the same thing every Monday! Monday was the day when everything everyone did was dedicated or donated to Zephram for the upkeep and support of the kingdom. It didn't matter what type of job the people did, whether they were bakers, or jewelers, or carpenters, or horse trainers, or doctors, or math teachers. Whatever the Zephramites earned, made, or did on the other days of the week was theirs to keep. But on Mondays, all work was for the good of the country. That meant that even school children took their tests on Mondays so that they got in the habit of working hard on Mondays when they grew up. The proceeds and donations from Zephram Mondays paid for important things such as the military and the college and the hospital and the orphanage, so that everyone in the kingdom was taken care of: happy, healthy, and able to become as smart as they ever wanted to be! During today's Zephram Monday, the Royal Quadruplets were supposed to be hard at work studying for their Weekly Test, just as they did every Monday. But the Royal Tutor hadn't arrived yet, so Nell and Lizzie were talking about their sister Princess Zephera's upcoming marriage to Duke Harry and their father King Hiram's 50th birthday celebration, both of which were going to be held in a months time on the same day. Ned, as usual, was complaining and trying to cause trouble. Only Tom was quietly concentrating on a big, musty, leather-bound book. “Duke Harry is ever so handsome,” sighed Lizzie about their sister's fiancé. “I hope that when I am as old as Zephera, I can marry a prince or a king or a duke just as nice.” “Fat chance,” joked Ned, who was trying to annoy his sister just as any brother would. “And I'll wear a wedding gown that is covered in pearls and lace,” she continued, ignoring him just as any sister would. “And I'll have flowers in my hair, and a flora-ora tiara with diamonds on it. Why, I think it will be even prettier than the diamond necklace Zephera wants.” “You'll never find anyone like Duke Harry to marry you,” said Ned, again trying his best to annoy her. “He's the bravest warrior there ever was. Besides, someone like him wouldn't ever even talk to you.” Lizzie continued to ignore him. “And I'd have eight white horses pull my carriage, and my carriage would be made of gold and silver and have real diamonds and other sparkly stuff all around the windows. All the people will be throwing flora-ora confetti as we drive past – wouldn't that be just lovely?” “Flora-ora confetti,” her sister, Nell, repeated approvingly. “I love that idea. Now that would be a nice touch.” Nell was busy admiring the shocking green flora-ora polish she had just applied to her nails. “But won't you have to move away when you get married? Live in his castle?” “I don't know,” admitted Lizzie. “Eeuwh, that would be awful. Well, our castle is quite large enough. We could all live here forever and ever. It's so big, we'd never have to even see you,” she said, glaring at Ned. “You'll be living here forever and ever anyway, because no one will want to marry you,” Ned retorted. Then he changed his tone. “Well, I'm not getting married. Gross. Who needs a silly girlfriend?” “Well, no silly girl would want you anyway!” Nell jumped into the conversation to defend and support Lizzie as any good sister would. “You're so nasty! I bet Dad sends you off to patrol the borders as soon as you're old enough. No one wants you around.” “I can't wait to go,” Ned declared, pleased to have gotten reactions from both of his sisters. “Who wants to be around –” “Come on, stop it!” said Tom, finally looking up from his book. Tom was the only one really studying hard for their Weekly Test – not only because he was the first one of the quadruplets to be born (he beat Lizzie by 11 minutes), but because he was also the oldest boy, and going to be Zephram's king one day. Understandably, he took his heritage very seriously. He knew that he would have to know all kinds of answers when he ruled the kingdom. Passing The Test was really important for him to do. Ned made a face at Nell and Lizzie, and then went over to the window to toy around with the telescope that was set up there. He pointed the telescope away from the water harbor views to look over the forests, hills and dales of Zephram. He could see forever, and imagined himself far, far away from the Royal Schoolroom on this boring Zephram Monday. “You really should be studying this, too,” Tom said, pointing at his book. “Maybe they'll forget,” said Ned, not even looking away from the telescope. “Like that ever happens, especially on a Monday,” said Tom, shaking his head in exasperation at his brother. “Ned, why are you looking through that thing?” Nell wasn't about to give up annoying him, especially since he'd started it. “You're only supposed to use it at night.” “No, that's not true,” said Ned. “I can use it anytime and anyway I want. Besides, I might not be looking at just the stars and moon. Who knows what I'll see if I look in the right place?” Ned slowly panned the telescope around to show how busy he was. “Hey, what's that?” he asked a few minutes later. “I just saw a flash. Did you see one?” Tom, Nell and Lizzie said no. “There it is again,” Ned said. “Um – it looks like people are unloading a boat at the back of the harbor. Maybe it's the sun reflecting on a piece of metal?” “Maybe,” Tom agreed absently. There was a knock at the door. “Come in,” Lizzie called. “Excuse me, your Highnesses,” said the Royal Tutor's Assistant, standing in the doorway. “I have the latest delivery of the History of Ancient Zephram pages for your History of Ancient Zephram History Book.” The History of Ancient Zephram was like a "real time" history, written by the History Writer and delivered current- event-fresh each week.
“Thank
you,” said Lizzie, rising up to take the stack from him since “I have been asked to let you know the Royal Tutor has the flu –” “Woo hoo!” Ned loudly whooped with glee, while Nell whispered a delighted, “Yes!” “And he told me to tell you to be sure to spend your Zephram Monday time studying about the invasion of Hilden for a quiz tomorrow,” the Royal Tutor's Assistant continued, frowning at Ned and Nell. “Oh, great,” Ned grumbled. “Of course we will,” Lizzie assured him (Lizzie was always unfailingly polite). “Please tell the Royal Tutor we are studying hard and hope he feels better.” “Hardly studying,” Ned whispered to Nell. “Thank you, Princess,” said the Royal Tutor.s Assistant to Lizzie, and he backed quickly out of the doorway, his job done. “Please tell him we hope he feels better,” Ned mimicked his sister as the door closed. “I should say not. Who wants to study more?” “More? Try at all,” Nell suggested, her small moment of bonding with Ned over. Tom was glancing over the new pages the Royal Tutor.s Assistant had brought. “Looks like last week.s Treaty is in here, all up-to-date.” He put the pages carefully at the end of the big huge ancient book that had been manhandled by the Royal Children – and all their ancestors, in fact – for the last thousand years. Then, the quadruplets finally settled in for a relatively quiet period of studying (or in Ned's case, whatever else he could find to do instead). “Now, about our gift for Dad's birthday,” Lizzie said presently, looking up from her book. “I was thinking we could –” Suddenly, the sound of a gong was heard. The quadruplets jumped at the noise and looked at each other in dismay. “Oh dear,” said Lizzie, biting her lip. “Oh no,” said Nell, looking down at the green flora- ora nail polish that her mother had absolutely forbidden her to wear. “No way,” said Ned, turning away from the window and telescope. “Not already,” said Tom with dismay, closing his book. Because it was that dreaded time, dreaded by the Royal Quadruplets: the dreaded once-a-week Test Time with their Royal Parents. “At least some of us have been studying,” Nell said triumphantly to Ned. “Maybe some of us will pass the Test this time!” “Yeah, right,” her brother laughed. “Let's go get it over with,” Tom said, getting up from the table. “Come on.” With glum faces, the quadruplets left the safe boredom of their Royal Schoolroom and slowly made their way through the maze of castle hallways to meet their weekly fate. “Good morning, your Highnesses,” a group of school girls said obediently as they passed each other in the hallway. Then they whispered behind their hands and giggled at Nell and Lizzie because they were on their way to recess, and they knew the Royal Quadruplets were on their way to take their Weekly Test. A test that everyone else had passed long ago. “They are so annoying,” said Nell, and Lizzie squeezed her hand in sympathy. The four trudged slowly and steadfastly onward. “Good morning, your Highnesses,” said Alf, the Royal Tailor's son, with a smug smile on his face he directed at Ned as they passed each other. Alf knew what time it was, too. “He is so annoying. I hate him,” said Ned of his arch nemesis. “Stop it – we don't hate anyone,” Tom said. “Maybe you don't,” said Nell, “but they don't pull the same stuff on you that they do on us. You're going to be King Thomasin one day – they're not that stupid,” she reminded him. At that moment they arrived at the ornately carved and flora-ora gilded doors of the Royal Throne Room. The quadruplets stopped and looked at each other. “Dare you to knock,” Ned teased his brother. “The sooner we do it, the sooner we can go,” Tom reasoned to Nell and Lizzie, choosing to pay no attention to Ned. “You're right,” Lizzie agreed. “Coward,” Tom said to Ned, and he bravely knocked. Jepson, the Royal Steward, opened the big doors with a loud creak. He looked down and saw the Royal Quadruplets. “Their Royal Highnesses Crown Prince Thomasin, Princess Lizeta, Prince Nedwyn and Princess Elenlyn
have arrived, your
Majesties,” he announced. He stepped aside and, with a
Test Time had come.
We hope you enjoyed reading
Chapter One. To order the Book for your children, Click
HERE.
|