The People’s Inheritance (300 words)

A quick sketch.

The People’s Inheritance (300 words)

By ‘nother Mike

The king selected only warriors with living sons, but Lysander had not yet learned of his only child’s death.

The dread rite, a secret known only to the leaders of their country, was carefully designed to take the training and wisdom of those aging warriors and pass it all to their heirs. It had worked before, and kept their warriors strong beyond those that would trouble them, their king protected down through the ages. But when they did it this time, the magic rang down and rebounded, searching out…

A swineherd looked up from the slops, stared at the stars, and said, “I am Lysander.” Then he turned and walked toward the capital.

A butcher paused in the middle of cutting a steak from a side of beef. Then he swung the cleaver into the beef and left it quivering there. He shrugged and said, “I am Lysander.” Then he started his march to the capital.

A prostitute, a lawyer, a blacksmith, a Priest… the magic sought them out across the breadth and width of the country, and even into neighboring countries, all those with the blood of Lysander’s forebears, and filled them with the call to the capital, as Lysander reborn. The land rang to their march.

Days later, as the army of Lysanders marched on the capital, the king shook his head and signed the royal proclamation that Lysander had asked for, had pleaded with him for. It declared that the people would select their own representative Council to stand before him and act as co-rulers from then on. Somehow the king felt sure there would be at least one Lysander to join him, perhaps as the head of the council?

Sometimes even a king could see what was needed when the people found their inheritance. And Lysander’s dreams sprang up everywhere!