The Perfect Prophecy Part 4

Pennyworth was so shocked, he didn’t hear King Kenton tell the people more lies about how he was the wisest person he had ever met, how he had guided him when he needed it most, how Pennyworth’s advice was a light in the darkness of a confusing life as king of a nation, and how he had complete and utter faith in him that he would finish the task at hand and be a great mentor to young Gorgonzola, the Chosen One. He didn’t hear the cheers of the people, saying “Long live the King, long live the Chosen One, long live Pennyworth!”

The King had the guards usher Pennyworth and Gorgonzola off the stage, and they were taken to the palace. It wasn’t until the king took him aside into his study that he finally snapped out of it.

“So, Pennyworth,” King Kenton said as he sat in a chair behind his desk. “What did you think?”

“What?” Pennyworth said.

“What do you think of my little addition?”

“‘L-little addition!?’ What on earth were you thinking?! I’m not a mentor! Why on earth would you do that!?”

“My friend, everyone knows that when there’s a Chosen One, especially a young one, there’s a mentor who guides the squirt. I needed somebody to fill that role. Particularly the role of the old sage.”

“You didn’t need to do that!”

“Of course I did. A mentor was the only way to make the prophecy more realistic.”

Pennyworth sputtered. “You wanted the prophecy to have a magic sword! You wanted an orphaned boy with no experience whatsoever to kill a dragon! How is any of this realistic in the first place?!”

“Relax, Pennyworth. It’s all going according to plan.”

“What plan?!”

“The plan that will save both our hides from an angry mob of angry peasants. Unless, of course, you want to lose your job.”

“I might as well lose it right now. I’ll be dead anyway.”

“You will with that attitude! Now listen closely.” King Kenton pulled out a map from one of the desk drawers and spread it on the table. He pointed to a red X on the map. “That is where the dragon is located. At any other point before then, you’ll have time to give Cheddar—”

“Gorgonzola.”

“—the slip.”

“The slip?”

“Of course.” He pointed to another area on the map. “Once you’ve done that, meet me here in the Groaning Greenwood.”

“G-Groaning Greenwood?”

The King glared at him. “Is there an echo or are you deaf?”

“But it’s rumored that the woods are haunted! Why would you want me to meet there?”

“Don’t be scared. The ghosts are friendly. I like chatting with them from time to time. And if we’re lucky, they’ll ask us out for tea in the graveyard.” He rolled up the map and shoved it into Pennyworth’s hands. “Stop whining and grow a spine, for Pete’s sake.”

Pennyworth stared at the map. “B-but, how would I—how could I give him the slip?”

“You’re the mentor figure, you figure it out. Now hurry along. You and Parmesan have to leave by noon.”

“His name is—”

“I won’t remember, and I don’t care. Now go on. The faster you leave, the faster I can enact the rest of my plan.”

Pennyworth left the king’s study and went to his dormitory. He sat in a chair by the fireplace. Making a fake prophecy, picking a Chosen One, getting thrown into this quest which would most likely end in disaster, giving Gorgonzola the slip—this plan of the king’s was getting more and more convoluted. Why go through all these hoops?

Gorgonzola is going to try to beat the dragon, he thought. A shiver went down his spine. How on earth would he be able to do that? That sword…that sword wasn’t magic. Gorgonzola wasn’t really a Chosen One.

Maybe if he told them the truth, he could stop this madness. But if he did tell the truth, then he’d be fired. And if he was fired, he’d lose everything. His room with its lavish furniture and fireplace, access to the royal archives, some of the best food in the palace, not to mention the respect and reverence of being a butler here. Despite his parents’ mockery, he had managed to work his way up to this special position. He couldn’t risk losing it all. He couldn’t risk living in an old hut, feeding pigs, cleaning animal pens, and living in the same squalor he and his parents used to live in when he was a boy.

He sighed, stood up, and started to pack his things. It would be a long journey ahead of him.