Arthur 4 : The return of the prince

Chapter 3

Two days later, a second guest had knocked on the front door, but this time it was not in Archibald's house. In the garden, within the minimoy village, the central gate of the village had received the "knock-knock". One of the guards stationed at this door had rushed into the periscope grumbling to identify the person who knocked. When he opened it, his face had an expression of surprise. He tried to engage the person on the other side of the door:

"W-w-what do you desire?" he asked in amazement.

"Don't look at me like that, brave soldier, you seem to have seen a poisoner." replied the stranger with astonishment. "I would like an audience with your king."

The guard stood by the door, all sheepish.

"For our Mother-Goddess sake, what are you waiting for? Go tell your sovereign!" added the unknown.

"Oh! Of course, sir." took the guard and pulled himself together. "I'm holding you here."

The guard closed the periscope and set out towards the palace, still in a state of shock by his discovery. He quickly crossed the central square where the sword of power and the statue of Arthur remained. The tables aligned in a circle were no longer there and the central square seemed deserted. Of course the banquet in Arthur's honour was over, so it was normal that the village resumed the course of its usual life.

When the guard finally reached the palace, he began by calling his King. It was then that he saw him, sat on his throne, conversing with his children. The King finally realized that someone was calling him. He then turned his head in the direction of the voice that called him and saw the guard of the central door, breathless.

"What's going on, guard? You seem to have seen M the Evil?" asked King Sifrat de Matradoy, intrigued.

"No, Your Majesty, rather a ghost of the past." replied the guard.

"What do you mean, a ghost of the past? Just explain yourself!" insisted the King, visibly taken aback.

The guard apologized for being so confused and gave the King the description of this "ghost" who wished to speak with him. When he finished his story, the King was amazed. It looks like if he did have stars in his eyes as he saw the unexpected arrival of this person as very good news, not to say "miracle". Selenia, however, did not share the joviality of her father and already expressed reservations about this visitor. As for Betamèche, he seemed more curious than suspicious. He was always happy to see a new face, and if his father was happy that this person was coming long before he met him, then he thought there was no reason to fear this stranger.

"Guard, let him in. And gather the village in the central square." Sifrat ordered. "We might as well warmly welcome our visitor!"

The guard nodded before returning to his post to carry out the orders given to him. Then the King invited his children to join him in the central square. Once arrived, they found themselves facing the minimoy village gathered in front of them and astonished by such an unexpected meeting. Selenia ends up saying:

"I don't understand, Father. You gladly invite someone who seems to be waiting for the right time to come back when he could have joined us long before Arthur's first visit to our world to lend us a hand in our fight against M the Evil. Because if we combine your memories of this person with the description that this guard made of him, we would be dealing with a man as powerful as he is altruistic. But from my point of view, it is that he and his people left us deliberately from the first days of M. And now one of them is coming right back after our victory?"

"Oh come on Selenia, you're always suspicious!" his little brother said. I remind you that it is not only the first kingdom that suffered the atrocities of M the Evil. Other kingdoms have fallen because of him, and perhaps this visitor is the last survivor of his. So let's be happy to have emerged from this disaster alive."