Chasing Peace

The Epilogue

15 years later.

"Mother, do you remember that story you told me when I was little?" Kai asked me. He was sitting on the couch with his notebook, doing english homework.

"Which story?"

"You know, the one you always told me when I had nightmares, or when I couldn't sleep? It was about a king or something..."

"Oh! That one?" I smiled, remembering the story about his dad, the king, overthrowing an the evil wizard, john. "Yes, I remember. Why?"

"I'm writing a memory essay for English. And that's the first one I thought of..." He blushed.

"Okay!" I laughed, looking at the boy. His black hair was disheveled, and his blue eyes were looking at me with expectancy, "So you want me to tell it to you so you can write it down for your paper?" Kai nodded, getting up and walking over to me.

"If you don't mind, I'd like to record it, so that I can type it up later." He sat next to me at the kitchen table, his phone set in front of me to record it.

"That's fine, go ahead." I smiled, taking his hand. He pressed the record button, and met my eyes. He was biting his cheek, the way he does when he's excited. He used to do it whenever I told him this story years ago. Kai used to beg me every night to tell him the story of his father.

"Once upon a time, there was a Brave Knight, who was very good friends with a Great Wizard and a Beautiful Princess. They lived in a colorful kingdom where everyone was happy and peace was present.

"The Wizard was given the chance to lead the kingdom when the former king became ill. The people adored the wizard for his wisdom, but soon, the power of the leadership went to the wizard's head. He soon began to take from the people, and keep what he took for himself. The knight saw how his friend had changed, and he didn't like what the wizard was doing to the kingdom. The knight went to talk to the wizard, but the wizard wouldn't listen. He kept taking from the people, making the kingdom suffer greatly.

"When the knight was turned away by the wizard, he began to plan to overthrow the wizard, freeing the people from the suffering and get his friend back. The knight convinced the Princess to come with him instead of living with the wizard. The knight and the princess fell in love, and they did not foresee having a child, but when the Knight found out, he made a promise to the Princess to end the suffering before their baby was born so that he could grow up in peace again.

"The knight attempted to overthrow the wizard, but the wizard was much stronger than the knight. The knight lost the battle, but it did not mean he would give up. The knight prepared even more, becoming even stronger, and so the second time the knight faced the wizard, the knight won. The wizard then looked down at the kingdom he had lead, and saw all that he had done wrong. The wizard apologized, and promised to give all that he took back to the people. The knight agreed, and helped his friend back to the kingdom." I finished.

"But, mom, that isn't the end, is it? What about the princess? And the wizard wasn't welcomed back just like that, was he?" Kai questioned.

"That's the end that I told you up until you went into secondary school, do you want to hear the real ending?" Kai nodded eagerly, and I smiled, ready to continue.

"The knight led the wizard back to the kingdom, and told the people what the wizard had agreed to do. But some people were not happy with just that, they thought that the wizard should suffer just like they did. A radical member of the people stepped forward and tried to hurt the wizard, but the knight bravely stepped in front of the wizard to protect him, and ended up taking the hit. The knight fell down, and told the wizard that he forgave him. The knight also asked the wizard to tell the princess to be brave, and to raise their baby boy to be honest, and kind, and to forgive. The wizard promised to relay the message, and the knight bravely closed his eyes forever.

"The wizard told the princess what the knight had said, and the princess promised that she would raise their boy to be the best man he could be.

"The princess had her baby boy, and she named him Peace. Peace grew up to rule the kingdom, and as king he taught the people forgiveness. The whole kingdom live happily ever after."

Kai stopped recording, turning to me.

"Thanks Mom." He smiled. His eyes had some tears in them, but he blinked them away so I wouldn't notice.

"Of course, darling."

A few silent moments passed, and Kai spoke again, "Father was certainly brave, wasn't he?" He smiled.

"Yes, your father was very brave. And I know he is proud of you, Kai, for who you've become. I love you."

"Love you too, Mom."