Once More, For The Copper Lion
Short Story
A Submission for Iron Age Media’s Prompt: The Pyre
With the cacophony of a bugle, hairs stood on end, and along with venomous gazes went also a common - no - a noble courtesy owed to even the worst, when they are granted the floor.
“The Assemblage recognizes the one: Rufus Rubedo Godwin to the floor. Speak your words for the All-Class, us nobility in total to acknowledge.” announced an elder, speaking on behalf of the Nobility.
Rufus began with poison lining his words.
“The legends were strewn across the entirety of this decadent theater you call a Kingdom. I have warned over and all-over, and yet again and over-above you have all castigated my words for nothing but morose fanciful.” Rufus spat.
“Well I ask again of the “humble” nobility, which finger will you grant that disconcerting beast? Which of your kin will you sacrifice to the Copper Lion, ever after, twice those sacrificed before, with a smile on your face? What time have we lost, and will we ever gain it back should these demands come with a cry, of having not been met?!” Rufus said, taunting the nobility present. All he received were grimaces and yawns. Rightly or Wrongly: The Nobility had nothing to fear.
So Went The Warning of
Rufus Rubedo Godwin.
Ignored often, mocked aplenty more.
The warning went dormant for a number of years, until the Copper Lion arrived once more, to claim what was apparently due.
A behemoth of a Knight, clad in the optical fugue of the Sun’s rays, similarly so, to lay one’s eyes upon him, meant also to forget him. And to look away from him, meant to feel his presence, to know, by the tingling of agitated pores, if he was to the front, right, or back of thee.
“I have come! I have come! I appear before you my debtors!” announced the quickly moving weight of smoldering orange, as fearsome as he was majestic.
The light moved from windowsill to kitchen sink, all throughout the Kingdom. Repeating a decibel higher each time “I have come my debtors, I have come!” over and over, making certain that all knew that he had come once more, like a late delivery of soufflé dishes.
From pauper to King, these “greetings” were announced, with only one man, and one woman ready to answer the Copper Lion, the King of this stony jungle, from the throne room of the man who had just became King: Lawrence Riverbed-Enis, and his wife Agnis Olivia Riverbed-Enis, both unable to forget even upon looking onto him either by blood or by practice.
“We have been expecting you, Lion of Lions. We host the collection of ours, our debt to you, just as others have, time immemorial.” the Queen said politely.
“HOLY AND WISE ARE THEE WHO REMEMBER THEIR DEBTS: A KING AND A QUEEN, APART FROM THE WHOLE MEANS A MERRY DAY FOR ALL, ALBEIT THE TOLL.” The Copper Lion stated proudly, it’s form now fully consolidated, both the King and Queen having to bow their heads, or face blindness though not forgetfulness from the rampaging orange glow of the Lion’s armor.
“I ask you as a friend, to be the utmost certain.” began the King.
“Of what debt does our Kingdom owe the fabulous lion? And who last paid a debt unto thee, a marvel of fair-trade as you are, evermore?”
The “Lion” froze, his light even dimming ever so slightly. Offended, Maligned? Who could tell.
“YOU AND YOURS, THE KINGDOM OVERSEEING THE RIVERBED, OWE THE SUM OF TEN COPPER, SIXTY-THOUSAND TIMES, FOR MY GRANTING OF KNOWLEDGE TO YOUR ROYALTY FORTY YEARS BEFORE, AND FORTY YEARS HENCE.” The Lion claimed, his booming voice carrying with it power, the likes of which were expected from a Lion’s lungs.
The King smiled, keeping his head low as he began to pace around the Lion. The entity stood stagnant, awaiting the King’s reply.
“There seems to be some misunderstanding your graciousness. My father, the prior King, left this mortal coil certainly more than forty years before, realized by my own rough count of age. So if you had come to collect on our debt to you, for costs incurred forty years ago…why have we not met previously?” the King asked.
The Lion roared like few creatures on this world could, and instead of lashing out in contempt of whatever court it oversaw, it eventually replied, its light dimmer, yet again. The Queen on the other hand, couldn’t stand still for that one. She shrieked from the noise, and leapt behind the King like a wheel plugging itself onto a cart. The King stood steady, ears perturbed, but not his will.
“FORTY YEARS, FIFTY YEARS, IT MAKES NO DIFFERENCE! I AM OWED WHAT I AM OWED!” the Knighted man shouted, appearing more like a mere grunt with every second rather than a Knight obeying some sort of code.
The Queen interjected: “We were warned about the legend of the Copper Lion when we were but small youths worried about things other than debts and pacts and treaties! I ask in all due respect sir, would you care to know who warned us and why?”
The King elaborated further, the Lion’s light dimming with each word spoken to the point where both royalty were able to stare the would be beast in his smoldering eyes.
“The wizard Rufus Rubedo Godwin warned us about his wayward creation. Thankfully the nobles listened, and enacted a daring plan, even if they did not like Rufus as a person.” the King said with a smile.
“Rufus Rubedo Godwin is your creator, don’t you remember? He created the Copper Lion as a way to pass on knowledge from the past ages down without having to rely on the fickle time of our world.” the Queen said with a hand resting aplomb on the Lion Knight’s armor.
“This talk of debt and payments from many moons ago likely has to do with your creation. Rufus was worried about the cost of awakening you once more, for your armor was crafted with 600,000 copper coins.” the King said, joining the Queen in putting a hand of friendship upon the evidently confused Copper Knight.
The confusion wore thin.
Then went the prior fury.
Then reemerged duty.
“There was never a debt. Merely a father worried about the future of his child and country in an uncertain world. It has been many ages since we walked to the pace of clocks and bells. And it may be many more until such a time comes again. Until then, I walk with you in triumvirate, for I am the record of your peace, in the nostalgic past, and a future of wonder. A touchstone to our history, a signal for a people blind to time.” the Copper Lion states in realization, his embers warming again, gleefully, with no pain to sight or touch for the King and Queen.
“I have come home once more, in service to yesterday AND tomorrow.”
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