"Dad, can you tell me about Great-grandfather Joel?" Asked Prince Martyn, his brother Harendol beside him.

King Jeremy smiled fondly. "Of course. I loved him, and speaking his stories gives me a way to remember him by."
"This story is about his beginning. Where all kings start.

With a loss."

----

Joel's POV

Joel smiled at his sculpture, feeling satisfaction rush through him at his artwork. As he walked over to his paint tray to being mixing paints, he hear banging on his door. "Prince Joel!" He heard someone shouting. "Your Highness, you are required in the throne room, now!" Joel sighed, dropping his paintbrush and exiting the room. Outside, pacing worriedly, was his bodyguard Myuko. The slightly older man glanced down at him and spoke. "Her ladyship, your aunt Synthia, has summoned you." He informed Joel. They hustled down the hallway.

"Joel?" His cousins, Celessi and Luma, rounded the corner ahead of him. "Mother called you as well?'

Joel nodded. "Yes, she did."

The quartet entered the throne room hallway and spotted Lady Synthia at the entrance to the room. "Hello, my dears." She said. Tears were staining her eyes, but Joel, who had spent his whole life reading people, could see that they were fake. "I have very terrible news. Their royal majesties, Queen Angel and King Alex, have passed from the Salt Sickness."

Joel's suspicion was replaced by outright horror and rage. He stepped forward, his head down. "I can't believe this." He said. "What happened?"

Synthia shrugged. "I was not informed how."

Luma gazed at Joel. "Are you the king now?" She asked in wonder, her eyes wide.

"No, he's not." Synthia interrupted. "I am. My brother said so." She smiled, a bit devilishly in Joel's opinion.

Celessi frowned. "But that's not fair!" She complained.

"Life's not fair, dearie." Synthia shrugged again. "Life's never been fair." She put her thumb and forefinger under Joel's chin. "Let me tell you a story. A simple one." She gazed at her daughters. "Once upon a time, I was the crown princess of Mezalea. I was to assume the throne, but following my father's death, my mother decided to hold a minor competition between me and my brother. She said that whoever was married first would get the throne once she passed."

"My brother soon found Angel, the Lady of Eastern Mezalea. She loved him beyond everything in the empire, and they married within two months of courting. I was furious that my throne had vanished. My mother said she'd make me the guardian of knowledge after her death, but my cousin Dessefla gained that role. I moved to the Gimlands out of spite. Now, I have my throne back." A smirk flew across her face. "You're welcome to challenge me, but it won't end well."

Joel felt his face heat up in indignation and he stomped off to the Mezalean Royal Docks, where the Mezalean Fleet was. He raced to the end of the pier and found his pet ocea-dog, Cassie, waiting for him. She barked loudly as he neared and her tongue lolled out. Joel smiled and put the stick he had jammed in the floorboards and gave it to her, and she flipped her tail and swam off. Joel sat there, his feet dangling over the edge.

"Joel!" He head a call from the water. He leapt to his feet.

"Lizzie!" He called back, waving frantically at the pink-haired girl who was rowing a boat over to him, Cassie following behind her. She tied her boat to the dock and hugged him, smiling.

"Joel, I just heard from my assistants, Lady Marceline and her husband Sir Strawberry. I'm so sorry." She said, pulling back, cupping his cheek with her hand as the other rested on his shoulder. Joel felt his face flush and smiled meekly at her. Even though it had only been a month, he had begun courting her after three weeks of their meeting.

He pressed a soft kiss to her cheek. "It's fine, Lizzie. It's not the first time I experienced grief." He took her hands. "But I'm actually madder at my aunt, Synthia."

Lizzie tipped her head to the side. "Hm?"

"Synthia claimed that my parents died of the fabled Salt Sickness." He explained. "But I think she assassinated them with some sort of poison. Maybe from azalea leaves?"

Lizzie gazed at him quizzically. "What's the Salt Sickness?"

Joel looked at the floor. "The Salt Sickness is a long-ago disease that happened about two centuries before my birth. Mezaleans are severely allergic to saltwater, and when we ingest it, we become so ill we can hardly stay alive a night. We apparently had gotten saltwater in the reservoir and we had to drain it to get better."

Lizzie's hand flew to her mouth. "How horrible!" She cried.

"Now Synthia's on the throne." He sighed.

"Isn't there a law that anyone of the royal family can challenge the ruler at any time?"

"Yes, but Synthia is really strong." Joel grumbled, crossing his arms in irritation

"Not as strong as you." Lizzie said, tapping his nose playfully. Joel smiled at her.

"If you say so." He said, relenting. "I could take her, but I have to wait until this evening. Will you be there?" He asked.

Lizzie grinned up at Joel. "I wouldn't miss it."

----

Joel stood in his room, tying his long-ish hair in a small ponytail and turned, gazing at the hilt of his double-headed axe which was leaning against the bedpost. Then he shook his head at it, amused. "I'll take my sword today." He said quietly, brushing his hand over the hilt. Then he turned and grasped his sword from the wall mount and picked up his shield from the floor.

Raising his shoulders in a shrug, he strapped his sword to his waist and attached his shield to his back and headed for the door. Once he opened it, he spotted his cousin Celessi striding down the had with a deep orange dress that fell to her ankles. She glanced over at him. "Joel, what are you doing with your armor and weapons?"

Joel straightened. "I'm going to challenge aunt."

Celessi lifted a heavily penciled eyebrow. "Don't die." She said bluntly.

Joel gulped. "I won't."

He hurried to the throne room. "Joel! Ah, there you are, my nephew." Synthia called.

"Aunt Synthia, I challenge you for the throne of the Mezaleans!" Joel yelled.

Synthia didn't seem at all shocked. "Bring it." She said, unclasping her skirt and tossing it to the side, revealing her warrior's uniform. She took her sword and smiled. "Meet me in the coliseum."

Joel bolted for the landmark. He had to beat his aunt there! As he finally reached the huge building, he stood below the gate in the arena. "Ah, early, I see." Called Synthia, her two daughters following her. Her battle axe, which was glimmering in the light, was slung over her shoulder. There were many of the villagers following her. "Glad to see it." She smirked, cracking her knuckles and rotating her neck, beckoning him forwards. "Bring it."

The pair headed for the arena. Joel began circling his aunt, wary. He knew from Pearl's battle lessons the past month to let the opponent to strike first, so he waited. When Synthia moved forwards, Joel ducked, spun, and flung his sword arm up, slashing at Synthia's tunic. He felt a rush of heat from the gash in Synthia's side. The leader of Mezalea growled in pain and swiveled around, raising her axe. Joel slid out if the way, knowing at one blow from that axe could kill him, or at least severely injure him.

"You killed my parents! I know you did!" Joel yelled, striking again.

Synthia scoffed, dodging. "You don't know that."

Joel sank his sword into her leg. "You used an azalea potion!"

"SO what if I did?" Synthia yelled, giving up. "I deserved to be the queen! It was MY birthright!" Her face was red with fury, pinning Joel to the ground.

A loud voice rose across the coliseum. "Just because you were born with it doesn't mean you deserve it!" Lizzie stood high in the stands.

"She's right, you know." Joel said, glaring up at his aunt. "You have to earn your place."

"Did your father earn it?" She snapped. "Why don't you ask him?" She raised her axe. "Any last words, Prince Joel?"

Joel felt a bolt of fear shatter through him. This wasn't a battle that ended in death! He felt Pearl's presence at his side. 'Bring up something that makes them uncomfortable. Use the time they hesitate to strike.'

He looked up. "Synthia, what did I ever do to you?" He asked.

The woman hesitated. Before she could respond, Joel flipped her over, bracing his knees on either side of her. "I'm going to have to imprison you, aunt." He said. He waved a few guards over, and they bound her.

"To answer your question, nephew," Synthia said finally, "You took everything from me."

Joel looked away, feeling Lizzie put her hand on his shoulder. "It's okay." She soothed, as his cousins joined him. "It's over. King Joel." Her smile lit up the darkness, and Joel smiled back.

----

"Wow." Breathed Harendol. "Great-grandfather was awesome!"

"He and my mother shared many things." Jeremy smiled wistfully. "Such as their love for the name 'Jeremy'. They made quite a pair."

Martyn stayed silent. He knew in his bones that he, just like King Joel, would be great.