The Classic Good Guy Oreh Ednolb is the classic good guy. Blonde hair, blue eyes, sparkling white teeth. Spit-shined armor that blinds you in the sunlight. The best-looking, whitest horse. A big, giant castle atop the highest hill. Outstanding qualities: smart, bold, daring, self-confident. Actually, his self-confidence borders on self-obsession. But none-the-less, he is the hero. And of course every hero has a sidekick, the one not recognized for all of his well doings and heroic deeds. Oreh's sidekick was his servant, William. One day, William went to get the mail. Oreh received one letter. He went up the stairs and entered Oreh�s beautifully furnished room. William handed the letter to Oreh. �Your mail, my lord.� It read: To your lordship of Caddall, Your presence is requested at the Rosenburn Annual Ball. Everyone is gathering to see you, as you are the guest of honor. A twelve-meter portrait will be hung in your honor. We would be delighted to have you attend. The ball is in two days and at your request, a carriage will be sent. Yours Truly, King Dewall of Rosenburn Oreh slept peacefully in his expensive silk and wool blankets. In the morning he woke and descended the stairs to breakfast. His meal was waiting for him at the table. He sat down to eat as William entered the room. "Good morning, my lord. I presume you had a good nights sleep," greeted William. Oreh looked up at him and answered with his mouth full that he had had a good sleep and he wanted his horse, Diamond, ready tomorrow. William turned away and walked out of the room disgusted. The day in the castle was a normal one, except Oreh's preparation for the ball. He picked out his best rabbit skin coat and pants. His bow tie and socks were emerald green and his shoes were black. With five hours of mirror gazing complete, the castle went to sleep at sun down. William was in the barn a little after noon tending to Oreh's horse, when he heard whispering behind the barn. He climbed up the latter to the hay storage and peered down through a crack in the barn wall. He saw a small man in a hooded cloak resting against the barn. From what William could see, the man was talking to nobody but himself. "This is brilliance. Pure brilliance!" The man whispered. "My plan is perfect. Oreh Ednolb thinks he is going to a party. Hah! Won't he be surprised? All I have to do is get him to ride alone to the 'ball' and he will fall right into my trap." The man started to mumble to himself more quietly and William moved away from the wall and went down the latter. He could not believe this was happening. He couldn't just go up to Oreh and give him advice. Oreh Ednolb wouldn't listen to a mere servant. He went back to the horse and thought of what to do. Oreh put on his clothes and brushed his hair. He spent an extra five minutes looking in the mirror and walked to the barn. He opened the great oak doors and walked through the courtyard on a cobblestone path. There by the gates, sat the barn. In front of him, William and Diamond were waiting for him. Another small, brown horse was tethered a few feet away. "What's that one for?" asked Oreh rudely as he mounted his horse. "I thought I would escort you to the ball," William said, hoping his plan would not fail. "It would be noble to have a servant with you." "No, no. It would be much more noble to ride boldly alone to a ball in one's honor. I wouldn't want to look like a sissy. And if I see you following me, I will have to dismiss you. Do you understand?" Oreh's eyes met his and William cast down his gaze. "Yes, my lord," he answered. Oreh took one last look at his servant and rode through the gates followed by a trail of dust. And against his orders, William pursued him. Oreh arrived at the party only to find out that nobody was there. He checked the address to the party. Yes he was in the right spot. Then why was he standing in front of an old church? He looked around and saw nobody but a brown horse. He decided to go inside. Trough the over grown bushes and up the stone steps, he knocked on the giant doors, looming over his head. When nobody answered the door, he went inside. "Hello?" He yelled. It echoed through the church. He walked in a little more and observed his "party". The room was in the shape of cross. Broken statues stared down at him. Stained glass windows and cobwebs lined the walls. The floor was covered in a thick layer of dust, but looked to have once been fine marble. Then he saw it. It hung on the wall farthest from him. It was beautiful. He sprinted to it as fast as he could. As he got closer he saw his reflection in the mirror. It was as clean as if had been put there that day. Its border was giant diamonds and rubies. It didn't have a scratch on it. Oreh stood there in awe. He was there for short time. Suddenly, he whirled around at the sound of a coin being dropped. Nobody was there. A blinding pain shot through his head. Then all was black. A man stood behind Oreh. He was small, in a hooded cloak. He held a rock in his hand. He dropped the rock and picked up Oreh's arm. His name was Lived Lleh. And like every bad guy, his plan was to take over the world. He was power hungry. He had black eyes and red hair, but you couldn't tell when he wore his cloak. He dragged the unconscious Oreh up the stairs and to the church bell tower. There he tied him and left him. "Here you cannot mess up my plans. And if anyone is to find you, Oreh Ednolb, you are lucky," Lived laughed. And for an evil touch he added, �If you need me, have your people call my people. Oh wait. You don't have any people! I will be ruling the world. Good night." Lived laughed as he left and locked the tower door. Oreh woke up to William shaking his shoulders. William's face relaxed as he saw Oreh's eyes open. "Thank god you're all right. What were you thinking? This church has been vacant for years. 'Oh look. There's a mirror in the corner. I think I'll go look at it.' It was the only thing without dust on it. Doesn't that seem just a little out of place?" William cried, astonished that anyone could be so blind. Oreh held his head in pain and confusion. "Wha... I guess I wasn't thinki..." "Obviously you weren't thinking," William interrupted, angrily. Then thinking more of his place he apologized. "I'm sorry. Are you okay? Anybody... would have done the same thing." "Yes I am fine. But I need untying!" Oreh ordered. William took his knife and cut the rope that bound him. "I could have done it myself. And you followed me against my orders. I told you what I would have to do. William. You are fired." Oreh waved the servant away and left the tower. Lived Lleh laughed all the way to Oreh's castle. It had been such a brilliant plan. When he got to the castle he made up a story about Oreh's death and his last wish was for he, Lived, to be King. The castle servants couldn't prove that he was wrong, so they followed his orders. But Lived was a mean king. He put a tax on taxes. He set all the prisoners free. He threw all the hard working, good people of the town in jail. William, on the other hand, found a job as the Emperor�s servant and was having a wonderful time. The Emperor let William sit with him at meals. William had his own room up in the castle. This life was nothing like the one with Oreh. One day William was listening to the Emperor talking to one of his royal subjects about the new king of Caddall. The royal subject said he was evil and the town was falling apart. The subject said he was disgracing the Emperor. The Emperor did not approve of this new king and went to meet the man. William went with him. When the news reached Lived that the Emperor was coming, he fled to the mountains, never to be seen again. Upon the Emperor's arrival to a kingless town, he started searching for a new one. He didn't search long. During a dinner conversation, William mentioned his living in Caddall before his service to the Emperor. The Emperor granted William: King William of Caddall. Oreh was in bad shape after he fired William. His rabbit skin coat and pants now brown with dirt. He was living in an old wooden box just off Main Street and desperately looking for a job. He searched through newspapers every day. Then finally, he found one. Housekeeper Wanted: No other job needed Well paid Comes with living quarters Respond to the castle Sorcerers need not apply It was perfect. Oreh could live in the castle once more. He went to apply for the job. King William was having a lovely time ruling the town. He set everything back to normal. The people loved him. He was the perfect king. One day his servant came to him when he was in the barn with his horse, Diamond. "Sir. You are needed in the courtyard where a man is requesting a housekeeper position," the servant said. William walked with the servant to the courtyard. There he saw Oreh Ednolb in his rabbit skin outfit. "William?" Oreh gasped, astonished. "It's nice to see you too, Oreh. Have you been well?" The conversation carried on with Oreh aghast and William calm and friendly. William invited Oreh inside to dinner and the two men talked about old times. So in the end King William of Caddall lived in the castle and ruled the town he was born in. And Oreh Ednolb lived in the castle too, but not the same way as he started. He spent the majority of his days washing mirrors and admiring himself, the classic good guy.
Copyright © 2004 Lyss Von Puttkammer |