King Fedafoyl, ruler of the world, Orbon, by his own declared divine right, stretched his long arms, rubbed his huge pot belly, and arose from his golden throne seat
"What do you want?" he demanded from a quivering messenger. "Speak up. jackal!"
The messenger bowed and said, "They have returned, honorable sir!"
"They?" The king's eyebrows went together in clashing fury.
"Indeed, Sir! I must also report that the people are all very excited about it. There are at least ten knights and over a hundred peasants down where they have landed."
"This is interesting, oaf, and it puzzles me," King Fedafoyl admitted. He turned to pace the ivory flooring in front of the throne seat. "Who are they? The ones you say that have returned."
The messenger frowned and said, "I can't say for sure But the Duke Of Summer called them foreigners. He explained that they were from the mother world."
"The Duke Of Summer is full of wild ideas," the king thundered. "There is little or no truth to those ancient legends about people from a mother world returning to control our destiny."
"But as the king. sir," the messenger suggested, "shouldn't you investigate to find out who they really are?"
The king laughed scornfully. "Are you anyone to tell me what to do? I won't listen to your pander. Still, perhaps I should look into the matter."
The king walked heavily out of the throne room, and rang a metal gong in the hall. A dozen knights and officials gathered around him in a few moments. The Duke of Summer also joined the group. Where the others had on armor, the duke had none. He was a tall man, still fairly young with a square jaw under his blond head, an intelligent look and a somewhat beguiling smile.
"Saddle your horses after you get my chariot ready," King Fedafoyl demanded. "I have decided to investigate what is probably the Duke of Summer's wild fancy, although a foolish messenger gave me a message."
They all gathered outside in the palace courtyard. King Fedafoyl stood in his chariot, waved his right arm, and cracked a whip over the horse that pulled him.. A palace guard swung open the wall gate and let them thunder out across the open plain, King Fedafoyl's chariot in the lead. The King stopped his chariot in a cloud of dust while the knights gathered their horses around him.
"Where are they?" he demanded.
"At their vehicle over yonder hill," the Duke of Summer answered. He pointed in a northeasterly direction.
King Fedartfoyl cracked his whip again and led his procession across t he purple vegetated hill. The sun, as hot as a dragon's breath, beamed down upon them. The king wiped his forehead and neck with a scarf. The heat had done little to dampen his investigation, however. They bore down upon a gathering of peasants below.
The king saw something metallic and round in the background. It frightened him a little and he refused to glance at the foreign looking object again.
"Here comes the king," peasants cried out in relief. "Now we will find out something."
The king then stepped down from his chariot and walked majestically among his subjects. He liked the idea of people expecting him to solve the problem. But he wondered. How was he going to do it?
He cried out, "Where is the Duke of Summer? I understand that he was one of the fools that discovered this foreign thing!"
The Duke of Pen, a stocky little fellow with watery green eyes, bowed to the king and said, "He is not here, Sir!"
"Then where in the kingdom is he?" The king paced among his subjects angrily, his large hands clasped behind his back.
"The Duke of Summer is the bravest of the brave, and the most fool hardiest of us all," the Duke of Pen answered.
"Yes, but where in thunder is he?"
The Duke pointed with a trembling finger toward the huge metal ball. "There!" His voice quivered in fear. "Summer is talking to occupants of yon dragon! He claims they are the ancients returned as has infrequently been the case, but often expected."
"I see no dragon," King Fedafoyl said defiantly, refusing to look as the others did. "I want a knight to bring Summer to me! It's time I got to the bottom of this!"
One of the knights raised his arm in salute and rode his horse toward the metal ball. The king sat down on a large boulder, refusing to notice the growing number of peasants gathering in the vicinity.
A short time later two horsemen approached, one of them the knight and the other the Duke of Summer. The duke dismounted with the agile jump of an athlete, then bowed majestically with a sweep of his arm.
"May I serve you?" the duke asked.
"Yes!" the king answered. "Just what is all this malarkey I've been hearing?"
"I presume you mean those people from the other world," the duke replied. He pointed toward the metal ball, but the king refused to look.
"Enough of your prattle," King Fedafoyl answered angrily. "Just what are you attempting to do? Start a revolution?"
"Nothing of the sort, Sir! I am very loyal to the crown," the duke answered. He bowed again. "I only want to point out that the old legends are true. We are merely a colony established here long ago by the ancestors of those people on yon ship. They say they have brought us Thanksgiving, with their discovery of us."
"I don't believe it!" King Fedafoyl roared in distress. "I want this crowd of peasants chased home! Do I make myself clear?"
"Completely!" the Duke of Summer answered, smiling in mockery and bowing once more. "But I am afraid, my lord, that one day the Earthmen will force even you to remove the blinders from your eyes."
"Enough!" the king replied. "Do as I have commanded!"
He led the charge in his chariot, scattering the peasants. The dukes and knights helped him chase the peasants home despite their suspicions of disbelief. Even the Duke of Summer gave his assistance. Then they all returned to the castle.
The days and nights that passed on Orbon were now many after this, and the king continued to disbelieve all reports about the Earthmen. "Thanksgiving. Bah!"
He sat on his throne one morning, brooding about it, when the Duke of Summer gained admittance to the room. He looked up and frowned, but acknowledged the duke with a wave of his arm. That he distrusted the duke was very evident. But the duke had the backing of most of the peasants and knights and could even lead a revolution against the king if he felt it necessary. The king had to deal with the duke with gloved fingers or court great danger for himself. This duke had given money and assistance to the peasants on many occasions and had helped them in many other ways.
"I have news, o king, about the Earthmen." Summer reported. "They have come to give us the benefits of their modern civilization It seems we have lagged far behind their mother world since they brought our ancestors here."
"I still disbelieve it!" the king replied stormily. "I will build a high wall to keep these invaders out."
He immediately summoned the Earl of Saxony to come to the room. A servant soon returned with the large, heavy set nobleman.
"I am putting you in charge building a high wall around this city and my castle," he ordered. "You can obtain workers from the peasant population."
"I will carry out your command," the Earl of Saxony replied, and bowed, then hurried away to carry out his mission.
"It will never keep the Earthmen away," The Duke of Summer objected. "They have great flying machines to come right over your wall. You can't stop them."
"Enough of your stupid remarks," King Fedafoyl answered angrily.
"I only speak the truth," the Duke answered. "I am not being disloyal to you."
"Then go!" the king said. "The truth will come, no matter what you say!" If he had put the duke in prison as he had first thought, the peasants would rise to cause a revolution, but the duke left the room in great haste to avoid trouble.
It was over three months later that the Duke of Summer finally obtained enough courage to return. King Fedafoyl had reluctantly let him enter. Once again he had a message for the king. But first he bowed to show his respect.
"Your wall has been completed by the Earl of Saxony It is thick stone and very high and solid, but I'm afraid it has come to nothing. The Earthmen flew their aircraft over the wall and into the city. The peasants greeted them with open arms. The aliens have weapons that shoot fire! We can‘t resist them. Most of the peasants have left the city and are joining up with the Earthmen to learn the modern ways of living and enjoy a new Thanksgiving. They now live in other lands of this world under governments showing favor for the Earthmen."
"You lie!" King Fedafoyl cried out in alarm. He had noticed the absence of people in the streets but had not realized that most were now leaving their homes. He had only thought they were helping to build the wall.
"I do have some good news though," the Duke of Summer stated. "I have signed a peace treaty with them The Earthmen will not bother you, sire. I have their word on that. Indeed they have been most amused at our antics and have decided to let your country alone so they can study our culture. But there are not many people left for you to rule."
"I cannot survive in such a worldly condition," King Fedafoyl admitted woefully. "You have won the battle by joining up with the Earthmen and taking up their ways. So have my people. But now I must take my revenge on you and your actions."
He suddenly pulled a long knife and swung it at the duke. The Duke of Summer was more nimble in action than the king and jumped out of the way. He also headed for the door with success, not wishing to fight this ruler he had worked so hard for.
King Fedafoyl sat down on the throne seat and closed his eyes. He did not wish to show any tears. The noblemen and knights gathered around him, bowing in loyal respect. He did not wish to live in a world where there was so little respect for him among men.
"Goodbye all," he said sadly and plunged the long knife into his heart.
On the other side of the wall, the people of Orbon were celebrating Thanksgiving.