Steven sat on his bed, wishing that he had never gotten sick. It was just a small fever, but he felt terrible. It was also summer. Which meant that because he was sick, he didn’t get to enjoy all the fun activities that his friends were doing. Even worse, his grandmother was coming over, probably to tell him another one of those boring stories of hers. Steven had spent the entire day lying in bed playing with his cat and trying to invent a game to play while he was bored. So far, he’d had no success making up a game. He was desperate for something. Hey, maybe grandma’s story won’t be so bad this time, he thought. Although, the stories would probably bore him even more.

  Knock, knock. Someone knocked on his door.

  “Come in,” Steven said. In walked his grandmother.

  “Hello, Stevie. I came over when I heard about your sickness. I bet you need something to entertain you.”

  “I have been pretty board,” Steven replied, but he wasn’t sure if grandmother’s stories would make him any less board.

  “How about a story,” his grandmother suggested, “I know just the one. It has kings, princesses, love, magic, and a man whose life got changed.”

  “Maybe for a little. It doesn’t sound so bad.”

  “Alright then,” his grandma said. “It was a lovely sunny summer day as Silence Argant traveled to Olistan, the capital of the Olistinian empire…”

  Silence galloped toward Olistan. Today was the day. He was going to ask King Stavian for his daughter’s hand in marriage. The king could not refuse an offer like that. Silence was the most well-known knight in the world.

  Silence arrived at the king’s palace. Guards led him the thrown room and Silence marched in. Pillars of marble lined the sides of the room. A purple carpet led the way up to the foot of the throne. The throne itself was magnificent. It was carved of a whitish-blue stone and the carved parts were filled with gold. The king sat tall. His long purple cape wrapped around him.

  “You have arrived,” the king said looking very pleased. “Welcome, once again, to the city.”

  “Thank you, my great king. It was a pleasant journey.”

  “What brings you here?”

  “A request, my lord.”

  “And what is this request?”

  “Well… I, I want your daughter’s hand in marriage,” Silence managed to get out.
    
  The king was surprised, even though he had suspected it for years. But he had a plan.

  “Are you worthy of my daughter?”

  “Sire, no knight is more worthy. I have slain dragons, fought evil men, and saved your kingdom many times.”

  “Is there any great accomplishment that sets you apart from her other lovers?”

  “Yes, I have traveled to the Misty Valley and into the heart of the Darkwood. I have found the Mystic Woodlands, and have lived to tell the tale.”

  “Very true.” The king paused, “Your renown is known throughout the land, and you are well above my daughter’s other lovers in accomplishments, but I want you go on one journey. If you succeed, then my daughter’s hand is yours.”

  “I will go anywhere you ask my lord. I will not fail in any task.”

  “Very well. Your journey is to travel to the Wisdom Wood and travel through its center following the Path of Wisdom. It is a journey few have ever attempted, and even fewer have ever been able to succeed.”

  “I will succeed my lord. I will achieve what others have failed to do. I will prove that I am worthy for your daughter.”

  “Beware, it is a dangerous journey.”

  “I know. I will be prepared,” Silence said. He left the palace and gathered his supplies all the rest of the day. The next day he set out.

  It took Silence five days to reach the forest. It was a pleasant journey as he traveled down well-made roads during the summer days. He made great time, since the days are longer in the summer. As soon as he arrived, he searched for the Path of Wisdom. He found it quickly, too quickly. Strangely, it had only been a couple hours of searching, and it was a wide-open path. The other people who traveled to it either never found the path, or they took days or weeks to find it.

  He thought to himself, I seem to be on a lucky streak. I won’t just find it the fastest. I’ll reach the other side the fastest. I will be the greatest man in the world. I will win the princess. With that, he rode his horse swiftly into the forest.

  The path was easy to follow at first, but it soon became harder to follow. Long branches crossed over the trail, and giant stones made it hard for his horse to continue. He finally had to leave the horse and continue on foot.



                ∼  ∼  ∼
  A stone archway loomed in the distance. Silence could see its carved designs. He had been traveling for hours since he left his horse, and he was getting tired. He neared the archway.

  An old man stepped out from behind the archway. He had a beard that dropped to his waist, and he wore a dark blue robe.

“Who are you,” said the man.

  “I am Silence, the greatest man in the world.”

  “Why are you here?”

  “I am here to add to my achievements.”

  “Beware, the path is hard to follow,” the old man said. The man disappeared into the forest just as fast as he had come. Silence stepped through the archway.

  Instantly, Silence knew something was different. He had entered into a magical place. Visions magically appeared on both sides of the path. Most were showing Silence’s life. He ignored them at first, but curiosity finally got the best of him. He gazed at the nearest image.

  The image was from last year, after Silence had slayed the great Nyrathian dragon. The dragon had been terrorizing the kingdom of Nyra for years. Silence was looking in the mirror in his room in the Nyra castle. He was talking to himself. In the vision he was saying, “I have become the greatest man. I have become the most well-known. No one is greater than me.”

  The vision was a pleasant memory for Silence so he continued to watch. Many visions passed by. After each vision, there would be a purple sign by the path with the words, “Are You Lost?” Silence wasn’t sure what to think of them, except that they were magic. They were made of solid metal and held above the ground by round metal poles. Still, he was determined to press on, and of course, he wasn’t lost. At first, the visions were good memories. Most were of him boasting to kings or others telling of his valor. Soon though, they changed to unpleasant scenes. Scenes showing people who were hurt by his boasts. People whose lives were ruined by what he had done. The last vision was the worst.

  In the vision, the king of Olistan walked toward his daughter’s room. He rapped on the door.

  “Come in,” she said.

  The king opened the door, and there was the princess sitting on her bed. Even in the vision, Silence could see her beauty. The king smiled. “Terrel.”

  “Father, what brings you here.”

  “Another one of your lovers showed up today. I sent him on a journey to prove his worth.”

  “Who father,” Terrel replied.

  The king’s smile faded. “Silence Argant.”

  The princess’s face went pale with shock. She finally composed herself enough to speak. “You let him prove his worth? Father, he is nothing but a self-loving pig!”

  Silence grew angry, but he continued to watch.

  “I know he is daughter, but he is too well-known. The people would be outraged if I did not.”

  “Is there any other way?” Terrel asked pleadingly.

  “I’m sorry, Terrel. I wish there was. I just hope he treats you better that he does others.”

  “You know he won’t” Terrel said as the vision faded.

  Silence dropped to the ground. The girl he loved hated him. Why, because he was too full of himself? Impossible! His mind drifted to the other visions. They all made sense now. All of them were trying to point out his arrogance. He would never be fit for any princess. He only cared for himself. I don’t deserve to marry a princess. I don’t deserve to be great. I have everything, yet I’m a failure. I need to fix my problems. I need to help those I’ve hurt.

  Silence looked up. He could see the end of the path, and to the left of the path was another purple sign that read, “You’re not lost. You’ve found your way. You have learned the key of silence.” Indeed, I have, Silence thought. He left the wood and traveled back to Olistan. He told the king that he didn’t deserve the king’s daughter and that he was sorry for being arrogant. The king said that Silence could marry his daughter, but Silence refused. Silence left the city and for the rest of his life, he traveled the world helping those who he had hurt with his words. He stopped boasting and speaking harshly to people. He learned to keep his mouth shut when nothing helpful needed to be said. From time to time he would help out cities in their time of need, but he accepted no rewards. Eventually, he did marry King Stavian’s daughter and they lived together happily for as long as they lived.

  “The End,” grandma said.

  “That’s it?” Steven replied

  “Yes, but I thought you didn’t like my stories?”

   “I guess I liked that one. Do you have more?”

  “I have a few more. I guess I’ll just have to come back tomorrow,” grandma said as she walked toward the door.

  “Grandma.”

  “Yes, Stevie.”

  “Thanks for the story.”

  “Your welcome Stevie."

I tried to incorporate that as signs along the Path of Wisdom, trying to get Silence to see that he was lost in the way he was treating others. It is a figurative lost rather than a literal. I hope it all fits the theme. :)
  Also, most of the story is set in the same world as my last first round entry for this contest, The Tale of the Darkwood. So, if you want to read more about that world, please read it. I probably will write more stories about this world, or the world Steven and his grandmother live in, but I haven't decided. The introduction to the story was inspired by the movie Princess Bride.
  The story is set in summer, so I hope it fits for the Summertime Community Event as well.
  Enjoy!