Winky book 2 random chapter- Something Wicked This Way Comes

The reception was truly an event to remember. In fact, the whole day was a cause for celebration for all of Anura. The indignities that Her Royal Highness had endured in that awful swamp prison were simply criminal. Now here she was, in all her royal splendor, happy and free. And Papa was the most popular toad in Anura, at least for today. Any fears that he may have had regarding his role in the new order of things was melting away, like butter on hot bread.

How proud Winky was to have been a contributor to this happy ending for the ones who were so important to his upbringing. He couldn’t imagine two toads that were more in love - a perfect match. It seemed to him that a higher force was guiding things somehow. Things too wonderful for him to understand and yet deep down he was convinced that there was something, or perhaps someone greater than him that was watching out for him. In any case, today was not the day for deep meditation. No, there was fun to be had, dancing to be done, cake to be eaten.

After the reception was over, Winky ordered everyone to take the rest of the day off. Cleanup could wait till morning. Before retiring to his bedchamber, Winky asked the groom, his Papa, if he could have just a quick moment with him. As the two got comfortable in the meditation room, Winky stated:

“Who would have believed it would come to this,
that my "papa" and mother would wed?
I’m happy and pleased at your obvious bliss,
but before you head off to your bed-
I want you to know that I’m pleased with your work,
and all you have done for your king.
But you need some time off, just call it a perk.
And please, don’t worry 'bout a thing!”

So off to bed they both went, tired but satisfied with the day’s events. As Winky lay next to his wife, she turned to him and asked:

“What you said this day, that now is the time,
were you kidding or was it all true?
Your answer was yes, but could you define,
just when - because I haven’t a clue?”

He just smiled and asked her to please be patient. What with assassination attempts and weddings and red-cloaked toads everywhere, he needed just a little more time to adjust. Life as a king surely had it’s highs and lows, as he was learning all too quickly. She smiled back and then turned to sleep, but Winky found himself restless. After he was sure she was sound asleep, he snuck out of bed and headed for the kitchen. Nothing like a little midnight snack, he thought. As he entered the unlit kitchen he was sure he that heard something, or someone! He quickly and quietly hid behind the kitchen door and called out: “Who’s there?” Before he could blink twice a figure rushed right past him and out the rear entrance of the palace. “Guards,” he cried out. But to his surprise no one came. He ran to the back entrance and outside into the moonlit night, but saw nothing. That is, except, for two rather large palace guards, whose snores could be heard clear across the great lake and beyond. The king commanded:

“Attention, please, time to wake up.
There’s trouble and something's afoot!
On your feet now, please get up.
Well, he’s gone now, I guess it’s moot.”

Normally, Winky might be inclined to let this incident go without penalty, but to think that someone was sneaking around the palace doing who knows what - he just couldn‘t let this one pass by. He released the two guards from their duties. As they hopped off to their homes, Winky felt a twinge of remorse. After all, who was he to make decisions that would affect the lives of others? Still, the feeling lasted but a moment as he came to his senses and realized that all of Anura was in his hands now, for better or for worse. Yes, to be king meant that sometimes difficult decisions had to be made and enforced for the good of the majority, even if it would ultimately result in the suffering of a few. Winky returned back to bed, no longer in the mood for a snack and spent the night tossing and turning, as sleep eluded him.

Before breakfast Winky took Ralph aside and explained to him what had occurred the night before. He assigned Ralph the job of conscripting two additional cane toads to replace the ones that had been let go. In addition, he asked Ralph to keep this matter just between the two of them, so as not to alarm the royal family and staff.

The rest of the day was relatively routine as everyone kept busy with their normal duties. Winky observed that Matilda and Freddie seemed to have worked out their differences and were working together harmoniously. Pat and her staff were doing a wonderful job of making sure the palace was white-glove clean. Hump and Joe could be heard practicing their new song together, as they had planned to make an official debut before the entire family and staff at a private concert, to be held the next evening. The only one missing was Elmer, but these days that wasn’t too terribly unusual. He seemed to be gone a lot lately.

As evening approached Winky felt a sudden chill in the air. Odd, he thought, since it had been warm all day. True, autumn was nearing it’s end and winter would soon be here. As he approached the little window in his upper chamber, the one facing west, he saw dark clouds on the horizon. They were, in fact, the most menacing looking clouds he had seen since the day of the parade. Here in Anura the weather was temperate and light rains would gently water the terrain. Bad storms occurred rarely, perhaps once every few years. Would this be one of those exceptional storms or was something else brewing? In any case, it certainly gave Winky a nervous stomach.

After dinner Winky felt that a nice stroll around the palace grounds was in order. Salentia insisted that he be accompanied by a palace guard, to which he acquiesced. As he rounded the palace and looked to the west he could see that the sky was growing disturbingly dark. He asked the guard, somewhat jokingly:

“The sky, it’s black, or is it just me?
No doubt it’s just simply a storm.
But you, please tell, what is it you see,
is it cause for any alarm?”

Strangely enough the guard said nothing, just stared straight ahead as though he hadn’t heard the king’s query. In the distance Winky could hear the sound of a low, deep rumble. The whole experience for him was quite unnerving so without hesitation he headed back to the palace.

Upon his return he could see that everyone was preparing to retire. Nighttime would soon be here and with it another peaceful night’s rest. But peace can sometimes be illusory. One day a toad finds his life moving along swimmingly, the next brings unexpected and unwelcome changes. “Such is the uncertainty of life,” Winky reflected. As he climbed into bed next to his beautiful wife, he whispered to her:

“We’re bonded for life, just you and me,
together through thick and thin.
If things were to change, and Wort was set free,
have faith that goodness will win.”

Salentia was nearly asleep and only half listening, and so responded with a simple “yes dear.” Winky himself was exhausted from lack of sleep the night before, so it wasn’t long before he was deep in slumber.

It was at about three in the morning that Winky found himself suddenly awake. Had he heard something? Or was he only dreaming? No, he was sure he that heard what sounded like a loud crash. Salentia was still sound asleep. Not wanting to awaken and frighten her, Winky eased himself out of bed and quietly hopped down the palace stairwell. He could hear the wind howling outside. As he entered the main foyer leading to the front gate, he was suddenly confronted by a bright light. Someone was holding a lantern, but Winky couldn’t see any faces, only shadows. He instinctively cried out, “Who’s there?” At that a voice from the dark commanded: “SEIZE HIM!” Winky felt himself being forced to the ground by a strength well beyond his. “ON YOUR KNEES” was the next command that came from the still unidentified voice. By now the rest of the family had awakened due to the noise of the skirmish that was taking place. As they, along with a few of the house attendants, rushed down the stairwell someone turned on the lights. What they saw horrified them and stopped them dead in their tracks. There, on his knees, was Winky, their king. Standing before him was a red-cloaked figure with a number of the palace guards at his side. As for Winky, his eyes weren’t focused just now on the mysterious red-cloaked toad. Standing directly beside him, to his immediate right, was ELMER! And to his immediate left, Wort and his wife, the former queen. Had she only feigned allegiance to Winky? Elmer refused to look Winky in the eye, choosing instead to stare at the ground.

The red-cloaked figure now spoke. Winky recognized that it was the voice he had heard in the darkness. He croaked (in a mocking voice):

“No doubt you wonder, what’s wrong, what’s it about!
This toad that now stands before you - who is he?
I’ll tell you all now, tonight, and dispel any doubt.
The saying’s true - WHATEVER WILL BE WILL BE!”

With that he removed the hood from his head. All present gasped in disbelief as he exposed his face and announced:

“I AM LEONID, THE SECOND SON OF KING FERD,
AND TONIGHT BEGINS A NEW ERA FOR ANURA.
ALL NOW BOW DOWN TO HER NEW KING!”

What? How was this possible? And yet, the resemblance between Winky and this, this usurper was undeniable. They could easily pass for twins. In the confusion of it all Winky implored the guards, “Seize this imposter!” But none responded. As Winky looked at the guards more closely, he could see that their eyes were glazed over. They looked like zombies. Winky’s failure to enlist the guards to follow his command caused Wort to launch into one of his loud maniacal laughs. The sound echoed throughout the palace and sent a cold chill down everyone’s spine, as the reality of what was now taking place began to sink in.

Leonid now approached the spot where Salentia, Belle, Papa and the rest were huddled, looked at them with cold, dark eyes and screamed:

“I SAID BOW!! GUARDS!”

Just then the ground beneath the palace shook violently, as Winky came to the sudden realization that his nightmare was coming true! Several of the palace guards now engaged the royal family, forcing each one down on his or her knees. Leonid then announced (with Wort still laughing in the background):

“Let it be shouted throughout this great land,
that a son of King Ferd doth still reign.
True, things will change, but life’s been so bland.
Yes, my reforms may cause you some PAIN.”

Leonid commanded that Winky be brought over to where the rest of the family now was, then he stated:

“You are banished to Antica in the north,
NEVER will you return to this land.
With chains on your feet, on this very night, you’ll go forth,
so get up now, it’s out of my hands!”

Leonid now commanded Elmer to lead the royal family into exile. Oh, how evil had returned and embraced Anura like the clouds that had darkened the skies. What was to become of them all? What would become of Anura?

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