King Victor retires: ‘It’s time I was gone.’
But the biggest surprise comes to Igon.
The abdication of King Victor and Queen Valeeta took place in style. The King made a speech and showed a piece of magic that made the Gotchas very happy and one man in particular.
The King and his Queen stood on the balcony of the castle and looked down on the thousands of people that had travelled from far and wide to be there. The King raised his arms and started to speak. The crowd were still.
‘Mine people. Or maybe I should say mine ex-people. Or maybe I should say mine friends.’ Loud, long cheers followed that statement. ‘Today is both a joyful ant a sad day for me. Sad, because I’m givink up beink your Kink. Ant joyful, because mine adopted son, Valentine, is takink over the rulink off you. He is goink to be your President ant if he vants any advice, then let him come to me. But before mine vife ant I leave you, may I do somethink that I should haff done many years ago ant I am ashamed that I didn’t think off it then.’
He beckoned to Igon to step forward. He was lifted on to a table so the whole of the Kingdom – or the country – could see him. Igon waved to the people below. The cheers were enormous.
Victor continued. ‘Many bad thinks haff been done to this poor, unfortunate man. A man who could not help beink born the vay he vos. I am sad to say this, but even I haff done bad thinks to this little man vithout thinkink vether I haff hurt his feelinks or not. I vould now like to make up for the bad thinks that all of us haff done to Igon.’
The King held Igon close to him. Igon blinked his one eye, not knowing very much about what was going on; only happy to be there. The King drew a deep breath. He held Igon even tighter till Igon could feel the breath leaving his body. He also realised that there was no breath coming back into his body. He tried hard to breathe but he couldn’t. A minute later he had fainted.
The crowd began to get a little worried, thinking that the King was playing some devilish trick and that Igon was dead. Then the King slowly, and with great care, laid Igon on the table. The murmuring swelled louder.
Suddenly the King pointed his long fingers at the still body of Igon and as he did so it was covered in thick, white smoke. The King concentrated very hard, the blue veins bulging along his forehead and neck. The smoke suddenly cleared, as quickly as if a gale had blown it away. There was a gasp from the crowd. Igon was no longer there, but in his place, was the most handsome of men.
The King helped lift the new Igon to his feet. He stood there, looking down at the crowd, in the same place that he had been only a minute before. But now Igon was wearing the most beautiful white military suit. He was six feet tall, broad as a house and with two of the most wonderful blue eyes. Tears were running down both cheeks.
The King spoke again. ‘My friends. May I, as my last gift as your Kink, giff you Igon. No … Prince Igon of Gotcha.’
The crowd cheered, the President and his wife clapped their approval and the Queen moved towards Prince Igon and kissed him on both cheeks.
Igon waved to all his friends, shook hands with the King, and left the balcony. As he walked into the inner room he almost slipped. He looked down and saw a bright blue marble lying on the floor. He felt where his pouch would have been. It was still there. It was empty. He bent down and with a smile rubbed the marble against his sleeve and held it up to the light saying. ‘You won’t have to cry now,’ and put it back in its pouch.
* * *
Valentine and Areta were married and he made a first class President. Wilf became the Gotcha football team’s manager and would have got them to the World Cup except for the fact that they lost their first match so were knocked out of the competition.
Grabbo opened the largest hotel in Gotcha by the River Armenleg. He called it the Hotel Gotcha by the Arm and Leg. Doctor Plump was given a special job. He became the Number One Doctor to the President’s horse.
King Victor and his Queen settled down in the country, close to the village of Katchem and more or less became the Squire and his Lady. They are fortunately still alive and very happy and if you visit the land of Gotcha they are always thrilled if you call in on them.
If you do visit this land then you must make your way to the park and have a look at the statues. There’s one in particular that, so the children say, on very cold days, if you put your ear against it, you can hear little cries of ‘Help … help …’ But fortunately for Vernon, Vampires can feel no pain. The only feeling Vernon had was that one day he would be back. Who knows. .?
