"Gale? Where are you going in such a mood? We need to have a talk about your...friend. Pamela is it? As my heir you have to consider who you are with careful..."
"Enough." Gale interrupted, "Really Xena."
Xena was shocked. Despite their strained relationship, Gale had never been so direct with her. She was not amused.
"I know what you did to gain your precious kingdom. And your failed attempt to get Marcelo. You disgust me. The only thing keeping me from revealing this is because I'm not you. In time I will be king, so there is no need for me to drag your name through the mud."
Gale stomped off. Xena was speechless.
"Who does he think he is?" she thought, "He'd have no kingdom without me! Ungrateful child! I should have paid more attention when he was younger so he'd see how important he is to my kingdom. But maybe...I can try again. Yes. A new heir!"
"No." Xena said to herself, "As queen, my child should be a perfect match. I need the perfect father for them."
So Xena asked the well for a love charm. This way she could woo whoever she desired.
Her first choice? Marcelo of course.
"Hello Marcelo." Xena smiled.
"Ugh, Xena what...do...you..." Marcelo was being drawn in by the love charm.
But before Xena could seal the deal, Gale showed up to put an end to her shenanigans.
"Xena, stop!" Gale warned.
"What? What happened?" Marcelo was snapped out of the charm, "Really Xena?! Will you never quit?!"
"I just. You don't understand. Gale! You are the worst heir ever! You only think about yourself and not the good of the kingdom. You...you..."
Pushed to near insanity, Xena returned to the Well that night to try again. If she could not have Marcelo, maybe the Well would give her someone better. Or at least a better heir. But at last, the Well had run dry for her.
"Xena. I have grated many wishes for you. No more."
Xena was at the end of her rope. She returned to her room and looked at herself in the mirror. She had spent so many years fighting for her kingdom. She hadn't noticed how much time had gone by. Her hair was greying and she knew time as queen was coming to an end.
But her night did not end there. Once asleep, she was haunted by her past.
"Xena. This is the first time you've thought about me in a long time." Urban's ghost appeared.
"Father?! Come to gloat? Come to finally name your heir? Bet it isn't me, right?" Xena pouted.
"And that's why you poisoned me, right?"
Xena had no replies. She did what she thought she had to to gain her kingdom. But now she knew her sister Iris's words had come true. She was alone.
In just a few day's Gale would age up into a young adult. He too was visited by Urban, who approved of him and encouraged him to take the throne soon, and make things right. So Urban visited Mae Welsh and the Sehar family. He stated how he hoped their kingdoms would be on friendlier terms once her was king, and acknowledge Mae as someone important in the Tudor kingdom.
"Thank you Gale." Mae replied, "After Urban died, I did not mind if my children inherited the kingdom or not, but we at least wanted to be acknowledged as related to Urban and the Tudor family."
Finally, Gale aged up. He didn't throw a party as he wanted to focus on his coming reign.
"Xena. We should have a talk." he said, "I think it is time I take the thrown. This is what the kingdom is expecting, and I don't think we should put it off any longer."
"What will happen to me?" Xena asked.
"What do you mean. Nothing. I'm not you, and, you are still my mother. I've bought a house for you to move to, but that's it. Nothing else."
Xena agreed. She had no fight left.
The change took place right away. Xena moved out and Gale took the thrown. An announcement was made that he would be marrying Pamela. They had a private wedding. Gale was excited to introduce her to the rest of his family, Marcelo, Nike and their daughter.
Gale visited with them just as often as he meet with the New Council. The old Council was still mostly in charge, but that didn't stop the heirs from making a difference.
"And that concludes this meeting." Cali Shallot announced, "As we agreed, we will be meeting in the park to feed the homeless."
The citizens of the Tudor, Sehar and Shallot kingdoms marveled at the Heirs Council and how the focused on bettering the lives in the kingdom, and not just diplomatic affairs.
Seeing how the citizens were taking to the young rulers and heirs, the old Council eventually stepped aside. The future looked bright for the Tudor and other kingdoms.
Gale would go on to be the first of many great rulers of the Tudor Kingdom.
The End
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