THE UNCROWNED KING

BY TR WHEELER


COURTESY OF TRWHEELER.COM/EBOOKS.HTML
TABLE OF CONTENTS
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Prelude .............................................................................................................................................. 2
I. The Discovery ................................................................................................................................. 3
II. The Young Maiden ...................................................................................................................... 4
III. The Deception ............................................................................................................................. 7
IV. Truth Rising Again .................................................................................................................. 11
Postlude .......................................................................................................................................... 16


Copyright TR Wheeler Stories, 2009. All rights reserved. You may NOT
reproduce, publish, or distribute without written consent. For questions, please
contact tr@trwheeler.com or visit the TRW Storytelling Website
trwheeler.com/ebooks.html.
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The Uncrowned King, by TR Wheeler 2


PRELUDE
ears ago, the queen died, leaving her husband to raise two sons, Truman
and Coyote, identical twins. No one could tell them apart. Only the king
and the two princes knew that Truman was born first. When the king
died, Truman would occupy the throne, not Coyote.
A huge wall surrounded the kingdom. People could enter or exit the kingdom
through two gates.
Notably, in those days, a crown shimmered in brilliance. It was ancient. From
the outset of the royal reign, this splendid crown had passed from king to king.
Each ruler had added a jewel to it, that priceless emblem of royalty.
Things are different today.
The crown is gone.
Here is how it happened . . .

Y
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The Uncrowned King, by TR Wheeler 3


I. THE DISCOVERY
ne day, Truman and Coyote discovered a rusty door to a stairway. The
curious twins climbed the steps to the top of the tower. Far below, they
saw the roofs of the palace complex and the entire wall surrounding the
kingdom. Moreover, they could see, far away, the sea to the west and the dense
forest to the east.
Look, brother, cried Coyote, poking Truman with excitement. Whats that
gleaming in the sun? He was pointing to the middle of the forest.
I cannot tell, answered Truman, squinting. It sparkles like glass.
I think its a palace, cried Coyote.
It must be huge, exclaimed the firstborn prince.
The boys hurried down to plead with their royal father. They asked to explore
the dense forest, to investigate the shining building seen from the tower.
The old king was sad. It would be a long journey, perhaps perilous. Hed miss
his boys. Nevertheless, he gave his royal consent. He presented each son with a
horse from the palace stables, stallions of noble breeding.
Early the next morning, Truman and Coyote waved farewell to their father.
They rode bravely out of the kingdom and into the forest.


O
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The Uncrowned King, by TR Wheeler 4


II. THE YOUNG MAIDEN

Hateful to me as the gates of hell,
Is he, who, hiding one thing in his heart,
Utters another. (Homer)


he forest was thick and abounding with wildlife. Tall trees shut out the
sun. Though foreboding, neither twin expressed apprehension.
After two days of travel, Truman and Coyote entered a clearing. Hidden
from the world, this little hamlet was in the heart of the enormous forest. As
they approached, friendly people came to greet the royal visitors. They
prepared a delicious meal for the young men.
After finishing their feast, a young maiden entered, proclaiming, My job is to
show you our land.
She was beautiful. Her golden hair radiated. Captivated by her charm, neither
prince could speak. Truman finally muttered, Its a pleasure to meet you.
What is your n-n-name? stuttered Coyote.
T
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The Uncrowned King, by TR Wheeler 5

Phantasy, answered the fetching girl.
In the morning, she showed Truman and Coyote the sights. They rode through
a paradise of beautiful gardens and waterfalls, as Phantasy kept pointing out
fresh scenes of wonder.
Next, Phantasy led the royal visitors to the temple in the center of town.
Dismounting, Truman and Coyote stood speechless, intoxicated by its blazing,
blinding glory. It was dazzling and majestic. The royal twins had seen this very
temple from the tower heights back home.
What do you call your god? asked Coyote.
Phantasy replied with a beam, He is God-Without-Shadow.
Why call him such a strange name? blurted Coyote.
Please excuse my brother, remarked Truman.
No worries, whispered Phantasy. Im honored to tell. Our deity is
unchanging and dependable. He cannot lie. Being the source of light, he has no
shadow. Now with a huge smile, she exclaimed, He is indeed God-Without-
Shadow.
Phantasy dismissed herself to worship alone, leaving the twins in the outer
sanctuary. Coyote, seeing a golden candlestick, pointed and croaked, Lets take
this candlestick as a token of our visit here.
Astounded, Truman growled, No, Coyote. How could you say such a thing?
Were guests in this holy place.
Coyote squawked, But no one will know.
Ill know, exclaimed Truman. Shaking his head in disgust, he added, God-
Without-Shadow will know. Truman had never seen such darkness in his
brother.
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The Uncrowned King, by TR Wheeler 6

No one could tell the twins apart. They looked and sounded the same. But this
perceptive girl had discovered that the hearts of the twins were quite different.
Phantasy fell in love with Truman. Soon they were spending much time
together, even planning to marry. Coyote grew jealous. The twins had shared
everything. Yet, now Truman had a precious treasure that he would never
share with Coyote.
One day, Truman and Coyote saw a messenger from home. Recognizing him,
the brothers knew something must be horribly wrong for him to journey so far.
Give us your report, muttered Truman.
The messenger opened his mouth, but uttered no sound for grief. Finally, he
whimpered, Your father is dead.


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The Uncrowned King, by TR Wheeler 7


III. THE DECEPTION

Bread gained by deceit
Is sweet to a man,
But afterward his mouth
Will be filled with gravel. (Solomon)


he king had died. Now the brothers must hasten home. They planned to
leave at sunrise. Truman went to bed, but Coyote could not sleep. He was
too busy devising a scheme in his cold heart.
Phantasy saw someone in the courtyard. Truman, is that you?
Yes, answered the imposter.
She embraced Coyote, mistaking him for Truman. The liar, filled with lust and
envy, kissed the beautiful maiden. The kiss made her sick. Without saying a
word, she abruptly turned from Coyote and scurried inside.
T
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Waking early, Truman was bidding farewell to his new friends. Hundreds came
to hug the prince.
Phantasy whispered to Truman, Did you kiss me last night in the courtyard?
No. Why? answered the perplexed prince.
Phantasy told the sad story of how Coyote had pretended to be Truman.
Where is he now? groaned Truman. (Coyote had already crept away and was
riding alone with frantic ambition.) Trumans heart was grieving. How could
his twin, whom he had cherished, attempt to steal his love, and his crown?
After one last kiss, Truman departed. Urging his horse, he hoped to overtake
his brother in a furious chase through the thick forest. He didnt even sleep, but
kept riding in the darkness.
Suddenly, Truman was knocked from his horse. A large rock had hit him in the
face, a rock thrown from the vile hand of his brother, who had been waiting in
ambush.
Royal blood gushed. Before losing consciousness, Truman recognized his
brothers malignant howl. Coyote laughed briefly before riding away. The
rogue was leaving his maimed brother for dead.
But Truman did not die.
The rightful heir to the throne knew that Coyote was riding for the crown.
Remember, no one could tell the twins apart. The prince who first reached the
kingdom would surely be proclaimed king.
Truman wiped blood from his eyes and struggled atop the saddle. We must
hurry, he whispered to his horse. Truth demands it.
Meanwhile, Coyote came to where the road divides -- left to the brazen gate
and right to the golden gate. Nearby, a gray-haired man lived in his cottage.
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The Uncrowned King, by TR Wheeler 9

Coyote did not delay. He chose the wrong way and rode toward the brazen
gate.
Yet, when Truman arrived at the fork, he dismounted and approached the
cottage. Truman smiled at an old man, asking if he had seen someone riding in
haste.
Yes, young man, replied the elder with a grin. Many would say that it was
you who rode so hard.
It was my brother, my twin, replied the prince. Did you see which way he
went?
The old man, pointing, answered, He took the road to the left. But hes too far
ahead for you to overtake him.
At least I must try, answered the prince, turning.
The old man cried, Wait. Is your brother Coyote? And are you Truman, the
rightful heir to the throne?
Indeed, the prince affirmed. I must hasten or my brother will be crowned
king, for youre the only one in this kingdom who can tell us apart.
But youll gain nothing by haste. Coyote has already entered the city. People
are hailing him as their king. Tarry and listen to my words. Discover the power
of waiting.
Truman recognized the old mans wisdom. He entered the simple cottage and
sat at the table. Taking massive books from his shelves, the wise man read
from the ancient writings. He revealed to the unfeigned prince the secret of the
magic crown.
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The Uncrowned King, by TR Wheeler 10

From the last volume, the old man read, If any prince enters the kingdom
through the brazen gate, he shall forever be deemed unworthy of the throne. A
king must enter through the golden gate.
The old man closed the book, asking, What have you learned?
The crown is not the kingdom, Truman announced, nor is one a king
because he wears a crown.
With bowed head, the elder saluted the unfeigned prince. What will you do
now?
Truman replied, Ill obey the sacred writings. Ill wait on the magic of the
crown.
The two men rose in unison. After embracing his guide, Truman rode away
slowly, pondering of wisdom of the ancient books.
Coyote, who rode so fast, entered through the brazen gate. The imposter was
received by the people as their king. Sadly, they were unaware of the ancient
writings about the brazen gate.
With pomp, the false prince ascended to the throne. With pageantry, he was
laurelled with the precious crown. Coyote rode in grand procession,
surrounded by soldiers, clothed in regal splendors, with the crown on his head.
Royal trumpeters were proclaiming his power, as multitudes were shouting
loud chants of loyalty to their king, the deceiver. From the shadows of the
palace tower, he smugly decreed that never a maligned word should be uttered
against his reign.


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The Uncrowned King, by TR Wheeler 11


IV. TRUTH RISING AGAIN

Truth, crushed to earth, shall rise again;
The eternal years of God are hers;
But error, wounded, writhes in pain,
And dies among his worshipers.
(William Cullen Bryant)


ruman took the road to the right. As the pretender was amusing his
subjects with festivals, Truman quietly entered the kingdom, unnoticed,
through the golden gate. He slept in a tiny room under a deserted
temple.
Truman worked hard daily, alone, restoring the dilapidated temple. He
planned to present it to his future bride as a wedding gift. Phantasy would
need a temple to worship. Truman hoped to join her in exalting God-Without-
Shadow.
T
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The Uncrowned King, by TR Wheeler 12

One evening, Truman was sitting against an old building after laboring all day
on the temple. The high captain saw him and sighed. Truman was dirty and
smelly, with tattered, old garments, long hair and a full beard.
Pointing, the captain whispered sadly to his army, That pathetic man is a
prince, and should live in the palace. Our merciful king would gladly welcome
him, but this twin is still bitter at being second born. I know this is true, for Ive
heard it from the mouth of the king himself.
Turning to Truman, the captain pleaded, Oh, prince, you should be living in
the palace. Return with me today. Your disgusting appearance brings disgrace
on our blessed kingdom. You look like a pauper, not a nobleman.
Truman declared with a smile, A mans integrity, not his appearance, is the
true mark of nobility.
Coyote was living in luxury, but soon that would change for the imposter . . .
because of the crown. (That wonderful magic crown!)
The court jester noticed it first. Oh, looky at the crooky, squealed the jester in
his most amusing voice, dancing in circles. The royal crown is diminishing,
blemishing. Its happening, zappening. Looky-looky at the crooky-crooky.
Coyote laughed royally, long and loud. All the court laughed with him, for this
jester was a most whimsical fool.
It did not stop with the jester. Soon others noticed it. Servants and soldiers
kept whispering.
Yes, the jester was not joking. The priceless jewels of the crown were indeed
losing their brilliancy. The precious gold was becoming dull.
Coyote commissioned the workers in gems to report to the palace with haste. A
host of experts arrived and toiled for hours. Despite their skill, they failed to
restore the beauty of the crown.
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The Uncrowned King, by TR Wheeler 13

What is the meaning of a tarnished crown? people kept questioning.
The royal officers had a private meeting with the counterfeit king. Oh, king,
you must answer the questions of our people. With the fading glory of the
precious crown, they wonder if youre legitimate.
Coyote called the citizens before him. He held up his right hand toward the
heavens and affirmed with deep conviction, his voice vibrating, I swear on all
that is holy: I am indeed the firstborn son.
With such convincing oratory, people believed him. Yet, when they again
beheld the pale crown, their doubts returned.
Filled with dread, poor Coyote tried to hold the failing confidence of his court.
With frequent festivals (carnivals, games, parades), the pretender tried to keep
the waning loyalty of his people.
Soon nothing could prevent people from looking with disdain on their ruler.
Coyote, that foolish charlatan, was losing his power, as the beauty of the magic
crown was fading.
Meanwhile, Truman completed his restoration of the temple. He was now
living in simplicity in his basement home. Rather than present an appeal to the
royal court (demanding them to oust his brother), he waited. Believing in the
magic of the crown, he patiently waited.
People began to love Truman, the man in ragged clothes and no crown. It
started with small children. They ran to greet him with laughter. Soon all
peasants, young and old, pressed around Truman as he walked quietly in the
street.
The magic crown, tarnished and dull, was a mockery. People wept at the
shame. As the pretender passed, they no longer shouted chants of loyalty, but
stood in silence, or even snickered.
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The Uncrowned King, by TR Wheeler 14

In secret, the corrupt king went to his brother, pleading, Please, Truman, live
with me in the palace. Were twins, sons of our regal father. Lets rule together.
When you wear royal garb, no one will tell us apart. And when you put on the
crown, its glory will return. All will be well.
Yet, the real king answered sadly, No, brother, in the ancient scriptures it is
written: a king cannot share his throne with one who is false, lest he himself be
deemed unworthy.
Coyote departed in dismay. In the morning, a few beggars found him lying in a
dark alley. His own sword was protruding from his naked body.
The imposter was dead.

------------------

Citizens gave Truman time to grieve the ghastly fate of his deceiving brother.
Oh, but then, with shouting, the entire kingdom gathered to pay homage to
Truman.
And it happened. (Oh, that magic crown!) On coronation day, all was ready for
Truman to ascend to the throne. The royal musicians had lifted their trumpets,
ready to proclaim Truman as the king. The multitudes were ready to break
forth in a glad shout, Long live the king.
The high chamberlain reached to take the magic crown from the hands of the
prime minister. Even as he was reaching, the crown vanished.
And, behold, it was gone. And gone forever.
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The Uncrowned King, by TR Wheeler 15

In alarm, the chamberlain whispered to the royal officers, asking what should
be done. Imagine! The crown was gone! What could they do now? Whoever
heard of a coronation without a crown?
The officers asked Truman. For a second, everyone froze in an eerie hush.
Then, with a smile, Truman proclaimed with joy, The crown is not the
kingdom, nor is one a king because he wears a crown.
People cheered. With trumpets blaring, they cried loudly with one voice:
Truman is king! Truman is king! He is a king who needs no crown! Long live
Truman! Long live our uncrowned king!
The true king ascended to the throne. Trumpets continued to blast for days.
With a mighty shout, people kept proclaiming, Truman is king! Long live the
king who needs no crown! Long live Truman! Long live the uncrowned king!


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The Uncrowned King, by TR Wheeler 16


POSTLUDE

nd still there is no crown.
Truman and Phantasy are now married, living happily with many
children. They worship in the temple of God-Without-Shadow.
Mystics believe all promises of Truman will someday be fulfilled, and
the glory and splendor of his kingdom will fill the entire world. To these
believers, everything (every bird, every plant, every wave, every cloud, and
every living thing) seems to join in whispering: Truman is king! Long live
Truman! Long live the uncrowned king!
Though the crown will never return, these mystics accept it with gratitude.
Indeed, the crown is not the kingdom, nor is someone a king because he wears
a crown.
Long live the uncrowned king!

Copyright TR Wheeler Stories, 2009. All rights reserved. You may NOT
reproduce, publish, or distribute without written consent. For questions, please
contact tr@trwheeler.com or visit the TRW Storytelling Website
trwheeler.com/ebooks.html.
A