RGHee024 The King Checks On Maximus

~ Rapunzel Goes Home (extended edition)
~ Chapter 024
~ The King Checks on Maximus

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The King walked into the Stable of the Palace Guard. The smell of hay, horse and muck swept over him.

In the summertime it was enough to make a shark retch, but the King liked it, it smelled like an adventure ready to begin. Most of his had started in a stable, like when he met his bride, and that always lent a certain excitement to coming to the stables.

Looking around in the torchlight, King Leonard realized that he didn't know which of the many stalls was Maximus'. Just then a groom came out of one the nearby stalls. He looked about to say something harsh when he realized it was his King.

Swallowing what he was going to say, he stammered out, "H-how may I help you, sire?"

"I have need to see Maximus. He was involved with some rather important matters and I need to make sure that they really happened."

"Well, sire, he's the smartest horse in the kingdom and he'll be able to tell you what you want to know," leading the King and his entourage to the left.

"I hope so." The king said seriously.

Maximus was in a stall near the outside door for quick exits. They walk past many stalls all with horses, hay catching on their clothes.

"There might be a problem, sire." the groom began hesitantly.

"Oh, and what would that be?"

"He might not be able to wake up." he said cautiously.

"Be that as it may, I do have to try. It's important." said the King. He looks into Maximus' stall and sees the great white horse with his head down looking asleep, covered with a heavy grey blanket emblazoned with the Royal sun sigil. "So, how is he?"

"I was told that he had exhausted himself doing a lot of running earlier today. The people who brought him home took as good a care of him as they could, which was good enough, but he was very tired. He's been asleep since before I got here. But with some rest, maybe a couple of weeks in a good pasture, he'll be right as rain."

"Good. Whatever it takes. He has done the kingdom a great service."

Maximus raised his head. He was smart enough to know that someone would come to talk to him, so had tried to sleep lightly.

"Oh, and what's that, sire?"

The King turned to Max, seeing he was listening. "You brought my daughter home."

Max nodded.

"Really, the Lost Princess has returned?" asked the groom.

"That she has."

"Congratulations!" clapping his King on the back. "Oh, sorry sire."

The king smiled, then looking at Max the smile faded.

"But you didn't know where she was, did you?" Max shook his head.

"Flynn Rider knew where the girl was." Max nodded.

"You needed Flynn Rider." Max nodded again.

"But Flynn Rider was in the prison," slowly Max nodded.

"Getting Flynn Rider out of the prison was wrong." Max lowered his head and nodded.

"You got the thugs to break him out anyway." His head goes still lower, Max nodded again.

"You didn't know she was the Lost Princess. She was just a girl, a girl in trouble. You did all that anyway?"

Max lifted his head, it had been the good thing to do, and he knew that. He was a good horse, even if people didn't always understand him. There was a person in trouble and he knew the one person who could help her. It hadn't mattered that she was the Lost Princess, he hadn't known. She was a person who was in trouble and he could help her.

Flynn Rider had asked him to show him how fast he could run, Max had never run so fast or so long before and he had held nothing back to try and save the girl.

Maximus the Palace Horse, mount of the Captain of the Palace Guard, looked into the eyes of the King and nodded.

The King smiled at Maximus. "You did the right thing, no matter the cost to you. You are a very good horse. Thank you for bringing my daughter home."
The grateful King held out an apple.

Maximus ate the apple and was happy. He did do the right thing. He was a good horse.

"Sleep now, Maximus. You've done well." The King gave Max a few scratches on the head.

"Now I just have to find a way to promote a horse." The King said to the groom.

Maximus the palace horse slept the sleep of the victorious hero.
~ End of Chapter 024