Writing prompt day two

Here is Alley's next writing prompt: 

The King now lies on a bed of stone without a crown, without a home. 

I have actually heard this one before, so I have an older story of it. Neither of them are a bit the same. Nor my best work.

Ambushed

As long as anyone knew the dwarves and the elves had been at war with each other over the land of Aligasian. First the dwarves would be winning, and the common folk would run to pay them homage and swear to spit at all the elves. Then suddenly the elves would rally and drive the dwarves back, leaving the people to face their wrath. As one can imagine, it was the the people who suffered most for this frightful way of living. Rivers ran red with blood. Fields were piled high with the dead. Aligasian was torn with strife and misery. Famine and plagues spread through the land, adding to the death.

But one day a barbarous dwarf called Aldrick slew his king and seized the crown for himself. He formed a deadly army of his most skilled dwarves, then rushed at the elves. Stories said it was a one sided slaughter. The bodies of the elves were so numerous that no one believed there could be a single elf left alive in Aligasian.

With no one to contend his right for the throne, Aldrick set himself up as sole ruler of Aligasian. The poor miserable peasants cheered. For one day Aldrick was the hero. He had brought the much longed for peace to their world. The long war was over. Or was it. Aldrick was cruel. He was harsh. He taxed the people outrageously. Those who could not pay were cast into the mines. Aldrick grew rich, but the people grew poorer. Famine continued to claim its victims.

It was not long before mutters of rebellion began to rise. Aldrick crushed those who had dared to rebel. The people grew desperate. But there was nothing they could do. They were starving and Aldrick's spies were everywhere. A feeling of distrust spread throughout the land. No one trusted each other. Aligasian had never been so vulnerable.

Then one day a woodsman from the Northern boarders of Aligasian came with a report that the neighboring countries were growing hostile. There were talks about war. Aligasian was not in the best position at the moment. But Aldrick did not care. His dwarf army had defeated the elves. He was confident that they could defeat an army of men too.

“Begone wretch!” he growled, “Do you think I fear any man?” Galian, the woodsman was silent. He had done his duty for his kingdom, but the people suffered still. He bowed, turned and left the king.

Galian returned to his home, and took out his father's armor. Galian had a secret. A secret that would get him killed. He lived alone and kept to himself. But now he was ready to reveal his secret. Galian was an elf. Well, a half elf anyway. But he was an elf. One of the last in the entire Third World. He planned on liberating the people. Giving them a chance to live and choose their own king.

That night Aldrick received a message, addressed to him from Voor the last king of the elves. To the dwarf's horror, it was written in the hand of the dead elf.

Greetings usurper of Aligasian,

You may have seized the scepter but not the heart of the land. There will be no respect for a cruel tyrant as thyself, until the heart is in your hands. But beware, hidden deep beneath the lowest dungeon, are those who would do much to protect the land from tyrants such as thyself. The stone is well guarded. My spirit will never rest until you are dead and the heart is displayed for all.

The true king,

Voor.

Aldrick grabbed the boy who had delivered the message had hurled him out the window. The window unfortunately happened to be ten stories off the ground. After the dwarf had cooled his temper by smashing everything in sight. He snatched up his axe and headed for the lowest dungeon. He planned to trample Voor's spirit underneath his iron toed boots.

To Aldrick's surprise there was no spirit awaiting him. The man who stood in the likeness of Voor was very much flesh and blood. He stepped out of the dungeon and approached Aldrick. The dwarf frowned. The man was obviously elf or mostly elf, and he looked very much like Voor. Surely the dreadful elf king had no surviving son.

“Who are you, you dog?” Aldrick snarled as he smashed his axe into the ground. The flagstones splintered and the floor shook.

“I am Galian.” the elf said, “Perhaps you do not remember me. I warned you yesterday that Aligasian was in danger. You heeded not my words.” Aldrick scowled.

“So you dress up as an elf to mock me?” he growled.

“No.” Galian said, “I am the son of Voor and a human woman! I came here to ambush you!” Aldrick laughed.

The dwarf king stopped laughing, when the spear plunged through his heart. He dropped to the floor silently. His crown fell from his head and clattered to the floor. Galian dragged the king to heap of stones and cast him on it. The king now lies on a bed of stones, without a crown, without a home. No one missed him.

The first story I wrote for this prompt

 The Lost King

“Looks, there is crazy old Max.” Daniel said as we walked past the white bearded old man, who was staggering down the streets. I stared at the old man wearing a pair of goggles over an old fashioned pilot hat.

“We should stay away from him.” I muttered nervously. Crazy Max, was pretty crazy!

“I'm not afraid of him!” Daniel said smugly and swaggered over to the old man. Max shot out a bony hand and grabbed my cousin by the collar of his fancy shirt.

“It ain't wise boy!” he croaked. My hair stood up on end, and someone started screaming like a banshee. It took me awhile to realize that it was myself that was making the noise.

“Get your paws offa me!” Daniel yelled. I did my best to help. After all it is very helpful if a skinny ten year old boys in glasses dances around yelling his fool head off. I heroically took the job. Crazy Max shoved Daniel down on someone's front step then grabbed me by the collar and slammed me down next to him.

“Shut yer screaming, lil' boy!” he snarled. Then he leaned closer. Daniel nearly choked me. So I was forced to shut up.

“Did ya hear about what happened to the king?” I sneaked a look at Daniel. As far as I knew we only had a queen. No king.

“What?” I croaked. Daniel hit me.

“Them bony fellows attacked him, hundreds and hundreds of 'em!” Max hissed.

“Bony fellows?” Daniel sneered. He was obviously getting over his fright.

“Skeletons!” Crazy Max hissed. I bit my lips. I didn't like skeletons unless they were safely packaged inside a person.

“The king fought and fought, but all his friends and warriors abandoned him!” Crazy Max cried, “They ran like cowards and the army of bones surrounded the king and took everything from him.”

“Wh-what happened to the king?” I stammered.

“The king now lies on a bed of stone. Without a crown, without a home.” Crazy Max said with a shake of his head.

“Really?” I asked leaning forward.

“Simon, don't listen to this idiot, he doesn't know right from left!” Daniel yelled and cuffed me. I winced.

“But the king will wake, an' when he does- beware to all that betrayed him!” Crazy Max hissed, “Vengeance will be harsh and swift.”

“You give me the creeps!” Daniel yelled and he grabbed me and pulled me to my feet, “Come on Simon lets get out of here.”

As we walked away, Daniel continued jabbering about Crazy Max and mental institutions. But I was not listening to him. I was staring at the skeleton that hung in Harvey's Costume shop window. It appeared to be moving.

“D-Daniel, was what he said really just barmy?” I stuttered.

~E