©2019 Daniel Joseph Zawada
The Son of a King sent his servant to attend his errands and so the servant straight away left out to perform his duty.
And so leaving the outer court, where only the son and his servants may enter, the servant quickly departed as those who sit outside the court looked upon.
One of the men said, “See there, the Kings Son, his servant departs. Let us follow him to find out his business and how we may enter the court.”
Now it had been decreed that no person may enter the court of the Son unless it was his servants or personal guard.
So the men who were privy followed the servant and finding him in the marketplace confronted him saying,”Sir, do you serve the King?”
The servant turning answered, “Aye, I serve the King and his Son, but I must address his errands now so leave me be.”
The mans friend also spoke saying, “What is the business you tend to that we may know?”
The servant, still gathering his wares from the merchant answered, “It is the business for the Son of the King as I have told you what do you want from me?”
The man answered, “We own much of the land outside the city and wish to come into the court to address the King that we may do business. Tell us then what sum can we pay you to bring us before the King?”
The servant answered, “Have you not heard? Only the servants of the Son of the King may enter the court to do his business,” and the servant turning began to leave.
The men quickly followed after, “Wait, wait, you must not leave. Tell us now how much you desire and we shall make amends one to another that you may do well by us. Tell us now the sum you require.”
The servant, frustrated, answered, “I have told you the King has decreed that only the servants may do the errands for the Son. Have you not seen the posting?”
The men looked at one another cunningly, “What posting do you speak of?”
The servant huffed the bag of wares over his shoulder and said, “The King posted for many days the decree in the market and upon the pillars of the court and upon the doors outside the court of the Son and within the dining halls for all the people to see.”
The men answered, “We were away from the city at this time. Please, listen to us now, name your sum, and let us come into the court to gain audience with the King. For we have excellent business that will do him well.”
The servant answered, “I must leave out. I cannot be late and must finish my errands,” and with that he walked away.
The men, watching him leave, discussed a plan, “What must we do? Let us follow the servant and persuade him throughout the day until he submit and then we shall make our way into the court. For we must persist unto the servant until he agree.”
And the men agreed and left out after the servant to follow him.
After many stops through the market and meetings, the men grew weary, “Come now, it is getting late in the day. Let us approach the servant when he returns through the corridor and finalize our business.”
As the servant approached he recognized the men and said, “What do you here? Did I not tell you I must conclude business for the Son of the King?”
The men said, “No you shall not leave until you agree with us and take payment. We will see the King and you will agree!”
With that the servant began to run, but the men gave chase and overpowered him and said to one another, “Let us take him outside the city a days travel until he agree, or lose his position within the court.”
So they bound the servant and placed him hidden in the cart, driving from the city to their estate.
After the night did pass, the servant awakening cried out in anger, “Have you not realized the King will be angry at my leave and will require it of me!”
The men laughed and said, “Then you shall agree then for payment that we shall enter the court by your side to meet the Son. You will say we are your friends and have great business for the king.”
The servant said, “Take me back into the city and I will agree.” The men satisfied made ready to depart back to the city.
Once entering the city the servant could see the personal guards of the Kings Son approaching and waved his arms to gain their attention, to which the men restrained him.
The guards noticing, quickly rushed to receive the servant. “Unhand the man!” the guards yelled.
The men fearing attacked the guard with a pole, striking his head, and so the guards fought, but the men prevailed and killed them.
While the scuffle occurred the servant fled towards the court of the Son and straight away ran inside.
The men gasping, said, “Surely he will tell of what we did. Come now let us raise a ruckus and tell the people that the servant killed the guards.”
And one of the men ran to the market and shouted, “Come quick for men have been killed!”
So many arose to see the matter and came upon the men pretending to aid the slain guards and asked, “What has happened here?”
To which was answered, “The servant of the Kings Son slay these guards and has fled into the court. We are witnesses and can testify to the matter.”
The people hearing this said, “Come now, we will approach the outer court that they may hear the tale and judge.”
The three men looking upon one another answered, “Yes we will go but give us a moment that we may stow our cart and hamper our goods.”
As the men attended their cart they spoke quietly, “How shall we do this? Surely the servant has told the King by now.”
And his friend answered, “We do not know this. He may have kept the tale to himself for fear.”
And the third man replied, “No this is in our favor. Only we know what was done and we are three to testify to his word. This is our chance to enter the court. Let us agree the story now and then depart, for who but us will know what was done?”
So the men concocted their story and left off with the people to the outer gate.
“Make way for we have an urgent matter!”
“What is the commotion?” the guards asked.
And the people answered, “The Kings Son, his guards have been slain and these men here did see the man! Let them enter that they may tell the tale before the king.”
The guards quickly opened the court gate and allowed the men to enter and escorted them inside the hall.
“Be seated at the table and we will inquire of the courtier,” commanded the guard to the men.
After a time the guard returned saying, “Up now the son of the King will see you,” to which the men replied, “We will tell the matter to the King.”
The guard answered, “All matters before the King must be heard by the Son, as he sits in judgment before the King.”
With that the men arose and entered the chamber of the court where the son of the King did sit.
The men entered and bow before the Son of the King and waited for him to speak.
“Tell me this matter, what did happen to my guards.”
The men looked at one another and one spoke, “Prince of the King, I bid you well. Your guards were slain by a man who did enter your court. For we had seen it with our own eyes and did hear the mans plot.”
The Son of the King, sitting on his judgment seat, raised his head, “Tell me of this plot.”
The next man answered, “Your servant approached us to plot against the King to slay him. He wished to hire us out to aid in the plot for a handsome sum, to which we denied.”
The son of the King answered, “My servant plotted against the King, why would he do such a thing?”
The third man answered, “Aye, he plotted to kill the King so that you would become King and enhance his position, but the guards over heard and set upon to seize him and he killed them as we beheld.”
The Son of the King commanded, “Call my servants and stand them here,” to which the guards hurried about.
When the guards returned, the twelve servants were stood before him in front of the men for all to see.
The Son of the King asked, “Which of my servants did slay the men?”
All three men pointed at the servant of whom they spoke and kidnapped.
“Tell me now, what happened my servant,” the Son of the King demanded.
The servant nervously answered the Son of the King, “I left off early to do your bidding my Prince as you had commanded me. Upon my way to market did these three men approach me asking that I take them inside the court to meet the king of which I declined and departed to continue my errands.”
“Upon the latter part of the day as I was returning from market the men did wait for me in a narrow corridor to again bid me to take them into your court for business with the King, of which I denied and they did bind me, set me upon a cart, and struck me dumb, as you do now see the lump upon my head.”
“I then awoke in the morning to protestation of my plight, but the men would not release unless I agreed to their wishes. That I take them into the court before you and play the part so they may gain for business before the King.”
One of the men outburst, yelling, “He lies! This man approached us with his wicked plot to slay the King!”
Realizing he had spoken out of the place the man held his tongue and his friend spoke, “Forgive him my Prince, for my friend of many years has no patience for liars.”
The Son of the King spoke, “Continue my servant.”
The servant, his eyes darting to and fro, continued his speech,”I feel sick my Prince…I, I, do not feel well. They offered me any sum I wished to bring them into court and I agreed so that I may escape into your safety,” with that the servant fell to a knee and the guards lifted him as his body went limp.
“Take him to the apothecary,” ordered the Son of the King.
The guards then dragged the servant from the chamber.
The Son of the King had remained seated and turned his head back to the men, “Tell me, do you desire business before the King?”
The first man answered, “My Prince, do not all men desire business of the King? I would be a fool to say that I do not.”
The son of the king then did ask, “Tell me, who are you, do you dwell within the city?”
The second man answered, “No my prince, our estate lay outside the city.”
And the third man answered, “We are merchants my Prince and have vast amounts of grain from our land which our Fathers had tended for many years until they were old. Our Fathers combined the land and we do now oversee it after their deaths.”
The Son of the King answered, “Tell me then, how did my servant kill the men?”
The first man answered, “My Prince, when the guards came near he struck him with a pole and did enjoin in a fight with the other guard and killed him with a rock.”
“Why did you not help the guards?” asked the Prince.
“The second man answered, “We are merchants my Prince and feared he would also kill us.”
The guards that dragged the servant out then returned and the Son of the King asked, “How is my servant?”
The guard answered, “He lay unconscious my Lord, but is to recover, according to thy physician.”
“Since my servant cannot be examined, tell me how much did he say he would pay you?”
The third man answered, “He did not say an amount my Prince, he said it would be a vast sum to help slay the King.”
“Did you know my servant, or have you ever met him before this day,” the Prince asked.
“No my Prince, this is the first time we had seen him,” answered the first man.
“Let me tell you who my servant is,” The Son of the King began,
“He has served the King, my Father, for seven years. Before my servant served the King, he served his own Father for twenty four years. And do you know what my servant did for the last seven years of service to the King?” the Son of the King asked.
The third man answered, “Tell us my Prince.”
“He was a scribe before he came to serve me,” answered the Son of the King.
Silence filled the room as the men wait for the Son of the King to speak again,
“When my servant served my Father, the King, he excelled the wealth of the Kingdom greatly through his writing, so much so, that the King awarded him greatly with lands, and stables, and estates, and Gold. And my Father, the King, asked my servant what is it that you will my servant and I will grant it unto you?”
The Son of the King remained silent for a time and no one spoke.
“My servant requested to the King that he serve me and to do my bidding and to divide up his wealth amongst my servants and to the poor of the people,” answered the Son of the king.
Now when the men heard this they feared greatly knowing the servant required nothing for with to bribe and then the Son of the King spoke, “Now that I have heard the matter let us hear the King, my Father, and His will be done.”
And the King entered and all the chamber, the eleven servants, and the accusers did bow before the King and His Son and He sat at His throne and raise His hand for all to rise.
And the King spoke to the three men, “Did you not read my decree?”
And the first man answered, “What decree my King?”
And the King asked, “Did you not hear of my decree?”
And the second man asked, “When should we have heard my King?”
And the King asked, “Did you not observe my decree?”
And the third man asked, “What were we to observe my King?”
The King spoke, “I commanded my decree to be posted on the pillars of the court, and on the door to the court of my Son, and in the market for all to read and announce.”
And the men answered, “My King we do not live in the city we live outside the city a day afar.”
The King asked, “When you came to my city, did you not try to enter unto my court and were rejected?”
And they answered, “Yeah my King.”
“Did you not hear, that only the servants of my Son were allowed to enter his court?”
To this the men again made excuses that they were not in the city and did not know the decree.
“I will tell you my decree since you did not read, nor hear, or observe,” said the King, “By My word did I decree that none should enter into my court but by my Son, who sits in judgment upon My throne, and that none should enter into his court lest they be the servants of My Son.”
And the men answered, “Now we hear your decree my King.”
And the King spoke, “What is then your judgment my Son?”
The Son of the King then arose to speak and all the chamber, and the eleven servants, and the murderers did bow before him.
Before the Son of the King spoke, the 12th servant entered the chamber and the Prince said, “How do thee well my servant?”
The servant answered, “I am well my Lord.”
The Son of the King then asked, “What is it you wish of these three men?”
The servant answered, “That no harm come unto them my Lord for my life was in their hands but they slew me not. The life of your guards is your matter my Lord.”
The Son of the King answered, “This I decree in the name of the King, your possessions shall be taken from you and given to my servant. You have sought business with the King and so your grain shall feed the poor of my city. You shall not enter the court of the King, nor the Son, and your seed after you from now and forever. You shall be servant to the children of the men you slay and your children’s children.”
And the Son of the King finished speaking and all the chamber, and the 12 servants, and the wicked men bow before the King and His Son.
