Selfish desires
Rabbi was in the marketplace going about his usual activity of pick-pocketing that day when he heard the king’s proclamation from the town crier. A chance to be king! This was an opportunity many young lads would jump at but with the witches, he knew that the majority would choose to have their peasant lives intact than not have any life at all, their fear for the witches was greater than any desire they had for the throne. But he, he had an advantage, he’d lived with a witch before and with that small encounter, he’d learnt their ways, taking the witches down was very much possible and achievable but he knew he couldn’t do it alone. He needs to go and see the king and tell him what he knows.
But what about Susannah his love? Didn’t he care if she was killed along with her people? To tell you the truth, he did feel bad for a moment for what he was about to do but he immediately let his selfish desires wash away any form of guilt he nursed in his mind. The love between him and Susannah grew apart with the time that had passed and Rabbi wasn’t even sure that he was still in love with her anymore. His ambition to be king was his utmost desire right now, nothing else was more important. He was about to betray Susannah in the worst way possible but he figured he would later console himself later when he has the king’s daughter on his bed.
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“Who are you and what is your business here?” The two guards at the palace gates stopped him from going any further inside.
“Do you work here?” The second guard asked.
“No,” Rabbi responded, removing the hood of his cloak so the guards could get a better view of his face. They recognized him immediately as the very popular face of the thief. They burst into laughter upon seeing him.
“What are you doing here thief? Come to steal from the king himself? That will be the death for you then. He’ll have your head if you try such a thing.”
“No, I’m not here to steal. I request an audience with the king.”
Another round of laughter. “You? An audience? With the king??? Of course, you know his advisors will never grant your request, not with your reputation!!!”
“I have some news about the witches, the king wants them all dead right? I can help him with that.”
The guards then exchanged glances and then one signified to the other, after communicating, one of them then ran inside to call the chief while the second one stayed with Rabbi outside, they were following the order to report to Krone immediately if anyone came with news about the witches.
Chief Krone then came shortly after with the guard who assumed back to his position on the other side of the gate.
“Welcome to the palace peasant, I never thought I would see a day when the thief would not come to steal.”
Rabbi didn’t have time for any pleasantries, he was here on business. “Can I see the king now?”
“Patience, young lad, you will wait very long if you want to see the king, but if you cannot wait, you can tell me what you know and be on your way.”
“No, I will wait thank you.”
“Very well then, come inside.”
Rabbi was led to the waiting room, there was a long line of guests who also wanted to see the king, many of which were seated. He took a seat and then waited for a long time. He had already spent half the day waiting before it finally became his turn and he was then called in to see King William during visiting time.
The guard led him to the King’s court where King William was seated on his throne, dressed in his royal garments with a golden crown placed on his head, Rabbi could already see himself on that throne in a matter of years, he might not have to even wait that long if King William dies on time, he thought evilly in his mind. The kings’ royal advisor stood beside him, whispering some words into his ear, probably information about the one who had come to see him.
“Do not waste my time young peasant!” The king’s voice thudded through the court. “Low lives like you do not get this opportunity very often so you should count yourself lucky, and this news you have about the witches, it better be good!”
Rabbi bowed, “long live the king sire. I come bearing great news that will force your enemies to tremble on their knees.”
A pause, the king already liked the manner in which Rabbi spoke. “Go on.”
“The witches’ sire, I know the secret that can help you rid this good world of their existence once and for all.”
The whole court became silent then, and all mumbles ceased, everyone suddenly became interested in what this young peasant had to say. Rabbi continued.
“We do not need any special powers to defeat them, all you need is your silver, as they are already vulnerable to attacks. The barrier that protected their lands for 200 years is no more, it is now penetrable by humans.”
“I see. And how do you know of this information?”
“Because I met one of them a year ago.”
“You met one of the witches a year ago? And you failed to report this??? Young man, do you know what form of unspeakable offence you committed by doing that? And this witch… where is she now?”
“She’s returned to her home in the drawls sire, do not worry, you will have them all at your disposal now that the shield that once protected them is no more. I am sorry for not reporting this sooner sire, now I realize that I should have done so the minute I found out she was a witch.”
“It is forgiven,” the king said, and then nodded to Krone who retrieved a sac of gold coins from the treasury and threw it in front of Rabbi.
“But sire… this is not the reward you promised in your proclamation.”
“The reward I promised was for if you helped me kill or capture the witches and bring evidence here, you didn’t do that, you only came here to give me information which I am very much appreciative of and to which I honor with the king’s gold, I will capture them myself since you failed to do that. Now take your reward and leave.”
The answer infuriated Rabbi, he’d just been played. Why did he have to come all the way here for this? Why did he have to wait for so long just to get an audience? If he wanted a sack of gold coins then he would have just gone to the usual marketplace instead, he didn’t know when he started thinking out loud, he didn’t know when his angry words began to spring to life.