The Kings Wits | Teen Ink

The Kings Wits

April 28, 2023
By Amnesia25 BRONZE, Mufreesboro, Tennessee
Amnesia25 BRONZE, Mufreesboro, Tennessee
1 article 0 photos 0 comments

I remember the day I walked in the king’s palace with amazement. The glowing chandeliers and prestige royal guards, yet the king had a special plan for me, a special glare that gave me a false purpose. The end falls with a treacherous and bitter taste. Hear story and hear it well; for betrayal is among all of us. 
Back then, I was a novice blacksmith. I worked for my father who taught me these skills and made swords for the king’s soldiers. One day as I was doing my usual laborious work, with a drop of sweat with every swing on the molten iron; A messenger came- claiming he was sent by the king to inform me of a summon for my skills. My skills? I’m just a lowly blacksmith, what would the king want from me? But as the messenger left, my father patted me on my back and congratulated me for my hard work as it was noticed by the king! The note entailed that I must wake up at the call of dawn and ride the carriage to the palace entrance to talk to him. Reading that I was ecstatic for what was to come and ended up staying up until the carriage arrived. 
Soon I arrived at the glorious palace gates with its beautiful vines wrapping its column as it needed to be held; entwined as one pillar. When I opened the gates, I was greeted with more luxurious scenes, stood in front of me was a line of a meticulously kept garden with pink trees and purple flowers that stood diligently, which encased the lustrous trees. Next, I entered the grand hall with royal guards and importantly, The King and Queen. 
The king welcomed me warmly yet solemnly, and we spoke about various topics over the war, the country’s needs, and for better people like me. He asked me about my family’s well-being as I was happy to tell him I was an honored blacksmith in my town and I made the best swords out there, which was a lie, but I loved the king’s grand laugh as he held in disbelief. The Queen, however, was aloof and paid no attention to the situation but stared distantly into the windows artwork. 
The evening was passing as I was telling my whole life story, before I knew it, it was time to know my true purpose. The king tells me that the war is in dire need of weaponry and was needing a skilled blacksmith to work near the palace, I was elated to hear that I would be serving in the royal town and getting to work for the king. The king then smiled and directed me to a guard who then took me to my personal chamber. 
In the morning I woke up to guards at my door with the king looking at me with a dire, grim look. “You have charged with murder Cais, you shall sit in the dungeon until your execution. I was stunned and I said that I was sleeping and had no knowledge of even committing to such a crime but just as I could mutter my case, I was striked in the neck by a guard which said “Silence.” and soon enough: I awoke in a dungeon. 
The dungeon had cobwebs and blood around the floor from previous struggle I had assumed. But the only thoughts that had filled my mind was what I had been accused of, killing the queen? I did nothing and didn’t even have a conversation with the queen beforehand and had no grudge against either of the royal members. I sat in discontent and disbelief of the matter, what had I done for the king to accuse me of his wife’s murder? All these questions had baffled me into insanity as my end was near and I had no hand in what had happened.  
After a day or two, a person had shown up. Due to the darkness of the dungeon, I could not see but I swear, the person had an angelic voice which unlocked the chamber and said “It was not you; he is corrupt. Run away and seek his death avenger.”  
Soon after I bolted out the door and made it into a forest nearby. My desperate need to leave caused my heart to beat out of sync and matched that of a bullet ricocheting around. I finally after a couple minutes of running made it into a clearing and saw a house. It seemed to be the home of a blacksmith as there was a forge in the back but more importantly, I was thinking of what I should do. I cannot return home as they will capture my family until I return for execution. I cannot go into a new town as my face with be on every house for a probable bounty of millions. I soon calm myself as I realize my only ticket to survive is possibly listening to the angel I met earlier. My goal now is to kill the king for his mistake in picking me as his lamb to slaughter. 
I knocked on the door to the cabin I met previously, a man opens the door with a grin. “What can I do for you sir?” I begged if I could use his forge to craft a sword, I was a blacksmith as well and needed to kill a man that slaughtered my family. The man looked and me and solemnly nodded. “I will help you sir, in hopes you may succeed.” I nodded and thanked him accordingly. “Sir, you I could not thank you enough. May God bless my sword.” 
A few days after I began working with this man. I learned the man’s name was Jerald. He had told me a story of why he was alone in his cabin, being in the same position I am. He kept the regret as his family was not avenged. I couldn’t feel sorry for what had happened to Jerald, but I had to focus on my goal and not the people I couldn’t help. 
The sword was done, and I had to slay the king. Jerald waved as I snuck into the king’s palace in the quiet yet infuriated night. I had known sense I met with Jerald that the king was staying in palace courtyard for a final battle. With my grip around my crafted sword, I entered the courtyard. The king stood with a maniacal look in his eyes. I stood with steady knees and heavy doubts in my eyes, but I was determined to fight with the best of my abilities.  
The duel was fervent and had lasted for what felt like eternity. But the king did fall and kneeled to the ground before me. To my surprise, the king confessed. He admitted that he had killed his wife out of fear of being exposed to the rumor of him cheating. He begged for my mercy, but I could not grant it. He had taken the life of the innocent queen, and he had to pay for his crime.  
 
 


The author's comments:

Being in Highschool as a 15 year old striving to better my writing, i joined a creative writing class and created this as a result. I hope to achieve at least a mention for this piece but if not then I will continue my writing curriculum to its fullest. 


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