To The King | Teen Ink

To The King

December 13, 2019
By Anonymous

Author's note:

This is my first type of these things; feel free to give any helpful feedback.

Out in the cold, unforgiving streets of Galaoron, Joseph, a 10 year old boy, wanders the streets, scavenging for food, even a crumb.

 “Oh, how I yearn for a crumb.”

He kept walking, not knowing the definition of the words, but feeling it was the right decision. 

But Joseph felt he needed better treatment. But he was too hungry to even pay any mind towards these things. 

“I need to find something to eat.”Joseph says with a gasp.

Then he had an idea. 

“Why not go to the king, and try to get a new life.” Joseph said in surprise.

Joseph turned toward the castle.

“Well, I’m on my way.”

Waving goodbye to the baker, he was on his way, with a sack full of bread. 

 

Joseph walked into the forest. Proud as he possibly could, he skipped, singing a tiny melody he learned from his mother. But Joseph felt shivers up his spine. He knew something was wrong. He looked around, in question. 

“Hello, is anyone there? I’m just a boy.”Joseph let out, scared.

Suddenly, he heard two or three men. 

“Shh…” a voice whispered.

“It’s a fox. Bobby, get the bow.”the voice said quietly, hungry and desperate. 

As Joseph heard the arrow loading into the bow, he knew to run. And he knew that the arrow of the bow would gladly kill him.

Without hesitation, Joseph ran to safety. Soon after, the two men followed. The only thing he heard was the rapid clomping of the horses, and arrows flying by his head, both getting closer by the second. Finally , by the time he had crossed the rope-bridge, the two hungry hunters, tired and scared of the rapids, gave up and left to find other prey. 


“That was too close,”Joseph said, out of breath. 

An as the sun dozed off to sleep, Joseph looked for a safe place to nap.


Not getting a well deserved rest, Joseph was a basic walking corpse. In desperation, he looked around.

“Certainly, there is an inn nearby. It has been two weeks since my last full stomach.”Joseph said. Then he started thinking. 

“Our hierarchy holds peasants like me, back from being even a tradesmen. But if you were rich, you would be able to do so many things, but thought of themselves as too good to consider talking to peasants/ most tradesmen or tradeswomen.”he thought to himself. He then thought that his life and this pilgrimage had been so long. (For him.) He thought how far he had gone, the challenge of life, birth to death. He thought what should he wish when he talked to the king. A ten year old boy should not be here, a peasant at that. So what would he say. But after his brainstorm, he saw it.

“An inn!”Joseph exclaimed, with joyce. “And it is so close to the castle, I could go now!”

But first, he needed a break. Maybe a drink, or some ale. Either or, he would be suited.


He walked in, the smell of beer and pork filled his nostrils, and with a sigh of relief, he sat down. But he did not realize he bumped a knight. 


“Hey, watch it buddy, your only a mer-”the knight said as he stopped. 

“Do I know you?” the knight said.

“I don’t know. Your face seems familiar.” Joseph said. 

“Hey…” The knight said. 

By this point, they both caught the attention of every person there, in the bar. The knight’s boys locked. Then they both realized.


“Dad!” Joseph yelled

“JoJo!” the knight cried out.

As they both hugged, everyone turned back to their drinks. 

“Dad!” Joseph said once again, feeling so happy for a hug. But then he thought. Where did he go? Why did he leave? 

“Dad, I have a question. Where did you go?” he said with a sad face.

Sir Harry(Joseph’s father)had known Joseph would say this, and as his smile dropped from his face, he knew what to say. 

“Son, let me tell you something.”

And then the story began, why Joseph had been so smart, and why he had left him.


“We were home alone, one night. You were sleeping, as your mother and I. But then, a fire broke loose. I woke up your mother, and I woke you up. But then, as the house burnt, your mother left, and I only had you,” the father said. “But when it came time for my work as a noble, I was forced to leave you. They tried killing you in the inner walls, but they wouldn’t dare kill you in the peasant lands. As you were given to the baker, I had to leave.” the father told Joseph, resting himself.

Suddenly, Joseph understood, and said “It’s okay.”

As they both hugged, for the last time they did not know, Joseph left. Out of the inn, into the outdoors, once again. As he was there, he sang a melody.

 

 

To the king I go!

To the king, jolly-ho!

Almost got killed by a man!

Saved myself then!


To the king I go!

To the king, jolly-ho!

Met my father that left me!

Did it very secretly!


As he made it to the entrance, two knights stopped him. 

“Halt! Who are you?” the knights strictly scolded. 

“I am a boy that wishes to see the king.” Joseph whispered back.

The knights laughed, and as they did, Joseph snuck by.


By the time he saw the king, his heart raced. 

“Boy! What is your authority here!” the king scolded, louder than the knights.

“I am here to tell you my wish.”Joseph said with a stutter.

As the king laughed, he told Joseph this.

“Alright then. I feel generous, so I will grant you what you want.”

Joseph was never sure he’d make it this far, so he was unsure. But then he knew what to say. 

“I want me and my father, Sir Harry, to live in luxury without any troubles,” he confidently stated. 

“Alright, I will grant you your wish”the king let out after a thought.

But before Joseph could celebrate, the king stopped him.

“But!” the king smirked. “You cannot live in luxury, you peasant.” 

“And I’m guessing I cannot live with him, because of my class.”Joseph sarcastically stated..

“Then I guess I will let him live like that.

And after being thrown out (Literally) into the road, he walked back, thinking of his journey, and what to say to the baker, or what to do next. And as he returned to Galaoron, he had laid in the streets, like usual, and thought of a life he gave up. 



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