The Story of William: Part 4

CHAPTER 4

             William looked for a way to escape if he needed to, and saw a passage leading out of the room.  The man didn’t attack him, but instead said in a deep voice, “What brings you here into the kitchen of the king?” before William could answer, the man spoke again. “Speak up, lad.  I can’t sit around waiting all day long.”  William spoke up a little timidly at first, but then loudly.  “My name is William.” he said, “I have an important message for the king of Anthropoly.”  

            The man looked at William with question in his eyes.  “Why did you sneak in by the kitchen then, ‘important’ messenger?” he said, a little playfully.

            “I am a stranger in these parts.”  William said.  “I have come all the way past the canyon, and did not know that this was the wrong entry door.”  William paused and looked at the knife in the man’s hand.  “If you will show me the right way in, I will go away in peace, and not make any trouble.”

            The man’s knife lowered to the table.  “If what you say is really true,” he said “And that you have come from past the canyon, I will bring you to the king myself.  But first,” he said, with a twinkle in his eye, “You will have something to eat.”

            The cook walked over to the the counter, and sliced a bit of boar from the carcass he had just bent over.  He had seen William eyeing it hungrily.  The cook proceeded to put some fruits on the plate, “A rare delicacy” he said.  “Food good enough for the king himself!”  He put the plate in front of William.

            “What is the king like?”  William asked.  “The king,” the cook responded, “Is fair, but he is also just.  He used to be a harsh young prince, but then one day, a messenger arrived and gave him a message.  They say that the messenger was sent by the King himself, all the way from the nothern point of the world.”

            “What was the message?” William wondered.  “The message wasn’t really important, you might say.  The messenger said that the king would die within seven days.  Nobody was surprised; the king was very sick most of the time.  The prince, however,  thought that his unkindness had brought the sickness upon his father.  The king died several days later.”

            “Now,” the cook continued, “I will take you to see the king, his most royal majesty, Opher.”