"I also brought some exotic goods from my homeland." I clapped my hands once.
Four servants, each carrying a silver casket, made their way to the front of the dais and lined themselves up next to me.
I opened the first casket. "Dates, a delicacy from Telfar."
"WHOO!" went the crowd.
I moved to the second casket. "Figs!"
"AWWW!" gave the crowd.
I flipped open the third one. "Spices," I said, lifting one of the many bottles filling the casket.
Loud cheers rose from the crowd.
I approached the fourth and last casket. "This one holds a special treat for His Majesty—ALMONDS!"
The crowd gasped in horror.
Appalled, the king leapt to his feet and roared, "How dare you bring these despicable things into my castle!"
"I . . . it's . . . they're just almonds—nuts."
"NUTS! They are far worse than that!"
"But . . . but, I was told that those were your favorite. Honestly, I cannot see what harm almonds can do."
The king's face became a twisted mask of anger while scandalized mutterings arose from the assembly. In panic, I searched the crowd for Prince Diego and his lady friend and found them staring at me with genuine concern. Their faces couldn't be any paler, I thought. I watched the lady place a hand on her lips and bow her head. Yes, my dear, you're right. I sighed. I knew what I had to do.
Bowing low to the king, I said, "Your Majesty, I apologize for my ignorance. Perhaps if you enlighten me I may come to understand the root of my mistake."
After a period of hesitation, spent staring at me as if I were a scorpion, the king sat back down on his throne and said, "Almonds have been banned from this court, castle, and surrounding villages since someone attempted to poison me with an almond cake. Almond's smell and taste can conceal certain poisons."
I nodded. "Cassava root extract."
"Yes. I believe this was the poison used in the attempt against my life. That day, I was saved from certain death by an ill-mannered hound. Good old Boris snatched the poisoned cake from my plate before I could take a fatal bite. Since then my taste for these nuts has waned."
Lars stepped forward. "Uncle, I will supervise the destruction of these treacherous gifts. The castle will be cleansed of their threat; you have my word on this."
My eyes widened in disbelief. Destroy my gifts! Surely he won't do such a thing—I must have misunderstood.
The king made a slight nod. "I trust you to see to it, nephew."
I clenched my teeth hard. Of course, he's doing it; he's nothing but a savage with a title . Even though I was boiling with anger, I told myself to hold my tongue. But when Lars motioned for all the servants to withdraw from the room, I had to speak. "Your Majesty, only the nuts offend you. The spices and fruits cannot cause you any harm."
"They were stored near the nuts, weren't they," grumbled the king.
"I'm afraid so." I glared at Lars. He stared back at me with a small smile of satisfaction. Oh how I wished I could have wiped the smirk off his face, with my fists preferably. Clearly, Lars was overjoyed by my mistake, and even more by the business of burning my precious gifts. With rancor, I watched him leave the court.
An awkward silence followed Lars's departure. Gathering my courage, I managed to blurt out, "I have a few more gifts for His Majesty."
The king did not respond, which I didn't see as a good omen. So it was with much apprehension that I clapped my hands again. Servants made their way to the front of the court. The two in front carried a rolled-up rug while the third one held a tall obelisk-shaped object covered by a red silk shawl.
"I had these commissioned especially for you, Your Majesty." On my sign, the servants unrolled the rug, revealing that it was in fact the skin of a giant brown bear. Not a peep was uttered by the crowd.
Paying no attention to this unusual silence, I moved to the tall obelisk and pulled on the silk covering unveiling a black eagle in a gold cage. Filled with the hope that I'd
Four servants, each carrying a silver casket, made their way to the front of the dais and lined themselves up next to me.
I opened the first casket. "Dates, a delicacy from Telfar."
"WHOO!" went the crowd.
I moved to the second casket. "Figs!"
"AWWW!" gave the crowd.
I flipped open the third one. "Spices," I said, lifting one of the many bottles filling the casket.
Loud cheers rose from the crowd.
I approached the fourth and last casket. "This one holds a special treat for His Majesty—ALMONDS!"
The crowd gasped in horror.
Appalled, the king leapt to his feet and roared, "How dare you bring these despicable things into my castle!"
"I . . . it's . . . they're just almonds—nuts."
"NUTS! They are far worse than that!"
"But . . . but, I was told that those were your favorite. Honestly, I cannot see what harm almonds can do."
The king's face became a twisted mask of anger while scandalized mutterings arose from the assembly. In panic, I searched the crowd for Prince Diego and his lady friend and found them staring at me with genuine concern. Their faces couldn't be any paler, I thought. I watched the lady place a hand on her lips and bow her head. Yes, my dear, you're right. I sighed. I knew what I had to do.
Bowing low to the king, I said, "Your Majesty, I apologize for my ignorance. Perhaps if you enlighten me I may come to understand the root of my mistake."
After a period of hesitation, spent staring at me as if I were a scorpion, the king sat back down on his throne and said, "Almonds have been banned from this court, castle, and surrounding villages since someone attempted to poison me with an almond cake. Almond's smell and taste can conceal certain poisons."
I nodded. "Cassava root extract."
"Yes. I believe this was the poison used in the attempt against my life. That day, I was saved from certain death by an ill-mannered hound. Good old Boris snatched the poisoned cake from my plate before I could take a fatal bite. Since then my taste for these nuts has waned."
Lars stepped forward. "Uncle, I will supervise the destruction of these treacherous gifts. The castle will be cleansed of their threat; you have my word on this."
My eyes widened in disbelief. Destroy my gifts! Surely he won't do such a thing—I must have misunderstood.
The king made a slight nod. "I trust you to see to it, nephew."
I clenched my teeth hard. Of course, he's doing it; he's nothing but a savage with a title . Even though I was boiling with anger, I told myself to hold my tongue. But when Lars motioned for all the servants to withdraw from the room, I had to speak. "Your Majesty, only the nuts offend you. The spices and fruits cannot cause you any harm."
"They were stored near the nuts, weren't they," grumbled the king.
"I'm afraid so." I glared at Lars. He stared back at me with a small smile of satisfaction. Oh how I wished I could have wiped the smirk off his face, with my fists preferably. Clearly, Lars was overjoyed by my mistake, and even more by the business of burning my precious gifts. With rancor, I watched him leave the court.
An awkward silence followed Lars's departure. Gathering my courage, I managed to blurt out, "I have a few more gifts for His Majesty."
The king did not respond, which I didn't see as a good omen. So it was with much apprehension that I clapped my hands again. Servants made their way to the front of the court. The two in front carried a rolled-up rug while the third one held a tall obelisk-shaped object covered by a red silk shawl.
"I had these commissioned especially for you, Your Majesty." On my sign, the servants unrolled the rug, revealing that it was in fact the skin of a giant brown bear. Not a peep was uttered by the crowd.
Paying no attention to this unusual silence, I moved to the tall obelisk and pulled on the silk covering unveiling a black eagle in a gold cage. Filled with the hope that I'd
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