by Chuck Black
The Noble Knight stood dumbfounded and afraid. The knight that had fallen was now on his feet and slowly moving toward the Prince and the sword-less knight. The Prince placed a sword at the neck of the knight he’d just beaten and moved him toward the approaching knight with the edge of His blade.
“Drop your sword,” the Prince said.
I knew these knights were not used to being humbled, but better judgment prevented the knight from meeting a senseless death. He dropped his sword.
“Take your unconscious friend and leave,” the Prince said. “And tell Kifus that he must do his own dirty work in the future.”
As they turned to pick up the other knight, one of the knights turned back toward the Prince. “Are you truly the King’s Son?” he asked.
The Prince studied his face and said, “What does your heart tell you?”
The Noble Knight was silent. Then they all turned and left.
THE TEAR
William, Rob, and I walked with the Prince through the streets of the poorest quarter of Chessington one morning before our training began. The crisp air and fresh sunrise were overshadowed by the absence of joy. The sounds of playful, giggling children had been replaced by moans of hunger as they rummaged for a scrap of food. The early morning song of motherhood had been exchanged for the wail of a suckling babe with no milk to drink. The poverty of Chessington had grown to encompass thousands of its citizens, and the Noble Knights did not seem to notice or care.
I longed to leave these wretched streets, for I could not bear the pain. But the Master lingered in solemn silence.
“My Lord,” I said softly, “shouldn’t we be on our way to begin our training?” I’d hoped to move on to the country, away from such despair.
As the Prince turned toward me, I saw deep sadness in His face. A tear fell from His cheek and was swallowed by the dust at our feet.
“Your training is here today, Cedric,” the Prince said. “Bring the rest of My knights here as quickly as you can.”
“Yes, my Prince,” I said.
We left at once and found the rest of our brothers at the training site.
When we returned, I was once again astonished by what I saw. The Prince was sitting on a stump with children all around Him listening to a story He was telling. Two were sitting on His lap. Children! Children covered in dirt and filth. Why would the mightiest warrior in the kingdom waste time with children? It seemed like such a contradiction. Power, might, strength, and wisdom matched equally with kindness, compassion, and gentleness, all in one man—the King’s Son.
He finished the story before addressing us. “Gentlemen, you will feed these people.”
We looked at each other rather stupidly, and I was trying to decide if I’d heard right.
“How many people, my Lord?” Rob asked.
“All of them.”
Although I had seen many amazing things done by the Prince, I don’t believe I was alone in thinking that He had crossed the line of rationality. There were thousands of poor people, maybe more. How could we possibly provide for such a mass of hunger?
“My Lord,” William said, “I told You I will never forget the poor, and I won’t. We will gladly feed them if there is some way, but You are asking the impossible.”
“Today, William, you will begin to fulfill your duty in remembering the poor. You all will, for this is the meaning of the Code. Go to the docks. There you will find ships full of provisions sent from My Father at My request. Organize yourselves in teams of two, and deliver these provisions to each home. Do not miss a single household.”
It was just as the Prince said. All the knights worked day and night until every home had food. It was glorious work. None of the knights complained at the labor but instead stepped with light feet as each delivery was made.
The people wept with gratefulness. We wept with joy. Children jumped with glee at such a grand gift.
Here was Compassion that acted. I had never seen its equal.
NO ESCAPE
We had learned much. In nine short months, the Prince had raised us from the depths of poverty-torn peasants to the heights of knighthood. The Prince spent as much time teaching us how to honor the Code and the King as He did on how to handle our swords.
As we learned more from Him, we learned more about Him. There was something divine in His nature. I feared Him for His power. I revered Him for His skill. I followed Him for His wisdom. But I served Him for His goodness.
How was it possible that one man could touch another man’s life and change it so drastically? I was no longer Cedric the peasant. I was Cedric, Knight of the Prince. This honor did not come because I was able to make a knight of myself, but because the Prince chose to make a knight of me.
Why me? The question would not leave my mind.
The sun scorched the countryside, but we pressed on with our training. We broke midafternoon to quench our thirst and eat bread. Beneath the shade of a small grove of trees, the Prince spoke.
“Gentlemen, I am pleased with your training. You are all capable warriors now. You must fully understand the meaning of the Code and bury it in your hearts. To live by the Code is to love and serve the King, and to love and serve each other. Without the Code, your newfound skills with the sword are meaningless and will eventually destroy you. Remember what I have taught you. You must recruit and teach others. My words will guide you in the future.”
Sadness fell upon me as I listened to His words. Why did they sink my heart so? Surely this was not the end.
“My time with you is over.” The Prince spoke the words I had been dreading, though He had warned us of this day.
Shock and fear swept over me, and whispers and murmurs rose in volume around me.
“What do You mean, my Prince?” a fellow knight asked.
“Your training is complete. I have received word from My Father and must return to His kingdom. One day, I will send for all of you, and you will come and feast with Me in His kingdom. But for now your work is here.”
“My Lord, we have so much more to learn from You,” another knight said. “We cannot possibly be prepared to take on the Dark Knight and his—”
A thunderous noise came from the north and grew louder with each passing moment. No, it was from the west. No, it surrounded us from all sides. The sound of the pounding of horses’ hooves engulfed us. We drew swords and looked for a place of retreat but found none. Fear came as quickly as the horses.
One hundred Noble Knights with their mounts soon encircled our position. The countenance of Kifus made clear that his intention was war. We were outnumbered nearly four to one, and they were mounted.
Today we die, I thought.
“Be still!” came the confident voice of the Prince.
“Today your lies and blasphemies end,” Kifus said. “Your death and the deaths of your petty servants will restore order to this kingdom once and for all!”
“Remember, My knights,” the Prince said to us, “your fight is with the Dark Knight and his Shadow Warriors. This is not your time.”
The Prince walked toward Kifus without His sword drawn. If this battle were to happen, I knew we would all die. Our fight would be noble but futile. Only the Prince had the power and skill to defeat these vicious opponents. At least He would survive. I knew this to be true.
Midway in the gulf between Kifus and our men, the Prince stopped and spoke. “Kifus, your grievance is with Me, not My men. Spare the needless spilling of blood and let My men leave peacefully. I will come to you unarmed as your captive.”
The Prince had the power to live, yet He offered His life for us? Why didn’t He heed our warning? How could a man this wise allow such a thing to happen?
I did not know what to feel. Gratitude, anger, humiliation, and fear meshed together, leaving only a feeling of impending defeat.
Kifus sat smugly on his horse and seemed to enjoy the moment of power and control. He’d won. Revenge for his humiliation at the sword of this impostor obviously tasted s
weet, though I knew deep down he was relieved that he did not have to face the Prince’s sword again.
“So let it be,” Kifus said. “Make way!”
Behind us, the circle of Noble Knights broke open to allow us passage. No one moved. How could we abandon the Master we had come to love, trust, and serve?
“Gentlemen, you must leave,” the Prince said. “Remember the Code. Live the Code. Continue the Code, or all that I have done is for naught. Leave in peace.”
One by one, the Knights of the Prince turned and walked through the circle of certain death. My own cowardice caused me to turn and leave. Once beyond the break, we ran like frightened, homeless children.
I was ashamed!
From the crest of a hill, I peered and saw a dreadful scene unfold. The deadly circle of Noble Knights hesitated in their advance as the Prince drew His sword. He looked down at its beauty and then to the hills.
Kifus reached for his sword, but it was not needed. The Prince drew back and threw the magnificent sword into the sky. It slowly rotated end over end, and the sun occasionally gleamed off its steel as it arched high above the Noble Knights and beyond the clearing. It disappeared far into the thick trees and brush of the forested hills.
He had chosen a silent surrender. The Noble Knights collapsed on him. The powerful hands of the Prince were empty.
A TIME TO WEEP
I tried to awaken from this bad dream, but morning did not come. Our small group of would-be knights had scattered. We feared for our lives now. Once they had eliminated the Prince, nothing could stop the Noble Knights from hunting us down and executing us for treason. Our strength and confidence abandoned us when we abandoned the Prince.
I was back in my peasant rags, attempting to hide. Now I was poor, hungry, and hunted. Worst of all, I was alone. It was a loneliness that surely would last forever.
I sat beneath the shade of an awning just off the street where I had first met “the stranger.” So much had transpired since then. Two men were talking as they passed by.
“The hangin’ is this afternoon,” I heard an old man say to another.
“I knew that stranger was an impostor all along,” the second man said. “Kifus should’ve strung ’im up a long time ago.”
“Maybe, but I didn’t see you complainin’ when He was handin’ food to ya!”
“Hey, anytime there’s a free lunch to be had, I ain’t gonna complain. But it don’t mean I believed what He said.” He spit to emphasize his disgust.
“Still, I don’t see how such a man …”
The words drifted into the distance along with my thoughts.
I began questioning my own belief in the Prince. If He truly was the King’s Son, why would His life stop at the end of a rope tied by the very men sworn to serve the King? Nothing made sense anymore. My mind ran through thick fog searching for clarity, but found none. I wanted the earth to open up and swallow all evidence of Cedric the peasant.
THE SQUARE WAS PACKED with people. Near the center was the large oak tree. I forced my eyes to search, and I found it—from one of the large limbs hung a rope. I found a corner between two buildings and faded into the shadows, as did my heart.
Kifus led his death procession of Noble Knights around the perimeter of the square, displaying the Prince as though He were some prize catch of the day. His hands were bound, and His head was bruised and bleeding, as was His back. My soul was tormented to see Him this way.
Some people were laughing and jeering; some were crying.
Why? Why is this happening? I could not bear it any longer and hid my face in the brick and mortar of the wall. I stole a last glance and caught the eyes of the Prince looking my way as the procession passed.
Even now, on the verge of His death, His eyes held no fear. What I saw was tender compassion. The true power and strength of this man was in His great ability to love in spite of all tragedy. Now I fully understood the Code. The Prince lived the Code. The Prince was the Code.
My doubts were gone, but my despair was not. I felt so helpless. He had saved my life once. Now He was dying for me, and there was nothing I could do but watch.
Kifus led the Prince to the oak tree, placed Him on a horse, and slipped the rope about His neck.
Where was the army of the King to save His Son from death? Didn’t He care? Did He even know the peril His Son was in? Where were the Silent Warriors?
Kifus spoke loudly for all to hear. “People of Arrethtrae, this man is guilty of treason against the King and against you. He has lied to you and misled you. He brings chaos to the kingdom. Today, justice is served!”
Kifus slapped the horse, and the Prince hanged. No army, no help, only silence—a silence that gripped the people as we watched our hope of a better kingdom die with this man.
I turned and ran to the hills. The trees and sky were blurred by my tears. I ran until I felt that my lungs would burst. At last I collapsed beneath a sprawling tree. The tall grass swallowed me, and I wept bitterly.
It truly was over.
A NEW BEGINNING
The sun was nearing the horizon before I found enough energy to move. My tears were gone and so was my hope. I raised myself to my knees and wiped away the trails of dirt on my face. What now? I wondered.
My head hurt and my soul was empty.
Still on my knees, I looked over the grass and brush and realized that my blind run had brought me to familiar country. Our training area was nearby. I moved to stand up, but my eyes caught a glimpse of the unbelievable. Just an arm’s length away was the Prince’s sword, its blade embedded in the soft soil.
I stood and pulled the sword from the ground and held it before me in open palms. The memories of the Prince came back to me like a flood.
“Why did You have to die?” I asked out loud, certain that I would never find an answer.
“Cedric, what are we going to do?” William tried to break into my muddled thoughts as I stared at nothing.
Most of the Knights of the Prince had been scattered, but we had managed to meet with a dozen fellow knights in secret. Barrett’s shop had a back room with no windows. We locked the doors and spoke in hushed tones.
“Yes, Cedric, what happens now?” Rob asked. “Do we try to get to another city or flee the kingdom altogether?”
“No,” I finally said. “First we must honor the memory of the Prince and give Him a proper burial.”
“What!” Rob said. “Are you mad, Cedric? The Noble Knights have purposely left His body hanging from that tree as a message to all the people. If we try to take Him down, we’ll be found out and killed immediately!”
“Not if we go now, Rob,” I said. “It’s the middle of the night, and we can be quick about it. They have posted only two guards. Some of us can set up a diversion while the others cut down the body. This is something we must do. They have disgraced the Prince and the King!”
A long moment of silence was my only answer. I moved toward the door hoping that at least a few men would follow. Some did.
William, Rob, Barrett, and I stealthily moved from street to street, making our way toward the square. The others stayed behind.
“How are we going to do this with only four of us?” William whispered as we crossed our last street before reaching the square.
“I’m not sure,” I whispered back. “Let’s take a look at the square from behind that brick wall by those trees. We’ll form a plan from there.”
We moved carefully to the low brick wall. Our backs were completely covered by the thick trees on one side, and the brick wall protected the other. From this vantage point, we could easily see the entire square, including the large oak tree in the center, thanks to the light of a half-moon.
Something was wrong.
My eyes were fully adjusted to the dim light, but I could not see the body of the Prince. I forced my eyes to decipher what must be an illusion caused by shadows. As I focused more carefully, I could see the rope, but His body was gone.
© Marcella John
son
“What did they do with His body?” I asked the other three.
“I don’t know,” Barrett said. “But look on the ground beneath the tree. The guards are either asleep or knocked out cold.”
“I don’t like this, Cedric,” Rob said. “Let’s get out of here before we’re found out and hanged ourselves.”
At that moment, we froze and my heart nearly stopped beating. Just a few feet away, on the other side of the brick wall, stood a large man. In our earnest desire to see what had happened at the oak tree, this fellow must have quietly made his way to our cover and was now upon us.
“Why do you look for the Prince here?” the man said in a thick accent I’d never heard before.
“We came to bury the body,” I said. “Can you tell us where they’ve taken the body, sir? Where is the Prince?”
The large fellow gave a slight chuckle. “Do not worry. The Prince will find you!”
With the speed of a cat, he jumped the brick wall and disappeared into the shadows of some trees. I thought I heard a scrape of steel on brick as he crossed the wall. He was gone as quickly as he appeared.
“What is that supposed to mean?” William asked.
“I don’t know,” I said. “But I agree with Rob. It’s time to leave this place. Let’s get back to Barrett’s shop.”
“WHAT DO YOU MEAN someone’s taken the body?” asked Jonathan, one of the other knights in Barrett’s back room. “Surely it must have been the Noble Knights. No one is foolish enough to try such a risky task—present company excluded, of course.”
“Look, if it was the Noble Knights, then why were two guards sleeping beneath an empty oak tree in the middle of the square?” Rob asked. “The guards must have been overtaken and knocked out. Then someone took the body. I don’t know why, but maybe it was the large fellow who nearly scared us out of our wits.”