Silent Nights

Silent Nights

 

          A long time ago, silent Saturday nights were once the best nights. I was the king of these nights. Only I had a say in what I could do. For on these nights I would be alone. I would sneak out of the family mansion. I would hop the fence that served as a barrier to the surrounding countryside.

          I would steal away into the woods, unwatched by none but my owl friends. These nights belonged to me.

          Ever since I had inherited my parent’s fortune, I had been known as the Orphan Millionaire. Only Saturday night would I be safe to return once more to the forests I loved. An accident between my father and his slave, the pregnant slave woman, my mother, had been banished to the outskirts of his vast empire.

          The b*****d who had been my father was a king, and a tyrant. He ruled his people without mercy. When my mother died, nobody took notice. Only I was left to weep. Nobody cared for anybody but themselves. Even though I was the tyrant’s first born son, I had as much influence as a slave.

          But that was before he died. When it was decided that the title of king was granted to the first born son of the last king, I will never know. I know however that only the king can give up his power to another. As I was only the age of 15, and had no experience I had no choice.

          I gave up the title but not all of it. As the first council member, I had only limited power, but enough to help spread peace. It was law that council members could rest on Saturdays. So every Saturday night, I would disappear into the night.

 

          Now as my bones grow old, I remember those silent nights alone in the forest with the owls.

 

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a short story about a man's life as the son of a king.