Finding a Way

I set up the story.

Tears flowed down my cheeks. They slowly dripped to the floor, slipping through the cracks in the wood. I called out for my father. I missed his hugs-the fatherly hugs I once enjoyed.

"It'll be okay, Jeremiah." is what my Uncle Cain would always say. He said it every morning when I cried, and every night when my tears had depleted.

My uncle always talked to me about how much he loved my father. Talking about the great times they had.

"Oh Abiyram, you were the younger brother I didn't deserve." he would always say.

I moved out of his house when I turned eighteen. I moved into my father's house the day I left. I became a rich man, well after the financial problems.

My servant, Aiden helped me overcome these issues. Aiden also advised that I should try to become a member of the city council.

After many attempts at pleasing the members of the council, they finally accepted me. I became even more rich.

Even with all my wealth, I still was not happy. My father had always wanted to free the slaves, all of the slaves. The Kingdom of Reynard had many slaves, more than any one man could save.

My father at first tried negotiations, he tried speaking with the king, the city council, everyone. That came back and hit him in the face.

Next he secretly built a small slave rebellion team. They set free slaves and helped them get free of the city.

Soon, though, his slave rebellion was overthrown. He was the only survivor. He didn't tell anyone of his previous occupation, except me of course.

He taught me the way of the sword, acrobatics, everything I needed to be a slave rebel. He told me that he would begin a new slave rebellion and would let me join him in freeing the slaves.

But one day, someone set my father's house on fire, while he was in it. I had been visiting with my Uncle, when I heard the terrible news. I rushed back to my house and searched for him.

My father's body was never found.

I always ached for my father, needing his guidance at every turn. If it was not for Aiden, I would have died.

I still wanted to free the slaves, even if my father wasn't there.

     ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Would you like some tea, sir?" Aiden asked politely.

I didn't reply. I just stared out the window into the busy streets below. A market was taking place, and I watched the people run around, buying things. I even watched parents look for their mischievous children.

Aiden patiently set the cup of tea on the fine, wooden table. He turned around and started for the door.

"Wait." I said as I turned around.

"Yes sir." he replied.

I shook my head, "Don't call me sir. We're past that stage. Call me Jeremiah."

He smiled, "Yes sir- I mean. Yes."

"I would like to speak with you Aiden. Clean yourself up, then come and see me." I said as I picked up the cup of tea.

He nodded, "Okay."

                 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I can't believe I'm considering this. I thought to myself as I sat down at the table. I mean, I've had crazy ideas before, but this... I scratched my chin. Would my dad approve of this?

Without warning, Aiden walked through the door, "You wanted to see me?"

"Yes." I said with a sigh, "Take a seat Aiden."

He sat down slowly, eyeing me with caution, not sure what to expect.

I took a deep breath, then stood up, "Aiden, you know that my father was..." I stopped myself, trying not to reveal my emotions, "Murdered when I was only fifteen. I've had a hard time lately."

Aiden nodded, but I knew he didn't understand.

I looked at him for a long time, making sure I could trust him with my motives, "Are you my friend, or my servant?" I asked.

His eyes got wide, surprised at the question. He looked at the ground, "Sir, I would follow you to the ends of the earth. I would sacrifice my life for you. I am loyal to you."

"But you do not think of me as a friend." I said, reading him like a book.

He, shamefully, nodded.

"Do you want your freedom?" I asked.

His eyes got even wider, shocked. He couldn't speak.

"Aiden, do you want your freedom?" I asked again.

He nodded slowly.

"I will give it to you. I will help bring freedom to every slave in the kingdom. You just have to help me." I said desperately, it sounded as though I was begging.

He looked at the ground, feeling tormented, "I... I don't understand." he stuttered.

"Aiden, my father was the leader of a slave rebellion." I said.

Aiden's mouth dropped open, "What?"

"He chose to lead the slave rebellion. He didn't believe in slavery, neither do I."

He could do nothing but stare blankely at me.

"I want to finish what he started. I want to be a slave rebel. I want to help."

"How?" was all that he could say.

 

                      ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

"Leave me." she said to the guards.

"Princess Jade, the king would never allow us to leave-" one guard began.

"Leave me." she repeated, this time much more sternly.

The guards bowed and walked back into the palace.

Jade smiled as they left. She turned and faced her garden. The old garden that had been there for many decades. It was her garden now.

She strolled down an aisle, the one with daisies, roses and many other varieties of beautiful flowers, running up and down the wall. Jade sniffed the flowers as she walked. It was the most wonderful smell in the whole world.

The colors on the wall were more vivid than they had ever been. It looked as though she was looking out from the inside of a rainbow.

The sounds of the water falling from the fountain filled the air. She could also hear the water dripping from the recently watered flowers.

She loved the garden. It was her pride and joy. She would always go there to relax, and think.

Jade took deep breaths, taking in the peacefullness, and the beauty.

She was interrupted by a voice, "My lady," it was a guard, "The king would like to go into the city with you. There is a chariot waiting outside."

"I'll be right there," Jade said sadly, for she did not want to leave her garden of solitude.

She resentfully turned around and went with the guard to the chariot, wondering how drab the rest of the day would be.

"Jade! My beautiful daughter." King Frachies said happily. He reached out his hand helped Jade up into the chariot.

"Where exactly are we going, father?" she asked curiously, as the chariot began to move forward.

Frachies smiled, "We're going to the market place."

Jade sighed, "Why?"

Frachies frowned, "You need some fresh air, darling."

"I have plenty of fresh air out in my garden." she argued.

Frachies folded his arms and looked away, "Yes well maybe it's time that you spent some time with me. I won't be around forever."

Praise God. She thought grumpily.

Frachies took Jade's hand, "Jade, I know you would rather be in your garden. It's just I..." Frachies suddenly let go of her hand, "Nevermind." he said, obviously upset.

She rolled her eyes.

They rode in silence into the market.

Jade stepped out of the chariot, "I'm going to have a look around." she said to the guard.

"The chariot will be here when you need it." the guard said.

She didn't reply. She began to walk through the market, "We own everthing in the market, and there are no kids running around, there's nothing to do here." she complained.

Jade walked on nonchalantly, trying to find anything that interested her.

"HELP ME! HELP ME!" a voice screamed out.

Jade spun around in terror to see a little slave girl running away from a guard, "What's going on!?" she yelled.

The guard ignored Jade and quickly grabbed the slave girl by the ear.

The girl yelped in pain as the guard slapped her across the face. She tried her best to get away, but to no avail. She struggled hard and began hitting the guard as hard as she could.

The guard took out his sword and readied to run her through.

Thinking quickly Jade began to run at the guard while yelling, "STOP!"

The guard stopped and looked up.

Jade rammed into the guard, sending him off his feet and onto the ground, "Leave her alone you heartless devil!" she screamed.

She looked down at the little girl, who was trembling, "Don't worry dear. Everything will be okay." she said compationately.

The little girl looked at Jade with tearfilled eyes, "That guard killed my mother."

Jade's eyes got wide as she turned and faced the guard who was on the ground, just staring.

"GUARDS!" she screamed. A couple of guards around the market place came to her.

"Yes princess?" they asked.

"Take this man away! I want him executed."

The guard pleaded for his life as the other guards began to drag him away.

"Wait!" the little girl said.

The princess looked down at the little girl, "What?"

The little girl shifted her gaze to the ground, "Don't kill him." she said quietly, as she fell to her knees and began to cry.

Jade looked at the guard who was being pulled away, "Let him go."

The guards let go of the guard, and he leaped to his feet, "THANK YOU PRINCESS!"

Jade looked at him with anger in her eyes, "If it was up to me you would be dead. Thank the child of the woman you murdered today."

The guard's eyes got wide. He slowly backed away, then ran away in shame.

That same night he hung himself in his chambers.

                        ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

Aiden and I had discussed the matter further. Neither of us could come up with any good ideas. We were at an impass.

Aiden frowned, "Well, most slave rebels would have some kind of costume or something... to hide their identity..."

I nodded, "That is true. I will need a mask of some sort."

Suddenly a little boy ran into the room, "Sir, Princess Jade would like to speak with you."

My eyes got wide, "She wants to speak with me? Why?"

"She didn't say." the little boy replied.

I cleared my throat and wiped the dirt off my shirt, "Well of course, I'm on my way."

Aiden's eyes got wide, "I had no idea you and the princess were acquainted."

I shook my head as I got ready to leave, "Since both of us are on the city council, we have to know each other."

Aiden looked at me curiously, "That is odd. I wonder why she wants to talk to you."

"It is strange." I agreed, "Nevertheless, it is still my duty to obey her wishes." I said with a wink.

He nodded, "Agreed. I will be working on a costume idea while you are gone."

I bowed, "Thank you so much Aiden. You are a faithful servant."

Aiden smiled slightly.

And with that I left the room.

                    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"I'm glad you're here, Jeremiah." Jade told me as I approached her.

"You wanted to see me, princess?" I asked with a bow. Wow she's the most beautiful woman I've ever laid eyes on... I thought. Her emerald green eyes intrigued me deeply. Her soft, brown hair was too much to bare. Her skin was as smooth as butter. I found myself staring into her eyes.

Jade sighed sadly, "I found a slave girl out in the market place. Her mother was killed when she was trying to steal a piece of bread. The slave girl would have been killed too, if I hadn't been there."

"So what is it you would like me to do?" I asked curiously.

"Would you speak with her, please? You know what it's like to have lost a parent. A mother and a father." she said, trying not to offend me.

"I will do that, princess." I replied.

"Thank you Jeremiah." she said with a smile.

"You are welcome." I said, forgetting to say princess.

She didn't mind, "She's in my chambers down the hall."

I took a deep breath, "Okay. I'll go talk to her now." and with that I walked down the hall.

Author's Note

Tell me what you think.