They were floating gently down the canal in the boat that creaked in the cold silence of early dawn.
A man took to bow of the boat holding on to the swaying shroud and looking ahead through the fog in hopes of seeing the docks. He was eager to see his family again after spending so much time away from them. He took a deep breathe and watched as the fog cleared slowly. Soon enough he could see a single lit torch shining through the darkness and the outline of people as the boat drew nearer to the docks. The first faces his eyes could make out clearly was that of his wife and his son. He grew weary as he tried to decipher what his son was trying to say to him. He saw the King’s soldiers standing at the docks and felt relieved for some reason.
But that relief soon faded away when the soldiers were replaced by other soldiers. These new soldiers belonged to the richest man in the province.
Some of these soldiers marched forward and took a hold of his son. The man became angry. His anger soon turned to fear when he saw the look on his wife’s face.
The boat docked but no one was allowed to come out of it by order of the king.
The richest man in all the province walked toward the boat. Anyone could see in the dim light of the morning the fresh bruise on his right eye. He leaned against the boat staring at the man.
‘Your son is a thief!’ His voice rang out loud and clear. He stole something from me and for that he’s going to be hanged.’
The man struggled to get out of the boat but he knew his effort was futile. Across the grassy plains in a tent, he could see the king and his wife seated. There was no wisdom in outrightly disobeying the King’s order.
The man gritted his teeth and spoke ‘My son is a pompour. I know that. He steals things here and there I know he will never steal from you. ‘
‘He did and now he’s going to be hanged.’ The rich man signalled his men to take the boy away.
The man wrestled with himself as he watched his son being dragged away. A ladder soon came for one of the women to step out of the boat.