LITMIR.BIZ

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      " Yes, I understand. Better to resign then.”

      "In fact," the prince nodded seriously." I merely look through the bars of the gate and dream, or I climb to the top of the towers and try to see the sea above. I thought I saw it once, but the master believes I have too much imagination.”

      " And your mother?”

      " I cannot tell you.”

      " Why not?”

      " I don't want her running the risk of being scolded by you.”

      " I swear I won't.”

      " Very well, then: she thinks the master is like a nocturnal bird who knows nothing about real life, the sun, and colors; he believes that there is no light stronger than that of the moon because he has never seen the sunshine. Once he suggested me not to pay attention to him and to do my own thing, listening to my dreams.”

      " I thought so. Trying to make you rebel! " the king exclaimed in a fake threatening tone.

      "Father, you swore," the prince reminded him anxiously.

      "…. And a king keeps his word, right?”

      The prince nodded energetically.

      "I'll take you to see the sea one of these days," the king promised unexpectedly.

      The child jumped happily around his neck and his father held him against him for a while to feel that little heart beating against his and letting himself be pervaded, infected perhaps by that naive faith and that immeasurable love that lived in the child permanently and, certainly, happily.

      No one, he told himself, could feel less than blessed to live with him.

      The planned journey to the sea did not take place, in fact, until many months later because the day after the sovereign left for the city, called urgently by his advisers.

      When the king left the castle, the sun had just risen, and the prince was just waking up in the big bed that he had shared with his father that night. They had been awake for a long time talking again about the stars that could be seen from the windows of the royal chambers and playing chess; the king had not even once mentioned the fact that the next day he would leave him alone for who knows how long because delicate and important business required his personal presence in the city. Once, even just a few weeks prior, he would have felt only a slight annoyance in having to abandon his favorite residence and resting in the countryside earlier than expected. Now he felt an acute annoyance, much like the pain of an emotionally important loss. He did not know what to say to the prince and continued to postpone the explanation minute by minute, until his son fell asleep, very tired, reclining his head on his shoulder and it was then no longer possible for the king to offer any explanation.

      In the morning he quickly wrote a note for the child, leaving it in full view on the long chest at the foot of the bed, and got out before he woke up and asked him where he was going at that early morning hour. He was afraid he would start crying and above all he feared he would no longer be able to leave him. He would have dragged him along with him, perhaps by force, if he didn’t have to keep his word to the queen.

      The prince woke up and instinctively looked for his father as he usually did since he had let him into his rooms and had made him lie down next to him, not to miss even a minute of his company.

      He saw the empty bed and stood up abruptly: something told him that this was not normal. He rushed to the window and saw his father approaching the carriage that would take him back to the city.

      " Father " he screamed leaning out of the window.

      The king heard him and raised his head towards him, waving to him with his hand.

      " Where are you going?”

      " To the city.”

      " Will you be back soon?”

      " You can count on it. Unless you want to accept my invitation to come to court.”

      The prince shook his head: he would have liked it, but not without his mother and the king had never mentioned the possibility that she, too, could leave the castle. He always said: if you come with me to the city" or" I'll take you to the sea" " you could come with me ...

      " No, father. I will wait for you here and I will continue to look at the road that leads to the city from behind the bars of the gate.”

      " All right. I hope to be back here very soon. Don't forget to read our books and teach your mother to play chess and keep up your practice.”

      The king would have gladly continued to talk to the child, but he knew that if he did, he would never leave. Then he hastily waved good-bye and got into the carriage.

      After a few minutes, the cloud of dust the coach had raised when it passed had already disappeared from the road.

      The prince walked back to the bed and saw the note his father had left him. He opened it a little surprised and read it with impatience.

      " My father " he confided to the queen later, showing her the note " says he is so sorry to leave us, but he will be back soon and then he will keep his promise to take me to see the sea. I must continue to study the stars and books that he left me, and above all to teach you the game of chess so that I can train and prepare properly to face him when he returns. And he also says that I can move into his apartment.”

      " I don’t believe it.”

      " Yes, mother, look. This is his message.”

      The queen read it with a brief incredulous smile.

      " Very well. I will order your clothes and games to be transferred to the king's apartment and Antonia will sleep in the yellow room for the moment. But you and I will be a little farther ... “

      " Not much, mother, only a few dozen more meters.”

      " If this is what the king and my prince want ...”

      " Thank you, mother. Do you know what I'm going to do? Sometimes I will invite you to my rooms in the evening and we will read and play together.”

      " Really? Careful: you are only a guest there. I myself have gone in the room very few times.”

      "But the king gave me permission, didn't he? And he didn't say that on his return I will have to go back to my room, so it's not like I'm a temporary guest.”

      " Can’t argue with your reasoning " the queen laughed.

      " But now " the teacher who was entering the hall intervened at that moment upon hearing the last words spoken by the queen " I think it's really time to resume your studies. The king wanted to joke and play with the prince, but now that he's back in the city, I think it's right to start living again according to the usual way.”

      The prince looked at him grimly without replying; it was not up to him to reply and he waited anxiously for his mother’s answer.

      " I don't think the king just wanted to joke while he was here, he never takes things lightly, much less, I imagine, if it's his son he is dealing with. But I also believe that what you say is right, preceptor, and I agree with you that it is better, despite everything, for the prince to resume his studies and his usual life.”

      " Mother! The king recommended to continue ... " protested the boy.

      " I know, but you can do it during your free time from studying. After all, the winter season is not far away, and you will be home more. You will have time to keep the promises made to the king.”

      " My father assured me that he will be back soon," the prince again tried.

      " Maybe he will; but state affairs are never so brief, and probably several months will pass before he is here again.”

      " I don't believe it," the child murmured, his voice almost trembling with disappointment and spite.

      The queen stroked his hair and kissed him on the forehead: " I would like for him to come back soon, but I learned to be realistic and

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