The Boy and The Man by Offer R (list of ebook readers .txt) 📕

'Once I've made my profit I will buy back a number of gold coins equal to what I've used, put them in this purse, and return the purse to this exact location. No, I'll add some extra coins as gratitude to the owner, in the way of interest paid on a loan.'

Thus strategizing, he carried the purse under his smock and stealthily made his way out of the church. He took a roundabout way back to the palace so that he didn't cross paths with any curious acquaintance, and once in his quarters he emptied the gold coins into an empty black bag that he often used to conceal gifts he bought for Aphrodite.

'Soon I will become much more generous in my gifts', he thought joyfully. Next he stashed the purse in the corner of one of his wardrobes, where nobody would ever find it. It's not that he was doing anything wrong, but he didn't want to leave any loose ends that might create a wrong impression and invite misguided suspicion.

As he was making his way out with the heavy black bag strapped over his right shoulder his blood froze. Aphrodite's voice emerged from the hall that led to his quarters. She was greeting one of his servants as she always did when she came to visit. She was the only person aside from the prince that was granted right of entrance to his quarters at will, without the servants being obligated to ask his permission every time. And she was also his only visitor beside the prince that was on friendly terms with the servants, as though they were of equal rank.

The reason this untimely visit disconcerted The Boy was of course the black bag he was carrying. Its weight would double of he had to stuff pretenses for it inside, and triple if he revealed his secret. He had an urge to turn back and hide it in his room but judging by the volume of Aphrodite's footsteps he wouldn't make it in time. So he simply continued walking in the direction of the hall wearing a calm, leisurely face.

"My love! I've come to see you and you're already leaving?" Aphrodite said with a start the moment their paths intersected at the end of the hall. She was wearing her beautiful hair tied in a sophisticated style over her head, which she did every time they met for she knew it was his favorite. It was the way of their love to prompt such acts of selfish consideration for each other.

"But if I'd known you were coming I wouldn't have made plans. But here, let me cancel them so we can spend the day together", our boy said and whipped around as if to return to his room. There were less than a handful of reasons in the world for which they would delay a meeting between them, but a new addition was soon to be made.

"There will be no need for that. Does that hideous black bag have to do with your plans? I hope then that your plan involves a great deal of disposal and perhaps even setting fire", she said facetiously. Only then did The Boy realize that the bag had accumulated such a thick layer of dust that it was no longer black but a dirty grey color.

"In fact this bag is quite important to me."

"Oh, in that case don't dispose of it and keep it well away from fire! Should I join you for your plans?"

"I'm afraid not, darling. It's something I must do alone."

"Then at least you can be a little less mysterious about it."

"I'm going to do business."

"Business?"

"Nothing less", our boy confirmed, drawing a great deal of confidence considering he was relying on a small miracle and a heap of optimism.

"But you have never done business before. How will you do it? You barely have any money. And how does this bag serve your purpose? What's inside it?"

"As for the matter of money, as I've said I have a plan. Regarding the bag, it's indeed an important means. But its contents I'm afraid I can't reveal at this moment, not even to you my love."

"And now my curiosity is in the sky! But I will respect your wishes and leave you, my love. Will you call on me when you've freed yourself from your engagements?"

"You are my angel. I will come see you tonight."

And so the two young lovers parted ways. Aphrodite was in very fine feather, as she always was after even the shortest interaction with The Boy. The latter was greatly relieved, having overcome a formidable obstacle. Still he treaded carefully and slowly, as the bag did well to cover the coins from sight but nothing to muffle their suspicious clanking noises. Yet the moment he stepped out of the palace he ran into another obstacle in the form of the prince. Indeed, when one is in the greatest hurry the path becomes riddled with the greatest number of potholes.

"Brother! I've come to ask for your assistance in a matter concerning our Guard… but it seems you already have your hands full", said our handsome prince, clad as he always was in his Captain of the Guard uniform. He rarely came off duty, and even then his thoughts would still be with his men, the horses, the equipment, the borders- there was so much to think about. Ever since his last spark of hope for endearing Aphrodite had been extinguished he had become a truly model Captain, but meanwhile he was hardly a model for anything else. Romance had become a detested burden. Smiles entailed a sense of guilt, as though a moment's happiness was a sin against his broken heart. Pleasure was a rare indulgence allowed only when there wasn't enough pain. Even the news of Dansalot's impeachment from his command of the Capital Guard, which the rumors attributed to his humiliation by our prince, didn't soften his grief. It was said that Dansalot had become a vengeful man, having sworn to avenge his honor against the man who'd unscrupulously brought about his ruin. This didn't strike fear in our prince's heart, as a heart that's callous to joy and happiness is equally unresponsive to threats against its existence.

Many noticed this change in our young, adulated prince, but most attributed it to the converging pressures of Captaincy and princehood. Some thought it a favorable thing that a man of such importance should sacrifice his own happiness so he could better serve his people. The King and Queen had attempted to inquire into the matter on several occasions but were adamantly rebuffed by their proud son. Aphrodite was too shy to make any advance. And there was only one in the entire kingdom that knew the reason for the prince's plight,whose identity we already know. He happened to be also the man closest to him, and the only one who had the power to transform the prince's utter despondency into unmitigated happiness. But on this particular subject God had chosen two paths for this trio of love. On one path The Boy and his Aphrodite walked together, and the other was for the prince to tread alone. The Boy thought that there wasn't a man on Earth who would digress from the golden path paved for him, and therefore that Aphrodite's heart was rightfully his. He was prepared to do anything to change his dear friend's fortune- anything but cross paths with him.

"The Captain of the Guard need not ask twice. I will make myself available at once-" Our boy began, but he knew as much that the sun was hot as that the prince wouldn't allow it.

"Nonsense, brother. I'm giving my life to the Guard; there is no reason for you to do the same. Settle your matters and we will meet at a more convenient time. Now tell me- what's occupying you at the moment? And what's that bag that your shoulder is about to collapse under?"

The Boy had been delayed while carrying the bag for so long that his right shoulder was trembling under the weight of the coins. He carefully switched shoulders and said:

"If you must know, I'm going to do business. And this bag contains something that will be of great assistance to me."

"Business! But what have you to do with doing business? Need I remind you that you have no many, dear brother? Unless that bag of yours is loaded with coins of pure gold." The prince hadn't the slightest idea of the chilling effect his jest had on our boy.

"I have a plan. And regarding the bag, I'd prefer not to go into detail just now."

"Very well", the prince said with a chuckle that was quickly repressed. "I wish you the best of luck in your new venture."

Thus this second obstacle was overcome and our boy was free to conquer his heart's desire. He made his way to the trade area at the very center of the kingdom, where a varied throng of people assembled every day. Unlike the courtyard area, the trade area lacked a sophisticated aristocratic air and was designed solely as a place of trade. It was the perfect place for him to blend in with the people and use his bagful of gold coins to gradually earn another bag, then another. There were no rules of conduct or appearances to be maintained, and any man who wasn't dishonest enough to incur the wrath of a large number of other men was welcome at its invisible gates. Some traders had small stalls where they presented their goods, others came with personal suitcases stacked with worthless items they hoped to pass off as valuable to a gullible buyer. Others still came with limited money in hand and a specific object at heart. They said the operation of the trade area depended on either the honesty or the gullibility of the people. The latter was certainly the more frequent, but still it played only a minor role. The true attribute that kept it alive was that almost everyone tried to swindle everybody else. A thief doesn't turn to the authorities when he has been stolen from; he steals again. On the same token, as long as there were roughly equal attempts at deception between the people, fairness would ultimately be restored. In fact, too many honest men would cause the system to crumble and this kind of free trade to vanish. Fortunately for our boy, these important characteristics were no novelties to him.

'Normal people always try to make money', he thought, 'while aristocrats always spend the money they have. So I'll start as a normal person and soon become one of the aristocrats.' He was so well disguised that in the general commotion it was almost impossible to identify him. Certainly, this place for normal people was the place for him. Then he remembered that normal people like very much to steal others' possessions if only given the opportunity, so he strapped the bag tightly around his shoulder and pressed it with the inside of his arm against his side. If he hadn't come armed with his sword under his smock (which he wouldn't be able to use very effectively in case of need, but whose mere sight should repel any unkind thought against him), he should've been quite fretful for his treasure.

At this point everything was set for him to start doing business and earn his second bag of gold coins.

There he stood, to his right two bearded men haggling over some esoteric home appliance so shoddy that he filled with pity for the both of them. To his left an old man with torn gloves on his hands was recounting a few silver coins in his hand with tears in his eyes. It seemed the result of this second count was no better than