As for what I'm counting these days, I have officially started my leave. Five days from now, I'll be under the knife. Shortly after that, I'll be recovering at home. I can hardly wait.
And while I look forward to a month and a half of comparative inactivity, our friend the Ruler and her Advisors are busier than ever.
**********
The Ruler of a small but pleasant realm was seated in her chambers watching her team tidy up after a hectic day.
The week before she, the Wizard - her most skilled improvisor - and Chappie - her most trusted advisor - had brought up from the deepest, darkest dungeon in the castle, boxes full of small monsters, the accumulated mass of which it was the Emperor's ambition to set upon the land.
The Ruler's orders were to think of a name for the half-groundhog, half-crow that was the prize catch of the bunch. But she needed to do something with all the other monsters.
As they carted the little blobs and abominations up the stairs, the Ruler's advisors threw out ideas.
"Drown them," said the Wizard, always the pragmatist.
"Set them free again," said Chappie, always kind-hearted.
"Drown half, and let the other half go," said the Wizard, willing to compromise.
"These aren't good ideas," complained the Ruler. "The Emperor laid waste half the kingdom gathering these things. We can't just throw them away."
"We could give them back," said the Wizard.
"You mean back to the places they came from?" asked the Ruler.
"Send them back, but make those who take them want them back."
"Is this the Lesser of Two Evils gambit?" asked the Ruler.
"The same," affirmed the Wizard.
And so it was that the Ruler sent a message to all her fellow rulers throughout the kingdom, requesting they all come to her and pick a monster by order of the Emperor.
The choice for each when they arrived at the Ruler's castle, with the Wizard and Chappie working hard behind the scenes, was between the half-groundhog, half-crow and some other blobby gooey mess.
Without fail, the choice of the other rulers was not the half-groundhog, half-crow.
After a long day of the Ruler forcing small talk and the other rulers faking indecision, the Ruler was left with just the Emperor's prize.
This was her monster and all she needed to do was give it a name.
"How hard can this be?" wondered the Ruler aloud.
To be continued .....
Thanks for reading!
Have a great week!
Karen
No comments:
Post a Comment