The Gift

The Princess's birthday progressed in remarkable fashion. The Count, who secretly despised her, gave her the most lovely fur coat, which she adored. The Viceroy, who secretly plotted to kill her, appeased her with a pearl necklace and matching bracelet. The Duke, who was plotting her overthrow, gave her a diamond tiara. All of them hid these negative thoughts even as they all wanted her as a woman, but not in a loving manner, as a possession, a conquest. The list was all inclusive of every nobleman in the kingdom. Every nobleman except one.

"Bring me Sir Reed!" Exclaimed the Princess, and the guardsmen went immediately to the bar, where they found Sir Reed telling jokes and drinking martinis with the common folk. Sir Reed was an unimportant knight that no one remembered being knighted. He was nondescript, with misfitted clothing and hair out of place. He was generally considered to be one of the lowest of the noblemen. They clapped him in chains and made a stately procession towards the throne, with great pomp and circumstance, where the Princess sat behind a mountain of presents.

"Sir Reed!" The Princess hissed through clenched teeth. "Of all the noblemen in the kingdom, and I use the term very loosely, you seem to be the only one who has not brought me a fine present! Do you have any explanation for this outrage?"

"Why, yes, your highness, I do." began Sir Reed with great enthusiasm and charisma. "I spent the last week wondering in earnest what I could give the Princess that would be a gift worthy of her station. But, that was not a good enough consideration, no way! I thought that even more important, the present must be worthy of her person, as the Princess is even a finer person than her station confirms. After considering your massive fortune, your flock of devious admirers, your minions, your adoring public and your royal family, I saw the one thing you did not have, and came to give it to you today, and I have it with me here and now." He bowed low and smiled broadly.

"Remove his chains so that he may come to me in a dignified fashion and deliver me my present!" With that, the guards removed the shackles and stood aside so that Sir Reed could approach the Princess. He smiled benevolently at the guards who removed his shackles, turned and acknowledged the crowd, bowed two or three times in supplication to no one in particular, then walked slowly towards the throne, coming to a stop much, much closer to the Princess than decorum allowed for.

"My Princess, Lords and Ladies, people of the Great Kingdom. I have found the only thing that you, my Princess, does not have... is a true friend, and present myself to you as such." The knight made a strange hand gesture to accompany his speech. A hush came over the throne room as everyone held their breath. The Princess was turning red with rage as she drew the huge breath with which to answer this tremendous insult.

"You dare to insult your Princess? To say that she does not have the strength of character to command true friendship? And on top of this, you deliver this instead of an honest gift on my birthday? You have but one chance to clarify this, if it be a misunderstanding," Then she waited with steely eyes for his response.

"I made no such judgment, my dear Princess. The judgment was not against you! No, my Princess, the judgment was against the system you live in. As the figurehead of this establishment, you have wealth, status, power, and are quite beautiful. I only suggest that the attention and the gifts you get from your loyal subjects are only symbols of their envy, want of favor, and covetousness. I submit that not one of these gifts was given to you with an open heart and mind without expectations of favors in return. I alone give the Princess such a gift, not because I am the only one willing, but because I am the only one willing and able. To them you represent power. I already have power, and need nothing from you, so I can afford to be your friend."

The Princess seemed stunned for a minute, then regained her composure.

"So," she began, "You not only insult me by not bringing a present, but you have the audacity to insult every member of the nobility with your remarks. For insulting me, a mere banishment would be in order, but for insulting my friends and making a mockery of their festivities, which I consider to be even a more egregious offense, you must be executed." She signalled the guards as she finished.

For a few seconds, the entire gathering of Lords and Nobles was silent, but as the shock wore off, a cheer arose, bolstering the queen's spirits, as evidenced by her broad smile. The guards rushed to take Sir Reed into custody. Sir Reed simply reached into his breast pocket and pulled out a small glowing orb. He tossed it up over his head. Suddenly, it shone with a light so bright and intense, that all in the room shielded their eyes from it. The guards cowering under their shields. Sir Reed, the sorcerer, did not seem affected by the light. He took three steps forward and positioned himself between the orb and the Princess, so that he cast a shadow upon her. She looked into his smiling face and waited, terrified. Was he going to kill her? Was this an attempt to seize power? What was happening? This was the worst birthday ever!

"I gave you my friendship, and I do not intend to withdraw my gift." Said the sorcerer. "Obviously, you are not wise enough, my dear Princess, to understand what that gift is and how powerful it can be, if you would trade it for this tiny pile of trinkets." 

The sorcerer smiled at the Princess long enough for her to see that he was not angry, then he chuckled to himself and looked around the room. Slowly, he walked to the center of the room and reached his hand into the air. The orb descended into his hand, and he was gone.

After a brief discussion of the bravest and most brazen, it was decided that the event never took place, and that any future contact with Sir Reed the sorcerer should be regarded as also not happening. Sir Reed the sorcerer still moves about the kingdoms of all the Earth in total freedom, immune to the edicts and proclamations of the respective thrones.