The Unfair and Unjust King

A bead of sweat rolled off my forehead, and fell onto the black and white board. My heart was thundering against my ribcage, daring to break through. My hand shaking, I lifted it moving my requested piece. The king stared across the small table at me, grinning like he’s already won, showing his yellowed teeth. The king moved his knight so quickly, and so efficiently, I thought he’d just beat me. My eyes were shut in fright as I waited for him to say, “Checkmate” and then feel the cold metal of a spear silence my rapid heart. But nothing happened, except for the king saying, impatiently. “Well go on peasant”1

I swallowed my fear, and moved a bishop blocking his knight from my queen, therefore blocking him from my king. The grin on the kings face shrunk as he watched me raise my clammy hand and pick up the smooth marble bishop. “Well moved” He spoke with no emotion. 2

Once more he moved swiftly throughout the board, and recoiled his hands, folding them beneath his stubbled chin. A deep throated laugh echoed from the kings throat as he swelled with pride. My heart skipped a beat as I saw he had one move to go and he’d check me, and either way I moved my king, I’d lose. The look in the kings eyes said, ‘Lay down your king now, and save what little dignity you have left!’3

With tears forming at the corner of my eyes, I lifted my hand to demote my king. When suddenly, my whole world was saved. I saw an opening to his king. To the King’s king! I directed my hand away from my king, and the actual kings face turned confused. I moved my last knight in front of his black king, and spoke in a shaky voice. “Checkmate...”4

The king’s face flustered with anger. He stood pounding the table with his fist. I flinched in my chair, as the guards by the door ran behind me holding up their spears. “Do it!” Shouted the king. Confused I looked up just as one guard brought down his slender spear upon me, and my world went black. 5

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“Tell no one of this.” The king spoke with anger edging his voice. “The boy lost!” as he finished his sentence, the beautiful queen walked in smiling. “So another lost husband?” 8

“Yes wife” He said, shooting the guards a quick glance. 9

The queen strolled over to the table and peered down at the chess pieces. “Husband,” she spoke, “you play black, no?”10

“Right my wife”11

Pointing at the checkmate on the board she said, “The boy won...” She looked up in time to see the king grasp her throat. 12

“Silence wretch! I was not going to give a peasant half the gold in my kingdom!”13

“But that was the promise you made!” she said choking out her words. “You said, the one to beat you gets half the gold! The one’s to lose die! Aren’t you a fair and just king?” 14

“He lost!” The king said dropping her. “Now get out of my sight, and remember,” He paused as he walked over to the chessboard. “The boy lost.” and with that, waving a hand, he scattered the chess pieces throughout the hall.