The Noble Quest

Sooo I wrote you guys a story. Just kidding, I wrote it cuz that's what I do when I feel like shit. But I thought it turned out pretty cool... so here it is. Enjoy:

There was once a table in a faraway land every noble man could sit at.

Once a year they served the best foods and wines of all the lands.

Once a year the pleaders begged for what they held most dear.

The noble in attendance were required to join one quest to help one pleader.

There was one man who furnished the table; the over-seer. The over-seer was cursed to a life of judging the noble. He was once a noble himself, and remembered wishing all the fame and fortune would pass so he could live his life in solitude without the responsibility of his title.

He broke the curse long ago, but remained in responsibility to find the noblest cause and the wise man whom would choose it to take his place.

He promised all the fortunes of those quests that were accomplished to the nobles who took on the quests.

Every year, men from across the lands gathered at the table to choose the most noble and bountiful quest they could find; but the noblest quests were never chosen.

On the last year the over-seer would walk the lands, there were five noble quests.

The first was for saving a village, the reward was the people themselves as subjects to whichever ruler would accept.

The second was for forging an army against invaders, the reward was the enemy they defeated.

The third was for finding a lost sacred mine, the reward was the treasures inside.

The fourth was for saving a man’s wife, the reward was the wife to keep.

The fifth was for saving a young boy from his grief, the reward was his future and all it held.

The wisest of the nobles each chose one of the noble quests for themselves. Each said “surely this is the noblest of all causes I could choose” before swearing their allegiance.

The over-seer watched with a grave face. He must judge which one would be his successor. Who had saved the greatest cause? Whose cause would last?

The over-seer knew kingdoms could fall.

The over-seer knew enemies could retaliate.

The over-seer knew sacred grounds could not be ravaged.

The over-seer knew wives could be unfaithful.

The over-seer knew young men could die.

The five wise men bowed their heads in respect. Each believed their cause was best, and the others were foolish.

Each wanted to be the over-seer.

None knew the price.

The over-seer studied the men for long, and contemplated each quest for the present and future.

He came to a decision.

When the boy had been saved from grief, the fifth noble man in charge of his quest would be over-seer. The boy would be raised to take the noble man’s place.

The noble men received the decision with grace. Each set out on his quest.

The first saved the village from despair and earned the hearts of the people. He became their faithful ruler.

The second forged the strongest army he could with the resources at hand. He defeated the enemy.

The third led a search for, and discovered, the lost sacred mine. He was named a hero and bestowed all the riches within.

The fourth saved the man’s wife. He was given her to keep in all her grace and beauty.

The fifth saved the boy from grief, and brought him hope of joy. He became the over-seer and adopted father of the boy as he grew.

The former over-seer was Lifted. He watched with sadness as the first four accomplished quests unfolded as time went on. He placed all hope in the fifth.

The first noble gained confidence in his people and lands. His wealth grew, and so did his pride. He let his guards and watchmen grow lazy and fat.

The second gained confidence in the remainder of his soldiers. He recruited none, but focused on training those he had. He ignored the poverty of the village he was protecting and often led his men through long treks through the wilderness.

The third gained confidence in the credit of his name. he stared at the entrance to the sacred mines and dreamed of the riches below. He ventured in at night to glimpse its glory.

The fourth gained confidence in his new wife. He allowed the man to remain near his love as a servant to them both. He left on errands frequently and for long stretches of time.

The fifth gained confidence in his adopted son and his own wisdom.  He assumed all traces of the grief were gone, and spent long hours studying the glory of the stars. He left his son to find his own way and focused solely on making good judgments.

The Lifted over-seer wept in amazement as he watched his darkest fears come true.

The first had forgotten about the enemies surrounding his lands. His days of leisure had made him fat and unmotivated- his men mirrored his likeness. His small kingdom was invaded, and fell. He was beheaded by the ruler of his enemies.

The second had forgotten enemies are more than just armies. His long treks through the wilderness had left the village unprotected. His defeated enemies invaded and burned the village while they were away. He and his men were slaughtered upon their return.

The third had forgotten the price of entering sacred grounds. He walked through the labyrinth every night while the others slept. He was seen by an elder walking alone one sleepless night. They sentenced him to death by starvation, from being locked inside the mines for all eternity.

The fourth had forgotten the bond of love a man shared with his wife. He often left the two alone in his home as he traveled throughout the lands. He came home earlier than expected to find them acting on the intimacy they shared in their pledge of marriage. In his rage he killed the man who had given him his wife.

The fifth had forgotten the endurance of grief. While he was speaking with the stars and those Lifted long ago, his son’s grief returned in a more mature form for the aging boy:  Anger. His son, ignored by his vacant father, fed his Anger with hatred of those who loved. He killed his father and became the merciless ruler of all wise.

The Lifted over-seer was bewildered. He watched as the lands became dull and the lives of all turned to gloom. He knew he had chosen the wrong successor in his haste. Though still foolish, the fourth was the only survivor of his wise and noble quest.