March
11th, 2009
Concubine
Once, there was an unhappy king who had no wives and many concubines.
One night, the king called a new concubine to his room and, after their night together, the king turned and said as he always did, "Concubine, what do you want? Name one thing and it is yours."
"Grace, your kindness is well-known, but I wish only for what I cannot have," the man said.
"Tell me it."
"I only wish for freedom, your majesty."
The king frowned. "I cannot give you that. Come again tomorrow night and we will see."
And so the concubine came every night for 28 days, and on the 28th night, while they lay in bed, the king asked for the first time of a courtesan, "Concubine, what is your name?"
"…Noah, your majesty. It is Noah."
The king placed a hand on the concubine's cheek. "I cannot give you freedom, Noah, because I cannot let you leave my side. Join me at my side every night as my husband."
The concubine's blue eyes filled with tears as he smiled, placing his hand on the king's chest. And so it was that King Luciano Grimaldi married a concubine and lived a happy life.