Page 13 - The Rule of E audio flipbook Apr 3 2017
P. 13
“It is my fault,” he admitted, as the fat prince glared at him with
disapproval. “But you must understand. I lost my son and dear
daughter-in-law on the very day that this child was born. They were
taken away by fever, and I was terribly distraught, as you can imagine.
In my anguish, I named her E, which I have regretted ever since. For a
child with a name like E cannot rename herself, and I did her great
wrong.”
Prince Jardon snapped his
fingers, and one of his servants
appeared at his side instantly.
“There is a new rule,” he
decreed. “And it will be as powerful as
the rule that children who rename
themselves have more control over their
life afterwards and can make their own decisions. For that is the way
of our people, from time immemorial.”
The scribe took down every word of the prince’s decree, and
then Prince Jardon signed it with a flourish, well-satisfied.
Then he called E to him once more.
“You can flip your name sideways,” he told her. “And then
your name is M, simple as that. It is the new Rule of E, and once I
make a decree, it cannot be undone. For that is the rule of the land.
Rename yourself M and I will carry you off to my castle as my bride.”
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