The next day, Harinder rose early to go to the gardens. It was a cold morning, so he sprinted to his place of work. The run would keep his body warm.
He had some bread and milk before he left his quarters and looked forward to a new day unfolding.
He hadn't gotten much sleep the night before. He tossed and turned, thinking about how the princess had walked away when he had presented his tale to her. He wondered if he would be retained long in his job. He had to make a good impression when handling his duties and be seen to be a diligent, trustworthy worker. Plus, he must be seen to be loyal to the King and the Kingdom of Hintrupate.
Harinder and his workmates got down to their tasks. Just before sunrise, he heard footsteps down the pathway.
He saw the two aides walking toward him and stood up.
They stopped before him and informed him that the princess had summoned him to the palace. He is to meet the King and her father, the crown prince, Abuvaya.
"Go Harinder and make yourself presentable. The princess has counseled with the King and her father about you. They want to meet you and be sure to be ready and waiting by the palace steps in half an hour. The guards will escort you to them."
The other workers nearby stood up and listened too, wondering why the King would want to meet the peasant.
"What had he done? What could be so serious that he was given an audience with the King?
No one goes before the King unless it is a crucial matter." They were glad that they weren't summoned by the King. He had a quick temper and didn't suffer fools gladly.
One of the workers slapped Harinder on his back and wished him well after the aides had left. "Be brave and don't say the wrong thing to the King. Speak only when you are spoken to and don't look him in the eye. He is known to have expelled his subjects from the Kingdom if he is unhappy with any one of them."
Harinder had a perplexed look on his face. "Thank you for the warning, Adit. I am not sure what I have done wrong, but I will be brave when facing the King. I will be honest in all my submissions to him."
Now, wasn't Harinder experienced in tackling difficulties?
He quickly went back to his quarters for a change of clothes and hurried back to wait by the steps of the palace.
He didn't have to wait long before two burly-looking guards motioned to follow them.
As Harinder entered the palace, he was taken aback by the opulence of the majestic bastion of a rich Kingdom's citadel.
He looked up at ceilings that had the most extravagant engravings and sculptured artifacts hanging down from them. They were made of gold, he was sure. Hintrupate was a kingdom rich in gold and precious jewels.
The huge paintings on the walls were lifelike and followed Harinder's trail as he passed them.
The marbled floors shined, reflecting the lights from the crystal chandeliers that decorated the beautiful ceilings. The lights danced on the polished floors.
Harinder saw a huge statue of the King in the middle of the palace halls. The golden statue glistened in its regal attire, commanding a presence only demanded by princely entities.
He gaped in astonishment. "Never before have I seen magnificence such as this. What might and splendor thrive within the walls of this enchanting palace. Surely it befits the Kingdom's imperial residence."
The guards stopped in front of a huge entrance to the King's courtyard. They waited until an advisor to the King allowed them entry to see the royal household.
The King sat on his throne, while the princess and the crown prince sat next to him on either side.
Harinder shivered as he walked up to them, escorted by the guards and led by the advisor. The whole thing was ceremonial, and he wasn't sure how to present himself to the King.
He kept his head bowed as he stood before the King.
The guards stepped aside and left Harinder standing alone to face the three royals on the throne.
The King looked at Harinder and liked what he saw. The young man had a pleasant and trustworthy look about him.
"I hear from my daughter, The Royal Princess Marianetta, that you escaped from the mountains and entered my Kingdom to find a place to make your own."
"Yes, Your Majesty," answered Harinder in a strong voice. Though he felt faint, Harinder knew that he would have to portray a courageous stance. He was a little worried that the King would expel him from the Kingdom. But then, why would he? What had he done wrong?
"What do you think of my Kingdom so far?" the King questioned. He wanted to know Harinder's opinion and if he could be a loyal subject of his. The King was a proud man. He
was especially proud that his Kingdom was endowed with vast riches and his subjects were loyal and hardworking. He and his ancestors before him had built a Kingdom that would be etched in the annals of history as a mighty empire.
The Hintrupate army was the strongest among the kingdoms, and before they became a dynamic force, they had fought many wars and won them all.
And the King wanted Harinder to learn of his Kingdom's greatness. First, he had to know the peasant's thoughts about his land.
Harinder thought hard about what to say. He thought it an odd question and knew that he had to answer with care.
Then he said, as studiously as he could, "I think that the Kingdom of Hintrupate under Your Majesty's rule has flourished. The kingdom has vast riches and the people of Hintrupate have a good livelihood. I see them happy and loyal to their King. I think they are blessed to have you rule over them. I have heard that you are a just King, kind and compassionate, Your Majesty."
The King was happy to hear what the peasant had to say. "Yes, I rule over this Kingdom with a firm hand, young man. I will not tolerate discord or unrest among my people. The land that they toil upon provides for all my subjects justly. I ask only that they stay loyal and true to me."
"Yes, Your Majesty," Harinder answered. He knew that he could only speak when spoken to.
"I realize that you are a hardworking man, courageous, and clever by the way you have answered me. You have met my approval. I will provide you with land and a dwelling. In three months, you must reap the profits of that land. You can choose to plant anything you want. I want to see if you can prosper the land as I have done with my empire, with riches, and in abundance. If you fail or go against my wishes, you will be banished from my Kingdom forever. The land and the dwelling shall be your inheritance if you are fruitful in your attempt."
Harinder couldn't believe what he was hearing. What??
He kept his head bowed while answering confidently, "I shall do as you wish, Your Majesty. I wish to prove that I am a loyal subject of Hintrupate and prosper this land as with the other inhabitants of this great Kingdom. I promise to be true and steadfast in my duties to Your Majesty."
The King clapped his hands once, and his voice boomed in the courtyard, "That is good to hear. I will entrust Her Highness, Princess Marianetta, to oversee your work and report to me. Princess Marianetta has requested that you be given a chance to show your prowess in your field of work. She had heard from the other workers that you are diligent and devoted to your duties, and within a short space of time, had cultivated the plot of land with new seedlings that have sprouted and grown handsomely."
"Thank you, Your Majesty. I am blessed to have your approval; I shall do as Your Majesty commands." Harinder replied.
The King then dismissed Harinder, and the guards escorted him outside the palace. Before Harinder left, he heard the King tell his advisor to have someone show Harinder his new dwelling in the land he had apportioned for cultivation.