It was a tranquil Tuesday morning when the first rays of sunshine began streaming through the windows of the quaint cottage nestled on the outskirts of town. Within the cozy walls of the living room sat an beautiful couple, sipping their morning tea in silence as they listened to the birds chirping outside. This was Sir Judge and Madam Rubi, a kind pair of elders who had lived in this little cottage for over 30 years.
The serenity of the morning was gently interrupted by the sound of the front door opening. In walked their son Sin, a bright young man in his 20s. Trailing behind Sin were two unfamiliar men that the couple had never seen before. As Sin strolled into the living room, Sir Judge and Madam Rubi gazed up curiously at their son and the two mystery men.
"Good morning Mom, good morning Dad," Sin said warmly as he approached his parents. "There are a couple of people I want to introduce you to."
Sin gestured towards the two men. "This is Stephen Woods," he said, pointing to the taller man on the left. "And this is Marlin Woods." Sin motioned to the shorter, bearded man on the right. "I met Stephen and Marlin a few weeks ago downtown and we really hit it off. These guys are going to be spending a lot of time with me from now on - they're like my brothers."
Sir Judge and Madam Rubi exchanged perplexed glances. They certainly had not been expecting their son to show up with two random men in tow, claiming they were going to be his new constant companions. The couple shifted their focus back to Stephen and Marlin, who were standing solemnly behind Sin.
"It's wonderful to meet some of Sin's new friends," Madam Rubi said kindly, breaking the silence. "Any friends of our son are welcome in our home." Sir Judge nodded in agreement, though his eyes remained narrowed cautiously.
At this point, Sin spoke up again. "Stephen and Marlin are not just my friends though, they're my most trusted companions," he stated. "I know it seems sudden, but I assure you that these men have proven themselves to be loyal and true. From now on they will be by my side, through thick and thin."
His parents were admittedly quite confused by this proclamation. However, before they could inquire any further, Stephen and Marlin suddenly dropped down to their knees in front of the couple. The two men bowed their heads down, remaining totally silent.
Sir Judge and Madam Rubi stared back at them, stunned expressions on both of their faces. They were not sure how exactly to react to these two strangers kneeling before them so solemnly. The sight was rather odd and alarming.
After a few painfully awkward moments, Sir Judge finally broke the uncomfortable silence. "There's no need for that now," he sputtered out. "Why don't you boys stand up?" The men made no motions, keeping their heads bowed down.
Madam Rubi shot Sin a befuddled look, hoping he would explain what was going on. But Sin just stood there calmly, showing no intentions of asking Stephen and Marlin to get off the floor.
The confounded couple continued gazing at the kneeling men with wide, stupefied eyes. They had not been at all prepared for the events unfolding this Tuesday morning. First, their son had shown up out of the blue with two unfamiliar men in tow. Then he had proclaimed they were to be his closest, most trusted companions. And now here the men were, kneeling before them without a word. What a peculiar morning this was turning out to be!
After what seemed like an eternity of baffled silence, Sin's father finally spoke up. "There's no need for them to kneel like that," he said, still appearing quite puzzled by the two men's strange behavior. Sir Judge was an esteemed man in the community who went by the formal title Archduke, though he was Prince ages ago, he retired from this position on the high court years ago. Now, he is formally known as Archduke.
"I don't mind you having new friends and companions," Judge continued slowly. "But who exactly are these two men? Where are they from?" He exchanged a concerned glance with his wife, who seemed just as lost and bewildered as he was.
Seeing his parents' confusion, Sin realized he should probably give more of an explanation. "Stephen and Marlin come from a village about three days travel from here, on the outskirts of the kingdom," he clarified. "I apologize for not introducing them properly. I met them on my travels last month and was really impressed by their character and loyalty. That's why I offered them positions as my personal companions."
The Judge nodded, though his brows were still furrowed. "I see. Well, as I said, any upstanding friends of yours are welcome here." He turned his focus back to Stephen and Marlin, who were still kneeling in silence. "But there's no need for such a dramatic show of respect in our home. You may stand."
Sin looked over at the two men and gave them a hand signal, indicating they should rise to their feet. Both men promptly stood up, though they kept their heads lowered submissively.
"Thank you for your kindness, Sir," Stephen spoke up reverently. "We sincerely apologize if our actions have offended you in any way. We merely wished to show our utmost respect and devotion."
Marlin nodded eagerly in agreement. "We understand you are our Master's parents. That makes you our Masters as well. Please forgive our ignorant behavior."
Sin gave an apologetic smile. "You'll have to excuse their overly formal manners. Where they come from, it's custom to show respect to elders through acts like kneeling."
Judge's expression softened as understanding seemed to set in. "I see. That explains your actions then." He turned back to Stephen and Marlin. "In the future, such displays won't be necessary in our home. You are guests here and we treat guests as members of the family."
"We understand, Sir," Stephen replied dutifully. "We will act accordingly going forward."
(To be contineud)