The Judges Chronicles: The Fairytale Slave (Book 6) by Terdell Lee Johnson - HTML preview

Chapter 16: Thankful

Esta covered her eyes and counted slowly.

“Twenty seven, twenty eight, twenty nine, thirty--ready or not here I come!”

She ran wildly throughout the palace seeking the other players. She first found Pogisa,

and then she found Charm. Sisera and the queen were discovered next, but the last

was the Emperor himself.

“No where could he be,” said Esta.

“He’s probably in a place you least expect,” said the queen winking at her.

A sudden thought came to her mind and she ran quickly to her room, where the

emperor was sitting on her bed. Esta, Pogisa, and Sisera ran over to him, and he

received his children joyfully. With the game concluded, the family went out into the

courtyard. The sunshine enhanced the foliage’s emerald hue and fresh air put a new

energy into all of them. Pogisa and Sisera went a little ways to play, but Esta stayed

behind with the emperor and queen. She didn’t say anything to them, she just want to

be by them.

In all of it, Esta was thankful: thankful for being sold, thankful for meeting Charm and

Pogisa, even thankful for the time with King. She couldn’t explain if fully, but the hand of

the Lord has gotten her not only to safety, but answered every prayer that came from

her lips; and she concluded he did much more that what she asked.

Esta drew closer to the queen as they slowly strolled through the garden and said:

“Thank you.”

“For what?” said the queen.

“Oh,” said Esta slightly embarrassed, “ that wasn’t for you.”

“Then who was it for?” asked the queen with a slight smile.

“It was for the Holy One.” said Esta.

“Well, Amen to that.” said the emperor, “I am thankful to Him as well.”

“And so am I.” said the queen following, “Esta, promise me you’ll never stop tell that

Story of yours.”

“I promise,” she said looking up at the queen, “I promise.”

Esta grew up in Chetz with the royal family and she had many good days with them,

and she was always thankful, which in the sight of the Holy One, is very pleasing to

Him. But what of Ursus, Caleb, and the Child Trade? Well, the high judge’s popularity in

Shavron plummeted, and he was convicted for kidnapping the emperor’s daughter. He

was sent to distant prison for life and nearly everyone forgot about him. Caleb scorned

in his homeland for his cowardice and the children made up songs of mockery of him,

and even though he agreed that he deserved his punishment, it took many years for him

to regain some honor.

The twelve generals returned to their respective lands, and with the Story living in their

hearts they were able to persuade their governments to abolish the Trade, and with

such a blow to the industry all nations made slavery of the young a crime punishable by

death. When Ursus heard of it in his darkened cell, he could only mutter under his

breath:

“I hate the Story.....I hate the Story.”

But it is the Story of the Son of God that changes the hearts of creatures. It has power

that will never be diminished by any wicked scheme of a wicked heart. Let is always be

told because it is always true. Here the sixth chronicle comes to an end.