This must have happened before. It was not surprising that someone was corrupting the genius of the kingdom in front of the King without the King being willingly involved in it.
At last, the feast came to an end.
The King drew the gathering to a close with a fiery, farewell speech.
He stood at the head of the room and spoke about the kingdom's future — about talent being its truest resource and how the young men and women gathered here represented that same talent.
It was not a long speech.
But it was effective.
Each listener felt as if the words were meant specifically for them.
Then came the tokens.
A servant moved through the room with a small wooden box, and the King personally handed one to each person present. The box looked heavier than it should have been, and inside was a small coin, engraved with the kingdom's symbol.
Each recipient looked at theirs with the same expression — pride, pleased and devotion.
