"My grandfather was the first settler on that land, and he farmed there for many years, but he had to leave for a while," the man said. "But he never returned, which led my father to take over and exploit it. According to the law of the kingdom, the land belongs to those who work it, right, Mr. King?" He asked, looking directly at Abu Bakr, who was seated on his throne.
Saturday was a day dedicated to adjudicating disputes in the kingdom. On this day, the king himself acted as the judge, making decisions that often favored both parties involved. This practice helped to foster a sense of closeness between the king and his people, building trust and loyalty. Abu Bakr examined the man carefully, as though trying to see into his soul.
"Let both of you share the land for a year, and whoever works harder shall have it," Abu Bakr said, his voice firm. "The kingdom needs those who put in the effort to make the land fruitful." He paused and then added, "I have settled this matter. What is the next case?"
The two men, after saluting the king, exchanged a glance that seemed to signal an unspoken rivalry, and then a boy stepped forward. His attire was unusual; he wore a scarf on his head, similar to those worn by carpenters in their workshops. He bowed respectfully and began speaking.
"Mr. King, I have been a shipbuilder since I was young. My father and I built ships that sailed under the flags of our kingdom for many years, whether they were fishing boats or warships. About a year and a half ago, the king himself visited us, asking my father to build five ships, ships that had never sailed the seas before."
Abu Bakr rose from his seat, as if stirred by the mention of this request. The boy continued, his voice filled with reverence and a touch of sorrow.
"We stopped all our other work to focus entirely on these five ships. The king gave us a great deal of money and insisted that we build them with the highest quality. He also sent us several Arabic manuscripts on shipbuilding—secrets of the craft that we didn't even know existed despite our years of experience."
The boy paused for a moment, his expression clouded with sadness.
"It was then that my father passed away, just after we had completed two of the ships. The king visited me during that time, stood by my side in my grief, and bolstered my faith in myself. I decided to carry on with the work, but my sorrow held me back. I managed to complete only a third ship before the king died. Before he passed, he sent for me and spoke to me in a way I didn't fully understand, but he left a letter for you, telling me to give it to you once the ships were completed."
The boy handed over the letter to Abu Bakr. The king, stunned, stood up and began reading the letter, feeling a deep sense of bewilderment and grief as he processed its contents.