The Seven Days of Wander

by Broken Walls Publishing

horse are saved, what will the king do? Ignore the man to leave him to what he was before? Or will not the king elevate the man a place close to his heart for who is not a most trusted friend but he who saves your life? Now for his new position can not the trusted friend be trusted to order this and that done in the king's name? In his observations of truth.

  Here again we see the ostrich feather. For what brings the man to use the king's name, his position decreed by seal, or his

  being as a trusted observer saving the king..

  If we thus agree it is the trusted observer, then just as no feather is needed to be captain, no seal is needed to command the king's name.

  Before or after the saving of the king , since the observer was always

  worthy of the trust.

  Captain: "But anyone of these rabble in the streets is capable of being a soft cushion should the king's horse stumble and toss the king. Their broken bones and thus the king's sound ones may

  elevate them to higher place but must now all be allowed a king's voice though foul mouths and rotted teeth? No, we cannot all be near the heights of kings based on the chance of blunders."

  Beggar: "There you have wise Captain! All cannot be kings because all will not command. Only those who dare command for the king out of true observe can deserve the place beside kings.

  Just as few would grab a king's bridle to steer his horse from a dangerous fall. Their courage and their vision earn a place beside his command. By giving the command, they prove their worth to command. and having command of what they observe; they prove their worth to observe. All the rest become blind and mute both to the observe of what is commanded and the words of command.

  Just as no fire is a star. Yet if a fire would rise up to the sky, it would then command observation as a star.

  Captain: " Do you mean an man is limited only by his reach? His open stretch of grasp?

  Beggar: "No, I mean he is limited only by what he already holds in his hand. It is the full hand which cannot take command not the empty one. The carpenter with his hammer cannot take up the sword, the priest has his idol hence no room for a grower's seed; the guard is fixed to his spear, he cannot net amongst fish.

  Only the man who observes through open hands is welcomed to any task. From a beggar's cup to king's herald, he who has nothing to lay down is quickest to the call.

  We observe through the filter of what we hold dear. A beggar's hands

  are clear. We command from the heap of our treasures, judgement diluted by what we hold saved. Beggars hold nothing.

  Hence, all who are beggared in their desires are ready to give command. All who have no walls become the most observant.

  Captain: “I would grant my ears for now hear no lies, but , remember, beggar my mind watches like a hawk circling the sparrow. No matter. I have observed

  enough of commands to warrant your wish. You will not, I take it, refuse my humble escort of your impressive person to the king's court. There to observe him as he observes you. You and your saving voice will be given the chance to command a king's ear as soon as the slaves have been executed.

  I have an inkling that there will be yet more work for a sword later this day."

  Beggar: "I am honoured. Thus does a mouse meet the lion, guided by the parting of sharpened blades of grass. But I

  wonder why must the slaves die that I may be brought before the king?"

  Captain: "It is not a condition involving you, but that I

  follow first a command from the king's own lips to execute these slaves."

  Beggar: " For only curiosity’s sake, what is their crime?"

  Captain: "I care or know not their crime. A soldier obeys not questions."

  Beggar: "But of what does he need to obey?"

  Captain: "What do you mean?"

  Beggar: "If you order your guards to attack an armed band, what

  must they willingly discard to obey you?"

  Captain: "I would suppose you mean their own lives."

  Beggar: "Correct. I did. and we call this discard of one's

  life or well-being courage, do we not? Yet a man with only

  courage does not always obey. He has laid something down, not

  picked something up. As if your guards stand ready to fight to

  the death, yet do not move to attack, only defend. This is not

  cowardice. We have seen to that. Something lacks to hurl them

  forward."

  Captain: "That would be his belief of the command; in its

  absoluteness of obedience."

  Beggar: "But does that not imply men follow only words? Have

  not many commands been unobeyed by what was once the obedient?"

  Captain: "Yes, the curse of mutiny lays its plot from time to

  time amongst some barracks. Never mine."

  Beggar: "I do not doubt it. A man who will hear beggars will listen to men. But if groups of soldiery men be the same, courage

  the same (for each man embraces death in mutiny), the commands the

  same, what fails, Captain?"

  Captain: " If you look for me to say the one who gives the command, I would say possibly, but it is not always his own command to give. He too must obey some command."

  Beggar: "No matter, sir, the origin of command, whether of the captain or the general. If the general's command is flawed to the captain, will it not be thus from the captain to the guards?"

  Captain: "The best commanders will swallow the taint into themselves and thus prove the meat good before the guests!"

  Beggar: "Wisely said, Captain. But a commander can only hold one broken wheel of a cart. If the other three come broken as well, what's to be done? If flawed commands dribble a bucket will hold; if they flood , what's to be done? the result being the guards have no sign to be given direction; no hand to point forward. what makes men truly step forward to their duty, to their deeds, to their deaths even?"

  Captain: "As they cannot hold or go backward, they are then convinced forward is the only means of direction."

  Beggar: "Yes, Captain, convinced.

  Conviction. Conviction plus courage makes an orderly advance. The guard contribute

  courage, the captain commands conviction. It is like the arrow and the bow of war.Conviction is the aim, courage is the throw. Without conviction, the thrust is aimless, an arrow shot high above to return and pierce friend or foe by chance alone.

  Yet conviction alone is the undrawn bow; the arrow is aimed but limp

  for its deed."

  Captain: "Very well, then conviction and courage breed command and obey but this is not some contest of battle. No courage

  flares to kill unarmed slaves; no conviction to pass on a command

  concerning a king's doings with his own property."

  Beggar: "But there lies the err of no conviction. These guards are courageous men and courage is a sinewy muscle in the heart.

  Like all muscles its strength stays with use not neglect. Yet here

  we command they kill with courage; that they obey without the necessity

  of sacrificing their lives. Will not perhaps their conviction turn to obedience without risk? What of a battle now where men will obey only without risk? If we train a horse to ride only in

  sunshine, what will it balk when cold

  drench greets its muzzle at a barn door?

  Each stroke at a slave's neck weakens a soldier's courage for why stretch what rests uncalled.

  As to conviction, that we ask to call without conviction then

  what direction will these men heed for their gory thrusts?

  Till this day, conviction, only conviction could guide courage from the discard of will. Now we do not command with that conviction for no commander gives a command without conviction.

  We have become some men who say "Do

  thus without courage". Being

  not a command, anyone who can speak without commands rules the soldiers including the soldiers thems
elves.

  Captain. : "In that you show your blindness in the ways of war, Beggar. These are well trained dogs. If a thing is said to be done, than it is done. Whether insect, child, slave or man, the

  word ‘kill' is to kill, not debate."

  Beggar: "I fear, the sword has swung full circle again, my Captain. I have erred or mislead you. For again we say the dogs

  do not follow the word 'kill' but the command 'kill'; for anyone can say 'kill' but only the commander of the dogs can command.

  The dogs heed only this conviction. Are you, Captain, convinced the slaves should die?"

  Captain: "I am convinced my king has ordered it! He did not ask my judgement, which is well since I would have none for him and none for you!"

  Beggar: "Then your conviction is based on his sole right to command?"

  Captain: "Absolutely! You are a tedious thinker but we'll fill

  your cup at the well yet. "

  Beggar: "Does a commander have some convictions of what marches below him?"

  Captain: "What do you mean?"

  Beggar: "For you, as a captain, are your men arrows, dogs or toes? If you like arrows you fling as many as possible at the target , careless of their waste of broken shafts, just so long as the deed is done.

  Or if you like dogs, you send half the pack snarling into steel knowing their exhaust is not easily replaced.

  But if you like toes, you become scrupulous in the offer so important they are to your stand. You are not cowardly with their loss yet you ensure each is not uselessly sheered away."

  Captain: "An excellent sta of war, Beggar, your blindness does know some cracks of vision. I would say for the most part as toe to toe, though there are times the whole ten are of need."

  Beggar: "Then how many toes must go to kick an unarmed man to his grave?"

  Captain: "I would grant only one."

  Beggar: "Then, for the