Queen

“Queen is missing…Queen is missing,” the man could hardly speak. He was so scared. 

The king was shocked to learn that his dear Queen had gone missing.

“Listen to me very carefully, if you fail to find Queen by sunset then I will have each one of you beheaded.” The king was looking fearsome when he said these words.

All the king’s men ran helter-skelter. No one knew where to look for Queen. Some searched for her in the rooms, some men searched on the roofs and some men searched in the lawns and gardens.

The king was pacing his room like a caged tiger. No man had ever been beheaded in his kingdom. Even the worst criminals were not given harsh punishment. He was angry with himself for having given such a cruel order. But he had decided that he would punish everyone if they did not fined Queen before sunset.

Suddenly, someone thought of talking to Milki. Milki was very old and almost blind; but age had not rusted his brains.

Milki thought for a moment and asked, “What does she like to eat?”

“Chicken sausages. She would do anything for chicken sausages.”

“When was she last given chicken sausages?”

No one knew. 

Milki suggested that they should keep fresh chicken sausages at different places on each floor of the palace.

Just before sunset, a person on the top floor saw Queen appearing from nowhere. She silently walked to the dish containing sausages.  The person approached her silently like a tiger and very carefully picked her up.

Sun was about to set and everyone was terrified. But the man who was carrying Queen ran to the King’s Chamber.

The king jumped from his throne.

“My darling, my daring! Where did you go? Where were you hiding? Why? You don’t know how I missed you!”

He kissed and patted his beloved dog and smiled at the man who had found her. Everyone heaved a sigh of relief.

The king too was greatly relieved; he would not have to behead any of his men. 

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A post for A to Z challenge

Today’s letter Q

You may like to read my earlier post here Pumpkin Boy