1 2 Copper Coins

The Emperor, the supreme authority on the entire continent, smiled at me! Me! A kid from nowhere!

...

I should say... He smiled at us. Me and the countless people gathered in town.

Here's how it was:

We were downtown. I was heading to the library to return the book I had borrowed the week before. I'm a "regular" library patron because of my attraction to mystery, secrets, history, and myths.

As I walk to the library in the back I hear a great wail. When I turn to see what's going on, a crowd of people are bouncing over me and pushing me behind them. The people were very agitated.

"I think someone has come from the palace to announce something. Probably too unimportant for me to care. ' I said to myself and tried to squeeze through all the people looking for my book.

Everywhere I looked there was no sign of it... "Someone must have picked it up" I wondered as I walked past some older people who had gathered together and were talking about politics these days.

After a while I found myself outside the crowd of people. It was like a corridor made, and people could be heard cheering louder and louder. When I glance to the right I see the book, but curiosity pushes me and I look to the left to see what people are cheering for. I don't even turn around and see it... The Emperor...

"What's he doing here? Why him? Why didn't just a simple palace servant come. " I kept asking myself.

At the sight of him, my feet went soft. I pushed myself back a little and knelt with the rest of the men. He was wearing a white robe with small gold prints on the shoulders and sleeves. His crown stood out in the sunlight and he seemed to wear the sun on his head. He wore a pair of black silk trousers that also had gold prints on the ends. His horse was grey and very well made. The saddle and hats were very slick. His brown hair seemed to contrast with the sun on his head, and his white skin looked almost sickly, but his smile exuded a warmth and a sure-footedness that you could swear he would sacrifice himself for anyone on the battlefield. A second later I realize... "The book!" my own thought resonates in my head.

Looking to the right again I see the book. "The Emperor will pass by." I say to myself and try not to let it out of my sight just in case the cynic takes it.

In the meantime the Emperor arrives by the book.

He dismounts, lets out a soft chuckle, opens the book and puts in two copper pennies lost through his trouser pockets. Then he calls one of the soldiers and hands him the book, whispering an order. Before he saddles back up, the Emperor glances around again with an extremely wide smile. On signs that my book would amuse him.

The soldier who had taken the book stayed put, even though the Emperor and his entire retinue had long since left. He waited for the Emperor to move away and chuckled at the top of his lungs:

-To whom does this book belong!?

His screaming shattered your eardrums and frightened your soul.

The soldier was very big, and the sturdy armor made him look like a giant. You could see the scars on his black skin on his face, but his gaze was gentle.

-It... It's mine...

I reply in a barely, barely audible voice.

He approaches me, hands me the book and serves me a slight smile.

-Here you go. The Emperor wishes you luck if you want to prove the legend true.

After that he turns abruptly and placates.

,,??? "

,,, What happened?" I say to myself as I head home to inform the family that I have seen the Emperor.