- The Prouds 30
alone while he is still too young to do so. I had to appoint
guardians for him. You are a woman and women cannot
rule. How can I make you guardian when you have no
experience in ruling? Do not worry. I have thought this
over, and what I did will guarantee that Matthew rules.”
Days went by and the king was still in his deathbed.
One morning, he woke up missing his son deeply, so he
ordered a servant to call him. The prince came running,
causing the king to smile. The king put his hand on his
son’s head and stroked it slowly, like soft waves on the
beach. The son watched his father silently as he maintained
his calm face. Yet, he had a distinctive feeling of
happiness, as that was the first time his father showed him
gentleness despite all those years. He wished his father
would keep doing that forever. The father, on the other
hand, had an overwhelming feeling of happiness mixed
with deep regret for never having done so before.
“I want you to always remember me, Matthew. I
want you to have good memories of me. I want you to
know that you are the most important and sweetest thing
that has ever happened to me in my whole life,” the father
told his son, knowing that it was time for him to die.
The son did not say a word, nor did his facial
expression change.
“Now, go and play... go and play,” said the father.
The son took a last look at him and off he went. As
the father watched his son run away, he smiled.
The king died, and when the prince learned of his
death, he was in great pain. He cried and felt the harshness
of life and the world. He wished his father would live
forever. He envied all the other boys whose fathers were
still alive and even envied older men whose fathers were