The Kingdom

Susori didn't say anything for a while, but I sensed there were questions she wanted to ask. Finally she gave voice to them, "You would leave your high position in the court, as friend of the King, for me?"

"Absolutely!" I said unequivocably.

She shook her head, "Surely that is not necessary. This whole situation is quite easily resolved."

"How so?" I asked, in complete puzzlement as to what she saw that I didn't.

"Simply take the hand of the Princess in marriage and we shall both serve you as wives."

I about fell off my horse but recovering I said, "I would never do that!"

"Why not?" she asked in genuine puzzlement.

I stared at her askance, but then I quickly realized I was dealing with a war of cultures. In her culture such things were done. Her brother was living proof of it.

"Things aren't like that in the seven kingdoms as they are among your people, but that aside I would never take another wife so long as you are alive."

She glanced down and was quiet for a moment before asking, "I still don't understand why? Isn't this Princess pretty? Why would you not want two women of beauty to call you husband and share your bed?"

I sent off a quick prayer for help as to what to say and inspiration came instantly, "Yes, the Princess is very pretty. Yes, it is a temptation to consider having you both as my wives, but……."

"But?" she prompted when I'd fallen silent.

"I am not a man ruled by my fleshly desires. I am a man that seeks El Elyon's way for my life first and the way to do that is found in the Holy Scrolls written down and left for us by the prophets of old. Those scrolls are El Elyon's words to us. Those words form the context by which I seek to govern my life and in the holy words there is a passage of Scripture that says it is good for a man to be the husband of one wife. It doesn't forbid what you propose, but it gives me the knowledge of what El Elyon desires of me."

"I see," she said in a small voice.

My hand reached out to caress the soft line of her jaw and I raised her head back up to look at me, "My faith is not the only reason that I would deny the temptation of your proposal in order to have you solely to myself."

She seemed to be hanging on every word that I spoke and I asked, "Tell me Susori, in your heart would it bring you pleasure to share me with another woman?"