[ WP ] Under the guise of a common beggar , a king seeks a worthy heir to the throne among his people .

It's not easy living to be alone your whole life. Its also not easy to be hungry for almost all your days. But, you can get used to one but never the other. To be young is a curse upon oneself too, for you can never die faster to stop living the nightmare of being without a home. Its even worse trying to survive from being cut down from the accursed fur-collared youth, but so far, I have survived. I survived from my own cunning, church-hopping, and travelling the miles upon miles without food or drink. And then I reached the city, Slavoystak, so maybe the fur-collars would be gone for good, or rather, for now. 
 
 I've lived here for well over a few months, its dirtier and smellier than the country-side, but at least there is more food to take and less youth trying to kill me. At least less anyway, you have to watch out for those roving bands of pick pockets, they will always take whatever they can get there hands on, and will fight for it. But, I figure it is better to be beaten than to be killed. I will say though, night time is treacherous in the city, I usually have to be sleep most of the day because the night brings out the worst people, the thieves and the murderers, and the watchmen who would sooner throw a beggar in a cell than a thief because they know we wo n't fight back. 
 
 I go to the market one day, begging for food, money, what not, and then a young boy, clad in the royal garment of a messenger, steps up on a crate, opens a parchment, and begins to read. 
 
 `` Citizens be silent, for the King has a proclamation! The King has no blood kin, no heir to the throne, and seeks one of you, his people, to take the crown when he has been laid to rest. Anyone of you may become his heir, and you must make haste to the palace to be appointed by the king himself! Any and all welcome, and he will talk to you one at a time!'' 
 
 The messenger quickly closes the parchment, and runs to another end of town. Much of the market immediately stops all operations and many, if not all the people start rushing to the palace. The market becomes completely empty soon after, and I, for once in my pitiful life, jump at the chance to grab some dropped baskets, and take all that I need. I see juicy plump fruit, it goes to my basket. Delicious sausages and salami come with me. I take the butchers knife too, so that I can never be afraid to roam the streets at night. I was surprised that I happened to be the only beggar around, but when I turned around to after getting my goods, there was a beggar standing right behind me. 
 
 `` By God!'' I yelled, frightened at this apparent phantom. 
 
 `` Sorry, did n't mean to scare you.'' Said the beggar, who was wearing a massive robed hood of a priest, which was completely covered in mud, and his white beard covered in it to. 
 
 `` No, its fine, you simply surprised me.'' I took a breath, relieving myself from the fright, and looked back at him, `` Say, I thought I was the only man around after they left.'' 
 
 The muddy beggar smiled a bit, and asked, `` Well, tell me sir, why did n't you go?'' 
 
 `` Well simply because I do n't need to. The king would n't choose a filthy man like me anyway, and now that the shopkeepers are gone, and no one can report me to the watchman, I have all I need here.'' 
 
 The beggar nodded his head and smiled a bit, `` Tell me, why do you take the food and that butchers knife, surely that belongs to them and not to you, and is n't one commandment of god is `` thou shalt not steal''? 
 
 `` I do n't know why you would say that, surely has a beggar you would not be alive if you did not steal. I have meant to many of your kind who only beg, they do not survive for long. I suggest you start taking soon, otherwise its the end for you, my friend.'' 
 
 He thought for a moment, seeming to attempt to think about what I said, `` Hmm, I suppose so, but I am certainly in no condition to steal. I am nothing but feeble.'' 
 
 `` Well alright, here, take this.'' I gave him my sausage and three oranges, and his eyes began to shine. 
 
 `` Why, this is the kindest gesture that I have received, by god!'' 
 
 `` Do n't bow down to me, I am a beggar, I understand the struggle. I'm not the king, you know.'' 
 
 `` Yes, but, would you like to be?'' He said in a rather shaky tone? 
 
 `` What?'' I replied, out of surprise. 
 
 `` Would you like to be the heir?'' 
 
 `` Well I did n't go for a reason, as I said, I have everything here to last me a couple months.'' 
 
 `` Look, come with me.'' 
 
 I decided to follow the muddy old man, and if this was a trap, I at least have my butchers knife with me to survive an ambush. He took me along this and that alley, until we made it a long the outskirts of the city. He led to me an abandoned farm. He then started to speak with a very joyous tone. 
 
 `` My friend, you have proven yourself.'' 
 
 `` Proven what?'' I asked, with hand ready on my butchers knife. 
 
 `` Here, let me show you.'' 
 
 He reached under his dirty priest hood, and handed me a ripped piece of parchment, it had a royal insignia on it. I was shocked at how this beggar managed to steal this from the palace. 
 
 `` How... Did you... you wha...?'' 
 
 `` I'll explain, you see, I am the king. And I have decided, after one hundred days in the streets, attempting find a greedy and none reckless soul who I know will surely not put my kingdom into disarray as I have seen with many others, that you will be my heir.'' 
 
 `` But you only meant me today! Surely maybe the priests would be a better fit! And I have stolen, should n't that mean I am greedy?'' 
 
 `` I think from what you tell me that it is not greedy to survive, and it is not greedy to give help to those who need it. The priests would only believe that stealing and greed is only justified if god wills it, but you have proven me otherwise, and for that, I believe you will be wise enough to lead my kingdom into peace.'' 
 
 I could n't believe what I was hearing, a king wants a beggar to be king? Me, to be king? He wants me to have a castle, servants, food, and an army? He calls a common beggar wise? Perhaps the king has gone mad, or maybe I have really changed his mind. Perhaps I can take this opportunity to rid the kingdom of the fur-collars, the shopkeepers, the night watchman, and all those who have attempted the rid the beggars. 
 
 I tell the king, `` you've made a wise choice. I accept.''
