Revenge

Summary

A servant plots revenge for his father's murder by the king, and plans to escape with the king's daughter who is unaware of her father's death.

Abstract

The narrative poem "Revenge" tells the tale of a servant who seeks retribution for the murder of his father by the king. The servant has meticulously planned the king's assassination and has also won the heart of the king's daughter, who is unaware of the night's grim events. As the camp sleeps, he prepares to flee with her into the mountains, confident that their trail will not be found. The poem weaves through the servant's memories of the night his father was killed, his mother's subsequent sorrow, and his own vow to avenge his father's death. The servant, now also in love with the princess, awaits the opportune moment to awaken her and escape under the cover of darkness.

Opinions

The servant harbors deep-seated resentment and a desire for vengeance against the king for his father's murder.
He believes that the gods are on his side, having witnessed his father's murder and his mother's grief.
The servant's love for the princess seems to have grown beyond the initial plan, suggesting a complexity of emotions and motives.
There is a sense of justice being served, as the servant takes revenge not just for his father but also for the wrongs done to his mother and himself.
The servant is confident in his planning and the success of their escape, indicating a sense of superiority or strategic advantage over the king's men.

A Narrative Poem

Canva-Photo by MonikaP

I wait in the shadows of her tent for the sounds of the camp to die down. Moonlight skips across the leaves of the oak trees. Here and there, the sounds of dogs barking, a child crying, and a husband and wife quarreling. Guards patrol the perimeter, keeping a watchful eye for any signs that our enemies might be approaching. If only they knew their king was dead and his faithful servant was planning to escape in the arms of his lovely daughter.

This night is the accumulation of years of careful thought and preparation. To kill a king is no easy task. To steal his daughter’s heart is unforgivable. I remember the night the seed was planted in my heart. I was asleep in my mother’s tent, her oldest child, the apple of her eye, when I heard the sounds coming from her bed.

I raised myself on my elbows and peered into the dimly lit corner of the tent. Someone was attacking my mother. I rushed to her rescue as only a foolish boy can. I grabbed the man’s hair and yanked his head back. He screamed in fear and surprise, then tossed me aside as if I was a small insect. My mother cried. I can hear her sobbing still. I don’t know if she was crying for me or for what she knew was to come. I was not to be defeated easily. Again, I attacked, kicking him with my small feet. Once he realized what had happened, he laughed aloud, hideous, scary laugh and told me to be quiet or I would bring down the wrath of the gods. I did not heed his warning and took to screaming my father’s name at the top of my voice. He told me to hush or he would cut my tongue out.

I ran from the tent and into my father’s arms. He was a captain in the king’s army and on duty that night. The man in our tent followed me outside and came face to face with my father. I saw the look of fear then anger flash across my father’s face. His hand swiftly raised his sword and he swung it with the skill of a seasoned soldier, but as fast as he was, the invader was even faster. I saw him thrust a knife into my father’s belly and heard him curse my father’s ancestors.

I vowed to the gods that night that some day I would have my revenge. And that time has come. The old king lies in his bed as if asleep. Only a thin red line on his neck gives any hint that something is amiss. His latest mistress lies next to him, a bottle of poison clutched in her hand. On the nightstand, they will find a note she penned, claiming to have killed the king and taken her own life because she could not live with the anguish in her heart.

My plan is for us to leave shortly after midnight. I have two horses waiting under a nearby tree. We should be in the mountains by the time they find the king dead and his daughter gone. They probably will come looking for us, but I am confident they will not find our trail.

For now, my love is asleep. I watch her bosom rising and falling with each breath. I hope her dreams are pleasant ones. She does not know that her father is dead. She is coming with me because she knows her father will never approve of our relationship. She is willing to give everything up so that she can be with me. And while it was not a part of my plan, I find that I also love her and will give my life for her.

My mother, may she rest in peace, has crossed the river of life and is in the arms of my father once again. I know that my father is proud of what I have done tonight and I know he rides with me and will protect me. I hear the hooting of an owl and know that it is time to wake my princess. The moon has drifted behind the clouds. The night waits for us.

If you like this narrative poem, you may also like The Child.