The trumpets raised and declared the departure of the royal caravan. The precise pointed notes declaring greatness and grandeur.
The King and Queen approached the gates on their beautiful black Spanish mustangs. They snorted and raised their heads as they fell into the procession line of all family and staff...it was time for a trip. There were the royal cooks, attendants and servants, magicians, wise men, doctors and clergy. Everyone was traveling this day.
They trotted over hills and down through beautiful valleys to the neighboring kingdom. All along their journey there was expectation in the air...balloons, singing, waving and joy for the impending event.
Around the corner they came...As they crossed the river across the bridge approaching the castle destination...the sun hid its face...the clods hung low...a gray fog was looming low all about and it eerily rolled over their feet and hid the surrounding valley and surrounding hills and orchards.
They approached the gates but the guards stood frozen...unable or unwilling to move or return the greeting. The gates stood closed and locked...
Through the bars of the gate opening one could see the musicians who stood in the middle of the town square--instruments prepared and ready...yet silent.
The servants jumped in and raised the gate to allow the royal caravan to enter. The King motioned a grateful wave and the soldiers moved to the forefront to examine the strange scene before them.
As everyone entered the courtyard..they dismounted horses and carriages...
They had expected to see a welcoming brigade worthy of a royal wedding.
Instead--they saw a kingdom frozen under a gloomy sky locked in time and unable to move forward.
The king moved bravely through the castle doors and into the banquet hall...preparations had been made...but there was a haze that took away the luster of anything resembling anything of celebration.
Everywhere were servants, attendants, soldiers....all locked in a set position.
The king summoned his magicians first..."what has happened here?". "My lord-"-they said..."it is the work of a dark spell for certain." "Proceed carefully for we know not the origin of these strange doings."
The King became more concerned... He proceeded forward to the chapel--strewn with hanging streamers...wild flowers bouquets...but strangely dark and locked in time. "What evil trickery is this?"... There in the side room was his daughter...the princess...dressed in her wedding gown...but it looked hazy and grey in the dim lighting and the low fog penetrating every area as far as the eye could see. She did not answer his call.
The King called for his wise men..."What is the remedy?" declared the King. "My lord...we know not what induced this dark spell over your daughters kingdom."
There was a rustling heard across the room...one lone peasant was moving..."You" thundered the King..."You come HERE...this instant." Frightened the timid young man approached.
"What has happened here?" demanded the King. Shaking at the sight of the King...The timid young man could only say "it is surely a spell"..."and one of which the origins point back to those seeking answers" and he bowed his head.
What could this mean wondered the King. He turned back but now his Queen was locked and frozen in time and place...his servants and even his soldiers. Growing ever more frightened the King mustered the courage...to inquire "who are you?" The young man answered..."I was the fool...just the entertainment for this occasion..."
"What is your name" asked the King "and do you intend me harm as well?"
"Aggin" he stammered "and no my lord...I have no ill intentions for you...for you are needed to break the spell."
"You see my lord...you've been here before....it was time for the royal blessing of affirmation. The trumpets signaled the words were coming the doves were released into the air...the stage was set my lord... and..." He stopped as if the pain of retelling the story was causing intense pain to recall the details.
"Yes--go on" stated the King....
"Well Sire...you opened your mouth and silence filled the air."
"There was no royal affirmation spoken...Instead you only gave silence. From this moment on..the Princess is locked in time and cannot be released without the words she needs to hear...only then can the spell be broken."
The King stared at his beautiful daughter...he thought about memories of running through the royal forest together playing games...and watching her ride majestically across the meadows and jumping streams with her golden pony tail bouncing and free. He thought of her prankster side always playing jokes on the royal guards to gain a chuckle. He thought of her sense of adventure the time she had rode off to see the big city on her own when he wouldn't grant her permission to go. He pondered all of these things...so many wonderful and unique qualities...yet he had never spoken a one over her...instead only the quiet...he felt ashamed...and deeply broken.
A tear rolled down his cold stiff cheek as his mind raced through so many memories and bright thoughts of his daughter. The fog was creeping up his side and he could feel the chill of stillness approaching his own heart. Like a man coming out of his own fog...he cleared his throat and looking boldly towards his daughter the Princess..."I don't know if you can hear me...but I need to speak over you...Growing up you were an amazing bright child that loved to do mischievous deeds to our guards--sometimes even tying their shoelaces together...of course I dared not laugh to urge you on further. You loved to race through the forests...ever running faster as if you might take off and take to flight at any moment."
As the king was speaking his words the fog began to retreat...and the horizon yielded its light for the first time in who knows how long....
"I loved to see the joy and pleasure when you rode your stallion...jumping the streams and racing through the meadows. I saw...but I never spoke of it. Twas never silliness of a wayward damsel--but the dreams of a growing princess racing towards her future kingdom. Finally--I saw when you raced off head strong for the big city with no support and no protection of guards. My heart was broken when I thought of you being gone...I always thought you would be here by my side. Twas adventure for you and I can see that now in the light of the future." Tears were now streaming down the King's face and the streams shown gold to everyone there. Everyone was now bright...filled with color and beginning to be alert and hear. His daughters eyes slightly turned and were locked onto those of her father the King..she was hearing every word as if receiving treasure.
She was almost undone at the sound of these long unspoken words that her heart had not dare to openly hope to hear.
"I bless you my daughter the Princess...go forward from this time with the knowledge of my deep love for you and joy of seeing your happiness. You have brought so much joy to my heart...I only wish you could move forward with the same joy from this place and claim your kingdom that awaits your presence."
Suddenly everything looked different in the sharp brilliance of the light...
The spell had been broken by the assistance of a fool...the wisdom of the simple defies bright ideas of the learned and wise men and magicians...because our words have power...the power to change the world and the world of those we love in our life. So many opportunities for blessing are met with silence. Many other times they can be met with the yelling words of a tyrant as well--but now that is a different story in an adjacent kingdom.
If only we truly had the opportunity to give our words Aggin...or Again as it is pronounced today... then we could surely guaranty a happily ever after ending...
The moral of this story is that our words have power and that power is unmeasurable...we can declare the truth we see and bless...or we can sit silent and keep our children frozen in time...locked in place and unable to move forward. It doesn't matter what we ourselves received or did not receive...the power and opportunity to bless sits the same before us.
