… “Delightful!” Exclaimed the Queen and she clapped her delicate hands together.
“Charming,” agreed the Duchess.
“Exquisite,” chimed the Marchioness.
The King’s youngest children, to whom the decree made precious little difference anyway, squealed with delight and danced joyfully around the throne room.
“A jest…A jest, the juiciest of japes!” laughed the Court Jester and joined the children.
“Mmmm… whhhon-der-full,” sighed Countess Grey dreamily.
The King’s Ambassador cleared his throat, “perhaps?” he ventured diplomatically.
“Ridiculous!” stormed the Admiral of the Kings Fleet.
“Imp… Imp… Impossible!” blustered the Lord Chancellor.
“Outrageous!” raged the General of War.
“Madness!” accused Prince Morph-Lance, the King’s eldest son.
“Disaster!” declared the Prime Minister.
“Anarchy!” pronounced the Lord Chief Justice gravely.
He shook his head.
“Pure folly,” intoned the King’s Minister of Education.
“Very rash,” ordained the Archbishop.
“er… um… yes, quite,” finished the King’s Ambassador resignedly.
Earl Grae smiled and said nothing.
The King sat, resplendent, upon his throne. He chuckled immoderately and remained adamant.
The decree was passed. It read:
‘King Samuel VI of Morphlance hereby decrees that: the sixth day of the week, being that day which also falls upon the sixth day of the month in this the year Six Hundred and Sixty Six, shall be a free day for all the people of his Kingdom.
Let every man, woman and child in the Kingdom of Morphlance count this day for it shall be free. Upon this day, all laws and all punishments for the breaking of such laws shall be relaxed.
Any acts committed upon this day, that would, if committed upon any other day, have been criminal acts, shall not be punished as such upon this day nor upon any other day thereafter.
Any actions for wrongs done upon this day will not be heard upon this day nor upon any other day thereafter.
Here is Wisdom: upon this day all the people of Morphlance shall be free to do whatever they want to do.
The decree was signed: King Samuel VI of Morphlance…
