When the armorer slipped the chainmail over his head, the first thing Prince Sebastian noticed was the weight of the suit pressing down on his shoulders. He’d been told many times that a suit made of hundreds of metal rings would be heavy, but the heft of the armor still surprised him. Next the prince felt a cooling sensation. Even with the glowing metalsmith’s forge heating the workshop, the mail suit wicked the heat away from his skin.
The armorer examined the new suit from every angle. He tugged at it from the back and under the arms to make sure it fit correctly.
“How does it feel?” the armorer asked.
“Heavy,” was all Sebastian could think to say.
“Of course. I suggest you wear it around for a few hours every day until you get used to it.”
As a child of the king, Sebastian was being taught the ways of a royal son. For countless generations young princes learned the art of combat. Until now he had practiced swordsmanship using a wooden sword. Now, with protective chainmail armor he could begin training with a real sword.
Theodore had been standing at the doorway of the shop watching the fitting session. As one of the prince’s caretakers, Theodore oversaw Sebastian’s daily routine.
“Sir, if we are through here, it’s time for your language lesson,” Theodore said.
Sebastian sighed. He dreaded the boring lesson. Even though he enjoyed some languages, he found Latin boring.
The armorer stepped back from the prince, but still eyed his handwork from a distance, “Let me know if you have any problems with mail.”
Leaving the workshop, Sebastian followed Theodore down a covered walkway toward the castle. There, in the tutor’s classroom, the prince was schooled daily with a small group of children, all from noble families. Sabastian’s mind wandered as he walked along. Forgetting about his new armor and about language studies, he thought about his upcoming trip. He had reached the age where he could begin royal duties. One of his first was to travel to the neighboring kingdom on behalf of his father the king. Even though he had many hours of etiquette training he was concerned he would make a mistake that would make him look foolish. Even worse, he worried he might bring shame to his father.
There had been tension between Sabastian’s father’s kingdom and the Kingdom of Trampa for many years. The countries had come close to war several times. It was important that Sabastian and his companions deliver a message of good will to keep the two kingdoms at peace.
When the pair reached the castle, Theodore and Sabastian past a courtyard where the midday sunlight bathed a variety of flowering plants and shrubs that lined stone walkways. Across the courtyard to his right Sebastian’s eye caught sight of two figures. Both men glanced over their shoulders before ducking into the shadow of a portico. One man carried what looked like a small wooden box. While Sebastian didn’t get a clear view of their faces, he would have sworn they were Marios and his brother Nicolas.
“Theodore, did you see those two men?” Sebastian asked.
“What men?”
“There, across the courtyard.”
“No, I didn’t see anyone,” Theodore shrugged.
“What do you suppose the riding instructors Marios and Nicolas would be doing in the castle?”
“You’re right, I wouldn’t expect them to be lurking around the castle. Are you sure that is who you saw?”
“Well, I’m not positive, but whoever it was looked like they were hiding something,” said the prince.
Later that afternoon Sabastian made his way to the stables. He has suffered through the Latin lesson where his tutor seemed to do his best to make a boring subject even more uninteresting. Without a doubt the prince preferred horseback riding over language lessons.
The enormous barn that housed the finest horses in the land was bustling with activity. Nonstop teams of workers feed and cared for the king’s horses. They made sure the animals were in good health and prepared for war. When Sabastian arrived, Marios led a horse from the stable and Nicolas followed behind with a second horse. The brothers had been Sabastian’s riding instructors for the past six months. They were a strange pair who spoke with an accent, but they expert horsemen.
“Marios, why were you at the castle earlier today?” Sebastian asked.
The instructor turned away from the prince and began stroking the horse’s face, “What are you talking about? I wasn’t at the castle.”
“I saw you and Nicholas in the main courtyard,” Sabastian insisted.
Marios shook his head, “No, I’ve been here all day.”
The prince turned to Nicholas who returned an empty stare.
“I wasn’t at the castle either,” Nicholas said with a blank expression.
The denials only raised Sabastian’s suspicions, but he had nothing else to add. Besides, even if the brothers had been in the castle, they had done nothing wrong that he was aware of. The prince dropped the subject and took his horse by the reins.
“Start with the usual warmups,” Marios instructed his young student.
Sebastian mounted up and began exercising his horse.
Later that evening Sabastian climbed the stairs to one of the castle towers. Halfway up he had to stop and catch his breath. The weight of the chainmail that he still wore made the climb difficult. When he reached the top, his lungs were burning, but it was worth effort. From the top of the tower, he enjoyed the view of the countryside aglow in the rays of the setting sun. After a busy day, the prince relished a little time alone. Normally he found the lookout tower peaceful, but today his anxiety returned. Worries about his upcoming trip flooded his mind. It was not just the trip that he thought about. It was the future responsibilities that he would be expected to take on. His carefree days of childhood were coming to an end.
“Dinner will be served shortly,” Theodore called from the top of the stairs.
“Yes,” Sebastian answered flatly.
“Is something the matter?” Theodore asked. He was a wise man who seemed to know what the prince was thinking.
Sebastian sighed.
“If I can be of help, please let me know.”
“I’m worried,” said Sebastian after a long pause.
“About what?”
“I have this trip to Trampa coming up, and I’m worried that I might do something that dishonors my father.”
“I see. Being a prince is not easy, but you have a good heart. I’m sure your father expects you will do your best, and if something goes wrong, he will be understanding.”
“You’re right, but I still find it difficult to shake off the anxious thoughts,” Sebastian added.
For a long minute Theodore and the prince stood looking out over the countryside. Finally, he offered a word of advice.
“Look at that bird,” Theodore pointed out a bird sitting on the top of the castle wall. “It doesn’t spend its time worrying. Our heavenly father feeds and cares for it.”
Sabastian nodded in agreement.
“Look at the flowers in the fields,” Theodore continued. “Our heavenly father clothes them finer than a king. How much more will he care for you?”
As the prince considered the wise lesson, he watched the little sparrow sitting peacefully until it decided to fly away. Down in a nearby field Sebastian watched the wildflowers swaying in the gentle breeze. His anxious thoughts didn’t disappear completely, but he felt his burdens grow lighter. Even the chainmail that he’d been carrying around for half of the day didn’t feel quite as heavy.
To be continued.
***
Read Matthew: 6:25.
Have you heard this passage before?
In the story, what do you think the chainmail symbolizes?
Have you ever worried about something? Did it feel like you were being weighed down?
What does the Matthew passage suggest we do when we are worried about the things of this life?
The next time you are weighed down with worry, stop and think about the birds, flowers, or something in nature that God takes care of. This should help remind us that God cares for us even more.