long live the king
when they were free from the crowd outside the guildhall miles and edward ran through the streets and up to the river
there were more crowds at london bridge and poor edward hard the news from a thousand voices at once
king henry is dead
tears came to his eyes
most people were afraid of king henry but he was a kind and loving father to edward
for a few seconds edward felt all alone in the world
then he heard shouts of long liver king edward the sixth
i am king now he thought and it felt strange and wonderful
miles was talking edward to an inn where he had a room but when they crossed the road to the inn john canty stopped them outside
you won't get away from me again he said catching edward
i will hit you so hard
take your hands off him cried miles
what is the boy to you
it is none of your business but he is my son answered canty angrily
it is not true cried edward
i will die before i go with him
miles put his hand on his sword
father or not you shall not touch the boy he said or you will be very sorry
canty walked away into the crowd shouting angrily and miles took edward into the inn
up in miles is room the little king fell onto the bed
it was three o'clock in the morning and he was tired
wake me when my food is ready he told miles and then at once he fell asleep
well laughed miles
he comes to my room and takes my bed with no please or thank you he calls himself a prince and he tries to live one too poor mad little beggar well i will be his friend
i already like him and the funny way that he talks
i will teach him and watch over him
when edward woke up there was food on the table and he sat down and began to eat
bring me water he said
miles brought the prince a cup then pulled a chair to the table but before he could sit down the boy said angrily do not sit at the king is table
miles nearly laughed but he stopped himself
this mad boy will send me to the tower next he thought and he quietly stood and waited for finish his food
tell me about yourself said edawrd while he ate
i am the son of sir richard hrndon of hendon hall miles replied
ten years ago i went to france to fight in the king is army
but there i became a prisoner
a few months ago i escaped from a french prison
i have just come back to england and now i am going to hendon hall to see my family
you will see your family soon said edward
but i will never see my father again
there were tears in his eyes
then he told miles about his life as a prince and about how a beggar took his place
he is mad but he tells a good story miles thought
edward stopped talking and looked at miles
last night you saved the king of england he said
you have been good to me and now i shall do something for you
what would you like
miles smiled
what could he ask from a mad boy
then he thought of something
he was tried of standing
please sir he said could i sit in the same room as the king
take a seat sir miles hendon replied edward from this day on you will be sir miles hendon
and only you will sit in the same room as the king
miles sat down at once
i was right to ask him for that he thought
my legs hurt already
i would not like to stand for weeks
later that morning while edward slept miles went out to buy some clothes for him
but when he came back and opened the door of his room it was empty
miles ran downstairs
a boy brought a note from you sir a servant told miles
he was a tall boy with dark hair
and i gave the note to your friend
it said that you were waiting in southwark
they left together
i wrote no note you stupid man miles shouted
was the boy alone
the servant thought for a second
he came alone sir but when hey got outside another man followed them
it is that ugly villain who was waiting outside the inn miles cried
my poor mad little boy
i will find you