"Have I ever told you guys of what happened the day of my birth?"
Zaza's voice resounded in the mountains and echoed through the hills and valleys. Ham, who was already getting enough of the constant and never-ending chattering, turned his head to him with a grumpy look on his face.
'What's the use of retelling those boring stories over and over again to us, Za?' Ham grouched and Zaza frowned at his unkind words.
'Boring? I beg your pardon, but such stories should be one of the most beautiful things out there that can be told, it tells of a time of new birth, new life, new…'
'I'm sorry Za, but I agree with Hammy on this one, I mean, you keep telling us of your birth story like it is some big matter. It's not like we get our birth prophecy read out here like those in the Highlands' Gera, the most built and the oldest among the four boys, observed as he cut Zaza short,
Zaza scurried forward, to where the last guy was and as he approached him, he smiled and nudged him softly by his elbows.
'What about you, Cael? You've never told us about your birth prophecy' he said and Gera immediately hushed him up harshly.
'What do you really want to know Zaza? How many times must he tell you that he doesn't have one?' he said naggingly and Zaza turned to him and furrowed his brows in confusion.
'He doesn't have one? When has he ever told me that?' he asked and Ham looked at Gera as if to remind him something.
'He wasn't there yet, remember, when we heard about…you know…' he said and Gera's face relaxed as soon as he came to realize that.
'Oh! You weren't yet in the group; you were still a little kid then' Gera put in clearly and then nodded his head at Zaza.
'My mother died, after giving birth to me. My father couldn't deal with my mother's death, so, he died too, shortly after she died. So, I have no birth prophecy, I was brought here forthwith to live with my old man' Cael's voice at last came to them and he sounded very dismissive and nonchalant, probably due to grave exhaustion.
Zaza instantly kept quiet again and the atmosphere returned to be droopy and gloomy as they continued walking silently.
They were all descending from the mountains after a long stressing day of mountain-climbing to get rare spices and herbs for the market. The boys had some sort of communal relationship in their friendship together. They frequently went up the mountains to get rare species of plants and herbs which they sold to the market, and whose benefits they always put together in the bag carried by Ham- their banker-and spent for everyone's benefit.
They arrived the tribe after the sun had sunk into the sea. The night watchers were already out and going in the tribe, lighting up the lamps in their lampstands in every path and beaten track in the tribe. The curfew was soon approaching and the people of the tribe were beginning to retire into their houses and hutches.
The boys arrived at Cael's hut and began to arrange the stuffs they had brought back from the mountains in their respective places inside the wooden storage house at the back of the hut.
As the other boys did the storing, Ham went to gather some firewood and lit them up for warmth in the cold evening. They were all now gathered around the burning wood, their face illuminated with the bright yellow flame from the firewood and the cackling of fire filling the whole quiet evening with gentle noises.
Ham sighed and leaned his back against the wall of the hut as he faced the skies. The moonlight was very dim and there was neither a star nor a sign of the moon's dog within his sight. Then he looked over to the rest of the boys and pouted his lips.
'You all… none of you took the oath for the Royal Bid, did you?' he said out loud and they all raised their heads to look at him.
'The Royal Bid…' Zaza wheezed sadly '…I wish I could take the oath for it, but they said it's only for those who're above 16 and below 25. I'm just fourteen. But it would have been nice you know, to go to the Highlands and see the sacred bloods and…
'I can't.'
Gera spoke out, interrupting Zaza again.
'You all know my father, he's an elder and as an elder's only son, I have to be here, to live for the tribe' he continued and then bowed his head sullenly.
Ham suddenly began to snigger at them as he watched the sad expressions on their faces.
'Oh, come on guys, don't tell me you all actually wanted to take the oath for it? To act like those blind cows who go rushing to take the oath not knowing what it truly means' he said dissuasively and then sat up straight again.
'Look, they just want us to be like their dogs, to serve them and bow to their feet for the rest of our lives. It's clearly stated in the Bid. Something like this has never happened before, drafting escorts for the Imperial Family from all over the land, without a special kind of selection. They need dogs, and people like us, from the mountain tribe, we are just exactly what they need' he carried on earnestly and then spat out to show his displeasure. Zaza knitted his brows as he thoughtfully tried to grasp what Ham was trying to mean, well, not until Cael dropped a bomb between them.
'I took the oath'
He said slowly and kept looking downwards, while the boys were already watching him, very puzzled at his unexpected reply. Cael then raised his head to read the expressions on their faces, which was clearly that of disappointment and betrayal.
'I took the oath for the Bid, I already told my old man about it. He surely wasn't glad, because as Ham has said, we of the mountain tribe are oftentimes regarded as primitive and backward people in the land, they ridicule us. But I took an oath…'
'Have you gone bananas Cael? You know, when I come across people who've done the same thing and I ask them why, they tell me the same baloney about wanting to change the tribe. What silly excuse is that? You'd just go there to ridicule the tribe the more, you can't change nothing if all you'd be doing is lick the foot of an Imperial' Ham let out furiously as he pointed with his fingers, wagging them in mid-air. Then Cael suddenly turned to him, also getting rather irritated.
'I didn't take the oath just because I want to bring change, like what am I? A peacemaker? Look, I did this for myself, it might be hard to explain to you right now, but, I did it for myself. Not to lick an Imperial's foot, or to bring glory to our tribe, but for myself' Cael put in sharply, his eyes widening and his hands tapping the air. Then he turned away from Ham and sighed deeply.
'But I don't think it's going to be anything though, I mean, hundreds of young men also took the oath for it, even men that are more worthy than I am…'
'…Oh, I'm glad you still understand that fact' Ham slipped in crossly.
'But don't come blaming anyone when you get there and you're asked to be the stepping stool for an Imperial when getting on a carriage' Ham continued bitterly and Gera glowered at him.
'Lord! Ham, I think he gets it already, if he's taken an oath for it, there's no going back now until the list gets out' Gera said sternly to Ham who grumpily kept silent and folded his hands. Zaza was left in his own world, still trying to comprehend everything.
And just then, an old man entered the small hut, holding a basket of harvested vegetation and fruits, and immediately the boys saw him, they rose up, greeted him and began to bid themselves goodbye. Gera, Ham and Zaza exited the hut that stood at the edge of the tribe, and they scurried back to their own respective homes, trying to avoid violating the curfew.
As the old man returned back from the little storage house to where the boys had all been seated round the burning firewood, and noticed how the rest of the boys had instantly disappeared from the hut upon his arrival, he looked wearily to the narrow path that leads in and out of the hut, and shook his head.
'They vanish into thin air as soon as they see me' he grouched sadly and crossed his hands behind his hunched back.
'Well, maybe they wouldn't if you were less of the grumpy ol' man you are' Cael scorned at the old man and he crackled softly as he moved to the entrance of the hut and ensconced himself firmly on the pavement. Then he brought one of his legs upon the other and started to massage it.
'Grumpy? I don't know what's that supposed to mean but I think myself to be more of an affectionate old man' the old man boasted and Cael gave a dismissive smirk and stood up to enter into the hut.
'As if.' He whispered sarcastically and as he attempted to move, the old man's words stopped him.
'About the Bid, many of the villagers are now aware of it, they're wondering who in his right mind would do such thing seeing he's from the mountains' the old man said suddenly and Cael scoffed and placed his hands on his waist as he cocked his head to a side.
'Let them wonder all they want, I've already made it crystal clear that I am not doing it for the tribe, they can continue in their primitiveness and cowardice all their life. And again, it's not like I am of the mountain tribe to begin with…'
'Cael!' the old man threw in sharply and furrowed his brows at him.
'You and I know that living as someone of the mountain tribe is the only thing that has kept you alive till today! The primitiveness and cowardice are what has kept you safe. Yes! You are not truly a mountainer, you were never born as one, but who are you truly? Who can you say you are that wouldn't have you in the gallows, or instantly have you stoned in the streets?' the old man hammered on and stood to glare at Cael, trying to talk some sense into him, again.
'You are the son of a traitor, the son of a treasonist, the son of a murderer!!'
'BUT THAT IS A LIE! THAT IS ONE BLOODY LIE, YOU KNOW IT!' Cael retorted furiously, his breathing pace gradually increasing and tears gathering at the corners of his eyes.
'Yes!!! That is a lie and I know it to be the reason why you are still alive till this day, it is the reason why even from little age, you were very determined to seek the truth. You never wanted to believe that your father was who they said he was, and the person he died to be'
'But what good would it do if you throw your life away without fulfilling that just because of a little impatience. The Bid? I am not entirely happy about it, but I know, sooner or later, you'd really want to know what really happened to your father. Be a Mountainer, live as one as you've always been living, take up an identity as one and survive, to seek your truth' the old man advised and then moved slowly to the fire. He sat on the trunk of the old fallen tree and stretched forth his hands towards the flame. Cael stood motionless and speechless for a while before plodding to the hut with sleep overwhelming his eyes.
'You not coming in, the night is rather far spent' he said concernedly and moved into the small room where a mat and two pillows laid on the cold concrete floor, with neatly folded coverlets sitting on the mat.
The old man smirked at his sudden show of concern; it wasn't something he sees every day.
'Oh, don't worry kid, this old man's trying to warm up his cold attitude'
The Emperor sat in his large embellished study quarters with a book in his hands, and into which his eyes were buried and his mind was engrossed, that he did not notice the other manly figure clad in a knightly attire, which suddenly appeared before him. The knight's gaze quickly fell to the bold inscription on the book's cover page and he sighed pitifully.
'You cannot get the ideas on how to better an empire from the pages of a book…Your Majesty' he said sharply and the Emperor looked up from the book in his hands and smiled disbelieving at the knight.
'Oh Ethan, that cold and demeaning tone of yours just gets colder and colder by the day' the Emperor replied and the knight bowed his head to show submission.
'Tell me, what is it? You don't usually disturb me whenever I'm in my study' the Emperor continued and frowned slightly at the knight.
'It's about the Bid you passed, your father's throwing quite a tantrum about it, especially with the fact that you never informed him of it' the knight reported and placed his hands upon the sheathed sword by his waist as he continued staring down at the Emperor.
'Oh, the old King, and a tantrum you say? Tell me more about it, Ethan' the Emperor responded casually and closed the book, resting both of his hands on the table.
'Your Majesty…'
'What about you Ethan? What do you say about the Bid? Outrageous? Foolish?'
'I wouldn't dare say such of Your Majesty's ordinances' the knight said firmly and deferentially, folding his fists.
'But I want your honest response Ethan, no, I command your honest response' the Emperor carried on and slowly stood to his feet, watching the knight closely. Then the knight lowered his head, he closed his eyes for a moment and raised his head again to meet with the Emperor's gaze.
'It wasn't wise. You do know very well how it ended with…' he tried to put forth candidly but the Emperor interrupted him with a jesting laughter, snickering so heartily at how truthful he sounded.
'I do very much know how it ended with myself and Berechi, it was a total disaster, led him to a derisive end.' The Emperor said somberly as soon as he stopped laughing. Then he turned his back to the knight to face the massive shelves of neatly organized books and accounts and folded his hands behind him.
'What do the princes say?'
'They're all not so delighted about it, I mean the Fifth and the Sixth Prince sits together all day in their co-joined courts to grumble bitterly about it' the knight answered and the Emperor immediately smirked and licked his teeth secretively.
'Michal and Zillah's son. They even inherited the closeness of their mothers. And the Crown Prince?' the Emperor probed on
'Well, he is just as composed and collected as he always is, there is no telling of what he feels and is thinking within. Well, I wouldn't be surprised knowing that he takes after his father so well being his first son' the knight replied in his usual demeaning tone.
'Ha, I see. They'd come to appreciate it someday; I did it for no one else but them'
'But I don't see it that way'
The knight tossed in abruptly that even the air around them suddenly became still. The Emperor knitted his brows and sharply turned to look at the knight.
'It was for that scholar, wasn't it? Berechi. The Bid, everything you're doing, isn't it your way of atoning?' the knight pressed on and the Emperor stood frozen for a while before returning back to sit down. Then he began to smile sullenly and clenched his fist.
'You know me too well Ethan. But in the actual sense, all I am doing right now is for no one else but for my sons, for their good and the good of my empire' he rejoined and looked to the other side of the quarter, to the quiet pond outside of the study quarters, where a large lotus tree stood and shedding its foliage around the wide courtyard and also strewing its flowers upon the still body of water, accenting the beauty of the pond with their whitish-pink color.
As the Emperor continued watching the pond for a very great while, the knight observed the Emperor's countenance with a close observation, and he could see written upon the Emperor's face, the traces and the deep imprints of guilt and regret.
His mother scuttled through the under-shrubs and the long grasses scattered in the forest, she held him tightly in her arms and kept looking behind them to see if they were been chased. The rain of arrows came the second time and she quickly tucked his head lower into her arms and bent down to dodge the shower of poisoned arrows. But suddenly, she let out a short painful shriek of pain as one of the arrows successfully landed and struck at her back. She refrained from pressing his head tightly unto her breast and looked into his eyes.
'It's going to be fine Cael, you hear me?' she said reassuringly but the little boy could see from the profuse sweating and the vivid apprehension on her face that nothing was going to be fine.
'What of papa?' his little voice whispered into his mother's ears from beneath her chest and she froze a bit. She then smiled awkwardly down to him as she rose back on her feet.
'He's coming'
She forcefully whispered back and continued running through the bushes. The rain of arrows was immediately followed by hundreds of lighted lamps, coming from nowhere and everywhere, falling down from the sky and upon the forest. Every tree, every plant and every grass suddenly caught fire and in the twinkle of an eye, the forest was set ablaze in a hot fierce flame, whose smoke danced up to the skies.
His mother could now feel her life gradually seeping out of her. Not only was the poison from the arrow that had struck her, circulating through her blood and draining the life out of her, but even the choking smoke from the bushfires was also smothering out the little energy she had left to keep a-breathing and to keep a-fleeing.
And just then, up ahead of the aflame forest which they were now almost engulfed in, she saw the majestic and lofty view of gigantic mountains standing as a god would before its subjected creatures. Even with their proud and condescending appearance, his mother could still see the tiny spectacle of hope she was desperately looking for, in the presence of these lofty mountains. She swiftly dropped the little boy to his feet and knelt herself to the ground as she held his shoulders tightly. The little boy could feel her hands greatly quavering upon his shoulders and her face was looking paler and more pallid with her lips turning dry and livid.
'Cael, you see those mountains, don't you? I want you to run there, run to the mountains and look for an old man that lives in a small hut at the edge of the village. I… will come to you very soon, I promise. Just go there and when you find the old man, you tell him you were sent by the Healer' his mother said, trying to keep her eyes and her body awake. Her breathing was now slow and it seemed as if her heart was soon winding up its job in the body.
'What of you, mama…'
'I've told you I will come to you soon, let me…let me go and look for your father okay, we will come to you very soon' she said sharply, raising her voice with effort and trying to sound as convincing as possible.
'Now go, you run and don't turn back, okay? Promise me' she continued and the little boy nodded doubtfully at her. Then she leaned to kiss him on his forehead before swerving him about and propelling him forward.
She remained still on the same spot and watched as the little boy began to scamper through the tall bushes and running towards the mountains. She gave a dry smile at his back and before she knew it, her body was now lying flat on the ground, with the arrow stuck to her back. She could no longer move a muscle neither could she hear the beating of her own heart. She was already half-dead; her blood congealed and her body rendered to nothing, and behind her, the forest-fire was fast approaching with its merciless flame.
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