Heir to the throne

Chapter 5

Zyaan

The rain fell from the heavens that night, almost as if the sky felt his pain. Sitting calmly in a melancholy state, he aimlessly folded palm leaves into shapes. There was a heaviness in his heart. Thoughts played in his mind as he tried to understand what had unfolded in the market.

            He knew that following Reiji would lead him to his enemy, but he did not count on it happening so quickly. Maybe fate was being kind to him, or perhaps it knew how gravely they had wronged him. Whatever it was, Zyaan had never felt so much anger and hate in his young life. Looking into the eyes of this prince whose father stole his entire world, Zyaan could hardly fight the impulse to hurt him. But he was too clever to allow himself to fall prey to his emotions. He knew he had to be patient. The time would come for them to all fall.

            Zyaan sighed, his emotions weighing heavily on his chest. He was a man with a mission but no plan. He had no money, no fame, no power.  He had heard the whispers and stories from all around him. The people who ruled over Lokya were mighty. Attacking them would have to be done with careful planning.

            He ripped a few leaflets from a branch and started twisting them into a form. Outside the wall, amongst the pitter-patter of the rain, the voices of soldiers caught his attention. Through the latticework, he could see them. They were Akai and wore their colors with pride. With the presence of the prince and princess, patrols were more regular. Their lives far outweighed the lives of anyone in this city. That was the bitter truth.

"It's getting late, it's time to come inside," Reiji said to him as he appeared in the doorway.

He turned and looked at the man as he walked to where Zyaan was sitting, a crocheted blanket draped across his shoulders as the temperature dropped.

"I just received a message from Lord Adhi. He wishes to see me in the morning. What did you do? I warned you. Do not go looking for trouble with these people. They're not the sort of people you want to anger."

"I'm not afraid of him. Besides, I did not do anything. He came up to me demanding that I show my face, and when I refused, he got mad and threatened to throw me in jail!"

"Something that simple? So why not show him your face?"

"I did not feel like doing it. Besides, Prince Adhi is not my prince. I am not Akai."

Reiji breathed out loudly and sat. A mosquito buzzed somewhere close to Zyaan's ear. The rain was pelting on the clay tiles of the roof and the ground outside the small room. The light from the wall lamp flickered; their shadows danced on the faded polished floorboards.

"Zyaan, Adhi is a powerful man. Don't you understand that? It's not about who is Akai and who is not. The Akai owns this country. Not even the Terang can stand against them."

"The Terang?"

"Yes. You do not know about the Terang?"

"I have heard the name. I do not know much about them, however."

"Well, Chieftain Deng is a great warrior. But even he knows a war against Emperor Zale is a foolish endeavor. Even if the invaders come to Lokya, Zale can fight them." He picked up a plum sitting in a bowl on the small table, tossed it in the air, and then caught it. "Perhaps Zyaan, when you see Adhi next, and you will see him given my connection to the both of you, you should apologize and ask for his forgiveness."

Zyaan rose to his feet, his carefully woven circles and mats left on the floor.

"My apologies, Lord Reiji, but I cannot do that."