Kudisha Departure Episode 1 Journey to Rehnor series by J. Naomi Ay Page B

Half-heartedly, he held
out a foot, and unfortunately, trapped it. Languidly, he coaxed his
legs into a run, only to be flattened by the opposing team as they
converged upon the ball, three men abreast.
    Karukan was left to lay upon the grass newly
covered in brown mud, as well as in possession of a few new bumps
and scratches to his royal knees. He was considering how much he
truly hated this game, and always had, when the referee’s whistle
blew to immense relief. Karukan assumed this was due to an injury
timeout, as he had made no effort rise from his prone position. In
fact, he preferred to lay amongst the muck, delaying the game for
as long as he possibly could, running the clock, and hoping it
would soon be over.
    “I’m okay, Coach,” he mumbled, grabbing his
knee and moaning dramatically, when several legs and feet gathered
around his head.
    “Sir,” someone other than the coach replied.
“Your Royal Highness, are you alright?”
    “I’m just winded, and maybe, slightly injured.
That’s all. I’m getting up.” Karukan half rose to his knees, before
realizing he was surrounded by Royal Guard.
    “Sir. Your brother, His Majesty King Revak
requests your presence at the Royal Palace.”
    “Kari-fa!” Karukan swore. “King Revak? What’s
happened now?”
     

Chapter 2
     
     
    Karukan was summoned to his
brother’s side, not to provide assistance or wise counsel. Rather,
King Revak, having acquired the much coveted crown, meant to do
everything in his power not to lose it. This would include keeping
his brother under tight supervision, surrounded by Royal
Guardsmen for his own safety all night and day.
    “You see, dear brother,” Revak proclaimed,
upon issuing the edict which confined Karukan to the estate. “You
are my only heir. I must make certain you stay alive. Without us,
the crown will pass from the princes of Kudisha to our unworthy
distant cousins of Tirkoop. We wouldn’t want that to happen, would
we?”
    “No.” Karukan shook his head, woefully
following the Royal Guard who locked him in his room.
    Karukan understood the reasoning behind his
brother’s limitations, but disagreed when it came to the
implementation. However, he did not protest, as his brother was the
King, and Karukan had been raised to obey his liege’s command. In
an odd way, the boy was actually pleased that he was now prohibited
from exercising beyond a daily walk about the grounds, as he was no
longer required to suffer the indignities of a soccer.
    Further, the King insisted that his brother’s
meals be strictly controlled, lest someone attempt to poison the
heir with something in his food.
    “I’m sorry, sir,” the maid was often heard to
say, as she left his dinner at the young man’s door. “It’s hard
biscuits and water again for this meal.”
    “It’s fine,” Karukan sighed, grasping the tray
through the small slot. “I’ve quite grown to like them.” And,
indeed, he did, especially with cream and jam.
    Karukan enjoyed staying alone in his room, as
he was a prolific reader of literature of all sorts, and he wrote
extensively in journals, recording his every thought. On many days,
it was only the serving maid who shared words with the young
prince, except for the invisible companion, which everyone had
heard about, but no one else saw.
    “It is a concern to me,” the Lord Chamberlain
announced, during a quiet moment with the King as he toured the
reconstruction efforts at the Royal Palace. “Your brother is quite
happy conversing with no one but the air. The maids and guards are
all gossiping that he is insane.”
    Revak made appropriately concerning noises,
while running a hand along a newly installed gold rail, for his
rebuilt palace would be significantly improved from the somewhat
modest building that had been before. This new edifice would be a
testament to Revak in both beauty and size, dwarfing the King of
Hahr’s place by more than twice.
    “Perhaps, letting him out on occasion for
fresh