The Advice

The Advice

Year of the Lilies

Torrid Season

The Orchard

Altsas

Kyan

I HAVE JUST RETURNED from my hike and I am yet to greet my parents after three weeks of being apart. I am reluctant to face my parents especially my father, I'll do whatever I can to evade his concerns on marriage.

 The old man keeps smothering me each time he sees me and that is part of the reason I go on frequent hikes. The other reason I evade the Kingdom and my identity as Prince is to find myself and remind myself that there's more to life than delicious food and impressive clothing and a beautiful throne. 

Exhausted and parched, I trot to the palace orchard and sit under the nearest tree. I free myself from the weight of my sword and daggers that are usually hidden in my boots and bury my head in my palms. How can I continue to evade my father's wishes? He has been patient with me for the past year and a half, and I can only understand why he's being more and more pushy. Majority of my age mates are parents and have already blessed their parents with grandchildren to fuss after.

I'm not against being paired up, I honour marriage as a beautiful union, a kind of partnership but sometimes I wonder; I wonder what's beyond the horizon, I wonder what it's like to live without a care, I wonder what it's like to hunt and farm and gather food.

Besides, I have not met her; the one that captivates me and makes me want to stay. Sadly all the women I've met — which are princesses and potential duchesses of the surrounding kingdoms — are all shallow and empty, there is nothing beneath the kohl and myrrh and embroidery dresses.

I hear footfalls and a long shadow falls over my face. I rise my head to meet the grinning hazel eyes of Rakar. Rakar is my cousin, the only child of my father's sister — the Duchess. Rakar will be our Duke in the nearest future. 

"You're back!" He grins from ear-to-ear and slaps me skittishly on my back. I notice his sandy brown hair is shaven close to his scalp, unlike me he refuses to dye his hair. Ever since the death of his father, he and his mother — my Aunt and Duchess have been living in the stone palace with us.

"It's good to see you too, Rakar," I say. The only resemblance between my cousin and I is in our tall frames, our tribal tattoos and lean built. While he has dark copper skin, I have wheat coloured skin, his hazel eyes are in contrast to my bright emerald ones (eyes like mine are extremely rare amongst our race), while he dons his natural sandy brown hair, I dye mine flaxen. 

"How was your err... Travels?" Rakar asks me sizing me up and down. I know I look awful and tattered, I encountered some difficulties on the way and almost plunged to my death on one occasion. I'm more than glad to be home but that doesn't mean I won't set out on another adventure once I have properly recovered and all my injuries are healed.

"It was enlightening, Rakar. God stood with me the whole way. I won't deny I didn't suffer a bit."  I can't help chuckling at the memory of me lying half-death after escaping a black bear. 

"I'm happy to be home."

"I'm happy you're here. Wait till His Majesty sees you!" Rakar chips almost childishly. 

I almost roll my eyes at his enthusiasm, I'm anything but eager to see my father. I admit I'm missing my sweet mother, I miss everything about her gentle charisma. She usually speaks for me when my father brings up the topic of marriage.

"I'll go greet them soon," I  mutter. Turning to Rakar I ask," how's my sister?"

Rakar purses his lips. "Fine. She misses you."

"You know what I mean," my tone is between a groan and a growl, "did you do what I asked you to? Did you keep an eye on her?"

Rakar sighs, "I tried, Kyan. But you know that I can only do so much. I can't follow her wherever she goes and she is very sneaky."

Anger rises up my body and bubbles in my veins. It doesn't start slow and grows but hits me with force at a go. I grit my teeth and clench my fists. Heaving out a breath, I try to calm myself. "Rakar," I say through gritted teeth, "if anything at all, and I mean anything happens to my baby sister, I'll see to it that you are dealt with accordingly."

Fear, or something similar to fear, maybe a cocktail of terror and fright flashes in Rakar's hazel eyes making them grow darker. 

We sit in silence for a few moments and then I painfully rise to my feet, Rakar's voice stops me. "I will try to find out about your sister's trysts."

"You better," I say loud enough for him to hear while walking towards my horse.

I reach my golden stallion with two long strides and I run my hand down his rich coat, it snorts softly. "Wish me luck, Rakar. I am about to meet my parents, I think I can not test my father's patience any longer. What shall I tell my father concerning the issue of marriage? I need your advice."

Rakar smirks, he is more at ease now. "Tell him what I told my mother; I want to taste what all women have to offer."

I shake my head, my cousin is a promiscuous pimp. "I have honour, Rakar," I say to remind him.

He scratches his chin thoughtfully and then snaps his fingers,"why don't you send them on a wild goose chase?"

I raise my brow,"like give them outrageous features I desire in a woman?"

"Exactly!" Rakar cries out. "You can request for a woman with watermelon sized breasts," he flashes a devious grin and licks his lips. 

"No," I can't help frowning, "that's insultingly superficial."

A small breeze picks up and ruffles my light curls, I push my hair away from my face and yearn for a haircut, and then it hits me.

"Rakar?"

"Yes, Kyan?"

"I want a woman who's thoughts move the Earth!" 

And with that, I strike nudge the belly of my stallion and he starts to trot.

"Wait!" Rakar calls out to me.

My stallion starts to canter and then breaks into a thunderous gallop.  Wind howls around me like wolves, I can hear my name in the wind.