The Alpha King Is Mad

Episode 8

KILLIAN

My attention was drawn to her the moment I set my eyes on her, as she lay flat on the ground. She and a boy beside her seemed quite unusual. For one, their clothes were, well, as I said, unusual. In fact, I didn't think I had seen anyone dress like that.

She wore trousers— which would have been utterly ridiculous if another woman did it, but hers seemed to look quite good on her, even though they were dirty with mud.

Also, even though they were lying on the ground, they stared into my eyes.

They had to be strangers. Probably from the south of Wembourge.

"Ki..." Aria stopped herself midway, seeing her mother's frown.

"Dismissed," I said.

Just as I said that, a woman I knew was one of Manila's neighbours, stood and took to her heels, exiting the compound.

The two new faces didn't run though. When Manila stood, they did the same, with the boy nearly imitating Manila's every move.

"Come with me," Manila said, walking into the house.

Aria hugged me as soon as we got into the house. "I missed you. Did you get me anything?"

Manila frowned at the little girl. "I have told you to stop pestering Killian for gifts, even just as he arrived."

"Oh, let her be," I said, looking at Aria. "This little angel can't pester anyone."

Manila gave me a cup of milk— yeah, she often treated me like a child.

"I came to talk to you about something different, but first... I mean, I don't usually see anyone in your compound."

Manila nodded. "True. Rasila came to get some vegetables. She doesn't even like me anymore, but I guess free vegetables are enough for her to endure two minutes of small talk before leaving."

Dropping the cup of milk, I shook my head, gathering my thoughts. “People are so narrow-minded; it's honestly concerning. You didn't do anything wrong."

She shrugged, sitting down, a napkin on her thigh. “Many will disagree. Though they don't say anything, you know they stay away from Aria and me as though we were the fire plague."

“What about the pretty lady and the boy?"

She grinned at me, nearly chortling. “So you find her pretty?"

“Not the point, Manila."

Manila, taking her time, then explained to me how Aria had found them in the woods and they had asked for a “phone".

“Manila, this is quite weird. From what you have told me, it's as though they don't even know where they are."

Manila nodded, straightening the napkin on her gown. “I agree. I thought about this too. I even wondered if they were mentally, you know, unwell. But that doesn't seem to be the case."

"Where could they have come from?"

Manila continued, “I also thought about the possibility of them being dangerous. But they don't look dangerous to me.” She snapped her fingers as if just remembering something. “What if they are from the North?"

“Now, Manila, you know better than I that nothing exists after the Blind Sea."

Manila stood, looking out the window at the people we were talking about. “I know. As crazy as it sounds, it's the only thing that adds up, Killian."

“I will speak with them before I leave," I declared, joining her at the window.

“Killian, let's leave all that aside. The Royal Castle is three long days by horse. I'm sure you have something important to say."

Smiling, I quipped, “You know quite well it takes me only three hours."

In between a chuckle, she said, “I just want to hear you say it, being that you always talk about how fast you fly."

“Yeah, because I fly very fast."

"But no one else flies, so how can we determine what fast is?"

"Birds sure do fly," I muttered, watching Manila plait Aria's hair into one big braid.

"But you're not a bird," Aria chipped in, receiving a gentle tap on the palm from her mother.

"That’s my girl. Get him," Manila let out, laughing with her daughter.

Then I began to tell her about Father's new rule and how I had confronted him about it. Being that the Castle was very far from 032, I knew she hadn't gotten wind of the news. It would hit them here in a few days.

As I explained it to Manila, I could see worry and anger slowly become etched on her face.

"Manila, I hope you know no matter what, I will make sure you and Aria are fine. That's never going to be an issue."

She shook her head in vehemence. "That's not the point. Taking a third of our earnings is crazy." She looked at the ground, trying to fight back tears. "Before you… I remember how hard it used to be. I don't even want to think about it."

"Then don't," I said, holding onto the picture Aria made. "Manila, you don't have to feel bad about anything. Besides, while I don't have a plan yet, I intend to find a way to sabotage his plan."

Manila turned to face me, her gaze directly on me. "Have you lost it?"

"You don't expect me to just sit and do nothing."

"Killian, nothing is exactly what you should do, just like the rest of us."

I stood, going back to the window. “He can't just do anything he wants. People's lives should mean something. I mean, one stupid idea pops up in his big head and then everyone has to pay for it."

Manila held my hands, nodding. “Yes, Killian. Everyone has to pay, and we have all gotten used to it. We don’t like it, but that's what Agroman has always been. Agromanians have always been at the mercy of a Panis, whether your father is a little worse... okay, a lot worse... doesn't really surprise us at all."

Manila was right. I knew it. I told myself that I came here in the hope that Manila would convince me to think of a way to prevent Father's new rule from coming into practice. But the truth was, I knew she would say this. She was a gentle voice of reason that I mostly didn't mind heeding.

“What's your name?” I asked the lady as I joined them outside.

Manila was also with me.

“I’m Tracy Clarke," she responded, her voice tinged with anxiety. "Look, Mister, I will pay for your time or whatever. I... uh... I'm lost. But if I could get a telephone, I will be beyond grateful."

Did she just call me Mister? Okay, she was different.

“Manila has told me about your request, but unfortunately we don't know what those words mean."

As I spoke to her, as if being blown by the wind, an idea crawled into my head. I guess I have an idea how to stop Father's plan.

Turning to Manila, I said, “I will see you soon. I have to go."

As I began walking out of her compound, Manila yelled out, “I hope you haven't forgotten you have two scary wings."

“I need to think,” I shouted back.

Unlike flying, walking always served as a way for me to think. I would pass through the old central market and through the town. Since I had put on Manila's hooded cloak, I didn't think anyone would notice me.

As I walked out of 032 and headed towards the old central market, it hit me. What was rather silly was that this wasn't in the least an unfamiliar feeling. Whenever I passed through villages and saw the way "commoners" lived, I felt jealous. Utter jealousy. I often thought about what life would be if I led a simple one. I wondered how I would be; the kind of memories I would have.

These "commoners" had something I never had—a family. What I had was a skeleton of what a family should be. In my family, only one thing matters— power.

Just as I got into central town, there was so much noise and everyone gathered at the town square, at least three hundred men, women, and kids. I knew just what was about to happen. A person had committed a crime. If it were theft, one of his hands would be cut off. If it was r**e, well, you can guess what would be cut off.

Judging by how filled the square was, I knew it was murder, and that meant the person would be killed. I didn't interfere in things like these— Agromanians were all about culture. It was just their thing.

I slowly pushed my way into the crowd to see the accused. He was just a boy, no older than sixteen or seventeen at most. He had long curly hair and was quite attractive— what a shame that he would be leaving this world this soon.

The town leader was always present for things like this. This town's leader was a short, bald man with the worst dentition you could find anywhere.

As I stood there, I heard a woman say, "Oh, he's such a good-looking boy. How sad. Very hardworking and kind too."

A man whom I guessed was her husband said, "Shut up, woman. If he's anything of a decent fellow, he wouldn't sleep with men."

Oh, that was his offence? I pondered.

The town leader, after gesturing for everyone to keep silent by raising his hand, he said, “I don't want to do this to this poor child. He's young and clearly naïve, not to mention stupid. Some of you here may want me to order him to be stripped naked and whipped a hundred times, as is the norm.” The man shook his head at the crowd. “But you will be wrong. Our existing punishment has to change, and since His Grace hasn't made a concrete law concerning this, I can make one for this town.” He took another pause, this time looking at the boy on the ground, who already had black eyes from being beaten. “This vermin had the audacity to sneak into my home and go into my son's… my son's chamber. I caught this abomination sucking on my son's manhood!”

The crowd yelled out in disgust, many of them immediately chanting for the boy's execution.

The town leader continued, “Imagine the disgust I felt. My son will be washed and prayed for… may the old gods have mercy on his poor soul.” He moved closer to the crowd, pointing at them as he spoke. “Today, it was my son, tomorrow it might be yours. Or yours, or yours, or yours.” He went back to the boy and kicked him on the head, before spitting on his face. “Enough talk. With the powers bestowed on me as leader of this great town, I sentence Luscious Grass to death by stoning.”