The Tyrant who remembers me

"Father, you can't do this to me." I said amid the tears running down my eyes. Thinking back at that scene, my tears would surely rival the speed of the River Nie. Anyway I got no reaction from the stony, wrinkled faced human being I called my father." What am I doing to you? Tell me!? You just want to stay at home, shop and do nothing? No, not under my roof. The gods forbid. You will make yourself useful." He said before facing my frightened mother ," Talk to her" he said and stormed out. Tearfully, I looked up at my mother whose teary eyes looked back at me and I knew, I just knew it, my father has made up his mind to ruin my life before it even started. I believe mother had already had a discussion with Apha about this, well discussion is a nice way to put it, I'm pretty sure this is the reason for the screaming and arguments that's was rocking the whole compound yesterday. Ironically, I was the one who went to the Lord's quarters to ask for peace. I shouldn't have believed Apha when he told me all was well with that stoic face of his, what a gullible fool I am. “Olo pi, you know your father means well, right?“ Mother said as she sat down on the floor in front of my kneeling, weeping self. I couldn't answer her, and she reached out to touch my face but she didn't. She stood up, walked to my cabinet, took out a napkin, wiped tears I didn't even notice was in her eyes, then she took another napkin, walked over to me, wiped my eyes and my face. “Why don't we go shopping?“ She said. Memi Avenue is nothing short of grandeur, it reeks of money. New money, old money, the detailed old architectural designs mingle together with the rigid minimalist architectural design of the new age in a beautiful visual waltz that's just difficult to describe. Cruising down the road in the luxury sedan, I can't help but be glad to be born an aristocrat, I'm aware of how shallow that sounds and I know the trouble and problems that come along with that but at least my problem isn't status. Looking to my left, I could see all sorts of majestic buildings, most of them are luxury stores, some are office buildings, one or two are government workplaces, I can see my alma mater in the distance, I don't know why they keep building more buildings in that school. My family owns a*****e down the road, just at the T-junction that leads to… somewhere I can't remember, now that I think about it, I've actually never been down that route. There are also some works of art along the way which add to the splendor, and of course the Memi Memorial Museum, such a beautiful building. To be honest, I can feel my mood being lifted. As suspected, we arrived at the Family's store which I technically own. Let me explain, the store was built by Eya pi but I've taken over as the CEO but the family conglomerate still owns it. “You know you're paying, mom.” “Why would I? You're the CEO.” She said laughing as guards opened our doors for us. Did I mention how I love being an aristocrat? “ You're just like your father,” I froze, but she didn't notice as she grabbed my hand and practically dragged me along,”you both love money a lot.“ I laughed insincerely, but mom had no reaction as she dragged me through the lobby. Before I could say jack, I was having my body gently rubbed by a masseur, I wish my body didn't betray me with that sigh but she knows how to work a body, I made a mental note to give her a significant raise. I dropped by my office to attend one or two things. However mom had her way, I was out the office in 30 minutes, we browsed through the mall, did a little shopping and we were laughing loudly at something mother said as we made towards the exit when I heard it. The first note was enough to seize the air, everything and everyone froze up. It was like we were standing in front of the gate of hell and a demon just announced the entrance of the Prince of hell. I could hear the voice of bodies hitting the floor, I'm pretty sure that's the sound of people fainting. I personally wished I would faint, and I feel like I would. I was choking on my own breath, my makeup was ruined by the stream of water forming on my forehead, my legs felt like jelly but refuse to move or fall. This is the second time I'm hearing it in my entire existence, it's The King Announced. The King Announced is a musical piece that's used to announce the arrival of the King in any place outside of the palace. The piece is supposedly the hardest piece on the hourglass drum, the only instrument that can and is allowed to play The King Announced, most veterans can't even play it, many can't play it correctly, only musicians from the Iniz family have been known to master all royal musical piece including The King Announced. Everything felt like legend happening in real time. Everyone bowed their torso except for the elderly who bowed their heads and as soon as the piece ended everyone said,” We greet the crown.“ “The crown greets you too.“ That was the voice of the King's Clown, he's basically the personal assistant to the King but the position did evolve from actual clowns, while the role changed the title didn't. We raised up our heads and that's when our eyes met, he seems to have been looking at me for a while. He is my symbol for all the dark things in my life, the one I hate the most. And he's the King of this nation. His name sends shivers down the spines of everything and everyone. The one you must not meet, the one you meet and must not breathe in his presence. Even the air seems to obey his very whim. He didn't say a word, he didn't move, neither could we. He was guarded on the four corners by members of the Royal Guard, dressed in their ceremonial regalia. That is they have a Haju straw hat which doesn't cover their heads in any way, they're bare chested showcasing their muscular yet fat free body. However from the waist down they're fully covered in Haju skirt which helps with their mobility, and they're barefooted. In the middle is the King himself, beside him and behind him is the King's Clown, a young and very attractive man known for his toughness and strict policies, he's the only one in any political office who doesn't belong, nor has any affiliation or backing of any Aristocrat family. “Arrrrgggg” That was all I heard, It was the King's voice. He was kneeling on the floor.. Is that a dagger in his right arm? As if a switch went off, the guards went after the assailant, leaving him with the clown. No one could move, no one except the clown could touch and we couldn't move until he moved. Damn all these traditions. Wait is he smiling? “Leave me, I'm doing this great nation of ours a favor… Do we want another blood prince? Leave me…” The Royal Guards dragged in the assailant before the King. He was a young man in his early twenties, he has a rough handsomeness to him. He is wearing a white top on a grey shorts. Based on his words it's obvious that he belongs to the 'No Blood' group, a movement that is trying to eradicate the King from the throne. Peasants, right? I saw the King get up, rubbed the ring on his middle finger on his left hand, he was still bleeding. He took out the dagger with his left hand, he walked over to the assailant who was forcefully kept on his knees, he squatted before him and whispered something into his ear which caused him to become extremely aggressive and agitated. “Stick out your tongue.“ He commanded as he stood up. Obviously, he didn't cooperate but a Royal Guard forcefully opened his mouth and brought his tongue out. The King took hold of the tongue with his bleeding right hand, his eyes were dark as the abyss. He used his left hand to cut off the tongue of the assailant , with a smile on his face as if he enjoyed it. The man couldn't even cry, he just knelt there as the King and his entourage left. Chapter Glossary Apha - Father. Eya pi - "My mother." The suffix -pi denotes intimacy, affection, emotional closeness, or personal attachment. Olo pi - "My child." The -pi suffix marks intimate possession. Hourglass drum - A sacred drum used in royal musical traditions. Certain compositions may only be played on it. Haju - A traditional woven material used in ceremonial attire, particularly among the Royal Guard. Torso bow - A formal gesture of respect performed by bending the upper body forward. Required during many royal and ceremonial interactions.