COULD'VE BEEN ME

second chapter

Two months before the incident

"A king," he sarcastically laughed. "Misery surrounds us from all sides, and you're talking about becoming a king?"

He looked away, addressing his words to those present, and said, interrupting their whispers, "Either we have prosperity, or we are left to be slaves for the rest of our lives. We were created to suffer, generation after generation."

I got up from my seat, talking despite my conviction that the one I was addressing was not convinced. "Fire is not extinguished by fire. Are you talking about a confrontation that is certain of losses? Our lives are cheap, and our revolt against the authorities will only increase our losses and aggression."

He turned away from my words and said sullenly, "Your words that revolve around one of us marrying the princess so that he can become king and change our conditions represent nothing but the madness of your mind and your attachment to fantasy."

"And your words that revolve around our revolt against those who outnumber us indicate your recklessness and your overwhelming desire for imminent death," I replied.

"If my death dispels this injustice, I am a sacrifice for it."

I looked at him and said "Your death will only increase your children's suffering."

. Go and gather your scattered mind, O dreamer " he replied.

I could not bear his words and their looks full of mockery and gloom, and I continued on my way.

"Hello, dreamer."

I turned my face towards that voice, filled with softness." For the first time, I liked someone calling me Dreamer". I said, addressing my speech to her, "Her cheeks blushed with shyness. Then she looked at me and continued, "Your brother is looking for you".

I replied "I am going to him."

The veins of his body appeared after he put a rock on his shoulders and began to carry it until he put it in its place. The sun's rays reflected on his sculpted body. After he put the rock down, he ran his hands over the strands of his hair that touched his neck, trying to arrange them. The features of manhood occupied his face and took up a large space in all his details. He was a young man in the middle of his third decade.

The girls stole glances at him, and I looked at him intently.

He noticed my presence and came closer to me. "Ron, where have you been? Didn't you say you were coming to help me with my work?"

"I didn't realize that you wanted me to carry rocks with you," I said, pretending to be annoyed. "I'm an academic. I don't carry rocks."

He laughed and said, "I'm sorry for your situation, brother. You studied law in a country where the law doesn't apply. I wanted you to carry rocks. Maybe you'll earn some coins to fill the gaps in your need."

His words were nothing but salt on a wound.

We were brothers, but the differences overwhelmed our personalities and appearances. I hid behind the curtain of knowledge, hoping to hide behind it. I was thin and short, with brown eyes and hair. I wasn't bad-looking, but I wasn't as great as my brother. If people's words hadn't put us under comparison, I wouldn't have thought this way. But people's words have caused many changes in my soul over time.

"I haven't deteriorated to this extent," I continued jokingly. "Maybe next year."

He took a few steps forward, wearing his shirt. I followed him and started talking. He said, wondering, "The people have gathered. They are planning something. I have no doubt that you were not there, man of the law."

I looked forward and said after sighing, "They are planning coups and riots.

.

"Isn’t this the state of our people? Coups loom every day, every year, leaving behind a huge number of dead and wounded. I am used to it", my brother said.

" This is the problem. They are used to dying for nothing. These years were not enough to clarify that their coup has only made matters worse. If they had listened to me and adopted the peaceful solution that I decided upon, none of their blood would have been shed," I complained.

What is the peaceful solution you are talking about?" he asked.

I sighed again and said, "Someone must make Princess Laura fall in love with him so that he can be the next king who changes the fate of our riots forever," I explained.

"A thought like this has never crossed my mind before, but who is this person who will make his princess fall in love with him, he wondered.

I looked at him after an idea flashed into my mind and said, after enthusiasm filled my eyes, "You are the chosen one, O Isaac.

Two months before the incident

Carl

"No inspiration today"

I looked at her smiling. She was holding a glass of water next to my medicine that I used to take every evening.

You guessed it right, Mrs. Leph, Inspiration did not visit me today", I said.

She smiled sadly and said, "Inspiration has not been with you since…"

I tried to change the subject. "How are your children?" but Mrs. Lepho insisted on completing her talk.

She said"Don't blame yourself. Stop blaming yourself. What happened was"

"You can leave" I said after my tone became a little harsher.

I will leave, but this is the last time you will see me" she said, her lips were trembling with sadness.

I looked at her in surprise. "What do you mean?" I asked.

"You may consider me one of your servants, Carl, but I consider you my child. I have raised you since you were a child. What saddens you saddens me, and what angers you angers me. I have had enough of your sorrows, and today I am telling you that I will leave working here. Not seeing you is better than seeing you in pain," she said,

"I never considered you a servant of mine. You were a mother who didn't have me, and I had her" I said, trying to suppress all the turmoil that was happening inside me.

"I will try to change, not for myself but for you. I beg you not to leave work here. If you do that, I will feel like I have become an orphan again," I said after failing to suppress my tears, and my eyes overflowed.

She hugged me after she ran her hand through my hair to calm me down. "I will not leave you. I will stay by your side until my breath runs out" she said in her tender voice that always made me feel better.

She continued "Come on, take your medicine, and I will go make you a cup of coffee.

Mrs. Lepho left, and I looked away at my desk, which held a lot of blank papers. I sat on a chair, put my fingers on the printer's letters, and started printing, but soon I noticed that the ink had run out, even though I wasn't using the printer. I opened one of the drawers to look for the ink. My eyes caught a necklace that made me think of her.

Here is the cup of coffee, Carl," Mrs. Lepho said after she returned with the cup of coffee.

Thank you," I smiled, trying to hide my feelings that began to distract me."

Mrs. Lepho noticed the change in her features but pretended not to, so as not to tire herself with thinking.

I returned, trying to write after I found the ink box, but my attempts did not last long, so I pulled out the paper and tore it up. I made my way outside and settled down next to a pond. I loved sitting next to it. I did not want to think about anything. I wanted to clear my mind of everything that was going on.

My age didn't match my looks or my thinking. I didn't look like a young man in his twenties. I looked older than that. Some white hair was scattered over my brown hair, and exhaustion settled in my green eyes.

I threw myself into the pond and let the water swirl in every corner of my body. Perhaps it would calm me down, or perhaps I would find some peace.

"Is the water cold?"

I looked towards the voice and found it was a child of ten years old. He asked me the same question again, thinking that I hadn't heard him the first time.

No, it's not cold," I answered.

He put his hand in and then complained, "It's not cold? My hands are almost freezing"

I looked at him intently. Dust and dirt touched his face, and deterioration took over his clothes. I smiled and said, "But I don't find it cold. I got used to it. When you get used to it, you'll find it refreshing, not cold.

I got out of the water, deliberately starting a conversation with this young boy. He was nice and energetic.

I'm Carl," I said, extending my hand to shake his."

I was surprised by his hesitation. I found it unjustified towers my behavior.

Do you really want to shake my hand?" he asked, with surprise filling his eyes.

Yes," I said, bringing my hand closer."

Princes do not shake hands with the rest of the people," he explained."

I am not a prince," I said, smiling in surprise."

He said "But you are from the upper class, it's clear."

My eyes widened in surprise at the words of this child.

You are saying words that are beyond your age, child, I said.

I am not a child. I know a lot about the cruelty of this world, he replied.

Our conversation was interrupted by the voice of his worried father. He held his child's hand and spoke, expressing his regret for his son's behavior. I explained to him that his son did not say anything wrong, but he insisted on apologizing repeatedly.

I did not understand what was wrong with them. Are they used to apologizing for what they did not do? I continued on my way back.