Stand up my princess

“The queen is gone…” so the doctor said. The body of my frail young, sickly wife, the queen, won’t move anymore. Forever gone, leaving her own young 5 year old daughter, Sera, whom doesn’t have any blood, ties with me…

“Your majesty, why the doctor said so? What does it mean?” ask Sera, holding and pulling my hand, wondering why many people look sadly at her mother, not knowing the meaning of death. The nanny pulling her away and tries to bring her out of the room, Sera struggling and shouting as she doesn’t want to go away from her mother.

I look at her and touch her face. It’s like she’s sleeping. It’s not her who should die, but I. I lived very long, yet she died earlier than me.

“Your majesty, let us prepare all the burial process, you have to rest your body,” say the doctor.

“I leave everything to you then.” after I said that, I leave the room while walking with a stick. I walk to my room slowly. After I arrived, I sit on the large chair, release all my burden and tiredness. I am too old for this. I should have been retired with my age, yet how long has it been….

To be honest……. I really regret…. For all I have done….. And for realising it at a really old age.

Yes…. Since 40 years ago…… the war between my country, Froude, and the another country, Figaro…. That time, I was the 3rd prince from 3 of my siblings. That war happened because of the spread of the dangerous unknown disease. Nobody knows how this disease happened or how it spreads, but what sparks the war is the ambassador of the Figaro got this disease and infecting many Froude people. Fortunately the Froude manages to stop this spreading disease but it cost a number of lives. Since then, the diplomatic relationship between Froude country and Figaro’s country becoming worse.

The war goes on, and I always join the battlefield as the general. And I always well knew as the hero with my people. People always called me the ‘Knight Prince’ for my braveness and my sword skill.  For me, who am a young prince, I always dreamed of becoming the person who will save my own country, and fight many people. When I come to one region of the Figaro, I kill all the enemies in that area, and at night, I always sung with my people the tales of how I defeat my enemies, and how I cleanse this region and how I own their land. For me, those are my glorious and enjoying days. Because I had defeated so many enemies, until I killed one of the Figaro prince with both of my hands, I was directly crowned as a king and married a noble woman from the noble Quinn’s. The wars still continued, and my brothers take over the wars, and let me stayed inside the city and I lived as a king.

The woman whom I was married was the woman whom the only person I treasured the most. She has the most beautiful hazelnut eyes and sparkling golden hairs. She sung very beautifully, that it melts my heart. She really loves my stories of how I fight, how I take their land, and how I treat my people with my wise leadership. The days turn to months, and she bore my child inside her belly. That was the happiest moment in my life.

But… that didn’t last long. My beloved died with my unborn child…… her miscarriage, and die d due to the loss of blood…. That really shocking me…. It giving me grief, that I didn’t do anything for a really long time… it’s like time has stopped for me…. I don’t want to do anything….. Why I lost my beloved ones? Why is this happened to me? How am I going to live after this? This goes on and on inside my head….

Until one of the heavily injured soldier come to my palace, and called me, “Your Majesty! The Figaro are begun to take over our war! The first prince and the second prince had been killed by their general! I beg of you, your majesty!! HELP US!!”

The cries of help from the soldier remind me of what I was before. I was the ‘Knight Prince’! I have something to do before all of this! I have to save my country!

I called my best supervisor, Jade, the brown hair, green eyes, and thin wise men who around the same age as me, and who was once my old friend, to prepare me for the war. Jade asking me, “But your majesty, the war has strain both of our sides. We need need to hold a truce, please hold this war.”

I told Jade, “Do you not believe that I can survive in this war?” with all my anger inside my eyes. Jade, who is always wise, said, “yes, your majesty, I believe you can survive in the war.”

“Then, there is no need to ask this question again.” I leave the palace inside the city and goes to war to annihilate my enemies. Before, I was the ‘Knight Prince’, but my title have changed into ‘Cold, Merciless King’ because of my cruel and merciless way to kill most of the Figaro people. I blame them for my beloved’s death, and with my power, I took the Figaro’s land more and more until I hadn’t realized how time passed.

I was getting old, very old, and the Figaro country has becoming very small, so small that they will gone in the world map. That time, Jade, which the minister of my country come to me and tell me, “Your majesty, please hold the war at least for a while.”

“Why?” I look at him with the ogre look. I bet at that time, I don’t even look like a human.

“You are not young anymore, we need an heir, please, at least get married,” Jade told me the same thing like before. He has been persuading me to get married many times for this decades. Before, he has been giving me excuses to hold the war because nobody could govern the Froude if I always on battlefield, so I let him govern the Froude on my behalf. But from time to time he still come out with other reasons to stop me from annihilate another Figaro land. Now I am getting older, his excuses that I need to get married become solid and it is bugging me. If only I can stop his mouth from speak again…

“Let me finish my revenge. Then I will do as you said.” And I tried to walk away from him to avoid my thoughts wander further.

Jade clench his hand and said this word into me for the first time, “Figaro is not your enemy.”

I was really shocked by what he was saying. I grabbed his neck and said, “are you kidding me, Jade? If they are not my enemy, then who is my enemy? Who put me into this misery for a really long time! Leave me alone and let me crushed those people who started this war!” I let him go and running to finish this once and for all.

All my anger and hatred has been pile up. Who make me like this? Who make me turn into the merciless king? IT IS THEM! I will finish them!

“How is the status?” I asked my soldier who come to my tent.

“Your majesty, we had taken a hold of the whole villager, but we couldn’t find the Figaro prince,” say the soldier.

“Bring me there, I know what to do.” After this war end, my misery will also end. I go with all my anger and hatred.

A whole village people away a few mile from their home, surrounded by my soldier, in fear. I can see women, old people, and children all holding each other praying they can be safe. How sad, their prince had left them. Since we had held all of his people, the prince won’t have anything anymore.

Then I saw a child glare at me with full of hatred. When I looked at the child, he reminds me of myself when I was young. I ask him, “Child, do you hate me? Do you know me?”

“Yes, I do! You’re the one who take away everything from me! We won’t let you kill our hope, the prince!!”

What a child. Doesn’t he realize he talk vulgarly to the merciless king? Doesn’t he realize his only prince left them? But because of his braveness, I gave him a chance. “Child, fight with me if you think you are right.”

“Wha….what?” said the child surprised.

“If you won, I spare your life. How about that?”

The villager angry at me and shout, “That is not fair! You know he is just a child! And you know the differences between adult and children!”

“Yeah! We know you have your trick on your sleeve! Even if you are old, we know this child can’t win against you!” And more people angry at me.

“Alright then, all of you fight with me. I fight with all of you with my bare hands; you can fight with me with all of your weapons. ” And then I let go of my weapons.

“What?! Are you out of your mind?!!” The villagers becoming more confused.

“Don’t you want me to spare your life? If you are really believed your prince doesn’t left you, you can wait to be killed by us.” I take off all of my armors and giving signal to all of my soldiers not to do anything to them.

The child who I challenged him strikes to me first. He throws me with a rock, and I dodge his throw. Then all of the villagers come and strike me with their bare hands. How unbelievable, even though I’m getting old, I still can dodge their attacks. But if I hit their attacks, I might get hurts, because all of their attacks are full of their wills to survive. After I dodge, one by one, I killed them by hit their vital points. And when their numbers are decreasing, they took their distance, and throws rocks to me. I catch their rocks and throw it back to them. And the fight becomes more and more intense. Until finally only that child is survive from the battle. I can see his eyes were full of hatred. But my hatred also cannot lose to him.

Until that moment, a young man come and protects the boy. He speaks “cease this at once! I know you want me! Spare this child!” he’s shaking while hold his sword against me.

I look at him with a surprised face. This young, frail, and shaking black hair man is the prince of Figaro? “I see, no wonder you left your people, you are a coward who come back to show your people your last moment of glory.”

The boy, angrily run toward me while holding my sword that lying at one place to stab me. The prince shouts “WAIT!!!”  But it’s too late. I already hold the sword and took it from that child, and stab him with the same sword.

“NO!!!!” shout the prince. But his shouts cannot hold the sword from stabbing the child. It was already too late for everything. The child fell and end his breath immediately from my sword. “You are really a monster!!” he shouts angrily toward me.

“It was your people who start it all, prince.” I told him as I point my bloody sword to him.

“SILENCE!!” He can’t hold his patient seeing the sword that has been smeared with innocent blood “I will revenge everyone!!” the prince shouts again. And he charges himself to me furiously.

I block all of his attack. After I block most of his attack, I realize this prince is really weak. How can such a person be trusted by so many of his people? How can he leave his people like this? Why does he still come back and now he fight with me? Is this prince is an idiot?

I slashed one of his hands, he shouts in agony, full of pain. But his eyes do not waver from the pain and fear. So finally you act like a king?

“AAAAAAHHHHHHH!!!!!” The prince charge at me as fast as he can. I startled and he makes a cut at my shoulder. That hurts, but it doesn’t give a fatal injury. The prince breathing hardly, he looks really bad with his injury, but he keeps on attacking me, makes me only dodge from his attacks. Until he staggered due to loss of blood, I make my move and stab his stomach. The prince take a few steps back, trying to pull the sword, but he couldn’t take it and he spew the blood from his mouth. Now he’s on his knee, holding his pain. Tears come from his eyes, and he fall on the ground. I take the sword from his stomach and try to end his life but,

“STOP!!!!!” a young, black hair woman, with her pregnant body run towards the prince and protect him with all her body. She cries and scared, but she tries her best to face me.

The prince surprised and more of his tears come. He moans like he really wants to say something, but he couldn’t do it because too many blood inside his mouth. The woman hugs the prince and said “I’m sorry…. (sob)…I’m sorry…. But… I can’t do it… I can’t leave you behind…”

The prince, cried, and tries to hold his beloved with all his might… but he…. Can’t do it……she cried, with all her might…. Her cry reminds me of my beloved…… it touches my heart…

And by that time I began to realize…… I have done something unforgivable…. I have taken everything that belonged to them… now only she’s the person who’s alive…

The rain pour heavily….the soldier come closely, “Your majesty, what should we do with the queen of Figaro?”

“Bring her to a tent with the dead prince. Treat her like a noble.”

And they took her with her husband to the tent. I returned to my tent to meet Jade. As Jade look at me, “It seems you have realized it your majesty. The Figaro whom you hate the most is not your enemy, but it’s the hatred inside your majesty’s heart.”

Knowing that I have carry a heavy sin in my heart, I have made my decision. “Jade, I will give this country an heir. But will you help me?”

“Your majesty, just give me order, I will help you.”

“Can you help me let the baby inside the Figaro’s queen to be the heir?”

Jade was astonished. He was surprised but he understands my intention. “I see… that is a way to atone your sin your majesty, no, old friend. Very well, just leave it to me.”

With Jade’s help, I married that queen. Still, she bore her hatred toward me very deeply.

“Just you wait, I will give birth to a son and he will revive Figaro back!” Is the word she used to mock me. But I don’t bore any ill feelings toward her as that is what I am planning.

But in the end she gives birth to a daughter. As woman can’t be a king, she loses all her will to live, weakening day by day and dies, leaving Sera alone.

“It has been three days,” said Jade worriedly.

“What?” ask me as I signed the paper in the library.

“We can’t find Sera anywhere.”

“Sera’s gone?! How dare the nannies didn’t do the job!” And I slam the table very hard.

“Many people in castle dislike her. Don’t forget she’s the princess of Figaro, your majesty.”

“Forget it! Let’s find her!”

“Yes, your majesty.”

How dare the servant didn’t do the job! I will cut them down with my own hands!

But Jade and I still could not find her. Where has she going?

If I was young, this could be a piece of cake to find a child, but now I don’t even have strength to find a small child in the palace. My old leg has given up on me and I even feel pain in my knee when I keep on moving.

Having no other choice, I walk into the garden where the queen used to come. The garden is big but it does not filled with anything much other than small grass, trees and a small resting place for the queen. The garden is made like that because she doesn’t like any decoration made out of Froude and she also doesn’t want to see anything made of Figaro as it will make her remember a painful past and made her sad.

I sat on her resting place. The chair is quite small for me, but it does not matter as long I can rest.

While resting, I look at the surrounding where the queen was always tried to look. There is nothing to be seen, and it just makes your sight wander farther than you imagine. So this is what she has spent during the time she was here.

Tik tik tik, the rain is falling down, and heavy downpour come.

It was then I saw Sera walk out from a tree and running to search for something.

“Not here… not here…” mumbling Sera as she was crying.

“What are you looking for?” And I come near to her.

“Yo-your majesty!” said Sera as she gasped tirelessly. Although it is raining, her swollen face clearly shows that she is crying.

“You have been gone for three days, where have you been?”

“The..The- ring is gone…” said her while holding her tears.

“Ring?”

“Mo-queen is gone foreve-ever… so I as a princess shouldn’t c-cry and do my job as the last Fig-garo and hold the important ri-ring. But ‘they’ throw it away…”

“Who are they?”

“…..” she holds her mouth tight.

“Is it the nannies?”

But she shakes her head strongly.

“Then who?”

“Nobody…”

“Don’t lie to your father.”

“But you’re not my father.”

“I am. Even if we are not tied by blood, I am married to your mother.”

“But I’m a Figaro…”

“A noble princess.” And I wipe her looking down teary face and face her face to make her look at me directly “Who should never look down and face everything with her head high.”

“..It’s…” And her tears come out more.

“It’s?”

“Doug and Glasgow that throw the ring… and Gould and Muck said nobody wants to marry me because I’m ugly…” And she cry more. So it’s those noble children that I adopted to raise them as the future king that bullying her. “And.. and they say I’m bad…and… and..”

And I hug her to calm her down. “Don’t listen to them.”

“But…but..”

“You’re not ugly. You’re beautiful, like your mother. And you’re not bad.”

“Your majesty…”

“Call me father.” And I wipe her tears “let’s go now, the rain is very heavily downpour.” And I hold her hands to walk back together.

She rubs her face and stop crying “yes father.”

“And that is what has happened,” said me as I explain to Jade while sitting beside Sera who already bathed and changed her clothes is sleeping soundly inside the library although she sleep on the large soft chair, not a comfy bed.

“Those nobles… what has they tell to their sons about Sera…” said me as I clenching my teeth and fist.

“I restate the words again. Many people in castle dislike her.”

“And because of that they treat her like this?!” shout me angrily.

“Lower your voice,” say Jade while pointing his finger to Sera.

“sorry.” Luckily she’s still sleeping.

“But this is a fact. In fact, when she grows up, she might have worse treatment. We have to face it, there are times when we can’t help her.”

“I hate myself for growing old and weak…”

“Yeah, my beard is getting whiter,” say Jade while holding his beard.

“Then what should we do?”

“She has to stand up on her own feet. That’s the best answer.”

……………

“And now,” Jade clean the blackboard in the classroom “Is there any question?”

“Yes, sire,” said Doug while pointing his hand behind him, aimed at the most behind thing at the class. “What is she doing here?” His hand is pointing at Sera who is sitting while holding a pencil and write slowly. The boys are also making the unsatisfied face when look at her.

“From now on, she will be attending the class just like others, so be nice to her.” And Jade continues to cleaning the blackboard.

“But she’s a girl and a Figaro!”

“The king has overlooked for the missing of the ‘ring’.” And the boys startled with Jade’s words “So it’s better if there is no other problem happened after this.”

The boys are looking down as Jade turn his face toward them “Now, now, it’s break time, you guys can go outside and play now.”

Without even look at Jade, they run outside as fast as they can except Sera.

Jade approach Sera and ask “You don’t want to go out and play?”

“I…” Sera seem hesitant to answer. Jade knows that it is hard for Sera to play with boys so he asks another question “Do you want to play chess?”

“Chess?”

“Come, let’s go to the library and play chess with the king.” And he brought her to library to meet the king.

Once they arrived, Jade knocked the door.

Knock knock knock

“Come in,” say the king while reading.

And Jade opens the door. “Our little princess wants to play chess.”

“Chess?” The king smiles “I haven’t played it for a long time.” And he pushes the book away to make some spaces at the table. Jade then take out the board and some black and white pawns and he arrange it, making each black pawns facing the white pawns.

The king arranges the book on the chair to make it taller and raise Sera “humph…” with all his might. Jade just look at him with a smile as the king trying to hold a small child and put her on the book “Now sit here.” And Sera see the chess board clearly from there.

Jade then point out the name of the pawns with each different shape of carving “This is pawn, castle, knight, bishop, king and queen.”

“The rules are to capture the king, the most important pawn.”

“Each of these has its own abilities and weakness that can be used to capture the king. The castle can move horizontal or vertical and the bishop can move diagonal. The knight can move in L shaped. The pawn can only move one step or eliminate its enemy diagonally.”

Sera looks puzzled looking at the chess. The king then said, ”And the king in this game can moves anywhere they like but they can only moves one step only. But the queen-” and he takes out the queen “can move anywhere she like and take down any pawn, even cornering the king.”

Astonished with the king’s word, Sera began to interest with the game.

 

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