Episode four
As the first rays of sunlight peeked over the horizon, the sky blazed with hues of pink, orange and gold, painting a breathtaking canvas above. In the dimly lit prayer room, Lenyang sat cross-legged on his praying mat, with his eyes closed and hands placed serenely on his knees, immersing himself in the tranquillity of his morning prayers, a soft glow of flickering candles surrounding him.
"Don't let me drift towards evil or take part in acts of wickedness. Don't let me share in the delicacies一"
The door bursting open, Leo stumbled in, his face looking pale and body shaking with an unspoken urgency. Opening his eyes, Lenyang turned towards him, his calm expression barely faltering. A fleeting flicker of irritation dancing in his eyes as he hated when someone interrupted his prayers, forbidding anyone from entering his prayer room even if he was on fire.
"I am sorry to interrupt your prayers, but I need your help."
"His Royal Highness, I kindly request you wait for me outside, and as soon as I finish my prayers, I will address your concerns."
"But the situation is dire. I'm afraid I have no time to wait for you to finish your prayers."
" I understand the urgency of your request, and I am willing to help you if I can, but my morning prayer is a duty I cannot neglect."
Closing his eyes, Lenyang resumed his interrupted prayers. A calm ambience filling the room as he recited the sacred verses, seeking to regain the tranquillity he had momentarily lost with each breath.
Meanwhile, outside the prayer room, Leo paced in the hallway, massaging his neck, his mind consumed by the urgency of the situation and the fear of the unknown. Every few seconds, his gaze darting towards the closed door, feeling a growing sense of impatience.
As seconds stretched into minutes, his pacing became more erratic, the hallway seeming to narrow around him, suffocating him. His eyes fixated on the door, hoping to catch any glimpse of movement or indication that Lenyang was done with his prayers, muttering under his breath words of impatience.
"What's keeping him? Is he praying for the whole country? How sure is he that the so-called Lord will answer him?"
On the other hand, Lenyang had become completely immersed in his prayers, oblivious to his presence outside the door as time ceased to hold meaning, the outside world fading away, suspended in the realm of peace and tranquillity.
Finally after what felt like an eternity, Lenyang opened his eyes, blinking away the remnants of his transcendent state, reality seeping in and, with it, the awareness of Leo waiting outside. Realising his unintentional oversight, he rose gracefully to his feet, the folds of his kafhun falling into place around him, opening the door and lowering his head,
"His Royal Highness, please accept my sincere apologies for keeping you waiting. Kindly could you inform me what has happened and how I may be of assistance?"
Leo shaking his shoulders, replied, his voice trembling," Those opposing officials have written a petition and plan to present it before Father, asking him to reconsider his decision. What do I do?"
Lenyang dropped his hands from his shoulders in a gentle yet firm motion.
"Lord Zua is plotting a rebellion and has amassed an army ready to attack the capital within a week."
Leo blinked in confusion. "How is that related to the petition?"
"I believe it's an opportunity to demonstrate your leadership skills."
"But will stopping Uncle Zua work? We both know most powerful families in the capital support Teka and want him to be the crown prince."
"It will assuredly silence the opposing officials."
"How? No matter what I do, they will never accept me as the crown prince."
"Teka favours Lord Zua. He would never fight him."
Leo's brows lifted slightly, a smile playing at the corner of his lips as he realised Lenyang's point.
"And if I manage to stop Uncle Zua, I will become the hero who stopped chaos from happening in the capital. And since those opposing officials wouldn't want to be the villains, they will stop with the petition," Leo said with excitement and energy, his hands flailing and gesturing to illustrate his point. And Lenyang nodded in agreement.
His face lighting up with a newfound determination, he asked, "So what's the plan?"
"Come with me to my study room. We will discuss the plan when General Zarik arrives."
◼◼◼◼
In a remote mountain range, a battle ensued.
His feet nimble, Lenyang fought with a quiet intensity. Anticipating their moves before they made them, striking them out with deadly accuracy.
After thrusting his sword into the rebel's heart, he spun around just in time and blocked a sword with his. Pushing his sword forward, he drove the rebel back and off-balance, taking the opportunity and slitting his throat. With a swift chop, he sent the third one to the ground and turned on the next, only to see an arrow hurtling towards Leo's unprotected back. Without a second thought, he lunged forward and shoved him out of the way. The arrow whistling past his forehead, grazing it and drawing blood. Feeling a sharp pain, everything around him began to blur. As he shook his head, trying to clear his vision, another arrow struck him in the chest, piercing his armour and embedding itself deep in the flesh. Dropping his sword, he fell on his knees, struggling to breathe, his vision growing dimmer and dimmer.
"Lenyang?" Leo called out and rushed to his side, holding him. Lenyang's men forming a protective circle around them, ready to protect them with their lives.
"Let's get you out of here."
"No! You have to keep fighting, His Royal Highness. You need to stand against them. You cannot let the officials opposing you succeed."
"But you are hurt."
"It's not grave. Leave now. The capital's future peace rests on your shoulders," Lenyang choked out, every word sending a fresh wave of agony through him.
Leo nodding, gripped his hand tightly, "Victory will be ours, brother. I won't fail you."
◼◼◼◼
The carriage raced down the winding road towards the city, drawn by four powerful black horses, six royal guards riding ahead, clearing the way and ensuring the safety of the wounded Lenyang, who was on the verge of losing his eyesight. The crown prince's physicians sitting beside him, administering medicines and assessing his condition. Meanwhile, in a merchant cart leaving the city past it, Aira lay unconscious, unaware she was being sold into slavery. What fate awaited them both?
◼◼◼◼
Lenyang lay on his bed, his hands gently placed on his chest with his fingers lightly interlaced. The white silk blindfold draped over his eyes, adding to his air of mystery.
"I am sorry, brother," Leo choked out, his face streaked with tears as he knelt before Lenyang's bed, his head bowed in shame.
"If you hadn't saved me, you wouldn't have turned into this. A useless blind man who lies in bed all day? No longer fit to go to battle or defend the country. If only you didn't save me."
"His Royal Highness, protecting the crown prince was my duty as the general of Kirania."
"What about you?" Leo yelled. "Were all the years of training for nothing? How will you train and lead troops to battle now that you are blind?"
" I appreciate your concern. But I would love to rest. So please leave."
"Okay, but promise me you won't hesitate to let Noir inform me if you need anything."
After Leo left, the tears burning at the back of Lenyang's eyes fell as he struggled to contain the crushing pain that threatened to overwhelm him. Not believing he would never again fight in battle or oversee training.
Carefully, he removed his blindfold. Praying and hoping that his blindness was only a terrible nightmare he would finally wake up from. But when he slowly opened his eyes, everything was the same, blur as if looking through a fog, objects swimming and swaying before his eyes, colours and shapes seeming muted or dulled.
Trying to focus, he blinked rapidly, but nothing changed. He stretched out his hand infront of him, but he couldn't even make an outline of his own hand, finally coming to terms with reality.
Every thought, dream and plan he had for the future disintegrating like a fragile glass, leaving behind a fragmented emptiness that pierced his soul. And the pain gnawed at his core as it wrapped its tendrils around his heart, the world around him growing darker as if even the sun wept for him. Tears of profound sadness and loss trickling down his cheeks, mirroring the hearts of those who heard his story.
The mighty warrior had fallen.