Castle of Glass

Arthit ran and ran and ran, not caring where he was going. His vision blurry with his tears.

He felt lost, so lost without his big brother with him. He was always there, whenever he looked up, looked back, looked left or looked right. He was always there, whenever he turned his head.

But now when he didn't find him, he felt a large gaping hole inside his chest. He felt so heavy, as if, he would fall down any Minute with just the weight of it.

He let out a silent sob. He could take it no more. Please, no more. There is only so much a person could take. And the place back there is just so full of it. His memories. There's not a single corner where Arthit could not feel him.

And if that was not enough, now the weight which his big brother was carrying, fell on him. He's just this close of collapsing.

God should have just taken him instead of his brother. It was not like he was anything that important.

His brother, the general of the army, the beloved prince and the future king of their kingdom.

He died. Just a week back. Fighting for his country. Leaving his baby brother Arthit all alone.

He couldn't stay a minute more inside that castle, which felt like a suffocating prison to him. So he ran away.

The now crown prince of Surya Kingdom- Arthit.

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Arthit blearily opened his eyes. He was so damn tired, and his whole body was in pain. He groaned.

"Oh, you are awake", someone said.

He turned his eyes towards the speaker, and saw a boy? Man? Standing beside him, smiling.

"Where am I? And who are you?", Arthit asked.

"My name is Kongpob. And you are in my home which is in a small village called Ethe in Surya Kingdom.

Ethe? Arthit frowned. Never heard of that place before. Must be a very tiny, remote village

"Do you know me?", Arthit asked anxiously.

"No. I found you collapsed near the forest at the back of my house"

"Hmmm"

Arthit looked around. He was in a small one room hut. Apart from the bed, and few utensils, nothing much was there. He tried getting up, but flopped down in pain.

"You should rest. Your feet are badly hurt. Just how long were you walking? By the way, what's your name?"

"Art...oon. my name is oon"

"Oon.... that's a cute name you got there", Kongpob smiled.

"Pa!!", Just then a kid came running inside.

"Yes Mo?"

"I am hungry!"

"Just a second. I'll give you your lunch"

Arthit watched as Kongpob busied himself with the utensils and the kid waited impatiently. His son? Where's his mother then?

"Here", Kongpob said to Mo handing him a plate.

And Arthit saw it was just plain rice with no side dish.

"Are you hungry too?", He asked.

But without waiting for an answer handed him a plate of rice too. And for some reason, Arthit found the taste of even plain rice bearable.

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Arthit watched bored as Kongpob worked in the fields. It had been a week since he came here and got to know some things about him.