Half of the Kingdom(ft. commentary)

~Apr 27

Oh I was hot on it now

He got closer to the mirror and examined himself. His eyes were strange.

They were red.

Oop

He saw a picture of himself, tall and terrible, cloaked in black and robed in red. Bared blade in hand, an immense hood shadowing his features. His eyes glowed bright red. Like gemstones in blood. Karayan tried to draw away, but something held him. He couldn't move.

Gotta love those immense hoods

It started out on the mirror, but entered his mind. Like it was actually happening to him. There was a great house. He recognized it, though he hadn't seen in a decade. It was his. He'd lived the first fifteen years of his life; only ten of which were happy. In the garden was a merry trio. Karayan's breath caught in his throat. It was his father, his mother, and the young, smiling boy was him. He remembered now. He wanted to turn away. Close his eyes. He knew what happened next.

aww bb no

They all stood up to go back into the house, the boy between his parents. They laughed at something the boy said, and the boy giggled with delight. The boy reached up his arms to his father, and the father scooped him up, only to grasp at his chest and stumble a moment later. The mother grabbed her husband's shoulder and tried to keep him steady and help him back to the house, concern evident in her voice and face. The boy stood to the side, a confused expression on his face. He followed his mother and father into the house. Time skipped, and a horse rode up, it's rider dashing into the house. He was transported, and he was by his father's bedside. Or deathbed. Karayan wanted desperately to look away, but he couldn't. He had to watch this all over again.

Bb :'((

He heard the doctor's voice clearly. "He's had a strain of the heart. He won't survive. Did he do anything to cause this? Lift something too heavy?"

i guess I'll put it right here that batal sr. had a preexisting heart condition.

Karayan felt deep dread over him. Yes, his father had lifted something too heavy. And now, because of a moment of immaturity, his father would die.

Alright this is one of the moments in the story that I think is actually worth something. Smol Karayan made a mistake. It could have been completely innocent, but unfortunately it wasn't, and now a price is being paid. It was a really stupid mistake. Like forreal, a quick little moment of getting caught up in whatever and boom now your dad's dead. That would hurt like all get out. Karayan's like ten right now. that stage of definitely a child, but capable of very complex thoughts. He's got a lot of stuff in his mind right now, chief of which is "my dad is going to die and it's completely my fault" never mind that Batal sr. didn't hesitate to pick him up when he totally could have, "it is my fault and mine alone". So where am I going with this?  It wasn't some massive battle or dramatic speech or anything like that damaged Karayan so deeply, it was quite simple in the moment, but gosh what an effect. That's something I like in writing. It was an mistake with very little excuse and big consequences. No getting out of it, no making excuses, smol Karayan messed up big time and there's nothing he can do.

His mother glanced at the boy Karayan, but the boy didn't look up. Her face was turned away, so Karyana couldn't see her face either. Suddenly the boy leapt up and fled the room.

"Karayan, wait!" His mother called after him, but he didn't heed her. He kept running. Karayan wanted to stay. He wanted to see his father's last breath. He wanted to see if he blamed him for his death. But he was whisked away again. The next sight was of the house. It had fallen into disrepair. He saw the dining room. The only people in the room was young Karayan, his mother, and their sour old servant.

"Karayan, dear," His mother addressed him.

"Hmm?" He replied, not looking up or brushing his long hair away from his face.