The royal carriages sat in front of the two uncovered wagons the staff would travel in. Zyaan sat quietly, weaving bamboo strips into a mat, trying to ignore the people around him.
The shouts of the man coordinating the entire trip dominated every other sound. A plump man with well-oiled curly hair and who wore way too much perfume. Adhi's assistant, Kairav.
Zyaan kept weaving away, sending the strip of bamboo under and over, minding his fingers though he had sanded down the sharp edges.
A voice pulled him from his thoughts, and when he looked up, four snarling bodyguards were looking at him. He knew why they were here. There was no need to ask.
"Olins should walk. How dare you sit with our women?" the first one said.
A second one pushed forward, his thick beard speckled with the crumbs from his morning meal.
"We should make him walk the rest of the way. Maybe he would die along the way. One last dog to kill."
Zyaan went back to his weaving. He was not in the mood to fight. He picked up a new bamboo strip to start the process all over again. His mother had taught him this craft. Back at home, he had made many useful things
"HEY. HOW DARE YOU IGNORE US?" the first one barked, punching the wagon and causing it to rock slightly.
Unnerved by his actions, Zyaan looked up at him with a cold stare that angered him further. He hopped onto the wagon, his boots landing with a heavy thump that shook the tray. The women scampered back, sensing trouble.
"Let him be. He has done you nothing!" Maiya shouted at the guard.
"Be quiet, or I will give you some as well," the guard said.
He stepped closer and roared. He lunged, a folded fist coming toward Zyaan. Thinking quickly, he shot a leg out with brute force. In his mind, he was thinking back to those training dummies. The crack of the ligament and bone greeted Zyaan. A slight smile crossed his lips as he saw the knee fold backward, the joint giving way to the impact of the kick. The man screamed out and fell off the end of the wagon. His hollering filled the quiet morning with chaos. Everyone turned to look at the man as he rolled around on the ground, holding his knee.
Zyaan stood, and Maiya joined him, holding his arm as she shook with fear. Kalaya was marching toward them. Behind her was her brother.
"What is going on here?" she said with a demanding tone through gritted teeth. "What happened to my guard?"
"My Lady, this is not Zyaan's fault. This guard attacked him, and he was only defending himself, "Maiya said. "It was an accident."
Zyaan looked at her, the guilt rising. He wondered why she seemed so eager to defend him. It was a good thing she did. One against so many guards was terrible odds.
"You did this?" the princess said, her face twisted with scorn. "How dare you!"
"The witness said it was self-defense, didn't she?" Adhi said as he casually made his way to the scene. He lifted his gaze and placed it on Zyaan, his eyes sending a message that made Zyaan curious. "What happened?" he asked Zyaan. A moment passed, and Zyaan could tell he was growing impatient. "I asked what happened. Answer me!" he barked.
"He attacked me," Zyaan said, his voice calm.
"My Lord, forgive me, but Zyaan is not at fault. This guard attacked him because he is Olin," Maiya said with her head lowered and hand clasped.
The Akai prince looked down at the guard, his crown shimmering in the morning sunlight.
"Pick him up and take him away. We leave for Avadata," he said. Zyaan stared at him through squinted eyes, this regal man bedazzled with intricate gold jewelry. He looked up and caught Zyaan looking at him. They locked stares, their eyes trying to see past the defenses of each other. "Come with me," he said.
Maiya tightened her grip around his arm. He peeled her fingers away and gave her a reassuring smile. He did not fear the Akai prince. There was not much that Zyaan feared. He could not explain why fear was one of the last emotions that surfaced from within him. Whatever the reason, it was just the way he was.
He climbed down from the wagon as the rest of the guards helped their comrade up. His leg dangles as they carted him away.
"He should be punished for maiming my guard. This man may never walk right again!" Kalaya said to her brother.
"I will deal with it," Adhi said. He gestured with his head for Zyaan to get moving.
He started walking. Up ahead, Reiji emerged from his carriage, a look of concern on his face.
"What did you do?" he said. He saw no need to ask who was at fault. In his mind, Zyaan was a troublemaker.
He stopped and said to the man in annoyance, "I defended myself."
"Reiji, it is alright. I will look after him. Our guards did not like the idea of an Olin traveling with us. I will allow him to travel in my carriage," Adhi said.
"Thank you, Adhi," Reiji said with a bow of gratitude.
They continued walking. Zyaan did not look back at the commotion as he trod toward the carriage belonging to the Akai.
Adhi opened the door and gestured for him to get in. The man was lucky that Zyaan lacked vitality that morning. Like an obedient cat, he got in.
He sat and waited as the Akai prince entered the carriage and closed the door. His stomach growled, and he immediately looked at the prince, wondering if he had heard it. Adhi settled onto the soft cushion with gracefulness and looked out the window. Zyaan breathed in relief. He began to settle down, his eyes taking in the intricate artwork that went into creating this royal vehicle, the polished and carved wood, silk linings, and glass beads.
His stomach growled again, and he hugged it tightly and squeezed his eyes shut to bear the pang of hunger. He did not eat before going to sleep. He had fallen asleep late in the night after fighting with his thoughts. When he woke, he was offered rice porridge by Maiya. It was all that remained of the morning meal for the servants. He did not eat it because he had grown sick of rice porridge. Now, he was full of regret.
"If you are hungry, I can get you food," Adhi said as he stared out the window.
Zyaan stared at him for a fleeting moment and then replied, "No, thank you, Your Highness."
His stomach betrayed him and growled again. The Akai prince gave him a chiding look and then chuckled in understanding. He opened the carriage door and signaled with a finger. The galloping of Kairav answered the question of who he had gestured to.
"Yes, my lord?"
"I'm hungry. Bring me something to eat. And some good liquor this time and not that bitter concoction from last night," Adhi ordered the man, and he bowed and hurried away. His urgent barking filtered in through the silk-lined interior of the carriage.
A pang hit his stomach, and he squeezed tighter. Thoughts floated in his mind. His emotions ran rampant as he tried to ignore the pain of his hunger. He was stunned by the tears forming in his eyes as he wondered how different life would have been if his father had never trusted these deceitful people. This prince sat on silk and snapped his fingers to command people while Zyaan grew up toiling in the hot sun, eating whatever food the earth wished to give if it was any. Hunger was not something that he was unaccustomed to. Tayn did his best to provide, but there was only so much that Tayn could do when they were at the mercy of nature. Water had been his sustenance many times while this prince roamed the halls of Zyaan's ancestral home, enjoying the wealth of another family's hard work.
He blinked the tears away and wondered why the Akai prince had brought him here. He was just a peasant, and this man was born into a world where people revered him as a god. Zyaan had noticed the way the servants and guards feared him. Maiya refused to look him in the face out of sheer respect and fright. This man was powerful even though he was so young. Zyaan was suspicious, yet he saw an answer to his predicament. If he could bring himself to submit to this man, to do the unspeakable things that he may be after, he could get closer to him. He could get closer to Zale! Then what? What did he do next? If he executed the emperor, he would be nothing more than a criminal in the eyes of Lokya. They would throw him in prison. He had no evidence of what the man did.
"Do the servants have no food to eat? I have to talk to Kalaya about this," the prince said. Zyaan looked away, unable to speak the truth out of shame. "For someone so hungry, you pack quite a kick. That man may never be able to work again. He may be maimed for life now. A shame. Couldn't you kick somewhere else? What if he has children?"
Zyaan turned to look at him, his anger poking its head from beneath his nonchalance.
"Oh? You care about children, Your Highness? In that case, let me tell a story. In a small village near the sea, I saved a little boy from being thrashed by three grown men for stealing bread. When I asked him why he stole the bread, he told me it was to feed his ailing sister. He told me that Akai soldiers killed his mother and father after his father fell ill and could not pay their taxes. His sister had to work to support them, and perhaps she is now dead, and that little boy is all alone in this world. Perhaps this story and this child's plight would not bother you much, seeing that they are Olin and not Akai like you."
"Peasant, mind your tongue!" he said. This man had a temper that he did not care to hide. Adhi was intrepid, an unrestrained man. He was nothing like the Aisu prince. "Perhaps you do not know why I saved you from those inhuman guards. My mother is Olin! Do not think that I do not care about my own. I am one person, and there is only so much that I can do to protect them. It is not easy doing it in a manner that would not foul my chances of one day sitting on my father's throne and being able to help them better."
Zyaan's heart skipped a beat. He lacked any knowledge that Adhi was part of Olin. A new dilemma now rose amongst the clutter of worry and trepidation. How did he attack a man who wished to help his people?
"What is it? No smart answer to give to me this time, Zyaan? You do not know me, nor do you know anything about my life. Do not be so quick to judge me."
The carriage door opened, and the smell of food welcomed a new wave of hunger pangs that placated his anger.
"Hurry up! Hurry up! The prince is hungry," Kairav barked. He pushed his head into the carriage, and his eyes fell on Zyaan. "My lord, why is Lord Reiji's servant in your carriage?"
"None of your business," Adhi replied sharply.
"Yes, my lord. Of course," he said and then pulled his head back.
The servants placed the freshly prepared food on a folding table fastened to the front wall of the carriage. The smell was mouthwatering. He had never eaten food of this quality before. The best cuts of meat, the freshest vegetables, freshly caught fish and mussels, water boiled for purification and then cooled and flavored with fruits. The spices and herbs tantalized his senses.
"Eat," Adhi said with a warm smile that shocked him. He picked up a book sitting between them and flipped through the pages. Zyaan observed him as he started reading. Who was he? Why did Zyaan suddenly feel like he could no longer hate him?