Part 2- Kurun
LIFE AS A prince is so boring. Father wants me to take my duties seriously, marry a woman soon, and assist her in giving birth to as many boy heirs as possible. He doesn’t listen to me when I say I don’t want any of that. My destiny as heir to the Xing Empire is set in stone.
So here I am, leaning on the terrace of my wing of the palace.
I sigh while staring out at the edges of the Imperial City, gazing at the smoky tip of Charcoal Mountain.
While I do have the freedom to amble about in the woods as I please, I am bound to return here every week, lest Father summon the Xing army to find me.
As attractive as the soldier men are, I don’t want to get on Father’s bad side.
I suppose a life of dreaming, roaming in the woods, and having secret trysts with commoner boys is all I’ll have.
“What is the matter, Brother?” I turn around at the voice. My younger brother walks in, using his wooden cane, tapping on the ground. Being only one year younger, he looks just like me, except for, of course, his broken ankle, a remnant of a childhood accident. “I heard you sighing again.”
“Just…daydreaming, I suppose about…my wants.”
“What could you long for?” He chuckles, always the chipper of us despite his physical disability. “You’re the heir, you have all the money you can want, and two perfectly good legs!”
I nod and gaze at the ground. My brother is right; I shouldn’t be ungrateful. We both have so much wealth here in the Xing Dynasty region of the Middle Kingdom. And I am strong, unlike him.
Still, I have always felt like my destiny is elsewhere. That’s not even considering my disinterest in women and cravings for the same sex.
“You are right, Brother,” I reply.
“You have capable legs.” He sits down on a chair next to me, and leans on his cane. “Since Father is away on business, why don’t you go camping? Go riding north on your noble steed and practice your swordsmanship on poor unsuspecting forest logs?”
We both chuckle. “That is a good idea. Some woodsy air would do me good. Will you come?”
He snickers and waves me off. “No, I would only slow you down. I might do some archery later.”
“Very well. Hey, maybe we can even compete later,” I say.
“Of course. Glad you have that smile on your face again.”
We bow to each other, and I make my way to the stables.
Some time away from the Imperial City will do me good.
I am too cowardly to leave for long, but when I go camping, I can pretend I live in another world, another time.
I can act as if my daydreams come true, and I’m whisked far away on adventure.
Liberty, my precious horse, trots along at an even pace.
Charcoal Mountain looms overhead, and the ashy air fills my nostrils.
I’m riding north with all my camping gear with me.
When we reach the denser part of the woods, I pull on the reins to get her to slow down to a stop.
I pour out canteen water into a bowl for her to drink from.
As Liberty has her fill, I brush her mane, then tie her reins to a tree.
I put on my quiver, holster my bow, and hold onto my sword, then venture on foot.
Leaves fall around me as I amble into the dense forest. I buzz my lips and aimlessly move my sword around.
I cut at the air for no reason other than to move my arms. As princes, my brother and I have been educated in all things Middle Kingdom weaponry.
Naturally, my brother could only do the archery and limited swordsmanship, and I was forced to do leg combat.
Those lessons were boring, but I did enjoy grappling with my strong teacher.
My sword cuts through the air with a zip. Oh how I wish I could live a life of adventure, perhaps with a male lover by my side. But that’s not the life set for Xing Kurun.
After five more minutes of walking and random slicing, I come upon a clearing.
The air shifts, an unfamiliar feeling. I blink and something appears that was not there previously.
Fearing the unknown, I dash behind a tree.
Air is pushed away and I hear a crackling similar to a dying fire.
Gripping my sword, I study the figure before me.
It’s…a person? I blink and shake my head, trying to get my eyesight even. Did I hit my head and imagine something?
I focus again. It is most certainly a person, and now he is wearing traditional high-class robes.
“What in the world?” I ask, quietly. When the figure moves his head around, I gasp.
He’s not from the Xing Empire, his hair and eyes look nothing like my people.
His skin is pinker, his hair is the color of early autumn, and curls where mine is straight.
He has a strong chin and muscled neck. Oh my stars.
In the forest clearing, a man has appeared from out of the air. And that man…is beautiful.
For the next hour, I do what any bored prince on his own would do in my situation: I follow him.
This beautiful stranger mutters an alien language.
As he ambles on, I duck behind trees. He does not seem to notice me, preoccupied with his wrist jewelry instead.
I could watch him for hours. He’s so handsome, so much prettier than any of the boys that I’ve managed to have sex with in secret.
But where did he come from? I must know everything about this gorgeous, lost divine being.
Before I can learn more about it, I hear another rustling noise to my right.
Oh no. This magnificent stranger is getting attacked by a bear.