Ch. 1b ~ The Prince
Jun. 5th, 2005 08:18 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
brokenworld01I needed a calendar system. Kiro pointed out that the Chinese and possibly other societies had a habit of numbering things by dynasty and ruler. Granted, Gyumaoh ruled for some unknown number of years before he was sealed by Nataku, and the 500 years would probably be counted as an Interregnum, but for the sake of simplicity, I'm resetting the calendar. Ergo, the year of his resurrection (the same year as the end of How Far Do You Bend?) would be Gyumaoh 0. (Yes, I am using zero. cope.)
His son and heir was therefore born in Gyumaoh 3.
This chapter, then, takes place in: Gyumaoh 16
Ch.1b ~ The Prince
~~~~~~~~~~~~
There were times Prince Rajesh wondered if was supposed to be as it was. He had a feeling, deep and instinctive and desperately ignored, that it was not. But his mother's hands were skillful, his mother's lips demanding, and the price for failure was painful in too many ways. So he tried, and his eagerness pleased her, and his ability to learn quickly, to anticipate and invent, pleased her more, and so, perhaps, he contributed to the building of his own gilded cage.
It was only on nights like this, when his father was actually at home, or someone else lay in his mother's bed, that the thirteen year-old prince stopped to consider such things.
He had his own rooms, of course, to which he had retreated. They were where he met his tutors, where he studied and absorbed all the knowledge that was forced upon him. But the rooms were not comfortable, not familiar. Not a refuge. Nor were they where he usually slept. From the time he was born, he had slept in his mother's rooms, and once he was old enough, in his mother's bed. When she decided he was mature enough to respond appropriately to her possessive touch, it had become more than a place to sleep as well.
He supposed it might be normal for a woman to love her husband so much as to take their child as a substitute, but he really had no frame of reference for it, and it wasn't as if his tutors were going to be of any use for such discussions.
He should be proud, she always said, of being his father's son. He must live up to that, in all ways. She loved father so very much, after all.
~*~*~
"And so, on the day your illustrious father returned to his throne as the Great King of the youkai --"
Prince Rajesh yawned. His tutor failed to notice. With an annoyed snort, the prince kicked the table leg with one booted foot. Cups rattled pleasingly, and a servant hastened to catch his goblet before it spilled. His tutor noticed, finally, but did not even have the self-confidence to chastize him. Instead, the youkai avoided his eyes across the table.
Raj kicked it again for good measure, then slid down out of his chair. "I'm going for a walk," he declared, squaring his thin shouldlers.
His bodyguard -- as familiar to him as his shadow -- fell into step behind him as he strode from the room. The tutor didn't protest. What could he say, after all, if Prince Rajesh found no value in his lessons?
Mother had taught him just what power meant, and how to use it, and for that Rajesh was grateful. But he still hoped that his father would end his campaigns and remain at home soon.
His son and heir was therefore born in Gyumaoh 3.
This chapter, then, takes place in: Gyumaoh 16
Ch.1b ~ The Prince
~~~~~~~~~~~~
There were times Prince Rajesh wondered if was supposed to be as it was. He had a feeling, deep and instinctive and desperately ignored, that it was not. But his mother's hands were skillful, his mother's lips demanding, and the price for failure was painful in too many ways. So he tried, and his eagerness pleased her, and his ability to learn quickly, to anticipate and invent, pleased her more, and so, perhaps, he contributed to the building of his own gilded cage.
It was only on nights like this, when his father was actually at home, or someone else lay in his mother's bed, that the thirteen year-old prince stopped to consider such things.
He had his own rooms, of course, to which he had retreated. They were where he met his tutors, where he studied and absorbed all the knowledge that was forced upon him. But the rooms were not comfortable, not familiar. Not a refuge. Nor were they where he usually slept. From the time he was born, he had slept in his mother's rooms, and once he was old enough, in his mother's bed. When she decided he was mature enough to respond appropriately to her possessive touch, it had become more than a place to sleep as well.
He supposed it might be normal for a woman to love her husband so much as to take their child as a substitute, but he really had no frame of reference for it, and it wasn't as if his tutors were going to be of any use for such discussions.
He should be proud, she always said, of being his father's son. He must live up to that, in all ways. She loved father so very much, after all.
~*~*~
"And so, on the day your illustrious father returned to his throne as the Great King of the youkai --"
Prince Rajesh yawned. His tutor failed to notice. With an annoyed snort, the prince kicked the table leg with one booted foot. Cups rattled pleasingly, and a servant hastened to catch his goblet before it spilled. His tutor noticed, finally, but did not even have the self-confidence to chastize him. Instead, the youkai avoided his eyes across the table.
Raj kicked it again for good measure, then slid down out of his chair. "I'm going for a walk," he declared, squaring his thin shouldlers.
His bodyguard -- as familiar to him as his shadow -- fell into step behind him as he strode from the room. The tutor didn't protest. What could he say, after all, if Prince Rajesh found no value in his lessons?
Mother had taught him just what power meant, and how to use it, and for that Rajesh was grateful. But he still hoped that his father would end his campaigns and remain at home soon.
