Kione ~Chapter Four~

Chapter Four1

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When they had come to take the Old Mother’s body they had practically had to rip her away she clung so tightly to the corpse of the dead woman. For some reason Kione felt that if she could hold on to the body, she might be able to keep the Old Mother there. The castle guards disagreed with her on the matter and ripped her away none to gently. Kione remembered screaming and fighting like a wild animal trying to stop them, but one of them hit her across the face, trying to shut her up and she flew across the room. When she came to they were gone and so was the Old Mother.5

Kione wandered the castle after that, numb to any emotion except shock. She was wild with grief, her pain too strong to convey through words. Her body lost control of its daily functions and soon her appetite dwindled and even her sleeping became rare. Kione had forgotten how to take care of herself her grief was so all consuming. Nobody seemed to notice and if they did they stayed away from her like a bad omen. Soon she even lost her will to live, and the once bright sparkle in her eyes faded. Her soul seemed to have left this word with the Old Mother and her body was just an empty discarded shell. 6

She was still there though, trapped inside her emotions, trapped inside her thoughts, trapped inside the castle…trapped inside everything. Desperately she paced the castle trying to free herself, but everywhere she went she was haunted by memories of the Old Mother.  7

Weeks passed and Kione decided that she could no longer live in the castle and so she went to see the King, hoping to solve her miseries. 8

“I would like to see the King.” 9

“I’m sorry girl, but that is impossible.” Lyndon looked down his nose disapprovingly. He had never liked her, ever since Kione had dared to utter her name in the library and challenge his word. 10

He was dung, although for all his dirty crooked scheming he had never been found out, but it didn’t matter now. If the King agreed with her she would be out of everyone’s hair and Lyndon could be free to create all the chaos he wanted. 11

“Lyndon, let me in or else.” 12

“Or else what, you will tell the King? Wake up and smell the flowers girl, you are just a play thing he amuses himself with.” 13

“That’s not true!” Kione rushed past Lyndon in a hurry, trying to escape his lies. How dare he speak to her so? She’d tell the King of his behavior and see if he could still hold his head up high. 14

“Your Highness!” 15

The King sat on his throne, distracted as he played cheese by himself. “What is it? Oh you, you’ll have to come back another time. I’m quite busy now.” 16

“But Lyndon-” Kione protested as she tried to tell the King of Lyndon’s rude behavior.   17

“I don’t have time for your squabbles. Now if there’s something you must say, say it before I lose my patience.” 18

“I…I can’t live here anymore, the memories are just too great. Everyday I see her face and hear her thought and I…” 19

“Get to the point, I’m quite a busy man you know,” replied the King as he moved his bishop. 20

“The Old Mother, before she moved here owned a piece of land. I would like to go there.” 21

“I’m sure you would, but I don’t think the new owners would like the idea.” 22

“New owners, but that’s the Old Mother’s land.” 23

“Yes and she’s dead, so its mine,” the King said matter-of-factly. Then he paused as if pondering something in his head. “Well actually, come to think of it, I seized it a long time ago, just didn’t get around to selling it till recently. 24

“You can’t do that!” 25

With complete disregard for Kione’s feelings the King replied, “I can do anything, I’m the king.” 26

“Old Mother would have wanted me to have it. I demand you to give that land to me.” 27

“What right do you have to order me about?”28

“As your advisor I have all the right.” 29

“Advisor? You’re nothing but a common street rat!” 30

“But I…you…” 31

“But I called you an advisor? More like a jester, you amused me girl with your frivolous ideas. Help the poor how ingenious! Why in the world would you help someone when you get nothing in return?” 32

“You listened to me though.” 33

“You’re like the pawns on a chesses board.” 34

“How can you be so inhuman?” 35

“It sounds like maybe I’ve humored you too much. You’re above your station meddling in affairs you know nothing of. Respect should be shown when addressing your King. Lyndon!”  36

“Yes, sir?” 37

“I’ve grown weary of this conversation. Take this commoner down to the kitchen, she will now work for her food.”38