The Tyrant's Sorrow

“Sound the alarms! The Prince is gone!” An Emperor's guardsman hollers out. Hearing the cry, another guard swiftly reaches up to pull on the thick rope suspended above, ringing a large bell that echoes across the kingdom. Sixty guards astride sixty majestic vlaamperd horses charge out of the castle’s front gates, to look for the prince.

“Find my blasted son!” Emperor Negus screams at the top of his lungs, his words echoing through the castle from his chambers.

“A party has been sent out to locate and bring back Prince Negasi, Majesty,” the head of the Emperor’s guard replies swiftly. “He will not get far, I assure you, my Liege.”

“He better not! Damn that blasted boy! I am going to beat him with a switch for this!” Emperor Negus continues to scream without a care for anyone else’s eardrums.

“Find him! Find him! FIND HIM!” He screams, his face turning purple.

Meanwhile, a handsome, finely dressed, young man sprints through the lines of sowed trees along the soft soil of one of the local pear tree farms. The young man looks rather out of place, running in such fancy attire. His clothes and shoes are beginning to get dirty as he runs through the muddy puddles left by the rainfall from the night before. Suddenly the man loses his footing, sliding on mud, and landing on a young farm girl.

“Ouch! My apologies, miss!” Prince Negasi exclaims, stammering as he gets back on his feet. He extends a hand to help the girl up, but she refuses. She rights herself and glares at him.

“This is my family’s farm! We do not allow trespassers!” The girl bellows at him.

“I apologize for the intrusion, but I really needed to…”

“Who are you?” She cuts him off, too oblivious to notice the man’s, though dirty, fancy attire.

“You don’t know?”, he asks, genuinely shocked.

“Obviously not,” she responds tiredly.

“I’d rather not say then.”

“And I’d rather not beat you with this stick, but I will if I need to,” she says, waving a rather thick stick in his face.

“Behati? What’s going on? Are you okay?” A handsome young man, bearing some resemblance to the girl, comes running from behind a maze of pear trees carrying a book.

“I’m fine. Just about to beat an intruder,” Behati claims to her older brother.

“Please don’t,” Negasi croaks. Behati’s handsome brother examines Prince Negasi. A smirk appears on his lips.

“Behati, you moron. You don’t know who this is, do you?” Behati shakes her head, blushing profusely.

“It’s Prince Negasi! Can’t you tell by his fine clothes? Who else would wear something like that around here?”

Behati frowns at her older brother, “I’ve never seen him, how am I supposed to know? And don’t call me a moron Kofi!” With that Behati storms off into the maze of gloriously blooming pear trees.

“My apologies, Majesty. You may leave without any stick beatings from Behati, I assure you,” Kofi says, grimacing at the Prince, showing off his charming devil-may-care attitude. Kofi has a tendency to act this way around everyone, even those of a higher social ranking.

Negasi, blushing, clears his throat saying, “Yes, uh, well I must be going. Thank you for your hospitality…”

“Wait!” Kofi interrupts, waving a hand, “Before you go, may I ask where you are off to in such a hurry? Not very princely of you to be galavanting all covered in mud,” Kofi teases.

“Yes, well where I’m going doesn’t matter,” he continues as he saunters off, blushing even more, but Kofi follows, slightly behind, still weaving through the maze of trees.

“Why not?” Kofi presses curiously.

“Because I need to be away from here ” Negasi states, picking up the pace slightly, but Kofi has no trouble keeping up.

“And why is that?” Kofi presses harder.

“Because…”

Kofi stares at Negasi expectantly. Negasi sighs, “Because my horrid father is here...”

“Ah, a runaway,” Kofi infers. “Typical.” That last word causes Negasi to halt in his place, turning around to face Kofi.

“What’s typical?” He asks, eyeing the farmer.

Kofi smirks. “A pretty rich boy, heir to the throne, cries a river, having real responsibilities. Woe is he! But here’s a little secret. Pretty boys don’t last long without their daddys, understand? Go home,” Kofi says, belittling the prince. He walks away, reading again. Prince Negasi looks utterly dumbfounded. Never in his wildest dreams has anyone, besides his father, ever spoken to him like that, and a commoner no less!

“Hey! Wait! Just you listen here, fink!” Negasi jogs to catch up with Kofi, who plants himself down beside one of the largest trees on the lot.

“I am not just some spoiled prince! I have skills!” Negasi continues sputtering, earning him another smirk from Kofi, who is now looking up from his book again.

“Really? Show me?”

“How?” Negasi asks, eyeing him, momentarily distracted by his ruggedly handsome features.

“Pick a ripe pear and eat it.”

“That’s it?” Negasi asks, skeptically.

“That’s it,” Kofi says, smiling warmly at him, his eyes staring deeply into Prince Negasi’s.

“No problem,” Negasi says nonchalantly, as he peers up at the tree in front of them, analysing different shades of brown, yellow fruit.

Which one is it? Come on, really? You can’t even pick out a piece of fruit. Kofi is going to think you're an idiot! Tall, handsome, sharp jaw bone, Kofi... Wait! Focus! Negasi thinks, mentally battling with himself, before finally deciding to pick a very bright piece of yellow fruit hanging on a branch above Kofi’s head. He takes a bite slowly, before spitting it out, grabbing onto his jaw.

“Ouch! My teeth!” Negasi howls in pain. Kofi just chuckles, amused.

“You picked one of the least ripe pears. Amazing!” Kofi laughs, causing Negasi to frown.

“You shouldn’t tease your future Emperor! I could have you executed, peasant!” Negasi says, his face turning a deep shade of crimson.

“Tut, tut Majesty! I mean no harm. Besides, I think you like my teasing,” Kofi says as he raises himself to his feet.

“I do know some things...”

“Of course,” Kofi nods, winking at Negasi.

“I do! I know the ending to that book you're reading. The sister dies!”

“Rude! You spoil the ending!” Kofi exclaims. Negasi smiles, feeling somewhat satisfied by this small act of retaliation.

“I told you I know some things,” Negasi says, looking smug.

“Yes, I guess you did,” Kofi replies, flashing a smile at Negasi that causes him to blush and quickly break eye contact.

“So nervous for a prince,” Kofi observes. “Why is that?”

“I, uh, I don’t know.” Negasi stutters, causing Kofi to giggle.

“You’re cute.” Negasi blushes even more profusely at the complement.

“Thanks,” Negasi replies awkwardly, causing another bout of giggles from Kofi. Negasi melts slightly at the sound of the musical laughter.

“Can I make you a proposition?” Kofi asks.

“What?”

“Stay here for the night. Don’t go running through the wild, getting yourself killed. Make a plan first.”

“Oh! Uh, that might be a smart idea.” Kofi’s eyes brighten with anticipation. “But what about your parents?”

“Papa is away on business so there is no reason not to,” Kofi insists.

“I guess,” Prince Negasi says reluctantly, something in his chest flutters with joy and confusion.

“Splendid! I’ll show you the house then,” Kofi says, grabbing hold of Negasi’s hand, as he leads him through the maze.

Later into the evening, Negasi sits across the table from Behati, who is sneering at him. She has her stick in her hand, ready for use at any time. The two sit in uncomfortable silence until Kofi comes out with a large pot of stew. He sets it in the middle of the table, laying out three bowls.

Kofi sets his hand softly on his sister's shoulder, “That’s enough ugly faces Behati.” She sneers at him one last time, before relaxing her facial features, and digging into the stew. The two young men start on their own bowls of stew, eyeing each other rather flirtatiously.

After supper, the two young men excuse themselves, going outside among the trees, while Behati turns in for the night. However, she does insist on Kofi taking her stick with him, just in case. She doesn’t trust Negasi, regardless of her brother’s ‘friendship’. The two men walk among the fruit trees, the colours aglow as the sun sets on the horizon. Kofi extends his hand to take Negasi’s, their fingers intertwining, as he leads him through the maze.

“What are you doing?” Negasi exclaims, blushing again.

“Follow me,” Kofi replies vaguely. Still quite flushed, Prince Negasi allows the handsome farmer to whisk him away through the pear trees, to the top of a small hill with an overwhelming view of the jungle, and mountains, the brilliantly orange, red sun setting behind them.

“Breathtaking!,” Negasi whispers in wonder.

“Yes.” Kofi agrees, eyes completely fixated on Negasi.

“You’re adorable, Majesty.” Prince Negasi flushes in response. His palms are now sweaty and his heart is racing so fast he feels as if it could burst from his chest at any moment.

I shouldn’t be feeling this. I shouldn’t be thinking about his lips. No stop. This cannot be right! Negasi thinks in a panic, as Kofi caresses his hand gently with his thumb, smiling warmly and staring deeply into his eyes.

“You worry too much. Why not do what you want for a change?” Kofi continues,“Come on Negasi! Right now, what do you want?” Negasi stays silent, staring absently at the view for a long while. Finally, he turns slowly towards Kofi.

“I want you,” Negasi whispers, looking down at his feet in shame. Kofi grabs hold of his face, propping it up so they are meeting eye to eye again.

Kofi whispers, “I know,” and presses his soft lips to Negasi’s. They embrace tenderly, while the sun sets on the hilltop, overlooking the pear trees.

The next morning, Behati watches the Prince and her brother running towards his favourite spot. She wishes the Prince would just leave already, still not trusting him. Behati then starts to tend to one of the trees at the front of the farm when she is abruptly interrupted.

“You there! Farm girl!” Behati turns her head, frowning as she sees the Emperor’s guardsman standing before her.

“Have you seen Prince Negasi?” The guard continues. Behati’s frown shifts to a devious smile, her eyes glowing brightly. This is her chance to get rid of that good-for-nothing prince.

“I know where he is! Follow me!” Behati exclaims.

Behati leads the guardsman to where she saw Kofi and Prince Negasi run off to not long ago. Upon reaching a beautiful area of the largest pear trees on the lot; They both gasp in surprise and disbelief when they find themselves looking at the two young men, kissing passionately beneath one of the trees. Noticing their audience, the two stop immediately. Negasi pushes Kofi off of him as if he has been attacked, turning crimson. Kofi’s eyes just show fear, darting back and forth between the guardsman and Behati.

“Behati? What have you done?!?” Kofi cries out in disbelief.

“Brother? I, I, I… Why are you kissing him?!?” Behati cries, running away.

“Seize them!” The head Emperor's guardsman screams at the rest of the arriving men.

Two days later, Kofi steps forward and kneels before the wooden chopping block, placing his head atop it. Prince Negasi stands watching beside his father, Emperor Negus. His face is a hard mask, hiding his inner turmoil. He ignores the pain in his aching shoulder, ribs, and busted lip, feeling only the pain in his heart as the axe drops.

Two souls were lost in that moment, Kofi, and the man Negasi once was.

Emperor Negus was found dead the next morning. No accusations were made. No charges were laid. But the whole kingdom knew and were afraid.

“All hail Emperor Negasi!” They all shout, cowering before their new tyrannical Emperor.