《Bitter Butter》


 Prologue.

    Nuan felt the seconds pulse by in his body, a ticking clock rising above from the back of his neck. The adrenaline, riddled with the dread of what¡¯s to come, the sudden urge to run faster, and the rapid tapping of his feet as he increased his pacing. The street bustled as he passed through the marketplace, onlookers whipped their eyeballs as they barely caught his passing figure. His side view flashed rapidly with blurred colors; red from the apples, yellow from the bananas, brown from dried coconuts, and green from, well, greens fogged by sizzling smoke from the street-food carts. The suffocating heat of the sunlight seeped uncomfortably with the crowded body heat as Nuan pushed his way through.


    A street vendor stared at the loosely braided hair that bounced against Nuan¡¯s back as he ran past.


    ¡®Isn¡¯t he from the soisidaitiri?¡¯ He yelled at his neighbor above the bustling noise.


    ¡®Seems so.¡¯


    ¡®Huh?¡¯


    ¡®I said, most probably!¡¯ His neighbor yelled, ¡®He looks almost age for succession.¡¯


    ¡®Already fifteen? They grow up so fast.¡¯ His hands don¡¯t stop working, rapidly tossing and stirring the contents of the wok, ¡®It drags on for us though, life.¡¯


    Eighty-two


    Eighty-three


    Eighty-four


    Eight-


    ¡®It has gotten late.¡¯ The Gama: The leader of their people, the Resistors, cut in, a mere but severely passive statement.


    ¡®My grave apologies, sire.¡¯ Pavi bowed his head slightly, ¡®I implore you to extend your patience. I assure you he is surely setting towards.¡¯ The situation seemed to be quelled.


    Pavi, Ehan noticed, always looked so serene, like he swirled into existence above a divine water body with his long flowy straight hair and he immediately knew all the answers to the world as soon as he opened his eyes. The Yang to his father¡¯s rigid merciless Yin.


    Ehan quickly glanced at his father¡¯s hard features. He looked surprisingly calm. Calm before the storm. He turned his attention back, to the sound of water droplets escaping from the leaking pipeline.


    Plop. Plop. Plop.


    Where was he? Eighty-two? Was it three?


    The distant tapping of footsteps replaced the serene plops and Pavi perked up, straightening his spine with a confident relief. Nuan slowed and paced himself in small assured steps while catching his breath.


    Exhale. Inhale.


    Exhale.


    Nuan approached the pergola and stopped himself at an appropriate distance from where the Gama and his father sat. He dared not to set into gaze with his patrons. He bowed and his eyes fell on his calves, he was trembling.


    ¡®My sincerest apologies. I offer not an excuse but my submission. I am ready for any disciplinary measures your Sire may deem fit.¡¯


    Silence.


    Nuan closed his eyes, and his lungs expanded rapidly for air.


    ¡®Rise.¡¯ The Gama¡¯s voice seemed heavy and suffocating then, of course, it may have been merely due to the nerves, but it remained as he continued ¡®There is no need for that, boy. Come. Sit.¡¯


    Nuan sat down beside his father and found himself facing a boy. The rumored Gamasha¨C the successor of the Gama. Nuan looked at him, and yet he couldn¡¯t find him. The Gamasha seemed to be present, yet not; his eyes unfocused and hollow, stared behind Nuan. Weird.


    ¡®This¡­¡¯ The Gama placed a hand on the boy¡¯s shoulder and then, he seemed to come alive like a puppet whose strings have been pulled sharply, ¡®¡­is my son, Ehan. The successor.¡¯


    Nuan bowed in respect and Ehan, back straight, nodded in acknowledgment. Barely.


    Pavi looked at the Gama. Go on. ¡®My son, Nuan.¡¯


    ¡®I see. Preparations should start by nightfall. Pavi, see to their fasting, will you.¡¯


    ¡®Yes, Sire. As for the ornament¡­¡¯


    ¡®My wife has it in charge, you should consult her.¡¯


    Nuan felt his toes spasm slightly, he wanted to run. He felt itchy, a restlessness pinching down with urgency. His father prepared him his entire life for this yet-


    Yet it has boiled down to what he had worse feared. He must now dedicate his life and service to the successor, the next Gama who would lead their people, the people who embraced what had passed since the wave of urbanization.


    A shiver ran down his body.


    Ninety-nine


    Ninety-nine


    Ninety-nine


    Nine¡­Nine¡­


    Ehan stared at the boy before him. He looked like he simply didn¡¯t belong. Well, nothing so striking that drew the line but it was there, surely. Somewhere there, in his long braided silver hair, thin lanky frame, his repressed expression. He looked like One Hundred. One Hundred serene water drops escaping from a crusty red pipe, one at a time.


    They were not allowed to speak up and naturally, it was favored as one feared if a conversation was even possible and the other feared he might¡­well, he simply did not feel like it.


    This boy would be what Pavi was to his father, Pavi who stuck by, who listened and answered, Pavi who served his father with a reverence rivaling religion. A fifteen-year-old naturally ran his fantasies of a companionship he had witnessed within his surroundings, a camaraderie but not quite, a bond that seemed to belittle marriage, but of course, it is but a fantasy, removed of the uneven roughness a teenager could not fathom at that age that even if he saw, he would discard his humanity and resort to disbelief.Love what you''re reading? Discover and support the author on the platform they originally published on.


    Gold.


    Everything was gold.


    The trees, the houses, and the humans. The glory between the light and dark glared, or rather, peeked from behind the black hills and Maya felt agitated. The sun was setting and the man was yelling, she could not make out the words but she could hear them. Maybe the agitation seeped in from them, the bustling commotion of their people as they ran back and forth, looking aimless yet determined. Their place, usually deserted, suddenly seemed to be submerged in humanity and there came a feeling of displacement within her.


    ¡®Ma.¡¯ She called out, turning away from the window. One-half of her face was painted of the gold she was staring at.


    There was no reply.


    Maya stared at the shadowy figure moving about, the lamp wasn¡¯t on. Maybe her mother was focused on lighting the lamp. Why were they still using lamps? She often heard gossip that the Gama¡¯s place would magically light up with the motion of a finger. The people who worked at the Gama¡¯s residence gossiped plenty much for Maya to envisioned what her "uncle''s" place looked like.


    Maya tried to tear her eyes away from the figure, Ma, it was stuck on her throat, almost there but refusing to rise to existence. Her mother, so distant and dark, often tearing Maya. She didn¡¯t know anything except that it just tore inside.


    ¡®M-¡¯ Tap tap tap


    Her mother¡¯s body zapped with realization, then the shadowy figure flung up and out. The creak of the door opening echoed and Maya sat still because she knew what was happening. She would let it happen. At fifteen, it is impossible to remain oblivious and blas¨¦. Her mother¡¯s voice rose in hushed tones and even years later, the resignation in her very essence would be impossible to forget. Maya stills wonders in the distant future why that was the only thing she could think of her mother. Her mother tottered back in hushed tones, her back bent ever so slightly and she hurriedly scratched a lamp alight. The shadow of her hand seemed to tremble. Maya waited and it came.


    ¡®The Gama has requested of my audience¡¯ The words crawled out in slow motion; Maya saw them with her eyes even before they reached her ears. The Gama, her father¡¯s brother. Her mother¡¯s brother-in-law.


    And¡­a daily audience in his presence.


    Maya looked at the window scene again, the gold is now black, the people are gone. What were they doing? The question wouldn¡¯t repeat, the emptiness of its equation is gone.


    The sun was bright.


    Nuan looked up and stared at the piercing white. Pavi said it meant that this would be eventful. Nuan wished for more than eventful, something more that teetered on the edge of the cliff. He readied himself for the ceremony, a disgustingly plain black traditional garb: a black tunic with deep slits at the sides and high collars paired a pair of loose black pants, an embroidered feet sandals in another disgusting black. Pavi said it meant that he was now the Soisidai to the Gamasha; his shadow.


    So much for symbolism.


    He unraveled his hair of the plaiting and stared down at his reflection in the round mirror placed on the ground. He thought of Ehan, his weird reticent demeanor. He was¡­ordinary, extremely. Nuan thought of the times he had met his father, the Gama who seemed to forever reek of menace. The Gama was unpleasant but his son could not look more normal than an orchid insect among stargazer lilies. What was this sudden agitation that rattled against his knees as though his instinct was rising against a prominent sense of danger? The heaviness of the role fell upon his hands and has though he failed and dropped it on the ground, the sense of inadequacy spread like ink on water. Now he was to¨C Nuan started, his shoulders jolting violently, a set of eyes stared back at him from behind his head in the mirror.


    He flung himself around and back and stared at the girl before him. He huffed from the sudden adrenaline.


    ¡®Who?¡¯ He asked, almost gasped.


    The girl peered at him with equal curiosity. Nuan looked at her crusty lips as she spoke hoarsely,


    ¡®Maya.¡¯


    ¡®Have you seen where the ceremonial mat is?¡¯


    ¡®Ah, it must be in the warehouse behind the madame¡¯s quarters¡¯ Pavi smiled and guided the maid by her shoulders, to the north side. The Head¡¯s Lady, Gama-i¡¯s quarters stood looming and pristine of white walls. The surrounding gardens bloomed a mesh of gardenias, erupting the pathway with its sweet smell and if you were to look up to the building, the open glass windows gleamed back the sunlight and the translucent curtains threw themselves out of it.


    Pavi looked back at the enormous garden that spread out, swarming with the preparations of the ceremony. White cloth was draped over wooden beams spreading out of the pergola that stood in the middle of the expanse and on the pergola, the current Soisidai was to bound the Gamasha and his shadow together. Pavi looked down from the ocean sky and spotted a familiar figure.


    The Gama stood alone and meters away as he too watched the preparations. Ah, Pavi breathed in the faint wisp of gardenias, time really has passed by.


    ¡®Pavi.¡¯


    The Gama stood at his place but he looked ethereal as he turned against the blues and green of nature. Pavi smiled faintly and approached him.


    ¡®Yes, sire?¡¯


    ¡®Let the kids be informed. The ceremony shall begin.¡¯


    The chant of the ceremony echoed from Pavi¡¯s distant past.


    with this, Soisidaitiri is merged,


    the shadow and guide;


    lead the path to flourish,


    to the path of the Gods.


    He shall


    protect, serve, honor,


    shepherd,


    the root of his existence


    amalgam of the chosen


    begins from now on,


    until the cycle of the moon,


    the eyes of the Sun


    ceases to exist.

 01: A Decision To Take

    Marriage?


    Marriage??


    Maya sat numbly on the sofa. The kettle she had put on a while whistled sharply and she was aware, well aware of it all and she knew. The numbness, the thought processing, the matter of events that just took place in the living room. Her mother was distantly sobbing, in her room away from her but the loud sniffles meant that she was calling for her.


    The Gama was a different person altogether, her life was different altogether. Somewhere someone is calmly pouring the hot water out of the whistling kettle and making coffee. She lived in a different society; the word ¡®different¡¯ may be overused but it fitted perfectly. They were the Resistors¡ª a community that is separate from the normal society. They descended from people who scrambled to preserve the old practices in the age of the onslaught of change and modernism. They refused to wither and conform, rather grew in number and power leading to a divide among the population: The Politicals and the Resistors.


    The Gama stood as the ultimate power among the Resistors, he stands in command of a large number of militants and illegal processions of the country. The Black market and roads of trade were under his power and thus indirectly, he controlled the government.


    ¡®The Gama has arranged a system of alliance with the Government.¡¯ Pavi began as he settled himself with Maya and her mother. He placed a set of embroidered feet sandals in between them and Maya felt herself harden as she knew what that meant, it was a signal of something forbidding; an espousal, a symbol of bethrothement and sending a girl away. Maya felt a bitterness sprouting in her throat and she felt the urge to throw up whatever she had had for breakfast.


    ¡®What do you mean?¡¯ Maya demanded, quietly thanking that fate that Pavi was the messenger, rather than the Gama requesting their presence and commanding this news directly to her pawn of a mother who seemed to do whatever the Gama told her. She felt her mother tense up beside her at her choice and tone of words.


    ¡®The Gama solicits that the alliance with the Politicals may be sealed with a mariage de convenance.¡¯


    ¡®Mariage de convenance?¡¯ Maya felt that certain disgust and bitterness to turn against Pavi at the moment, why was he trying to decorate this?


    The calm old and delicate man merely smiled at her softly.


    ¡®Hideo of the UCU Political Party.¡¯ Pavi said and slid a photo next to the embroidered feet sandals which, Maya realized, were laden with spun gold threads. Maya cast a brief glance at the photo, a typical look of someone from the Government. Prim and proper, all that getup. He was giving a promotional smile as they do on an election campaign. Wait, the picture was just taken from a campaign poster itself. His hair was slicked back and he stood in a classic campaign pose, smiling a little too wide with his head turned away from the camera. He had it all, straight nose, straight teeth, straight jaw, whatnot, whatnot.


    ¡®He¡¯s the next candidate for the President. As informed by the organization.¡¯ Pavi set a file on the table next. Where is he getting all these from? He continued, ¡®Remarkable set of characteristics I must say, for a man. He has been exclusively singled out from his peers and competitors early on and trained for his position. A prized possession of the Government.¡¯ Pavi gave a noted look and stopped as if he¡¯s pondering on his next words.


    ¡®Maya, this,¡¯ He started, looking already regretful as he speaks, ¡®is not an imposition. Rather as you are of age now, the Gama regards this as a rational decision for the sake of your future and for th¨C¡¯


    ¡®Pavi.¡¯ Maya softly interrupted. She reached over to push the gold embroidered sandals slightly in his direction. She continued,


    ¡®I won¡¯t do it.¡¯


    ¡®Maya.¡¯ Her mother gasped immediately, and turned to Pavi in haste, amending for her daughter¡¯s action with some sort of complementary words,


    ¡®She didn¡¯t mean it.¡¯


    ¡®She¡¯s just not feeling well.¡¯


    ¡®I shall have a proper talk with her.¡¯


    Stop. Just stop talking Ma. Shut up.


    Maya refused herself from turning and looking at the fear-stricken eyes of her mother. Something sickening tugged at her stomach and it went up to her throat, the Gama was sure to put this straight with her mother in the evening ¡®audience¡¯ and she knew.


    She knew her mother feared the Gama. It seemed so.


    ¡®I won¡¯t do it.¡¯ Maya repeated. Her voice was raised and her eyes unfocused. In her mind, she was enacting what the Gama would say to her mother during the so-called audience. But she didn''t know.


    Maya didn''t know what they actually did during this ''audience'' and she didn''t want to.


    Maya looked at the files that Pavi had left on the table before he left. She remembered his prodding look from his aged eyes, his face youthful but wrinkled at the corners. Pavi always seemed like he grew younger as the marks on his face increased.Enjoying the story? Show your support by reading it on the official site.


    She considered chucking the file and the photo in the trash but she knew that would not simply put the matter to rest.


    ¡®The Council of Members of Parliament believes that an agreement can be brought if the Head of the Resistors,  that if you concede of his unconditional factory ban that restricts the movement of the Government to bring three states to potential urbanization.¡¯ The words came out of the dry lips framed with vertical lines of old age. A truly distasteful sight, the Gama thought as the man in front of him prattled off on and on.  It never seemed to end.


    The Gama looked over the dining table and sighed, so much for a peaceful dinner. He looked at the man in front of him. Dinner with the Representative of the Council of Members of Parliament with a side of shady negotiations regarding the national economy. A mouthful lot of people for the Gama, both their names and diction.


    The Gama ran his eyes over and checked out the Representative; the usual old political leech with signature seedy eyes and an aging blotchy face. Ugh, and those revolting wrinkled lips. It was just twenty years too late for him to size up and ¡®negotiate¡¯ with the Resistors. The Politicals really needed to get new band members. Wrinkles, The Gama believed, don''t win you any hearts.


    ¡®I hate this as much as you do, my friend but I would have to refuse. After all, it is, unfortunately, an unconditional clause. I couldn''t possibly think of any circumstances that would force the removal of an unconditional clause.¡¯ The Gama spoke slowly. Almost insulting and well deliberate on his part that the Representative incoherently stammered and maundered down on his half-eaten dinner plate.


    Pretentious sycophants. The Gama stared ahead at him, at the flabby stretches of skin tucked in by the collar of his shirt. He imagined pinching it, pulling it hard, then snipping through the elasticated skin with a smooth sharp blade. Of course, not without the blood. He chuckled softly and suddenly frowned, what was his name again? Jameson? Thomson? He fixed his white suit coat.


    Motherfuckers with westernized names acting as if they care about the nation. Not a shred of originality.


    ¡®I understand that it¡¯s the election season. But pardon me, I see no point in taking up a perfectly resourceful fifty acres of land and degrade it down to mere toxin. By lord, and it¡¯s a mineral ore factory and you call it advancement?¡¯ The Gama smiled, his eyes a bit too close to pass for friendly,


    ¡®It is just that green always looks better than grey, at the very least to my people.¡¯


    ¡®It¡¯s just¡­¡¯ She sniffled lightly, ¡®a bloody pain.¡¯


    The wine sloshed around and he followed the red liquid with his eyes as the glass rose and slipped into her red lips. Her throat moved. Pavi smiled lightly, trying to remain sympathetic, but his lips'' languid stretch mimicked his stretching patience. The smell of wine had drenched the room and teamed with the perfume that usually hung around her room, he was feeling nauseous. The white room, decked with her choice of ¡®interior d¨¦cor¡¯ seemed to sway slightly and Pavi disliked feeling disoriented which he always did in this god-forsaken room. The smell and stuffiness always seemed to linger around.


    ¡®If it wasn¡¯t for Ehan.¡¯ Sunka whispered and she looked up at Pavi. ¡®I wish...I don¡¯t know what I wish for but if not for my son¡­¡¯ She sniffled and coughed, and her head drooped alarmingly.


    ¡®Madame, I think that¡¯s quite enough for today.¡¯ Pavi informed and lifted the wine bottle. Chateau Lafite 1787, it read and as he stood up, suddenly Pavi felt himself jerked forward by his wrist and she came into his face and stared at him blankly. He was barely balancing himself on the low white table where she often had her meals, he glanced down; the wine had splattered red on her arm and her nightgown.


    It¡¯s only seven pm, only.


    He suppressed the rising lump of emotions in himself and swallowed. She was still staring through him and hoarsely it came, her voice:


    ¡®Where is my husband?¡¯


    ¡®Well, enjoying yourself?¡¯


    Sunka whipped her neck to the side, towards the door; it was his voice. The white sliding door was open, and he stood there, looking as he always does, stern and observing, maybe a bit magnetically masculine in her eyes. He was wearing a white suit that merged with his white hair slicked back and a cream-colored tie but barefoot; he must have just returned from his dinner with the Representative. Her chest swelled and swirled, He¡¯s just returned home and he¡¯s here.


    He looked so insolent and she wanted to be in his arms, under him, feel his definite weight on herself. His weight on her life, solid and physical. A comfortable suffocation.


    Pavi had straightened himself up, well he never did look out of sorts. His long straight hair was never a strand out of place and it seemed to always dance as he moved.


    ¡®Pavi.¡¯ The Gama looked at his soisidai: his aid and then to his wife. He seemed to be raising a challenge in his eyes when he smiled tauntingly at her. He continued,


    ¡®Make my usual arrangements with the former madame.¡¯


    A second of silence.


    ¡®Understood, sire.¡¯ Pavi breathed, bowed and as he left, he took a glance at the Madame.  Her eyes glowed, not in anger but madness and she seemed to have turned into marble in all her glaring beauty, her fair skin seemed to be turning green and her red lips trembled. She kept her eyes on her husband, as though trying to desperately communicate. Don¡¯t.


    Don¡¯t do this. Please.


    The Gama and his wife stared at each other, and then he looked away as if brushing her aside. He loosened his tie and turned to walk away.


    ¡®Oh wait.¡¯ He looked back, over his shoulder, ¡®Pavi.¡¯


    ¡®Yes?¡¯


    ¡®Inform her that she shall be staying at my quarters until the morning meal.¡¯


    Pavi nodded and bowed. He tried to speak but it was drowned away by Sunka''s sobbing.


    ***

 02: A Choice

    The music blared serenely from the radio. Smoke glided around and filled the white-walled open lounging room where the entrance was a frontal patio area used for receiving guests and audience for the Gama. The Gama¡¯s quarters had no upper floors, instead spanned out as several connected rooms and hallways built above a large, elevated section as a measure against floods and heavy rain. The Gama¡¯s quarter was painted white through and through with dark plywood sliding doors and wooden floorboards.


    It was a particularly serene day in April, so the wind blew smoothly through the open verandah and it had the best view of the spring blooms of the area, if only it wasn¡¯t ruined by the imposing presence of the Gama who lied sprawled on a reclining floor sofa as he took long drags from his smoke pipe. His eyes were fixed on the scenery in front of them, but Maya felt encased in his vision. He wasn''t looking, at least not directly but he was assessing her.


    Maya felt that the Gama never took her presence well, maybe it was a misunderstanding on her but it always seemed like he wanted to get rid of her. Of course, God knows why this man is the way he is. Maya couldn''t half bother but she feared him quite well.


    That morning, Maya awoke to Pavi¡¯s visit to their place. He was out for a stroll; he had said and informed that the Gama asked for Maya to attend the morning tea in his presence. Pavi often did not show any emotion, except for regret, sympathy, and satisfaction, and he had shot her a nondescript look as he refused the offer of tea and proceeded on with his morning stroll. Pavi always seemed like a mellow character but Maya couldn''t trust him. Her mother did, a little too much. We grew up together, She would say. So what? Growing up together didn''t mean the person would not change. Even I had one of those, a friend. Maya felt her brain cloud with anger, But that fucking wimp ran away.


    And now Maya is bound on her floor chair as her perfectly brewed tea goes cold, and the Gama stalls the discussion in a calculated manner to heighten the tension that hung in the expanse of the room. And it was working.


    Maya also wanted to run.


    Right. Now.


    ¡®The world changes a lot.¡¯ The Gama ruminated and Maya wanted to fling her tea at his face and dash off into the wilderness. But no, she faintly smiled and gave one nod, the Gama still stared at the blue sky with a frown on his face.


    A moment of silence.


    ¡®I worry for our country.¡¯ He snapped out of his reverie and looked at her, she looked down in impulse,


    ¡®But of course, I worry more for our people. Our people¡­history has made us such, divided into two that I refuse to believe that these¡­voting citizens of Liegran carry the same gene as us. I believe you are oblivious to the war that had happened between us when the country decided to adopt this democracy, imagine a mere difference in our ideals could separate us into¡­¡¯ He left the silence to fill his sentence.


    He took a long drag from his smoke pipe and looked outside again,


    ¡®Your father believed that he could¡­as he said, ¡°put an end to this¡±. He thought he could accomplish such a feat single-handedly. He made too many compromises and he met his fate because of it. Well,...he always was the softer one between us, even when we were just kids. He was quite er, quick to latch on to guilt and blame, I think he always thought it was his calling to bring justice and smooth things out in the country, you know solve the problems. It failed him and he¡¯s now gone.¡¯ The Gama looked at her like it was her fault that history turned out this way.


    Maya dared herself to lift her tea and she sipped, the tea was cold and it was bland now but she forced another awful sip into her mouth. She needed a distraction from the dread crawling from up above her stomach and the tea would surely push it down.


    The Gama¡¯s monologue didn¡¯t need her to make a conversation. He would carry it on, on his own.


    ¡®In this world, either you find your prey or you choose to be the prey, Maya. And I refuse that you dare to even think to degrade yourself to your father¡¯s fate. His was a pitiful one. Even without your mother¡¯s requests, I intend that you enter the marriage request. You¡­¡¯ He looked at her sharply as he puffed a smoke, ¡®¡­surely understand.¡¯


    Maya looked at her uncle, she forced down her trembles and her fingers shivered.


    ¡®But,¡¯ She swallowed in fear, ¡®am I also not a prey then?¡¯


    ¡®That goddamn tyrant!¡¯


    The President slammed the contract on the table and huffed out a loud frustrated breath. They were all gathered around a round table, a meeting room that was hidden in an arcane building ¡®tea room¡¯ among the bustling down market of the capital. It was sure to be discovered if they were sleeved among the clubrooms and casinos, where the men of the Resistors swarmed over and was sure to report any funny business of the Government, potentially threatening their community. One attack against the Government was enough for the history book. It did too much damage to the Government as well. A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.


    The President knew they couldn''t handle another revolt yet. Not yet. Next time, they will strike.


    ¡®We need to find a way to instill trade centers in these three states at the very least. It¡¯s hard enough that these preservers or whatever have their control over eight states.¡¯


    The Council of the Government was silent. They were thinking. Thinking of how to reach an ultimatum that would finally transfer the country¡¯s power into their hands. The Council was mostly members of Parliament and the President; former, present, and future, and the fifteen of them controlled the machinations of the political power of the country. Of course, for the country¡¯s benefit and their own.


    ¡®They are a hostile lot, quite cleverly savage, especially since the Attack of the Parliament twelve years ago¡­¡¯ A guy spoke up from one side of the room. The President looked at him. The man was young-looking with clear attractive features, he had very clear black eyes with a straight nose, a straight mouth with his black hair tousled up in a formal style but it didn¡¯t look greasy, rather remarkably natural. He had a magnetic pull of charm with the way he held himself and the piercing gaze he gave seemed to say that he knew of something, something exciting. Alluring would describe him at best.


    ¡®Hideo, isn¡¯t it?¡¯ The President smiled with just his eyes at the younger man, ¡®What do you suggest?¡¯


    ¡®The Gama, as they call him, has accepted our treaty proposition. We know these people are very aggressive and protective of our old culture. If we want to get the most out of them, we¡¯ll have to coax them into doing certain things. They control this country with its weaknesses, so we just have to win their favor to get our way.¡¯


    ¡®Hm. Interesting.¡¯ One of the former Presidents remarked and the others nodded along in agreement.


    The old men in the Council looked like a dumb lot to Hideo but he knew even dumb people become crafty with greed and age.


    ¡®Their control over trade routes gives them immense power and we have to note that the Black market of the country is under them. God knows how many illegal tradings takes place right under us, blatantly unrecorded and uncaught.¡¯ The President frowned, he looked particularly thoughtful as he rested his elbows on the table.


    The conversion rates were plummeting at alarming rates and the economic state of the country was glowing red with danger, import dependency was far greater than the gross production of the country. At this rate, the country was bound to degrade and fall apart. Which meant the people would revolt and the Government¡¯s power would fall, disappear even. And their stronghold over the country as the Politicals was as good as gone. But Hideo knew a harsher side of this impending tragedy.


    ''If I may interject,'' One of the men tapped his hand on the table, ''sixteen independent businesses closed due to bankruptcy last year alone. We are looking at a potential economic collapse of the country.''


    ''I agree.'' The President looked around, at each of their faces. He sighed and leaned back on his chair.


    ''At least that crafty fox agreed to stand by the treaty. We won''t get too cocky, he''s made from a different mold, unlike his predecessor. Let''s look out for any underhanded attacks and prepare our own attacks.''


    ''Be that they live the way they do, without modernization, they know how to build a stronghold wall against the Government. We have to make sure we do not breach any conditions of the previous treaty. Any sort of decision that would give them a reason to attack the Parliament.''


    ''I agreed.'' The President nodded, ''At most, let''s make sure the trade routes remain open and the import system continues without a hitch. We cannot afford to raise commodity prices as I have discussed with the Finance minister. And Hideo...''


    The President and Hideo locked eyes, Hideo nodded slightly.


    ''...you have a plan, I believe.''


    The gentlemen looked on and waited for his Hideo''s speech. The room was eerily silent.


    ''The Resistors have always been aggressive and they have already attacked the Parliament once. They''re not ones to play by the courtesy and they would surely attack immediately. For now, let us ask them for help with the country so as to convince them that they have full control now. We should always be ready to strike when the tiger warms up to us. While they help the Government to save the country''s economy, we shall ready our ammunition against them.''


    The silence continued,


    ¡®Hm, they do hold a strong foundation within their community, so we should plan to attack from inside and infiltrate inside, find out their weaknesses, anything that would end their power and control.¡¯ The former President spoke up. He was a thin, scrawny man that looks like he would fall faint any minute but to everyone¡¯s surprise, he held on, even at ninety-two. He continued, surprisingly deft in speaking, ¡®As per an inside source, the most information we''ve managed to get a hold of is, the Leader seems to be planning to offer his own niece as the collateral of this new treaty. It seems she has been kept shunned and ostracized in her own home. A suitable point to start at, I believe, Hideo. To win the lady''s heart.¡¯


    The man beside the Former President broke out in a fit of laughter and slapped the table. The Speaker of the House, if Hideo remembered correctly. Hideo laughed along with him, almost too naturally.


    The Speaker pointed a finger at Hideo,


    ¡®This one¡¯s on you, Son. We old coots can do hardly anything so the future lies on your young shoulders now eh. Hahaha, you go drag that poor lonely dame over to our side, eh? Mr. Future President?¡¯ He laughed more and more.


    More than Hideo liked.

 03: An Outburst

    <hr>


    Taptap


    Taptaptap


    Taptaptap


    Pavi groaned and tossed in his bed. He could hear a muffled call of his name. It came once, twice and by the third call, Pavi was wide awake and out of his comfortable slumber. He glanced at the clock on his bedside. 3:14 AM. He frowned and groaned in reply to the person at the door. He dragged himself out of his warm bed and slugged on his wasavch: a traditional robe for the older people. It was silent and warm outside that even the cicadas slept


    A young girl stood when he slid his main door open, Pavi could see she was panicked, her eyes were wide and she restlessly shuffled her feet as soon as she saw him.


    ¡®The..the Madame is¨C I am¡­Sir, The Madame is very sick.¡¯


    The wasavch did not stay on for too long as he threw it aside as he ran into Sunka¡¯s room. The maid, Loira had been sensible enough to take off the blanket and replaced it with a bedsheet but Pavi could see that the fever had risen significantly high and she moaned painfully when he placed a hand on her damp forehead. The bed and the pillow were already damp with sweat and her nightgown considerably soaked. He ran a hand into her wet tangled hair and called her out softly but Sunka started sobbing in her sleep, holding on to his arms, feet, anything that was near the vicinity.


    ¡®Loira.¡¯ Pavi called out and a rapid shuffle on the wooden floorboard before the maid came to the door.


    ¡®Yes, sir.¡¯


    ¡®Get two cotton cloth and two water bowls. One cold and the other should be warm. Also, bring a set of cotton night-gown for the Madame. Make it quick.¡¯


    He heard the maid leave and he removed the bedsheet covering her. He took a hand fan from her drawers and fanned her. The candlelight flickered and she didn¡¯t look forty-six, but rather a little troubled kid in the dim light. Well, she is a kid, Pavi thought as she started to relax, at least to me. She curled up under the cool wind coming from the fan and Pavi waited for the maid.


    She was just nineteen when she came to the Headquarters. The daughter of a sleazy underground merchant eager to win the favor of the previous Gama. Pavi remembered his time training for succession when she first introduced herself to him, as his fianc¨¦e. He looked at her, smitten and hopeful of a life, unlike the one she is living right now. She smiled a smile so unburdened that Pavi felt distaste and pity. He thought, she didn¡¯t belong here and she didn¡¯t even know the man she was marrying.


    Looking back, maybe it was then when he started as a brother would to a sister.


    The maid came and Pavi instructed her to change Sunka¡¯s garments. And he wiped her sweat away with a warm wet cloth and placed a wet cloth on her forehead, then she seemed to fall into a hopefully stable sleep. Pavi looked at her sleeping face and slowly as he refused to remember the past anymore, he drifted off to sleep.


    Sir¡­


    Sir¡­


    Pavi frowned and looked around. It was the playground where the three of them usually spent their time at. But it looked different, it looked exactly like it did forty-five years ago and Pavi immediately looked down at his hand. It was a kid¡¯s hand and the skin taut without any trace of skin sag.


    ¡®Pavii.¡¯


    He looked up and stopped. The Gama looked like a kid again, laughing a wide laugh that missed one tooth. He looked like that kid who bragged about his brother to them.


    ¡®Paviii¡¯ The girl beside the Gama called out and pointed at the laughing kid, ¡®He¡¯s messing with frogs againnn.¡¯


    Pavi laughed, he missed them. He missed this. Pavi cupped his hands by his mouth and yelled,


    ¡®Sir!¡¯


    Pavi stared, wide-eyed, and spaced out in front of him. He looked around; he was back in Sunka¡¯s room. Right. Sunka. He looked at her and she was still sleeping. He looked up back at Loira. She was waiting for him to reply.


    ¡®Sir, you have a phone call,¡¯ Loira softly said, ¡®from your son.¡¯


    ¡®Hello.¡¯


    ¡®Hello? Pa?¡¯ Nuan¡¯s voice rang through the speaker sharply. Pavi winced as a sharp ached ran up his skull,


    ¡®Yes. Yes. It¡¯s me.¡¯


    ¡®I¡¯m boarding my flight soon. I should reach the airport around 9 am.¡¯


    ¡®Hm. I¡¯ll get ready and I¡¯ll wait for you at the Airport. Where we can wait.¡¯


    ¡®You can wait outside the terminal, Pa.¡¯


    ¡®Okay, I¡¯ll reach before nine and wait outside this tarminal.¡¯ Pavi frowned and scribbled ¡®tarminal¡¯ on his palm with a ballpen. He adjusted the telephone on his shoulder, ¡®Just come straight out when you reach ok.¡¯


    ¡®Got it. Why don¡¯t you guys use smartphones geez, I¡¯m hanging up.¡¯


    ¡®Bye, son.¡¯


    Click.


    Pavi looked at the trusty telephone that had been at the Madame¡¯s quarters for years. It must have been even older than his son. Pavi frowned again, what is a smart phone?


    ¡®Loira.¡¯


    Loira came shuffling as she always did and stood near the door, ¡®Yes, Sir?¡¯


    ¡®Go to the Gamasha¡¯s quarters and tell his attendant that the Madame is sick.¡¯


    Pavi put on his wasavch and sat down near the bed. He looked at Sunka, she was frowning quite deeply and she moved her head to the side as if disturbed by a mosquito. Raising a finger, he smoothed out her forehead and wiped her sweat away with a damp cloth.If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.


    But the frown came back to her face and her hand grabbed Pavi¡¯s arm. Some incoherent sounds came out from her mouth and Pavi looked at her face. Her eyes remained shut but she kept muttering something and moaning. He checked her forehead, the fever rose again. It was a good thing he called for Ehan.


    Pavi gently placed his hand on hers and tried to prey her hand off his arm but her grip was too strong. With the other hand, he squeezed the cloth dry and checked its temperature,


    ¡®Sunka.¡¯ He softly called out and lightly dabbed the damp cloth on her forehead. He watched her face relax but she was still holding on to his arm.


    ¡®Sunka.¡¯ He called again, almost whisper.


    He wiped the sweat off her skin, down her neck, her chest, and gently, he slid the warm cloth down her arm. Placing the warm cloth on her hand, he gently took it off his arm. But it came right back, gripping even harder and almost deathly. She started muttering again and Pavi halted, he could hear her clearly this time and he knew who she called for.


    Pavi would recognised that name anywhere, only that he hadn¡¯t heard it in a long time. The name came heavy, it brought back indescribable feelings. That name came to him like breathing, as natural as inhaling sustenance. She moaned the name again and Pavi bristled, his body froze up and bristled. Feelings that he tried to suppress and bury seemed to be enlivened and it came sprouting back with full force.


    His short dream came back and played out like a rolling sequence of old worn-out pictures. He used to hold hands, one in each grip of his two small hands. Sang an old tune of the other side of the world they heard on the crackling radio. Ring around the Rosie hm hm hmmm and they made up the words after that. It always seemed to be like that, as he remembers. They were always together and even now.


    And even now, well¡­things have changed but also it seemed to have stayed the same somehow. Nuan always seemed to hate that they stayed the same while the world outside made several advancements but Pavi liked this. Everything stayed the same. Fate seems to work in absurd ways.


    Taptaptap.


    Pavi jerked up and then, his little flashback was broken. He was back in Sunka¡¯s perfumed room with flowers that only looked alive. He looked down at the immobile body, Sunka¡¯s, and his mind stopped functioning.


    The damp cloth has fallen at the side of her face and his hand, it didn¡¯t look like his hand. It looked disconnected and it hovered above her neck, his lanky palm spread out as if to press down on the delicate dip of her throat.


    And she slept, her chest heaving up and down slightly.


    When did she calm down?


    And¡­is that his hand?


    Taptap. Taptap.


    It sounded louder and hurried so Pavi grabbed the damp cloth and hastily stood up to open up the sliding door.


    ¡®Yes. Yes.¡¯ He called out and slid the door open.


    ¡®Mother.¡¯ Ehan huffed slightly for a breath and he hurriedly looked past, behind Pavi.


    Seeing her sleeping form, he sighed and dropped down, his hands on his knees.


    ¡®The maid said she had gone mad with fever.¡¯ He muttered but he sounded largely relieved.


    ¡®Hardly. She had some mild fits but quite normal for such a high fever. I reckon it has gone down now.¡¯ Pavi looked at Ehan¡¯s squatting figure and smiled,


    ¡®You don¡¯t need to worry Ehan. Now don¡¯t sit on the doorway, it¡¯s bad.¡¯


    ¡®Thank you. You should take some rest, I¡¯ll take care of mother.¡¯ Ehan took the damp cloth from Pavi¡¯s hand and walked to the bed to check his mother¡¯s forehead.


    ¡®I¡¯ll need to leave for the airport, it¡¯s already¡­¡¯ Pavi checked the time. ¡®7-20¡¯


    ¡®The airport?¡¯


    ¡®Yes. My son, Nuan is coming home today. I¡¯m sure you still remember him. Please be ready for a formal meeting soon, maybe even today.¡¯ Pavi fixed his garment and looked at Ehan.


    The young man looked as if he rushed here in panic and of course, he most certainly did. He treasured his mother and it showed in his appearance now. His short-cropped hair bent all ways like a crop circle and his shirt, imported not traditional, was put on inside out. But even through this clumsy look, Ehan looked too much like his composed father, his straight-set features, his plump lips set in a petulant line carried his father¡¯s sharp charisma and their eyes. Their eyes seemed like dark portals that swirled and commanded people to their whims and pressure.


    And Pavi looked straight into his eyes,


    ¡®I¡¯ll send an attendant for some modern medicine and some revitalizing soup. Keep her temperature down for now and¡­¡¯ Pavi hesitated, ¡®she has been calling for the Gama so just¡­ try to calm her down.¡¯


    Ehan sat down beside the bed and gave Pavi a hard look, ¡®Why don¡¯t you just call him then?¡¯


    ¡®Well,¡¯ Pavi fixed his garment again, ¡®It¡¯s best if you don¡¯t disturb him now. He has¡­got a lot on his plate at the moment now.¡¯


    ¡®But I¡¯m sure he¡¯s not engaged with work now, in the morning.¡¯


    ¡®I¡¯m afraid not.¡¯


    ¡®Are the Elders holding a meeting? This early?¡¯


    ¡®No, no.¡¯ Pavi looked at Ehan who looked at him questioningly, and he couldn¡¯t look away ¡®He must be having tea with your cousin, Maya.¡¯


    ¡®What?¡¯ A croaky voice interjected between.


    Pavi¡¯s eyes dashed to the bed, and Sunka met his eyes. Her eyes were dilated unnaturally, a little too wide and she sat up with struggle on the bed. Her limbs looked wobbly but it seemed that fiery rage gave her superhuman power.


    She turned to him again, ¡®Who is meeting who? Who?¡¯ Her voice rose in decibels as it went.


    She made an attempt to get out of bed but Ehan leaped and grabbed her arm in place.


    ¡®Mother. You¡¯re sick, please lie d¨C¡®


    ¡®How dare you!¡¯ Sunka screamed and violently flailed her arm,


    ¡®You expect me to sleep? How¡­¡¯ She seethed, ¡®How can I sleep when my husband sprawls around with that, that whore of a widow and now her whore daughter.¡¯


    Ehan let out a patient sigh and rubbed her arm,


    ¡®Mama. Ma, stop this. The fever will get worse.¡¯


    ¡®And you.¡¯ She ignored him and continued.


    Pavi looked on as she pointed a trembling finger at him, her wild eyes accusing him of crime.


    ¡®You made all this happen. You two-faced bastard. Do you think I don¡¯t know? You slithering imposter!¡¯ She buried her face in her palms and cried, then it came out muffled,


    ¡®You bastard, why don¡¯t you strangle me to death? Stop this, please. I want to rest. Please.''

 04: The Die is Cast

    ¡®You¡¯re late.¡¯


    Nuan squinted against the sun and watched as Pavi got out of the car, a squeaky old Datsun model. Pavi proceeded to deftly roll the two luggage beside Nuan and open the trunk of the chocolate car to put it in. Nuan frowned and stared at the car. The model had been discontinued almost fifty years ago.


    ¡®Get in.¡¯


    Nuan looked at his father. It had been seven years since he had seen him and it didn¡¯t look like Pavi had changed much over the time.


    Well, things always seemed to stay the same at home. They kept practicing years of culture and tradition, refusing any change that seemed intrusive and threatening to their comfort. They still wore their traditional clothes over modern cheap import. It still took a bazillion years to get to the airport and they never used any modern gadgets or innovations...you know what, there were hardly anything modern at the Headquarter Village. Nuan was sure. They still used a landline phone, at this age.


    But Pavi, on the hand, thought different. Pavi saw his son really has changed a lot in just seven years. He had grown considerably taller, but he didn¡¯t look lanky. Neither built heavy nor thin, he looked leaner and sleek in modern clothing, a black button-up dress shirt and slim black trousers. And he kept his long hair in a low ponytail that stopped just at the beginning of this thighs. He didn¡¯t look like a member of the Resistors, save the peculiar long hair that all soisidais sported as their pledge of loyalty to their Gama. The soisidais always kept their hair at a length below their waist and were allowed to cut their hair only once a hair. Pavi preferred to keep his hair incased in long neat convenient braid.


    Creak.


    The door shrieked with its hinges and Maya could hear her mother leaped up at the sound. She ran out at the doorway and looked expectantly at her daughter, who looked back critically at her mother¡¯s state. Her hair escaped in wild streaks and her white traditional sarong-like wraparound was all wrinkled at the end from kneeling onto it too long.


    ¡®What did you say to him?¡¯ She asked in a whisper tone.


    Maya sighed at the question and kicked off her shoes at the entrance.


    ¡®What do you mean?¡¯ She asked back and walked to the kitchen. Her mother followed and watched as Maya poured herself a glass of water.


    ¡®Did he scold you?¡¯ She stopped a moment, ¡®...perhaps beat you?¡¯


    Maya frowned at her from behind the steel glass,


    ¡®No. It was okay, nothing big. He just talked about Father.¡¯


    ¡®What?¡¯


    ¡®Yeah¡¯


    ¡®Wha¡­what did he talk about?¡¯


    ¡®Just¡­general stuffs like¡­¡¯ Maya thought for a while, ¡®Like how he was a good person.¡¯


    Her mother listened to her blankly, then a shy smile lit up her mother¡¯s face and she muttered a bashful, ¡®oh¡¯, suppressing the smile. Maya slightly smiled along,


    ¡®Ma.¡¯


    The smile went back away,


    ¡®Hm?¡¯


    ¡®I¡¯ll do it. The marriage.¡¯


    Her mother stared at her, she looked like she was still registering what she heard. She nodded slowly and Maya decided to continue talking,


    ¡®But you have to answer ne this one question.¡¯


    Silence.


    ¡®¡­what?¡¯


    Maya looked at her mother, ¡®Does the Gama¡­beat you?¡¯


    Her mother looked at her with shocked eyes, and she fervently shook her head,


    ¡®What non..nonsense! He could never do that!¡¯ She half laughed and looked away.


    ¡®Then why does he call for you so much?¡¯


    Silence hung heavy in the air, and her mother¡¯s lips stammered as if she wasn¡¯t quite sure of what to say, trying to find an answer.


    ¡®Ma.¡¯ Maya pressed for an answer, setting the glass down near the sink.


    ¡®Look, he¡¯s just concerned¡­about us.¡¯


    ¡®What? Why?¡¯


    Maya had never felt more confused. If anything, that guy was the complete opposite of ¡®concerned¡¯. He possibly, no, most definitely thought of them as irritating pests that he would flick off if given the generous chance, and if the surrounding circumstances were very much different and they weren¡¯t tied by blood.


    Her mother didn¡¯t answer, and she had made it clear that she didn¡¯t want to answer so Maya decided that it was better if she didn¡¯t force it out. She sighed and took her mother¡¯s hand in hers,


    ¡®Ma. I agreed with the Gama. As you wanted.¡¯


    Her mother smiled weakly and looked up into Maya¡¯s eyes. She reached out and tucked a hair behind Maya¡¯s ears,


    ¡®Maya,¡¯ She said softly, ¡®Let¡¯s just do what he says and¡­keep out of trouble, okay?¡¯


    Stolen content warning: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.


    Nuan glared at the ancient radio, it was playing some flute tune with it shrilly speakers. In the background, the porcelain tea cups clinked with resonance as the maid poured out the tea out on the low floor table. He quickly stole a look towards the Gama who sat cross-legged in front of Pavi, he thought the Gama couldn¡¯t look any more fiercer and intimidating than he did seven years ago, but apparently he was wrong. The Gama looked like, to put it simply, a white tiger. Large, with a heavy aura surrounding him and no sign of emotions.


    Nuan bowed in obeisance as soon as he caught the Gama¡¯s eyes who looked at him, slightly turning his head towards,


    ¡®My apologies.¡¯ His voice was deep, ¡®Ehan informed that he shall be late. It appears that he has unexpected matters to attend to.¡¯


    Nuan nodded and spoke, ¡®I understand, Sire.¡¯


    Nuan had changed to his traditional black attire for the formal meeting with the Gama and his Gamasha, Ehan. He tried to recollect Ehan, but only managed to remember a young, silent excelling boy who simply stared at him, maybe a little too much but they never talked. Even during the big ceremony.


    No, not marriage. The big ceremony where he became a ¡°devotee¡± for the succeeding Gamasha.


    Was he looking down on me? Nuan sat straight and stared at the teacup in front of him, the design mimicked a sea wave. I guess we are all just drops in the ocean. Even myself. The door slid open behind him and Nuan sat up even straighter, he looked to his right and saw a pair walking towards near the table. The legs stopped in front of the table and Nuan didn¡¯t look up.


    ¡®My deepest apologies.¡¯ The voice was low and slightly rough,


    The Gama motioned him to sit and Ehan sat down in front of Nuan. He wore something similar to Nuan but more embroidered in Gold and it was white fabric whereas Nuan wore black. Ehan nodded at the attendant as she poured him his tea and Nuan took the chance to scrutinize him.


    Ehan looked strikingly put together, that hostile allure of his father can be seen and he looked sharp but not unkind. He looked like a critical man with clean cropped hair, and his traditional long shirt, that extended to the front and back with slits on the side, fitted him quite snug. In terms of physical appearance, he wasn¡¯t bad, he had normal proportionate broad built and it was also quite evident that he was built. Nuan sighed to his teacup and sipped, he passed the standard test. He looked up and found Ehan staring at him, Ah, I remember that vexing stare.


    ¡®I think it¡¯s best if we begin your training period as soon as possible.¡¯ The Gama turned slightly to his side, towards his son, ¡®Twenty-five is a fitting age.¡¯


    Ehan nodded once and the Gama continued,


    ¡®We shall begin by entrusting certain responsibilities of our management to you both. I believe, your education abroad, the one you had asked for persistently is put to good use in guiding the future Gama and the Resistors towards a more remarkable future.¡¯ The Gama laughed but Nuan could not overlook the lingering threat that was directed at him.


    The Gama continued his discussion with Pavi, they were preparing Ehan for the succession. The both of them had to go through a training period before Ehan presumed the real responsibilities of the Gama. He would lose his name then, and become solely the Gama; leader of their people and managed their power over the underground market. The responsibilities mainly were supervising certain workings of their people stretched out over the country, the monetary transactions, managing inside sources, smuggle reports, and international import control. It was a responsibility for the Gama to maintain a stronghold of their original purpose: to preserve their cultural qualities and keep the Politicals from gaining power.


    The meeting finished up almost an hour and a half later.


    ¡®Pavi, look into the training preparations and inform the treasury for the monthly evaluation report. Have it delivered to my room by the evening.¡¯ The Gama stood up and the three of them followed the suit.


    Nuan looked in front of him. He was a good few inches taller than Ehan who still stared straight at him. Okay, Nuan looked up the ceiling, getting a little creepy.


    ¡®Nuan, Ehan, training begins tomorrow.¡¯


    With that, the Gama left the meeting room and Pavi followed him, leaving the two to do as they wished.


    ¡®Erm.¡¯


    Nuan stopped near the door and looked at behind him. Ehan stood straight, a little too straight and his face red as a bride¡¯s mark on her forehead. Nuan raised and folded his arms across his chest. The fabric of his top rubbed harshly his skin and he coukd feel the jetlag coming from the back of his head. One more minute and he would stop functioning. Ehan remained silent.


    What¡¯s his deal?


    ¡®Look, if you¡¯re not gonna say anything, I¡¯m leaving.¡¯ Nuan jerked a thumb behind him.


    ¡®What?¡¯ Ehan blankly stared at him. Then he frowned and shifted his body slightly, he continued softly, ¡®I don¡¯t think you should be using that kind of a tone to me.¡¯


    ¡®Excuse me?¡¯ It was Nuan¡¯s turn to frown. It was bad enough that he had to run to an ¡®official¡¯ meeting right after his 7hr flight. Now this son of a bitch was teaching him how to talk to him like newly wed husband. Am I a soisidai or a consort?


    ¡®A soisidai is supposed to take a casual tone with his Gama.¡¯


    Nuan shook his head in disbelief, ¡®Whatever the rulebook says. I got it.¡¯


    ¡®I don¡¯t¡­¡¯ His eyebrows scrunched up, but Ehan looked more threatening than confused, ¡®¡­quite understand.¡¯


    Nuan sighed and bowed his head slightly, ¡®Let¡¯s talk properly tomorrow¡­Sire.¡¯


    I¡¯m going to spend everyday with this man? Nuan groaned silently as he walked off. He really needed hefty lunch and a nap.


    ¡®Tell me my schedule.¡¯


    Hideo grabbed his flask from the end of his desk and took a swig of strong black coffee. Ah, He sighed, I really needed that.


    ¡®Schedule.¡¯ He reminded his secretary, taking a small sandwich wrapped in clingfoil.


    ¡®You have a campaign tour from tomorrow around the city and 5 other states. A Volunteer Crusade with the Elderly Association against Drug Abuse today at 12.¡¯


    Hideo was stuffing his face with the sandwich. His secretary stared at him, he looked far from the atrractive reliable politician advertised in Billboards.


    And he was getting married.


    ¡®Oh!¡¯ The secretary jumpd, he was a small bespectacled man, ¡®The President called to give message.¡¯


    ¡®Umhm¡¯ Hideo nodded, his cheeks stretched out like a chipmunk.


    ¡®The Resistors have given a go to the marriage alliance. The lady will meet you as per a date set by their Leader.¡¯


    Hideo choked on his dry sandwich and he took a long gulp from his flask.


    He swallowed and looked at his secretary,


    ¡®She agreed to it?!¡¯