Year of the Lilies
Torrid Season
The Orchard
Altsas
Kyan
I HAVE JUST RETURNED from my hike and I am yet to greet my parents after three weeks of being apart. I am reluctant to face my parents especially my father, I'll do whatever I can to evade his concerns on marriage.
The old man keeps smothering me each time he sees me and that is part of the reason I go on frequent hikes. The other reason I evade the Kingdom and my identity as Prince is to find myself and remind myself that there's more to life than delicious food and impressive clothing and a beautiful throne.
Exhausted and parched, I trot to the palace orchard and sit under the nearest tree. I free myself from the weight of my sword and
The Raid Year of the Lilies Torrid Season The River Kintil Isla I LAY STUNNED ON THE WET GROUND, my fingers are digging into the dirt, my hair and dress are plastered to my body and I'm sobbing; the salty tears roll down my cheeks and some seep into my mouth. I don't know how long I've been lying down here but I know that it's been long enough for the storm to be an ugly memory of a few moments ago. The soft wind that blows is icy and sends shivers down my spine. The hair on my body stands on end and I feel goosebumps rise on my skin. My head is throbbing aggressively and my heartbeat has lessened to a numb thump in my chest cavity. And one name pulsates in my throbbing,
The Scars Year of the Lilies Torrid Season Unknown Road Unknown Place Mavli MY EYES OPEN SLOWLY and I immediately wish it hadn't. I want to sleep this nightmare away. I wish I'll woke up in the hut beside my sister like I did yesterday. Yesterday feels like another lifetime. It's funny how I took the simple bliss of being at home, of being with my mother and father and sister for granted. I'd give anything to be with them right now. I wish I can turn back the hands of time. The huge cart moves beneath me almost fluidly, its rhythm is almost comforting. I can hear the cantering hooves of the horses that pull me further away from the only life I've ever known.
The Thirst Year of the Lilies Torrid Season Unknown Place Unknown Place •Mavli• AS THE DAY PROGRESSES, the heat of the Torrid Season becomes more apparent. And the stench of our unwashed bodies becomes more unbearable. My nose burns and itches at the smell. What have we done to deserve this? The naked girl in the cage beside mine is still eating rigidly and staring at nothing ahead. Her slender fingers grab the bars of the wooden cage tightly. I wonder how she manages to sit with perfect posture when we are in so much pain. Swarm of flies buzz enthusiastically around us and a generous number of them hover around the scarred boy's face. He doesn't make any move to chase them aw
The Sale Year of the Lilies Torrid Season Market Altsas Mavli WHEN THE HEAT does not relent and the heavy stench in the air becomes unbearable, I feel bile rising up my throat. The churning of my stomach becomes excruciating. Can I hold on a little more? I lean exhausted in my cage, I'm so dehydrated and my tongue is dry and my teeth are gritty. When will we arrive our destination? As if on cue, stone towers appear at the horizon and I feel very uneasy. I suddenly wish we do not reach there so soon. From the shadow our cart casts on the ground, I can tell it's late in the afternoon. I let my weak eyes roll until they land on the li
The Deer Year of the Lilies Torrid Season Unknown Place Unknown Place Isla I PERSONALLY PREFER THE FRIGID Season. At least I won't have to deal with all this heat plus the pain I'm already suffering. I woke up when the sun was high up in the sky and burning the Earth mercilessly with its rays. Everything is blurry and the air is punctuated by the irking smell of unwashed bodies. My arm is aching dully, I turn my eyes to scrutinize it, the image of the protruding arrow fills my mind but I'm very surprised to find my arm heavily bandaged with a damp foul-smelling cloth. I remember the smell of the herb too well, mother used to use it on our wounds when we were much younger. I'm shocked that our captors had the heart to treat our wounds. They will probably want u
The Kingdom Year of the Lilies Torrid Season The Market Altsas Isla WHEN I WAKE UP, we are approaching huge towers that provides the soldiers that are guarding the Kingdom a birds eye view of almost everywhere. I catch myself staring at the towers in awe of the power of the people. This Kingdom must be very powerful to raid our home and cart us away like livestock. But unfortunately, I'm too weak to do anything. I'm too weak to use my mind. I won't even create a breeze even if I tried. The cart stops and as if on cue, the crying and wailing stops. Eerie silence reigns the pungent air. I'm beginning to lose my calm when flies begin to buzz actively around me. But from what I can s
The Peacock Year of the Lilies Torrid Season The Hut Altsas Mavli I'M USED TO THE HEADACHE NOW. I'm used to the rhythm of the throbs. The familiar throbbing and aching reminds me that I'm human. It reminds me that I'm alive. It reminds me that I still have a chance. Yesterday's events are just a blurry memory in my psyche. I don't try to recall, I don't want to. So I push all of them to the back of my head and lock them up in there. All I know is that I'm sitting at a corner in a tiny hut that is half the size of our hut back at home. Nine other people are lying or sitting here with me. None of them are sleeping though I'm sure sleeping is what we are expected to do with our night.
The Plantation Year of the Lilies Torrid Season The Plantation Altsas Mavli I'M GRATEFUL FOR THE STRAWHAT I'm given by the taskmaster. We all were given one and also a change of clothes which comprises of a calico long-sleeved shirt that's way too big for me and drawstring calico trousers which are big for me too. We are shackled by our ankles and chained together then the taskmaster leads us into the gated plantation. The land is very expansive and stretches out to the horizon. My fists clench as I stare at the acres of land, our farmland and at home is less than one-eighth of this plantation, why would one family own such wealth? My back is nudged hard by the stick the taskm