Tales of Kijo - Book One: "It All Began"

6: What The Future Brings

Days have passed. The new council had been displeased by the actions of Baba from keeping them in the dark. Markus was not exactly at peace either. Therefore, Baba sent a message to call on old members from the Mist Islands to discuss and vote about revealing the secret linage information. It was one secret she struggled with after the passing of Queen Leila.

Despite the disputes, news finally reached the entire village below of the children's return. Many were eager to meet and greet but Markus disallowed it. That didn't stop Ai and Kaki from sneaking off to meet everyone. As for Oukoji, he would often spend his afternoons observing the Blades in training. Routines and combating were entirely different compared to what he learned off the islands. He even considered to join them.

"Hey- Uhm... Koji?" Moridal couldn't remember his name. She was close though.

"Oukoji." He corrected the young girl.

Moridal senses hostility in his tone. "Relax, Oukoji. I was just going to say you should join our morning run in the mountains." The young girl tilted her stance and held her left hip.

The young man is in disbelief, this girl was treating him like her equal. "Oh yeah?".

"Unless those islanders were too soft on your feet, then I guess you don't have to." She shrugs while turning around to join her group.

Oukoji was speechless. Offended as well. He couldn't come up with a comeback either. "Brat." Was all he could say as he stood up and followed behind her. It didn't take the Blades long to discover the children were trained from the Mist Islands.

The spunk in this young girl reminded him so much of Kijo. In fact they just may be exactly alike in so many ways. He never heard from her since Baba spoke to them alone, figured she and his sisters couldn't tell him anything specific. So he did his own thing for a while.

Moridal suddenly gave a big smile as Oukoji joined her group. "Great! So here's our objective today, we are going to play Catch the Thief." She explained.

"I thought this was a run?" Not what he expected, a child's game.

"We call it whatever we want. Besides, catching our thief is the exercise anyway." Moridal shrugs and sticks out her tongue towards Oukoji.

His face had a twitch while glaring at the girl, "Right." He sighed.

———

Somewhere in the not so secret garden, Kijo laid in the flower field. For the past days she attempted to have another dream. Her eyes always closed to focus. A familiar scent found its way to her nose and she quickly sat up, eyes blinking open to see Syrik standing at the edge of the field.

"What are you doing here?" Kijo was confused at the sight of this boy.

"You've been taking off lately and Markus told me to keep an eye on you. You know, punishment for attacking..." Syrik felt embarrassed for even being in the same area as Kijo, not that he was shy but more of not wanting to get his butt kicked again from her older brother.

She couldn't help but laugh. "Since my brother floored you?" She had to tease Syrik about it.

"Shut up, you!" Now his face had flushed. "It's not like I enjoy watching over you. Ever since you've been found, that's all I've done. It's boring!"

Kijo was surprised. Syrik has been watching over her this entire time? Now that was embarrassing. "Oh. I didn't know that..."

The boy felt he over stepped a boundary. "Hey, don't feel bad over that! It was Moridal who suggested it to Markus..."

Kijo's ear twitched at the name. "Moridal. You mean the beast girl?" She asked innocently.

"Don't talk about that, like you know her." Syrik had a certain tone of warning which caused Kijo to flinch a little.

"Geez, I'm sorry." She sighed and laid on to her back again. "It's not like I have a problem with who she is..."

Syrik finally made his way towards the girl and stared down at her, "You never said 'Hi' either."

Kijo opened her mouth to retaliate but nothing came out. Unfortunately she had more important stuff to worry about. She turned her head to look away from Syrik. "I'm fine you know. Just go away..."

The boy noticed a sudden change in her behaviour. As much as he wanted to pry he figured that she most likely needed someone to confide with. It was obvious that the relationship of her siblings were on the rocky emotional path. She needed a friend for sure so he decided to sit down beside her, and stare up at the sky. Kijo tried to ignore his presence.

"Like it or not, I'm stuck with you. So, you might as well get use to me." The boy spoke.

"I feel honoured."

———

Ai and Kaki had met so many villagers. Many spoke about the resemblance of their mother and others had often asked who would be Queen. Neither had an answer and were just as eager to know.

After moments of meeting quite a lot of people, the two sisters finally sat down in what the villagers called a park. Interesting place. They've never seen an area of forestry or flat land devoted to pleasing others to relax and children to play.

"I don't remember anything like this before." Kaki spoke up as she sat among the grass.

"As time grows, so do our people. They deserve that much after those times." Ai sat beside her sister, observing the community.

It's quiet for a while between them. All they continue to think about is how the village will do without a Queen to watch over them. Despite royalty leadership, the villagers seemed to be doing just fine on their own.

"Ai... do you think, Markus and the council will make you the Queen?" Kaki's tone showed some concern. She wasn't exactly doubtful just worried. For her, the eldest should be leader but she can't imagine Oukoji willingly take the spot. Ai was the next best choice.

"I'm not sure. I'm only use to what's given to me and I always try to do what's best."

Kaki isn't so sure about her answer and begins to pry. "You're not like that with us."

"Well, family is different. I'll always have your backs no matter what." Ai smiles to herself.

"I don't know? Maybe one day you'll finally get tired of us and run away." Kaki giggles to herself and laughs even more after receiving a playful punch to her arm.

There is so much uncertainty building up among the siblings in so little time. Each filled with doubt and fear. No promise of certainty for tomorrow or sign of ease for the mind. If one thing is for sure, it's the fact these young women are bound to be conflicted about the strange power Queen Leila has passed down.

The journey home was suppose to be a happy one. From now on, the journey stands still until all siblings learn what they must to begin the real journey. A path of identity and growth. A road of battles and alliances. The destined trails of destruction and love.

All will come to past in the Tales of Kijo.