The King of Kouri

King Horokeu slid open the glass doors leading to the balcony of his bedroom. He was greeted by the picturesque landscape of Fubuki, the central town and seat of power in the kingdom of Kouri. Although he woke up to the same scenery every day, he had never really gotten tired of it.

Fubuki was not as grandiose as Kasai's Koichi. In fact, Kouri as a whole paled in comparison with the other three kingdoms in terms of land area, population size and architectural aesthetics. Residing on the easternmost tip of the land, this little kingdom only had a central seaport town and four other small farming villages with butterbur as their major crop. Military resources were scarce but the people did not consider this as a major drawback because they were a peace-loving nation after all. The citizens were highly confident in their undermanned but well-trained army. Besides, the Asakura clan of Kasai had also taken an oath that they would be extending their military support to them in times of conflict and although it may not look like it, Kouri was highly capable of paying for extra armament and manpower if the situation deemed it necessary.

Life in Kouri was quiet and simple and King Horokeu appreciated his role there more than the very first time the golden crown had been laid forcibly on his head by his father. The former ruler, Lycan Usui had left home after bestowing his administrative rights to him. He had never visited his turf ever since so his son got quite a shock after seeing such a bulky bearded man offering him breakfast in bed the moment he woke up that morning.

"You could have telegrammed me first so that I'll know you would be coming," the young ruler of Kouri called out from the balcony to his long absent father who was placing down the utensils and plates from the breakfast tray onto the small coffee table.

"Sorry, I was too excited to see my son after --- ", Lycan began to count with his fingers.

"Seven years. Would you cut off that ugly beard? It's giving me the creeps!"

"Oh, was it that long?"

King Horokeu was not sure if his father was asking about the length of his absence or his beard. He would have replied a 'yes' either way.

"It's a good thing Tona recognized you and let you go through my door."

"Actually, he did not. He tried to grapple me. Come let's have breakfast first."

His son entered the room and sat by the coffee table. "So how did you make yourself known?"

"Well, it was quite easy. I just showed him this," Lycan took out something from his pocket. It was his wife's snowflake-shaped locket containing their children's photos when they were still babies.

"You and Pirika were so cute here, Horo-horo."

The young king reddened with embarrassment. "Stop! I don't want to hear anything of that sort, old man!" He finished off his breakfast pancake in four big bites.

"What brought you here anyway?" he asked after gulping down his glass of milk. The former king must have something very important to tell. "The tunnels will be almost complete. I had to employ farmers to give extra hands on the digging. By the end of the month, we can start transporting-"

"My son," Lycan interrupted him. "I came here for personal and not for business reasons. I'm here to visit you that's all." He grinned widely at him.

King Horokeu replied with a raised eyebrow. He wasn't really convinced that his father would suddenly pop out for nothing.

"Well… it's also because of this," his father fumbled for something from his coat.

"Aha! I was right. There is something else, isn't it?"

Lycan handed him an ornately decorated envelope bearing the dry seal of a feather.

King Horokeu looked surprised.

"It's an invitation to the friendship ball," his father explained.

The young monarch stared at the letter from the Royal Patch Academy.

He was only ten when his father had sent him off to a foreign land to get formal education. He didn't think it was necessary for him to attend an academic institution for royal bloods to learn how to grow butterbur and run the kingdom. He had strongly voiced this out to his father who seemed to have made up his mind already. If only his mother were there, she could have talked some sense into his father so that he would not have made him go. Alas, the queen left them when Pirika was barely a year old.

When his verbal protests went unheard, he resorted to locking himself up in his room three days before the royal ship set sail. His father had tirelessly pounded on his door with a threat to cut back his meals yet he was unfazed for he had already commissioned the help of his younger sister to sneak in provisions into his room while everybody slept. The former king was impatient but he proved to be a good strategist. On the night before his voyage, his father had secretly employed the help of the palace guards to climb soundlessly into the balcony of his room while he drooled in his slumber and transport his things to the royal ship docked at the sea port. He woke up the following morning only to find his entire wardrobe and personal belongings gone. His father was waiting outside his door with two options for him: You can stay here and wear your underpants forever or go to school and have your things back. He had no other choice.

King Horokeu gazed at the dwarf-like plushie lying on top of his bedside cabinet. It's been a long time, Damuko...

He could still clearly remember what had transpired there seven years ago...