Katajatar's Son

The early spring day was bright, not a cloud in the sky, as festively clad Mnemrarasti gathered in the square. The wooden two level houses were draped with multi-colored streamers with bright flowers woven around them in garlands. In front of the rare white stone fountain of maidens tipping their water baskets toward the pool, a dais was built. In the center of the dais was an ornate throne, also draped with flower garlands. Today was a special day, for the Crown Prince Destatuus of Mnemradel had turned sixteen.

Veredithis crouched on a thick branch in the canopy of a tree on the outskirts of the square and looked on in jealousy. These same people would’ve done the same for him if he didn’t have Dvel blood mixed with his Mnem blood, for the Crown Prince was Veredithis’ younger brother. He wouldn’t even be here if Destatuus hadn’t found him the day before.

Veredithis had been in his favorite tree watching the tree sprite heal a sickly branch of her birch tree when he heard a familiar voice call, “Veredithis, where be you?”

Before he turned his head, the leaves and twigs that outlined the tree sprite’s wispy form floated down to the underbrush on the forest floor.

Veredithis looked down and saw his younger brother notice the dropping debris and approach the tree.

Veredithis sighed. Great, what does he want this time?

Destatuus’ silver-blue hair floated across his face from the gentle breeze that blew off the nearby lake. “Veredithis, is that you? Please respond if you are here. Please, Veredithis? Tomorrow is my birthday.”

Veredithis sighed and shook his head. As much as he wanted to ignore his brother and hope he went away, he knew that of all the Mnemrarasti, Destatuus never held his mixed heritage against him. “I know it is.”

“Where be you? I cannot see you.”

And that is the way I like it. Veredithis reluctantly swung down from the branch he sat on and dropped to the forest floor.

“There you be. Please, Veredithis I would love for you to attend my celebration tomorrow.”

Veredithis turned to look across the lake. His frustration pressed so tightly against his chest, he could hardly speak. How could he make Destatuus understand that no one, except mother and him, would want him there?

Destatuus stepped up beside him again. “Please, promise me you shall come, Veredithis. I will tell grandfather you are there under my invitation. He cannot deny me in front of the whole village. Please?”

Veredithis clenched his fists. “You know the king hates me!”

“Why cannot grandfather see that you are as worthy to be a royal prince as I am?”

“He cannot, I am a half-breed bastard of rape, remember?”

“You cannot help that! I swear, Veredithis, when I become king, I will tell them to stop hurting you.

“Right-- that may be another century or more!”

“I shall have a talk with King Tirthamkaras and beg he stop allowing people to mistreat you. I hate that he gives you five lashings with a whip each birthday.”

I just know I will to regret this, but - “All right, I shall come.”

“Great! It will be splendid! The whole town is going to set up festival for the occasion!”

“I shall be there.”

“All right. I must go, it is nearing dinnertime.”

“See you later.”

Destatuus looked like a hover spell was cast on him as he glided back toward the forest. He stopped and turned around. “Oh, are you coming home tonight?”

“I know not.”

“Mother gets very worried about you when you do not come home for days.

“Tell her I am fine. If I do not come home tonight, you shall see me at the festival.”

Veredithis watched Destatuus disappear through the forest. Once he was well out of sight, Veredithis scooped up a rock and hurled it across the water. He felt the breeze stiffen and heard the rustle of leaves and twigs rising from the forest floor. “He cares about you, sapling.”

“I know. Katajatara, how can I make my brother understand? If I show up tomorrow, someone will surely beat me up at the first opportunity. There are only three people in that village who cares about me, mother, Destatuus and Marisalka.”

“Oh, yes, the girl you speak much about. You should like to mate with her someday?”

Veredithis felt his face heat up in a blush. He whirled around at the leaf and twig form. “I do not!”

“Mnem procreate like the other animals of the forest. I have seen many a coupling happen below my canopy. You do not feel the same as they? You have no desire to procreate?”

“Well, yes, but -- but, well, I am not ready yet.”

“I see, you are unsure and apprehensive. Your kind is so short-lived, I know not when is the proper time to procreate.”

Veredithis chuckled. “You amaze me, Katajatara. After all these years you have welcomed me to your tree, you still do not understand Mnem?”

“Your time with me has not been very long, sapling. My tree has barely made a new ring since you first cried among my roots. You were so small. Pain and sadness poured out of you with the seawater that flowed from your eyes. I felt compelled to comfort you. Since then, I have been amazed at how fast you have grown. You are nearly as tall as the other big Mnem I see hunting through the forest. Will you go back to them this night?”

“No, I think not. I want to give them the least opportunity to beat me up. I shall go back tomorrow.”

Veredithis climbed back into the tree and settled himself into his favorite crook, leaned back against the trunk and closed his eyes. He heard the leaves and twigs fall back to the ground again. He knew if he needed her, she would form again.

Now he wished he was back at Katajatara’s tree instead of here, watching all these happy Mnem whose faces would turn to hate once they saw him.

Trumpets blared as they heralded the arrival of King Tirthamkaras. He was tall and imposing with slate gray eyes and silver hair topped with a gold circlet encrusted with gems. He wore flowing robes of the color of new leaves.

Veredithis snorted in disgust. Tirthamkaras was so far removed from nature that Veredithis knew the denizens of the forest didn’t know his name so how dare he wear the colors of nature?

Tirthamkaras mounted a dais and raised his hands up for silence. He smiled. “This is a proud day! My heir, Crown Prince Destatuus, was born this day sixteen years past. He is nearly a man. A grandfather could not be prouder.”

As the crowd clapped, Veredithis ground his teeth in frustration. He still couldn’t believe he was going to attend this, but he promised his younger brother. He leapt from the tree and landed on his hands and feet. He stood up and walked into the crowd. As he passed, Mnem shied away from him until Abasantis, the strong bodied Mnem of the king’s guard stepped into his path.

Veredithis plastered a smile on his face for his brother’s benefit even though dread gripped his insides.

Abasantis sneered. “Leave here, you half-breed bastard!”

His mother rushed up to him with her bright red and yellow dress billowing behind her. “Veredithis, I have been seeking you for days! Oh, look, you have tattered your clothes again.”

“Hello, mother,” Veredithis said in a tight voice. Not one minute had passed and he was already being insulted.

“Have some respect for Princess Thalassa, cur!” Abasantis said.

Veredithis’ mother cringed. “Please, do not call him such cruel names, Abasantis, he is my son.”

King Tirthamkaras turned toward them with his shoulders back and haughty. “Nay, daughter.”

She trembled at her father’s voice, bowed her head and clutched her hands tightly in front of her.

“You are not welcome here, boy.”

“I am of your blood!”

“You are unclean, rape-spawn. You shame Our presence.”

“Can I not even wish my younger brother be blessed with the gifts of Great Arasthanas that she grant him another prosperous year?”

King Tirthamkaras grimaced. “Princess Thalassa, remove your son from Our presence and have him wash himself. Once again he shows Us his paternal barbarity, living like a fox in the forest. He stinks of loam and blood.”

His mother took him by an arm and pulled him.

Veredithis pulled himself from her grasp. “So, you think to banish me by shaming your daughter to wash me like an infant?”

“Go or I shall have you scourged for you insolence!”

“You would taint my brother’s birthday with blood?”

“Please, Grandfather, I asked for Veredithis’ presence to be a part of our joy. He is my brother. It pains me to see how he is treated.”

Abasantis guffawed. “How does he want his food served? Thrown on the ground, eaten like a dog?”

“You do not even give him a chance, Abasantis!” Destatuus said.

“He shall get his due on his own birthday! Another five lashes for his cowardly Dvel father!”

King Tirthamkaras frowned. “Prince Destatuus, We find your brother distateful, dirty and foul smelling. His presence dampens Our spirit of the day. You should have not insisted upon his presence. Leave us, rape-spawn.”

“Tis not fair! Veredithis should be a prince of the realm, too!”

Tirthamkaras’ face reddened with rage. “Destatuus, We will no longer stand your insolence! Your brother shames Us. He is an illegitimate half-breed, born of rape. By Mnemrarasti law, he is denied citizenship and rank! It is the law and, as my heir, you must pledge to uphold those laws!”

Destatus’ shoulders sagged.

Veredithis was heartened that his brother dared cross their grandfather like this, but the argument was hopeless. Grandfather would only become more enraged. “I shall go, Destatuus. I tried to warn you this would happen.”

“I shall bring home a good bottle of wine and we shall celebrate together in privacy.”

Veredithis clutched Destatus’ shoulder. “I look forward to it. May your life be blessed better than mine.” He whirled around and strode across the square to the forest’s edge.

He climbed back into the tree, sat on a branch and angrily pinched the bridge of his nose to drive back the tears.

After a while, he heard a familiar young woman’s voice calling his name. He looked down and saw the most beautiful woman of alabaster skin, silver hair and shocking blue eyes that were highly slanted toward her graceful pointed ears. Veredithis’ breath caught as it always did when he looked upon her. He climbed down from the tree and whispered, “Marisalka.”

She turned around, then rushed to him. “I am sorry about what happened at the celebration.”

He brushed her hair off her shoulder with his hand. “You could do nothing about it.”

She grabbed his hand and held it. “But I hate to see them treat you so meanly.”

Veredithis pulled his hand away.

“You should be prince too.”

“Did you not hear King Tirthamkaras? I will never be prince!”

He heard the crashing of underbrush and he whirled around. Avaldamon, Marisalka’s father, leapt toward them.

Veredithis started, then bolted toward the branch of the tree. He felt his body tingle with paralyzing magic. He tried to dispel the magic, but he remained immobilized.

Marisalka put her hands to her mouth, her eyes wide with fear.“No, father!”

“I told you to never see that mongrel again!”Avaldamon slapped his hand across Veredithis’ face.

Veredithis wanted to put his hand up to rub his stinging cheek, but his body would not move.

“I will not have a half-breed seeing my daughter, Dvel!”

“I am also Mnem.”

Avaldamon punched Veredithis deep into his abdomen.

Veredithis’ air rushed out in a woof. He wished he could bend over to ease the pain.

Avaldamon’s fist slammed into his chin.

Veredithis’ head swam as blood flowed down his chin from his bitten tongue.

Move! he cried to his body, but he still had no control of his limbs.

His face was slapped right, then left, and then he was kneed in the groin.

He shuddered as intense pain washed through him and tears flowed down his cheeks, but he still wouldn’t move.

Avaldamon grabbed Marisalka’s arm and pulled her behind him out of the brush.

Veredithis tensed to force his body to move, but, again, it stayed immobile. All he managed to feel was his pain from the beating increase. His vision dimmed and his consciousness slipped away.

He heard his brother’s voice call softly, “Veredithis? Where be you? I have that bottle of wine I promised!”

Veredithis opened his eyes and saw the sky had turned magenta and orange. The day was already done?

Veredithis tried to call out, but his swollen lips wouldn’t move. When he stopped hearing his brother’s voice, his heart sank. He had really wanted to join Destatuus to drink that wine and make up for his humiliating day, but he still couldn’t move.

Veredithis snapped awake again when he was soaked by a sheet of cold dirty water from the dumping of a woman’s morning cleaning bucket.His body shook as the pain renewed its fire. Sometime during the night, he had collapsed to the ground, the spell spent. He sputtered the bitter soapy water from his mouth, then gritted his teeth until his jaw ached to take his mind off the agony. He rolled onto his knees and laid his forehead on the grass. As the cool morning air chilled his soaked body, a fiery rage rushed through him. He had been beaten again!

Avaldamon’s cruel voice rang in Veredithis’ mind, “I will not have a half-breed seeing my daughter, Dvel.”

Veredithis pulled his body up. “Mother, you did this to me! You and that Dvel bastard!” He stood up and swayed as he fought for balance. “I will go to Dvelnost and I will hunt down that bastard who ravaged my mother and cut his heart out! He will pay for the pain he has caused me!”

Veredithis walked unsteadily into the forest.

After traveling for about ten minutes through the animal trails so familiar to him. He stopped at his small lake and carefully lowered himself to the bank, then leaned against a tree.

The light wind that blew his auburn hair across his face, caressing his aching cheek, began to form words. “You bring much pain and anguish to my tree, sapling.” The twigs and leaves blew up from the forest floor and formed into a human-like shape that settled down beside him.

“Marisalka is forbidden to see me.” Veredithis tried to keep his anger, but his words came out in a sob. “I was beaten by her father when he found out she came to see me, all because I am half-Dvel.”

“I know little of the ways of Mnemrarasti, sapling. Most of what I know is what you have told me.”

“I wish I was Katajatara and spend my whole life nurturing a tree.” Veredithis picked up a rock and threw it into the lake.

“But, you are not. You are Mnem and Dvel.” She held up one hand, then the other.

“I do not want to be! It is that Dvel’s fault for my pain. If he had not ravaged my mother like the animal he is, Marisalka would be allowed to court me as the grandson of the King, but since I have Dvel blood I get beaten in the streets like a dog.”

“Your pain has clouded your mind with anger, sapling.” She put her hand to his face and Veredithis felt a tingle course through his cheek, and body with healing energy.

He managed a small smile as he dried his eyes. “Thank you, Katajatara, my life is in your debt. But, I will not renounce my mission to seek out that Dvel.”

“If that is what you feel you must do, then you will do it. I only ask that you not allow yourself to be blinded to the truth.”

He slammed his fist into his knee. “What is the truth, Katajatara?”

“Truth is revealed when nature wills it be revealed, sapling. Do not close your eyes when it comes.” The leaves and twigs dispersed and fell back down to the forest floor.

Veredithis retraced his steps back to Mnemradel.

He paralleled the road, just within the treeline until he came to a two-story dark wood and stone house just below the castle keep. He quickly crossed the street and entered the house. He rushed through the foyer and turned left beyond the wall. He glimpsed his mother tidying the living room and he rushed up the stairs. Just at the top of the stairs, he entered a door into his room. He began to stuff his belongings into a bag.

His mother entered behind him. “What are you doing?”

“I am going to find that bastard Dvel and make him wish I had never been born!”

“Veredithis, do not go!”

He looked up from his packing. “I will not be beaten in the streets again!”

His mother’s body shook as she tried to contain her rage. “Who beat you this time?”

“Avaldamon, because Marisalka sought me out to talk to me.”

“I will have a talk with King Tirthamkaras and beg that he stop allowing people to mistreat you. And I hate that he gives you five lashings with a whip each birthday.”

“Then why do you protect that Dvel, mother? The lashings were supposed to be his punishment!”

She joined him and laid her hand on his arm. “Please, do not hurt him.”

“Why? That Dvel did this to me! He made me a bastard half-breed!”

“I bear him no malice, Veredithis. I beg you do the same.”

“To the Dvel who raped you?” He pulled his arm from her grasp, then whirled on her.

She backed up and looked nervously toward the window.

“I see he shames you still.”

“No, it is not that.”

“What then?”

“I cannot tell you, Veredithis!” Her face glistened with tears.

He stepped toward her. “Where does he live, mother?”

She shook her head so hard, her hair whipped across her face. “No, Veredithis!

He crossed his arms. “Where does he live?”

She shrank away from him. “Please, I beg you, do not do this!”

With a strangled cry, Veredithis rushed to her and squeezed her arm. “Where is he, mother?”

“Please release me, you are hurting me!”

He threw her arm from his grasp and then he tore the remains of his tattered shirt off and turned around. “Look at my back! I have been scourged every year because he was a coward and ran away from his punishment. Do you not think this hurt?” He whirled back to her and saw his mother was sobbing soundly as she cowered in the corner with her hands clutched to her chest. “Why do you care about one bastard Dvel more than you care about me?”

“I do care about you, Veredithis, but you hardly ever come home anymore! Where would Destatuus or I look for you? We know not where you go in the forest!”

A rising growl grew from Veredithis’ chest. Veredithis slapped his mother across the face. “Do not speak of Destatuus with me! He is who you love, mother, not me! I will ask again- where does the Dvel live?”

She whirled around from the blow and collapsed into the corner. She spoke in a hoarse whisper, “The last I knew of him, he lived in a place called Aiderwaine in a town named Trinera. Please, I beg you not to hurt him.”

“He should have thought about that before he ravaged you!” Veredithis pulled on a new shirt. He hefted the bag on his shoulder, then walked out of the house.