Prologue
The sky was clear and blue. The sun was warm and the breeze was just on this side of refreshing. The ground was firm; unyielding as it supported the woman in her efforts to relax. She sat lax on the hill overlooking the small park. She was far enough away to be undisturbed by the children running around but close enough to hear their laughter drifting on the breeze.
But she couldn't help but feel discontent.
As she gazed across the grassy park to the bustling city before her, the young woman couldn't help but long for the salty air, the open ocean, and the gentle rock of a ship under her feet. Being on solid ground felt wrong to a more dormant part of her mind.
Sighing, she laid back on the grass, arms cushioning her head. She stared up at the sky, trying to immerse herself into memories of another lifetime and another world.
She could feel gentle roll of the waves as she napped on the lawn were accompanied by the soft tunes of a violin and the laughter of her little brothers playing in the background. Now and then there would be a shuffle of paper as a page in a book was turned or a chart shuffled out of the way to make room for another. Faintly she could make out pots clanging together, contrasting with the sound of a saw going from somewhere down below. Vaguely she wondered why she couldn't hear the sound of weights being lifted. But then she sensed the warmth at her side and felt herself grin at the sound of a snore.
For a moment, she was home.
But then the sound of little feet running on too-hard ground and cry of 'Nee-chan', broke through the memories. A groan left her lips as she pushed herself up with her elbows to look for the source of the cry.
Three little boys stood a few feet from her. Their breath was coming in pants from the climb and a little girl peeked around the eldest' shoulder looking shy and uncertain. If the woman had to guess their ages, she'd ranged them from ten to seven. Her lips twitched at the bitter irony of it all.
"What do you gaki want, eh? Can't you see I'm napping?" She asked after a moment of studying them. They seemed surprised by her Japanese. Not that she blamed them since she was obviously American.
Suddenly the youngest boy laughed, "You sound funny Nee-chan." He was talking about her accent, something she couldn't get rid of despite her flawless Japanese.
"Yeah, well, you look funny gaki." She replied dryly, offering a mock glare.
This made two of the other children laugh as well whiles the elder stepped forward, looking as serious as a ten-year-old boy could be. "Some of the older kids call you Katarite."
The woman tilted her head, curious and amused by her new found title. "I suppose you want me to tell you guys a story." She posed it as a statement rather than a question.
All four kids nodded, some more shyly than others.
Katarite sighed, letting her head fall back to stare at the sky. She had to pick the stories carefully because her stories were known widely by other name and she didn't want to have to answer any questions if some kids went around repeating what they heard. Finally coming to a decision she motioned for the kids to come closer; she straightened up and crossed her legs Indian style.
The kids settled into a messy row in front of her, the youngest closer to her while the eldest and the girl sat furthest away. It was amusing in a bitterly ironic sort of way. Now that they were settled she took a moment to observe them.
First was the oldest boy, who sat with a wary, scowling look on his face. His dark eyes were stern and his black hair was messy; probably from running around. The second boy was blond and while not as mistrusting as the other boy he still looked cautious. He seemed quiet and thoughtful to Katarite and maybe about nine-years-old. Next was the girl who was still hiding behind the eldest. She seemed shyer than anything as she kept ducking her head every time the woman tried to catch her eye. She had dark brown hair and seemed to be about eight or nine-years-old. Lastly, she glanced at the youngest boy. She had to blink a few times before reaching over and tugging the boy's straw hat down over his eyes, causing him to protest and giggle at the same time.
"Nice hat gaki." She said, smiling softly, "You're what? Seven?"
"Hai Katarite-nee-chan!" The boy chirped, tugging his hat back up to grin at her, dark eyes wide and sparkling.
She laughed and glances over the children one more time before starting, "This is a story about finding home, of finding the place where you belong. This is a story of finding family in the least likely places."
Katarite paused, took a breath, and spoke, "Once there were four siblings. They weren't siblings in the traditional sense of blood and parentage but they were strung to together by bonds as strong as blood. They were misfits to the world, outcasts that didn't belong anywhere but together.
The eldest was a boy whose very existence was considered a sin by the world. He sought to prove himself to the world. The second eldest was a noble boy who saw the world's corruption and was disgusted with it. He sought to rid the world of this corruption even if it meant to turn against his noble birth. The third sibling was a lost little girl who was foreign to the world. She sought to find her way home. The last and youngest sibling was a boy who saw the world with all its rules and limitations and refused to tied down to it. He sought to rise above the world, to find freedom and adventure. He sought….
To be King."
Katarite=Narrator/Storyteller