Dangling memories
Kong sat up in bed and raked his hand through his hair and glanced around, taking in the shadows that filled his room, caused no doubt by the bright light of the moon. These days - since, according to his mother, he had come back from the battles - he never seemed to be able to sleep through the night.
Since returning from the battles it was discovered that Kong's mind had blocked out his entire past – apparently the horrors witnessed in battle had been too great for him to bear. He trusted his parents, so he knew that one day, somehow, his memories would return, but he still wasn't sure if he actually wanted to remember the battles.
Putting his feet on the cold stone floor, he walked silently to the window and gazed out over the land. He sighed as he pushed the window open, taking in the fresh air of Hanayo (the place was aptly named - the whole world was famous for flowers, and indeed, the scent lingered always in the air). At least, that is what his half of the world thought. He shook his head, knowing he would rather not get into what had started the battles that had now cost him his memory.
Instead, he let his mind drift to what he knew: he was Kong, the only son of one of the seven Lords of Hanayo; Shuichi was his father and his mother was Himeko; he had several sisters, but by Hanayo law he was the only one who could fulfill his father's place. And one of those things was the battles. He shook his head and screamed. He just wanted to forget the battles; they took his memory - wasn't that enough?
There was a clicking sound as his door swung open,
"Kong, my Gandhara, why are you screaming at this hour of the night? And with your window open, you will wake the town from their sleep also." His mother said, walking over and latching the window again before leading him back to his bed. "I know you haven't been able to sleep through the night, but please at least try go to sleep, for the peace of the servants."
"Thank you, mother, it is just the thought of the battles… I can't remember them and yet my mind always wonders what happened out there that I have forgotten. None of the men I had under my command can tell me, yet my mind continues to search for something." Kong climbed back into bed.
"Go to sleep, Gandhara, your mind will feel better after you sleep; it always does. Your empty mind only bothers you at these late hours." She stroked the side of his head, "Your hair is getting long again - I will have a maid come and cut it tomorrow. This isn't like out there: you have an image to keep around here, and no one likes a shaggy male."
"Mother! I am not shaggy! My hair feels good brushing on my ears." Kong announced as he settled back into his pillows.
"Hush now. I am going back to my bed chambers, so please, no more attempting to wake the town," she said as she silently backed across the floor, her feet treading silently in her silk slippers.
Kong fell deep into sleep, only to be awoken when one of his servants came to draw his curtains and prepare his bath. "Good morning, Master. Would you like me to cut your hair now or after your bath?" The young woman greeted him as he sat up, bringing him his robes.
"Might as well do it now. If I had my way my hair would stay this way," he muttered as she grabbed the clippers and cut his hair close to his head. When she was done he still had hair, but it didn't feel like he did. It felt better when she rubbed his head with some of the famous perfumed oils from the botanical gardens, though. "Thank you. You can go attend to your other duties now," he dismissed her as he stood and headed to his bath.
After his bath, he dressed in one of his fine garments and went to breakfast; the three unmarried sisters were doting about the table while two of his married sisters sat there, silently staring at the younger ones (their husbands were in the battles, and, as such, they had been sent to their father's house to be watched over). There was but one sister missing and she had married one of the princes and as such didn't have to fear losing her husband to the battles.
Kneeling at the table, he ignored his youngest sister who was giggling about his hair and saying how, if he wasn't her brother, she would love to date him because he looked so neat a prim with his hair cut, along with being the best looking boy in the kingdom. What did it matter to him, though? She was just a child and still had much to learn.
His mother and father entered the room and knelt at their places around the table before the servants brought the food to the table. Once it was served, his mother brought up the dreaded conversation,
"Kong, I have spoken with your father and we both think the best way to ease your mind would be to find you a bride." She nodded as she looked upon her son.
"Mother, I will not marry; I am not ready for a task like that," he replied as he ate his food.
"You may not think you are ready, but I know that you would make a great husband and eventually a great father - your prime years are wasting away."
"Mother, not right now. I said no and I don't want a wife at this point in time - I just want to be left alone to figure my thoughts out," Kong said, standing from the table and storming outside.
About an hour later, Adinda, the oldest of his sisters, found him in the gardens.
"Kong, marriage is not a bad thing. You need someone to love you; mother won't be able to take care of you forever."
"Yes, but if I were to take a wife and then be told I need to re-enter the battles, what would happen to her? I was lucky this time, only losing my memory."
Adinda smiled and laid her hand on his arm.
"If something happens to my husband out there I will survive and remarry; I have not yet had a child, so I am still eligible for another husband. If your wife was to have a child she would stay here and father would assist in raising the child. If I had a child I would go to my husband's home and be taken care of."
"Kong, where are you, son?" the strong voice of their father streamed through the garden. "We need to be at the council hall for the weekly meeting."
"Coming father, though I don't know why you bother - it is just going to be the usual 'we need to increase the troops and quell the other side of our beautiful world in their beliefs.'" He imitated the head councilman's voice as he walked out of the garden and to where the carriage waited.
Once in the hall Kong sat back, quite bored by all that was going on and by the usual conversation.
"Shuichi, what about your son here? Surely he has recovered as well as he is going to from the battles? He must be ready to re-enter them, and we need more men." He stirred at his father being asked about his well being - the other men had left him alone until now.
"No, I don't think Kong should go back out. He is my only son: we were foolish to let him go once, and we just barely got him back. My wife thinks it better that Kong settle with a wife and secure himself an heir in the family line before he goes back out there, but he still isn't himself. He still needs time to heal," his father responded. "There are plenty of other young men still out there. Endesha, you still have two sons at home and one is more then ready to be sent to the battles. Send him."
The head councilman shook his head,
"Men, men, stop your fighting. We have a very different issue at hand. The people of Haruyo's government have decided to test out the theory that there is life in space. A radio broadcast was detected asking for reinforcements this morning."
A large rallying cry wound out through the crowd,
"Are they foolish, that might get them killed. If there are people out there who says they are friendly?"
"I think they are being foolish in putting their hope in this long shot, we should attack them now while they are waiting for a response."
Kong grabbed his ears and stood up - all the screaming melted into the sound of gunfire, but not the gunfire used by the Hanayo armies. He screamed and ran from the room only catching his breath and calming once he reached the carriage.
His father walked out the door,
"Kong, what is wrong? You sped out of there like a Hayao."
"I don't know what is wrong. It's just that, ever since I came home, I have been tormented by faint sounds in my head, Father." Kong sighed.
"Maybe it would be a good idea for you to go up to the hunting lodge and spend a few weeks meditating. You enjoy the quiet of the mountains," Shuichi said, climbing into the carriage. "When we get home I will gather a few of our servants and have the cook pack you your food."
"Thank you, father, I will make the most of these weeks."