Hi everyone! What's up? ;)

Here remains another chapter of kingdom. *Sighs* When I write it, I feel as if I wrote any piece of history :P Nonetheless, enjoy! :D

Thanks to all my readers and reviewers. Thanks to also those who have followed and favorited it :*

The thick silk curtains with embroidered borders of the sprinklings of golden and silver threads were preventing the wide window from letting the moonlight enter the room. At the same time, the gusts of nightly gale were fighting against those hangings. Observing his valiance, the flower plants kept on the floor of the balcony were bowing their heads. Inside the room, ignited wax lights standing on the lamp-stands made of sandalwood were enlightening the aura with their upstretched blazes. The ecosphere seemed more mystical as those lamps were kept inside translucent crystal pots. Sitting on their tender beds like the feathers of petite birds, the girls were doing different tasks.

Dipping the keen portion of the flamboyant peacock feather into the copper inkpot, the brunette started writing on the colorless surface of the thick paper. Hidden in the veils of words, her feelings were spontaneously being articulated in each line that was being written by her. In the realm of black and white, the Japanese princess was composing her own colorful sphere.

"Oni-chan," The curious purplette couldn't struggle against her inquisitiveness, "What are you writing now? Another drama?"

"No, Dew-chan," The brunette smilingly shook her head, "I'm writing a story at this moment."

"A story?" The bluenette got down from her bed, "About what?"

"A king, Mariam," Hilary replied, "I'm writing a story of a king who is very kind, strong, intelligent, brave, honest and impartial. A ruler who is loved and honored by the people of his kingdom. The monarch of a state which can't be attacked by other kingdoms of this world. The emperor who wants peace, not wars."

"Woah! So many qualities, Hil!" The Spaniard smirked, "But can we ever meet such a king in our lifetime? I mean….Uncle Hayashi is a good ruler for Japan, but Japan had to be attacked by a person named Hiro Granger…."

"On this matter, for once, I agree with Jules, Hilary," Mariam supported, "Look, our country is very precious. We are very rich. It's simple that other kings will want to grab Japan. Will our king always be able to protect her?"

"Why not?" Hilary raised an eyebrow, "My father is a good king, you know. Just sending me and Tyson with the platoons to the battleground, he gained victory over Hiro Granger. How can't he be a king with so many qualities that I have mentioned?"

"Because the king won the battle only for the silliness of his opponent, my daughters," A bold masculine voice was heard, "Not for his courage and energy."

Having him heard, all the little girls moved their visions towards the doorway. There stood all of their favorite person, coating his face with a honeyed grimace.

"Father!" Hilary got down from her bed and rushed towards him. Kneeling down gently, the emperor lightly hugged his daughter. Other girls also stood up and bowed in order to show respect to the king. Allowing them to sit on their beds, Hayashi entered their room.

"Uncle Hayashi," The Latina cleared her throat, "You're here? At this time? Aren't you feeling sleepy?"

"Julia," Hayashi patted her head, "A king should never feel sleepy. Yes, he's a human being and he needs rest but he shouldn't crave for that. Rather, he has always to keep his eyes opened for the safety of him, his family and subjects. Besides, I was planning to gossip with my little angels since a long time. When I was passing by your room and I heard you gossiping, I thought to accomplish it."

"Wow!" Dew jumped into the arms of her foster-father, "Thank you so much, father! You know, at every night, Oni-chan tells me many stories. But tonight, you've to tell me a story, okay?"

"Of course," The father rolled his eyes, "After all, my dearest daughter has requested me to narrate a fiction. How'll I refuse, princess Dew?"

"Yay!" All the girls cheered and surrounded the mighty emperor of Japan. Delivering a cheerful flash of his teeth, Hayashi began.

"Girls, you wanted to know about an ideal king, right?"

"Father," Hilary retorted, "For me, no king can be ideal excluding you. We all know about you. Then, who else can take your place?"

"My daughter," Hayashi brushed his fingers into the furry tresses of the princess, "I'm not an ideal king at all. But yes, I can guarantee that a king having all the qualities for that you've demanded will arrive soon in future. He'll be brave, intelligent, strong, kind, honest and impartial. He'll love his subjects like his children. The subjects will also love and respect their king like their father. He'll protect his kingdom from his enemies. He'll fight against every evil thing and injustice. Because of his ruling, nobody will be sad. Everyone will be happy. All people of his kingdom will lead their life being contented. The rivers of milk and honey will flow across his empire."

"Just like you, won't he, father?"

"Aww….Hil," The father blushingly grimaced, "I'm not an ideal king, you know. I was going to tell you about the ruling clan of Russia."

"Russia?"

Hearing him, the ruby-colored orbs of the chocolate-haired princess became dilated in excitement. They started sparkling unknowingly. She didn't know much about the mighty kingdom. All she knew that Russia was an enormous domain which was divided into different portions. She also knew that the people of the mentioned dominion were quite satisfied with their rulers. Despite her scarce knowledge regarding Russia, she started feeling eager to learn about the kingdom.

"Yes, my girl, Russia," Gently, Hayashi reciprocated, "Russia is a realm where there are different weathers. The climate of the main capital is quite comfortable for everyone. But the rustic areas' climate is extreme as blizzards and snowfalls are similar to their family members. Grass hardly grows there on their surface. They are dependent on pasturing their domestic animals."

"Uncle Hayashi," The dual-haired princess objected, "I couldn't understand one thing. If there is no grass, how do their animals live?"

"Good question, Julia," The Japanese emperor appreciated, "I have told you that grass and herbs can't grow there. But there are large trees everywhere which can survive even in that extreme weather. The people of the village rear different species of deer and sheep. Those deer and sheep live on the leaves of those trees."

"Really?" The purple-haired little girl seemed restless.

"Really, Dew-chan."

"But father," Hilary cleared her throat, "You were supposed to narrate a story about an ideal king. Aren't you trying to change the topic?"

"Oh, looks like my daughter is very excited to know of an idea king, isn't she?" Her father chortled, "No, Hil, I'm not trying to change the topic. Now, I'm going to inform you about the strongest ruling clan of that icy kingdom. It's Hiwatari clan."

'Hiwatari…' The brunette murmured. She didn't know what lay in that name. But she was recurrently pronouncing it, 'Hiwatari…Hiwa-tari….Hi-wa-ta-ri…."

The name was being ricocheted deep inside her heart. Shutting her eyes, she felt as if someone had been uttering the name in front of her ears with his or her sugar-coated pitch, springing from the bottom of any vast but discreet ocean.

"Princess, what are you thinking about?"

Gasping and backing to reality, Hilary shook her head and smiled, "Nothing, father. Carry on."

"Okay then," Hayashi went ahead, "This clan is ruling Russian from last 150 years. Schirio Hiwatari was the first member of this group. He was a generous king. You know, he himself went to the rural areas of Russia and helped the people take care of their animals."

"Wow!" The young contessa ejaculated, "He was surely a nobleman, wasn't he?"

"Of course he was," Hayashi affirmed, "He also reared his children giving them all his ideologies, customs, morals, values and other positive qualities. Voltaire Hiwatari was the member of his 4th generation."

"Your Majesty," Mariam expressed her craving, "How was he?"

"Ummm…" The Japanese king bit his inner lip, "King Voltaire Hiwatari wasn't that much similar to his ancestors. Yes, his subjects were satisfied with him. But he couldn't mix with his people. He couldn't love them like his own children. He did a lot for them but he didn't have a fatherly feeling for them in his heart. But he was very powerful during his reign. He punished the criminals so cruelly that other people couldn't commit any minor or major crime. Moreover, he lived a very luxurious life."

"Since he belonged to a royal clan, his life was luxurious," Hilary took the side of an anonymous man, "Why are you against it, father?"

"Because King Voltaire Hiwatari did something for enjoying his life that he shouldn't have," Hayashi retorted, "He married three women."

"What?" Julia gasped, "Can a man marry three women really? Ever?"

"It was his rule, dear," Hilary's father sighed, "He wanted more children so that he could spread the name of his clan everywhere in his kingdom. But after sometimes, he realized that he did a grave mistake."

"Which mistake?"

"Not now," The king understood that he was going to poison a bunch of pure hearts, "But his grandsons are very responsible, just like the first member of their clan. Particularly, the only son of Voltaire's son, Kai Hiwatari, is improving a lot. He is educated, strong, intelligent, brave, honest but kind, dutiful and enriched with morals and values. The people of Russia can see their future ruler inside him."

When the name chimed into her ears, the brunette again closed her eyes and inhaled profoundly. The name arrived at the doorway of her heart, bringing a gust of the airstream, belonging to peace and harmony. She tried to picture the owner of the name on the canvas of her neuron cells but failed.

"Kai is quite different from his grandfather and other cousins," Hayashi continued explaining, "His teachers praise him a lot. Though he is a prince, he works hard and serves his mentors and comrades. He takes care of animals, birds and plants in the learning center. He is calm and collected. He doesn't blabber unnecessarily. But when he talks, listeners feel as if they were hearing any holy chant."

"Our Hilary is also very caring, uncle Hayashi," The Spanish princess supported her cousin, "She is a princess but she looks after everything around her. She knows cooking different delicious items which can't be prepared even by our maids and chefs. When she waters the plants of our garden, flowers blossom rapidly. Even though she's a girl, she is training herself in the skills of battles and horse-riding. She can also be a great queen in future."

"I know, Juli," Hayashi smiled, "Hilary tries a lot to be a good princess and she succeeds always in that. That's why I am educating you, girls. Remember, a nation can never progress unless she educates her sons and daughters equally. If there is no system of female education and empowerment in a nation, the nation will never be developed."

Those discussions filled with knowledge couldn't satisfy the youngest member in the room. She was feeling bored. Yawning, she queried, "Father, how old Prince Kai Hiwatari is?"

Sensing her question, everybody in the room burst out laughing. Panting, the royal-blue haired girl questioned her back, "Why? Do you like him?"

"Yes," The purplette cutely pouted, "He's a good prince."

"Girls, don't argue," The king smiled, "Actually, he's not very old. He's only eight months older than Hilary."

Gulping, the brownhead lowered her gazes. In her short life of eight years, she had never felt this feeling. She didn't know what the feeling was called. Her breaths were being unsteady. Butterflies were humming in the orchard of her territory. Flowers were playing with those beautiful arthropods. Their fragrance were spreading all over her manor. Raising her eyes, she looked at the flower plants kept in their balcony. Two ebony-colored bumble-bees had sat on two white jasmines. On other days, she would send them away. But on that day, she did nothing but staring at them without blinking.

"Okay girls," Hayashi coughed, "It's been late. You all should sleep now. Good night."

Startled, the brunette turned her eyes towards her father and nodded, "Good night, father."

Smiling back, the emperor of Japan left the room of little royal girls. Yawning and wishing one another, the girls lay down on respective beds. Within a couple of minutes, everyone drifted to the bottom of the territory of slumber. But for an unknown reason, the coco-haired girl couldn't close her eyes. Holding her cottony doll closer to her chest, she kept thinking of the character of the story described by her father.

He was running. His fair feet were smiting the surface of mother earth recklessly. But he couldn't catch her. He was sweating and wheezing. His lungs were craving for oxygen. But he didn't stop. He couldn't stand and rest for a sole second. In front of him, she was also running. But she wasn't panting. She wasn't exhausted. The echoes of her laughter were like the aftershocks of ever-flowing cataracts, rolling down from the crests of high, higher and highest mountains of the world. With her every step on the ground, green grasses were growing. Little but colorful flowers were being upstretched and peeking at the sky. With her slight touch, a leafless tree started growing green leaves. Birds sat on it and began to tweet.

"Wait!" He yelled, "Stop!"

As she heard him, she stopped and turned back at his figurine. Seeing her standing, he also quitted running and stood motionlessly. Her chocolate-colored hair was touching her waist. In the tempo of ever-dancing squall, her auburn locks were also boogying. A pair of irreplaceable rubies were observing him very carefully, situated at the sockets of her eyes. The complexion of her skin reminded the slate-haired boy of the mixture of milk and honey. The rays of sunshine fell on her skin and the succession of protoderm cells shimmered like solitaires.

He couldn't utter a single word. He silently kept watching her without closing his eyes for once. Every single hair on his body got straightened. He felt warm despite standing on the veneer of his own motherland. In front of her sharp scrutiny, he couldn't stand anymore.

In the speed of light, he got up from his bed. In the winter, he discovered himself soaked in sweat. He also noticed that he was breathing heavily. The whole room was dark. It was night. Only four oil lamps were barely lighting the room, placed at all the corners of the quadrangular compartment. By both his sides, his cousins were sleeping. The redhead was quiet, the falcon was tossing his hands and legs, the whale was eating something in his dreams and the carrot-nosed kid was blubbing, saying, "Mamma! Take me to you! I want to live with you!"

Heaving a sigh, he left the room, silently opening the door. Approaching his ligneous cabinet in another chamber, he pulled out the canvas board, a fresh and clean canvas, brushes, the box of powder colors, the empty palette and a bottle of oil.

Setting the paper on the board, he kept some colors in the empty cellars of the palette and added oil. Dipping a brush into a cell, he placed it on the canvas. Thus he started composing his own realm with brown, red, green, blue, violet, white and all.

'Sir Alexandrov advised me to write about the dreams and nightmares in my diary,' He pondered, 'But how'll I describe this girl? If I write about her, my pen mayn't work. That's why, I've to use these brushes and colors.

After all, art is the solution to everything…..'

So, how's it? ;)

Do read and review. Pardon all the grammatical and spelling errors. :P

-Misty :*