New chapter up, which is short, sorry.

Disclaimer: I do not own Oban. OSR is (c) Savin Yeatman-Eiffel and SAV!The World Productions.

Ch. 5 "Grounded"

"Prince Aikka, my son," said the imposing (at least to a Nourasian child of about nine summers) figure of King Lao, "you have disobeyed not only your parents and your teacher but the whole of Nourasia, running off into the rainforest like that. Do you know what would become of your people if you got lost or were killed?"

"But father…" Aikka tried to speak up, but his father was too busy administrating his punishment. He looked to his mother for some comfort, but all that Queen Nori gave him was an icy stare.

They were in the main hall, not exactly the throne room, of the palace, were lengths of toughened canvas and a few spiral shaped metal ornaments were played with in the wind, making soft music. Gold and white surrounded them as well as jade pillars and the wood of the great trunk of the life tree. Although the birds outside were singing and the sound of the wind chimes was soothing, the five who were seated there were not at all happy. King Lao and Queen Nori were starring at Prince Aikka with some level of sadness and anger, while Fencing Master Canaan and the nursemaid, Nasha were standing behind, Canaan looking a tad disappointed under the mask of anger on his face, while Nasha was readying herself to take the young Prince upstairs. G'Dar although, not at the least forgotten was sitting at Aikka's heels, listening to the entire conversation with rapt attention.

"None of that," King Lao said, with a swift motion of his hand, as though to cut the very words that were about to form in Aikka's throat from coming true. "You will be sentenced to your room for the remainder of the day." King Lao closed his eyes and bowed his head a little. "I am… so disappointed in you, my son."

With that he turned around, leaving Aikka fumbling for words.

"But father, I…"

King Lao turned and set a very discerning eye on the young Prince who suddenly had the words he was going to say stick in his mouth, like honey, never to be spoken out loud.

"There are no excuses for this, my son," said King Lao, "in time you will understand your responsibility to this kingdom as its heir and the leader of your people."

Aikka then bent down to pick up the small caterpillar-like creature but at that point, King Lao stopped him.

"As for the larva," he said, "Canaan will take it to the stables. Do not fret much; you have also disobeyed me and your people by bringing in a wild creature. Is there not enough kabuto here that you can ride as a squire of the kingdom without being placed in so much trouble?"

"But father! He's an –"

"That is not an excuse, young Prince. You know there are plenty of beetles for you to ride and you have yet to even impress one. But to bring in a wild one, a larva is upsetting. Not only have you deprived a mother of its young but you have also endangered the life of this creature by taking it away from its mother so early!"

"But he's just an orphan!"

There was some kind of hushed silence as Aikka, nearly in tears bent down and picked up G'Dar who squirmed in his hands like a distressed cat. The little creature made a clicking noise and nuzzled against Aikka's face for a moment.

"He – he would've died." Aikka pushed his face into the somewhat silky fur of the caterpillar-like larva.

King Lao, never having the chance of being a Nourasian Knight when he was young, softened a little at the display of affection his son was giving the creature. However, it still did not rule out Aikka's punishment. He had directly disobeyed and wandered off. Him! The only heir to the throne of Nourasia had walked off into the rainforest without any supervision! There were plenty of dangers in that place and he could've been killed – or, as King Lao had remembered from the past, from those terrible years ago when the Crogs had first landed on Nourasia – far worst.

"You are still going to your room," said King Lao, as he extended a finger in the direction of Aikka's room. "And you will understand your responsibilities to your kingdom, young Prince!"

Without another word, King Lao turned away from Aikka. Aikka's face lit up with a sense of loss and tried to go after his father and mother walking away from him, but his arm was grabbed by Nasha.

"Now, now Prince Aikka," she said, "you must obey your parents and go to your room. A good prince never does selfish things without thinking of the responsibility of his people."

Aikka tried to wrench himself out of his nursemaid's grasp with G'Dar in one arm. The larva was taken by Canaan who had surprised him a little.

"Aikka!" cried G'Dar, "I don't want to go! Don't leave me!"

"I'm sorry," cried Aikka as he was taken away from the larva, which was being carried away by Canaan.

He couldn't help him, and the larva couldn't help Aikka in turn. They merely watched each other go to their predestined punishments. For Aikka it was his chambers, although bathed in the light of Nourasia's bright sun, it would feel cold for him now. G'Dar would at least have some company, be it with other larva, but maybe he wouldn't fit in, maybe they would be mean…

It wasn't as if he would change anything himself or for G'Dar. For the moment, at least.

To be continued...