TWENTY YEARS AGO

It was a chilly evening in the grand hall of the royal palace of Mandeland when the order was made for all the elders to assemble before the king Balathu. An important announcement was to be made concerning a very serious matter that had been reported recently.

As a village that cherished peace and harmony almost to a fault, this sort of news was very disturbing, and needed to be attended to with utmost priority.

The elders and other subjects had accordingly gathered in the vast throne room, waiting for the king to emerge. As they murmured among themselves about the issue at hand, a voice cried out.

“His Majesty the King is here!”

Everyone rose to their feet, bowing as the elderly King Balathu made his way to the throne. A man in his sixties, his age was evident in his greying hair and developing wrinkles on his face. Highly esteemed by his elders and villagers, he was a man of wisdom and grace, but was also a stickler for justice and righteousness, showing no tolerance for evil in his village.

As he took his seat, the elders and subjects did likewise, waiting on him to speak.

“My loyal subjects,” he began, his voice carrying an air of authority, “I stand before you tonight with a heavy heart and a solemn duty. It has come to my attention that a grave offence has been committed within our village, an act so vile that it threatens the very fabric of our society.”

Whispers and hushed conversations rippled through the assembly as the elders exchanged worried glances, knowing what he was talking about.

“Zeder, a young native of our village, has committed a despicable act,” the king announced, his voice carrying through the courtyard like a clarion call. “It is on record, with witnesses and evidence made available, that three days ago, while purporting to buy bread at our beloved Mandeland bakery, this young man pounced upon Alida, the baker’s daughter. And violated her.”

Gasps echoed across the room, creating a buzz of displeasure and disgust.

“My goodness!”

“This is despicable!”

“This cannot go unpunished!”

The king raised a hand, and silence prevailed.

King Balathu continued, “It is my duty as your king to ensure justice prevails in our land. Zeder will be arrested immediately and brought before a tribunal to answer for his actions. We will not let the actions of one tarnish the harmony of our beloved Mandeland. Not as long as I am ruler of this beautiful village.”

The elders and subjects present all nodded their heads and hummed in agreement. Indeed, this was a disgraceful act that did not need to be overlooked. The boy had committed a heinous offence, and he needed to be held accountable.

***

“Open this door, woman! I order you in the name of His Majesty to open this door!”

“Never! You’re not taking my son anywhere. He’s done nothing wrong!”

Fifteen year old Dreck sat at the dining table, watching on as his mother, Ari, in her usually shrill voice, scream at the guards outside the door. This was the second day of them making their way to their humble abode, demanding his older brother be released.

It had come as a pretty unexpected event to him. That week had been a usual one, with Zeder running errands, their father Durand out on the farm, and their mother being a housewife. Nothing of note had been noticed by him.

All of a sudden, these guards showed up at their home, ordering that his parents give Zeder up, as his presence was required at the King’s tribunal to answer to a certain offence. Both Durand and Ari were vehemently opposed to the order and blatantly refused to give him up, with Ari screaming out her older son’s innocence as loudly as she could.

He had not been informed what his brother’s supposed offence was, but it appeared their parents were not moved in the least, and were determined to keep him from being apprehended.

Maybe he could find out from Zeder directly.

He got up from the table and made his way to Zeder’s room. There his brother lay face up on his bed, a relaxed look on his face as he whistled while looking at the ceiling.

He looked up as Dreck entered. “Hey Dreck!” he cheerily greeted. “Is all well?”

Dreck nodded, grinning at his brother’s cheerful disposition. “Yes, yes. Just those guards making noise at the door yet again.”

Zeder waved his hand dismissively before passing it over his slick comb-over hairstyle. “Oh, forget about them. Much ado about nothing. They’ll grow weary and stop.”

Dreck nodded again. “Yeah, I hope so. They’ve been pretty annoying, to be honest.” As he walked over to sit on the bed, and looked intently at his brother. “But… why do they keep coming here? Was there something that you did?”

Zeder sat up and stared at him, an unsettling glint in his eyes. “Oh, so you don’t know, eh?”

Dreck looked a bit startled. “Uh… no,” he responded.

That creepy grin on his face, Zeder nodded. Then he proceeded to tell Dreck the reason he was so wanted. His actions with the baker’s daughter.

Dreck was wide-eyed and gaping by the time he was done. Zeder’s account of the events was pretty… explicit and rough. “Wowwww! That’s… that’s… I don’t know what to say.”

Zeder sniggered. “Oh, it was so good. She asked for it, no doubt about that.”

“I see. Papa and Mama know about it?”

Zeder nodded. “And they’re not going haywire about it like everyone else is. They know the truth. Boys will do what boys do. That’s it. Nothing to be griping and whining about.”

Dreck shrugged and nodded. “Well… if they’re okay with it, then… what else do I say? I can see you had fun. I guess that’s what matters.”

“Of course, brother. Let me tell you something. I may not be old at all, but there’s one philosophy that I really cling to. Do whatever makes you happy, and let nobody try to convince you otherwise. At the end of the day, it’s your happiness that matters. Nobody else’s.”

Dreck nodded. That sounded pretty smart a philosophy to live by.

And this was why he admired his brother so much.

***

Dawn was just about giving way to the morning sun’s ascent in the lovely village of Mandeland.

In the house of Durand, the man of the house and his wife were about stirring and rising up, the prospect of facing another day becoming clearer as they rubbed their eyes.

“Mmph, another day is here,” Durand muttered groggily. “Time to go and tend to the farms.”

“Mm-hmm,” Ari agreed, still stretching. “Daybreak-“

A rough rap resounded at the front door, knocking the grogginess out of their system. They looked at each other, then hurriedly threw on some clothes and rushed to the living room. They knew who it was.

A loud voice called out. “Durand! Ari! we know that your son, Zeder, is inside. We implore you to cooperate and surrender him peacefully. This is the last time we’re asking nicely.”

Staring scornfully at the door, Durand and Ari folded their arms defiantly, just as Zeder and Dreck walked into the living room, both surprised that they had come this early. The guards usually came around the late morning or early afternoon.

“Go to hell!” Durand yelled. “We’re not letting you in!”

“Leave our son alone! He’s done nothing wrong!” Ari screeched, her voice as shrill and biting as ever.

“If you don’t open this door, I will have no other choice but to apply force.”

“Do your worst!” Durand spat.

Zeder snickered from behind. “Yeah, they can do their worst,” he muttered to Dreck, who looked as amused by Durand’s dare. “They wouldn’t dare to break anythi-“

A second and a great shove later, and the door was on the floor, flattened by the guards, who swarmed in with a vengeance.

Taken aback, the men in the house tried to gather themselves and fight the guards, but they were no match for these well-armed forces. They were easily overpowered and, along with a squealing Ari, were hauled off to the palace.

***

“Do you understand what it means to stand in the way of justice? Do you know how serious an offence it is to refuse to cooperate with us in ensuring crime does not become a regularity here? I am extremely displeased with you, Durand and Ari! Extremely displeased!”

King Balathu was seated on his throne, robed in his full regalia as court was in full session, with his elders, advisors and subjects all present.

Before him stood the family. Their faces were a mixture of fear and defiance. Scared of what may come, but unwilling to bend before the authorities.

With a fearless look, Durand declared, “Your Majesty, Zeder has done no wrong. He has done nothing wrong.”

“Our son is innocent! He has nothing to answer to! He is innocent!” Ari stated.

Amidst the disapproving rebukes from the elders, King Balathu demanded, “If Zeder is indeed innocent, then let him face a fair trial, and the truth shall be revealed. I am bound by duty to ensure justice prevails in Mandeland. The evidence presented against your son is substantial and glaring, and I have heard the pleas of the injured party. Her pain and suffering cannot be ignored. Your son must speak.”

“NO! We will not let him face any trial!” Ari spat, shielding her son. “He has nothing to answer to. He’s done no wrong! Let him be!”

“Forget it! He’s not facing any trial!” Durand added.

The reaction was swift and angry. Dreck looked around the throne room, watching on as the elders and advisors registered their displeasure at their behaviour. They did not find their stubbornness amusing at all, especially when it amounted to disrespect of the king.

King Balathu, simply watching them with a stern face, slowly rose to his feet, his regal robe flowing gracefully.

He glared at them and spoke. “As you have chosen to stand in the way of justice and prevent the laws of the village from working, you leave me with no other choice.”

The room went silent.

His voice echoed loud and clear. “I hereby decree that Durand, Ari, and their two sons, Zeder and Dreck, shall be banished from Mandeland for life,  as punishment for your blatant refusal to cooperate with the justice system.”

As Durand and Ari gasped in disbelief, Dreck’s mouth dropped. “What??” he whispered.

While King Balathu resumed his seat, he continued. “This decision is not taken lightly, but it is necessary for the preservation of our values. Seeing how you will not submit yourself to the laws of this land and will rather spit in the face of authority, you are no longer welcome here.”

The weight of this decision dropping on her like an anvil, Ari flipped.

“NOOOOO!! THIS IS NOT FAIR! THIS IS NOT FAIR! HE’S INNOCENT!”

“Silence her! And get them out of this village this very moment!”

Moving swiftly, the guards moved to immediately silence a hysterical Ari with anaesthesia over her nose, knocking her out, while the unhappy protesting men were immediately cuffed with large chains.

Dreck looked worriedly at Zeder, who looked absolutely shocked. He had assumed nothing serious would happen, thus his easygoing position and refusal to speak, leaving it all in the hands of his parents.

If only he had known how ruthless Balathu would be in dealing with him and his family…

***

“Look at ’em, a family of criminals.”

“I hear Zeder’s got the devil in him. That’s why he did what he did.”

“Maybe they’ll find a nice den of wolves to take ’em in. No less than they deserve.”

“Good riddance to bad rubbish.”

Standing before the forest’s edge, Dreck clenched his fists, struggling to contain his anger as those hard-hitting words reverberated around his brain.

They hadn’t even been given the chance to pack anything; the king was so angry with them that he wanted them out immediately. The guards had practically shoved them out roughly, casting all sorts of insults upon them. They obviously had heard of everything that happened, from Zeder’s actions to the pushback in the palace, and they were very much disgusted.

Ari was struggling to walk on her own, the effects of that anaesthesia cloth still quite strong on her, so Zeder was helping her as they went along. Durand led the way as they walked through the forest, not knowing where or what to do. He never would have guessed that Mandeland would exile him and his family like this.

As they took hesitant steps, wandering into the unknown, there was no denying the fact that they were loners now.

Exiles. Outcasts.

***

The forest might have been alive that evening with the sounds of nature, but an air of desperation hung heavy in the air as the family gathered worriedly around their dear older son.

Zeder was laid out on the forest floor, his face pale, and his breathing shallow. His left leg was swollen and discolored from a venomous snake bite.

Durand and Ari had searched around for herbs that they knew were effective enough to cure a snake bite, yet for some reason, none of them worked. Durand’s attempt to prevent the venom from spreading throughout his body also weirdly failed.

And now, as he lay there, gasping for breath and looking horribly weak, it looked like his life was slipping away. Barely twelve hours into his exile, and he was already downed by the cruel ways of nature.

Dreck knelt by his side, tears streaming down his face as he held his hand. “Zeder, stay with me, please! We can’t lose you like this! Please!”

Zeder weakly smiled, his voice barely a whisper. “It’s too late, Dreck. The venom…it’s taking me.”

Ari, as you’d expect, was in hysterical mode. “I can’t let you go like this. I won’t! Noooo!”

Zeder shook his head. “I’m sorry, Mama. I… I can’t hold on…”

Durand shook his head, his eyes pleading with his son to fight. “Please, Zeder, please! Don’t go out on us! Please…”

Zeder managed another weak smile, his breathing becoming more labored.

Tears still running down his face, Dreck buried his face in his brother’s shoulder. “I swear on my life, Zeder, I will make Mandeland pay for what they’ve done to you. I’ll make them answer for this,” he whispered to him. “Even if it takes me twenty years of my life, I’ll do it. I promise you, Zeder.”

He felt Zeder’s hand weakly pat him on the back. Then he heard him whisper.

“Make me proud, brother.”

With those final words, Zeder’s eyes slowly closed, and his hand went limp on Dreck’s back, slowly dropping down.

And he breathed his last.

Dreck bowed his head, tears streaming down his face as he gently closed Zeder’s lifeless eyes, while Durand and Ari, overcome with grief, held each other as they loudly mourned their son.

***

PRESENT DAY

Dreck nodded to himself as those memories ran through his brain. He looked out of the window and saw the lions and tigers busily chewing on human bones.

He smiled evilly to himself. “I hope I’m making you proud, brother. I hope I’m making you proud.”

So it’s all about revenge for Dreck. Hmmm. That brother of his, though, looks like he was even more despicable than him…