The Brothers and The Crown

In a place closer than you think live 3 brothers named Karada, Hāto, and Maindo. Their father, Tamashī, died due to an illness called “Purification”. The brothers attempted to rule the kingdom left to them by their parents to the best of their ability and so far it look like they’re doing well. During the autumn of the 2nd year of their rule, the kingdom was having a festival to celebrate their reign. Because of this, other kingdoms came to give the brothers gifts.

The brothers put their royal garb on and went toward the throne room to wait for the gifts. To accommodate the trio, there were now 3 thrones for each of them. Maindo in the middle, Hāto on the left and Karada on the right. Soon the gifts came in one after the other.

Maindo handled all the transactions between the envoys while Hāto swayed back and forth looking on with childish innocence. Karada looked outside the window waiting for this to be over. After what might have been hours of exchanges the last gift was arriving.

As the last envoy came up the stairs, Hāto perked up and said,

“Hey guys!” While pointing at the last envoy.

Maindo was more attentive as he looked toward the envoy, the same with Karada. The envoy approached the throne and bowed.

“Greetings my Kings, I have come with my gift.”

Maindo looked at the envoy and asked “What’s your name?”

“I am Ai Kanjō, my lords.”

Maindo: “What is your gift, Ai?”

Ai took a crown out of her sleeve and presented it to Maindo. The 3 looked at the crown with some intrigue.

Maindo: “Thank you for the gift, you may go.”

Ai: “Yes my lords, I hope to see you 3 again very soon.”

She lifted her head and smiled which caused all of the brothers to be taken aback. She had long dark purple hair that stretched to the waist along with deep blue eyes which complimented her blue themed dress. Ai got up and left while the 3 brothers were dumbstruck by her beauty.

The 3 went back to their chambers and returned to their normal clothes. Hāto had orange hair and golden eyes with red-themed clothes completed with a golden locket with his parent’s pictures in them. Maindo has blond hair and blue eyes with tight light blue clothes with sky blue strips. Finally, Karada has orange hair, gold eyes with light brown and grey-themed cloths.

Hāto: “Hey, Karada! Did you see that girl?”

Karada: “Yeah, Hāto. We all did."

Hāto:” And, did you feel what I felt?”

Karada:” I don’t know, I’m not as emotional as you.”

Hāto: “You could loosen up a bit, I bet you’re the reason we don’t get many visitors.”

Karada shrugs as Maindo came out of the changing room.

Maindo: “So Hāto, how were the gifts?”

Hāto: “Most were boring, like money and cattle. We have enough of that.”

Maindo: “Well those are part of customs.”

Hāto: “Whatever. I’m more interested in the crown the pretty lady gave us.”

Maindo:” Oh yes, I think that’s a fine gift.”

Karada: “There is a problem however, there is only one crown.”

Hāto: “So? We can just share it. I get it on Monday, Karada on Wednesday, and Maindo on Tuesday.”

Maindo: “I don’t really want it. I don’t need a crown to know that I’m a king.”

Karada: “Really, guess I’ll wear it.”

Karada puts on the crown while Hāto went outside to play with the kids. Karada felt a strange sensation when he equipped the crown. Maindo noticed and asked him about it.

Karada: “I just felt light for a second, nothing to worry about.”

Maindo nodded his head and left Karada. After Maindo left to take care of finances, Karada took the crown off and left it in the bedroom. No time to waste on it, Karada needed to practice his sword skills.

After the three completed their individual duties, they returned to their room and slept.

The next morning Karada woke up in a cold sweat, looking around he saw that his brothers were gone. He shook his head and went to the bathroom and splashed water on his face.

Karada: “What was that?”

Karada breathed heavily as he cleaned himself up for the day. Before he could leave the bedroom, he saw the crown. He placed it in his pocket and went to find Hāto.

Karada went to find the kids that Hāto usually hangs out with but when he got there the kids were alone. He left the children and went to find Maindo which might be easier. As he was heading towards the vaults he was tapped on the shoulder.

Karada: “!?”

Hāto: “Hey Karada!”

Karada: “Hey Hāto, where were you?”

Hāto: “Um, around.”

Karada: “Uh Hāto, is something wrong?”

Hāto: “What do you mean, nothing is wrong.”

Karada knew something was different. Hāto’s face was flushed and red. He was fidgeting in place, faking his usual bright smile.

Hāto: “Hey Karada, do you still have that crown?”

Karada: “?”

Karada: “Uh, yeah Hāto.”

He took the crown out of his pocket and as he did Hāto’s eyes lit up but he tried his past to cover up his delight.

Karada: “Do you want it?”

Hāto: “Oh, No! I was just checking that you still had it.”

Hāto was now panting heavily and his eyes were darting across the room erratically.

Hāto: “Thanks Karada, I need to go now.”

Before he could blink Hāto was gone. Karada was taken aback by Hāto’s unusual behavior but his eyes began to drift to the crown. Once again, he felt a strange feeling wash over him but this time the feeling concentrated on only one place. Karada shook his head and put the crown back into his pocket and ran to Maindo.

It didn't take long for him to find Maindo in the vault.

Karada: “Maindo!”

Maindo: “!?”

Maindo: “Oh, Karada, You sacred me.”

Karada: “?”

Karada: “Scare you? You’re never scared.”

Maindo: “Really? I'm sure I've been scared before. You must be mistaken.”

Maindo too was acting strange. He seemed more out of it than usual and his usual pretty hair was a mess.

Maindo: “Do you still have that crown?”

Karada was puzzled by the question. Just the other day these 2 did not care for the crown but now they’re interested. Karada took out the crown again and showed it to Maindo and he almost immediately turned around.

Maindo: “I see, thank you for showing me. Can you leave me be for a while?”

Karada: “Um, sure.”

He left Maindo still holding the crown. Unable to stop the feeling plaguing him he left the crown in the bedroom and went to clear his head.

Karada spent most of the day walking around the kingdom. As he did, he noticed that the citizens are unusually hyperactive. Despite the happy atmosphere, he could not shake off the feeling of foreboding.

Karada walked the day away up until the moon shined brightly in the sky. He reluctantly dragged himself to bed.

There waiting for him were his brothers already sleeping. But something was wrong. He noticed that they were shaking violently. Karada ignored the prickling on his neck. They must just be cold he thought.

He quickly got more blankets for them and then laid down to sleep as well.

Karada awoke to the same sight, a girl standing in front of him outreaching her hand daring him to take her. He could not see her face, all he could see was her purple hair and daring wedding dress.

The area was bright with yellow flowers showering down from the heavens. Karada took her hand and followed her to their special place once again.

Karada woke up again with an increased heartbeat and that weird feeling again. He rushed up and went to the bathroom to clean himself, to get rid of this feeling and what it brought with it. After he got out he found Maindo waiting with a concerned face.

Karada: “What’s the problem?”

Maindo: “Look at this.”

Maindo gave Karada a note written by Hāto.

Hāto: “Sorry but I can’t take it anymore, I had to go see Ai. I think I’m in love with her and you guys know how emotional I can get so I had to do it. I’m sorry if this causes trouble but Hāto wants what Hāto wants. See you guys at the wedding! Take care of the kingdom for me.”

Karada felt a bit of a sting when he saw the word “Wedding”.

Maindo: “This will not end well.”

Karada: “Why not?”

Maindo: “It never does. Hāto always needs me to lead him or he would make an impulsive decision.”

Karada: “Like this?”

Maindo: “Exactly!”

Maindo: “It’s even worse since it’s a girl. Having a girlfriend, let along a wife, is pointless. They will cause too much trouble involved, trouble which will cripple my kingdom.”

Maindo: “Why...even try...”

Even as he said that Maindo kept looking down, practically mumbling the words. Then out of nowhere. tears began to well up in Maindo’s eyes.

Karada: “Are you, crying?”

Maindo realizing that his cheeks were wet wiped his tears off his face.

Maindo: “Sorry, I don’t know what came over me. There is no time for this, we have a lot of work to do.”

Karada: “Why, what do you mean?”

Maindo points towards the window and when Karada went to see he found the entire kingdom in a frenzy. People were dancing in the streets, playing like mad, and buying a multitude of things.

Karada: “What’s happening?”

Maindo: “I don’t know yet and we don’t have time to look for answers.”

Karada: “Right, we have to manage this.”

Karada and Maindo went to sort out the economic shift and resupplies. This went on for days leaving the 2 at their limit. All the while Karada was plagued by the same dreams and sensations.

Long since abandoning the idea of avoiding these dreams, Karada opened his eyes expecting the same scene to play out. But this time, the once bright scenery was painted grey with black snow drifting across the sky.

Instead of Karada being taken to that special place, it was another. Someone he did not know, hopped he didn't know.

Everything that happened to him during these dreams was now happening to someone else and he had to watch it all. Karada felt sick but couldn't physically pull away from the fire. He could not describe this explosion of raw emotion. The only word that came to mind was…pain.

He jolted back to reality and immediately threw up. After releasing himself, he looked around in shock. The world was now as dark as the dream world.

Swallowing any sick idea of what could be happening, Karada rushed to throw himself into work.

He cleaned himself and washed the sheets. While doing his duty, he heard crying from outside the room. He crept toward the sound all the while noticing the people outside are now in a depressed state. Some even fell dead under the unforgiving gray sky.

Karada: "Close your heart to it."

Karada had to move on and find the source of this crying before anything else.

When he opened the door, he found Maindo comforting Hāto who was breaking down in tears on the floor.

Karada: “What happened?”

Maindo: “He’s broken.”

Karada: “!?”

Hāto: “I loved her so much, we even got along together well in the beginning but, but…

Hāto: “I ruined it, I hurt her. I tried to make it right but I kept messing up!”

Hāto: “I can’t help be attached, I can’t help but feel an overwhelming sense of pain.”

Hāto: “She was the one, the one in my dreams. The one I could marry.”

Karada and Maindo looked shocked at this.

Karada: “Dreams?”

Hāto: “I had these dreams ever since we got that crown. The dreams were about us getting together, ha-having a family.”

Maindo: “I had dreams too.”

Karada/Hāto: “!”

Maindo: “I dreamed of having a fun challenging debate with her. I felt, at peace.”

Karada: “So everyone had dreams?”

Maindo: “It seems so, what of yours?”

Karada: “I rather not speak of it?”

Maindo: “Understood.”

Hāto: “I wish she never came here with that crown, I wish I never fell in love. Even though it's the one thing I always wanted.”

Hāto: “Despite it all, I wanted it to work out. But I know it will just cause more problems. I’m sorry Maindo, I should've listened to you.”

Hāto got up, wiped his tears, and began to walk away.

Maindo: “Where…”

Hāto: “Don’t worry you don’t have to worry anymore.”

Hāto began to run toward the roof, Maindo knew instantly what he planned and ran after him along with Karada.

They arrived to see Hāto about jump.

Karada: “Wait Hāto, don’t do this!”

Maindo: "You don't have to go this far over some woman!"

Hāto: “You know, I did miss things up but when I did she almost seemed….happy. Like it was a game and she was waiting for me to fail.”

Karad: “….”

Hāto: “Her personality changed from warm and understanding to overly cruel and dismissive. I thought I deserved it so I….let her do what she wanted.”

Hāto took his shirt off to reveal whip marks on his back.

Karada and Maindo: “!!”

Hāto: “She even destroyed my family necklace, forcing me to watch. I’m...pathetic.”

Karad: “Hāto please….”

Hāto: “You know what her last words were to me….”

Hāto: “It was-”

Before he could finish a fierce wind pushed Hāto over the edge. Any chance to save him was stolen by "fate's" cruel hands.

*Thump*

Karada: "Hātoooooooo!”

Hāto is dead, taken before his time. Stolen before he could move on and learn from his lesson. Maindo fell to his knees in disbelief.

Maindo: “I-I knew this would happen. I told him nothing but trouble would come from…”

Maindo could not hold back the tears anymore and began to softly cry. Karada joined him but refused to buckle under the weight of the world.

Maindo: “I knew something was wrong when he was fidgeting around the day after we got that crown. So I asked him about and he came clean.”

Karada: “What the hell is with that crown!?”

Maindo: “I don’t know but it gave us a euphoric feeling of peace concerning love and companionship. That may be why we were so interested in it that day. We did not want it to stop. We didn't want to admit that as kings, we are denied that life.”

Maindo got up and began to walk back inside.

Karada: “Where are you going?!”

Maindo: “I have nothing but this kingdom left, so I might as well try to keep it alive.”

He then left without another word with eyes as dead as the sky. Karada followed him inside because he too had only the kingdom left.

After the funeral, the 2 brothers tried to lead the kingdom but it was hopeless. After Hāto’s death, it would rain almost every day and when it didn’t it was grey and dead.

Without Hāto, Maindo soon succumbed to the Purification illness like their father leaving only Karada now broken inside without his brothers. Soon people stopped coming to the kingdom and the people that stayed died either of age or sickness leaving the kingdom in ruins.

Karada still sits on the throne waiting for the end with the crown still by his side, whispering.

This was once a great kingdom infected and broken by a sickness, a kingdom once called….

No one knows. Even the name has been forgotten.