Chapter 43: The Mask of Normalcy
The morning sun filtered softly through the tall crystal windows of the palace, casting golden rays across the tiled floor. Prince Kimo stood at the edge of the training field, his arms crossed, expression unreadable as he watched the palace guards spar.
Behind him, Oki's soft footsteps approached.
"My prince," she said gently, "you need to start being around them more. The guards, the nobles… even the maids. Let them see you as one of them, not someone to fear."
He didn't turn. "You want me to pretend I'm normal."
"I want you to live," she said, stepping beside him. "To breathe, to laugh… to know what it means to be human. Not just a prince, not just a legacy. If people see you only as different, one day someone will call you a demon—and others will believe them."
Kimo's jaw tightened. "But I am different."
Oki reached for his hand. "Different doesn't mean dangerous."
For a moment, silence stretched between them.
Then Kimo spoke, his voice low. "Oki… why was my mother taken from me? I remember her warmth, her smile, how she used to braid my hair and sing lullabies. I remember everything—except the day she vanished."
Oki nodded slowly. "Your mother was not taken for wealth or fame, Kimo. No ransom was ever demanded. She was taken… because her honesty threatened to expose something far greater."
"What?" he asked, his eyes burning with determination. "What did she know?"
"She knew the truth about the darkness creeping into this kingdom," Oki replied. "The shadows that have corrupted the court… and your bloodline."
Kimo turned fully toward her now. "You mean… someone inside the palace?"
Oki hesitated, her green eyes darkening. "Yes. Someone powerful. Someone who didn't want Elira's voice to rise again and stop their plan. She wasn't just a queen—she was a guardian. She would have fought them. And they knew that."
His breath caught in his throat. "Then I have to finish what she started."
Oki took a step closer. "You will. But for now, blend in. Win their trust. Because truth isn't just revealed, Kimo—it's earned."
The prince glanced back at the guards, who were laughing after a training match. One of them spotted him and bowed nervously. Kimo gave a short nod.
"I'll try," he said finally. "But only because you asked me to."
Oki smiled faintly. "That's good enough for now."
As they walked away together, the sun bathed them in light, unaware of the darkness waiting in the corners of the palace—whispers in the shadows, waiting to rise again.
To be continued....