Ki, the King of Uta

“Ki?” Saa looked at his son, as if he was seeing him for the first time and Ki looked back at him, his eyes sharp and hard.

“Make me king,” Ki repeated.

Saa wondered what happened to his son, it seemed he was toddler not long ago. Deep down he knew that it wasn’t that time moved too quickly for him, but the fact he no longer acknowledged it. Everyone was beaming with praise about his son quick wit and powerful abilities, but Saa didn’t know who bothered to teach him these things, because he rarely left his suite anymore.

“You’re too young.” Ki had grown a lot, but he was still a boy.

Ki slammed his fist on the desk, cracking the marble, “By the time the snow starts to melt, there will be blood on our lands. Uta can no longer go without,” he leaned close to his father, his breath hot on Saa’s neck, “a ruler who’s fit to rule.”

Saa tried to swallow his shudder, but it slipped anyway, “What are you going to do? That’s not even enough time to train an army.”

Ki sat on the edge of the desk, “Those nations owe me,” he looked over at his father, “They owe you too, but they took my mother without just cause. They will punished the equivalent.”

Saa wondered what the equivalent would be. He pulled out a parchment and started to write his final act as king. He owed Ki too, and losing his title was poor substitute for betraying a goddess, his first and only love, his son mother to keep a thin veil of peace. Perhaps he owed his son more than anyone and he wouldn’t be surprised if Ki returned to even out his own punishment.