local settlement date 35,988
As long as the lie is impossible to believe, many will give their lives for it.
King Namor Zujahrah
05 namor is made king
Namor sat in front of his mirror. Not because he was partial to looking at himself. Self seemed an odd thing to him. How the image in the mirror represented him, he was not certain. He was trying to picture what it was he was. He longed for a little more clarity. Some sort of relevant reference. Something that went beyond the thin fog in his head.
It concerned him, how he looked. His look was not quite the look of the royal family. Oddly enough, Namor was the only person that seemed to notice. No one saw what he thought appeared obvious. Other family members seemed to dwell beyond Namor's world.
"Namor. Are you ready. Are you done looking in the mirror."
"Lexus, my dear sister. What do you see in my face."
"Your gentle disposition and your pretty eyes."
"Are they royal family eyes."
"What other kind of eyes would you have. Come. Let me take your royal eyes to your far too long awaited Becoming a King Party.
"Must I go to this party to be a king."
"Yes. It is our tradition. As a royal family member, you are free not to go, as you have chosen the last nine or ten times. But today your little sister insists on taking you."
"It's meaningless, Lexus."
"To be a king is a great honour. And a fun party."
"Most parties are so tedious that I fail to find the fun."
Lexus took Namor by the arm.
"Not this one. Come. We'll have a good feast. You will see many brothers, our dear mother and a few who claim to be your father."
"Okay, dear Lexus, take me to meet my future as a king in a sleeping kingdom."
"You'll be the king to wake them up. You're the king the royal family has been waiting for."
"I don't believe they want to wake up. They have fallen into a dream state they hold for real. We live in a different world than the Draves who live beside us and serve us in silence."
"That is how we have always lived."
"That's what we do now but I can see the Draves. They know the royal family lives in a dream state."
"It's a nice dream though, don't you think."
"It seems like a nice dream for us. But the nature of a dream is that one wake from the dream."
"If you think it is necessary to wake from the dream, perhaps you must show us the way."
Namor smiled and kissed Lexus.
"That is my curse, my dear sister. I see that the dream is a dream and can't figure out what it means to be awake. I have read many books looking for some answers and they all seem to support the misconception that our dream is what being awake is."
"Perhaps it is a waste of time to read so many books, my dear brother. Perhaps there is nothing but the dream. Dream until you fall into the big sleep."
"To dream that one is alive and dreaming that one can touch and feel."
"Reading and thinking. Namor. You are a strange King. Perhaps you should stop reading and do more day dreaming."
"There are enough of us who spend all their time dreaming. I think someone has to attempt to see and know what it means to be awake."
"If you think it makes a difference, Namor, than you must do what it is you feel you must do. After your party."
"Yes, of course, after I become a king in a castle of kings and queens. You know what I learned."
"You like sex with little boys more than your sister."
"There might be an old library in the castle that nobody can get to."
"What's that good for."
"What."
"Well, what the bleeding beast is a library. And what's the good of it if you can't get to it."
There was a spot of sky open above them so they stopped to look into it.
"We know nothing about the sky. A library might tell us about the sky and what is in it. A library might just tell us our history. The books in it. And if it's buried, it might survive, the books in it, long enough to still be there when one of the royal family wakes up and says, what the burning beast is going on here. And why are we doing what we are doing and not something else. Why are we doing it here and not somewhere else."
"Are these necessary questions."
"I don't know. But they are obvious."
"You'll be a King today, Namor. If you think there are books to tell you what is in the sky and anything about our history than make finding your library your proclamation."
"I will, Lexus. That's what I'll proclaim."
"Good. Now brighten up. We are about to have great fun."
"Did I tell you that you are beautiful. And I love you."
"I don't know if you have today."
"I love you. Beautiful Lexus."
"Good. Now act like a king. For today you are King Namor."
Two of his brothers, his mother and two possible father uncles waited for them at the party hall entrance.
"King Namor. Today you are a king."
"King Seff. King Harad. An honour and a pleasure to have two royal family fathers."
They embraced enthusiastically and Namor was already happy that he had let his sister arrange and bring him to his party.
King Rosh handed King Namor the torch. He put his arm around Namor's shoulder and walked him to the metal beast.
Namor placed the torch under the beast. The oiled wood ignited fast and Namor was suddenly aware of what he was doing. The heat of the fire pushed him back so that he could no longer hear the breathing of the terrified Drave inside the metal beast.
Everyone became quiet in anticipation of the beast's cry. It seemed to take too long. The metal was visibly hot. Namor bent his head to the mouth of the beast to hear the voice that remained the quiet voice of a Drave.
Drave King.
It sounded like Drave King to Namor. Maybe because that was what was occupying his mind. He listened a little closer and people around him started laughing.
"Maybe someone forgot to fill it."
Namor knew there was a Drave in it. A Drave calling King Namor a Drave.
But there was a point where pain takes over the spirit of a burning body. No matter how defiant the Drave, eventually the screams filled the hall. Everyone cheered. Namor still had the bite of the beast in him and could not get a sound out.
"Tell them to begin. King."
Namor kissed Lexus then waved his arms to signal that the party had begun. At the cry of the beast.
He made a mental note to wonder at the origin of the metal beast. Such a beast in the flesh he had never seen. And he hoped never to have to see one.
"Let us drink a brew to our new king."
"It gives me honour."
"You're finally becoming a king, brother, after avoiding it for so long."
"Long have I awaited becoming a king, enjoying the years of anticipation. To drink to my perfectly delightful brothers. All kings before me."
"Tonight you must allow that we drink to you. King Namor."
"I propose we drink to one another the evening into morning."
"A splendid most royal king's proposal."
"Do we have a king here to approve the new proposal. Can we have it drafted up and signed and sealed."
"If Namor would stand and do us the honour of making a kingly proclamation, he could sign his royal name on the proclamation with us."
"I have thought of a proclamation suited for a family of kings and queens."
"Let's have it. We have a feast before us, my brother."
"I want to find a library."
"A what."
"A library. The old library."
"Tell, King Namor, what is a library. What does it do."
"Books. A true library is full of books."
"Yes. King Namor, the book reader. We have heard of books."
"Come with your brothers to a game and we will lend you all our resources and influence to find your old library."
"It won't be easy. It has been lost."
"Namor. King Namor. You are among Kings. We will find your library."
"I'd like to see a library."
"Books. I've seen books. I had a book once and even thought about reading it."
"King Rosh. Did you go to a game instead."
"You know I did. You saw me there."
They laughed. The many kings and queens.
"Come Namor. Let us write your first proclamation. Signed and sealed. One Lost Library. One game. Women."
"A woman's game. Why a woman's game."
"If you are only going to see one, it should be a woman's game. They tend to be the most spectacular."
"It may be a long journey to find the lost library."
"Is it not in the castle."
"It is most certainly in the castle."
"Then if it is in the castle, we'll find it. One games and we are your humble servants till all lost libraries are found."
"So be it. I must accept such a bold offer. Make it so."
The proclamation was drafted and signed by many kings and queens. It was a proclamation that stated that the lost library would be found and Namor would have the books to do with as he pleased. That he would join his brothers at a game was not written into the proclamation. That was a kings agreement.
With signed and sealed proclamation, Namor jumped up on the table.
"I have a proclamation."
"Make public your proclamation, King Namor."
"I proclaim that I, King Namor, with the help of my brothers and sisters, aunts and uncles and cousins."
That included everyone so they all raised a glass and stood to hear the words of the new King.
"We will find our Lost History in the Lost Library of Castle City."
No one moved for a moment. Namor noticed his mother smiling at him. An angel's smile.
"To our Lost History."
"To our Lost Library."
"To King Namor. A king of lost history and the lost library."
"Let the feast begin. Please eat and drink and make many proclamations."
Namor sat down and the Draves started bringing food to the tables.
"And to the bloody game. King Namor."
"Yes. I, King Namor, will go to a game in the company of kings. It is an honour to attend a grand event with honorable kings."
"I'll be there too."
"King Rosh. You are most honorable."
"No, I must proclaim I am a lazy king. I see it now that I see you. But I am yet not dead. I proclaim I will read a book. And I will give of my services and energy to find your library."
"I shall read two books. And will work like a Drave to help my brother Namor find his library."
Lexus kissed her brother.
"You are an inspiration, King Namor. My dear brother, you will be a king of kings."
Proclamations and proposals were screamed about, written, signed and sealed throughout the party. There was much eating and drinking by all. And unlike most parties, there was talk about books and the history of the royal family.
"I have never read a book, brother."
"You can read the writings on the walls."
"Yes. I am not illiterate."
"Than I am certain you can read a book."
"And I am certain you will be the writer of a book."
"That is the one book I read. The Lost Library by King Namor."
"Don't wait for me to write a book. I have yet to give the idea thought. Read all you can read. Slowly. It will help you awaken. Our future depends on it. That I am already certain of."
"Let us drink to your lost library of books and our yet to be discovered future."
With all the grand ideas came many proposals and proclamation. Sealed with brew and intoxicated euphoria. Every King and Queen at Namor's party had signed at least one proclamation.
Only one mattered to Namor. The Drave King.
Even with the sound of Drave King ringing in his head, he enjoyed his party. He would bare one of the games that to him seemed so beastly. It was no place for a Drave King. Officially, he had just become a King of the Royal Family. The highest rank.
Shared by as many as a million in the Castle. He slipped into the dream of the royal family at a feast and ignored the outside world that seemed to be held back by the music and laughter.
"What's the good of being a King."
"You can do as you please."
"It pleases me that, with the help of my sister, I wanted to be here tonight."
"King Namor. Are you tired of our company already."
"No, only tired of feasting. Please honour me and party just a short while after I'm gone. At least for another brew or two. It would be a shame to break up such a good party for the sake of tradition. I beg you, honour me, break with tradition and stay a while longer."
"I will drink one, perhaps two more, for King Namor. A king an inspiration of kings."
With that, Namor left his feast a little sooner than traditional. Many left with him. It was a tradition not easily broken.
Some would find another party. Some would find their beds.
Lexus caught up to Namor on his way out of the hall.
"Will you come to my bed tonight."
"Yes. Lexus. Please take me to the sanctuary of your bed. It would be most fitting now that I am a king."
Lexus took his arm and Namor turned his focus from the corridors and gardens to listen to the faint ringing of the voice of the beast. Drave King. It had been a real voice of a real Drave before that real Drave was burnt alive for the tradition of having a screaming beast at the start of a feast. It was, from a Drave perspective, a most beastly tradition. Part of the royal family's dream.
"Lexus. It shames me to know that a Drave was burnt for my feast. It shames me to be a royal family king."
"Well, stop it. Draves die every day and you are one of the few kings that should not spend you beautiful energy on shame. You are a King of Kings. An inspiration to the dreaming royal family. You will wake them, King Namor."
"Drave King."
Lexus pretended not to hear. She pointed skyward to the near moon.
"How old is a moon, my dear brother."
"Older than us, I am certain of that."
"How old are we."
"We, the royal family, we are old enough that we don't believe anymore in a time before us. We know little of the people who built the castle. We know nothing of the people who decided to build Castle City."
"Does it matter who built the castle as long as it is our castle."
"I don't know. Perhaps there is nothing that matters. It is hard to say from inside a castle. If there was only castle and the castle was forever. But there is much more than our castle. And I don't think it will last forever. I don't think it is what matters if something matters. And we don't know what it beyond the castle, other than the moons, the sun and the stars. We don't even know the land where the Draves live. Or where the tax collectors collect."
"We know that we are the royal family and that there are none who rule over us."
"The great royal family."
"Yes."
"I don't believe it."
"Believing it or not. The Castle is real and so are we. Even if we are in a dream."
"No. I think that as soon as I don't believe it, it is starting to fall."
"No Namor. In the beginning was the castle and the royal family will rule forever and ever."
"A child's dream story. Draves were the builders of our castle as they still are. We force them to do as we proclaim, believing we are royal because we are the royal family and Draves do what we tell them because they are Draves of the royal family."
"Because that is how it is."
"It is how we like to think it is. It is a dream that defies what is really what is. I don't know what really is but I can feel the castle falling. I can't see it. But I can feel it. There is a serious flaw that we have ignored and the castle will not last."
"I hope you are wrong."
"No. Hope that we find our way through it. Hope that there is a place for the royal family outside of the castle."
"Okay, my brother. I hope there is a place for the royal family outside of our dream castle. Let us enjoy its sanctuary for this evening."
Lexus led Namor straight to her bed, removed the bits of clothing they had, then wrapped her legs and arms around him. They both enjoyed each other's touch and smell. Sometimes they enjoyed each other's sex.
This was one of those nights. Namor's hunger was very satisfying for Lexus. She fell asleep shortly after. Namor still wanted to think. He breathed in his sister for some time before getting up and walking out of the room. Out of his sister's little palace suite.
And back to the hall where he had just become an official royal family king.
"Drave King, you called me. Beast."
Namor looked around to make certain no one was watching him. Calling himself Drave King would not be a good idea inside the Castle. No one was in the hall. All signs of the party were gone. Cleared by the many Draves. There were many beautiful plants. It felt like a garden in the quiet of the night. Namor took in deep breaths. Admired the architecture that almost hid itself behind the plants.
And there was the beast. A four legged creature with a big scary looking tooth filled mouth.
"The metal beast. Like no animal known to the royal family."
Namor tried to imagine what had inspired those before him to make a metal structure, to represent an unknown beast. To burn Draves.
"Someone knew what you were. Metal Beast."
After trying every angle looking into its mouth and seeing nothing, Namor went around to the side with the door. Where raw live Draves are forced. And where they come out burnt dry.
Namor wanted to know what it was like in the beast. Without thinking about the door latch, he let the door shut behind him.
He heard the click and felt the darkness.
After pushing on the door, he started contemplating helplessness. He understood his nakedness. No royal clothes to help explain to the Drave guards who would bring a different Drave. That it was a mistake that he was inside the beast. A temporary myopic attack of his senses. He sat in the inside of the beast and pondered his options.
"I am King Namor. King of the royal family. It is not for me to be the voice of the beast. I want a proclamation written so I can sign it. I demand my release from the prison of the inside of the beast."
The latch clicked and the metal door opened.
"Can we do the paper work tomorrow."
"Lexus. As usual, I am very glad to see you. How did you know I was here."
"I'm not an avid book reader but I can read you, my dear brother."
"I'm glad of that. Will you sit and watch the night turn to day with me."
"I would very much love too."
"Thank you for saving me from burning in the beast."
"Kings don't burn in the beast."
Lexus kissed Namor and took him to a large comfortable chair. Sitting like it was waiting for them to watch the sky while they communed with touch.
"That's the big sky, Lexus."
"It is. It is a very big sky."
"Full of things we don't know."
"Till you find the old library."
"I hope there is such a book that tells of what is beyond the sky."
"If there is a great lost library, it will have grand books."
Namor kissed Lexus a few times before looking back at the sky.
"Maybe there is another world out there and they are looking out like we are, wondering if there is another world out there like this."
"How would they get there from here."
"They might not have gotten there from here. They might be from there."
"Would they be like us."
"They might not have a royal family. They might look different. Maybe smell different. Maybe they have no castles. Maybe they are fish."
"Fish with no castle. That might be rather tedious."
"The royal family is also growing tedious, Lexus. We are a tedious lot of dreamers addicted to sleepy entertainment."
"Maybe that is all there is. Maybe that is what it is."
"No. That would be the end of what is. It is not the nature of what is. You can watch a plant and see that it is not the nature of what is. You can pick it out of our language. Our language comes from people we know little about. They grew from something. They passed us on a reference for defining what is and was and we don't see it. We missed their meaning. And we fail to see our meaning and the meaning of our language has been poisoned by our sleepy entertainment and our love of dreaming. We are the fruit that has fallen from the tree and has been forgotten and left to the bugs and the worms."
"Well, dear brother. I don't really know what you mean."
Namor looked at Lexus. Lexus laughed.
"Were are the fish. Dear brother. The fish world you told me of."
"The fish we eat come from the ocean. And where the ocean is only the tax collectors and Draves know. And we do not allow them into our dream world."
"There are fresh fish in our ponds."
"Not enough to eat. Not enough to feed the many. The Draves eat fresh fish. The tax collectors eat fresh fish. But the royal family, the family that has no family above them, we eat only dry salted fish."
"I think I know what you are telling me, Namor. I don't see the connection between fresh fish and our language. I don't see that there is something wrong with our language. But I can believe that you have seen something that is real. And I will attempt to see what you see."
"Fresh fish and our language are more important than the castle. And I think the castle has put both in danger."
Lexus watched her brother looking as far out into the night sky as his eyes would allow. Lexus could see it was a long way. The night sky was obtrusive. It had a way of looking empty while pressing down at the same time.
"Under the sky, out there, is an ocean with fish."
"Are you going to go there, King Namor."
"Yes, Lexus. I think I must. After I find the Lost Library, I am going to touch a fresh ocean fish."
"You mean to leave the castle."
"I believe that my days in this castle are mostly behind me."
"That is a bolt statement for someone who has never been outside of the castle."
"It is not bold, it is the path that has appeared before me."
"Tell me, King Namor, what does an ocean look like."
"An endless bathtub. Filled with live fish."
"Can you take a bath in it."
"The fish do."
Lexus was happy to see the excitement in her brother. She did not want to leave the castle. She did want to see Namor's lost library. She was curious about an endless bathtub.
But an ocean could be a long way from the castle.
"How far do you think the ocean goes, Lexus."
"That's easy, my dear brother. Till the end of the ocean.
chapter 06
|
