CHAPTER ONE
(A DAY IN THE LIFE OF PYOPEY)
The paper flew in the wind, carried from place to place as it flew with little resistant to the force propelling it forward, as the wind ceased, it finally came to a rest and descended gently to the ground, facing upward as some words were written boldly on it; the information written on it seems to be recently printed.
Pigs and Goats Publishing Newspaper
Below, the updated news in the kingdom has been published.
Year: 4000 (Cranks astrology year).
Kingdom: Kingdom of Oz.
Population: Three million estimated.
Technology: Advanced and one of the fastest.
Leadership style: Monarchy.
State of affairs: Stable for now.
Heir to the throne: Non recorded
King names: Thor Edward Oz.
Queen name: Eva Oz.
Most prestigious emblem: Blazing Dragon (a chain for the successor of the throne, according to the history, only a true royal blood can activate it, allows transfer of ownership and bearers changes from generation to generation).
***
Pyopey read the paper that she found on the ground. Her hair was messy and dirty, her face was covered with mud, and her clothes were rumpled and also had some mud splattered on it. In her left hand was a short twine that has two fish tied to it, and in her right hand, she held a bag that seems to be the only clean thing on her apart from the paper that was picked up from the ground some moment ago.
Looking up at the sky, it was going to be the evening soon and she had to hurry back home if she didn't want to be scolded again. Taking a short detour from the village street after walking in a straight line from the river, she ran steadily for some minutes before turning to the right and passing through the alley that most of the people in the village, mostly girls, were afraid of passing through alone.
After five minutes of silently speed walking through the alley, she burst through the exit, running at full speed as she took another left turn till she was on a narrow path. Stopping herself from running again, she walked slowly down the path for three minutes before it opened into a wide yard that was bustling with the regular scene that always greeted her whenever she was back home.
The little dog was chasing the brown chicken while the little white mouse was trying to climb into the rabbit nest but got kicked out over and over again. As she took a step forward, a chicken came flying in her direction, she slightly moved to the side and the chicken crashed to the ground. Another move forward and she almost crushed the big snail that was crawling slowly on the ground.
She licked her lips, picking it up and watching in fascination as the snail retracted into its shell. This will make a good appetizer, she said in her mind, if only I am not caught.
Walking passed by the big yard at the front of the house, she went around the rectangular house until she was at the back; there she met two individuals working silently. Before she could speak, a woman voice sounded out.
"Dirty brat, is this the time you should be coming back home?" the woman asked, stopping the grinding machine as she came over. The other person, who was a man, stopped chopping the firewood and came over to stand beside the woman.
A silly grin sneaked into her face as she couldn't control her excitement. Forgetting the question that was thrown her way, she happily brought up the fishes that were tied together.
"Look what I found, can you make a fish soup with it?" she asked.
"And how did you get that? Don't tell me that you rolled around in the water with the boys just to get it, I am warning you, it better not be like that," the woman reprimanded.
"Victoria, calm down, stop jumping to conclusion, at least, you have to let her alter a word before you can reprimand her," the man said.
"But she is always coming home with either her clothe dirty, torn or worst - wounded, the last time she came back looking messy, she had two of her front teeth broken in a brawl," Victoria stated.
The silly grin on Pyopey face stopped, her teeth that were wide open closed immediately, but before her lips could cover it up, two of her front teeth can be seen to be shorter than the others and were cut unevenly.
"Well, she is still in her growing years, I mean there is no other kids around that she can play with, so -,"
"So what, you want to make up another excuse for her bad behavior, right?" Victoria cuts in and asked.
"That isn't it," the man interjected.
"Then what is it?" Victoria asked.
"Well …" the man was stomped for words. As for Pyopey, she had turned around and was silently sneaking away when she heard Victoria voice calling her name.
"Pyopey, one more step from that place and you won't be eating dinner today, not to talk of the fish soup, even the bones won't reach your side," Victoria threatened.
Pyopey returned back to their front, a sheepish look on her face as she looked at Victoria angered face and an apologetic look from the man as he had tried to save her but failed.
"Back to the topic, did you roll with the boys or not?" Victoria asked.
"I didn't," she gave a quick reply.
A look of doubt crossed Victoria eye, "Then, how did you get the two fish?"
"I wrestled for it," she dropped the bombshell.
The man eyes opened wide like a saucer, a slight sigh escaped from his lips. As for Victoria, her expression seems to be unreadable.
"Repeat your word, dear," the man said, coming over to stand beside Pyopey. "Did I hear you say that you wrestled for these two big fish?"
"Yes, I did," she repeated.
"And how did you wrestle?" the man asked.
"Gideon," Victoria called sharply. "Don't start edging her on to do bad things."
"I wasn't, I just wanted to find out the details," Gideon replied. "Now, dear, who did you wrestle and where did you wrestle?"
"I wrestled with Thomas and Harry … and Jose," she listed the name of almost half of the boy population in the village.
"I lost count after the third name," that was the only word that escaped from Gideon lips.
"I didn't. Now tell me, Pyopey, are you supposed to be doing that as a lady?" Victoria asked.
"Is this one of the way that you want to start your lecture again? I refuse to listen, I will rather starve than listen to that boring speech about who I am or what I am," Pyopey said, turning around to leave.
Victoria moved so fast like the wind breeze as she blocked her path, "You don't dare walk away from me when I am talking and no, don't give me that look, because it isn't going to work on me and can't work on me." Victoria said angrily.
"Oh, hell balls, she finally did," Gideon muttered but didn't intervene.
"Now, get your little ass to that bench right there before I descend on you and make you immobilize for one month," Victoria spat out.
Pyopey knew she had no means to escape this lecture as she went back to the backyard, sitting on the bench that was placed opposite the grinding machine. She laid the bag beside her on the bench and placed the fish on her laps.
Victoria arrived beside her and saw what Pyopey did, "Can't you find a bowl to put that in? Must you proclaim yourself to be a dirty village girl?"
Gideon shook his head, arriving beside Pyopey and took away the fish, completing the task as he dropped it inside a bowl, he returned quickly to listen to Victoria speech.
"Any day from now, you will clock eighteen," Victoria lamented, her attitude has turned around in 180 degrees. Pyopey looked up expectantly, waiting for the lecture that seems to be starting soon.
"And being eighteen means that you will have to return back to your kingdom …" Victoria history recounting started.
As for Pyopey, she zoom out immediately, of course, she knew what Victoria will say, something along the line of, - only heir, - royal blood, - dignity and she will end it with. "… This is the mission that has been entrusted to us, nobody knows apart from us and them."
Pyopey finished the speech for Victoria, as for Gideon, he was trying to hold in his laughter as he quickly escaped to the front yard before laughing out to his heart content.
After Victoria regained her calm, she looked at Pyopey that looks nothing like a princess, "Is there anything you want to tell me that you haven't?"
"I walked through the alley," Pyopey said.
"Not again," Victoria moaned in disbelief at her disobedience, "Were you thinking of catching a glimpse of the man again?"
"No, I was thinking of a faster way to get back home since I was excited, unfortunately, I was scolded instead," Pyopey retorted.
"Well, you deserve it. You can leave, just go and take care of your body and clothes, what if a visitor comes?"
"We've never had a visitor before apart for that man," Pyopey pointed out.
"Just go," Victoria dismissed her. "And drop that snail at the front yard, haven't I told you not to have such thought about eating it."
"Damn," Pyopey muttered.
"I heard that," Victoria said.
Pyopey finally left, returning the snail to the front yard and going inside to freshen up. By the time she came out, she was no longer wearing the dirty torn clothes, neither was her hair messy but tied in a ponytail, it has been thoroughly washed, combed and moisturized.
Her face was oval, her eyeballs were big and round, her nose was small, and her lips were heart-shaped and pink, and her cheek look rosy.
She was a girl not tall and neither short, she was slim and was sparsely endowed at the right place, in her right hand was the paper that she picked up, she wanted to confirm something about the information written on it.
She arrived at the back yard and met the man cutting the fish at a corner, as for the woman, she has started preparing the dinner.
Pyopey dropped the paper beside the little tank where the water was stored and washed her hands, she went over to help the lady.
"Bring the salt," Victoria said when she saw Pyopey approaching her.
Pyopey brought over the salt container, opening it as she got near the pot. She took a spoonful of the tablespoon as she passed it to the woman.
"Oh no, royals and not knowing how to cook, do you prefer salty food?" Victoria asked.
"I don't, I thought since what we are cooking has water, we might as well let it dissolve in it, won't it balance out eventually?" Pyopey asked.
"No, it won't, just stand back," Victoria instructed as she collected the salt container.
At the end of the day, as Pyopey laid on her comfy bed in the room, she rubbed her belly contently, it was good having another good meal before sleeping in the night, she thought as she dozed off.