Desire is the key to motivation, but it's determination and commitment to an unrelenting pursuit of your goal - a commitment to excellence - that will enable you to attain the success you seek. King Corbett was negatively determined and unrelentingly sort for the death of Kadura. Same night, in his inner chamber, Nero stood at the door, watching critically how his king paced thoughtfully with a cup of wine in his hands. Obviously, the thought of not knowing who Kadura was drained the ornament of his cerebellum, hence he couldn't think straight.
"It's over forty-eight hours and Kadura has not revealed himself." his voice and the sound of his shoes saturated the room. He stopped pacing, looked at Nero fiercely. "Have you got no clue who he may be?" he asked him.
"I'm afraid I have no clue, my lord." The knight replied with hands behind him. "Be patient, my lord. Being patient and being full of determination is perhaps the most fulfilling way of getting what you want." he invigorated.
Silence creeped into the chamber once more when the King sipped the wine and resumed his pace. Nero's voice came to his ears once again saying, "My lord, I do not want to intrude but why do you want Kadura dead?"
The King turned his back on him. "Let's assume your roof, your house, your dwelling place that is very precious to you will never be taken from you if you have a son, but you look around you and realize you have only a daughter. How would you feel?" he sipped the wine again.
"I'll feel bad, my lord." Nero replied, wondering where the king was driving at.
"Good. But what if you discover you have a son somewhere, won't you bring him home to make sure your roof is never taken from you especially by another man?"
"I'll make sure I do."
The king turned to Nero and continued, "You're just like me, Nero; a man with just a daughter without a son. Put yourself in my shoes. If you discover that you have a son, will you allow another man from a so called mysterious world to ascende your throne?"
Surprised, Nero asked, "My lord, you have a son?"
"Yes, and he's the rightful heir to the throne of Ukra."
"But... but... tradition forbids it."
"Tradition can be bent and broken." King Corbett walked closer to Nero. "Now you know why I want Kadura dead. My plan is to disguise my son as Kadura after a few days of plague which has refused to come because the presence of Kadura is already in my Kingdom. That's why he needs to be fished out and silently executed without anybody knowing." he divulged.
"My lord, the great lion revealed that Kadura is already in Ukra. I suggest you bring your son around the kingdom for some people to see and know him, though not as your son but as a stranger so that when he finally disguise himself as Kadura, there will be no doubt because it is already said that Kadura dwells among us."
"Excellent idea, Nero!" The king happily shrieked. He brought another cup of wine and handed it to him. "You've proven to be a trusted Knight and a friend. If you help me archive this, I'll make you my special adviser."
Nero smiled. "It will be my pleasure, my lord." they had a toest for the new closeness.
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Acrino day is a popular day for women dancing competition in Ukra. All young girls from age sixteen who wish to participate take time to practice and prepare for the day. Avera couldn't wait for that day to come because she had relentlessly wished to be the winner. She could be seen beside a statue at the kingdom-square, practicing her dance move. She wore a bogus white gown with flat dancing shoes. She prostrated one of her legs forward, raised her hands up and waggled her waist amusingly and entertainingly. Therefore, people began to gather around to watch her. Avera's gown and white hair pirouetted around for a rare dance move which got the people clapping, chuckling and giggling happily.
On the other hand, at a corner seated Julius and Maximus who also enjoyed the fabulous dance move of the young girl but never showed the excitement. Maximus felt heartbroken that he would never won Avera's heart while Julius got worried for coming in between the princess and her maid. The two young men remained mute until Julius broke it saying, "She might win the competition. Hope she makes you proud."
"Avera has unwittingly rejected my advances to her. So I shouldn't get my hopes up." Maximus replied, staring at the dancing girl.
"You know what they say, Max, 'true love, at the end reveals itself' do not give up on her. I know you love her."
Maximus looked at his friend. "Do you call one-sided love a true love? Avera has no feelings for me." he said and continued. "Look at you, you're not only closer to the king but also to the one that you love. What else can you ask for?"
Julius swallowed hard and bent down his head. "I'm in some kind of mess in the royal castle. Something happened one night, Max." he looked up at him. "To cut the story short, the princess is also in love with me."
"Really?" Maximus widened his eyes. "You're the luckiest guy I have ever seen. You actually gonna taste a royal food and that of a commoner. You'll compare and contrast the sweetest.
Julius smiled because he knew he was only joking. "Max, I feel that Adriana is just being foolish. Like, how in the world would she fall for me when everybody knows her fate with Kadura?"
"Then think of yourself as the Kadura. What if you're the Kadura!"
"Max, are you insane! Do you want me to get into trouble for such imagination? How can I equal myself with a perfect man from world of the unknown. It's blasphemy!"
"C'mon, I was joking" Maximus gave him a friendly punch. "Someone as lowlife and dry as you can't even be the king's cup bearer thoughtless of Kadura. If you're Kadura, then I'm something greater."
"What?" Julius stared at him amusingly.
"Godfather to Kadura."
Julius chuckled. "But I am the king's cup bearer." he corrected him.
"Don't be foolish, young man. You were only lucky and that doesn't give you an edge over me. You're still my boy." Maximus rubbed Julius' head while they smiled.
Just then, two horses entered through the gate of the kingdom. On one of the horses was Damon, King Cotbett's son while Abigail, his mother rode the other horse. Avera's dance move attracted Damon, so he jumped down and joined the crowd watching her untill she stopped while everyone applauded. Damon saw a gardener crossing the arena with a flower pot, he quickly took one, walked to Avera and stretched it to her in Maximus' sight. Happily, Avera collected it. Julius looked at Maximus to see him feeling jealous. Truly, he was jealous.
"It's no big deal, Max. It's just a flower." he tried to console him while the young man remained quiet, staring at Damon who introduced himself to Avera, kissed her hand and left instantly.
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King Corbett seated on his throne when a raven croaked at the window of the palace. The black bird had a thick neck and distinctive shaggy throat feathers. Like other corvids, the raven had large feet and long bills. The king walked to it and saw a paper tied on her feet. He grabbed the raven, untied the paper before the bird soared the air like a hawk. She just delivered a message to the king who hurried out of the window after reading the message.
"Get my horse!" he ordered the nearest knight at the door.
King Corbett rode through the valley of Ukra to Ivo's Chamber, the wizard. The chamber was always dim and had continuous burning candles which flames reflects on a pool of water at the center of the sanctum. Other totems hung on the walls of the room too. The king stepped inside to see old grey bearded Ivo beside the pool.
"The raven delivered your message." he walked closer to the wizard. "Are you certain that you know who Kadura is?" he asked.
Ivo looked up at him. "I never said I know who Kadura is. I said I know how to know who Kadura is." he replied, walking away from the pool.
"How?"
"I tore myself away from the safe comfort of certainties through my love for the truth; and truth rewarded me." he came back to the pool with an oil which he poured inside. "My King, I learnt your daughter survived an accident and was saved by a boy."
"Yes?" The king glared.
"I have a feeling that the young boy is Kadura."
The king laughed. "My cup bearer, Kadura?" he laughed again. "I know what you're doing, Ivo; Telling the truth and making someone cry is better than telling a lie to make someone laugh. There's no way the boy can be Kadura. In fact, the cadiwans came and revealed that the boy possesses no power. He was only used by Cyrus, son of Loki, to save my daughter." He paused to watch Ivo stare into the pool. "Do you have an evidence or prove of what you just told me?" he asked him.
Ivo hesitated to respond. It was as if his attention was taken by what he saw on the pool.
"Ivo?" The king called him.
He looked up at him again. "You called me a lair, my king. If you're seeking the truth then what you don't know is more important than you know." He totally straightened up. "I've learnt that Kadura will always be drawn to the princess whenever she's in danger that can take her life. That's why the boy never knew how he found himself in the forbidden forest and still came out alive."
"I've already told you that Cyrus son...."
"If you doubt me, my King, take lady Adriana to the cliff of Ora then make her fall from the Cliff. I bet you, Kadura will be there to save her. Only then you'll know who truly Kadura is." he clarified.
"I can't risk my only child's life like that. Is there no other way for this?" The king objected.
"If you wish to see the truth, then hold no opinion for or against." Ivo replied, walking away from the pool, followed by the king. "The path that leads to truth is littered with the bodies of the ignorant." he added.
"It's very risky, Ivo."
"If anything happen to your daughter, hold me accountable." Ivo gazed at him.
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Cliff of Ora is a mass of rock that rises very high and is almost vertical, or straight up-and-down. It is found in high mountains, as the walls of canyons and valleys. No human that falls from there stands up alive. Adriana stood at the edge of the cliff, as if she was pushed, she began to fall from it with a loud scream. Before she hit the ground, Julius opened his eyes from his bed, breathing heavily. He opened his window too to see that it wasn't dark yet then wondered why. Quickly, he walked out from the room to a passage where he saw Albat coming from the opposite direction.
"Albat?" he called with a smile. "I guess the king is on his throne." he said.
"No, he left to the cliff of Ora with lady Adriana." Abalt replied.
"Cliff of Ora?" Julius repeated.
"Yes, for a walk." Albat narrowed her face. "Any problem?" she asked him.
"No, no problem. I'm just happy to be relieved from my duties. Let me see my father." he hurried out of the royal castle.
Julius barged into Bruce's house to see him treating a patient. The old man looked up at the door and jokingly said, "Oh, Julius, you decided to see your old man today."
"Can I see you, please, in my room, is urgent." Julius rushed into his room while the father followed him. He locked the door behind him when he entered. "Julius, what's the problem?"
"I have this feeling that the princess is going to die. I saw her falling from the cliff of Ora only to discover that I was not there." he replied.
"Where were you then if you were not at the cliff?"
"I was in my bed! It was more like a dream. When I inquired, I heard the king has taken the princess to the cliff of Ora. Do you think, it's a coincidence?"
Bruce exhaled. "I can't say, Julius, but if you think the princess is in trouble and you can save her. Do as your heart directs you." he replied as both stared at each other. "Go, use my horse." he instructed.
Briskly, Julius rushed out of the house. Albat could see him on the horse through a window, riding out of the city kingdom in a hurry. He soared through damps and mountains before drawing closer to the cliff of Ora. He jumped down from the horse, and patted his stomach. He narrowed his sight to the cliff to see the princess, the king and a knight. Swiftly, he began to find his way to the base of the cliff in order to save Adriana if truly his dream would come to pass. Unfortunately, a male voice called him from behind saying, "Julius, you must go back."
The young man turned to see Cyrus standing with his staff. "I have a feeling the princess will fall from the cliff. I have to save her!" he insisted.
"You remember what happened the first time you saved her? You can't save her Julius, neither can i. Come to me, let's go home." he stretched the other hand to him.
Cyrus grew suspicious in the eyes of the boy who was thinking critically as silence lingered. Nevertheless, he swallowed hard, walked up to him and said, "I know you lied about how I saved the princess the first time. Now, I find myself trying to save her again. Why am I always drawn to her?"
"I don't know, Julius, and you do not need to find out why. The truth is like a lion; you don't have to defend it. Let it loose; it will defend itself. Truth is something hard to say and hard to hide."
"I don't understand "
"All truths are easy to understand once they are discovered, Julius; the point is to discover them. The personal life deeply lived always expands into truths beyond itself." Cyrus concluded, leaving the boy more confused. Just as they gazed at each other, Adriana's screaming voice attracted their attention. Julius turned to see her falling from the cliff.
"No!" he ignored Cyrus' advice and ran out to save the princess....