Noname was stunned like never before, he slowly brought the knife down with his face expressing a crystal clear emotion of suprise and his heart pounding within his chest with an abnormal speed.
"Please don't hurt me sir, I promise to give you whatever you want!..." Fuku pleaded not recognizing his own brother a single bit.
Noname's eyeballs were already watery from his emotions but he stood still not saying a single word.
" I'm sorry..." Fuku pleaded again but this time with a changed perspective "... i didn't mean to refer to you as a dangerous person. Perhaps you own this side of the forest then I'm sorry for trespassing.... I.... I was just looking for my br..."
Noname who was already breathing heavily out of inner excitement interrupted him by dashing towards him with great speed consequently landing a tight hug on him
"..... my br...." When Fuku realized that the so called stranger was his brother he exclaimed with more excitement "... MY BROTHER!" He realized that all these while it was his very own twin brother with whom he had been conversing, he gave Noname an even tighter hug and they both innocently shed tears of joy expressing their deepest regards towards themselves; even if it had been three years since they set their eyes on each other, to them, three years felt like ages!
"How long has it been brother? A decade? A century?" Noname asked with overwhelming joy, his face blooming with happiness as they clutched hardly to each other's upper body.
"long time no see brother!" Fuku replied as they finally let go of themselves.
" You've really grown Prince!"
" Did you just talk about growth?.... I was clearly the one who didn't recognize you at first sight!"
" Come on it's not like i've outgrown my age!"
" I'm serious brother! You look like a man! Just Look at your buildup, you look older than me now.... you literally HAVE outgrown your age!"
" Come ooon! enough already, it's not like wrestling bears and dehorning wild pigs with my bare hands is a big deal!" Noname hyped himself!"
"Wrestling bears?!" Fuku asked in amusement
" Well let's make the 'S' silent for now since I've only wrestled one, though i'm planning on taking out another that may unluckily come my way!"
"Brotheeeeer!..." Fuku exclaimed with uttermost wonder "... how do you do it?"
"I'll explain on the road" Noname responded as he led the way.
" So how is Lady Chan and our baby brother?"
" They are all well to do... I mean since they are the only family I've got I have to give it my all in taking care of them especially since Lady Chan won't be here forever, old age will be knocking on her door any time soon even though her physical appearance remains glamorous as ever!"
"I can't wait to see them!"He clenches his fists with joy.
" Weeelll we aren't headed home right now!"
"Huh?" Fuku asked rhetorically
"Yeah there's a lake nearby which extends a river, I would like us to discuss more while we sail around."
" Are you talking about the royal blood lake?" Fuku inquired with uncertainty.
" Yes!" Noname replied with a rather contrasting certainty
" Don't you think it might be dangerous?" Fuku asked this time with a fearful gaze at Noname.
" Ha ha don't be silly, I have been swimming in that lake for years now and i'm still alive. Whoever added the word 'blood' to the lake's name might have just been humorously mystical at that point in time!"
" Okay.... if you say so." Fuku responded with an even more intesified fearful expression, his instincts were holding him back but he just couldn't resist his brother's request, not at this crucial point in time. Noname felt the uneasiness around his brother so he came up with a divergent question to take his mind off his worries and keep them a bit busy on the road.
"So tell me, have you made any recent laws lately?"
"What?" The Prince didn't seem to understand what his brother was talking about
"Ditnt tell me you've forgotten!.....your laws of mischief and all that..."
"Ohh ....^so brother still remembers that up till now?^ .... About that....."
"Hang on!..." Noname interrupted holding up his index finger in the air "....you didn't tell me about the first law of mischief...I'd like to know about that one!"
"Weeeell ....
"Wow.." Noname exclaimed with genuine suprise. ".... that's....a law!..... What about the third law?" He asked, his right arm below his chest and his left arm stroking his chin.
"....I don't know...it's not like I've had the enthusiasm to do anything mischief related ever since you left". His fairly happy mood which Noname had instigated once again switched back to an unenthusiastic ambiance. "..... Perhaps you could assign a third law!" He added.
Noname noticed a sudden change in his mood and realized that he had left a big empty space in his life. This void was so personal that no one else could fill it. Noname understood that their seperation had changed something forever, leaving a gap that might never be closed. He quickly resorted to answering his question in an opposite disposition.
"I'm not really good at these theory stuffs but since the ball is now in my court, I would say.... The third law of mischief: 'The grandest mischief is the mayhem imposed by nature as long as 'FATE' remains constant!' " ...Noname expected a reply from his brother but surprisingly got none, Fuku instead remained silent on hearing Noname's words. "... aren't you gonna commend me?" Noname inquired
"Brother?!...". Fuku asked rhetorically. "...was that law a bear?.....I'm just asking because...you killed it!"
Noname understood that his brother meant a compliment so he responded saying.... "Ahhh what can I say! Fate in collaboration with nature has taught me a lot of things..... speaking of nature, we're almost at the lake!"
They walked a short distance and finally got to the lake
" Brother!..." Fuku called out to Noname. "The sun has almost set and Look! i can see what seems to be thunder clouds!"
"Don't Worry, we will be back before the rain starts, besides the thunder clouds are still far ahead." Noname told Fuku In assurance. They got on a small boat which Noname had crafted and sailed off
***
The Royal Blood Lake was a phenomenon that defied explanation, a body of water that was as enigmatic as it was awe-inspiring. This extraordinary lake was no ordinary waterway for it somehow managed to extend into a subconsciously undiscovered river serving as its source yet miraculously, it never seemed to run dry. The lake's ability to feed a river without ever depleted was a marvel that left many scratching their heads, as the fundamental laws of hydrology appeared to be turned upside down.
Adding to the lake's mystique was the fact that its source remained a closely guarded secret, sparking intense speculation and debate. Some theorized that an underground channel might be replenishing the lake's waters, but the sheer depth of the lake made it impossible to confirm this hypothesis. Furthermore, the river that flowed from the lake was characterized by its remarkably high velocity which contrasted the lake's calmness leaving onlookers to ponder the mysteries that lay beneath its serene facade.
***
There was a moment of silence on the vessel as they got further away from land, not until Noname who was covered in Fuku's silk robe spoke up
" Tell me brother, what is it like to be a Prince?"
" What!....Fuku thought not initially understanding why Noname asked the question. ".... ^Why would he ask such a question?..... but come to think of it, if I were to be in his shoes and something that was supposed to be shared between us was limited to him, not having the opportunity the opportunity to taste whatever it may be might prompt me to ask such a question.^
"Well he said, it's good.... It's really good, I mean you can have anything you wish for at any point in time, you don't work hard for anything because almost everything has been prepared beforehand, you're always safe and your future is certain and secure... Being a crowned Prince is even better as you have a higher authority to command; You can tell one 'Go' and he goes tell another 'Come' and he comes... That's what I at least know being a Prince is all about..... except that i'm not really enjoying the Palace anymore..... Ever since Dad hit me I've had always had a feeling of hatred towards him, his presence irritates me, sometimes... I wish he would just die!
"Wow, you've really got a barrel full of grudges that i don't know about!?"
"Don't get me wrong brother, not that i'm that of an unforgiver, but the fact that he didn't forgive you even though you did nothing wrong still bites my emotions and until he does i will never forgive him too; mercy begoth mercy!" Fuku explained with a scowl in his face just before another moment of silence sprouted.
This silence was in a short time broken by the Prince who asked a rather unusual question...
"What is it like to be cursed?"
This question made Noname give a quick surprising but confusing stare at his brother.
"i'm sorry if i triggering your anger forgive my insolence!" Fuku politely apologized
" It's okay..." Noname answered swiftly, his hands suspended on his laps. "... there is no problem,... even if i don't want to answer you.... You're the crowned Prince, you can command me to speak and I have no choice but to speak!
"What..." Fuku thought with profound astonishment. ".....w...why is he talking like this? That felt sarcastic to me..... Does this mean that my own brother holds grudges against me?!"