The Seekers of Selfdom - Part II

The dark forest near the lake was only half a mile from the city. Marc took his bag and started walking towards the city. He felt thankful for the cool breeze that has sober down the climate.

The street was a bustling market, oddly enough a lot of people were out in the afternoon. Marc made his way through the pool of people and tried to inquire about the castle. However, all he received in return were blank looks.

He realised things have not been going well in the city and people were somehow scared with foreign visitors. “There must have been something. There is a story behind their looks. I need to find out,” he said to himself as he bumped into a small girl.

“I am sorry I didn’t see you,” said the small girl and got on her knees to pick her collection of stones.

“Wow, these stones are beautiful. Where did you find them?” Marc said as he got down on his knees and started checking out the stones.

“There are a lot near the lake but I don’t get to go there. Princess Tamina gave me these,” the girl said.

“What is your name?” Marc asked the girl.

“My name is Helena,” she said and extended her hand. Marc shook her hand and asked her again, 

“Who is Princess Tamina?”

“Are you new here? Everyone knows about her. She is the bravest girl of our city, the daughter of King Atanu,” Helena said.

“Yes, I am new here. Can you tell me the way that leads to the castle?” Marc asked her but suddenly he was pushed aside by a strong man.

“Helena, go home now,” the strong man said and looked at Marc. Marc got up from the ground, dusting himself he said, “Why everyone keeps pushing people here?”

“Who are you? And why were you inquiring Helena about King Atanu?” the strong man asked him.

“I am a traveller and I have come here to meet the King. But no one is telling me the way to the castle. Can you help me?” he asked the strong man.

“Go back from where you have come. There is no place for foreigners here. You leave else I will call the army,” he said holding Marc’s collar. A small crowd has gathered around Marc and he knew if he did anything foolish he will be thrashed by the crowd. The crowd looked angry. But then a thought flashed in his mind and he punched the strong man in his face.

The crowd went mad and Marc started running for his life.

“Get him,” the strong man screamed and a dozen of people were running behind Marc. He kept running making way through the pool of people and suddenly he was beaten down to the ground.

The crowd held him tightly as the strong man approached Marc. “How dare you hit me? That too in my face. You will pay the price for it now,” the strong man said and he was about to punch Marc when a girl’s voice echoed through the crowd.

The crowd suddenly went quiet and bowed down to their Princess Tamina. There she was, riding on a horse, with her sword in hand she ordered her guards to get Marc.

The guards handcuffed Marc as Tamina ordered them to follow her to the castle. The crowd cheered as they thought the foreigner will be executed.

“What they are so happy about?” Marc asked Tamina in a high pitch tone.

“They are celebrating your execution,” Tamina smirked at him.

“Are you going to kill me?” he asked her.

“Not me but my father will surely,” she said.

“But I get to explain myself at least,” Marc asked again, he was getting nervous and anxious now.

Tamina gave him a hard look as they entered the castle. “Take him to father,” Tamina ordered the guards as they obliged to her.

“Give me one chance to explain first,” Marc kept repeating. Tamina stood there listening to the foreigner’s voice until it stopped. He was inside the castle.

Tamina picked up his bag and opened it. It had a few books, a map, a few apples and a handwritten note. Her eyes caught the attention of the handwritten note. She unfolded it and started reading.

“This world is not a bed of roses but a path full of thorns. I am here to walk over those thorns, without screaming a bit about the pain that it will give me. The world is about battles and heroes but no place for travellers and writers.

I am not welcomed anywhere and people look at me with suspicion. When this will get over when the sun will shine and put an end to the pain that this world is going through. When love will overpower greed and paralyse the lust for power.

With every day passing by, I am growing weak but my eyes are still searching for those pair of eyes that ignites the fire within me. I shall travel north and south, to the east and west until my search for my one is over.

And when she will be there in front of me, I will allow our heart to do the talking. I will only sit by her side, take her hand into mine and ask her to become mine forever.

While they say nothing lasts forever, I want to prove all of them wrong. I want to show them that love cannot be defeated and I will keep trying until my last breath.

Let us walk again and wander into the unknown in search for those pair of eyes who look at me with care and affection and not suspicion. And when that happens, I will know that I have found the person with whom I will rewrite the story of this cruel world, so the generations to come, will remember us and keep love alive.”

By Marc Rhinhart

She read the note again, she could feel the words scribbled on it. She could feel the pain of the man she had just summoned in front of her father. Her eyes were moist and she didn’t know why.

Source: http://michail.at/images/20111221231121_the%20dog%20and%20the%20loneliness.jpg