162 Arthur (1/2)
A few years ago
Arthur was huddling on the garden of the palace. He was hugging his knees with his face lowered. His eyes were wet with tears. He wasn't crying- he was done crying. But the pain remained.
Warm hands wrapped around him. They were so warm and he wanted to be cradled by them. He raised his head. He saw a smiling woman.
”Care to explain to me what you are doing here?” Aunt Anna asked.
”Nothing” he pouted.
”Ah nothing. But your eyes are still wet. And ooh they are red!”
”Something just went inside my eyes. I scratched it”
Aunt Anna smiled. She pinched Arthur's nose ”You know you can't lie to me”
Arthur looked away. He started to sob. ”Mother scolded me again. She teach me reading and she said that I am a slow learner. But I'm trying. I just can't make sense of the words. She said to me that I need to become intelligent because I am the heir. It's not like I wanted to be the heir”
Tears again fell from his eyes. His mother's harsh words earlier hurt.
Aunt Anna hugged him. ”Don't cry” She wiped his tears. She smiled, her teeth showing ”Not a single tear or I will tickle you!”
And then she really tickled him. Arthur twitched and a laughter followed.
”No! Hahaha Aunt Anna!”
She stopped ”Told you not to cry”
”But I didn't cry!” he protested
”You were about to. Call it a preemptive strike”
”But...”
Aunt Anna leaned closer. She showed him her tickling hands ”Oh! Is that a tear I see?”
”No!” Arthur spread his eyelids with his fingers ”See? No tears”
Aunt Anna mashed his cheeks ”That is good then” She lay on the grass. ”The day is too bright for crying. So wipe your tears, smile and praise the Omniscient!”
Arthur lay beside her. The day really is good. The sun was shining and the wind was fresh. ”Hey Aunt Anna. Can I ask you something?”
”Hmmmm. One question is worth a tickle yes?”
”What!?”
”Ha! Just kidding. Ask away Arthur. It's free just for today”
”Um, am I stupid?”
”Who told you that!?” There was this sudden and rare anger in her voice. She looked at Arthur with a scary frown. It was probably the first time he saw her angry.
”Is it your mother?”
Arthur nodded slowly.
”That woman!” Aunt Anna was really angry. She then looked at Arthur and the anger on her face slowly vanished. She closed her eyes and sighed. ”Arthur you are not stupid. Don't let anyone call you as such. You don't deserve to be treated like that. Don't worry I will talk to your mother about this”
”No!” Arthur pleaded. It would be bad if Aunt Anna was dragged into this. He doesn't want things to become complicated. ”Please don't. Aunt Anna please. I don't want you two to fight”
Aunt Anna stared at him for long. ”Fine. But if she ever abuse you with her words again tell me. I will not hold back”
”Alright Aunt Anna”