Welcome to Gaia! :: View User's Journal | Gaia Journals

I got inspired to write the prologue to my book that I've been thinking of for awhile now. Here it is. Enjoy. smile
-----

KEY FACTS
Riku, in Japanese, means land,
shore, and agony of separation







CHARACTERS
Riku Motaru; a teenager who has run
away from home to find a better
life for himself, and for his future.

Father; a nasty man who had abused
Riku ever since he was a mere infant.

Mother; a very shy and caring person who loves her son with all of her heart,
But is too afraid to break her covenant
With God when she was wed.

Smith; an old man who had taught Riku
The arts of crafting and kept Riku’s katana
A secret from his family and the world.



Prologue
“It was then whenever I saw myself in the mirror and realized that if this kept up any longer, I was actually going to die.”



It all started out so simple; just myself here with my mother and father, and all the time in the world. Back then I really should have taken advantage of that time. I wasn’t really a fighter, but I wasn’t exactly the person who would take things sitting down either. Several years ago, I was living peacefully in the town of Itaka; that peace was about to turn into confusion and hatred.

Ever since I was little, my father had never been kind to me. He would whip me if I misbehaved, and even whenever I did not intend to disobey him, I was still severely punished. I remember the pain, the agony. My mom was a gentle person; she loved me with all of her heart, but even so I could never figure out why she would marry such a despicable man.

“Riku! Where is that damned child?” shouted my father.

I was hiding from him then, as I was dripping in my own blood.

“Riku! Get your lazy a** out here!” again he yelled.

My mother was sitting there reading her book, trying to ignore what her husband was saying while saying her daily prayers to God.

I finally racked up the nerve to see what he wanted.
“What is it father?”

My father came over to me and slapped me across the face.

“Don’t you dare abandon your duties again, Riku. You are to have this area of the house clean by the time your mother and I get back from the market. Got that?”

It really annoyed me; my right arm was bleeding and yet he didn’t seem to care.
My mother offered me some bandages with a small tear in her eye while father was preparing for their departure.

“Mom, why would you marry such a man like him? He doesn’t care about anyone but himself.” With a sigh she replied, “Because I made a covenant with God, Riku. I admit he has changed, but I believe there is still hope.”

And with that final sentence, they left for the market.
Now that I think about it my master always said that hope was the foundation of all accomplishments in life and without it we were surrendering our souls to our enemies.

When they left, I started thinking about why I’m still here, and why I live. “What’s my purpose in this world?” I asked everyday.
It was almost as if I was awaiting death to put me out of my misery.

My wounds weren’t all that serious but there were multiple scars from previous beatings and some that had not completely healed opened up again.

It was then whenever I saw myself in the mirror and realized that if this kept up any longer, I was actually going to die. Even though I sort of wanted to die, it was not for the reasons that would have occurred if I hadn’t acted when I did.

With my parents gone for a few hours I prepared a few of my belongings, wrote a note to them, and then headed toward the smith’s warehouse. What other choice did I have? I had to run. I had to live because I knew this wasn’t how my life should end. I changed my name and left.

When my parents returned they read the note. My mother started to weep and my father threw the paper into the burning fire in our old chimney.
It read:

Mother and Father,

I can no longer live my life this way. The way I have been treated up to this point is unforgivable. I am only thirteen and yet you have been beating on me and hurting me ever since I was born. Father, I will no longer tolerate you.

I, Riku Tilami hereby reject my birthright.
I will no longer be known by that name which forever burns in my heart.
Life will be hard for each of us now, but this is for the best.

I pray to see you both again someday.
- Riku


The smith knew why I had come when I arrived and handed me my key. Without my parents knowing the smith showed me how to craft weaponry. It had taken awhile but I had finished my katana which I had hid away in a safe until this day, for I knew that the time would come when it would become necessary. If I was to survive on my own I needed to be able to defend myself.

I thanked the smith for keeping this a secret and holding the katana for me. I gave him a small token of my appreciation and departed for a new life… and a new world.