"Cuckoo" - Chapter 5: The Truth

Klein discovers the truth behind his family's tragedy.

As his grin grows larger, Klein barks at his highness and furiously shouts "YOU! You killed my family and took away my sister! Who shares your throne, she clearly does not even remember me! You took everything from me!" This turns the emperor's smile into a disgruntled frown, the empress looks at Klein with wide eyes as she begin shaking in shock and confusion. Thomas goes white as a ghost, wipes his sweating brow and nervously explains "Do not mind him, the years he spent in the woods obviously scrambled his silly brain"

Thomas then whispers sharply to Klein "Cut it out! Me and the emperor have a good standing relationship, we will lose our heads if you act all fruity like this!" but Klein ignores the writer rudely, he continues to shout "You are a cruel man, you see your people as fresh meat to slay and do not see them as humans with feelings, thoughts or dreams. Because of you, I have led a life hidden away from society or fellow man, distrusting almost every single one. I have struggled to even speak fluent English with them!" As Thomas gestures for Klein to shutup, the emperor stands from his throne and calmly replies "Crazy man of the filthy woods, you clearly know nothing of who I am, what I have accomplished and why your family had to die. A decade ago, the people of my kingdom began dying from sickness and the source was the water. It appeared that some dirty poor people had sneakily drank from the high class river system, they contaminated it with their infectious germs. The practical decision was to eliminate all the peasants as punishment. Ever since, the peasants that were spared have not dared drink from our river" 

Klein stares at his majesty in surprise, he adjusts himself to the truth then responds by saying "There could have been an alternative. Something less violent or practical! You act as if it was your only option! I say-" but before Klein can say anything, the emperor clicks and a group of guards enter, his majesty points at Klein as the guards grab hold of him and take him away. The emperor walks from his throne and stands face to face with Thomas, his highness bitterly says "Mr. Wissington, you disappoint me with this pantomime act of yours that disturbed my evening. I do not like when the past comes to haunt me, do make myself clear?" Thomas nods frantically, the emperor continues "I will spare your life because your stories keep me and my wife entertained but if you present me with another shard from my successfully broken memories, your head will be in a basket by dawn" Thomas' knees wobble as he drunkenly stumbles out of the kingdom. The emperor returns to his throne, his wife glares at him in distrust and she looks off into the distance, haunted by Klein's words.

Author's Note

Thoughts and opinions are encouraged.