My Kingdom Come book 1: The Saints We See
Chapter 1: Leafhopper

650 standard years after the signing of the Alliance treaty

Hathu was four standard years old. He was crouching in the tall grass, his purple eyes fixed on the green, jewel bright insect clinging to a long blade of grass. Its mandibles moved tirelessly, chewing on the edge of the grass blade.

“Hathu!” Called Hathu’s sister. She was already grown up, twenty-one standard years old. Father said she was too old to be unmarried if she was not going to be a warrior.

Hathu didn’t answer. He lowered his head further hoping she wouldn’t see him. He didn’t want to go home yet. He reached a finger towards the insect tentatively.

“Hathu!”

His grey finger lightly brushed the insect’s back and immediately the insect sprang up into the air, landing a few feet away. Hathu grinned with excitement, the small pearly grey tusks jutting up between the teeth on his lower jaw, where most sentients had canine teeth, showed more prominently.

“Are we playing predator and prey?” Deetha called.

Hathu went still. Had she seen him? He bit his top lip apprehensively.

“I’m coming to hunt you, prey,” Deetha said playfully in a growly voice.

Hathu immediately stood up. “I don’t want to play predator and prey. I want to play leafhopper.”

“There you are.” Deetha began walking across the field towards him. “You’re not supposed to show yourself, Hathu. You have to either hide, or run.”

Hathu frowned. “I don’t like playing predator and prey.” He brushed a long lock of white hair out of his face.

Deetha clucked her tongue disapprovingly. “You can’t not like playing predator and prey, Hathu. It’s our heritage.” She laid a hand on his head as she reached him.

Hathu leaned into her side and squinted up at her. “You don’t like playing it.”

Deetha frowned. She pulled a hair tie off her wrist and carefully pulled Hathu’s hair back, she twisted it into a bun and secured it with the hair tie. “What makes you think I don’t like it?”

Hathu wrinkled his nose. Didn’t she know what she liked? “You smell scared, not excited like the others when you all play.”

Deetha sighed heavily. “Hathu, it’s different for me. I have the option of keeping house and rearing children. I don’t have to be a warrior.”

Hathu stuck his lower lip out stubbornly. “Well, I don’t want to be warrior either.”

“Hathu!” Deetha gasped. She crouched in front of him.

Hathu looked into her frightened orange eyes and bit his upper lip nervously. He knew saying these kinds of things would get him in trouble with father, but Deetha wouldn’t tell him, would she?

“Don’t ever say that again. To anyone. Especially not father.”

Hathu let out a breath, frustration flooding his chest. “But Deetha, I don’t like hurting sentients.”

Deetha sighed and lowered her head for a moment, then she looked up at Hathu again. “Hathu.” Her voice was soft. “You love me, right?”

“Yes Deetha, with all my heart.” He put as much feeling as he could into the words. He wanted her to feel as wrapped in his love as she made him feel in hers.

“There may come a day when we will be attacked. Attacked by terrible enemies who will want to kill us all.”

A picture came into Hathu’s mind of himself running, desperate, terrified. Beasts behind him growling, running much faster than he could. He reached up and clutched at the front of Deetha’s tunic. “W-why would they want to do that?”

“There are terrible sentients out there, Hathu, who just want to hurt others. When that day comes, how can I rely on you to keep me and my children safe if you’re not a warrior?”

Hathu blinked at her. The picture in his mind changed to Deetha, crouched on the ground holding a child that was not him close to her heart. She was shaking and crying. The beasts were circling her, ready to pounce and kill. Where was Tannis?

Hathu touched Deetha’s cheek to reassure himself. “But you don’t have any children, you just have me and…and Tannis will be your warrior. Right? That’s why you’re marrying him. Cause he’s strong and…he’s good. Right?”

Deetha smiled. “What if something happens to him? Who could I rely on, Hathu?”

Tannis was so big. How could anything happen to him? And how could Hathu ever face something that could stop Tannis? He hung his head. “I don’t want to be a warrior Deetha.”

“Please, Hathu.”

Hathu swallowed and looked back up at Deetha. He couldn’t let anything happen to her. He would have to replace a way to stop the beasts, even if he was scared. Even if they hurt him. “I’ll be a warrior. For you, Deetha.”

“Thank you.” She nuzzled his cheek with her nose.

Hathu swallowed, glad he had pleased her. “Can we play leafhopper now?”

“I’m sorry Hathu, mother and father said it’s time to come in for supper.”

Hathu looked at her pleadingly. “Please? Just for a minute?” No one else would play leafhopper with him and she had been so busy lately.

Deetha laughed. “Fine. One minute.”

“Hooray!” Hathu cheered, feeling suddenly much better. He turned and crouched in the grass, his hands on the ground. “Look how high I can jump, I’m a leafhopper!” He pushed off the ground as hard as he could with his legs and hands and his body leapt up in the air. Joy filled his chest. He felt like he could jump as high as the tops of the jungle trees. “Hop!”

“Oh my, what an amazing leafhopper!” Deetha giggled behind him. “I must catch him!”

He could hear her coming through the grass. He glanced back, she was about to pounce on him. He pushed off the ground again, leaping forward, landing on his crouched legs and hands. He felt invincible. “Missed me!” The feeling of joy expanded in his chest. He would learn to be the best leafhopper ever. Those beasts would never catch him!

* * *

Deetha hurriedly helped Hathu strip out of his clothes. He held still while she wiped him down with a warm, wet, washcloth, then he pulled on the clean outfit she had picked out for him to wear at supper.

She got his hair brush, positioned him in front of the mirror and stood behind him. “Be still.” Hathu glanced at himself in the mirror. His purple irises were bright against the blacks of his eyes. His focus turned to Deetha. He watched as she brushed the tangles out of his white hair. “Okay, father is having a meeting, so we need to be very quiet. No talking at supper. Okay?” She pulled his hair back into a neat bun.

“Yes Deetha.” If there was a meeting that meant father wouldn’t be talking to him at supper. Hathu didn’t mind.

She turned him around and looked him over. “And I’ll be sitting with Tannis.”

Hathu sighed and nodded. Tannis was always taking her away from him. “Okay, Deetha.”

She smiled down at him. “Such a handsome, good boy.” She leaned down and kissed the top of his head.

Hathu smiled happily. He liked to make Deetha proud of him. She took his hand and lead him down to supper. The meeting was already in progress. A mixture of prison guards, janitors and equipment caretakers sat around the table discussing loudly. Hathu’s oldest brother, nineteen standard years old Baris, was at the table with the other adults. At a smaller table, set a little ways from the big table sat Hathu’s other siblings. His brothers: seventeen standard years old, Ranar, and Fifteen standard years old, Erisu, and his other sister: twelve standard years old, Nivan. They were focused on the conversation at the big table, listening intently.

Deetha helped Hathu into his chair and then hurried into the kitchen.

“Where have you been?” Hathu heard mother ask in a harried tone.

“He was playing out in the fields, Mother. It took me a bit to replace him.”

“That boy,” mother said in exasperation. “He’s going to be the death of us all.” She sighed. “Your father is not pleased. Let’s get the food out as quickly as possible.”

“It should be our right, as Ir’klahn to own Durweh slaves!” Father pounded the table with his fist. There were murmurs of agreement around the table. “They were created for us, as a healthy outlet for our prime selves in this modern society. But the V’Elga only care about making more money. They keep the supply low and the prices high and only the rich can afford them. The rest of us have to make do with whatever leftovers we can get.”

“Selfish swine.” Nediz murmured.

“Then our young are forced to suppress their prime selves with the weaker sage self. This causes all sorts of mental health problems.” Loud agreements rang out and fists banged down on the table. “When their prime cannot take it anymore, it breaks free from the weak sage and lashes out in inappropriate ways. Then our young are locked up like criminals, when all of this could have easily been avoided by simply allowing them to hunt Durweh, or use them in the privacy of their own home.”

Hathu picked up his fork and imagined it was a leafhopper. He scooted it around the table as if it were scurrying around looking for grass to eat.

“It’s disgraceful.” Tannis agreed. “The slaves that most of the middle class can afford are nowhere near sturdy enough to properly let our primes out, and the poor are often not even able to afford slaves.”

“Hop.” Hathu said quietly to himself lifting the fork into the air in a graceful arc. The leafhopper landed quietly on the table and nibbled at the edge of Hathu’s plate.

“In the society we build,” father went on, “there will be proper hunts put on every month by the government. No matter your social status, you will have the opportunity to fully let your prime side run free. Durweh will be made more affordable and there will be a stable of Durweh owned by the government for the use of those who cannot afford to buy their own. No one will have to suffer, or suppress their true selves.” Cheers and table pounding broke out around the table. Deetha and mother came out of the kitchen with bowls and platters of steaming food and the cheers became even more enthusiastic.

The discussion fell into a lull as the adults passed the food around and served themselves. Deetha and mother were kept busy bringing out more food and pouring drinks.

Hathu continued to play with his pretend leafhopper till the adults were done with the food and Deetha brought the bowls of food over to the children’s table and helped Hathu serve himself. Hathu enthusiastically began eating as his brothers and sister served themselves and began to eat.

“Nediz, what have you found us for our next hunt?” Barthi, a burly prison guard asked.

“Ah!” Father answered. “I found some good ones in the discount market this time. And one very special replace.” He looked around the table with a little smile.

The eating stopped. Everyone gave him their full attention. “There was one old Durweh who’s bond didn’t break when his master died. He was of course a flight risk, so I was able to get him for an excellent price.” Sounds of surprise and excitement sounded around the table. “That’s right, our best hunters are in for a real treat this hunt.” Father’s grin turned feral.

* * *

Hathu watched from his bedroom window as wailing slaves were dragged out of their cages. They were thrown into the center of the field where Hathu practiced jumping like a leafhopper. All the Ir’klahn taking part in the hunt prowled around the slaves in anticipation and excitement letting out howls and growls. The slaves cowered in fear, all except for one. He knelt calmly in the grass his hands resting on his thighs. The Ir’klahn prowling around him might as well have been leafhoppers for all the attention he paid them.

Hathu watched the slave for a moment. He was the one that father had said was special, the Durweh. Father had brought him into the house several times when he was in a bad mood. The slave hadn’t ever said a word. He had cried out when father hurt him enough, but he never asked father to stop. Hathu had been impressed. He knew how much it hurt when his father struck out in anger.

Hathu had gone out to the slave cages to talk to the Durweh and had found the man curled into a little ball in the corner of his cage crying. When Hathu asked him what was wrong, the man had quickly stopped crying. He got up and knelt next to the door of his cage like he was kneeling now in the middle of the field. Emotionless and still. He wouldn’t say anything to Hathu no matter how many questions he had asked.

Hathu’s breath was fogging the window. He pulled away and running his finger through the condensation drew a leafhopper on a blade of grass. The condensation faded and the leafhopper disappeared. Hathu’s eyes were drawn back to the Durweh. Nivan and Erisu were crouched in front of him taunting him.

Hathu’s whole family was down there, except for mother and Deetha. They were preparing food for after the hunt.

Hathu swallowed. He would never keep his promise to Deetha by staying in his room like this. He had practiced his leafhopper jumping thinking that maybe he could use that in this hunt. But now that the hunt was here he felt sick to his stomach. He didn’t want to hurt anyone.

He squeezed his eyes shut and brought back to his mind’s eye the picture he had imagined of Deetha crouching on the ground, frightened and weeping with the beasts circling her. Father said everyone was either prey or predator. Hathu didn’t want to die, but he would rather die than hurt someone else. If it was a choice between letting Deetha die and killing someone else… Hathu swallowed.

He looked at the Durweh man kneeling in the field again. He touched the window, his finger blocking out the Durweh then he lifted his finger again. “I’m sorry.” He whispered. He turned and ran out of his room and down the stairs. He pushed through the front door and kept running before his mother or Deetha could call him back.

“Run.” Father roared in the pasture, and frightened slaves rose up and scattered. A few remained huddled on the ground, cowering in terror. The Durweh man rose up as gracefully as a bird springing into flight. He ran straight towards the jungle, a few miles distant. Some of the hunters fell on the slaves in the pasture, others streaked after the other slaves. Father and the best hunters stood and watched the Durweh man run.

“Hathu?” Deetha was calling from the house. “Hathu!” She was in the doorway now. “Hathu, come back!”

Hathu kept running. He passed screaming slaves in the pasture and tried not to look at what was happening to them.

The Durweh man shrank in the distance, still running.

“Hathu!” Deetha was coming after him. She sounded scared.

Hathu ran faster. He had to do this if he was going to keep her safe.

He had almost reached the pasture when father growled out a command. He and the others began to run after the Durweh with long loping strides.

“Wait for me!” Hathu called but they kept running. Hathu tried to chase them but they were too fast. A loud growl sounded nearby, then there was a crunching impact and aggressive snarls. Hathu glanced over his shoulder before he could think better of it, his heart pounding with fear.

One of the janitors was rolling in the dirt with Deetha. Hathu stopped and stared in shock. Deetha’s face was twisted and feral, her teeth and tusks bared. The janitor’s eyes were wide with fear. His hands closed around her neck, his claws digging into her skin. She swiped her claws across his face and he released her neck, pressing his hands frantically to his bleeding face. She rolled over on top of him and began to rain punches down on his head and face. He tried to shield his head whimpering in fear.

“You will keep away from the little ones!” She roared.

The man nodded.

She growled, then looked up at Hathu. Her eyes were pure black, the orange ring of her irises had faded completely into the blacks of her eyes. “Are you okay, Hathu?” Her voice was harsh.

Hathu nodded. He was having a hard time breathing.

She got off the man and walked towards Hathu, her face relaxing back into her normal expression and the color coming back to her eyes. The janitor curled up on the ground behind her whimpering softly.

“You can’t be out here, Hathu. When they let their prime out like this their hunting instincts are in charge. They will attack anything and anyone who gets in their way, the sage has no sway with them.” She took his hand and began leading him back to the house with quick strides.

He had to trot to keep up with her. “But, Deetha, I have to learn to be a warrior so I can keep you safe.”

Deetha stopped walking. She glanced down at him with an odd expression on her face then started walking again. “My little man, there are plenty of things you can do now to learn to be a warrior, but you have to be big enough to fight off the other hunters before you can take part in the hunt.”

Hathu frowned. “Okay.” He heard a shrieking scream echoing somewhere far behind them. He stopped and looked back, his heart pounding with fear. Deetha kept walking, pulling him forward.

“What was that, Deetha?” Hathu strained to see behind him while he struggled to keep up with Deetha’s long strides.

“They caught the Durweh.”

Another shrieking scream rang out. “No! Please, no!”

Hathu blinked in surprise. “What are they doing to him?”

“Do you want to play leafhopper when we get home?”

Hathu looked up at Deetha, thrown off by the abrupt change in subject. “Really? Mother wont be angry?” Excitement began filing his chest.

Deetha smiled at him. “We’ll play in your room, she’ll never know.”

“Okay!” Hathu skipped forward with excitement. He didn’t notice that Deetha was leading him around the pasture instead of through it. “I’ve been practicing, Deetha. Leafhoppers are real good at not getting caught. They know exactly when to jump. I’m going to be the best leafhopper ever!”

Deetha smiled down at him as she pushed the front door open and led him inside the house.

Mother came to the doorway of the kitchen wiping her hands on a towel. Her face was tired and lined. Her eyes ran over Hathu absently then up to Deetha’s face. “Oh, good you found him. Deetha I’m going to need your help with the bread, there’s too much of it to knead on my own.”

“I’ll be right there mother.” Deetha answered. “I’m just going to spend a few minutes with Hathu in his room first.”

Mother sighed and glanced at Hathu again. “Why? Is he hurt?”

Deetha begin leading Hathu up stairs. “No, he’s fine. I’ll be down in a minute.”

Mother let out another tired sigh and turned back into the kitchen.

“What does it take to be the best leafhopper, Hathu?” Deetha asked.

“You have to be strong, fast and clever. If you jump the wrong way, you’ll jump right into the hunter’s hand and that would be bad.”

“Those are good observations. Did you know that being strong, fast and clever are all things you need to learn to be a good warrior?”

Hathu grinned. “I knew being a leafhopper would help me be a good warrior!”

Deetha pushed the door to Hathu’s bedroom closed and smiled at Hathu. “You were right. Okay, little leafhopper, let’s play.”