An excerpt from chapter 16 of Wayward Dreams revealing a key portion of Kakane's character as well as his worldview. I want to make the characteristics of this scene more present in other parts of the book but for now, this one is a standout.
In this scene, Kakane has dinner with Kai, king of Tiaki, discussing cordial affairs and their day to day lives. Things come to a head, however, when Kakane asks a certain question: what makes a true king?
“So, Kai,” Kakane began, “if you don’t mind me asking—and I’ve been wondering this for a while—why didn’t you try importing mainland tactics earlier? Steel isn’t a modern invention by any means and by continuing to use iron, Tiaki seems, well, primitive compared to the rest of Eyuth. Certainly, importing steel commodities would be expensive but trade for charcoal could be extremely lucrative considering how cheap it is. Wouldn’t that make for a good source of income and advancement?”
“Ay, that is a good question,” Kai noted, taking a sip of his alcohol. “Mm, what fine liliko’i wine. You ought to try some, Harper.”
Reluctantly, Kakane picked up his glass and took a swig. He gagged and had to keep from retching loudly; he hadn’t expected it to be so flipping sweet. He wasn’t too big on alcohol, though he’d had the occasional ale here and there with his coworkers back in Vox. Kakane had liked those beverages fine; they were bitter and earthy with a stinging aftertaste that he could get behind. He never knew alcohol could be so appalling in all the worst ways possible. Whatever this stuff was, it was sweeter than most desserts Kakane ever had the misfortune of eating. And those had fruit aplenty! He did not know how on Eyuth this wine managed to clear every sugar threshold he thought existed. Kakane placed his cup down and resolved to drink just water for the rest of the evening.
“Not to your liking?” Kai asked. Kakane shook his head in embarrassment; he must have pulled a downright nasty face after taking that sip of wine. “Ay, my apologies. I chose the wine myself as it’s one of my favorites. I can have the serves bring another wine that’s more to your taste.”
“Oh, that’s quite alright,” Kakane said quickly. A king, catering to him? Oh, no, that wasn’t happening or Serena would have his head!
“Very well. As for your question, the truth of the matter is that I just never had much time to think about the rest of Eyuth,” Kai admitted.
“What do you mean?” Kakane questioned, though his tone was more reminiscent of a demand.
“I took the throne the day I came of age, on my nineteenth birthday,” Kai explained. “My parents died sixteen years before that, when I was only eight. Since I was too young to rule then, a council of nobles governed the kingdom in my place. In comparison to my foremothers, I became king at an extraordinarily young age; why, my own mother didn’t become queen until she was in her thirties!”
“But you must have been preparing to take the throne following your parents’ deaths,” Kakane argued. “That’s the duty of the crown prince, isn’t it?”
“You are correct; however, though I was groomed to be king through royal tutors and various academics, studying and actually ruling are two very different fields,” Kai confessed. Kakane was astounded. He thought Kai’s royal education must have prepared the king for just about everything. Was that the difference between a king like Kakane and the king of Tiaki? Kai elaborated, “I really had no idea what to do after I was crowned. I’ll be frank with you, Harper: despite my insecurities, regardless of the timing, and whether I liked it or not, I was the one on the throne.”
Kakane’s chest constricted him to the point of losing breath; or perhaps that was his tail winding tighter around his ribcage. A longing, wishful feeling came to his heart, which felt as though it would burst from his chest any second now. This sensation washed over him once before but it was different back then. Kakane’s ears drank in every word pouring from Kai’s mouth. He wanted to know. He had to know. What was the difference between him and the king of the Poseidon Islands?
“In my early years of ruling, I realized something,” Kai continued. “Aupuniotiaki needed something from me, its king. Can you guess what that was?”
“Strength,” Kakane said immediately. “After years of shaky governance, it’s only natural that the kingdom would need someone powerful in charge to stabilize and solidify control.”
“Yours is a good guess, but it wasn’t my answer,” Kai replied. “No; what I offered my kingdom and my people were my emotions.”
“Your… Emotions?” But that didn’t make any sense at all! Emotions gave nothing to a country. Strength delivered security and order. After such a fragile peace, the coming resuscitation needed a heavy hand to promote unification.
“I could either contribute to negativity and uncertainty surrounding my coronation or I could flood Aupuniotiaki with compassion and kindness,” Kai said. “Even if I lacked confidence, I couldn’t show it. But I didn’t need confidence to be kind. The early years of my reign were a struggle against depression: years of plague had taken their toll on my citizens’ well-being and people felt disoriented transitioning from the council to my rule. My subjects were upset and I had to be the one to reassure them. I did that through kindness. Today, my people are happy. Smiles grace every corner of these islands. That is worth more to me than anything else in Eyuth. Since then, I have done nothing but shower Aupuniotiaki in goodwill. I think of this kingdom as the center of my very world. It is a delicate flower I must constantly tend to. Such a fragile plant cannot bloom if shown ferocity or violence. It is only through gentle compassion that it will flourish.”
“…Is that so,” Kakane mumbled.
“Yes. In a way, I grew up alongside Aupuniotiaki. We are both happy now. According to my family, this kingdom is kind and welcoming because I myself am kind and welcoming.” Kai smiled. “Megrez has often told me that the Poseidon Islands resemble myself: calm and with kindness. To be honest, I’m not sure if I should take her word for it.”
It was certainly true that Tiaki’s reputation was one of friendliness. It was always known to have a welcoming aura but that had become especially prominent in recent years. Tracing back the timeline, Kakane realized this shift in public opinion roughly aligned with the years of Kai’s reign. This was not a coincidence. The citizens of Tiaki were overbearingly kind and compassionate because Kai set the standard for them. Kakane thought back to the mangosteen merchant, handing out his wares as if they were pieces of junk he deigned to dispose of no matter the method. He remembered how the merchant’s cart broke and how every person in the marketplace rushed to help.
“Kai, tell me: what do you believe makes a true king?” The question tumbled out of Kakane’s mouth before he could stop himself. He recoiled in horror; oh, salted fish heads, this was exactly what Serena told him not to do! But it was too late. Kai was already contemplating the inquiry, tilting his head in deep thought.
“That’s a very interesting prompt,” Kai mused. “I suppose the baseline would be someone who serves their people in every capacity, putting themselves into the debt of their citizens. You see, Harper, I believe it is my duty to protect those who cannot protect themselves. By nurturing these people, they can go on to protect those even weaker than themselves. Those with privilege have this responsibility. Because of my kindness, Aupuniotiaki itself learned how to be kind. A ‘true king,’ in my eyes, would be a servant of kindness. Someone who showed kindness to everyone, whether they be enemy or foe, noble or commoner. They would encourage people with that kindness, act on that kindness, and sacrifice themselves to preserve kindness everywhere. I must admit, though, I haven’t given this ‘true king’ concept very much thought. It’s very intriguing.”
Kakane stood up abruptly.
“Thank you very much for the meal, Kai. It was delicious. I bid you goodnight.”
“What? But we haven’t even—”
Kakane slammed the door behind him before Kai could finish. What a fool. How pitiful Tiaki was for having this man on their throne. A true king was one with overwhelming strength, one who owned the power to achieve their goals and crush their enemies with complete confidence. People followed someone who was strong, someone with all-consuming power. That was the mark of a true king. Without strength, how could Kakane accomplish his goals? How could he take his revenge? He was a flipping idiot to think the leisurely king of these lazy islands would understand, locked in his gilded castle and ignorant of the atrocities occurring around him. Kai was a king with land, subjects, prosperity, and the adoration of the frolicking, writhing masses. Kakane… Kakane had none of that. That was why he had to be strong. And it was also why Kai was so pitifully weak.
Kakane ripped his stupid cravat off, allowing the brisk night wind to lift the sweat off his burning nape. Fire and smoke escaped his mouth as he exhaled. How disappointing the almighty monarch of the Poseidon Islands was. Despite his weakness, Kai at least made for an invaluable ally. And yet that same weakness would make him nothing more than a means to an end.
“Ay.”
“What in Strongjaw’s name do you want?” Kakane growled, narrowing his eyes.
It was Takeru who stood in his way, leaning against the wall with his arms crossed over his chest. A scowl decorated the squire’s face and ferocity burned in his eyes.
“You’re done fixing Gladion, right?”
“What about it?”
“I want a rematch,” Takeru declared. “You and me, tomorrow, at the beach behind the castle. Ten in the morning. Anything goes: swords, magic, whatever. I’ll crush you and prove that I’m the best around here. Got it, Rags!?”
“You’re on,” Kakane hissed. “Just don’t go crying to your Daddy when I bury you in the sand!”
A true king was one of true strength and Kakane would prove it.