Sorry I took long with this story :D Finally I found my time to continue writing it so that I could update another chapter of my most favourite genre "Historical"... Most readers wouldn't like this kind of story but I hope you'll have fun reading it, like I did while writing it 

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4 years later

A young man walked on the busy market, holding strongly at the headstall of his dark shining horse. His eyes were directed on his road. Customers were busy dealing with the saleswomen like usual on the busy market. Some kids fighting over a trivial matter didn't attract his attention but he noticed a noisy crowd surrounding a poster hanging above them on the wall. Everyone wanted to know the reason why so many people gathered around there but since it didn't concern him anyway, he carried on his journey.

All the sudden he froze on the spot as he heard a young woman mentioning the name of „His Highness". Their discussion now aroused his curiosity. Damn it, he wanted to ignore them but his hands itched to know every details of their conservation. He was too curious so he appraoched them, remaining behind them and listening to their talk.

„I heard the Emperor, the Empress and even his Highness'll visit the tournament", a beautiful woman mentioned, awaking everyone's curiosity with her assumption.

Before he continued to eavesdropping them, his eyes wandered over the poster while he read the informations written on it. It was about a tournament meant only for strong men. Eighteen men from the age of 18 to 22 were allowed to take part in the match, even those with lowly birth were welcomed in the tournament. It was everyone's chance to grab at some recognition from the Emperor. There were three stations to accomplish in a single day, the first one was the horsemanship, the second was about showing your arching skills then followed with the last two participants fighting against each other with their swords. The winner would be rewarded with a special gift. It was even scritly indicated that women weren't allowed to take part in the competition. There woud be a servere punishment if a woman disguised as a man to participate too. It was posted just some minutes ago and today the tournemant would take place too. Surely they did it at a short notice to not give time for traitors to prepare for an assassination. Clever!

The young man loved challenges that could make him stronger but this competition sounded too boring for him. But for some reason, he couldn't set forth on his journey, ignoring everything happening around him. His instinct warned him to leave but his heart was telling him the opposite. According to his own heart he should go there, see his Highness for himself. 

„His Highness'll be present too? I need to sit between the spectators. Maybe he'll notice my beauty and take me as the Crown Princess", another girl threw in the round.

The tall man looked at the woman who just complimented herself for being a beauty, he rated her appearance from head to toes. He admitted, she was indeed the most beautiful amoung the girls but for him beauty wasn't everything or important in the world. For him the ideal wife would be a woman with brain, she must be smart and brave enough to challange every man, or even himself. A well-mannered woman would never win him over either but a woman with authencity and self-confidence. She should be strong enough to defend herself against dangers, should be mentally and physically prepared for any sudden turn of event. But where would he find such woman? Did she even exist? Probably not because every women he met till now were obsessed with their look. They were searching for rich men they could marry to have an easy life so they didn't need to work but could order their servants around. He hated such conceited humans. They weren't even worth for him to became acquaintance with them.

„Do you know how we can enter the competition as spectators?", another one asked her.

„No, I heard only court officials or families of rich officials were allowed to sit in the spectators bench. The place would be strictly guarded too since the royal family would be present too."

„My older brother's working as a low guard in the palace. Maybe he could help me get access to the palace", the most beautiful said while smiling. It looked like she was already daydreaming about her meeting the Crown Prince or some high official who would give her the life she always wanted.

The other in the group rolled their eyes at her, they were clearly jealous at her connection to the palace, wishing they were on her place. The tall man shook his head at how jealousy controlled this beautiful town, every man was jealous at his neighbor.

The young girls in front of him raised their voices, murmuring and guessing about the look of his Highness. Some of them were even fighting about who was the most charming amoung them and who could win a rich official over. The quiet man wasn't interested in them but a picture of a young man with neck-lenght black hairs appeared in his mind. The person smiled at him, offering him his last bread as an advance payment for helping him. It was someone he met 4 years ago. Since that day he didn't forget him, more like he couldn't forget about this kind of man no matter how much effort he put in to delete him from his mind. The man he met that time was indeed stupid. Not only was he unique with his carefree and easy going life but his smile brighter as the sun was saved deep in his memories where he could never forget about it. But the man was someone he shouldn't meet again, someone he shouldn't make acquaintance with. He wanted to fight the urge to meet him, forcing himself to return home but his body refused to listen to him.

Without even realizing what he was doing, he spoke to his beloved horse to ride alone to their hideous, took his sword and approached the inscription place. The man responsible for writing the name of the participants on the list, gave him the sad news. Unfortunately he came too late because the eighteen available places were already taken. Even knowing he didn't had any way to enter the palace, he refused to give up on his intention. He needed to see the man from 4 years ago right now.

Another man bragged about having a place on the list, holding the wooden stick where his name was written on up in the sky. He was sure he had a chance to win the competition. The taller man followed the man bragging awith his name tag in a calm corner, suddenly wrapped his arm around his neck and squeezed against his neck till the latter couldn't breath anymore. The man fell uncouncious so the taller man finally let go fo him, pulled him into a corner then ripped his name tag from him.

„Ko Chan Tha, Number 10", he read his new name and number written on the wooden stick.

He rummaged in his pants, brought out a small tissue filled with twenty silver coins and threw it at his victim. With this much money as compensation, his victim wouldn't complain about him stealing from him. Beside he did him a favor by taking his place in the arena because judging from his look, he could never win a fight against anyone anyway.

Now he could participate in the competition, he was finally satisfied with his accomplishment. He went to the guard, mingled in the queue forming by the spectators and the participants. Before they let him enter the palace, he showed them his name tag then followed the crowds into the large tournament field. The first thing catching his attention was the decorations of the arena, the equiments for the obstacles they had to overcome for the horsemanship. There were altogether eight wooden jump stands they needed to spring over with the horses.

The bench were already filled with spectators like court officials, masters from rich family. Some lowly servants were amoung them too to support their family down there. The young man was surprised so much people came here although the poster was just placed some minutes ago on the market. Surely, so many people came here not because of the tournament but because the royal family would be sitting at the three golden seats over there, only meant for his majesties.

The young man quickly covered half of his face with the scarf wrapped around his neck. He didn't want to be recognized by his Highness so he had to hide his face. There were some participants beside him who covered their faces too, surely not because of the same reason as him. Maybe they didn't want to embarass their masters who sent them there or perhaps didn't want to shame their family's honor by losing the match.

The eighteen men formed a horizontal queue, positioning well-mannered by wrapping their arms behind their back, it was a respectable gesture towards the Emperor.

„Here comes the emperor", an anouncer shouted when the Emperor was in the proximity.

Everyone stood up, bent down their heads towards the ground as the royal family finally arrived at the stage with a roof over their head.

„Long live the Emperor", everyone shouted. „Long live the Empress and long live his Highness", it sounded like a chor singing in synchronisation, showing their respect towards the reigning family.

The Emperor sat down on the bigger golden chair, his wife to his left and his son to his right. Like expected many guards were next to the family, protecting them from any harm coming towards them.

Although nobody dared to rise up their head without permission since they didn't want to receive any punishment for disrescpecting the Emperor, however Ko Chan Tha felt the urge to look up. He wanted to see how much the sun he met 4 years ago, changed. Did he turn into a real man now or did he keep his girly appearance? Was he till a coward like that time or was he brave enough to fight even him? He was so curious, so impatient, his heart thumped hard against his chest. Never in his life was he so eagerly curious to know about a person. Why was he only so towards his Highness? He couldn't explain it to himself either.

After the royal family made it comfortable in the chairs, the spectators were allowed to look up. Finally the moment he waited eagerly for came but instead of feeling relieved for stealing a look at Arthit, his shoulders sank down from disappoinment. Somehow his heart didn't calm down in relief when his eyes met the shorter man sitting on his golden chair. His Highness wore a white suit with few military orders on his chest and a white general's hat, their lion crest was designed on the hat. He cut his hairs, it was short like his own. The characterics of his face changed too, he lost his chubby cheeks, had a craggy facial characteristics many women would call attractive. For an unknown reason the Crown Prince seemed tense, scared and restless.

Chan Tha thought his heart would jump out his chest when they met again but he felt nothing than emptiness in his heart. All the sudden he remembered that 4 years already passed after their first meeting. It shouldn't surprise him that Arthit changed this much. The feelings he had for him that time faded away too. Now it didn't matter to him anymore to win this tournament but he decided to continue it till he purposely lose an obstacle to leave eraly for home. Since he never broke up anything he started before, he had to fight till he was bored from it.

The Emperor finished his speech, allowing them to position for the match. The eighteen men went to the shedrow, searching for the horses borrowing to them to ride for the first station. Chan Tha had a horse with white furs, the opposite of his own animal Ma. He patted on its back, trying to rate his animal. Judging from its appearance, he realized it wasn't strong, tall and fast like his beloved Ma but he shouldn't complain right now. For now he was satisfied to have a decent animal.

Another man next to him, shorter than him, fondled on his animal with brown furs, laying his head on its stomach and rubbing his head against it. He praised the horse for being beautiful, even begged him to lend him his speed to win this match. As if the animal understood the human language, it licked on the scarf covering his equestrian's face. Everyone's eyes was on the short man, some were laughing at him for his stupid adoration for a simple animal. Only two men, the tall man and another man, shorter than most of the competitors, noticed his intention for building a special bond with the horse he just met. If you wanted a horse to listen to you, you had to listen to him first, treating him with outmost care and speaking to it as if it was a human being. It was a clever tactic against his opponent. Ko Chan Tha's lips curved up into a little smile. Most of the men surrounding him were incaple but there were three to five of the partcipants who awakened his interest.

The shortest man amoung the participants came towards the man talking to his horse. „My name's Ko Thura... May I know your name?". His voice sounded ruspy as if he caught a cold.

„I'm Ko Thet Shay... Nice to meet you", the short man introduced himself.

„Why're they introducing themselves as if they were in a matchmaking room?", a bulky man laughed about them.

The second man beside him joined the conversation, „They needed the names to ask for their horoscopes to see if they matched for each other."

Laughter resounded in the air. Ko Thet Shay, the man with a long life, and Ko Thura, the brave, were some interesting men after all. Maybe he should remember their names since their path could cross in the competation again. The sound of the horn bugling in the sky, echoed in the air, meaning the tournament began from now on. Everyone jumped on their horses, went one after one outside to show their skills.

The first five men failed to accomplish the first obstacle, they fell down from the horses or their animals just ran over the obstacles instead of jumping over them. Their failing amused the spectators, even the Emperor shook his head in embarassment. Thura was the sixth man on the list, he managed to jump over every stands, finally arrived on the goal and received applause from the viewers.

It was now Thet Shay's, the eighth competitor, turn. He jumped over the seven stands but at the last eighth obstacle, his hands trembled so much that he couldn't grab stronger at the headstall, he nearly fell backward from the horse. His Highness immdediately stood up from shock, almost ran over there to help him. He attracted everyone's attention by showing them Thet Shay was his favourite, there was a big commotion over him favorising a paricipant.

But the eighth competirot managed to hold firmly at the leash, bent forwards to sit right on his animal. Some of the competitors were disappointed about him wining back his balance, even the kind Thura seemed not too happy about it. Odd! Right but that was the real nature of the human beings. Humans wouldn't be kind enough to support another human without expecting something back from him. Either they would try to con him from his wealth or they would want him to reward them for helping them. It was the same in Ko Thura's case. He was indeed kind but the Chan Tha knew it was a strategy to force Ko Thet Shay to let his guard down.

Ko Chan Tha was called as the next but before he rode outside in the sun, he caressed at his white shining horse, patted on it while telling it to give his best. The animal nodded its head, it seemed like it just gave him a reply to his request. He jumped on the horse and rode confidently on the field but the spectators giggled about the taller man's weak apperance. They were sure, he wouldn't come far in the matche with his thin arms and legs. Some were betting to win some money but they bet against Chan Tha. Even the participants didn't care about him either. It was more like they didn't take him serious.

To their own surprise, Ko Chan Tha really mastered the obstacles in front of him like a man. With his horsemanship, he left the public in awe, mouth wide opened from shock. He finally received everyone's praises, some women were even blushing. They were admiring him, thinking they had a chance by him. But the truth was, he had a high expectation regarding his ideal wife. No one of them even reached those standards.

Again the two faced Thura clenched his hands into fists, greeting his teeth at Chan Tha's impressive skills. Thet Shay noticed Thura's being angry and jealous towards the best man in the horsemanship but he choose to let go of that matter since it wasn't his concoern anyway. He just crossed his arms over his chest, nodded his head and admired the taller man for his skills.

Most of the competitors were jealous over the accomplishment of their opponent. But if jeaoulsy was reigning over this country, how should the country delelope in the future? They were fighting each others without knowing that they were destroying their own future. A dark cloud already covered this country, their future looked darker than they would ever imagine.

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I want to note that I wrote about some thing that didn't use in that time period like their clothes but I had to change the past because I don't have enough informations about the clothes the residents of Burma wore that time. Hope nobody'll feel offended about it. Corrections or help are always welcomed :)

Some informations about the Name:

Ko was the honorifics using for young men in Burma (Ko Chan Tha, Ko Thura)

Chan Tha: The rich man

Thet Shay: The man who should be granted with long life

Thura (name of a man): The brave or the gallant