The Uncle

Nathan looked up to assess the man that interrupted his conversation with Megan. Immediately the man entered, Megan, with every other servant, had their head bowed in respect. 

He was still staring in confusion, when the man moved closer to give him a tight hug.

“ Thank Goodness you are alive, I thought I would never set my eyes on you again. I'm glad you are here, champ” The man sniffed in tears as he hugged Nathan. The embrace was a feeling of longing for a loved one. The hug was so tight that Nathan had to cough to give him a signal.

“ Huh, you are choking me please” He uttered respectfully, as the man was old enough to be his father.

The man let go of him immediately and started touching Nathan's body for any bruises or damage. He hugged him one more time, then he held his shoulder,

“ I'm sorry I squeezed you, I was overwhelmed with joy seeing you. How are you doing? I'm sorry your uncle failed you. I'm sorry I couldn't protect you when you needed me the most. Please forgive me, buddy” The man pleaded.

At the mentioning of uncle, Nathan scrutinized the man to remember where he had met him, but he was still confuse, so he asked him directly,

“ I'm very sorry sir, I can't remember where I know you. Have we met before please?” 

The man's facial reaction was a mixture of pain and anger. He wanted to cry, and he squeezed his hand simultaneously.

“ Shit! Shit! These people will pay dearly for doing this to my family. My only nephew cannot recognise me as his uncle, they will pay!” The man yelled angrily.

His yelling startled Nathan, so he rushed to touch his shoulder. “ I'm sorry for that, champ. I'm Alex, your uncle. We were always together in the palace when you were young. You were just six years old when we lost you.” The man revealed.

Nathan's head sounded with a bang, he remembered the name ‘ Alex’ and he started remembering his younger days.

He held his head as he felt a serious headache and he felt dizzy. He sat quietly on the couch to reconnect with his past.

          ******* Flashback*********

In a gigantic palace built with modern concrete and steel. The steel was designed with gold and the aesthetic of the compound was marvelous. The building was surrounded with smaller houses with the same design and it contained all the modern leisure and recreational centers like swimming pools, theater room for cinema, basketball spot, club house for merriment and so on.

The palace was located very close to a big forest, since it's a sorcerers’ palace. They had easy access to enter the forest without any obstruction and the sorcerers were living peacefully according to the laws and regulations biding their movements and actions.

As the king escort his brother outside the main palace building, a young boy was seen running towards them and he jumped into the open arms of the king's brother.

“ Good morning, Uncle Alex. Are you traveling again without informing me?” The small boy said, pouting his mouth to show his anger.

Alex smiled at the boy as he picked him up in his arms, “ No champ, I am not traveling yet. But I might travel before the week runs out, so don't wait for me if you don't see me in the coming weeks’ evening for our usual run. I promise to make it up to you when I come back, Nathan.” Alex pulled his cheek to convince him.

The boy placed his little hand on his chin as if he was in deep thought. He knew his uncle always fulfilled his promise, but he needed to be given assurance.

“ Are you sure you will come here when you return from your trip, then we will go for our usual run by then?” Little Nathan asked.

Alex crossed his heart, “ I promise” he said

“ okay then, I will be waiting for you”

That was the last time Alex and little Nathan set their eyes on each other until today. 

Nathan remembered who he was, although some incidents were still vague in his memory. “ I remember I had an uncle by that name, but I didn't know what happened after that? If you are truly my uncle, where were you all these while? Why were you when my mother and I were suffering? Where were you when we moved from one location to another, without knowing the reason? Where were you when I was humiliated and embarrassed? Where were…”

Nathan's ranting and expression of pain was interrupted by another tight hug from Alex. Both grown up men were deeply soaked in their own tears.

“ I'm sorry, champ. It wasn't my fault to leave you to suffer. We have been searching for you for several years. Whenever we got any clue about your location, you would have moved before we got there. I just realized the reason for Martha's, I mean your mother's actions some years ago. I know you are confused now, but I will explain everything you need to know. We just need to take one step at a time” Alex said.

The two men sat opposite, silently watching each other. Alex was smiling as he stared at his long lost nephew. He couldn't believe he was able to trace him at last.

Nathan was no longer comfortable with the gaze, so he cleared his throat to speak.

“ I was told I have a mission to accomplish, what is it? He questioned.

“ Yeah, there are many missions to accomplish with my help. But before then, you need to undergo some trainings” Alex answered.

Sigh, “ Okay, what are the training sessions and when will I start?” He looked gallant and ever ready with his response.

Alex beamed with joy and pride, “ This is the Nathan I know. My nephew has never been weak since he was young” he thought.

Before Alex could reply to his questions, Nathan raised his hand to ask another question. “ Can I know who I am? What is my real name please? I mean my christened name” he asked further.

Alex was startled at his question, he knew his nephew would ask him about his real name later, but he doesn't know it will be early as this time.

“ There is nothing to hide about who you are. Your name is Nathan James Armstrong, you were named after our great grandfather, James Armstrong, who was the core pillar of this great city's existence.” He answered.

Nathan opened his mouth in surprise. He had pestered his mother for his real name, because she made him realize ‘ Nathan Bright’ wasn't his birth name.

“ If I am not mistaken, are you saying I'm related to the great king, King Lucas Armstrong?” He asked for clarity.

Alex smiled and he nodded at him, “ Yeah, you are the only son of King Lucas, who was betrayed by his most trusted subject. The kingdom hasn't been peaceful since your disappearance, so we need you to bring back peace and harmony into the kingdom. But before then, we need to uproot the tree behind the hot breeze in the kingdom in order not to repeat history” Alex uttered, gritting his teeth in anger.