Naakai
Kamāliʻi wahine U'ilani, Princess of Aheakai'i, was the fourthborn child of Mōʻī Kanokupolu III. As his only daughter, his treasure, he doted on her whenever possible. U'ilani had finished her studies in political science, ignoring her fathers preference for law, at the age of 26. Now, three years later, U'ilani spends her time performing charity on behalf of her father across a dozen island ali'i, chiefdoms. Beloved, U'ilani has developed a deep connection with her people, but today she faced the men she feared more than any other. Her brothers.
Hoʻoilina mōʻī Kahanamoku was the Crown Prince of Aheakai'i. At the age of 39, Kahanamoku was a stern individual, perhaps he could even be described as grim. He had been married three times with no legitimate heirs, though there had been several claims that he had born bastards on his dalliances overseas. His hair had become more ashen with time, and his face bore the rugged lines of age and stress. He was, without a doubt, ready to be King of Aheakai'i. He could face any challenge down with his grit, and he had the favor of the ali'i.
Kanokupolu's second son, Kaimana, was 37. He had studied to be a physician and spent many of his days alongside U'ilani doing the good work for his people. Like her, he was adored. He had married a pretty woman named Anuhea who always treated U'ilani like a sister. Of all her brothers, Kaimana was the one that she trusted the most. He was protective of her, defending her from her brothers, and also mentoring her through her school years. He had helped her to grasp the art of etiquette, but his attention was at times overbearing. U'ilani desired to make a future for herself on her own accord, and yet Kaimana always seemed to loom large over her life.
Finally, Kamāliʻi kāne Ma'ake, 33, was the warrior of the family. Raised among elite warriors, Ma'ake commanded the respect of many of the Kingdom's officers. A hard-headed, impetuous and stubborn man, Ma'ake bore tattoo's over the entirety of his body and bare skull marking down the stories of the warriors of the ages, save for his chest. Upon these pecks, he pledged, he would engrave his own achievements. U'ilani did not trust Ma'ake. He lacked foresight and wit and succumbed to his pride; he had received no education aside from the lessons the military had imparted upon him, but he was loyal. He had been taught the lessons of respect, honor and duty by those with the highest honor of them all, the Royal Koa Guard. He wore the dress uniform of a high ranking officer within the military, but U'ilani couldn't be asked to remember exactly which rank. Her brother Ma'ake stood in stark contrast to the royal garb of her father, the customary suits of her brothers, and her own dress.
U'ilani noticed her father looking out a window towards the setting sun. The magnanimous man had always seemed larger than life, but here and now she felt some concern, and she had only just arrived. Her three brothers looked onwards from behind the meeting table the sat before the King's desk. His crown was perched upon the corner of the surface.
"Father," Kahanamoku approached Kanokupolu respectfully, yet speaking first was quite bold, "all of us are here now. What have you summoned us for?"
Kanokupolu's shoulders rose as he sucked in a deep breath, but he did not speak as he exhaled. Instead, a long silence washed over the room. Kahanamoku moved from the table towards the desk and placed his palms upon the glossy wooden surface, his eyes not averting from the King. Several minutes seemed to pass, though U'ilani knew it was in actuality only seconds, before her father turned his face to look at his son, the crown prince. His eyes seemed sunken in, the lines in his face seemed to run deeper than canyons, and his eyes did not shimmer with fatherly delight as they had when U'ilani was a girl. The King turned about and swiveled his chair, as though to sit, but remained standing.
"I am dying." The three words shook the temple of U'ilani's heart. All four siblings in the room were devastated instantly, but Ma'ake, the bravest of the four, stood resolute even though he knew the truth when he heard it.
"Are you certain?" the youngest of the brothers growled.
The King merely shook his head. Though he was no small man, U'ilani suddenly saw the weakness within her father. His own mortality frightened her. She had seen people die before, she had helped at disaster centers to tend to the families destroyed by typhoons, but her own father's death would have a much more profound impact. Her eldest brother, as hoʻoilina mōʻī, would become King after their father's passing, but these words did not bring a smile to his face. What good child could bear to hear such news?
"Cancer. The physicians have told me it's terminal."
"Have you sought the advice of others?" Kaimana asked. He had never trusted the opinions of Aheakaiian doctors, and though he didn't voice these concerns his fathers steely gaze destroyed Kaimana's argument before it were raised. Kanokupolu was a proud man and would never put himself under the knife of a man he did not trust, and he did not dole out trust to foreigners so easily.
"How long?" Kahanamoku asked.
"Six months. At best."
The Crown Prince stepped backwards until he bumped into a chair, almost collapsing into it. Ma'ake's face was grim yet silent. U'ilani's mind raced over hurdles until suddenly the realization of what this meant finally struck her. Her eyes welled with tears and she bit at her bottom lip to keep down her fears. Her father's eyes met with hers and her world froze.
Her brothers asked questions; how long had he known, had he told the media, and many others, but his eyes never broke from hers. Before long he had had enough and he dismissed them and the room became quiet. Suddenly, she was not the intelligent, independent 29 year old woman. She was nothing more than a scared girl. Her father stretched out a hand and gestured for to come closer, and she did, sitting on her laps like old times.
"Don't be afraid," he ran his fingers through her hair and caressed her cheek with his thumb. She closed her eyes, pushing the tears out. They streamed down her cheeks, and though he tried he could not brush them away. "He po'i na kai uli, kai ko'o, 'a'ohe hina pūkoa." U'ilani could not help but crumble into her fathers arms. Now, it seemed as there was no shelter left to keep her safe.
Kamāliʻi wahine U'ilani, Princess of Aheakai'i, was the fourthborn child of Mōʻī Kanokupolu III. As his only daughter, his treasure, he doted on her whenever possible. U'ilani had finished her studies in political science, ignoring her fathers preference for law, at the age of 26. Now, three years later, U'ilani spends her time performing charity on behalf of her father across a dozen island ali'i, chiefdoms. Beloved, U'ilani has developed a deep connection with her people, but today she faced the men she feared more than any other. Her brothers.
Hoʻoilina mōʻī Kahanamoku was the Crown Prince of Aheakai'i. At the age of 39, Kahanamoku was a stern individual, perhaps he could even be described as grim. He had been married three times with no legitimate heirs, though there had been several claims that he had born bastards on his dalliances overseas. His hair had become more ashen with time, and his face bore the rugged lines of age and stress. He was, without a doubt, ready to be King of Aheakai'i. He could face any challenge down with his grit, and he had the favor of the ali'i.
Kanokupolu's second son, Kaimana, was 37. He had studied to be a physician and spent many of his days alongside U'ilani doing the good work for his people. Like her, he was adored. He had married a pretty woman named Anuhea who always treated U'ilani like a sister. Of all her brothers, Kaimana was the one that she trusted the most. He was protective of her, defending her from her brothers, and also mentoring her through her school years. He had helped her to grasp the art of etiquette, but his attention was at times overbearing. U'ilani desired to make a future for herself on her own accord, and yet Kaimana always seemed to loom large over her life.
Finally, Kamāliʻi kāne Ma'ake, 33, was the warrior of the family. Raised among elite warriors, Ma'ake commanded the respect of many of the Kingdom's officers. A hard-headed, impetuous and stubborn man, Ma'ake bore tattoo's over the entirety of his body and bare skull marking down the stories of the warriors of the ages, save for his chest. Upon these pecks, he pledged, he would engrave his own achievements. U'ilani did not trust Ma'ake. He lacked foresight and wit and succumbed to his pride; he had received no education aside from the lessons the military had imparted upon him, but he was loyal. He had been taught the lessons of respect, honor and duty by those with the highest honor of them all, the Royal Koa Guard. He wore the dress uniform of a high ranking officer within the military, but U'ilani couldn't be asked to remember exactly which rank. Her brother Ma'ake stood in stark contrast to the royal garb of her father, the customary suits of her brothers, and her own dress.
U'ilani noticed her father looking out a window towards the setting sun. The magnanimous man had always seemed larger than life, but here and now she felt some concern, and she had only just arrived. Her three brothers looked onwards from behind the meeting table the sat before the King's desk. His crown was perched upon the corner of the surface.
"Father," Kahanamoku approached Kanokupolu respectfully, yet speaking first was quite bold, "all of us are here now. What have you summoned us for?"
Kanokupolu's shoulders rose as he sucked in a deep breath, but he did not speak as he exhaled. Instead, a long silence washed over the room. Kahanamoku moved from the table towards the desk and placed his palms upon the glossy wooden surface, his eyes not averting from the King. Several minutes seemed to pass, though U'ilani knew it was in actuality only seconds, before her father turned his face to look at his son, the crown prince. His eyes seemed sunken in, the lines in his face seemed to run deeper than canyons, and his eyes did not shimmer with fatherly delight as they had when U'ilani was a girl. The King turned about and swiveled his chair, as though to sit, but remained standing.
"I am dying." The three words shook the temple of U'ilani's heart. All four siblings in the room were devastated instantly, but Ma'ake, the bravest of the four, stood resolute even though he knew the truth when he heard it.
"Are you certain?" the youngest of the brothers growled.
The King merely shook his head. Though he was no small man, U'ilani suddenly saw the weakness within her father. His own mortality frightened her. She had seen people die before, she had helped at disaster centers to tend to the families destroyed by typhoons, but her own father's death would have a much more profound impact. Her eldest brother, as hoʻoilina mōʻī, would become King after their father's passing, but these words did not bring a smile to his face. What good child could bear to hear such news?
"Cancer. The physicians have told me it's terminal."
"Have you sought the advice of others?" Kaimana asked. He had never trusted the opinions of Aheakaiian doctors, and though he didn't voice these concerns his fathers steely gaze destroyed Kaimana's argument before it were raised. Kanokupolu was a proud man and would never put himself under the knife of a man he did not trust, and he did not dole out trust to foreigners so easily.
"How long?" Kahanamoku asked.
"Six months. At best."
The Crown Prince stepped backwards until he bumped into a chair, almost collapsing into it. Ma'ake's face was grim yet silent. U'ilani's mind raced over hurdles until suddenly the realization of what this meant finally struck her. Her eyes welled with tears and she bit at her bottom lip to keep down her fears. Her father's eyes met with hers and her world froze.
Her brothers asked questions; how long had he known, had he told the media, and many others, but his eyes never broke from hers. Before long he had had enough and he dismissed them and the room became quiet. Suddenly, she was not the intelligent, independent 29 year old woman. She was nothing more than a scared girl. Her father stretched out a hand and gestured for to come closer, and she did, sitting on her laps like old times.
"Don't be afraid," he ran his fingers through her hair and caressed her cheek with his thumb. She closed her eyes, pushing the tears out. They streamed down her cheeks, and though he tried he could not brush them away. "He po'i na kai uli, kai ko'o, 'a'ohe hina pūkoa." U'ilani could not help but crumble into her fathers arms. Now, it seemed as there was no shelter left to keep her safe.
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