A clone of a clone

Chapter 40| A clone of a clone

Saif checked the time on his smart wristwatch. It was a gift, Tristan had gotten him on his first visit to Earth and though he haven't gotten the full hang of how the strange object works, he could tell it was quite late.

"Who is that?" He mumbled lazily, his body sprawled on the bed as he hoped he hadn't given any woman, tonight to come to please him because he wasn't even in the frame of mind to indulge anyone.

Sure that there was no one, he sat up staring at the door curiously, "Come in." He whispered "The door is open."

He looked away immediately he saw Tristan. He was so not prepared to talk to him or even hear him out. He had always had unpleasant things to say whenever he visited him in the infirmary under an illusion guise, he had made himself, but that was when he was still the old Tristan.

He always went up to the infirmary even though he was aware that he had only unpleasant things to say, to remind him of the period of his life when he was his own person, when he was full of life and happiness.

There was a reason why there were two of the rings. The trick was crafted by Tristan and it was both of them who will sneak out of the palace, frolicking the outside world like they were commoners while keeping in mind to avoid the gaze of witches.

Because although Tristan was a master in the craft of illusion, it wasn't his gift. It was just yet another spell he had learned from his godmother hence even a day-old witch, could dispel it.

He wanted his brother back. Tristan, who would have pushed him harder, if he pushed not the brick-like silhouette of the boy he had grown up with.

He had expected him to shout at him, cuss even when he had thrown such harsh words at him. Tell him he was being delusional and he was his person, heck stop using that silly monotone that hinted at invincibility that was just a pathetic front he was trying hard to sell.

The same lie his father, Abba had successfully told himself all these years and now he was handing the same pill to his brother and he couldn't do anything but watch.

It was damn frustrating and more than that, it was annoying Kimberly thought he was angry at her for saying such hurtful words to his brother. How she will flip when she finds out he had manipulated her mind and caused her to utter those words.

He closed his eyes, placing his weight on the wall. Now he had Kimberly's anger to anticipate too.

She was right, he shouldn't have gone to see Tristan. Everything was going so well and he had been so amused at how easily he could get a raise from her whenever he referred to her as human.

He liked her name. But more than that he loved the adorable glare in her eyes as she bit the inside of her mouth, he bet fighting the urge to retort while he fought his own urge to tug her cheeks because of how adorable she looked at that moment.

"Shutting your eyes won't take it away, Saif." His baritone voice made Saif open his eyes, raising a brow at the stranger in front of him he called brother.

"I'll rather try than have them wide open and watch you act clone to Abba."

"What is wrong with you? We were fine just a few hours ago. We have never had an argument about my attitude and all of a sudden you just flipped earlier in the morning and now, you are acting up!"

"Maybe that was because I was being a coward. I never said anything to preserve our friendship but," he shook his head, "Not anymore, Tristan. The annoying part of the issue is that you are acting clone to a man who is a clone of another person. How long will all our leaders be just one unemotional unfeeling bastard!"

"Mind your language, Saif."

Saif stood up, chuckling amused making Tristan raise his brow in confusion, "You only needed to add son and I'll have thought it was Abba standing in your place."

"And why is that so bad huh? Why!"

"Because I know Tristan, my brother will make a great King but am not so sure of the Abba!" He gave out a defeated sigh, expressing tiredness and exasperation, "Because I believe the people of Indiosia deserve another King not another Abba with a youthful body."

"You don't believe in me as your future King?" Tristan blurted out in total incredulity. Saif had always been his number one fan. Always told him just how many exploits he'll do as King and how proud he was to have a sibling so amazing like him and now in just a day, he was altering every word he had ever told him all his life.

"No I do believe in you," he quickly muttered, his eyes contorted in frustration, "Can't you see? It is not you I have a problem with but I can't deal with the clone of a clone Tristan and that is what you are slowly morphing into."

"I can't believe you." Tristan snapped, his eyes hardened yet his voice gravelly low.

"You can shout you know, scream, try to show emotions__"

"I'm not going to act like any weak man will do."

"Tristan snapping and expressing emotions doesn't make you weak it only makes you trustworthy. How will I trust you to understand what it feels like to go hungry when I know you haven't gone a day without having as much morsel of food as you could stomach? How can I trust you to feel loss when your heart has never been so down for a loved one gone? How should I trust you to understand me when I am about to go crazy because I can't find my lover when I know you have not felt the lips of a woman you love on your lips."

Tristan stare sharply at him and looked away, "That is why not only me but the people of Indiosia don't trust your leadership they only believe they do because it is an endless pattern they have become accustomed to over the years. Doing things without even questioning a damn thing."

"If you know so much why can't you just be King yourself and rule!" Tristan's voice was slightly raised, his eyes blazing with anger, suppressed anger he felt for himself for not noting earlier just how capable Saif was for kingship, how fit.

Saif gave him a chuckle even as he patted him on his shoulder shaking his head like he had said a really good joke, "Because you of all people should know how easy it is to talk and I know, you are more capable of following with actions than I am."