It was late into the night, a pale full moon, so close and so bright that the sheer scale of it took its own portion of the blue-black sky beautified by the twinkling of distant stars. Up on the cool marble palace balcony stood a young prince, no more than twelve years. He was quite a small boy for the age of twelve no more than four foot five inches and very lean, almost sickly looking, his hair the colour midnight, skin chard wood black, pupils raven black but under Allight’s gaze at the right angle his pupils shone a deep mud brown. He wore a pure white Dashiki made of Kabe Pundasilbia leather that was dyed white, from the shoulders down to the bottom back of the Dashiki, had the black mane of the Kabe Pundasilbia, the only part that wasn’t dyed and retained its original colour, finely combed to make the mane stand on end, giving the prince’s silhouette a strong and brooding look as he stared at the moon wondering. The mane was freshly smoked as to force out any lice that were inhabited within the mane, the sleeves were cut shoulder length, as to allow air to pass through the Dashiki making it surprisingly light for the heavy mane that was on top of it. The front of the Dashiki had intricate patterns of solid gold lines woven over the leather. The gold had been specially treated to be significantly more malleable so it could be placed on the Dashiki. On the prince's legs he wore long baggy trousers, this was quite unusual, as most people wore shorts to allow most of their legs to take in the stray wind that would blow from the east. At the sides of his thighs were two deep pockets. In the right pocket was a small dagger. It was customary to have a weapon at your side at all times. The moon left him pondering upon the skies, leaving him questioning why, the moon seemed to stare at him and ponder back the questions he thought. The young turned his head to the left looking eastward, there he could see the ridged outline of the forbidden mountains. The mountains reached high into the sky kissing the clouds. No one really remembers why or how the mountains came there, only that if anyone were to touch them, they would instantly die.

A sudden knocking on the marble archway behind him caught the young prince's attention. The prince poised his head down and took a look at the sleeping city below. He could see the three separate city walls that protected the city, the farthest being around fifty miles out, just visible under the moon's gaze. The only reason why the young prince could see that far out in the first place was because the palace was on top of an elevated hill giving greater coverage of the land that the palace watched over. The city buildings were made mostly out of the sandstone and Whitestone creating a mishmash of different coloured buildings throughout the city. The walls of the city however were made of large, hardened granite stone bricks that had been specially hollowed out to make it lighter to lift and easier to put in place from the construction of the walls. 

“You're supposed to be in bed and asleep young prince” a deep and gravelly voice spoke from the archway. 

“I couldn’t sleep uncle, there's too much for me to think about to warrant sleep, so I came here to open my mind. I hoped it would get my mind off what I was thinking, but that problem still burns at the back of my head.” 

“My, I've never known a twelve-year-old to have such concerns, that it will not warrant him sleep, or even a twelve-year-old prince for that matter.” There was an airy silence as the wind from the east brushed past them cooling the scorching air, there was a certain moistness, and near damp scent in the wind, the indications that the Rains were almost upon us. 

“I smell the Rain’s coming; I can't believe it; we survived another year.” 

“You say that every year uncle, but I don't see it. Every year the Rains come, rejuvenate what we have, there has not been any major droughts in over 500 years, the people haven't cried for water, I sometimes feel like you're making things up.” The young prince continued to stare outwards into space observing the city below.

“That's because your father keeps you locked up in the palace, not permitting you to see the world, see the hardships of the lack of water. Your father makes sure you are pampered and protected, given water whenever you want water, we live in one of the harshest places, this realm has to offer, and water is the most precious resource we have.” 

“Is that really so, why?” 

“Boy, without water you wouldn’t last for 3 days let alone being in Allights gaze, water is life, where there is water life will prosper, you think this great capital of Ayu would be able to survive without water, no it wouldn't, not with everyday where sand, salt and glass blast the city in a constant barrage, without the great walls this city would be no different from the rest of this arid land” 

coming up to the balcony he stood beside the young prince. “So, what are your concerns that won't warrant sleep.” 

“Tomorrow will be the last day in which I can gain the Sight, the day in which I must choose who I will become, the day in which I will become a man. Uncle, what was it like when you gained your Sight, what did you have to do, what did you see in your visions?” There was a long silence while his uncle thought of what to say. Finally coming to a satisfactory conclusion, he stared at the young prince. 

“Boy, as much as I may wish to tell you of all the secrets I learned, all the understanding I gained, I cannot.” 

“But why, if you tell me then I can prepare myself, then I can know what path I need to take.” The young prince was now staring directly at his uncle.

“My young prince, it would be wrong if I were to reveal what I learned from Allight as it would rob you of the revelation that you will gain from Allight but I will give you this story of our history, so listen boy, for a lesson lives within this story. In the beginning there was nothing, no realms, no gods, no beings, nothing. Or so we believed, for in the beginning there was not nothing, there were three. The three original beings. They would soon be known as the Three Supremes. Their true names, lost to time, born from the cosmic energy that predated time itself. It is said that from their birth they were filled with a great sadness, for the Three could not see themselves or each other but were in a constant knowing of each other's existence. So, the Three created eyes so they could see. But their eyes found it too dark to see, so one of the three became light, the first light, The Holy Light. The light was white and pure and in that light creation was born segregated from the darkness. In that light the Three created the realms, the gods and the beings that inhabited the realms.” 

At the end of the lesson the prince spoke. 

“I don’t get it, what's the lesson in the in that story.” 

“It is not just a story, it’s our history, and the lesson is for you to figure out, in bed when you’re asleep.” 

“Alright, but I have one more question.” 

“And what would that be my young prince.” 

“I hear all over the palace from whispering mjakazi mwenye mvua (wet maid), of rumours of war from the with the Principality of Bengar, that they are threatening to attack and take control of our Waterlands, and that father is a fool for not seeing it, and trying to pursue peace with them instead of preparing our defences and striking first, I also hear that some of the Dune Kings wish to overthrow father seeing him a fool and no longer worthy of being their Empire, I hear that Lord Kaniaro the strongest of the Dune Kings wishes to control of the empire, is this true?, is father a fool?, should we go to war? But why don’t we just share our Waterlands and avoid war, wouldn't that make more sense?” 

“Your father is a man with great restraint, and always tries to strive for peace, even with our enemies, this has got him great criticism, but he is a man of his own principles. Now back to bed.” 

"Yes uncle."