Enaj and the rebels camped out in some tents during the night. The next day, they developed a plan to execute a coup, using information about the city from an insurgent who was exiled recently. The dissidents would murder everyone at the orphanage, which happened to be near the tyrant’s palace, while a parade of the city’s army was taking place on the other side of the city. The plan was to force some of the palace guards to head towards the orphanage, at which point they would be framed in the killings by the rebels, who would dress like regular city dwellers and would claim to have seen the guards commit the murders. This would be the spark for a riot. In the meanwhile, Enaj was to infiltrate the palace himself and kill the tyrant during the afternoon partaking of the rose-flavored tea. The hope was that the army, known to harbor resentment towards the tyrant, would support the coup rather than crack down on the riot. Thus, both of Enaj’s targets for revenge would be annihilated — the orphanage community and the tyrant who established it. Yet some rebels objected to the plan, and argued that killing the innocent beings at the orphanage was unnecessary and cruel. Enaj shook his head, and his eyes glowed red. It was getting late, and he told the objectors that the plan could be revised and discussed further the next day. Yet by morning, everyone who objected was dead.
After a few weeks of training led by Enaj, the day before the planned coup had arrived, and Enaj was savoring the thought of finally getting his revenge. He decided to take a walk alone to clear his head from the ramblings of the rebel gang. Although he enjoyed sharing past experiences with Yelraf, who turned out to also have been an orphan, Enaj was not used to so much human interaction and felt an urge for solitude. While Enaj was meandering through the woods and enjoying the sounds of birds singing and the warmth of the sun, he happened to spot a lonely hut in the middle of a clearing. An old man sat next to it, gazing out into the distance. His skin was blue.
His heart pounding, Enaj ran towards the mysterious figure.
The old man looked up and exclaimed, “Enaj! Is that really you? Is it possible?”
“How do you know my name?,” exclaimed Enaj.
“You inherited your beautiful blue skin from me,” the old man explained. “It is the sign of the highest nobility. Enaj — I am your grandfather, Anin. Your other relatives are lost from me — the tyrant forced your family into exile due to their dissent against the autocracy when it was just gaining power, and they hid you in the orphanage.” A moist tear ran down Anin’s face. “I am so glad you are alive,” he whispered, showing his crooked yellow teeth.
Enaj told him of his mistreatment at the orphanage by the masters, and elucidated the plan to obtain revenge. “Is it not great, grandfather?” he asked. “Now the tyrant that exiled you and so many others will pay for what they have done.”
At that, Anin smiled and shook his head, patting Enaj on the back. “No matter what they did to you or others, Enaj, violence is never the answer. Use peaceful methods instead.”
Stunned, Enaj pushed his grandfather away and yelled, “You do not understand what I went through or how I feel!” His head spinning, and feeling like he was going to explode, throw up, or both, Enaj ran to the rebel camp as quickly as he could, not looking back, as his grandfather tearfully pleaded with him to return.
“Come back, my beloved grandson! You do not understand! You just do not understand!” He kept sobbing softly until he fell asleep, exhausted with powerful emotions within his heaving chest.
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