Rakho the unlucky

**Rakho the Unlucky** (519-599 AGV) was the second son of emperor Rakho VII and Leani Urassili in the Harkanalis dynasty. Born only a year after crown prince Harko, he always considered himself unlucky. Frequent fight with the older sibling made him frustrated in nature as the both rivalised in all aspects of life to win their parents approval. Prince Rakho received a thorough formal Education of sufficient depth in both military and civilian matters.

He liked to ride, going as far as leaving the capital without parental permission, forcing his numerous bodyguard into a neck-breaking chase. Largely because of his unruly behavior his father never yielded command to him contrary to Harko who was given minor tasks already at sixteen years of age. The brotherly strife escalated during the years but it remained largely hidden only the queen and trustees knowing the full extent of the boiling hatred.

This bitter fight unfolded at the wedding reception of their younger brother, Tudhan in 545 when both princes have consumed excessive amount of spirits. Harko went over to the table of Rakho grabbed his head and did as if he would just play with him laughing in the meantime. In reality he insulted his brother once more, then left to a small, hidden backyard where nobody could see the pair. He intended to settle their score for once an all, but the plan backfired. Followers of both princes became aware that they both left, and arrived just in time to witness Harko drawing his sword upon his brother. Rakho parried and made an ugly cut through the abdomen with the backhand, killing the crown prince with a single strike.

Emperor Rakho reportedly wanted to finish off his middle son on the spot, who was only saved by the physical intervention of the royal guards. He was imprisoned under Kings Mountain for four days. During the meantime Tudhan, their mother, the widow of Harko and several others beseeched for his life at the emperor. The strongest protection were the testimonies from all countiers, who regardless from their sides all testified under oath that prince Harko was the first to draw.

As killing a man without legal reason was forbidden ever for the emperor himself, Rakho had right to avert the danger with deadly force. Such his execution or even punishment would have caused serious uproar, even a possible uprising. Rakho have had no other chance to penalise his misled son, than to make him an orhana kulum. Apart from that he demanded from him a written understanding, in what he had to renounce all his claims to the throne of Hadašham for himself and for all descending from him. After this done, Tudhan turned out as crown prince, while Rakho was inaugurated as a high priest.

The series of humilation did not stop there, as Rakho VII died in some months, drinking himself dead in his sorrow. Tradition dictated that the orhana must crown the new emperor, what he did, pale-faced during the ceremony. So rumors said, that he choked upon his tears when Tudhan started his speech in front of his subjects. This aside, the office was a pleasant, calm one during this time, as Rakho survived both his brother and his nephew, Kharan II, under whom the last Imperial resurgence has taken place. By that time, he was past his seventieth birthday, an old man, battling a light senility.

Kharan hasn't had an offspring when he died, although the widow empress consort was pregnant, without question by him. Has see not been able to carry the child through term, as she has already miscarried three others, the empire would have been pushed into an unprecedented succession crysis. Even Rakho, an octogenerian was considered as a potential candidate, despite the evidence that he gave up his right. At the end, the empress gave birth to a healthy son, called Marasa II, but the months of interregnum and the years of regency led to the weakening of the central power, as she had to bypass the powerful administrators supressing the Rakho-party.

Such was Rakho unlikely not once, not twice, but thrice in his life. First at the birth, to not be in front of the line. Second when he could have became a crown prince, but he had to rescind the throne to save his skin. And third when he was once more counted as a potential emperor, even with proper succession after him, but a miraculous birth sealed his fate.

Rakho died at eighty year of age, old both in body and in mind. He have seen the last great imflammations of the Hadašhim Empire, along the beginnings of the long way downwards that lasted for some four centuries.