Kaula Hao 2022

Abner Millet had no purpose after the abolition of slavery in the United States.

His slave trading days were over, and he was forced to make himself scarce publicly as a few factions were pursuing him, literally seeking his death. A train filled with persons gleefully celebrating the end of the civil war and the expulsion of human servitude bore Abner to the west coast, where a ship would take him to a place he had never heard of before, the sandwich islands. Abner hoped to acquaint himself with a circle of whites he'd heard about who owned plantations and slaves to the degree that it disguised itself under the Master and Servants act. Unfortunately, Abner was not prepared for the fact that it was dark-skinned Hawaiians who ruled the islands as Monarchs, Kings, Queens, Princes, and Princesses and that whites served as their advisors. Be that as it may, he moved about as best he could and proved himself a helpful enforcer on the plantations. However, Abner was bothered to meet people like himself regarding ethnicity who were sympathetic and friendly to the dark-skinned Hawaiians and other dark-skinned races. In fact, some of the men took Hawaiian women as wives and had whole families living in large southern plantation-style homes. The meat of Abner's story is that one day a little rambunctious Hawaiian boy ran into Abner with muddy hands while escaping his playmates in a game of tag. With red mud staining his white pants, Abner became incensed, slapped the little boy across his face, and sent him sprawling in the dirt. The boy's mother, who witnessed the whole incident, retaliated and punched Abner so hard that he went unconscious. Abner Millet stood at a solid six feet two inches tall, while the woman named Manu equaled him in height and strength. The former slave trader awoke to a splitting headache and found himself in the infirmary, being tended to by the woman who rendered him unconscious. 

He shot up out of bed, and Manu pushed him back into it, "Be still, you fool," she spoke calmly. Abner drew his hand back to strike Manu again, but she countered his efforts by leaning in and pressing her forearm into his throat. "I said, be still and cease being a fool," she hissed. "I won't tell you a third time."

Abner had no choice but to be calm. Manu waved one of the regular nurses into the room, followed by the male physician. That is when she excused herself and left the room. Neither the nurse nor the physician appeared to be happy with Abner, "You don't want to make an enemy of her highness," the physician warned.

"Her highness?" Abner scoffed.

"Yes," the physician confirmed. "Her highness, her family may not be the ruling family, but her bloodline is just as high, if not higher. Therefore, they could rightfully assume the throne whenever they wished."

"Still, that doesn't give the bitch the right to strike me, and a niggardly woman no less!" Abner blustered. 

"That boy you struck, the prince; he is her son," the physician said. "His mother, that woman you so disgustingly refer to as a niggardly woman, is why this infirmary is open. We are here through the kindness of her donations and her love of children, and while you are here, you will refer to her as 'your highness.'

"Let him be," Manu said while entering the room again, armed men following behind her. "He struck the prince; take him to the hale paʻa hao. Let him sit there for a few days."

The armed men were as tall and wide as Abner and appeared to be much more apt than Abner himself to inflict pain for any reason, real or imagined. Abner protested and struggled, but even the plantation owners knew well enough not to cross Manu regarding such matters. 

...to be continued