A/N: Hi! Here's a new chapter. I hope you'll enjoy it. Once again, thanks to all who read/reviewed/favorited this story so far.
Chapter Three: Shining Eyes
Arslan retired in his rooms the time necessary to freshen up and change his clothes, then he came down again and reached the Council room. Elam and Daryun were waiting for him at the entrance. The two asked him how his day had been and the sovereign told them briefly how crowded the open-air market was and how much surprised Kostàs and the others were to see all those animals.
When the king entered, the most absolute silence filled the room and everyone stood up welcome him. Arslan reached his throne, he sat on it and with a gesture of his hand he allowed the participants to take a seat themselves. The counselor arranged themselves to form a rectangle around a giant map of the entire Kingdom of Pars. Daryun took place at the right of the sovereign, while Elam stopped at the other side of the room, looking at the king.
«Good evening to everyone!», Arslan greeted them politely. The participants greeted him back bowing their heads. «If no one is against it, I'd start with the reading of the monthly report on the Kingdom's economy». He waited for a few seconds skimming with his eyes the men's faces. Nobody opened his mouth. Arslan then directed a gesture of his hand to Elam and the young man stood up, unrolled the scroll he was holding and started reading loud and clear.
When he finished a heavy and oppressive silence fell upon the room. Arslan rubbed a hand on his face and looked at his counselors. Some of them kept their eyes low, others stared at the map or looked around. Elam closed the scroll again and sat at the left of the sovereign.
«How is it possible that in a month the destitute families of Ecbatana have almost doubled?», the king asked loudly. No one dares answer him. «According to what had been approved during the meetings of the Legislative Council the ones who belonged to the lowest classes should have been lawfully hired in the construction sites and as workers in the new irrigations system. Am I wrong?», the young sovereign urged.
«You are not, Sire», a man with a thick black beard confirmed. «All the workers who have been employed in the latest thirty days come from the lowest classes of the city».
«What's the problem then? What are we missing?», Arslan resumed standing up. He started walking back and forth holding thoughtful his chin.
«My King, I ask your permission to speak!»
Arslan lifted his eyes and saw a man, clearly the youngest among the members of the Council, with his hand raised. He recognized his beardless face immediately: it was Narsus who persuaded him to appoint the young man as a counselor because he was clever and honest. The king nodded and he stood up.
«According to Counselor Elam's report, in the last month the requests of who wanted to take up residence in Ecbatana moving from the countryside have increased dramatically. This transfer and the poverty growth are undoubtedly related. In my opinion, if we want to find the cause of this chain of events, the most appropriate move is to investigate the countryside itself: it is there that this vicious circle starts». The young counselor concluded his speech and went back to his seat. A whispered buzz spread among the other members.
«I understand your argument, Adel, and I support acting as you suggest. Does someone want to intervene?», Arslan asked.
«I do, Majesty», Cyrus answered. The king nodded. «I respect Counselor Adel's point of view, but I feel I can guarantee that work in the countryside has always been conducted only within the limits of the royal decrees. I own some field myself and I can refer what I see with my own eyes». Cyrus bent his head and moved back again.
«I understand your point of view as well Cyrus», Arslan commented. «I ask you not to feel offended by Adel's words. I'm sure he did not mean to accuse anyone», the sovereign continued while the young counselor's face was turning purple, aware of having suggested not exactly trivial insinuations towards a man of Lord Cyrus' caliber. «What's really important now, is to decide an action plan that allows us to face this problem. We are talking about people, our fellow citizens, entire families which is our precise duty to help with every means will be necessary». Everyone nodded and Daryun smiled, proud of the secure and decisive tone with which the king declared his intentions.
«Does someone else want to speak?», the sovereign asked after a few moments of silence. No one moved. «Alright. This Council has only an advisory function, so I think it's convenient to end the meeting here. I'll summon the Legislative Council tomorrow morning instead. Notify the ones who aren't present tonight of this», he said to the heralds waiting for orders at the end of the room. «You're free to go. Have a good night!».
Everyone stood up and headed towards the exit. Someone even took the liberty of delivering a pat of encouragement on poor Adel's back, who was starting to recover after his rash speech. Daryun and Elam left with the sovereign.
«Majesty, I ordered to arrange dinner in your rooms», Elam said. Arslan looked at him frowning slightly.
«Actually, I thought I would have dinner with Étoile…»
«Surely she has already dined by now. The Council lasted longer than expected and the cooks had received order to serve the guests at a given hour», the young man explained. Arslan glanced outside the windows and realized it was pitch dark and the guards were already beginning to prepare the bonfires for the night. The young king sighed.
Lord Cyrus was the last one to leave the room. He greeted the king and his companions and took the first flight of stairs on the left. He went down almost running and reached the corridor on the ground floor. He walked for a few meters, then he opened the door in the right wall and entered the room. He grabbed the black cloak hanging from a nail stuck in the wall and put it on, pulling the hood over his head. Then he moved a wooden closet pushing it with his arms. A trapdoor kept closed by a big lock appeared on the floor. Cyrus opened it and lifted the board that covered the passage to go in.
The tunnel was completely dark, but he knew it like the back of his hand. He advanced with a form step and passed easily over the water rivulets that from time to time flower horizontally to his path. He turned to the right and, out of nowhere, appeared a man holding a crackling torch, motionless. Cyrus didn't get scared, not even a little bit.
«My Lord», the mysterious man greeted him. «Everyone's inside. We are waiting only for you».
Cyrus grabbed the torch and advanced in the tunnel until he found himself in front of a door. He thrusted it open and found about twenty men welcoming him, all wearing the black cloak. The man closed the door behind his back and hung the torch on the wall. Other torches had already been placed, but the light wasn't enough to illuminate the small rounded room completely.
Everyone positioned in circle around a small altar made of grey rock on which stood out unmistakable red stains.
«So, what news do you bring us from the Council?», one of the hooded men asked with hoarse voice.
«Nothing good. It seems the king is inclined to investigations in the countryside», Cyrus answered. A buzz of disapproval spread among the participants.
«Anyway there's nothing to worry about for now. Nothing has been decided about it yet».
«What do you suggest then, my Lord?», another one asked. Cyrus moved the hood slightly and looked around.
«For now the wisest thing to do is wait. Once we know how the king will act, we'll move consequently». For a few minutes the crackling of the torches was the only thing that could be heard.
«Rather…», Cyrus resumed. «Did you find out something about what I asked you to investigate?»
«Only about the girl», the man on his right answered. «They say she met the king during the battle at the Keep of Saint Emmanuel of June 321. She was only a squire back then».
Cyrus nodded. He waited for a few moments, then he grabbed the torch he had hung on the wall and exited the room.
«You know what? I'll resign the army and move here!»
«And I'm gladly joining you, Yanis!», Thibaut yelled before bursting out laughing with his comrade. Malakai looked at them shaking his head as they filled the umpteenth cup with wine. Kostàs gave them sideway looks, sitting on the white marble parapet. Étoile stared at them leaning against a porphyry column and judged their conversation so absurd she decided against intervening. They were so excited that scolding them would have been useless. Once sure her words would have had the desired result, she would have made them regret having even thought what they had said.
It was a beautiful summer night. The temperature was perfect and the sky was adorned with stars. The cooks had prepared a delicious dinner for the lusitanian guests and had served it in a small, private, richly finished room. Then the knights had moved to a terrace that faces the luxuriant and neat inner garden. There they were served sweets and wine at will. Étoile, Malakai and Kostàs drank conscientiously, but Yanis and Thibaut decided to take advantage of it and indulged gluttony without embarrassment.
In that short visit to the capital they had been able to see with their own eyes the splendor and wealth of the thriving kingdom of Pars and the misery their homeland was experiencing looked even more hopeless.
«Our Commander was right! This place is covered in gold! Can you think of it, Thibaut, can you?», Yanis exclaimed shaking his friend by his arms. «Luxurious clothes and meals worthy of a king! If this is what it means to be parsian, I'll think about it…»
«Oh come on!», Kostàs exclaimed getting off the parapet. «Are you even listening to yourselves? You are knights of Lusitania, for crying out loud! And moreover followers of the Faith of Yaldabaoth! You should be proud and honorable warriors who fight for the people, not two drunkards!»
Malakai smiled and looked at Étoile. He was sure she had recognized her own words in the young man's earnest speech.
«Hey! Calm down! You're telling me you'd rather sleep on the ground than on a bed like those ones?», Yanis asked pointing at an undefined spot on the wall behind his back.
«The sheets!», Thibaut intervened leaning against his friend languidly. «I mean, have you felt how soft there sheets are?»
Kostàs blushed indignant and Malakai burst out laughing.
«Malakai, now you're getting involved in this too?», the young man yelled at him.
«Don't be offended, boy», he answered him with his deep voice. «Don't you see them? They're teasing you… and they're half drunk». Kostàs listened to the man and sat again on the parapet, snorting.
«Also…», Malakai resumed unexpectedly. «I'm afraid our friends forgot that Parsians have this much because they're tireless workers. They may be heathens, but we have to acknowledge this credit of theirs».
«Yeah», Thibaut commented as if he had just woken up after a long sleep. «There were so many construction sites everywhere in the city…»
«And I don't really think those workers are sipping precious wine under the stars right now…», Malakai concluded looking at his comrades straight into their eyes. «Beware, what you're praising is not all parsians' life. Don't forget we're personal guests of the king».
Yanis and Thibaut seemed touched by those words and nodded slightly.
«Yeah, we're guests… special guests», Yanis added pronouncing the last two words ambiguously. Instinctively, everyone looked at the commander. Étoile turned around and realized her men's eyes were one her. She stared at them for a few moments, speechless, but she sensed in their look a subtle malice that made her uncomfortable.
«What's wrong with you?», she asked annoyed, leaving her spot in half-light.
«Nothing! The fact is, we noticed the king was really happy to see you again…», Yanis answered casually.
«So?», Étoile urged.
«Well, we had expected he would have welcomed you with open arms…», Yanis resumed.
«But we didn't imagine he would actually hug you. I mean, not that… tight», Thibaut explained squeezing his arms around his own chest. Étoile looked at them frowning for a few seconds.
«What on earth are you talking about?», she said as a light blush reddened her cheeks.
«You told us you two met at the Keep of Saint Emmanuel and then you followed him in the liberation of Ecbatana», Yanis started.
«Exactly».
«And that you've been sort of an ambassador to him, someone to confront with and make arrangements just after the war», Thibaut continued.
«Yes, so what?», Étoile asked growing more and more impatient. Thibaut and Yanis exchanged a knowing glance and the smirks that appeared on their faces were anything but innocent.
«Are you sure you told us everything that's happened while you were in Pars?»
Étoile understood at once what the two were hinting at and she blushed furiously.
«How can something like that even cross your mind!?», she yelled scandalized while Yanis and Thibaut barely held back a chuckle.
«But Commander! Didn't you notice how the king stared at you during last night's dinner? His eyes were shining», Yanis said.
«Or today, in the city, when you looked the other way he watched you enchanted for a full minute!», Thibaut exclaimed.
«Once he kept staring at her for minute and a half! I counted the seconds!», Yanis told his friend to validate his words.
«And he even took your hand Commander!»
«That's enough!», Étoile shouted getting threatening closer to the two.
«And the way he smiles at you! I've never seen anyone smiling like that!», the knight continued instead. Étoile lifted a hand to her face and started tapping her foot on the ground, clearly on edge. And her men's chuckling sure didn't help.
«Malakai!», she exclaimed at Thibaut's umpteenth insinuation. «Say something before I pierce these two idiots from side to side!»
The man had followed the entire scene sitting comfortably on his wooden chair without saying a word. He seemed to hesitate, then he moved and spoke.
«Forgive me, Commander, but I've never seen anyone's eyes shining more than King Arslan's when he looks at you».
Silence fell upon the terrace. Étoile, Yanis and Thibaut stared incredulous at Malakai, who after a few seconds burst out laughing. The other two joined him more than gladly and Étoile closed her eyes clenching her fists to avoid piercing her men for real.
«Cut it out! What's gotten into you tonight?», Kostàs yelled suddenly, jumping from the parapet. His interference shut everyone up, as they had almost forgotten his presence since he didn't move the whole time.
«Does it seem respectful to speak to your Commander that way?». Étoile nodded and glared at the three that stared at Kostàs blankly. «If she hasn't told us anything else, it means there's nothing else to be told!», he continued overheated. «And I'm absolutely sure she would never betray her faith!»
«Exactly», Étoile would have wanted to exclaim, but her voice cracked on the last syllable of the word. She felt a lump in her throat and her heartbeat sped up. She turned her face to the dark sky beyond the terrace to calm down and ward off that sudden inquietude.
«Oh come on, Kostàs! You're always so dramatic!», Yanis grumbled.
«Yeah! If it were for you life would be a neverending tragedy!», Thibaut echoed.
«Wait a moment!», Yanis exclaimed getting closer to Kostàs. «You aren't jealous, are you?»
«What?», the young man retorted indignant.
«There's no other explanation!»
«You're crazy! And furthermore, you're drunk!», Kostàs tried to defend himself.
«No, no! Yanis is right! You're blushing!»
Kostàs growled at him and attempted to hide his face with his hands when Étoile turned curious to look at him. Malakai smiled and Yanis and Thibaut started teasing the poor boy.
Their squalling voices could be heard from the corridor and the young knight's attempts to shut them up were of no avail. At the umpteenth malicious comment, Kostàs lost his temper.
«I've had enough of this!», he yelled wilding his fist in mid-air, ready to pounce on his comrades.
«Pardon me, am I bothering you?», Kostàs stopped and turned abruptly towards the entrance of the terrace.
Arslan had appeared all of a sudden and was looking confused at the scene in front of him. Malakai was turning his back on him sitting comfortably, Yanis and Thibaut slumped on their armchairs with the goblets still in their hands and Kostàs stood above them with his fist clenched. Étoile flushed in shame.
«No!», she answered stepping forward and glaring at her men. «We were thinking of retiring for the night, am I right?», she added peremptorily staring at the knights' faces one by one. They nodded and stood up trying to appear at least decent-looking. Then they headed slowly towards the entrance greeting the king with a nod.
«Thank you for the dinner», Étoile said and she was about to follow her men when Arslan grabbed her by her arm.
«Wait», he told her. «Would you like to take a walk?»
Étoile looked at him hesitant. She heard Yanis whispering something into Thibaut's ear and he chuckled softly. She would have wanted to refuse to avoid giving her men more reasons to chatter about her relationship with Arslan, but she couldn't resist his gentle smile.
They walked in the inner garden for a bit, then they moved to the small park right next to the palace's wall. They climbed an ocher staircase and reached one of the walkways that run above the palace's outermost wall. On the inner wall of the crenelation were hanging big torches that illuminated the whole path of a warm, orange light.
«The city is shining as it used to be», Étoile said suddenly gazing at the sleeping capital. «I'm happy you managed to fulfill your dreams».
«In truth there's still much to do…», Arslan admitted.
«Even so, it's magnificient. My men are deeply fascinated».
Arslan smiled.
«I'm sorry I didn't join you for dinner. The Council lasted longer than expected», the young sovereign justified himself.
«Don't worry», Étoile reassured him. They walked for a few meters, in silence.
«How was the meeting?», the girl asked suddenly. Arslan's face darkened. «Sorry», the young woman then blurted. «These are things that don't concern me».
«Elam reported on the kingdom's situation. The city sparkles, but the families are poorer and poorer and I don't understand why», he explained her failing to hide a certain sorrow. He told her about Adel's speech, Cyrus', the wisest counselors' fleeting glances. Étoile listened to him in silence. When the sovereign talked about the countryside, in the girl's mind took shape the endless expanse of fields that she had seen that very afternoon, all perfectly taken care of, marked by their fluttering colorful flags. They were blue, red, yellow, green, … She made and effort but she couldn't remember having seen other colors. Arslan had stopped talking and was looking at Étoile a little embarrassed.
«I'm boring you, right?», Étoile left her thoughts and shook her head.
«I was just thinking about the horse ride we went for today in the countryside», she confessed. «Your system to identify whom the field belongs to is interesting: simple and practical».
«Yeah», Arslan said lost in his thoughts. «Since there are more than thirty landowners dividing Ecbatana's lands, that was the best method to opt for».
«But the flags' colors weren't more than four or five…», Étoile commented quietly.
«What did you say?», Arslan asked her opening his eyes wide.
«Nothing! Never mind», the girl replied waving her hand nonchalantly.
«No. you know I highly value what you think», the king reassured her looking straight into her eyes.
«Well», the young lusitanian started hesitant. «The flags planted in the fields were of only four of five colors, as many as the landowners that they stand for, according to the system's logic». Arslan lifted his hand to his chin and pondered over it for a few seconds.
«That's true», the sovereign agreed eventually. «I'll have to check the register about the fields' buying and selling. It's a legitimate activity, but I find it strange that so many have sold their fields all at once. You gave me an excellent starting point Étoile. Thank you».
«But I didn't…»
«I'll tell Elam to get me those documents straight away», Arslan continued glancing at the sleeping city. The resolution in his voice was so strong Étoile couldn't help but smile shaking her head.
She stood there staring at him in silence while the king told her about how the Council could be going the next day. His words however reached the young lusitanian's ears like a chant that little by little faded into the burning torches' crackling.
Étoile didn't even remember the last time she had looked at Arslan's figure so carefully, but she was absolutely certain that the young man had really changed since they had separated.
One could tell the strength of his legs even from under his pants, and the very short tunic he was wearing was so tight that the outline of the muscles it covered could be easily guessed. His wide shoulders surely weren't the ones of a boy anymore, but of a young man, used to hard and steady trainings. And the expression on his face, framed by his silver hair that reached his shoulders, had lost part of the naivety that characterized it so much.
She didn't see the inexperienced and clumsy prince of her childhood anymore, but an ambitious, young king, aware of his strength, who loved his people as much as they loved him. And his voice, that was starting to be distinguishable from the fire crackling again, was even deeper and charming.
When Arslan stopped talking he turned around to look at Étoile and smiled softly. The girl didn't move, but she felt clearly the lump in her throat that had seized her when she was on the terrace with her men. She swallowed and stared at the sovereign's blue eyes intensely.
She had never seen them shining like that.
A/N: I hope you all enjoyed this chapter. I'm sorry for grammar or syntax errors. If you have some advices or observations, feel free to let me know. Bye bye! :)