Part 4 – A mercenary queen?
One night, as she was admiring the stars, Pagan came to met her.
-Good evening, my precious.
-Ah…good evening.
-You are always so beautiful.
-Thank you...and you are always so…pink.
He laughed and leaned on the railing.
-Your look changed since your arrival.
-Really?
-It has more confidence, determination, and I don't talk about its intensity…it looks like…the look of a queen.
-Ohh, please…
-But I assure you! You would look great as a queen!
-I don't have the makings of a queen.
-What makes you say such a thing?
-I'm a tom boy, and my training doesn't arranges things…I'm absolutely not mannered and we can't say that I'm the most feminine girl of the world…
-Yet you are truly divine when Sati prepares you for the dinner.
-…Yeah, but still, I would prefer be a mercenary.
-…And how about "mercenary queen"? Huh? Doesn't it sound great?
-This is an obsession…have you already forgot? I'm a tom boy!
-A tom boy is still a woman…and I know only one way to transform a tom boy to a woman.
-And can we know which one?
He turned and took his arms to support on the railing before taking a pose and smile slyly.
-To make her fall in love.
-Ha! He's so funny…and I guess you will play with your psychopath charms to make me fall?
-Exactly!
-You are mad.
-This is what Ishwari told me…before she succumbs to my advances.
Aliya looked at the sky, thoughtful.
-Do you know where she is? Where does she lives, exactly?
-Yes.
-Then…
-I don't dare.
-Why?
-If she left, it was because Kyrat was a poison to her and her son. I am a part of this poison.
-We really see that your feelings still haunt you…you must change your ideas.
Pagan turned his head toward the young woman and smiled. Aliya reminded the words she said to Sati: she will try to give his smile back too. She smiled, surprising the tyrant.
-Come on…you have to move forward! To stay in your past won't change anything; you have to accept it.
Pagan stood up and looked at her with a particular attention. Aliya lost her sight in the moon.
-Yeah…look at me…at the beginning; I was a hardly graduated weakling who didn't ask for anything. I saw myself building my life in France: find a job, a flat…find the man of my life and build a family…I already saw myself coming back from work and my children would jump on me, covering my face with "welcome back" kisses. It's really simple, but it's a lifestyle which could fit me. Instead of this, I got kidnapped by an eccentric man fond of the pink colour who wants me to become his wife and a mercenary and on the second day, I got bitten by a panther…but actually, that's good…I mean…I think that it was my fate to be here and I feel like I accept it little by little. I remember when you said that you wanted to take me with you, I was like "Oh my gosh, he's gonna make me be his slave and kill me then!", but I saw you didn't….actually, I was beginning to think if you didn't gave me the life I've always wanted to live…well…all that to say that past is past. Do with what you have now and you will feel better. Stop hurting yourself and just look in front of you. That's it.
After a few seconds, she turned her head and plunged in the dictator's look. His eyes were so intense and full of pain at this moment…she approached him and patted him on the shoulder, displaying a large smile.
-Move forward! Stand up and become a super king!
She began to return in her room but Pagan embraced her from behind. Surprised, she froze, and strangely didn't find the strength to move.
-I did what you just said…I kept trying to look in front of me…but I didn't see anything…then I hung on my past. I hung on my dearest memories, but every time, I saw them burn, showing me how empty I am today. By the second I saw you, I knew you will be the only person who could set me free from this endless horror.
He buried his head in the young woman's neck.
-Aliya…may you do something for me?
-…What?
-Say my first name.
-I…
-Say it…only once…I beg you.
She took a deep breath. Pagan didn't move, waiting for the fulfill of his wish. She blushed a little and decided herself.
-…Pagan.
He strengthened his embrace by the hearing of his name. They stayed like that for a moment. The tyrant finally raised his head and kissed Aliya's neck, who thrilled at contact. He detached himself from her and let his hand browse through his dove's shoulders before ending its travel under her chin.
-Thank you…my precious.
With a warm look, he walked away wishing a good night, and let Aliya more troubled than ever.