Chapter 27 – Preparation
Aliya woke up slowly. It had been a long time since she didn't slept so well. When her vision clarified, she saw the tyrant facing her, smiling.
-Good morning, my precious.
She smiled and answered him before huddling.
-Did you sleep well?
-Yeah. You're very comfy.
-I know.
She raised her head and kissed him. She liked this little pink world; with the life she was leading, she needed that kind of tender moments…
-Pagan…Are you ready to announce the news to the people?
-No, but I'll do as if I am.
-I can't wait for the beginning of the renovation. Do you imagine the result? It will be so wonderful!
While she was describing her vision, he looked at her tenderly. Noticing an ounce of worry, she stopped.
-What's wrong?
-Nothing, my dove.
-Stop it, I do see something is worrying you right now.
-…I just apprehend the course of the works.
-Hm…well, at the beginning, it won't be easy, but I'm sure everything will go better and better, you'll see.
He smiled, reassuring his dove and invited her to prepare.
-Take a bath with me.
-Err…
-You don't want to? Yet, you'll become my wife soon; you'll have to show yourself naked in front of me.
On those words, she went all red refusing categorically. He went to his bathroom laughing while she was heading to hers…thinking about this, he wasn't all wrong…
She prepared and dressed like usual. Joining the tyrant, she smiled to him trying to reassure him, and let him speak. A long, but precise speech. As he was finishing, Aliya thrilled.
-…So, to sum up: forget the disputes. Help each other. But mainly, do it to please Lieutenant Kundravati. She is the one who gave me the strength to begin that project that, basically, was important for me. Get rid of your hatred and your rancor, and work together, for her. I don't ask you that as a king, but as a man whose only wish is to make the one I love happy. Make her happy. If you accept this request, I will be forever grateful.
He stood up straight after prostrating, and then went down the platform, his head lowered. When he raised it, his dove was in front of him, staring at him. Without any words, he hugged him congratulating him for what he had just done. A few times later, Jay sent soldiers in all villages to display the detailed plan of the project.
In the middle of the afternoon, while Aliya went to the camp, Yuma went to her brother.
-What's with that renovation thing?
-This is what I decided to do.
-You do it because you want to, or because your "dove" asked you with her puppy eyes?!
-Yuma…
-No, I don't even want to hear you! You know what?! I don't care! Do what you want to, I…
He firmly put his hand on the table, preventing his sister to continue.
-Yes, I do it for her, but also for me. I just have enough with that meaningless fight! I want to begin to do what I should have done for a while: to take care of that country! Thanks to Aliya, I finally regained consciousness and I feel well!
Yuma was looking at him, her eyebrows frowned.
-I lost the woman I loved and my daughter because of all that hate and selfishness…I just don't want to do the same errors and lose happiness again. Whatever you would do, Yuma, you won't stop me. You can say everything about me…but don't blame my dove. You even have to get used to her from now on.
-And why I would do that?
-Because she's going to become your queen; we're going to marry.
Yuma couldn't believe her eras and couldn't let a single song come out of her mouth.
-Please, Yuma…I love you as a big brother loves his little sister, and I…
-You never loved me this way. You abandoned me when Ishwari arrived. The loyalty you had to her made you neglect the one you owed me! What do you think it does to me, your "little sister" who helped you to sit on the throne?!
He didn't know what to say, and lowered his eyes. While she was bombarding him with reproaches, he walked up to her. Then, without a word, he hugged her.
-I am sorry, little sister. I know those words won't fix anything, but I swear I will be there for you now.
-…You lie…
-No. Sit down and listen to me. Please.
Gritting her teeth, she sprawled on the sofa, waiting for his brother's explanation. Her face softened a bit as she was listening to what he had to say. To her great surprise, she began to think that this "dove" wasn't as noxious as she thought.
-This is what she proposed for you. She thought that it would please you.
-Hm…
-She respects you a lot, you know. She often says she wished she was closer to you.
Yuma thought during a moment.
-You really seem to love her…I thought you would never be able to feel love for someone else after what happened…
-I thought that too.
-At least, you are less execrable to see that at this time.
He laughed silently, and then looked at his sister again.
-…let me think about it a bit. Where is your "dove"?
-She is at the camp for the afternoon.
Without a word, she stood up and headed to the door.
-Yuma…thank you.
-Hm…
She left to go to the camp. Finding the young woman, she approached her.
-Hey…
-Ahh, good afternoon, Chief.
The young lieutenant turned toward her, intimidated.
-We need to talk.
-Okay…
They rolled away a bit. Yuma leaned back a wall and crossed her arms.
-I just talked with Pagan. You're going to make him lose a real bundle of cash with all this.
-Yes, I know…I will help him, even if he doesn't want to.
-How?
-To thank me to what I did in Mexico, M. Velasquez gave me a billion of Kyrati rupees.
-Whoa…you should have done great.
She told her the sojourn with more and more liveliness, but at the end, she calmed in front of the motionless face her interlocutor had.
-Hum…basically, this is what happened.
-I see…not bad.
-Ah…thank you, Chief.
-…What's that stupid smile?
-Sorry, I…
-Anyway…Pagan told me about what you plan to do.
-Really? Then, what do you think about it?
-I have to say that I find it interesting. Having said this, I'm surprised you didn't want to get rid of the poppy fields…
-I know it's an important product here…it bothers me a bit, but I can't make it disappear…
-I see. It's what he told me too.
During a moment, none of them talked. Aliya felt uncomfortable facing her superior, who was staring at her.
-Chief…
-Are you sure you want to marry him?
-Huh? I…
-Yet, you have fifteen years apart.
-What I feel for him and my desire to stay by his side are so strong that it's enough for me. Well, there is a positive point: he won't have to bother himself with finding a wedding gift…the renovation of the country is the most beautiful thing he could do for me.
-I see. Listen carefully; I will say it only once.
She approached the young woman, who stayed motionless although she was afraid.
-Despite what I thought, I have to say that you impress me. The weakling who became a lieutenant, who took a weight off our minds by taking care of the Golden Path and its heads, and who make my brother "happy", it's quite a lot. I must admit that you know how to use your strength. It's not like I like you, but I hate you much less than Ishwari. I took a lot of time to realize that Pagan will stay the way he is now, but I guess I have to cope with it; resentment becomes exhausting throughout years. All this to tell that you don't make him weaker, and I appreciate it, so…thanks.
Aliya widened her eyes before smiling some seconds later.
-You're welcome, Chief.
-Contrariwise, it will mean that I'll have less work because of all this.
-Don't worry; the world is full of prisoners. You'll have all the leisure to "have fun" with them. M. DePleur will help you.
Yuma displayed a crooked smile, and then asked her to let her see the ring his brother offered her. She showed her with some pride. The tyrant's sister then left to go to Durgesh, saying that she will join them for dinner this evening. Aliya joined her mentors.
-So? What did she want?
-Ahh…she just wanted to talk a bit.
-C'mon, tell us!
She laughed treating them "gossips" and told them briefly. They nodded and focused on the provision of the soldiers for the first two weeks of work. A few times later, she returned to the palace. Pagan was waiting for her with his sister. As she was walking up to him, she saluted the dictator, who didn't let her finish her sentence and kissed her warmly. Yuma rolled her eyes in front of the scene. Facing his dove's surprise, he tilted his head.
-…Maybe it was a little too much?
-Ah…no, no, it was great! But…
She bent to look at Yuma, who had an eyebrow raised. Pagan smiled.
-Come on, ladies, let's go inside. My, dove, please rest a bit and prepare for tonight.
-Okay.
She left.
-…How romantic you are…
-Always, my dear, always! Did you see how embarrassed she was? I love to see her like this!
-I didn't know you were sadistic in that domain.
-Well, sometimes, we need that…
-She arched an eyebrow again whereas his brother displayed a smirk. He proposed her to come in and have a drink together.
Meanwhile, Aliya joined Sati.
-Ahh, sweetie! How was your afternoon?
-Good; we managed to organize the first two weeks of the works. I'm glad of it.
-Wonderful!
-I sincerely hope everything will be all right.
-There's no reason something gets wrong. Don't worry.
They began to chat before and during the young woman prepared. After the dinner, she went in the garden to walk a bit whereas Pagan was talking with his sister. She quivered a little, and then heard steps approaching her.
-Ahh, here you are. What are you doing?
-Nothing, I just wanted to look up to the sky from here. Where is Chief Yuma?
-She's gone.
He proposed her to go inside. As she was installing in the bed, he took off his clothes…in front of her.
-…What the heck are you doing?!
-In case you didn't notice, my sweet, I'm not in pajamas yet.
-You could at least undress in your bathroom!
-But I just wanted to offer you a nice show…
He sneered. Aliya wanted to throw something in his face, but couldn't and her gesticulations made the tyrant laugh.
-I'll come back soon, my sweet!
-Yeah, yeah…
He left, absenting during nearly twenty minutes.
-…Is it on purpose?
-What?
-Your badly attached bathrobe.
-Do you want to see more?
-No.s
He walked up to her and opened it. She hid her eyes.
-Pagan! Stop it, already!
He burst out laughing and dressed to sleep. When he arrived, she laid her back turned and switched off her light, wishing him a good night.
-Ohh, my dove, please don't sulk…
He pressed himself to her and started kissing her neck. She turned.
-…Why do you always do anything to embarrass me?
-Because I love to see you in that state…it's so freaking cute!
-Hm…
-I also have to say it's exciting…
-What?!
-Good night, my dove, I love you!
He hugged her laughing. Later, Aliya watched him sleeping. She was eager to start the works and she was determined to help as best she could.