A/N: Just a few words to thank everyone who read/reviewed/followed/favorited this story so far. In one of the reviews someone asked me whether the spoilers I mentioned in the introduction to Chapter One are from book 13 or 15. Since the review was posted by a "guest" I couldn't reply directly, so I'll answer here: the spoilers are from book 13 and regard Arslan and Étoile.
Thank you again! I hope you'll enjoy Chapter Two: Ecbatana
Daryun adjusted the belt to which his sword was attached. He rubbed a hand over his face to wipe out the last traces of tiredness and advanced with decisive steps along the corridor. The faint morning sunlight wrapped up the palace bringing a feeling of peace and calmness. He reached the loggia that opened on the inner little square and looked out expecting to see the king training his swordsmanship on his own as usual. But the square was empty. Daryun looked around surprised and a wind blast rippled the water gathered in the central fountain.
He turned back and came across Elam who was advancing hasty with his arms loaded with scrolls. From the time Narsus left, the young man had to take care himself of all the correspondence and bureaucracy of the palace and probably he had been working since before the sun rose. He was in such a hurry that he didn't even see Daryun and he passed in front of him without deeming him worthy of even a glance. The Marzban had to yell his name more than once to draw his attention.
«Good morning Lord Daryun», Elam greeted him turning around and dropping a couple of scrolls on the ground.
«Good morning to you, Elam!», the man greeted him back. «Do you know where His Majesty is? This morning I haven't seen him yet and he's not training as he usually does», he explained.
«Yes, he's left», Elam answered bending over to pick up the two scrolls.
«He's left?», Daryun repeated shocked.
«Yes, with Étoile», the boy added, snorting when two other scrolls fell on the pavement.
«To go where?», the man urged.
«To the city. He wants to show her the progresses it made since the end of the war.»
«And you let him go alone?», the Marzban exclaimed opening his eyes wide. Elam struggled to hold back a laugh. The king was almost twenty years old. He was strong and he could defend himself more than easily, and yet, no matter how hard he tried, Daryun couldn't help worrying constantly about him.
«Farangis, five men of the royal guard and the knights in Étoile's service accompanied them», the young man reassured him.
The Knight in Black seemed to calm down. He greeted Elam and started walking again along the corridor. The boy looked at him for a few moments. He surely wouldn't be surprised if shortly thereafter he saw him leaving at full gallop towards the city. He smiled shaking his head, then he rearranged the scrolls in his arms and reached his office.
The shrill yells of the merchants who tried to attract customers to their colorful stands resounded everywhere. Men, women and children, young and old, moved in the city's streets filling the air with voices and squalls. From the crossing of two roads came a cheerful and rhythmic melody and among the crowd four dancers could be seen moving, letting themselves get carried away by the song's notes. A light and nice breeze blew through the buildings making the long, colorful flags hung from the top of the highest towers flutter. From some houses came an intense perfume of bread and flat breads, typical herbs and spices that mixed creating an inebriating fragrance.
The open-air market was a most important event in Ecbatana. It took place on the first day of every week and not only the inhabitants of the city, but also people coming from the countryside or from the villages nearby took part in it. On that occasion the capital was even more crowded and moving became almost a problem.
Arslan and the rest of the group had to leave their horses at the gate that connected the royal area to the actual city and go on walking. Two soldiers armed with spears opened the cortege paving their way among the crowd to make the king and his guests pass through. Farangis and another guard followed them, then came Arslan and Étoile with the lusitanian knights, while two other guards closed the line. Actually, moving among the chaos wasn't too difficult: as soon as the people recognized the king, exulting yells rose and everyone stepped aside to let him pass, greeting him and invoking his name.
«You must be really loved…», Étoile noticed as for the umpteenth time a woman tried to pave her way and hand him a bunch of colorful flowers. Arslan didn't manage to accept the gift but he greeted and thanked her with a gesture of his hand.
«I often come to the city. I like being among them, I think it's important for a king to keep contact with his people», he explained turning his gaze to her. Étoile nodded satisfied with the reply.
They crossed the market stopping from time to time at some stands where the king showed his guests a typical parsian product or he invited them to taste the spiced breads just taken out the oven that the bakers offered to the passersby. They went up one of the concentric circles of walls that defended the city and from there a breathtaking sight opened in front of their eyes. On one side extended the lush parsian countryside illuminated by the hot summer sun and on which appeared small yellowish villages, while on the other side erected the lively city flooded with people they had just crossed.
«It's stunning!», Thibaut exclaimed looking around.
«The tales about this city don't exaggerate when they define her the "gem of the Continental Highway" », Malakai said. «You must be really proud, Your Majesty».
«I am», Arslan confirmed looking at the lusitanian knight, then at the colorful roofs of Ecbatana. «The credit for such magnificence goes to her inhabitants, who work hard so that the city can grow and get better day by day», he said pointing at the construction sites scattered among the buildings.
They spent over an hour discussing the projects the sovereign wanted to realize to make Ecbatana even more livable and bright, and the lusitanian soldiers were shocked when the king asked for their opinions as well. Étoile laughed amused by their baffled expressions, wondering if she had opened her eyes and mouth wide like that when years ago Arslan surprised her with that simple and spontaneous behavior of his.
They got back in the labyrinth of streets and stopped to eat in a typical inn outside the crucial center of the open-air market, a location that was calmer and more easily defendable, so the guards could rest too. Farangis followed the king's every move without speaking. What had to be a quick and light meal turned soon into a multi-course lunch and when the dining companions left the inn the sun had already began to lower towards the horizon.
They headed for a slightly uphill path, flanked by short buildings from whose balconies hung plants and colorful flowers. They were proceeding calmly, but suddenly Arslan blocked. Everyone stopped and the guards immediately worried. Étoile looked around cautious and her men did the same. Farangis, however, seemed to be perfectly calm, rather, she bent her lips in a light smile.
«Oh, no! There's nothing to worry about!», the king appeased them chuckling. «I almost forgot to show you something. This way!», he exclaimed grabbing Étoile's hand and dragging her in a narrow side street. The soldiers looked at each other surprised and for a moment they seemed unsure about what to do.
«Didn't you hear His Majesty? Come on!», Farangis urged them, venturing into the lane. The men follower her without blinking an eye.
Arslan and Étoile came out in a small square with some stands and a big fountain from which a horse and its owner were drinking. Étoile looked around and those walls seemed terribly familiar to her. Arslan led her in a wide road that flanked the square and the girl had no more doubts. An unmistakable long-necked creature whose yellow fur was covered with large brown stains overlooked the roofs of the near buildings, lowering from time to time to tear off a leaf from the tree planted in its fence. The young lusitanian looked at the animal for a few seconds and it was more than enough to remember her very first, incredible visit to the city of Ecbatana. She saw herself as a child pretending to be a soldier and running on the roofs dragging with her none other than the prince of Pars while a squad of soldiers ran after them wielding spears and swords.
«It's called a "giraffe". It's an herbivorous animal and it comes from a very distant land». Arslan's voice brought her back to reality abruptly. She stared at him for a few moments trying to decipher the enigmatic smile the young man was addressing to her. Then suddenly she understood and burst out laughing loudly, Arslan joined her immediately.
«You asked me what it was and where it came from», the king said catching his breath. «I remembered you were still waiting for an answer». Étoile stopped laughing and composed herself.
«Are you serious?», she asked him opening her eyes wide. «It's been eight years and you still remember?»
«Of course!», he answered. «I remember every single moment of that day…», the young man confessed looking again at the giraffe that casually tore another leaf from the poor tree. The young sovereign smiled letting himself get carried away by his memories and unconsciously squeezed Étoile's hand. The girl sensed it immediately and only then she realized that they were still holding hands. A hot flush rose from her chest heating up her face and she needn't see herself to realize she was blushing. She withdrew her hand gently, keeping her eyes low to avoid Arslan's gaze. She felt him turning towards her, but the king didn't speak because in that moment Farangis and the other men reached them.
The sovereign showed them the giraffe and all the other animals that the so called "Masters of entertainment" had brought to the city to impress her inhabitants. They were creatures of many different shapes and colorful furs. Big enough cages, provided with food and water according to every animal's needs, were built for each one of them.
«The king agreed on the shows as long as the animals won't get mistreated», one of the guards explained noticing Kostàs's curious look, as he got closer to each fence studying it in great detail.
The heat of the sun was diminished by a nice breeze and one of the soldiers of the royal guard suggested a horse ride in the countryside to conclude the day benefitting from the warm temperature of the afternoon. Everyone accepted gladly and got the horses again, then they came out the western gate of the city. They rode for a few parasangs* and reached a large open space that had been deforested. About fifty men were heading towards the path that led to the city. At the crossroad with a country trail many wagons were waiting for them to carry the most tired and old ones. Arslan made the horses stop and greeted them.
«These men are working on the construction of a new irrigation system», he explained pointing proudly at the large open space. «The project belongs to Narsus, and if everything goes well, it will be concluded within one year and our farmers will have to struggle much less».
«In Lusitania such a project could not even be conceived…», Yanis commented with a certain sadness.
«Our homeland needs peace and serenity. Only then we'll be able to strive to get better», Malakai said placing a hand on his shoulder. Étoile looked at them smiling bitterly.
«I have no doubts that Lusitania will stand up again and I'm sure she's going to become a great power», Arslan stated with conviction. The determination in the king's voice was so steady it managed to raise the lusitanians soldiers' morale.
The ride continued through the limitless fields of the region. Each of them were marked with little flags of different colors, that, as the king explained, were used to identify the landowner that possessed the field. It was up to him to employ the peasants who worked the fields and who kept the harvest essential to their subsistence, depositing the remaining amount to the owner himself.
When they returned to the palace the sun was about to set. They left the horses to the attendants so that they could bring them to the stables and they headed to the staircase that led to the square in front of the palace. They crossed it. The last sunrays shattered against the precious stones embedded in the walls creating a dazzling game of reflections. The small group reached the gateway to the actual palace and there they found a man wearing elegant, embroidered clothes and a rather weird headgear, waiting for them. As soon as the king got closer to him he bowed widely and exhorted the two servants behind him to come forward and offer the sovereign a water soaked cloth to freshen up.
«Thank you, Cyrus», Arslan said, ordering then that the same treatment was given to the others as well. «Did something happen in my absence?»
«Nothing worthy of your attention, Majesty. Has your visit to the city been pleasant?»
«Yes», the king answered. «I hope the same can be said for you», he added turning to the lusitanian knights, who smiled and nodded vigorously. Cyrus glanced at the five soldiers ambiguously and his diffidence didn't go unnoticed to Arslan.
«These knights come from Lusitania and are our guests. She's Commander Étoile», the young sovereign said placing his hand on her back, «and these are her men: Malakai, Thibaut, Yanis and Kostàs». The mentioned ones greeted with a head nod, that Cyrus returned.
«Yes», he said plainly. «I heard about their visit».
«This is Lord Cyrus», Arslan then stated turning to his guests. «He's one of my most trustworthy counselors and a respectable member of the Court». The man smiled taking pride in the sovereign's words.
Cyrus was a man of about fifty years of age, short, thin and sharp-featured. His beard was grey like his hair, visible from under the strange headgear, and his eyes were icy-blue. A pendant with a big ruby hung from his neck and his fingers were decorated with extravagant rings made of gold and precious stones.
Kostàs looked at the man, then at the king, who was wearing a simple, barely embroidered white tunic and blue pants and he found it really strange how in Pars a simple nobleman displayed more riches than his own king.
«Your Majesty, the Council for the update on the kingdom's state will be starting soon. I'm afraid it is better to go inside», the man said.
«You're right», Arslan agreed. Then he turned to his guests. «I'm sorry I have to leave you, but it's a very important meeting and … »
«You don't have to justify yourself», Étoile interrupted him. «You are a king and you have your duties. It's only natural». Arslan smiled softly.
«Good then. Farangis will accompany you to the apartments. Should you need anything, do not hesitate to ask. I'll see you soon!», and, escorted by the guards, he followed Cyrus to the palace's hall waving his hand in mid-air.
The priestess accompanied the knights to their accommodations. She greeted them politely and reached her companions in the small temple of Mithra next to the palace.
*The parasang is a historical Iranian unit of itinerant distance (Persian: پارسنگ٫ پاره سنگ ), the length of which varied according to terrain and speed of travel.
A/N: if you are legitimately wondering why it took me so long to update, here's the answer: I have to write each chapter in Italian, correct it, translate it into English and then try to reduce the grammar mistakes as much as possible. Considering I'm quite busy with University and work, this whole process takes me a month. That's why I decided to publish a new chapter every second Saturday or Sunday of the month. I know it's a lot of waiting, but this allows me to be as regular as possible. I hope you'll understand. Thanks again :)
- Kiara