Date: 7/12/12 - (updated 4/21/2020)
Disclaimers: Miyazaki is incredible with his character portrayals and I don't dare touch what he's already done... just borrowing his characters for some more fun with his imaginary universes. :D
Chapter 11: The King of Merinth
The next morning everyone spread out in their search for the elusive plant. With the exception of Kitson and Tersa, each person went on their own to a different part of the city to scour the area for herbal stores, medicinal stockrooms, plant nurseries - anyplace that might possibly harbor items with leaves and photosynthetic capabilities. Although the farmlands ended where the gates started, within the gates lay plenty of produce stands selling the fruits of their labor, and possibly the seedlings as well. All were to cover as much ground as possible, then meet again at noon to proclaim any findings.
And search they did. In every crook and cranny of every shelf, in every market and down every alleyway. But they began to lose hope when their efforts returned no results. The mysterious plant was nowhere to be found. That afternoon they gathered in a tiny secluded room in the quieter areas of the city - dejected, exhausted, and concerned. One look around the room, and everyone realized that their individual hunts for the little green vegetable had all encountered the same dead end. Worries and suggestions now flew across the room.
"Something's wrong. It's obvious."
"Are we not looking in the right places?"
"We've looked everywhere! We might as well start looking underground!"
"What if it's really not in Merinth?"
"Even if it's not grown here, surely someone must have heard of it?"
"It has to be in this city." Nausicaa affirmed. "Kerlin specifically sent us here."
"Well what if he told us wrong?" Tersa barked, unconvinced.
"I don't think he would lie to us." The princess returned quietly.
"Why send us here if the plant is not here?" Asbel questioned.
No one answered. The room seemed to hum with the heat of the midday sun, filling in the overbearing silence. Lord Yupa, who hadn't said a word all day, finally spoke up.
"There are two possibilities: either the plant is not in Merinth, or it is and no one is willing to speak of it." He paused a moment to allow the idea of malicious concealment sink in to everyone's heads. "We have plenty of reasons to believe the first possibility, but does anyone have evidence for the second?"
"Wait," Asbel started. "Now that you mention it, I had a very strange conversation with an old beggar; he talked in a very nonsensical manner so I didn't think much of it."
"What did he say?" Nausicaa prodded.
"He said that Mulsa held a 'dirty secret', and if you spoke of it, you were killed. Someone tried to give it to the people, but the Palace intervened. One man was jailed, and another disappeared, never to be heard from again."
"That's not very encouraging." Tersa blurted frankly. Nausicaa sent a disapproving glare in her direction, then looked worriedly at Asbel.
"Did he say why the Palace intervened?" The boy shook his head. By this time Nausicaa was lost in thought, as if already devising a plan of sorts. Observing her facial expression, Tersa stared at her in disbelief.
"Princess, don't tell me you're planning to just walk in there and ask for it!"
"Why not?" The girl returned with a slight hint of defiance. "What if it is grown in the Palace and just never distributed? We can ask for it, or demand to know why we cannot have it."
"It could be suicide!" Tersa spat.
"We have to try. Would you rather us sneak into the Palace and attempt to find it and steal it?"
"Tersa's right Nausicaa. It's too dangerous." Yupa stated pessimistically, but Nausicaa would not waver.
"It's going to be dangerous no matter what we do! The Palace is the most likely place we'll find Mulsa, or at least find answers." The group was silent for a moment; Nausicaa looked pleadingly into their eyes for understanding. Everyone was considering her logic, but remained impassive. She sighed wearily.
"Come now, my friends." Nausicaa urged earnestly. "We knew this would be dangerous. Our loved ones and our nations need this." She spoke quietly but her eyes glowed with fiery decision.
"This is not a suicidal mission; I intend to succeed in every way." She scoured their faces for a response. The silence bothered her but she knew her friends well. Lack of disapproval was essentially implicit agreement, so she carried on with devising her plan.
"Kitson have you ever been inside the Palace? Tell me everything you know about it." Nausicaa beseeched gently. Although the boy had never been inside the, he enumerated all pertinent details he could think of. The Palace was more like a collection of gardens, ornate halls, and buildings, which housed the living quarters and offices of King Sarkil, and a select few of his top officials. They all began surmising optimistically when they heard about a large Conservatory of Flowers that cultivated both native and exotic plants. An underground system of dungeons was rumored but not confirmed. Finally, the area was less guarded at the perimeter than at the entrances to the individual buildings.
"Perhaps only Nausicaa, Kitson and I should enter the Palace." Asbel suggested. "In case we run into trouble, not all is lost."
"If after two days you don't hear anything from us, enter the Palace to search for us or for the plant." Nausicaa added; the others nodded in agreement.
Next they designated a location for Tersa and Yupa to hide in waiting while the other three went on their excursion. It was still midday, so Nausicaa and Asbel chose to enter that evening for the sake of saving time. Furthermore, the evening provided the cover of darkness to search for the plant and observe the fortifications of the Palace. If they sensed any immediate danger, slipping out of the Palace would also prove less difficult in the middle of the night as opposed to in broad daylight.
The sun lazily began to retreat toward the horizon as they ate their dinner peacefully; when the night was still young Nausicaa, Asbel and Kitson embarked toward the Palace. Before they separated ways, Nausicaa approached Tersa and Yupa and wrapped them each in a tight hug.
"You be careful..." Tersa growled as soon as Nausicaa pulled away. The short haired girl then turned stiffly towards Asbel and gave him a brief, slightly awkward hug.
"You too Asbel; take care." The Pejite replied with a silent nod, somewhat surprised by the sentiment.
In all honesty, Tersa had never particularly liked Asbel; she was slow to make friends and skeptical of all who neared her. But when Nausicaa had fallen head over heels for him, she realized she had to start tolerating him. Luckily it proved to be relatively easy; he had a good heart and clearly cared for Nausicaa. Tersa also acknowledged that she couldn't singlehandedly protect the Princess forever. Nausicaa was essentially a dearly-loved sister to her, so Asbel by default become a sort of brother as well. At the moment she was worried for both of them: Nausicaa because she had the unfailing ability to always get herself into trouble, and Asbel because of his idiocy to actually let her have her way.
"Don't do anything crazy!" She shouted her last words of advice after them into the darkness of the night.
Nausicaa, Asbel, and Kitson soon found themselves walking through the entrance to the palace. Apparently the gates were hardly guarded at all and didn't close until much later at night; so they entered easily. Most people inside were already on their way out.
"Alright; just stick together." Nausicaa told the boys authoritatively.
"We should try the conservatory first." Asbel piped up. They all agreed at the idea and followed the signs toward a magnificent building. It stood several stories tall, and was made entirely of glass panels embedded in a wooden structure. Even without sunlight to highlight its architectural beauty, the structure was mesmerizing. Nausicaa had never seen anything so sleekly designed: it comprised of three different wings that were each topped off with a majestic clear glass dome. Upon approaching the main entrance of the center wing, the three found a guard standing rigidly before them, obstructing them from entering.
"No entering the Conservatory unless you are accompanied by an official or have permission from one." He dutifully stated. With disappointment on their faces the trio sluggishly turned around and left, their curiosity heightened to suspicion of what exactly lay inside those walls.
"Where do we get permission?" Asbel mused.
They didn't have to walk very far when their eyes beheld an imposing building, boasting much grandeur and authority as it towered over all other buildings. Made entirely of a rare hazy black marble, it had steps all along the front that led up to large wooden double doors. The three of them gaped at the size of the building before they noticed the words "CITY OF MERINTH OFFICES" engraved in bold, capital letters above the doors.
"Well that looks like a good place to start. Shall we?" Asbel exchanged glances and a hopeful smile with Nausicaa.
Two feet into the doorway they encountered another guard that asked for their names. The procedure was similar to when they first entered the city gates, so this time they weren't so shocked at the routine. What did astonish them was the response from the guard. The moment they mentioned their names the guard shot an attentive glance at the group, speedily surveying each member carefully.
"Ah yes; we were hoping you might stop by." He said cryptically. "Right this way."
He called another guard to manage the station, instructed the trio to follow him, and marched down a couple hallways deeper into the building. Presently he opened a black door to a waiting room and gestured them to go in. Cautiously Nausicaa entered the empty room, sending the guard a questioning glance.
"You will be escorted to the King's office when he is ready to see you." He informed, then closed the door.
The three looked at each other in surprise. The King? They were hoping to get permission from someone powerful to see the Conservatory, but the King? That was not really necessary.
"Why do you think he needs to talk to us?" Asbel pondered.
"I don't know." Nausicaa answered, just as clueless.
About a half hour later the door swung open again. They raised their eyes to behold another man in a different attire walk through the door. While guards normally donned a buttoned blue uniform over beige pants, this man wore a set that was entirely dark gray except for a white stripe at the shoulders. Asbel wanted to guess that this man was of a higher rank based on the material and look of his uniform.
"This way please." He spoke politely as he ushered them out the room and led the way down another series of passages. Presently he stopped in front of a black door that looked completely identical to all the other doors on the floor. Nausicaa made a mental note to never enter this building without either a guide or a floor plan; even those with the best sense of direction would have no difficulty getting lost. Their escort knocked on the black polished wood, then lightly opened the door.
The trio shyly walked in to behold a dark skinned man in his sixties, sitting behind an expensive-looking and beautifully varnished cedar desk. Papers were arranged in neat piles all over the desk, signifying the huge amount of work involved in running a country. King Sarkil sat before them reading a document, and his hand lay ready on a large golden seal, posed to stamp another form. Disturbing cat-like olive green eyes hid behind thick knitted brows, while a sharp nose and clean-cut beard gave him an aura of superiority. Upon hearing the noise he looked up and gave a friendly smile.
"Ah, welcome. Please, come forward." His suave voice floated over to them. They warily approached the man as he pushed his documents to the side.
"What are your names?" He asked cordially. The three introduced themselves again.
"Pleasure to meet you three." Smooth politeness gushed out with every statement from his lips.
"I hope you've been enjoying your time in Merinth so far. But seeing that you have entered the palace, there must be a reason you are here." His mild mannered tone slightly reminded Nausicaa of a cat sitting on a windowsill meticulously cleaning its paw. "What might we possibly be able to help you with?" He prompted.
"If it's possible we'd like permission to see the Conservatory." Asbel stated honestly.
"Oh I see. Is that all?" He purred, a little surprised.
"Yes; we apologize for taking up your time on such a small matter, but it seems we were sent directly to see you."
"Oh it's not a problem." He dismissed with a wave of his hand, then threw a sidelong glance at them. "But tell me, were you not looking for Mulsa?" He asked them abruptly, with a tint of curiosity.
They stood there planted to the marble floor, dumbfounded he already knew of their intentions. Nausicaa thought carefully before answering. What if they did answer with denial? How long could they keep that up? They may be able to fabricate a convincing reason to visit the Conservatory, but they wouldn't be able to maintain the cover for long. Perhaps openly asking for help would be more beneficial.
"How did you know?" She inquired, bewildered but working hard not to show it.
"I have my sources," he replied with a sly smile and a dangerous glint in his eyes; but it disappeared before anyone noticed it.
"We need Mulsa to cure the sick that are back at home," Nausicaa explained very honestly.
"Ah, I see. And how far away is home, if I might ask?"
"Kitson and I are from the Valley of the Wind; Asbel is from Pejite."
"The Valley? That's quite a journey!" Sarkil exclaimed, incredulous that anyone would make such a gigantic trek for the sake of one plant. "Then you must be very tired..." He commented in a sympathetic tone. Suddenly his mind seemed to register something.
"The Valley you said?" They nodded. "Are you possibly the Nausicaa of the Valley - who talks to insects, and knows the ways of nature?" Nausicaa nodded, somewhat warily.
"Indeed... Your talent is very rare." He smoothly complimented her. "Not many people can walk up to an ohmu without getting killed, and even fewer can boast your level of knowledge of the plants in the toxic jungle." Sarkil fidgeted with the knob of the seal while pondering something. His face was closed and all emotion hidden away; no one could tell if he was mulling over a small decision or scheming something terrible. Finally he spoke up.
"I know you are hoping to obtain the plant as soon as possible, and I would be more than happy to help you with that." He cooly explained. "But it is already late in the evening, and I still have one last meeting to run with my advisors. If you do not mind staying here in the Palace overnight, tomorrow I can address this need of yours more adequately." His flowery statement was diplomatically vague as ever; were they going to get the plant or not? Nevertheless, his given answer was better than a complete refusal, so they nodded in assent and hung on to the hope of tomorrow.
"Albert," the King summoned to the hallway. Presently the escort stepped in, attentively awaiting an order.
"Show them to our two best rooms in this building." He then faced the three youngsters again. "You have my word that the matter will be solved tomorrow. For now you should rest from the long journey you've had."
"Thank you." The travelers gave a polite bow before filing out of the room.
The guard led them through a new set of corridors, up an elevator, to a new section of the building. Here the doors were brown instead of black, but otherwise identical again. The man directed them to the two rooms they would stay in for the night.
"Thank you, Albert." Nausicaa chimed to their escort as she walked into her room. The guard politely returned the kindness then disappeared.
Kitson and Asbel also walked into their room and spent the first few minutes gawking at the sight before them. Their overnight stay was gorgeous; beige wallpaper with gold streaks and gold trimmed furniture gave the room an ethereal glow. The luxurious carpet, overstuffed beige pillows, soft white marble table tops, and panoramic window view of Merinth all left them in wide-eyed wonder.
When Asbel was done staring at his room he went next door to check on Nausicaa. She had been similarly spellbound with the lodging; the furnishings were beyond impressive. He found her admiring the elaborate woodcarved bedposts and getting ready for bed. In silence he watched her shuffling around the room like a busy little bluebird.
"Hi." She sang when she when she finally noticed him.
"Hi." Came his voice; calm and content to regard her from the doorway. "Just wanted to check on you, make sure you were alright." She looked up at him with a cheerful smile.
"It's only been ten minutes and you're already worried about me?" She teased.
"I'm always worried about you." He replied, sending her a slightly reproachful glance. Nausicaa chuckled and walked up to him. She brought her arms to rest around his neck, and he responded by sliding his arms around her waist. Having taken her captive, he proceed to tighten his arms until she was pressed against him. His broad shoulders dwarfed her slim body, his arms cradling her to him. Their eyes were transfixed upon each other.
"You worry too much." She chided.
"A strange thing to hear from someone who likes to help everyone with everything." His hazel eyes twinkled and his lips curled up into a smile that made her insides melt. His smallest gestures could drive her insane. Why did the heavens have to send her this kind of sweet torture?
"Doing is not the same as worrying." She objected strongly. Asbel was not about to start an argument with her, so he smiled in concession and lightly kissed the tip of her nose.
"Let me know if you need anything." He told her softly, then pulled away. She nodded and watched him back out of the doorway to his own room.
"Goodnight." She remembered to say when he was halfway into his room.
Asbel gave a gigantic yawn and a rejuvenating stretch. The morning sunshine streamed through the window, gently rousing him from his restful sleep. It had been a while since he felt this refreshed. He turned his head to see the other bed empty; Kitson must have gotten out of bed early. Asbel was not suprised; the boy was trained since childhood to wake up early to catch the morning wave of half-asleep, easy-to-pickpocket middle-class workers. He padded over to the window and watched the streets come to life as citizens began the start of a new day.
Suddenly there was a loud rap at the door. He opened it and saw guards standing before him. What was going on? Before he could register anything or start asking questions in his head, he heard the one sentence that burned itself into his memory.
"You are now under arrest by the orders of the King."
Haha I have no idea how this chapter got this long... And I just thought it might be fun to do a really strong cliff hanger for a change...hehe thanks for reading and drop a review if you have time!
