Hadi sat on a cushion, looking out at the festivities as they awaited the groom, as well as his bride in this unique case. Everyone worth mentioning in the Caliphate had squeezed themselves into the royal palace for the wedding, and Hadi could almost see the division between the people from his place of honor.
It was expected. Caliph Harun would have to be blind, deaf, and dumb to not see the potential division that the marriage between his sister and Siegfried, a pagan, the Pagan, would cause. There were whispers and mutterings when the match was announced only days beforehand - partly because they had been summoned without knowing the reason why, so they had begun to speculate. They dreamed of another invasion, or perhaps of wedding their daughters to the Caliph.
Yet, the match wasn't as divisive as Hadi had prepared for. In all likelihood, that was because of his efforts to obscure what had truly happened behind closed doors and on top of the pyramid. Hadi paid the gossips and rumormongers well to tell conflicting stories - that Harun had strong armed the Pagan into the marriage, that Siegfried was flirting with the idea of converting to Islam, that Jasmine had fallen in love and desired to marry the Pagan and Siegfried desired to honor the marriage in the eyes of her family.
Likewise, Hadi also spread less charitable versions of the story - that Siegfried demanded the marriage, and marrying them in the eyes of Allah was all that Harun could manage. That Harun was breaking from traditions and setting a new precedent. That Jasmine had been despoiled in her time of captivity and this was a measure to restore her honor and to ensure that the baby in her stomach wasn't born outside of wedlock. He had every possible version spread far and wide and, in doing so, revealed who stood where by which version they parroted in low whispers when they thought no one could overhear.
That was just an added benefit. The real goal was to confuse everyone on what exactly led up to the wedding, so they were uncertain on whether they should be outraged or overjoyed. As Hadi had found out on the field of battle - there was no better enemy than a confused one.
And there was no doubt about it anymore - Hadi was utterly surrounded by enemies. Including the one that sat directly next to him.
"You're frowning again," Sheba remarked, entirely too amused. "How can anyone hope to approach the esteemed Emir Hadi, Conqueror of the Umayyads, if he glares so openly?" That was exactly what he was trying to accomplish. And his efforts were constantly being sabotaged by his wife inviting conversation with those around them. Which, naturally, were other Emirs.
None of whom were particularly pleased that another had joined their illustrious number, especially considering he was still regent for another and would be for the next half decade. It certainly didn't help things that he had barely been a Sheikh before his meteoric rise. A rise that was so sudden, so absurd, that even his father worried for him.
Because… somehow… Hadi had found himself as one of the most powerful men in the Caliphate, second only to the Caliph himself. And, as impossible as it might seem, no one was less happy about it than Hadi himself.
Worse, he couldn't even blame someone else for his misfortunes this time. He'd harbored suspicions about what Harun intended when he placed Hadi in charge of the army that had more or less walked into the Umayyad Caliphate since Siegfried had kicked in every door before they arrived, if he didn't outright steal them during his raid. He'd suspected, but he didn't act. The cost would have been too high - that was the ultimate danger of climbing your way up the social ladder.
The higher you went, the further you had to fall. Defeat, if he was lucky, would have meant execution for Hadi. Harun would have had to execute him, because it wouldn't just be the second failed invasion of the Umayyads, it would be the second failed invasion that was connected directly to Harun himself. Odds were if Hadi had decided to cut and run, leaving the army to be ravaged by those bloodthirsty monsters called the Paladins - Harun would be facing outright revolt. And, sadly, Hadi wasn't quite ruthless enough to condemn the Caliphate to such a fate, even more so when he knew that the Romans would come sweeping through in the next couple of years.
As much as Hadi would like to blame Harun, Siegfried, or even his own father for this mess… the truth was that the blame for his ascension rested squarely on his own shoulders. Truly, he was his own worst enemy.
"I'm sure they'll make due by speaking to the esteemed Sheba, Queen of Trade," Hadi replied dryly, his gaze sweeping over the throne room. Everyone who met his gaze looked away, and plenty looked at him from the corners of their eyes. He could practically hear them thinking how they would take advantage of him. Or assassinate him. Or both.
"It is but a few hours, my dear Emir husband," Sheba teased, patting his hand reassuringly. "The celebrations will be entirely too short, I say. Hardly befitting a royal wedding."
Given that the whole affair would last a grand total of twelve hours, ending upon Siegfried's departure in the morning? It was quite short for a royal wedding. "The less time they're here, the fewer chances for this to go horribly wrong." That was more or less the guiding principle behind the wedding, obscured through excuses of the pagan fleet wanting to take advantage of the fair weather to begin the long journey home.
Out of the corner of Hadi's eye, he saw a servant approach Harun to whisper something into his ear. Hadi suspected what, but it was confirmed when the same servant approached him, and the other Emir's, to relay the message. "Princess Jasmine has arrived, with the Lord Siegfried. They are attended by a thousand men." Having Siegfried and a thousand of his men in Baghdad was the stuff of nightmares, but they were here to seal an alliance instead of pillaging them so thoroughly that he took people's houses like he had the Umayyads.
The other Emirs were silently furious that he had been informed first, but they kept their tongues still as they waited for the news to travel. On occasion, they were updated - the royal party had arrived, they were offered some quarters to change and be refreshed, and so on. However, it was the final warning that mattered and Hadi took a bracing breath as an announcer took position by the door as it opened.
"Welcoming Princess Jasmine, daughter of al-Mahdi. Joined by her betrothed… Lord Siegfried the Wolfkissed." The man announced and Hadi had to keep his expression neutral as the pair entered the room.
Siegfried had grown even larger than when he last saw him, near a year ago. He had been a head taller than most then, but now he was head and shoulders taller than anyone in the room. He was dressed in their style of clothing, richly embroidered with golden thread until it appeared that he was wearing a tapestry. His blood red hair was left unbraided, simply pushed back and to the side, his red beard cut close so as to not hide the scar on his neck.
At his belt was said to be a sword known as Gram - a sword of legend amongst his people. He was one of the few that were permitted arms in the presence of the Caliph.
He was joined by Princess Jasmine, who wore the same style of dress - black and red with golden thread woven into a vibrant design. She walked with him, arm in arm, appearing unbothered how the room went silent as abruptly as a flame being snuffed out when a bucket of water was dumped on it. The reason was rather obvious.
They had entered the room as if they were already married.
"Well, this is off to a great start," Hadi muttered under his breath, looking down mournfully at his cup of water and wishing it were wine. Now that he was someone important, people actually cared what he drank. That, and it was harder to hide poison in water.
Hadi watched the proceedings as they unfolded before him - Harun welcoming Siegfried and his sister, confirming their betrothal for the high lords. None of whom were too pleased, and not even the news that Siegfried had been a silent ally in the years since the battle of Ravenfeast had warmed them to him. Harun had expected that. So, he did as Hadi had advised.
He buried them with news, dividing their attention on what they should be angry about.
"My father called Rome an old man that was collapsing under its own rot," Harun announced, and, as always, the Romans made for a convenient common enemy. "Many in this room thought that Empress Irene's ascension was merely the death throes of a collapsing empire, yet the flames of ambition have yet to be snuffed out in Rome. Even now, Empress Irene meets with Charlemagne, King of the Franks with the intention of rising from the ashes and restoring Rome to what it was at its zenith!"
The news wasn't exactly news to most people in the room. Many had their own spies, and a meeting between Charlemagne and Irene was difficult to miss. Additionally, most had been warned about the incoming threat beforehand.
"It is us that they wish to use as their proving grounds! Already, Emir Hadi al-Ghayb has fought them in the region of Hispania!" Harun stated from his throne, before a pool of liquid silver, and Hadi felt the attention shift to him. "And there, he emerged victorious!" Harun continued, and the people cheered with a fervor that they didn't truly feel. It was less that they were cheering for him and more cheering that the Franks lost.
His second name of al-Ghayb felt entirely undeserved and like an anchor tied around his neck - The Unseen. Which could mean that he was a bastard going behind people's backs or, in the worrying context that Hadi found it being used for, to know something that only Allah can know.
As if. How was he supposed to know that the Paladins would chase him so doggedly? A bunch of bloodthirsty hounds, the lot of them. He just kept trying to get away from them, and they kept chasing - only when it became clear they'd chase him to the ends of the Earth because they seemed to hate him personally for some reason had he used a trap he'd intended to use on Siegfried if he ever had the misfortune of fighting the man ever again.
A trap that was essentially putting the Paladins in a valley and shooting a lot of arrows at them. Then, when they tried to attack, run away. When they tried to rest, attack again. Repeat as many times as needed until the demons were finally dead.
Yet, instead of people seeing that he had been running for his life, they thought he'd planned the whole damned thing.
"It was there, my people, that their intentions were laid bare. A Rome restored to its zenith!" Harun called out, and he was answered with predictable anger. "Or perhaps I underestimate the flames of their ambitions? Perhaps they seek to expand beyond what the emperors of a bygone era dared to reach? Perhaps they set their sights on Arabia? Mecca… perhaps even Baghdad?" More predictable anger, but he was getting the crowd in the right mood.
Hadi's gaze flickered to Princess Jasmine and Siegfried, feeling a bit bad for the bride. Marriage was a woman's lot in life - if they were lucky, they would be married to a husband that would treat them well, but even if they weren't, any complaints they might have would fall on deaf ears. But, even the Princess' own wedding was being used for politics rather than any kind of real celebration.
And that was by design. They would be wed and on their way before the people had time to let the news sink in.
"Their ambitions must be kept in check! It is here, and now, that I make this proclamation - I shall see out my father's ambitions! Anatolia shall fall to the sword of Allah, and we shall be His blade!" Harun exclaimed, much to the cheers of the crowd. The proclamation wasn't a surprise to Hadi, and, thankfully Hadi would be left out of that mess.
Though, only because he would be dealing with an entirely separate mess in Hispania. Hadi wanted to weep just thinking about it.
"So let us be merry! Let us celebrate the union of my sister with a common enemy of Rome. For the foe of our foe is our friend," Harun said, and people cheered because they weren't in the mood to do anything but cheer.
Hadi sat back as he watched the traditions being observed as the wedding was rushed along. The entire affair was both befitting of a princess and utterly unworthy of one - the festivities were without equal, yet the wedding itself was hurried along. For a royal wedding, the festivities should last no less than a week, with the married couple being the center pieces of the celebration. To say nothing of the fact that half the reason people were celebrating was the promise of war against the Romans.
Siegfried presented his gift to Jasmine, as was customary - his gift was of interest and had aroused some stirring of jealousy. Five thousand talents of gold and silver, including a statue of herself that had been crafted by his own hand. Hadi had heard of Siegfried's growing talent as an artist, but he hadn't seen any of his work before, and it was exceptional. If the statue wasn't made of marble, it'd almost be easy to mistake it for a woman of flesh and blood.
The rites were uttered, the vows were made.
And, with that, their union was made before they were all but shoved into a room to consummate the marriage. It was almost amusing.
Hadi was pretty sure that the Caliph got the script for the event from a family of a girl that had already been pregnant and they managed to tie down the groom mere hours before the baby was born. It really was incredible to see how they just sped through the whole affair, and practically skipped straight to the celebrations.
Which was something that Hadi personally dreaded. Weddings were dull affairs, but at least no one was trying to speak to him. That changed pretty quickly as the lower lords were eager to take the opportunity to curry favor with their betters, usually by echoing whatever opinion that they thought the lord in question had. Sheba just chuckled at his suffering, "Take heart, dear husband. At the rate things are going, we'll be back on the road by morning."
Where he then had to fight Umayyad rebels or Franks. Ugh.
So, he adopted a stern expression in the hopes of scaring everyone off. All the while, he sat above the festivities and observed - he noted Hoffer, the man that would rule over the nation that Siegfried was leaving in his wake. And what an absurd thing that was - People may hate him, fear him, but all had to admit that Siegfried was a force of nature. The Bulgarians were brought to heel, the Umayyads were dust in the wind… and he created a kingdom just to leave it behind.
Hoffer, despite gaining the kingdom through the luck of having a generous brother-in-law, seemed determined to earn the crown. He spoke freely with those that were in the know about the kingdom that would be sprouting soon. Deals were being made and promises were whispered, as both sides tried to get as much as they could from the unofficial alliance.
Meanwhile, others of Siegfried's retinue celebrated in earnest. A tall man of the name of Throkell was showing off by drinking directly from a keg, treating it as a mug, much to the cheers of those around him. They might not share a language, but in the end, all men spoke a common tongue. The good cheer did spread, though those that were uneasy with the presence of the pagans were easy to mark out.
It was exhausting, Hadi decided. Deeply and truly exhausting. And it was made all the more exhausting as his stern expression backfired on him as certain people flocked to him, assuming that he disapproved of the marriage. Leaving him to be a voice of reason to people who truly didn't understand how stupid and harebrained their ideas really were.
His wife did what she could for him, but that also came with its own separate headaches.
As the hours went on, as the wine flowed, Hadi found that the number of sober people was dwindling. So much for the pious refraining from intoxication. That being said, a bunch of drunk idiots were easy to distract, so the very first chance that Hadi got, he shoved them in a random direction to make them someone else's problem and he stole away to a familiar balcony.
The same balcony that he first spoke to Harun upon. Where he first earned his father's approval. Where he had been struggling to come to terms with the fact that he was a Sheikh and acknowledged nobility.
Unbidden, a smile crept onto his face. "Oh, what a fool I was," Hadi uttered to the city of Baghdad, which celebrated for the sake of celebrating. "I really had no idea how much worse it could get." Hadi envied his younger self, who truly thought that being a Sheikh was the worst thing that could happen to him.
And now here he stood. An Emir. The second most powerful man in the Caliphate. One who had the Caliph's ear as he was considered a trusted friend.
Truly, he never could have imagined such a fate even in his worst of nightmares.
"You're tired, but happy," A young voice announced from behind him and Hadi looked over to see a vaguely familiar face. Alim. He had grown in the years since his… 'captivity.' Before, he had been just a boy, and now he was well on his way to early adolescence. His dark hair was cut shorter, he lost some of the baby fat that clung to his cheeks, and he was entering that gangly phase where his body was growing faster than he was used to. "You like complaining, but there are things you like about being Emir. Like Lady Sheba."
Hadi held the boy's gaze for a moment before a tired smile did grow, "I suppose I do."
That was something he hadn't seen coming - that he'd actually grow fond of his wife. She was smarter than him. Better looking for certain. She had enough greed in her to be worthy of a cautionary tale, and he knew it was going to cause him no end of trouble. But she was something of a silver lining to the rain cloud that was the rest of his life.
"I suppose you're right there," Hadi admitted as Alim walked over, leaning on the balcony with me. "Do I even want to ask how you know that?" It was a genuine question.
"You told me," Alim replied, and that was a no. No, he did not want to know. "Not with your words, but with your voice." That made so little sense that Hadi just had to question it.
"...Do I want to know?" Hadi asked again, feeling an odd sort of acceptance just wash over him. He wasn't entirely sure what he was accepting, and he didn't think he was particularly happy about what he was accepting, but he accepted it all the same. Whatever 'it' was.
"Not really," Alim admitted. "But you think you should."
Hadi searched his feelings as he gazed out at the city of Baghdad, as the torches and fires that illuminated the city and made the shadows dance alongside its inhabitants. Alim was right on the mark. It felt a bit like knowing there was a snake in your bedroom - sure, you could sleep in the room just fine, but would you want to? "Please tell me you're not some Umayyad prince. I don't think my heart could take it if I had been accidentally concealing one."
There was amusement that danced in Alim's eyes, "I'm not."
"Then who are you?" Hadi finally asked, even as he braced himself for the answer.
"My name is Khalid ibn al-Walid, named after my ancestor, the Sword of Allah," Khalid introduced himself and Hadi stilled. That… Almost made him wish that Alim had been an Umayyad prince instead. Because that would be easier to swallow.
There was a beat of silence as Hadi absorbed the information, "I thought your family perished from a plague." That did explain some things about A- Khalid. In particular his strange relationship with Zafir.
"Some did," Khalid replied, sounding unbothered. "But most were killed and the plague was used as a cover. A cover by the Umayyads, who sought to reinforce their grip on the Caliphate, and my family stood in the way of that."
That was something that Hadi could understand. Khalid ibn al-Walid… he wasn't a prophet, but he had been instrumental in the rise of Islam. You didn't get a title like 'the Sword of Allah' without good reason, and he had provided many good reasons over the course of his lifetime. Hadi had no idea how divine intervention actually functioned, except when it was out to get him, but there was an argument to be had that the rise of Islam would have been impossible without Khalid ibn al-Walid. To the point it was as if Allah had purposefully placed him in the path of the Prophet Muhammad.
Any family that had a direct connection to the prophet and the rise of Islam would naturally have great amounts of prestige as their ancestors, less than two centuries ago, had laid the foundations for their way of life and religion. The family of the Sword of Allah? To the Umayyad dynasty, which would have been still in its infancy after the fall of the Rashidun Caliphate, as it was the Umayyads who made the title hereditary…
"Some of my family survived and went into hiding. Waiting," Khalid continued and that… sounded ominous.
"For what?" Hadi asked, finding himself curious. Fascinated, really.
"I don't know," Khalid admitted, and that was a little disappointing. "I think for my family to be restored, or for the fall of the Umayyads. It was my great great grandfather's hope that we could be restored to what we were before… but we have no proof of our blood. And, looking at you, I think being a noble sounds exhausting."
That startled a laugh out of Hadi. He tried to swallow it down, but that just made more chuckles bubble out of him. He couldn't exactly say differently. "So, what then? Why reveal yourself now?" Hadi asked, leaning heavily on the balcony.
In response to that, Khalid pointed towards the city. He wasn't entirely sure at what until he saw a mountain of a man dancing with a woman far off in the distance. They were dressed in plain clothing, making it hard to guess who the woman was, but there was no mistaking Siegfried. Meaning that the woman was likely Princess Jasmine.
That got another small laugh from Hadi - the two had stolen away from the palace and went to celebrate amongst the peasants.
"I know what Zafir wants for me," Khalid said, lowering his finger as he continued to gaze at the two, who danced before a fire, seemingly much happier to be away from the nobles. "But he doesn't understand. He can't. It's not because he doesn't want to- it's just that he can't. Siegfried makes things sing. He turns stone into what it wants to be. He turns lonely buildings into a city."
Hadi really wasn't sure what to make of that phrasing. That made it sound like the stone and buildings were talking to Khalid.
"That's what you're doing in Hispania," Khalid continued. "You're trying to build something there… and I want to help. I know it won't be easy. And there will be a lot of fighting… but I want to see it. Your ideal kingdom." There was a quiet passion in Khalid's voice, an earnestness that was hard to dismiss.
"My ideal kingdom, hm?" Hadi asked, watching the princess dance with the Pagan, and he saw a bright smile on her face. One that wasn't going to be possible in the palace.
Hadi had no grand ambitions. Or far reaching sights for the future. He didn't care if his name was etched into history, or if he was forgotten by the sands of time.
He just wanted to be able to wake up late, nap during the afternoon, and slack off during the evening. And, to prevent any rebellions, it'd be best if everyone was slacking off right alongside him.
"Wouldn't that be a sight?" Hadi questioned, knowing that it was utterly impossible for a kingdom. He, however, could and most certainly would slack off and take plenty of afternoon naps. And since a kingdom actually needed someone willing to put in the work…
Who better than the descendent of the Sword of Allah? What better bloodline to rise from the ashes to take over and lead the land of Hispania? Certainly better than a barely noble like himself.
Hadi smiled at the thought - of handing over his title of Emir to the boy next to him, and living out his days in peace.
It wouldn't ever come to pass, Hadi knew.
But… damn, it sure was a nice dream.
[center]…/center]
So ends the Byzantine arc for the story. It was a lot of fun, even if it wasn't entirely what I imagined. Pretty early on, I decided to break from my intended plans for the university - where Siegfried would learn a lot there, power level his learning, and unlock branches of the tech tree. But I decided against it because it really felt like I'd be speed-running the Industrial Revolution.
I know some people would have loved that, but I think it would have possibly ruined the story if I committed to my original plans. While Sieg would have needed to hit the books for those perks, the innovations would have felt completely unearned. What I have planned now is something that I feel is a much stronger plotline.
However, in hindsight, I do wish I spent a little more time at the university itself. Kinda feels like I threw out the baby with the bathwater with that plotline.
Anyway, there are some seeds planted for the future while wrapping up the last of the loose ends. Starting the next chapter, we'll be returning to Norway and then Denmark. I have some big plans for it, but they could use a little fine-tuning.
So, odds are, when this chapter hits public release, I will probably take a week or two off for Legends Never Die. There were two books about the Norse that I had planned to read by this point, but I never got around to it, and it would give me a chance to build up my backlog for the story, which has gotten rather thin.
With that out the way - I hope you've enjoyed the arc and that you're looking forward to everything that comes next!
The next chapter is currently available on my Pat re on and Subscribe Star, so if you want to read it a week early, all it takes is a single dollar in the tip jar. Or, for five dollars, you can read the chapter after that two weeks before its public release! I hope you enjoyed!