by Ervin Agayan
“I wouldn’t do that if I were Arsy.” Nihena shook her head. “I don’t think Parelia will forgive him. I don’t know what Arsy has done, but Parelia still turns red with anger at the mere mention of his name.”
The room was filled with awkward silence, which Zens interrupted with yet another question.
“And why hasn’t Parelia gotten married yet?”
“How would I know?” She shrugged her shoulders. “It might be that there are no appropriate candidates. It’s also quite possible she is waiting for her knight,” Nihena looked up, trying to recall, “what’s his name…”
“So it’s a certain person?” Zens showed surprise. “And I thought you were speaking figuratively.”
“There’s some guy whom she met long ago, but then they lost contact with each other,” Nihena clarified willingly. “The poor guy didn’t know she was a princess; therefore, he can’t find her. Parelia told me the madman visited every single household in Leheron in search of her. Even after so many years, he never stops searching for her. It’s so romantic!”
“What about Parelia?” asked Zens impatiently.
“She was also trying to find him, but with no success,” the corners of Nihena’s lips moved down in a sad grimace. “She published a few announcements in newspapers and even promised a reward to the person who’d find him. But that didn’t give any results. This is the entire sad story.”
At that moment, Zens remembered a story from his past associated with the Princess. He had never told that story to anyone. It happened a few years ago. The rumor about the beauty of the princess had spread to the most remote corners of the world. Poets and songwriters composed entire works about her heavenly beauty. Zens began wondering what she really looked like—that heavenly diva whose heart was still vacant. By the way, his was vacant too.
There were several ways to get acquainted with the Princess, but he chose the most difficult one since he loved challenges. During those days, there was an annual etenobole competition to be held in Siyeron, where the winner would be awarded by the Princess. After the competition, he was allowed to attend dinner as her guest. It should be stated that Zens wasn’t a master of that game, but he was cunning like a fox. Adding some laxatives into the mangers of the rivals’ horses, our green-eyed dreamboat settled all the problems at once and became the winner of the competition. Unfortunately, his happiness wasn’t lasting. The award ceremony had hardly begun when one of the spectators recognized “that very thief” in his person and made a fuss. His suspicions were confirmed by a few other people, after which Zens’s last “crime,” which helped him win the contest, was revealed.
The next morning, Zens woke up in a prison cell, where an unbelievable surprise was awaiting him—he had a guest in the person of the Princess. The thief couldn’t believe his eyes—it was unbelievable to see the Princess in such a place and without guards! For the first time, Zens saw her at close range and realized that the rumors about her beauty were not exaggerated. Forgetting his good manners, the green-eyed thief stood staring at her open-mouthed, and for a while, he even thought he was still sleeping.
Parelia walked to the cell and wrapped her thin fingers around the steel rods. Greeting him politely, the Princess said: “Come closer. I want to look into your eyes.” Flabbergasted, Zens silently obeyed. She kept looking into his eyes for quite a while, and finally, she said with a smile: “Well, they were not lying! I studied your case yesterday. Your green-eyes were mentioned several times, as though having green eyes was yet another crime! I didn’t sleep at night and hurried here at dawn to make sure they are green. The world has gone so wrong that you can hardly take it on trust; therefore, everything must be checked in person! Well, I need to go. Good luck, green-eyed dreamboat!”
She didn’t leave, though. Up to the last moment, Zens couldn’t understand whether she was joking or not. Her expression was so serious that any thought of a joke seemed to be almost blasphemous. Parelia paused, waiting to see what he would do next, following his reaction, but after a while, her face reflected a majestic smile, and Zens finally realized she was joking. Awkward silence hung over the place; the green-eyed dreamboat was still unable to utter a word. The Princess looked around, evaluating the conditions in which the prisoners lived and shook her head in disapproval. More than anything else, she was unhappy with the fact that no sunshine could penetrate the cell.
“So, where did I stop? Ah right, I studied your case yesterday. I must say at once that I was shocked to an extent that I couldn’t sleep all night, seriously! Noble thieves are quite uncommon! Robbing is a bad and punishable occupation, and I condemn it wholeheartedly. However, your case is a special one. Robbing the rich to help the poor, buying toys for orphans is something that deserves admiration.”
Parelia paused again and continued, “I am sorry; I didn’t remember your name. I just thought…” She lingered for a while but then added confidently, “I’ll give you some money, so you can keep doing kindnesses, without breaking the law. One of my men will contact you once you are released from prison. But remember, next time, I won’t be so big-hearted. We got each other right, didn’t we?”
Zens nodded silently.
“You have problems with talking?”
“I am shocked by your visit, Your Majesty,” the thief answered at last. “It left me speechless. Can I thank you in any way? You are not only beautiful but also big-hearted.”
“I don’t think so. Though, you could help me with one affair.” The Princess’s eyes sparkled in almost childish exultation.
“Anything you wish!” Zens spit it out.
“Help me find someone. His name is Aderton. Actually, I have no other information about him. I know only that he’s desperately looking for a girl named Lina. If you help me with his search, I will be endlessly grateful to you.”
Then she called the guards to order them to release Zens, but before leaving, she looked at Zens sadly and whispered so the guards didn’t hear what she said: “I love him…”
Zens could never forget those eyes filled with immense grief and sorrow. He kept that secret to this day. Even when Arsy opened up to him and told him about his feelings for Parelia, he didn’t tell him about that incident so as not to upset him once again.
“I can imagine that guy’s astonishment when he learns the girl he met was the Princess,” sneered Zens, spreading out his hands.
“Right, he will be petrified with astonishment,” nodded Nihena.
“When they find each other, that peasant will become the King,” declared Zens.
“What makes you think he lives in a village?” frowned Nihena.
“It’s not even a village.” Zens burst out laughing. “It’s the blackest hole on the planet; otherwise, how could he not see newspaper announcements?”
After his conversation with the Princess, Zens actively started searching for the mysterious Aderton. He honestly spent a part of the amount allotted by the Princess to hire some of the best professionals and dispatch them to all the cities and villages in the kingdom in search of a guy named Aderton. They had little success, though. Then Zens came to the conclusion that he must live in some inaccessible location, which is not even indicated on the world map.
“You might be right. What was his name, again?” Nihena reflected. “It’s on the tip of my tongue…”
“Maybe you could give her a hint, Arsy?” Zens wasn’t intending to reveal his secret.
“Aderton,” he said through his teeth. That name arose a splash of hatred in his heart.
“Exactly, Aderton!” exclaimed Nihena.
“Listen,” Zens’s green eyes gleamed slyly, “you mercenaries can easily find that Aderton guy if you want to. After all, finding people is your profession. Didn’t Parelia ask you to do that?”
“She had long ago turned to my father with that request,” answered Nihena, and by her intonation, Zens understood the request hasn’t been granted yet. “He promised to help, but our men weren’t able to find him.”
>
Zens knew that perfectly well, for back then, he personally wanted to hire them for Aderton’s search; he even sent a courier to them, but the mercenaries informed him the Princess had already addressed them with the same request. “We’ll find him soon,” he was told and asked to entrust the search to them.
Learning that the mercenaries had taken on that mission, Zens was happy to breathe a sigh of relief and stop his search for Aderton. He had no doubt in the mercenaries’ abilities to find anything they wanted. Imagine his astonishment when he learned that their efforts failed.
“That’s strange!” he exclaimed. “The Devil in flesh—Erathos cannot hide from you, whereas some village guy seems to have vanished into thin air.”
“Right, that’s really strange,” Nihena agreed thoughtfully. “I should discuss that with my dad.”
“Maybe Arsy is in the loop? He’s quite well informed,” Zens addressed his friend.
“The answer is too obvious, Zens,” he sneered and continued, noticing his friend’s quizzical look. “There’s only one explanation as to why the mercenaries were unable to find Aderton. They were not looking for him whatsoever. But why? After all, the Princess had personally asked them to do it. The answer is obvious.” A spiteful smile touched Arsy’s lips. “Someone had also hired them not to do it.”
“So, you mean someone hired the mercenaries not to search for Aderton?” Nihena showed surprise and immediately stared at Arsy suspiciously. “And you know who that is, don’t you?”
“Quite possibly,” Arsy answered evasively. “Certain influential people forced you to stop the search hardly before you even started it. I believe your father will tell you more about it.”
“No one can force us! Understood?” snapped Nihena.
“Then, how would you explain your failure to find Aderton if even Erathos knew where he lived?” asked Arsy with the same spiteful smile.
“How do I know?” Nihena lost her temper and declared resolutely without addressing anyone specifically, “I will discuss that with dad! But wait, did you mean Erathos knew Aderton?”
“He knew about Parelia and Aderton and was afraid the guy would cause him trouble some day; therefore, he kept him under his control. He even made friends with him.”
“My Goodness!” exclaimed Nihena. “So, it was Erathos who prevented Aderton from seeing Parelia’s announcements.”
Finally, Zens realized why he was unable to find Aderton. It was all because of the devil named Erathos.
“I’m not aware of the details,” Arsy waived off. “I had no interest in that Aderton guy then.”
“And do you have any now?” Nihena asked with interest. “Do you know where he is?”
“I do. I always did,” mumbled Arsy almost reluctantly.
Zens’s eyes sparkled when he learned that Arsy was aware of Aderton’s whereabouts. But then he realized Arsy would never disclose that information. Meanwhile, Zens had been dreaming of helping the Princess to find her love. But the situation had become extremely tangled; if Zens learned Aderton’s whereabouts, what would he do?
“You now have a perfect chance to make amends to the Princess,” Nihena exclaimed excitedly. “Parelia will forgive you if you help them find each other.”
“But who said I need her forgiveness?” he grumbled.
“Even if you don’t, aren’t you eager to help two loving hearts find each other?”
“Were you listening to what I was saying?” sneered Arsy. “There are influential people involved in this affair, and I don’t want to appear in a bad light in front of them.”
During their encounter, Parelia didn’t say a word about her “sweetheart,” but then she didn’t miss an occasion to say how much she was missing him! Back then, Arsy thought she was doing it on purpose to make him jealous. Arsy detested that Aderton guy with all his heart. He was even thinking of locking him up, so he had no chance of finding Parelia before he found the right method of making the Princess forever put him out of her mind.
“But what goal do they pursue by keeping Aderton away from Parelia?” asked Nihena.
“What’s the purpose of asking questions the answers to which are obvious?” sneered Arsy, making Nihena curl her lips in displeasure.
“Is the answer obvious for you too, Zens?” she turned to the thief.
“To be honest, it’s not, but I assume they do not want Aderton to become the King,” he answered.
“But if we suppose so, that will mean they have another candidate for the King’s title,” added Arsy. “It’s as simple as that!”
Nihena’s blue eyes narrowed, and Arsy and Zens realized she was going to put forward an idea, which they wouldn’t like:
“I will tell Parelia everything when I see her next. She ought to know the truth.”
“If I were you, I’d keep my mouth shut.” Arsy shook his head. “Otherwise, you’ll also have to tell her that you, mercenaries, cheated her and stopped the search. Do you think she will be pleased by this news?”
“That’s only your version,” Nihena declared arrogantly, flipping her hair sticks. “I am sure my dad has another explanation.”
“I doubt very much he will tell you the truth, all the more so, what powers in Agastan he is collaborating with.”
Nihena bit her lower lip, obviously developing some plan in her head.
“Let’s help Parelia, Arsy!” she said finally. “The poor girl has been waiting for her sweetheart for so many years now. She has told me this story so many times that my heart starts bleeding every time I remember it.”
Zens, who had personally posted announcements about the search for this Aderton guy virtually on every lamppost in the kingdom, also wanted to help Parelia. After all, she had set him free, so he owed her.
“Don’t worry; they will certainly meet each other someday,” the most wanted criminal pronounced with an evil smile.
“How do you know?” frowned Nihena.
“Erathos and I once visited a fortune-teller; we wanted to know what awaited him in future,” he clarified unwillingly. “He said the day will come when Aderton determines the fate of Agastan. That he would be reigning over Agastan! However, when Erathos asked if Aderton would become the King, the answer was “no.” In a word, it’s unclear how he can be the ruler of Agastan, determining its fate, but not be the King.”
“The fortune-teller could have been mistaken,” Zens started unconfidently.
“No, I was personally present and saw everything with my own eyes.” Arsy’s voice was more than confident.
“Saw what?” asked Zens.
“Scenes from the future. How Erathos and I conquer the capital and people bow their heads to us. That one has already been realized. The next prediction must take place in a few years, when Aderton becomes the ruler of Agastan. I must say the world will essentially change under his reign. I saw it with my own eyes. He will build a new capital, and it will be an amazingly beautiful city.” Arsy sighed either with relief or with grief, and added, “But I didn’t see Parelia by his side.”
“That’s obvious,” Nihena said in a teacher’s tone. “He is engaged in state affairs, while she is busy educating their children. She doesn’t have to be with him every minute. And did the fortune-teller predict your fates too?”
“Yes. Erathos was supposed to face tough challenges, but afterwards, he will enjoy a carefree and happy life,” answered Arsy, with his eyes fixed on a certain spot.
“And what about you?” inquired Nihena.
“I will probably…die.”
“That’s what the diviner said?” Nihena asked in alarm.
“No, it’s my assumption.” Arsy’s voice became muffled, as though he was already dead and was speaking from the otherworld. “The diviner said I have no fate. I asked him to repeat it, but the answer was the same.”
“No fate?” Nihena murmured thoughtfully. “Maybe there’s some other meaning to these words?”
“I don’t know. Maybe he saw that Erathos would kill me; theref
ore, he didn’t tell me anything concrete.”
“You are speaking as though you have accepted your fate!” exclaimed Nihena excitedly.
Arsy looked at her almost hopelessly.
“You were my only hope. I supposed you’d catch Erathos, but as it turned out, you aren’t a barrier for him. I have only one option left,” Arsy clenched his fist resolutely, “to become as strong as he is, to get a chance to fight him.”
To Arsy’s horror, Nihena’s expression augured no good.
“Sensei Farin is right,” she said after some reflection. “A few months won’t be enough. One should train for years to have a chance to fight against Erathos.”
A kind of oppressive silence hung over the place, which Zens hurried to interrupt.
“Let’s change the topic of the conversation. Everything will be fine; mark my words. We will conquer him. Nihena, what else could you share about Parelia?”
“What are you interested in?”
“What if she visits you unexpectedly and finds Arsy here?” Zens started fantasizing with a sly smile.
“That is quite unlikely. She hasn’t visited us for quite a long time now.” Nihena shook her head.
At that moment, some noise was heard behind the door as though someone was trying to open it from the other side. While Nihena went to find out who interrupted their conversation, Arsy’s mind set out on a journey through his memories.
The Sleeping Princess
“Hey, are you sleeping, Arsy? We need to go,” Erathos said fussily, throwing an angry glance at his friend.
“Hold on, let me admire her for a bit longer,” Arsy said with a blissful expression, without averting his eyes from the sleeping princess. “She’s majestic! The mere thought that I won’t be able to see her in the near future is killing me. I would love to make this moment last forever!”
“Remember her face and admire it in your thoughts,” sneered his friend but immediately added in alarm, “She will wake up very soon. We need to hurry.”
“I’m begging you Ero, just a little bit,” Arsy implored with a trembling voice.
