“‘As for everything else, I have it all under control—all, of course, is for the honor and the glory of the Sharia Empire! Loyally yours, Governor Hawkins.’”
At this point, Manin looked up from the scroll, and as he rolled it back up, he informed, “That is all Governor Hawkins had written. Will there be a message for me to relay back, my Sultaness?”
“Yes there will be…but please give me ‘til tomorrow morning to have it written, sealed, and ready for you to deliver to the Governor.”
“Yes, my Sultaness.”
“Thank you, Colonel Manin. Say, why don’t you take this large platter of food from our hands, and eat whatever you want, okay? If you’re tired, ask the guards outside to provide you with a bedroom,” Brishava concluded with a smile.
Manin smiled back, bowed, and then said appreciatively, “Thank you very much for the kindness, my Sultaness.”
He then took the platter, bowed again, and then departed the room.
Brishava took her final bite of salmon, set her fork and knife down onto the table, picked up her napkin, and lightly wiped the corners of her mouth.
Meanwhile, Chelsea asked, “Brishava, would it be possible for me to become the ambassador to the Kingdom of Thorium? That is, until you can find someone you can trust to do it on a more permanent basis?”
Brishava asked, “What about your baby?”
While lightly patting her slightly swollen belly, Chelsea answered, “I’m over the morning sickness, and besides, it’ll give me something to do for awhile.”
“You know Chelsea, I hate to admit it, but I really wish Baltor would have gotten me pregnant,” Brishava sighed.
Chelsea smiled as she said, “I know it hasn’t happened for you yet, but it’ll happen. Besides, it’s not like Humonus even knows I’m pregnant, as I didn’t even find out about it until two days after they left!”
Brishava replied with a wide smile, “I know…but what a surprise it’ll make for him when he returns!”
Returning the smile, Chelsea answered, “Yeah, but you’ll have your chance soon enough—I feel it to be true!”
“Yeah?” Brishava asked.
Without pause, Chelsea answered, “Yeah. The reason why I want this ambassadorial position is because I’m missing my husband way too much, and not only will this keep me busy, yet I can do my very own part for the Sharia Empire.”
Brishava happily replied, “Of course, you’re most welcome to the position if you really want it. I know you’d be good at it, too!”
“You think so?”
“Of course,” Brishava said very evenly.
“Well then, my Sultaness, I want it,” was Chelsea’s gleeful reply.
“It’s yours,” Brishava said just as gleefully. After sighing, she added, “But I must confess that I’m beginning to miss you already…you really are my sister, except for us sharing the same blood.”
“True that, Brishava, my sister…”
A few moments later, the guards opened the double doors yet again. Standing outside were fifty-two additional guards ready to escort the Sultaness back to the throne room, as lunchtime was over.
Brishava stood up out of her seat, and then added in a serious tone of voice, “I will need you to get packed immediately, Ambassador Chelsea. It is imperative that you work with Queen Calitta, and draw up our new borders between the Sharia Empire and the Kingdom of Thorium…as soon as possible.”
Chelsea bowed her head respectfully, as she replied, “Yes, my Sultaness.”
Following lunch, she went to her bedroom so that she could pack.
Meanwhile, Brishava and the guards made their way to the throne room—once there, she took her place at her throne.
Immediately she ordered, “Bring Ruksha here.”
A guard left to retrieve him. Ten minutes later he arrived and bowed.
Brishava said, “Ruksha, I’m going to need you to write a message for Governor Hawkins.”
“Yes, my Sultaness.”
After he had pulled a piece of parchment, a bottle of ink, and a quill pen, he sat at a table nearby. As she relayed this message, he wrote it out:
‘Dear Governor Hawkins,
Thank you for all your timely messages and updates regarding all the Sharia Empire’s successes. Your Sultan and I were very right in assigning you the position as Governor, and I know that he will be just as pleased to hear the news as I am.
In fact, I received word but three days ago that my husband has peacefully retaken Lasparus, and is even marching his forces behind the Duke’s forces toward Parthway, in hopes that they will be able to unite their forces to fight against the army to our east.
Let me remind you that it’s still quite possible that the enemy army may be lurking at your doorsteps anytime now—keep your forces on yellow alert, ready to go to red in a single moment of time!
As for your first request and the promotion of Bradmir to Lieutenant Governor, I am going to grant it. Regarding my three other cousins, I am going to request that you either test them for their loyalties there in Mauritia, or send them back to Pavelus so that they can be tested here…your choice!
Regarding your second request in delegating a new governor for the city of Driven, I am going to ask that you continue to govern both Driven and Mauritia for now. I know that it will be quite a challenge to govern two cities, but I also know that if there’s anyone who can handle the challenge—it’s you.
Regarding your third request in sending an ambassador to the Kingdom of Thorium, I have appointed Ambassador Chelsea to handle the territorial disputes and help to draw us up new borders, so that we continue our peace and trade with the Kingdom of Thorium.
For the honor and the glory of the Sharia Empire—Sultaness Brishava Elysian.’
After letting the ink dry, which took a minute, Ruksha rolled up the scroll, placed a gob of melted wax in order to seal it, and approached the Sultaness.
Brishava imbedded the royal insignia ring into the wax, which caused the seal to be formed.
She said, “Ruksha, I am going to need you to deliver this message to Colonel Manin. He will be the one to deliver it to Governor Hawkins.”
“Yes, my Sultaness.”
Not even a minute after Ruksha had departed, an elegantly dressed man entered the throne room.
After getting to twenty paces from the Sultaness, he first bowed and then introduced, “My Sultaness, my name is Ambassador Cartwright, and I am from the Kingdom of Rolinsa. I bear two gifts from King Amnion and Queen Tessa.”
Brishava was fully aware that this nation existed on a different continent to their southwest, and had been trading with the Sharia Empire for only the last thirty years. She had never met this ambassador before, however.
Not only had the two nations been on peaceful terms and fair deals the whole time, yet Brishava had been very generous with the last shipment of merchandise and their asking prices.
So there was no pause to Brishava’s voice as she asked with an inquisitive smile, “Gifts?”
Cartwright looked up, and with a slightly mischievous look in his eyes, replied, “Two very special gifts. Will your Sultaness please walk with me to the palace courtyard outside, and see these gifts with your very own eyes, instead of me revealing what they are by words? It was by the king and queen’s special request that the revealing of these gifts be made this way.”
Though Brishava looked a bit surprised to hear all this information for a second, she nodded her head in the next second, stood to her feet from her throne, and began to walk forward—a platoon of guards joined her outside the hallway.
The party of fifty-four made their way to the palace courtyard; once there, Brishava began to look around, yet saw nothing.
A few moments later, her eyes averted over to Cartwright, and then she asked, “Where are the gifts that you had me come all the way outside in order to see?”
Cartwright’s eyes, however, had been looking all around the skies, until she asked that very question. He loo
ked back over at Brishava, and with a smile on his face, he pointed his left index finger directly up.
As Brishava looked up, she saw two tiny dots slowly circling in the sky far, far above. Without looking down, she asked, “Are those hawks or eagles?”
“They are hawks, your Sultaness…your gift.”
Brishava cast her eyes at Cartwright and asked, “What are so special about hawks? After all, we have dozens of varieties of hawks here in Pavelus.”
“Ah, your Sultaness, not like these! These hawks are extremely special and rare—trust me. Soon enough, you’ll understand everything…”
Brishava didn’t respond, but patiently waited.
About ten seconds later, those two tiny specks in the sky stopped circling as they plummeted straight down. Only seconds later, there were two giant hawks perched on the ground in the very middle of the palace courtyard! Each hawk’s torso was even bigger than a fully-grown shire horse, which size did not include the huge-feathered head, wings, and tail.
With both shock and wonder etched on her face, Brishava observed that the nearer hawk was thirty feet away while the further hawk was fifty feet away—both hawks bore a saddle with a rider, though each saddle was obviously built for two riders.
Brishava could only say in awe, “Oh my goodness…”
“Yes, my Sultaness,” Cartwright replied proudly. “With a whole lot of surprise, we discovered a nest of six eggs nearly two years ago, yet strangely without a mother. Since then, we trained the babies so that they can have riders upon them—in another year or so they’ll be ready for breeding, which is why we gave you a male and a female.”
Simultaneously, both men climbed out of the saddle, and once on the ground two seconds later, they turned and bowed.
Cartwright continued, “Actually, these hawks ride exactly as horses, except for the fact that the rider has the additionally option by pulling up on the reins to go up, and pushing down to go down.”
“I see,” Brishava said, still wowed by the sight in front of her.
Cartwright added, “King Amnion and Queen Tessa of Rolinsa send their warmest regards, and these gifts in appreciation for the fair deals and products from the Sharia Empire these last three decades, and most especially, for the last shipment of wonderful merchandise you sent.”
“Why—thank you, Ambassador Cartwright,” Brishava said with both delight and appreciation. She dared to ask, “Can I ride one of them?”
“My Sultaness,” Cartwright replied, “of course, but I would strongly recommend that you ride with one of these two hawk masters, Darius and Traes, of whom are also gifts from my King and Queen.”
Brishava answered gleefully, “Cool! Can my friend ride on the back of the other hawk?”
“They’re your hawks, my Sultaness…as for me, I must be heading back now, as I have other urgent business to tend to. That is, if your Sultaness will graciously excuse me?”
Brishava answered, “Of course. Would you please not only extend my sincerest gratitude to King Amnion and his family for these extraordinarily wonderful gifts, yet deliver a personal message from me to them, as well?”
After a respectful bow, Cartwright answered, “Of course I’d be delighted to relay the message, your Sultaness.”
“Would you invite them to come here to Pavelus for a month’s long vacation?” Brishava asked. Without waiting for an answer, she added, “I promise that they will not regret a second, as this is a city filled with many wondrous paradises. Say one year from now?”
“I will ask them. Farewell, your Sultaness,” Cartwright said. He smiled, bowed, and then left with his own entourage of guards back to the harbor and his awaiting ship.
As for Brishava, she turned to face one of the guards, and asked, “Would you please find Ambassador Chelsea for me, and ask her to come to the courtyard, as soon as she possibly can? Tell her she and I are about to go for a ride, but don’t tell her on what!”
“Yes, my Sultaness,” the guard said before he bowed, and hurriedly entered into the palace, in order to fulfill her order.
Brishava turned back around until she was facing the two riders that were still standing in front of the hawks—holding onto the reins so the hawks would not take off.
She said, “Good afternoon, gentlemen.”
A second later, both men replied simultaneously, “Good afternoon, my Sultaness.”
Brishava asked, “So, which one of you is Darius?”
The man on the left, who was a short-cropped blonde with a thin beard, identified, “My name is Darius, my Sultaness. My counterpart here is Traes—he’s my brother.”
Brishava said pleasantly, “Nice to meet you, Darius.”
Darius bowed.
After casting her gaze over to Traes, she said, “As well you, Traes.”
He bowed. Unlike his brother, Traes had long, black and wavy hair and a thick-black goatee.
Traes confirmed, “Even though we certainly don’t look alike, my Sultaness, we oftentimes—”
“Finish each other’s sentences, as we think parallel to one another,” Darius said. “Did you know, my Sultaness, that we were—”
Traes finished the question, “conjoined twins at birth? Just so you know, our skills are identical to one another, as we both are not only hawk masters, fully trained how to drive and to care—”
“For these beautiful hawks,” Darius continued, “yet we are also fully trained in first-aid, and even reading aerial maps.”
“Wow…” Brishava replied in awe.
“Thank you, my Sultaness,” both men replied in unison.
Brishava asked, “Will they bite me if I pet them? How intelligent are they? Do they have names?”
Even though both men proudly cast their gaze upon his delegated hawk, Darius was the first to answer, “Since I was first introduced to this lady hawk but a year ago, she was never given a name. I’ve called her Chiquita. But, you may call her what you will—”
Traes then continued, “My Sultaness, I’ve called this boy Olifax, but as my brother said, you may name him what you will. To answer your other questions—”
“Yes, these are very intelligent creatures,” Darius continued, “and no, they will not bite—so long as you’re not mean to them! Believe us, there’s so much for us to teach—”
“And so much for you to learn. Have you decided on names for these hawks yet, my Sultaness?” Traes asked.
“Yes,” Brishava said, while drawing near enough to the hawk’s position, so that she could lightly pet the hawk’s right flank. “I’m going to name him Praetor…”
After petting him for about a minute, she walked over to the female hawk, began to pet her, and then said, “And I’m going to name her, Leshava.”
“Excellent names, my Sultaness,” both men replied in unison.
Just then, Chelsea arrived in the courtyard—her eyes were filled with both wonder and disbelief, as she slowly drew nearer to the hawks.
When Brishava heard footsteps behind her, she turned around, saw Chelsea, and asked, “Aren’t they beautiful? Want to go for a ride?”
“Yes…and yes!” Chelsea exclaimed.
For the next hour or so, Brishava rode with Darius, while Chelsea rode with Traes—thousands of feet up in the air on the hawks who proved to be unbelievably fast and agile.
Once the ride was over and they were back on the ground, and the girls had their shoulder straps released, they ran to each other, and gave each other an excited hug.
Sounding like she was out of breath, Brishava was the first to ask, “Wasn’t that the most awesome ride ever?”
“Yes, it was! Whew!” Chelsea replied just as excitedly.
Once Brishava had finally calmed her adrenaline down by taking a few deep breaths, she then looked back over at the brothers, took still another deep breath and asked, “Would you two gentlemen like to join us ladies for dinner tonight? Just to let you know, this is not a date as we’re both married.”
Darius replied, “We’d be deligh
ted to join you for dinner, my Sultaness—”
“But we have about an hour and a half of work to do with these hawks before we’ll be done for the day and ready to eat,” Traes concluded.
“Perfect,” Brishava said with a pleased smile. “In one hour and thirty minutes, inform any of my guards that you are ready to be escorted to the royal dining hall—okay?”
“Okay, my Sultaness,” both men replied.
After saying their quick farewells, Chelsea headed to her bedroom to finish packing while Brishava headed to the throne room.
Once on her throne, she ordered the guards to retrieve the cooks … they did.
Upon their arrival, five minutes later, Brishava revealed all the things she wanted for dinner—tonight it would be rotisserie chicken, roasted potatoes, green beans, a fruit salad, and a nice bottle of red wine.
Only minutes after the cooks had left to carry out their orders, Ruksha delivered a dozen official documents that needed her signature. He also delicately reminded her, while she was signing away, that the following day was Moonday, which meant that she would be spending most of tomorrow listening to the concerns, complaints, and crimes of her people—nobles and commoners.
Following eating that very delicious dinner in the royal dining hall with the two brothers and they had left to go to bed, the two girls said their fond farewells to each other down in the courtyard. They stood next to a horse-drawn carriage, which had a driver sitting in the front and another man holding the door open.
Immediately after the last hug, Chelsea climbed into the carriage, in which the doorman shut the door before climbing up into the seat next to the driver.
Right away, the driver snapped the reins, spurring the horses and the carriage on—their destination was the harbor, where a personal ship waited for Ambassador Chelsea to arrive. This ship’s destination would be the capital city of the Kingdom of Thorium, called Politesse.
Chelsea’s three-fold mission: one, to be the voice of her Sultan and Sultaness; two, to continuously ensure that both peace and trade exist between the two nations; and three, to warn them about the evil army that could be on their doorsteps at anytime.
BOOK II OF III: The Reign of the Sultan Page 22
