Thursday, September 21, 2006
TARA
TARA
Kay H.
........................................................................
Once upon -(The heights' time.)
The water crackled the window.
And sparrows flirted in the rain
Mother kept singing the same lullaby ,
All were lulled in a sweet fear,
Licking the darkness of the night
And whispering,in rhyme. "Besmilla.
"Genie is coming
"Locust's coming,
Circumcise-r is coming
"Everyone is coming ..
But,you never know who they are!"
A dark shadow chased the summer wind, through the falling dusk, and ran amidst the trees of the ancient bush which had survived the destruction of a thousand fires , and when the darkness came over the whole land, the shadow who was chasing the wind, listened to the whistles of the nocturnal beasts in the forest - there came through the open sky owls, fireflies and cricket.
He smelt wildly the the heavy scent of leaves and night-flower, and fumbled his way across creeks,and stony detours to shun the tangled boughs, until he flushed in the rich odor of the crushed windflower, and lilies of the valley.He was not skilled verbally (-enough) to distinguish between honey-sweet and the golden chain, or to fear the sullen growl of the mercenaries- shouldering their way after him through the dense forest, more than the murmur of the swarm of bees .
And at the night of the wild forest which had no real trails-through, a sudden purplish-blue surge,flashed in the sky to show him the first clue to the traceable haven: He screamed with a broken voice."Vidie..." He could not hear himself as usual ,for the stalkers' clamor was now savagely approaching in on him with all heights' fairy horses galloping after the dogs,hounds,falcons, and mercenaries of all tribes. They were squeaking-war cries- midst drums, and horns , crushing lilacs and orchids of the motherland...even by the time the horses started rhythmically squeaking. "Hunt the disciple of Satan." Thus the boy,Tara understood the stalking party behind him.
Tara's mentor was Satan's Agent of all crafts on the heights. He had tried to cast the boy's statue after having hidden his secret for a long time. He, however, obscurely pushed pushed him to escape the heights during the past days, and kept whispering in his ears. "Flee the hell, flee the hell."
He was old and fragile though struggled under the raging wind to stay alive, during their great escape-recently,, growling, and trying to reveal his secret . "Your mother was the lady of..."
"W....."said Tara anxiously. "Shhhh de...d."
And as his mentor could not breath anymore, Tara turned his eyes from him and gazed at the shallow sky,and stayed motionless with his tow frozen ruby like eyes.Then he sensed the old man's heart,the way they both had checked his mother's heart.under her breast, hours earlier. (She, too couldn't make it.) Tara groaned drearily,in seeking a little solace,to stand his disturbed soul. However, desperately, he tried to find the traces of his father's news,in his mentor's last words.
The artist had only left a sketch of his father's name on the mud with his trembling fingers. "Phiiidddaasss." Prior of his death the man had hidden all his secrets behind that big name. He wrote."He was the only man crossed the border." Tara had stayed with his master,until his eyes were closed shut,and when the dogs were just meters away, approaching his body from all the directions, his only choice jumped into his mind, and pushed the corpse of the old man into a closest billabong to confuse the dogs and ease his escape, along its little steam.
"Follow the stars. Follow your dreams ." That was one of the deceased man's will. His heart beat faster than ever, He ran Southward through the heathen province for the rest of the night,midst smokes, fogs and echoes of malicious laughter of the mercenaries .“Here is the corpse of your devil master, is left for dogs.”
He was not proud, however, his master had kept his mother, in his farm since he was born, but when he lost his wealth recently the local tribunal activated the act of the communal ownership regulation, and denied him any right to take him as child into his physical custody. And when the decision made, they asked him, in the tribunal session, in Tara's presence."You know what we mean, don't you, by this act?" -
"I do, " his mentor said.
"Then stop this farce -You are not his father- and none of us is certain if he is his father or not. You know the rest of the story, " the tribunal chief growled, and grinned filthily.
" His father is my friend,sir," said he.
"Man, put your mind in your head-how many nights did he sleep with her ?
"Tara was certain they were talking on his mother's affairs."None- but they slept once in the barn in the warmest day of the spring," said Tara's mentor.
"Man, think better with me; do you think that all those reverent men had failed?" said the arch-chieftain "Yes I do," said Tara's mentor.
The chieftains laughed loudly and to enjoy the moment in their filthy way, they dismissed him very soon.
On his run, Tara did not mind to cross the thunder scorched bay, frosted rivers or even hot springs.
He had eaten crushed roots and worms, fingered the wet dirt,and hid himself under heaps of rotten leaves . The sky hymned against the roaring wind which violently led -Southward across the heights- the wild flames of the fires- that were just set by the mercenaries to trap him somewhere.
***
Somewhere,he clutched the stone of his hideout in his bosom whistling ceaselessly with the crickets,until readied to merge with the forest's fleeing creatures. Amidst them he let the wind brushing his hyacinth like pendant, on the oldest part of his body which flashed with the gleam of the magical metal. He cried for the cracks of the homeland under the quaking invaders and smokes. He knew everyone would claim to have him midst his property, either as a concubine or as a ghulam.
He remembered his mentor's withered face, looking up, and begging the wind to roar. The man was talking like a wrecked prophet ."It is a long way, boy...run, run and never come to a halt. The sea is a head of you, though."
His mentor had shown him once the hanging lights of the City Of Dreams, glittering from its magical niche. " That is the start of the Continent . Seven years ride on the backs of horses," said he.. There was nothing visible except lights, though the old man murmured."Oh, dear brother, what if we had wings?"
Tara saw the lighthouse again, he stuck to its lights for a long time.He had known people used to follow the stars by their own eyes or come there to watch the old lighthouse on the shore, before they go home . He ran down, from where he was standing until found himself on the sand of the shore,
There he hid himself in a little creek. He thought deeply, until came across a magical word -creep-creep- and henceforth he bid himself, furiously. " Creep,creep," And he crept through a little artificial crevice-on the shore until sensed the cold water of the river at a point where was merging violently into the sea, in a suicide act. He heard the dogs, and the mercenaries arrived on the hill,and screaming loudly ." You are dead, bastard. "
By now, they gathered on the top of the hill, and readied for their last attack. He smelt the breathe of the sea, and again, he found himself in the middle of his way,but at one of those crucial moments, when he had no choice except -listening to his master's voice ."Cross the stream, I command you, boy, cross the sea."
He was already surrendered to him, but was now turning over in his mind, the dream like command, besides his mother's appearance. "Oh, Northern wind, that is the sea," said she in whisper.
"What is the sea, mother?"said he.
"You do not need to have a long tongue. Ride the wave, son, " said the voice.
He listened to the swish of seals twisting themselves with the giant waves. Shivered he though, trusted her the most.He looked unto the sky, and readied to plunge into the sea "Oh, L'd, o' da see," he bleated and slipped into the water, swimming bravely against the swelling waves.
As his skin touched the cold tide of the melted snow-he surrounded to the giant lord. He was agile and sleek, swam very much like fishes, and drunk the breeze and foam of the chilling water, util was swept by a rip tide into the heart of the sea.
Slipped further more into the heart of the see, after had taken a brace ride on the splendid tides,until incredibly lingered at the top of a giant wave, looking for the trace of the land, beyond the old sea's folds.where he could not see anything above the -Mare- save the sparkling fishes-in the son. There was no shore, but he felt the strength of his muscles- embracing the- Mare, with his unlimited skills, and beauty, They were in fact becoming the advent of a new angel.
Though the past kept hindering him, Tara could not dismiss the images of his mother.
"Our river, neighs for blood," said his mother.
"It is our myth, madam, " said his master.
"I know, you believe in nothing. But, no one escapes the rage of water and fire," said she.
"The rage of the sea, madam," said he.
"Whatsoever," said she furiously.
The boy thought sadly,she did not behave as such, most often.
He kept thinking deeply, until was so disturbed that he begun throwing on of his intense tantrum without having uttered a single word. " You were wrong, sir ,there is always someone." As the time passed he found himself swimming midst floating corpses,and giant tree trunks, and when he saw some giant boats propelled by slaves' arms, he stuck to the nearest trunk until they disappeared beyond the waves.
Stimulated, by the heathen strength in his heart, he pushed himself midst the trunks and corpse like seals. He dreamed of domes and high towers and looked far unto the mild horizon, and fed himself for many days on little fishes and things never had tasted before. The violet rays and turquoise horizons kept steadily twinkling and disappearing, with the growing and diminishing of the giant wave, as if the universe plays with him - Hide and Seek- and reflecting for his reward in the sky all his beloved hues.
................................................................................***
The aquatic disciple swam steadily days and nights, until was exhausted in his labor on the top of the tides -flied off the handle,he went adrift with the waves then in his intense absence a huge arcus cloud started its horizontal formation, and preparation to lunch the thunderstorm outflow, on its violent edges- as low as possible. Tara was- unable to hit or kick the water though, when he woke up he found himself on the shore.
He would, anyway, neither remember, the faces of Marine's peaceful creatures that had pushed him all the way to the beech, nor how many days took him to reach that spot. He ,however, found himself stretched on the sands' of the desolate shore midst the trunks which also were washed up on the shore by the waves. And when he was awakened by some stray dogs, he did not hesitate to start his journey on the foreign land,and walk adrift in the world of uncertainty. He was still far away from the city.
He walked upward with the shore until he ended up on the outskirt of a little port which was harboring, boats, humble ships and sleeping caravans-included, merchants pilgrims, artists, warriors, poets, bards ,travelers, messengers and reward seekers. When Tara arrived, he did not know, they were still waiting for dawn, the moment when the giant gate swing open for the start of a new day..
A he was close enough, Tara looked up to where the lights and the great wall lay. He breathed joyously "O, lo’ o ee ci’y." And passed by the breathing hordes on the harbor. He was none of them, but they too had crossed distances and spaces through the silk road, heights, mountains deserts, seas, islands and oceans with all their mysteries and secrets.The merchants have brought damsels, slaves, jewelries, stones, monkeys, parrots, odors, herbs, silk- fabrics and curries.
The city was sleeping under the cold sky of the surrounding forests,until was brushed by the breeze of the golden dawn. The artificial lights started diminishing against the rays of the rising horizon above the domes of the ancient wisdom.Tara kept gazing through his dazzled eyes, until he heard a scream from the beak of a falcon relief on the giant gate, squeaking. "Welcome people of Planet-on behalf of the citizens of the City of Dreams."
.............................................................................***
"Welcome to The City of Dreams." A screech came out from the tow phoenixes beaks,on the shoulders of the gate. Therefore a soldier in a blue uniform blew in a mythical horn, through the mouth of a lion’s statue on the top of the gate.Therefore, the guards started lifting up the latches of the gate, pulling chains and ropes up, announcing a new day in the city in the name of the king who was ruling On Behalf of God.
The hordes moved slowly and passed through the gate with a thousand hesitant eyes, before they merged with the trails of the citizens who were marching on the streets in a festive mood. They had in fact set off earlier, chanting and marching towards the deepest patch of the city.
Tara was roundly obsessed with the strength of the hidden soul in the the massive crowd's morning march .Actually he ran after the celebrants across the avenues and magical plazas, gazing at the dazzling towers, gardens and fountains-surrounding them, until eventually was led astray.He was not worried. In fact, he though exceptionally; I would have had a great pleasure if having marooned there a bit longer,before slipping into the avenues between the lavish houses and great castles.
He ran for a long while after the younger citizens who were eager for leisure pursuits.In consequence,
Tara barely felt how the time passed by, until suddenly halted on the start of a huge number of roads,where one of them in particular led to a massive temple in the center of a huge park, The night was lingering magically. He assumed ,they stopped the night to add extra pleasure to the scene,
The towering temple glittered from seven sides. Tara couldn't move any further, for having mysteriously obsessed with the synthetic rainbows in the sky of the temple that was surrounded mildly by smokes and clouds which gravely started descending to wrap the statues ,and mirrors on the both sides of the temple's entrance , where on the opposite side the older citizens started praying under pavilions- scattered around." Ma-ve- us," murmured Tara and aimlessly, arrow like darted parallel to a thousand rays of the gods- to the main arena , and stayed there loitering, amidst the bee like working crowd tell the real night fall, the due time of the ceremony.
................................................................................***
The city's colored night intrigued the boy- as the lights looked like huge windows opened to their hidden world. The men of the state recited rhymed verses after their priests under the ceiling of the main pavilion. They looked undisturbed, and indifferent, and had never experienced disquiet.
"Seven lanterns for the ancient gods, they sung.
" Three lanterns for the king, and queen."
"Likewise for the princes, and princesses." they sung.
And then the priests of the seven religions revealed how grateful they were to their heathen gods' grace.They lifted their hands up beseeching." Father, Lord, godfathers, gods, angels ,ancient idols, come down, you are the most welcome among-st us."
And only then the arch priest blessed the guests with the holy scepter, followed by a roaring scream, and flashes above the throng.And through such a clean space the royal arrow darted up and flickered the joy in the city‘s festive mood.
The arrow, however, set off from nowhere, and traveled magically to lit up a torch was hung up in the sky of the arena. The crowd chanted , and roared. "Long life, Lord... you are the keeper of joy." And started the official event.
.........................................................................***
Like the procession of comets the queens' gold coaches streamed down to where the kingdoms' coat of arms were lift up glittering in the sky above the roaring crowd, waiting for the them to have a tour, and shouldering their through the crowd. After the tour they went up towards their seats around the seatof the queen of the host country .
Almost instantly, when they settled on their spots, the lords and priests appeared on the stage.Tara's
eyes followed them joyously, and waited for a surprise, particularly when the cities' patriarchs rhymed together.." "Thou arst the joy of the life,Lord. Keep, the intruders, and barbarians out of the countries borders- you are the torch that enlighten your allies' visions . "
"O, Lord, so sweet thou arst around me, " The chorus chanted.
"For our pleasure, I dare say, your majesty- ignite the desire of the nation."
Tara was not himself now.
Circled on the giant stage,the horn blowers blew in their long bronze horns,.In fact, they formed an Omega sign on the floor around a black diamond altar installed at the middle of the stage.More specially they called it. The Genius' Suicide Altar. And when the blowers stopped blowing in the horns, the chorus roared several times hailing the kings, and then sung- Genius Sacrifice- the yearly search for the youth- beauty- to sacrifice-
Here,with the light,
"We hunt Eternity;
"The beauty of the long waited genius,
"He comes down the mountains with wondrous joy,
"To embrace you,
"No matter what your religion is,
"He is the savior who blesses the sinners
"And rubs the dirt of the heart.
"Neither, he blames you for your frailty ,
"Nor, punish you for your strength.
"He is in fact yourself,
"Strayed for so long after his frame. "
Stunned on their niche, the chorus caught by the presence of a stranger's vivid immediacy in the scene -and as they cast a sudden glimpse on his frame, they overtly-sung- out of their text book
"A wild smile, leonine hair, and a statue like body, neither anointed nor cursed are in a bold dress-reluctantly launching his instinct disconcerting directness . "
That was the undetectable impression of the chorus' members on Tara who stretched his hand to hunt a fairy like image,who had approached him physically, and then flew above the crowd, as fast as she could- yet, launching into the boy's heart the best quality of her internal chemistry, which acted on his preemptive soul, and brought his gravity down. Tara could not resist the beauty's call. Actually, he was dragged magically insofar that he ignored the whole world around him.
Allured, he ran after her and ripped the crowd swiftly. He did not stop .until he found himself at the center of the Omega where barbarically the synthetic rays fell on his body so extensively that the long awaited live statue was revealed in front of the -Altare Dei .
Tara flushed massively on the stage, and heard the crowd's roaring.
"Good Heven- the God's sign, " they screamed and starred at his vigorous shadow, particularly when he lifted his hands up to his magnificent face and showed how much his chiseled body matching the Altare Dei- They shouted anxiously "He is the one. He is the one."
In his spontaneous response ,the horrified archbishop said."He is a foreigner- he has no pure blood."
"Calm down, sir. We have a thousand excuses," said the lord steward
"He is not the one," said the holy -priest.
"I am curtain sir," said the Archbishop.
"HE IS NOT THE ONE." the chorus sung.
"HE IS NOT THE ONE." the soldiers sung..
"He is the one ." the crowd roared again.
Horrified instinctively, the Archbishop, jumped into his satanic conclusion. "This curse shall divide the nation, or replace the gods. Thy mercy I beg ,Lord ."
They would rather his glowing body against the flames of the torches which were triggered now by the priests' holy verse-on the session. His reflection rocked the stage and filled the sky with the joy of the cheering crowd."Everyone sees the miracle. Don't deny it," said a rogue priest,and ripped his peers' hearts who watched each other with stunned eyes that grew up to a great awe , particularly, when they heard the crowd growling, chaotically.
"The genius...the genius. He is the one. "
"His blood is the Altare Dei 's property .".
"Such a miracle! never has happened in these ages."
The chorus sung." BUT HE IS NOT THE ONE."......
"Your son, Lord, Almighty,we have been waiting for this hunt, for many years."
As the chaos erupted everywhere, the Chorus surrendered to the rogue priest.
" Where are you, Lord," they said loudly and sung. " The altar is ready, we are ready, the guests are ready the kings are ready and gods are ready. What are you waiting for." The archbishop gestured to the guard-to move, and demanded. "Stop this farce - stop it. Stop it."
Tara looked upward to where a bright face emerged in a fancy maroon dress and waved to him midst her family in side a luxurious lodge. She waved with a skilled hand, exactly when he cast a glance at the chanting crowd, but the Lord Steward instantly sent his messenger to Lord Northland to silence his daughter. But, ironically the crowd chanted with their excited heads."Scarlett ...Sacrlett." They left their seats, and lingered against the guards who kept disdainfully pushing them backward ,and screaming to inspire themselves ."For the Kings' sake , push."
Threatened, though with anarchy, the queen along with the roaring crowd, shrouded the fire of her desire with her veil of secrecy. Her inextinguishable desire drove her to possess the boy so ardently that, her decision escaped her lips unconsciously amidst her guests who smiled encouragingly ."I shall come upon you and catch you- face to face- by your skin not by your cloak." Swearing to put in use all her key determinant factors to tame the boy on her bed at any cost
..........................................................................***
The convoy of twenty kings passed now flowing softly on the royal carpet in a magnificent procession , rising up and down in rhyme,like a flock of swans floating on the mild waves of the Northern lake."His majesty must be waiting in the paradise temple," the lord Steward said. He meant the country's king who was now waiting for the royal guests, without having let any concerns creeping into his heart. "Their majesties should have been arrived ," he told the lord steward who shuttled between the forum and temple which had a balcony looking down at the crowd.(The paradise temple was in fact a crucial element of the ceremony.)
Tara lingered there, for having sensed the dangers around his body. He was dazzled like a single swan...ranted to free himself, and in fact sooner he forced his splendid body soaring phantom like in the horizon.He ran so swiftly that everyone thought he was flying.
A reverend lord was now leading the choir .He was stunned, and jerked his baton violently when Tara passed through the violet haze on the stage, gliding then before the guests' convoy. The king heard the noise again, and had a sudden look at the chaos through the veranda. Actually he moved from his niche . For his shock, he glimpsed a dazzling statue floating up and down on the stage, and soaring without wings, against the up-roaring crowd. (In his view, the thing looked ridiculous, first, but was surprised by the kings' delay .)
However, as the growing heavenly pleasure spread by the presence of an extraordinary beauty of the young Adonis -stunned, in his throne, the king could not hold up any more. Actually he dwindled,and felt himself looking like a humble servant dragged by a formidable charm in the scale of gods' grace. He was so deeply struck by the raw beauty of the boy that neither he could think of his experience nor of his gravitas.
The fret started crawling into his heart, blemishing distinctly his appearance distinctly little by little . Mostly, he feared of the sublime rays which steadily launched by the boys eyes- He murmured in a great sorrow. "Too blest - ragamuffin." And urged Lord Steward to speak.
"Your Majesty!"said the lord steward.
"I dare to say God's mistakes are intolerable , "said the king.
"Your Majesty!"said the lord steward
"If he lived another day, many big heads will be rolling on the streets,"said the king.
"God forbid, your majesty,"
" Do you know what I mean? Step aside and let his holiness closer to me. "
"Yes, Your Majesty," said the lord steward and let the Archbishop take his place.
"Your king needs a miracle," the king told the archbishop.
"We encourage Him not to put off the matter, your majesty,"said archbishop.
"Then what is He waiting for?" said the king furiously.
"Right...I beg your pardon, your majesty."said he and set off to seek a miracle for the king.
" Your Majesty, the guests have arrived." said the lord steward.
When they took their seats around in the balcony. The king called for the kingdom's religious board meeting, and accordingly the king withdrew to his secret lodge and commanded the lord steward to prepare the court for the priests, scientists, astronomers, sages, ministers, artists, bitches, witches, ambassadors and allied kings.
"Hobos and bitches are on strike, your majesty," Lord steward said.
"It is a bad omen," said the king.
" Bring one of them, anyway."
"Yes. Your Majesty. I will."
"Steer clear from the curses," said the king .
"I will, sir," said he, and shunned the gleams launched by the boy's polished serpentine like skin
In the first meeting of the sort which has not been held in many years, the king's statement lacked the wrestling rhetoric as much as his pale face needed blood.
"We command the priests to release the remaining oracles, soon.''
"Dreams? Sickness? Genies? Here we are for, your majesty," the Archbishop said.
"Who ever he is, I bid you to hunt him down immediately."
"Goodness,"The king murmured to himself. Actually, he failed to peruse his argument.
"He is controlling my tongue,"said he.
"Your majesty!" said Archbishop.
"I have intention to say bad things."
"God forbid, God forbid," said the Archbishop
The king said amidst heads- rusted from not being used for years.
"A single bare handed child against me! And I am backed by all those great men ."
"It is a charm of beauty," said the Archbishop.
"My guests, you are commanding the sky., lands, and seas- say something about my obsession," said the king. "We see nothing to worry about, your majesty," the kings replied in their diplomatic accents.
"Who allowed him to posses such enchanting properties ?" said the king, and kept raving about the promptness,and barbarian might of the boys .
He denied a theory that had said, the devil's appearance was an indicative of a universal chaos. And to deprive him of any tittle, but evilness, the king stated.."Doubtless such an arrogant creature is a disciple of Satan."
"We believe so,your majesty ," said his guests, without showing any concerns about his symptoms.
"The concern, about the dangerous beasts has not been raised since their - heyday- during sixteen century ,"said the Archbishop.
"I am certain, it is a sort of black-ephemera, " said the king to defuse the gravity of his nightmare.
"Unless, the wild beauty has its adorers, your majesty," said one of the kings.
"I afraid so." The others agreed, but the king denied any threat of the sort.
He sat among-st his chattering guests. Though it was not the right time to ease off, he commanded the lord steward to produce the best of his choice, and in response , however, the lord Steward did not hesitate to call for the king's knights, who have been housed in the royal castle for the hardest tasks.
The knights, after his retinue, were the dearest men to the king.Their appearance was a great pleasure for him, but for Tara was an extraordinary lust of challenge - The wind shook his body- like an angel in a storm- in front of the world. What else I need, he thought- other than this.He reached the edge of the arena and squeaked. He challenged the knights of the kingdom who were dazzled for having been ordered to hunt -such an -(out of reach_- ghost like shadow.) Tara darted through the space amidst the hordes like an arrow for seven times, and climbed the Temple like a leopard does with trees before he disappeared- launching the sweetest tones of his voice
"Have you seen that thing, again, your majesty?"the Archbishop said- "If I was an entertainer,......... , I would say ,I see what you can't see," replied the king restlessly.
"I am all yours, your majesty. I try my best to see the best side of the thing."
"He humiliate your king- and you can't see that," the king grunted.
"If your majesty are certain of that , declare the war state immediately."
"I would... but he is just a little boy. What would the wise men of my country would say about sun an unjustified decision - ,"said the king.
The Archbishop thought deeply- seeking help in his personal worldly- cunning practices, and begged the divine's permission for the mission. "I will take a tour through their minds, your majesty,"whispered in the king's ear."I hope you will- at your best," the king said.
"I won't let him do any harm to you, your majesty."
"I am afraid, he already had."
And in his prompt response the archbishop started his tour, preparing the country's magistrates with his shortest preaching for war- borrowed from the oldest pagan prophetess."The plague is luring the souls," he whispered into their ears, and when they showed their great interest, he was satisfied that no one would blame his majesty. Meanwhile the temple street was flooded with the best warriors of the country; knights, artillery , and heights mercenaries whom Tara had feared of most.
The king waved to the knights, and stated . "Blessed be mine brave knights. Without you, the heathen -charm would infringe the holy kingdom, Therefore, I command you to eliminate the heretics' breed. Hold your head high, knights, and attack the God's enemy." And then stately the lord steward delivered the decree to the knights, who promptly charged through the avenues and lanes, to capture the heathen creature.
...............................................................................***
The heathen- boy's glory was on the top of the daily news. The women, who were in particular, bred on sweet gossips and rumors, started henceforth spreading across the country ...the sweetest of them.First, they begun with the growing love between of Scarlett and Tara. However, sooner they circulated rumors around the queen who kept the miracle boy in her private pavilion for having her nightly affairs or had forced her brother - the Archbishop- to keep the boy for her in side one of the-Cathedral monastic cells.
It looked the king's spies had not hidden a slightest trace of danger from their lord.
"Goodness, what charm is invading my kingdom?" said he, in his wing, so sadly that his Arch-maid ventured to interrupt him inappropriately."It is our turn, your majesty,"said she insistently.
"What do want, woman?" said he furiously.
"Lets me have you served, privately, your majesty,"said she.
"What??"said he.
"You know what I mean your majesty."
"Woman, what are you talking about?"
"My queen loves the beauty- more than anything ," said she.
The king was shocked- but developed a prompt intention to have her hung immediately.
"Your majesty, cast thy kind glimpse at the core of your possessions," said she.
The king halted frozen.
"I treat my citizen fairly."
"You are tired, your majesty."
He was exhausted until she dared and had him lie naked on the marble of the bath of his wing- and stared firing him up with her touches. She pushed her maids to work on his flesh. They rubbed his skin with ointment, and other magical perfumes.Actually, by the time, they formed a choir to sing for him the best of his poets' official Odes.
He was now lying in the arch-maid's arms. But the boy's image evoked many dissonant narratives about his ancestors' history."Destroy his charm," a voice whispered in his head.
He was sluggish, relaxing under the arch- maid's hands.
"He does not belong to our moral concepts," said he defiantly.
"Even though."
" So, you have no idea what he is capable of."
"Are you ready to hear, more."
"It is the end of my era either way."
"Grasp it- marry the women of your kingdom as much as you can- you need offspring- otherwise the queen will do her best, "said the voice.
"God forbid."
The maids, were stunned of their king's metamorphosis- but were skilled enough to hide their feelings, and keep all kinds of secrets hidden in their hearts.."I said destroy him,"said he.
"He is in the queen's bed- she has dismissed you tonight, hasn't she?"
"Are you my Satan?" the king screamed.
" No I am your other soul," the voice said.
"ARE YOU THE KING? "
"You said that- "
Thus he stopped asking himself anymore.
.......................................................................***
Gone with the whispers,but his winsome gestures were described, quoted and circulated amidst the city's inhabitants, lately. The more the search campaign intensified,the more the glow of the rising legend coruscated. They quoted indeed. "The body's architecture concludes the soul's delicacy. ."
"Define the edge of your body, before you free your soul."
"You are the only gate into the eternity."
Tara, however, had taken a refuge in the deserted town hall. He was hungry, and anxious to meet people and preach them by his body in the rainbow like lights of the temple. He had no idea how many troopers were deployed to hunt him.
He remembered how his mentor had pushed him to hunt, climb rocks and trees to catch worms, birds, and lizards. And when he was desperate lingered on the highest spot of the village's waterfall watching the transparent waters of the billabongs. Sliding down the waterfall, like the birds of prey,he sunk ,and attacked fishes, snails and snakes.
At the mid night then- when everyone was tired of the long stalking campaign, From his hideout, Tara intuited that the street was clear. Actually, it had been deserted earlier. He slipped out,and then hesitantly walked through the little streets seeking wildly a bold hunt until found himself approaching the entrance of the Eagle Castle-(Doubtless, he did not know the name of the castle.)
The gate was open. He walked in tentatively towards the lights, whereas magically was allured by mirrors and crowns and trails of golden statues along the first corridor, on ground floor. He had never imagined such a huge hallway. Horrified, but he thought easily." I am already in." In fact he had had crossed the threshold of the main gate. He sauntered for a while, and stayed alert, expecting traces of those faces whom he had recently seen in the event- the evil ones. Even the queen was evil, he thought. Scarlett- he thought of the name vehemently; she was glittering, in her lodge like a little angel.
As he stepped forward a horrible stream lashed his face, like a swarm of bees. He came to a sudden halt, and scanned the space with his two owl eyes. He had nocturnal eyes all the same, but couldn't at once glimpse the shadow of a sentry who was standing on the end of the corridor. Sluggishly, the sentry nodded to him to walk away. But when,they were close enough the sentry recognized him and pleasantly called him."Come on baby, come on," said he. He looked at him so wildly that the old man froze in his place immediately.
Feared though, Tara did not mind to proceed .The man was old.Tara gazed at his frozen eyes and walked towards him amidst the violet beams which were launched by the huge statues of ancient gods, along with the reflection of some Satanic epigraph -script. The other colorful rays were generated by the crystal chandeliers- fell mildly on the mahogany boards, and the burgundy curtains which deepened the scene's texture more ever . The magnificent hanging lanterns kept flashing dim lights around him.It was there when he realized how far he had gone, but some sweet voices whispered passionately. "come on son, come on, son." Instinctively, he feared the dangers of traps.
Voices; sweet voices. He sensed them even with his skin. They were- whispered from the deepest side of the walk. Otherwise,Tara would think,really and truly everything was dead, solid and silent like the sentry's eyes . Even,in fact, the quietness was blurring his sight. He was hesitant particularly when he heard squeaking doors behind him...followed by storm like breathe-oftentimes used to hear on the heights '
The trap is ahead, he thought, and retreated.Passed again by the petrified- old sentry. He thought deeply until he sensed the smell of breads and appetizer. Excited, probably, by effects of the savories dishes, the boy ran to the end of the corridor where he halted and dared to touch a half ajar door, and wondered silently. "What might be hidden behind the door?"
" Nothing, " he answered himself unconsciously and looked through the misty space.
He was shocked, but had cast a smart glimpse at everything there.Actually, he gathered himself before the highlanders' mercenaries reached him. They were there. But he readied for all consequences, however, he stepped in.
"What?" he could not say. "what."
Actually he was shocked, by the massive silent crowd in the ball hall- immediately behind the door.
Amidst them a lion like creature in a maroon silk robe embroidered with ivory and pearls was sitting on a golden spot. Relaxed. he looked with the same cruel eyes which Tara had met earlier- from afar. Nevertheless, with a slack hand the creature gestured to his knights.
"Block'm, block'em,"grunted he.
"Let us hunt him in our way,your majesty," said the heights' arch chieftain.
"Oh, my dear guest, enjoy the show," said the king.
"I will, your majesty," said the highlander.
"I am glad, your majesty."
The king was in hurry. He was interested in his allies' savage verdicts.
"Oh, my friend, you are crueler than I am.Could you please tell me what would be your traditional sentence on your land, for such an evilness,sir," said the king, and waited anxiously for the highlanders' verdict. "We make him a stone of wall, your majesty," said the highlander.
"I see," said the king and dubbed him- " My Knight. "
" Despite everything, you are a unique creative in your field," said the king.
"In your service, your majesty, "said the highlander.
The savage element of the youth ignited his soul, and let the flame spread barbarously in his body- to carry out all his tasks at once.Actually-instantly, his profound eyes pierced the king's heart,who unconsciously started revealing his personal secrets to public
"The queen needs him in her bed- hunt him - you might be heavily awarded," said he maliciously.
Tara looked at the others defiantly. " Have you ever seen such seductive eyes. I ask you shall I blame her majesty?" said the king, and to stir the heads of his retinue, nastily screamed ."And none of our females will resist his charm. I repeat none- revenge them, sons,"said he.
"I have no daughters, or young wives, but you have!" said the king.
Everyone- the king himself included- responded in one blow. "Never let that happens, your majesty."
And though the king was certain his rival was purer than diamond crystal, growled."Then what are you waiting for , holy regiment...charge."
"Enjoy thy glory, your majesty," said the first knight..
"I want his body unscathed," said the king.
"Your Majesty," they said, and three hundred knights attacked the boy.
In his maneuver, instinctively Tara turned his head to run, but saw all those who chased him through his long journey, huddled in the corridor gazing at him with a thousand furious eyes and Bashibazouks' long mustaches. "No way," they screamed and laughed maliciously.He thought the only way is to ran and step on their helmets an turbans.
When Tara ran and did what he thought of, the dazzled eyes of the king's magistrates who saw and heard his feet treading on the hordes' helmets - screamed in behalf f of the king who had already lost control-yet stammering in shock. "Whoever catch the savage boy, shall own him."
By now Tara had darted through the main gate over the last heads- before was trapped in the Queen's guards huge nets. They had tied tow corners of the net to both sides of door's threshold, and when Tara reached the door they locked it behind him, and contained him in their net. And then upon her guards'successful ambush, immediately, the queen appeared from nowhere, and screamed proudly . "It is mine, your majesty." And added ." Do you mind?"
The shocked king stammered. "Yes, it is yours , but not regardless to the king's conditions, my queen." He looked at her, pride-less -his morale was at rock bottom. .
"I am certain your magistrates, justify my rights, your majesty."
"We will, we will, your majesty."
"I command my guards to take the boy to my wing,"said she
"I assume you have just disregarded the royal integrity, my queen," said the king.
"Your Majesty, have a good night," said she.
"Lords, have a good night," said she and left with her hunt to her wing.
Simmered on the fire of envy though, the king could not say anymore, for having relied mostly on the three kings who allied with the queen like brothers to a sister. They had in fact sworn during their discipleship under Archbishop's grave commandment to stay as such forever-even they symbolized their resolution by mixing their bloods. The Archbishop witnessed their act and blessed their brotherhood.
However, the plan, in the king's point of view, was to avoid an inevitable disaster that might their triple love bring upon them.In his prompt response, after had improvised a short speech to congratulate himself and his kingdom's citizens, the king set off furiously to his castle where he decided to surprise the queen in her wing without following the royal visitation etiquette, particularly when he found out that the lord steward was not in his right place now.
He left his wing and walked stealthy through the long corridor of his castle to the queen's wing. The queen had dismissed all her guards.When the king crossed the first layers of the silk drapes- came to a sudden, halt to eavesdrop on the queen;s whispers to her maids all the same, but heard he the deepest sighs of pleasure escaping all his wife's nozzles. "Queen's sexual sighs!"he gasped in shock and stopped his breathe, then proceeded amidst the silk barriers, until he glimpsed the two naked ghosts fighting on her royal bed-
She was on the top of the boy, leading him upward and downward, in the greatest harmony the king had ever seen. (Remembered, how he had used to spy on the reality of the libertines' desires vi exchanging concubines with his peers.But had never heard of such extraordinary couple of libertines.)
The boy was struggling with all his talents to keep the gravity the queen unscathed, with the greatest respect to her sheer weight, desires- and groans- "up- more- push up my belly, I am your concubine, lord,"she cried delightfully along with all her recipient organs. The king could not interrupt, or disturb her-. The boy was tied to her bed, while two of her strong black slaves were standing alert with their spears directed to the boy's heart.
Thunderstruck like , the king, withdrew, and ran back to his wing, and there without consulting anyone,he called for his most truthful knights' gathering immediately. He and led them to his wife's wing, where they captured the exhausted boy amidst a great astonishment. Their naked queen screamed bravely and embraced the boys body with her loins and arms, but the knights snapped the boys and killed her two guards who witnessed the event- They bowed to both royals, and vowed "The secret is sealed, here." And thrust their hearts in a ritual gesture.
When the the knights left the queen gathered herself and faced her husband logically.
"He planted - the long waited creature, here, your majesty," said, and nodded to her thing. The petrified man, groaned. "I won't blame you, my queen, his beauty is out of control."
"It is not only his beauty, your majesty," said she.
"What are you talking about?" said he.
"There is no use of words-it's an epidemic, your majesty,"said she.
"I must have been learnt, earlier," the king said and silenced himself.
........................................................................***
"Casting the statue out of the heathen frame might restore the seasons of the God's grace."
Thus the magistrates restructured the raw statement of the highlanders' chieftain, and brought the parchment under the king's seal. "I understand now why God bestowed upon me all these graces," the king. " Knights, friends, magistrates...."
"We are all yours, your majesty," said his roaring his retinue.
" I am certain, I am certain."
The young boy could not understand the game even when they dragged him to the court and read to him the sentence loudly. He thought nothing is more harmful than queen's act. Actually he did not pay attention to all what went on in the court, until the judge said loudly ." He is now the Phidias' property."
Definitely, he meant the royal architect - Phidias. In his chain, Tara grasped the name of his idol vehemently. - Phidias, he thought deeply and gasped- "Lord." so wildly with one of his high pitched screeches that he quaked the ground under the elite men of the kingdom.
"Let him scream as much as he would," the judge said, amidst murmurs ran between the court men themselves. "In this hazy moments- such a cruel verdict won't serve the kingdom.
"It bothers me to wait so long."
"Think better gentlemen."
"The sentence has been issued."
They heard thunders and rumbles from afar
Anyway, however, the royal choir by now had rushed into the streets before the nightfall.Then assembled on the golden stage where the royal sculptor was commanded to derive a frozen pattern from the frame of the savage teen.They readied for the saddest event they had ever known.
And as knights led the boy to the place, thechorus started their first song.
"Close to the northern gate of the city," the magistrate told the knights who would suffer the pain of loosing the knighthood pride ever since.
And as they walked the boy on the streets, they heard songs-escaping the windows, rhymed so sweetly with the procession of sorrow that their horses changed the pace of their gallops.They perceived the gravity of the sign but had perforce to finish the walk.
When the time came, stately the elegant royal sculptor, after had received the oral description of the model, started bravely working on his prey.He was old and blind, had studied in side his dark head, all possible manners to cast around the boy's controversial frame his exotic transparent materials, while, reluctantly the savage teen was singing pompously without uttering a single word.
(The sculptor had only worried about his art.)
Tara adored letters though, he could not make out of them a little word. He kept chanting days and nights, along with the chorus' songs on the stage where the man tied him to a thread like mast
He sang The Rock's Fairy Princess and the Ode to Glory- his mother's favorite songs all the same, but, the man was obsessed with his last opportunity to achieve his personal -magnum opus- In fact he kept- pagan like murmuring into the boy's head. "You will be the lord of beauty."
Startled, Tara remembered his mentor whispering into his mother's ears."He must have been created for an extraordinary mission. " She smiled brilliantly. "Someday, somewhere, someone might see the truth," said she confidently. His mentor did not agree. "I see the truth now," said he nervously.
Henceforth, like someone chiseling his own heart the sculptor listened to the boy's groaning voice. "Da ta, da ta." Revealing the memories of every pieces of his body. The artist could not ignore him any further. Actually he tried secretly to expose his mind to the crucible of the boy's creation, and listened to his groan.
"In the City of the Dreams." Tara dreamed of his mentor. "There is a man, shall he transform you to an immortal portrait of life." And as Tara turning over in his mind the deceased man's advice, unexpectedly reached to his last conclusion -with such a pleasure feeling that he tried his best to scream.and rock up the blind man."You are the man. You are the man."
The man, however, failed to pay attention to his last labor, instead started preaching. The more he preached the more enraged the boy." Ignorant, how, a dead man preaches to dead," Tara intended to say. "When you settled down here, little boy, you should have adapted the life style of the city,"said the man. "I had not...I had not. But, you don't need to regret me. " Tara tried his best to tell him his name, but the artist did not listen to him, for having been commanded . "This beast is for you just a stone, nothing else."
Traumatized though, Tara tripped continuously into the labyrinth of his memory. He ran across the broad meadows, midst groves and bushes downward to meet the river under the blue sky. He remembered then the high window of the lodge, and the golden maid of the sky.The artist kept approaching him and weighting the materials and all kinds of stones for his job, trying to identify the material among-st his royal things, that might be compatible with the boy's body to reduce his pain.
Rumors-becoming the boy's passion -people could not cast into poetic phrases yet- though, they were spread across the country like fires to the forest. They sung for ".Monument de l'amour," and named the new statues.".Monument de martyr." And some times "Phidias' Resurrection." Or
"Kings never shed tears."
And during those chaotic time, the king was massively flooded by the worst rumors, and as he failed to cope with new style of the life there, he escaped the city and went back to The Winter Capital. He could not watch any new shows amidst the harsh circulated rumors in the city, while the dazzling beauty was dying- under the hands of his obscure man on the north state.
***
Down the stage a handful of soldiers sung."The beauty never dies, lord."
And as they kept singing the city's girls and women flocked to the place like birds flock to the lake.
Amongst them Scarlett the daughter of Lord Northland wrote on a huge placard. " I AM SCARLETT I LOVE YOU." And cried "I LOVE YOU INDEED.'
Dazzled on the stage, the artist nodded to them- and shouted. "What?"
"There is no such grace in this city," the sculptor shouted.
"You have-a blinded heart, old Phidias,"they said.
"Go home, and take care of your house women, " said the sculptor.
"Old Phidias. We are here for boy."
"He is no more a boy."
It was dawn.
"We have just been taught what a fearless dawn is."
"Who taught you, damsels ?Philosophers?Scholars? Priests?
"None of them, moron. We own the bravest hearts in the city."
"I say who taught you to risk your life for beauty?"
"The angel under your hand did."
"Oh, ye. I am old! I too, believe things might change, but at a great expense," said the artist.
And to distract the old man, the girls camped there and started chanting as loudly as they could, all the same,but the old man kept working harder than before,
.................................................................................***
Days have passed, until the last day of the year has to come, Tara looked at the blank eyes of the artist, recalling the last word in his lexicon.The word was Phidias it was annexed to a strange man..."Phidias, Phidias," Tara whispered, almost exactly when the women screamed "Phidias."
"Phidias!" The sculptor ,whispered..
"Phidias? ...It is me," said he, and touched the boy's pale face.
"How do you know me?"said the old man.
"Phidias, " the boy said and a smile of joy imprinted on his beautiful face.
The girls lingered by them for a little while but the guards swept them away.
The sculptor was raging for not having asked the king earlier for materials he needed now. He was so obsessed with his new art work that he resembled a legendary warrior who believed in the battlefield as it is more justified insight into the regard he had than JUST WALK AWAY.
"Are you trying to beat your creator,"said the artist furiously,and thought of Tara's answer on fire.
"You say yes...I knew. you say yes, " said the old man.
Tara wondered angrily, and asked himself harshly."Why does everyone speak on behalf of me?"
He did not respond to the artist's delirium anymore, but responded to Scarlett and waved to her for the first time. Scarlett, he thought, Scarlett, and turned away his sight from the artist though he was about to find out everything in his blank eyes, but strangely, dismissed his feeling and left the man living his delirium state.
Struggled though, the artist lingered around the most precious material he had ever worked on, and readied for his crucial moment- at his last station .He growled, and murmured his best blasphemies, until savagely shackled the boy's hands in his mold. He could not resist. Actually,henceforth,had to stand himself up and fight the eagles with his head.Fortunately whenever he groaned, or the crowd warned him, the artist would scream at the birds of prey. "Out of here, bastard. He is mine not yours." He used to shout, particularly, when the singing crowd failed to cross the new fence which was recently built around the stage.
Doubtless, the artist imagined his victim’s frame glittering in side the artificial shield, during the most glorious moments of art. He sensed the mighty power of the universe's harmony- in his art-piece; an inextinguishable fire-place of the artists' souls, where he found himself imprisoned in.
Tara- He named his work -Tara. "He is still alive ,spiriting," the other soul of the artist said . Actually his creature drew him closer by his grave silence. And when he could not find a single way to cop with him, screamed.‘Who are you?’ Waiting three days for his answer before closing the little hatch - for his face to breath through. And in those days a new phrase came in to existence "Either way, it is your son- physically or spiritually."
For the last touch,the artist came back next day and cast by his hand a sharp glimpse at the boy's exquisite youth The blind man was now alive part of the savage-sculpture. He felt his breathing soul clearer than ever, and tried his best to keep him as such , and make the game last forever. It was during those cruel days, that the news of the boy spread everywhere-and the city's bards started writing their lyrics on the new comer- and spread his verses and deeds.The Spiritual Hymen to the Adventist- even the soldiers kept singing as the place flooded with a massive crowd ; hordes flocked in, in ragged clothes - murmuring verses for the boy's farewell .
If the crowd's temper flared at us no one would dare to curb their rages, thus thought , the king's remaining guards, and in response to their intensified fear of the chaos eruption, the concluded and
shouted towards the artist side. "Your honor. We beg you.We are hear on behalf of the king, do not breach the rule. There is no need to extend -The Child's Passion,"they said.
"It is art's time, no one on earth can command that moment," said the artist.
"We command you, in behalf of the king," they said.
"You would, if dared," said he, almost exactly when a massive roar ran amidst the crowd around them.
The day after,Tara was quieter than marble all the same,but the crowd sensed his verses falling on their heads like the manna. The artist was shocked.Hesitantly, stretched his hand and touched his face in fear; it was frozen, but yet was fresh-
"Goodness!" the artist thundered, and kept screaming as loud as he could-"Who are you? Who are you?I am certain you are not Jesus.You are none of those great men whom we had known .What have you believed in?"He said.
"Love, freedom, youth, honesty," the crowd roared.
"Love and freedom, strange!" The artist shouted, and murmured to himself. "Since when had you contracted such a noble fever."
Honestly, within all his painful feelings, the artist imagined the perfection of his artwork must be a breakthrough. Doubtless, he thought, my transparent material is now entirely wrapping an angel like divine creature. This is one of those rare occasions when the absolute ideal beauty meets the ultimate property of the -pure genius. "Blended," said he. "Scholars,there is no border between life and death any more- in my art - this is the end." Thus he thought inappropriately, however, he believed indeed, the reality of the genuine thing are always beyond their dysfunctional passions.
Regardless of the chaos, in the city,the old man ventured and touched, the boy's hair- through his secret hatch, and brushed it with his fingers. And,yet kept doing that strangely until unexpectedly he found under the curls a hyacinth like pendant, was hidden carefully under his hair. It looked, the boy had cared to keep it secret, he thought .
" Wait a minute...wait a minute," he commanded himself, almost exactly when the women from all around the world perched behind the barbed fence to start their wailing for their- prophetical-idol, and reciting his holy verses- supposedly were said by his followers. "Let the space you occupy take pride for having enfolded you- in its time. Yield to the universal truth and love them as much as you love yourself, and ponder the question beyond the naked facts. If you barred yourself from the herald of love , you would deprive yourself from Heaven's hymn . "
Along with the crowd's ceremonial rhyming ,the artist was firmly grasping the hyacinth pendant and kindly sensing the rich metal with his fingers, and gathering in his mind the engraved letters on the pendant's metal...and when everything was accomplished, a sudden deadly shiver rattled his body, and like an fiery explosion cracked in side his head all the hidden codes of past-
And yet, the artist was reading the charm of his dynasty's destiny. He growled."Our destiny, baby." It was- the end of the world, he thought , and embraced the marble,and wept bitterly as much as he could.He looked for his chisels and tools-to undo what he had done,defying the royal decision, but they were already gone."God, if you are there-help me." he shouted and looked upon the tensed waves of the crowd.
It was too cold. The guards barked again randomly. They were rude, and cruel upon watching the death so reluctantly - but were not in a situation to command. "The boy was screaming along the night.'Phidias.Phidias.' Have you ever known him," the guards said.
" I am Phidias," said he angrily, and rested his head against the hatch.He was frozen unable even to perform his extinct rituals. He murmured. "Probably, for having put everything of myself in it. He thinks he is Phidias." Unaware the boy had known him by his instinct.
Tara, however, was dead, in side the silent marble. The artist remembered his boy's name, and felt vehemently how compatible the name was with the statue, and screamed in his ear. .
"Tara."
"Tara."
"TARA."
"That was so long time!"He said.
"He is dead," he screamed, and shook the world.
" My son is dead," he said loudly.
People thought, piously,he expressed his pain metaphorically- over his work, and the creature's beauty in side the marble. He added soon."To whom it may concern- I say: I lived in the beauty's decadence- era.My son however, has rocked it ."
Unexpectedly, the stage's border was flooded by the women who followed the desperate girl- Scarlett, after they had knocked down the fences, and headed to where the blind artist was groaning. And when touched the stage, they stood there face to face with the first monument of- de l'amour- and listened to the artist- mourning his deceased son.
Scarlet, in particular, went whither and kept weeping close to the artist.
" I am Phidias, the blind sibling," said the artist."You know me, don't you?"
"Yes we know you,sir,"everyone said.
"I am Scarlett, the youngest daughter of Lord Northlsnd," said she.
"Your father is a good man...I know the king has banned him to let you see my boy,," said the artist.
"Love never listens to kings, sir," said she,and reduced to tears.
" I am certain- I would do this-in case.And I am happy the city is rising-"
"We say so- the hearts are flooded with a new feeling, sir- he brought that feeling."
They wept, and the crowd roared up ."Sweet dream, Child of Heaven. You never die ."
" Sleep dear son, sleep," cried the artist so aloud that his voice stirred the heads of the soldiers who instantly started singing with chorus "Sleep, baby, sleep."
And from now on everyone around the stage sung fervently ,until by the time their call reached the city, which in response thundered as much as they could."Sleep, baby, sleep."
The mission accomplished and everything was to be settled down militarily. And to pursuit the honor,they called the bugle platoon team, the mounted infantry, and artillery. But, the king's guards started leaving the City of Dream, in peace and regardless they agreed "We have nothing to do here."
The artist, heard the the pattering of the marching infantry "Never ever work for kings,"said he sadly. before a women screamed, in seeking Heaven's mercy."Scarlet, our beloved beauty."
"What has she done," the artist screamed.
"Nothing, sir. She is dead. She would not live anyway."
"Check her heart," the artist bellowed.
"It is not beating, sir."
"What a disaster !" said the horrified artist.
"Do you know what, Phidias?" the youngest women squeaked.
"Yes I do, madam," said the artist and walked away.- to fall himself on the rocks of the king's cliff like the old eagles-in his legend . However, since the day the city worshiped the Father and Son- and the queen gave birth to the heir- and adopted the city's mood.
The End
Kay H.
........................................................................
Once upon -(The heights' time.)
The water crackled the window.
And sparrows flirted in the rain
Mother kept singing the same lullaby ,
All were lulled in a sweet fear,
Licking the darkness of the night
And whispering,in rhyme. "Besmilla.
"Genie is coming
"Locust's coming,
Circumcise-r is coming
"Everyone is coming ..
But,you never know who they are!"
A dark shadow chased the summer wind, through the falling dusk, and ran amidst the trees of the ancient bush which had survived the destruction of a thousand fires , and when the darkness came over the whole land, the shadow who was chasing the wind, listened to the whistles of the nocturnal beasts in the forest - there came through the open sky owls, fireflies and cricket.
He smelt wildly the the heavy scent of leaves and night-flower, and fumbled his way across creeks,and stony detours to shun the tangled boughs, until he flushed in the rich odor of the crushed windflower, and lilies of the valley.He was not skilled verbally (-enough) to distinguish between honey-sweet and the golden chain, or to fear the sullen growl of the mercenaries- shouldering their way after him through the dense forest, more than the murmur of the swarm of bees .
And at the night of the wild forest which had no real trails-through, a sudden purplish-blue surge,flashed in the sky to show him the first clue to the traceable haven: He screamed with a broken voice."Vidie..." He could not hear himself as usual ,for the stalkers' clamor was now savagely approaching in on him with all heights' fairy horses galloping after the dogs,hounds,falcons, and mercenaries of all tribes. They were squeaking-war cries- midst drums, and horns , crushing lilacs and orchids of the motherland...even by the time the horses started rhythmically squeaking. "Hunt the disciple of Satan." Thus the boy,Tara understood the stalking party behind him.
Tara's mentor was Satan's Agent of all crafts on the heights. He had tried to cast the boy's statue after having hidden his secret for a long time. He, however, obscurely pushed pushed him to escape the heights during the past days, and kept whispering in his ears. "Flee the hell, flee the hell."
He was old and fragile though struggled under the raging wind to stay alive, during their great escape-recently,, growling, and trying to reveal his secret . "Your mother was the lady of..."
"W....."said Tara anxiously. "Shhhh de...d."
And as his mentor could not breath anymore, Tara turned his eyes from him and gazed at the shallow sky,and stayed motionless with his tow frozen ruby like eyes.Then he sensed the old man's heart,the way they both had checked his mother's heart.under her breast, hours earlier. (She, too couldn't make it.) Tara groaned drearily,in seeking a little solace,to stand his disturbed soul. However, desperately, he tried to find the traces of his father's news,in his mentor's last words.
The artist had only left a sketch of his father's name on the mud with his trembling fingers. "Phiiidddaasss." Prior of his death the man had hidden all his secrets behind that big name. He wrote."He was the only man crossed the border." Tara had stayed with his master,until his eyes were closed shut,and when the dogs were just meters away, approaching his body from all the directions, his only choice jumped into his mind, and pushed the corpse of the old man into a closest billabong to confuse the dogs and ease his escape, along its little steam.
"Follow the stars. Follow your dreams ." That was one of the deceased man's will. His heart beat faster than ever, He ran Southward through the heathen province for the rest of the night,midst smokes, fogs and echoes of malicious laughter of the mercenaries .“Here is the corpse of your devil master, is left for dogs.”
He was not proud, however, his master had kept his mother, in his farm since he was born, but when he lost his wealth recently the local tribunal activated the act of the communal ownership regulation, and denied him any right to take him as child into his physical custody. And when the decision made, they asked him, in the tribunal session, in Tara's presence."You know what we mean, don't you, by this act?" -
"I do, " his mentor said.
"Then stop this farce -You are not his father- and none of us is certain if he is his father or not. You know the rest of the story, " the tribunal chief growled, and grinned filthily.
" His father is my friend,sir," said he.
"Man, put your mind in your head-how many nights did he sleep with her ?
"Tara was certain they were talking on his mother's affairs."None- but they slept once in the barn in the warmest day of the spring," said Tara's mentor.
"Man, think better with me; do you think that all those reverent men had failed?" said the arch-chieftain "Yes I do," said Tara's mentor.
The chieftains laughed loudly and to enjoy the moment in their filthy way, they dismissed him very soon.
On his run, Tara did not mind to cross the thunder scorched bay, frosted rivers or even hot springs.
He had eaten crushed roots and worms, fingered the wet dirt,and hid himself under heaps of rotten leaves . The sky hymned against the roaring wind which violently led -Southward across the heights- the wild flames of the fires- that were just set by the mercenaries to trap him somewhere.
***
Somewhere,he clutched the stone of his hideout in his bosom whistling ceaselessly with the crickets,until readied to merge with the forest's fleeing creatures. Amidst them he let the wind brushing his hyacinth like pendant, on the oldest part of his body which flashed with the gleam of the magical metal. He cried for the cracks of the homeland under the quaking invaders and smokes. He knew everyone would claim to have him midst his property, either as a concubine or as a ghulam.
He remembered his mentor's withered face, looking up, and begging the wind to roar. The man was talking like a wrecked prophet ."It is a long way, boy...run, run and never come to a halt. The sea is a head of you, though."
His mentor had shown him once the hanging lights of the City Of Dreams, glittering from its magical niche. " That is the start of the Continent . Seven years ride on the backs of horses," said he.. There was nothing visible except lights, though the old man murmured."Oh, dear brother, what if we had wings?"
Tara saw the lighthouse again, he stuck to its lights for a long time.He had known people used to follow the stars by their own eyes or come there to watch the old lighthouse on the shore, before they go home . He ran down, from where he was standing until found himself on the sand of the shore,
There he hid himself in a little creek. He thought deeply, until came across a magical word -creep-creep- and henceforth he bid himself, furiously. " Creep,creep," And he crept through a little artificial crevice-on the shore until sensed the cold water of the river at a point where was merging violently into the sea, in a suicide act. He heard the dogs, and the mercenaries arrived on the hill,and screaming loudly ." You are dead, bastard. "
By now, they gathered on the top of the hill, and readied for their last attack. He smelt the breathe of the sea, and again, he found himself in the middle of his way,but at one of those crucial moments, when he had no choice except -listening to his master's voice ."Cross the stream, I command you, boy, cross the sea."
He was already surrendered to him, but was now turning over in his mind, the dream like command, besides his mother's appearance. "Oh, Northern wind, that is the sea," said she in whisper.
"What is the sea, mother?"said he.
"You do not need to have a long tongue. Ride the wave, son, " said the voice.
He listened to the swish of seals twisting themselves with the giant waves. Shivered he though, trusted her the most.He looked unto the sky, and readied to plunge into the sea "Oh, L'd, o' da see," he bleated and slipped into the water, swimming bravely against the swelling waves.
As his skin touched the cold tide of the melted snow-he surrounded to the giant lord. He was agile and sleek, swam very much like fishes, and drunk the breeze and foam of the chilling water, util was swept by a rip tide into the heart of the sea.
Slipped further more into the heart of the see, after had taken a brace ride on the splendid tides,until incredibly lingered at the top of a giant wave, looking for the trace of the land, beyond the old sea's folds.where he could not see anything above the -Mare- save the sparkling fishes-in the son. There was no shore, but he felt the strength of his muscles- embracing the- Mare, with his unlimited skills, and beauty, They were in fact becoming the advent of a new angel.
Though the past kept hindering him, Tara could not dismiss the images of his mother.
"Our river, neighs for blood," said his mother.
"It is our myth, madam, " said his master.
"I know, you believe in nothing. But, no one escapes the rage of water and fire," said she.
"The rage of the sea, madam," said he.
"Whatsoever," said she furiously.
The boy thought sadly,she did not behave as such, most often.
He kept thinking deeply, until was so disturbed that he begun throwing on of his intense tantrum without having uttered a single word. " You were wrong, sir ,there is always someone." As the time passed he found himself swimming midst floating corpses,and giant tree trunks, and when he saw some giant boats propelled by slaves' arms, he stuck to the nearest trunk until they disappeared beyond the waves.
Stimulated, by the heathen strength in his heart, he pushed himself midst the trunks and corpse like seals. He dreamed of domes and high towers and looked far unto the mild horizon, and fed himself for many days on little fishes and things never had tasted before. The violet rays and turquoise horizons kept steadily twinkling and disappearing, with the growing and diminishing of the giant wave, as if the universe plays with him - Hide and Seek- and reflecting for his reward in the sky all his beloved hues.
................................................................................***
The aquatic disciple swam steadily days and nights, until was exhausted in his labor on the top of the tides -flied off the handle,he went adrift with the waves then in his intense absence a huge arcus cloud started its horizontal formation, and preparation to lunch the thunderstorm outflow, on its violent edges- as low as possible. Tara was- unable to hit or kick the water though, when he woke up he found himself on the shore.
He would, anyway, neither remember, the faces of Marine's peaceful creatures that had pushed him all the way to the beech, nor how many days took him to reach that spot. He ,however, found himself stretched on the sands' of the desolate shore midst the trunks which also were washed up on the shore by the waves. And when he was awakened by some stray dogs, he did not hesitate to start his journey on the foreign land,and walk adrift in the world of uncertainty. He was still far away from the city.
He walked upward with the shore until he ended up on the outskirt of a little port which was harboring, boats, humble ships and sleeping caravans-included, merchants pilgrims, artists, warriors, poets, bards ,travelers, messengers and reward seekers. When Tara arrived, he did not know, they were still waiting for dawn, the moment when the giant gate swing open for the start of a new day..
A he was close enough, Tara looked up to where the lights and the great wall lay. He breathed joyously "O, lo’ o ee ci’y." And passed by the breathing hordes on the harbor. He was none of them, but they too had crossed distances and spaces through the silk road, heights, mountains deserts, seas, islands and oceans with all their mysteries and secrets.The merchants have brought damsels, slaves, jewelries, stones, monkeys, parrots, odors, herbs, silk- fabrics and curries.
The city was sleeping under the cold sky of the surrounding forests,until was brushed by the breeze of the golden dawn. The artificial lights started diminishing against the rays of the rising horizon above the domes of the ancient wisdom.Tara kept gazing through his dazzled eyes, until he heard a scream from the beak of a falcon relief on the giant gate, squeaking. "Welcome people of Planet-on behalf of the citizens of the City of Dreams."
.............................................................................***
"Welcome to The City of Dreams." A screech came out from the tow phoenixes beaks,on the shoulders of the gate. Therefore a soldier in a blue uniform blew in a mythical horn, through the mouth of a lion’s statue on the top of the gate.Therefore, the guards started lifting up the latches of the gate, pulling chains and ropes up, announcing a new day in the city in the name of the king who was ruling On Behalf of God.
The hordes moved slowly and passed through the gate with a thousand hesitant eyes, before they merged with the trails of the citizens who were marching on the streets in a festive mood. They had in fact set off earlier, chanting and marching towards the deepest patch of the city.
Tara was roundly obsessed with the strength of the hidden soul in the the massive crowd's morning march .Actually he ran after the celebrants across the avenues and magical plazas, gazing at the dazzling towers, gardens and fountains-surrounding them, until eventually was led astray.He was not worried. In fact, he though exceptionally; I would have had a great pleasure if having marooned there a bit longer,before slipping into the avenues between the lavish houses and great castles.
He ran for a long while after the younger citizens who were eager for leisure pursuits.In consequence,
Tara barely felt how the time passed by, until suddenly halted on the start of a huge number of roads,where one of them in particular led to a massive temple in the center of a huge park, The night was lingering magically. He assumed ,they stopped the night to add extra pleasure to the scene,
The towering temple glittered from seven sides. Tara couldn't move any further, for having mysteriously obsessed with the synthetic rainbows in the sky of the temple that was surrounded mildly by smokes and clouds which gravely started descending to wrap the statues ,and mirrors on the both sides of the temple's entrance , where on the opposite side the older citizens started praying under pavilions- scattered around." Ma-ve- us," murmured Tara and aimlessly, arrow like darted parallel to a thousand rays of the gods- to the main arena , and stayed there loitering, amidst the bee like working crowd tell the real night fall, the due time of the ceremony.
................................................................................***
The city's colored night intrigued the boy- as the lights looked like huge windows opened to their hidden world. The men of the state recited rhymed verses after their priests under the ceiling of the main pavilion. They looked undisturbed, and indifferent, and had never experienced disquiet.
"Seven lanterns for the ancient gods, they sung.
" Three lanterns for the king, and queen."
"Likewise for the princes, and princesses." they sung.
And then the priests of the seven religions revealed how grateful they were to their heathen gods' grace.They lifted their hands up beseeching." Father, Lord, godfathers, gods, angels ,ancient idols, come down, you are the most welcome among-st us."
And only then the arch priest blessed the guests with the holy scepter, followed by a roaring scream, and flashes above the throng.And through such a clean space the royal arrow darted up and flickered the joy in the city‘s festive mood.
The arrow, however, set off from nowhere, and traveled magically to lit up a torch was hung up in the sky of the arena. The crowd chanted , and roared. "Long life, Lord... you are the keeper of joy." And started the official event.
.........................................................................***
Like the procession of comets the queens' gold coaches streamed down to where the kingdoms' coat of arms were lift up glittering in the sky above the roaring crowd, waiting for the them to have a tour, and shouldering their through the crowd. After the tour they went up towards their seats around the seatof the queen of the host country .
Almost instantly, when they settled on their spots, the lords and priests appeared on the stage.Tara's
eyes followed them joyously, and waited for a surprise, particularly when the cities' patriarchs rhymed together.." "Thou arst the joy of the life,Lord. Keep, the intruders, and barbarians out of the countries borders- you are the torch that enlighten your allies' visions . "
"O, Lord, so sweet thou arst around me, " The chorus chanted.
"For our pleasure, I dare say, your majesty- ignite the desire of the nation."
Tara was not himself now.
Circled on the giant stage,the horn blowers blew in their long bronze horns,.In fact, they formed an Omega sign on the floor around a black diamond altar installed at the middle of the stage.More specially they called it. The Genius' Suicide Altar. And when the blowers stopped blowing in the horns, the chorus roared several times hailing the kings, and then sung- Genius Sacrifice- the yearly search for the youth- beauty- to sacrifice-
Here,with the light,
"We hunt Eternity;
"The beauty of the long waited genius,
"He comes down the mountains with wondrous joy,
"To embrace you,
"No matter what your religion is,
"He is the savior who blesses the sinners
"And rubs the dirt of the heart.
"Neither, he blames you for your frailty ,
"Nor, punish you for your strength.
"He is in fact yourself,
"Strayed for so long after his frame. "
Stunned on their niche, the chorus caught by the presence of a stranger's vivid immediacy in the scene -and as they cast a sudden glimpse on his frame, they overtly-sung- out of their text book
"A wild smile, leonine hair, and a statue like body, neither anointed nor cursed are in a bold dress-reluctantly launching his instinct disconcerting directness . "
That was the undetectable impression of the chorus' members on Tara who stretched his hand to hunt a fairy like image,who had approached him physically, and then flew above the crowd, as fast as she could- yet, launching into the boy's heart the best quality of her internal chemistry, which acted on his preemptive soul, and brought his gravity down. Tara could not resist the beauty's call. Actually, he was dragged magically insofar that he ignored the whole world around him.
Allured, he ran after her and ripped the crowd swiftly. He did not stop .until he found himself at the center of the Omega where barbarically the synthetic rays fell on his body so extensively that the long awaited live statue was revealed in front of the -Altare Dei .
Tara flushed massively on the stage, and heard the crowd's roaring.
"Good Heven- the God's sign, " they screamed and starred at his vigorous shadow, particularly when he lifted his hands up to his magnificent face and showed how much his chiseled body matching the Altare Dei- They shouted anxiously "He is the one. He is the one."
In his spontaneous response ,the horrified archbishop said."He is a foreigner- he has no pure blood."
"Calm down, sir. We have a thousand excuses," said the lord steward
"He is not the one," said the holy -priest.
"I am curtain sir," said the Archbishop.
"HE IS NOT THE ONE." the chorus sung.
"HE IS NOT THE ONE." the soldiers sung..
"He is the one ." the crowd roared again.
Horrified instinctively, the Archbishop, jumped into his satanic conclusion. "This curse shall divide the nation, or replace the gods. Thy mercy I beg ,Lord ."
They would rather his glowing body against the flames of the torches which were triggered now by the priests' holy verse-on the session. His reflection rocked the stage and filled the sky with the joy of the cheering crowd."Everyone sees the miracle. Don't deny it," said a rogue priest,and ripped his peers' hearts who watched each other with stunned eyes that grew up to a great awe , particularly, when they heard the crowd growling, chaotically.
"The genius...the genius. He is the one. "
"His blood is the Altare Dei 's property .".
"Such a miracle! never has happened in these ages."
The chorus sung." BUT HE IS NOT THE ONE."......
"Your son, Lord, Almighty,we have been waiting for this hunt, for many years."
As the chaos erupted everywhere, the Chorus surrendered to the rogue priest.
" Where are you, Lord," they said loudly and sung. " The altar is ready, we are ready, the guests are ready the kings are ready and gods are ready. What are you waiting for." The archbishop gestured to the guard-to move, and demanded. "Stop this farce - stop it. Stop it."
Tara looked upward to where a bright face emerged in a fancy maroon dress and waved to him midst her family in side a luxurious lodge. She waved with a skilled hand, exactly when he cast a glance at the chanting crowd, but the Lord Steward instantly sent his messenger to Lord Northland to silence his daughter. But, ironically the crowd chanted with their excited heads."Scarlett ...Sacrlett." They left their seats, and lingered against the guards who kept disdainfully pushing them backward ,and screaming to inspire themselves ."For the Kings' sake , push."
Threatened, though with anarchy, the queen along with the roaring crowd, shrouded the fire of her desire with her veil of secrecy. Her inextinguishable desire drove her to possess the boy so ardently that, her decision escaped her lips unconsciously amidst her guests who smiled encouragingly ."I shall come upon you and catch you- face to face- by your skin not by your cloak." Swearing to put in use all her key determinant factors to tame the boy on her bed at any cost
..........................................................................***
The convoy of twenty kings passed now flowing softly on the royal carpet in a magnificent procession , rising up and down in rhyme,like a flock of swans floating on the mild waves of the Northern lake."His majesty must be waiting in the paradise temple," the lord Steward said. He meant the country's king who was now waiting for the royal guests, without having let any concerns creeping into his heart. "Their majesties should have been arrived ," he told the lord steward who shuttled between the forum and temple which had a balcony looking down at the crowd.(The paradise temple was in fact a crucial element of the ceremony.)
Tara lingered there, for having sensed the dangers around his body. He was dazzled like a single swan...ranted to free himself, and in fact sooner he forced his splendid body soaring phantom like in the horizon.He ran so swiftly that everyone thought he was flying.
A reverend lord was now leading the choir .He was stunned, and jerked his baton violently when Tara passed through the violet haze on the stage, gliding then before the guests' convoy. The king heard the noise again, and had a sudden look at the chaos through the veranda. Actually he moved from his niche . For his shock, he glimpsed a dazzling statue floating up and down on the stage, and soaring without wings, against the up-roaring crowd. (In his view, the thing looked ridiculous, first, but was surprised by the kings' delay .)
However, as the growing heavenly pleasure spread by the presence of an extraordinary beauty of the young Adonis -stunned, in his throne, the king could not hold up any more. Actually he dwindled,and felt himself looking like a humble servant dragged by a formidable charm in the scale of gods' grace. He was so deeply struck by the raw beauty of the boy that neither he could think of his experience nor of his gravitas.
The fret started crawling into his heart, blemishing distinctly his appearance distinctly little by little . Mostly, he feared of the sublime rays which steadily launched by the boys eyes- He murmured in a great sorrow. "Too blest - ragamuffin." And urged Lord Steward to speak.
"Your Majesty!"said the lord steward.
"I dare to say God's mistakes are intolerable , "said the king.
"Your Majesty!"said the lord steward
"If he lived another day, many big heads will be rolling on the streets,"said the king.
"God forbid, your majesty,"
" Do you know what I mean? Step aside and let his holiness closer to me. "
"Yes, Your Majesty," said the lord steward and let the Archbishop take his place.
"Your king needs a miracle," the king told the archbishop.
"We encourage Him not to put off the matter, your majesty,"said archbishop.
"Then what is He waiting for?" said the king furiously.
"Right...I beg your pardon, your majesty."said he and set off to seek a miracle for the king.
" Your Majesty, the guests have arrived." said the lord steward.
When they took their seats around in the balcony. The king called for the kingdom's religious board meeting, and accordingly the king withdrew to his secret lodge and commanded the lord steward to prepare the court for the priests, scientists, astronomers, sages, ministers, artists, bitches, witches, ambassadors and allied kings.
"Hobos and bitches are on strike, your majesty," Lord steward said.
"It is a bad omen," said the king.
" Bring one of them, anyway."
"Yes. Your Majesty. I will."
"Steer clear from the curses," said the king .
"I will, sir," said he, and shunned the gleams launched by the boy's polished serpentine like skin
In the first meeting of the sort which has not been held in many years, the king's statement lacked the wrestling rhetoric as much as his pale face needed blood.
"We command the priests to release the remaining oracles, soon.''
"Dreams? Sickness? Genies? Here we are for, your majesty," the Archbishop said.
"Who ever he is, I bid you to hunt him down immediately."
"Goodness,"The king murmured to himself. Actually, he failed to peruse his argument.
"He is controlling my tongue,"said he.
"Your majesty!" said Archbishop.
"I have intention to say bad things."
"God forbid, God forbid," said the Archbishop
The king said amidst heads- rusted from not being used for years.
"A single bare handed child against me! And I am backed by all those great men ."
"It is a charm of beauty," said the Archbishop.
"My guests, you are commanding the sky., lands, and seas- say something about my obsession," said the king. "We see nothing to worry about, your majesty," the kings replied in their diplomatic accents.
"Who allowed him to posses such enchanting properties ?" said the king, and kept raving about the promptness,and barbarian might of the boys .
He denied a theory that had said, the devil's appearance was an indicative of a universal chaos. And to deprive him of any tittle, but evilness, the king stated.."Doubtless such an arrogant creature is a disciple of Satan."
"We believe so,your majesty ," said his guests, without showing any concerns about his symptoms.
"The concern, about the dangerous beasts has not been raised since their - heyday- during sixteen century ,"said the Archbishop.
"I am certain, it is a sort of black-ephemera, " said the king to defuse the gravity of his nightmare.
"Unless, the wild beauty has its adorers, your majesty," said one of the kings.
"I afraid so." The others agreed, but the king denied any threat of the sort.
He sat among-st his chattering guests. Though it was not the right time to ease off, he commanded the lord steward to produce the best of his choice, and in response , however, the lord Steward did not hesitate to call for the king's knights, who have been housed in the royal castle for the hardest tasks.
The knights, after his retinue, were the dearest men to the king.Their appearance was a great pleasure for him, but for Tara was an extraordinary lust of challenge - The wind shook his body- like an angel in a storm- in front of the world. What else I need, he thought- other than this.He reached the edge of the arena and squeaked. He challenged the knights of the kingdom who were dazzled for having been ordered to hunt -such an -(out of reach_- ghost like shadow.) Tara darted through the space amidst the hordes like an arrow for seven times, and climbed the Temple like a leopard does with trees before he disappeared- launching the sweetest tones of his voice
"Have you seen that thing, again, your majesty?"the Archbishop said- "If I was an entertainer,......... , I would say ,I see what you can't see," replied the king restlessly.
"I am all yours, your majesty. I try my best to see the best side of the thing."
"He humiliate your king- and you can't see that," the king grunted.
"If your majesty are certain of that , declare the war state immediately."
"I would... but he is just a little boy. What would the wise men of my country would say about sun an unjustified decision - ,"said the king.
The Archbishop thought deeply- seeking help in his personal worldly- cunning practices, and begged the divine's permission for the mission. "I will take a tour through their minds, your majesty,"whispered in the king's ear."I hope you will- at your best," the king said.
"I won't let him do any harm to you, your majesty."
"I am afraid, he already had."
And in his prompt response the archbishop started his tour, preparing the country's magistrates with his shortest preaching for war- borrowed from the oldest pagan prophetess."The plague is luring the souls," he whispered into their ears, and when they showed their great interest, he was satisfied that no one would blame his majesty. Meanwhile the temple street was flooded with the best warriors of the country; knights, artillery , and heights mercenaries whom Tara had feared of most.
The king waved to the knights, and stated . "Blessed be mine brave knights. Without you, the heathen -charm would infringe the holy kingdom, Therefore, I command you to eliminate the heretics' breed. Hold your head high, knights, and attack the God's enemy." And then stately the lord steward delivered the decree to the knights, who promptly charged through the avenues and lanes, to capture the heathen creature.
...............................................................................***
The heathen- boy's glory was on the top of the daily news. The women, who were in particular, bred on sweet gossips and rumors, started henceforth spreading across the country ...the sweetest of them.First, they begun with the growing love between of Scarlett and Tara. However, sooner they circulated rumors around the queen who kept the miracle boy in her private pavilion for having her nightly affairs or had forced her brother - the Archbishop- to keep the boy for her in side one of the-Cathedral monastic cells.
It looked the king's spies had not hidden a slightest trace of danger from their lord.
"Goodness, what charm is invading my kingdom?" said he, in his wing, so sadly that his Arch-maid ventured to interrupt him inappropriately."It is our turn, your majesty,"said she insistently.
"What do want, woman?" said he furiously.
"Lets me have you served, privately, your majesty,"said she.
"What??"said he.
"You know what I mean your majesty."
"Woman, what are you talking about?"
"My queen loves the beauty- more than anything ," said she.
The king was shocked- but developed a prompt intention to have her hung immediately.
"Your majesty, cast thy kind glimpse at the core of your possessions," said she.
The king halted frozen.
"I treat my citizen fairly."
"You are tired, your majesty."
He was exhausted until she dared and had him lie naked on the marble of the bath of his wing- and stared firing him up with her touches. She pushed her maids to work on his flesh. They rubbed his skin with ointment, and other magical perfumes.Actually, by the time, they formed a choir to sing for him the best of his poets' official Odes.
He was now lying in the arch-maid's arms. But the boy's image evoked many dissonant narratives about his ancestors' history."Destroy his charm," a voice whispered in his head.
He was sluggish, relaxing under the arch- maid's hands.
"He does not belong to our moral concepts," said he defiantly.
"Even though."
" So, you have no idea what he is capable of."
"Are you ready to hear, more."
"It is the end of my era either way."
"Grasp it- marry the women of your kingdom as much as you can- you need offspring- otherwise the queen will do her best, "said the voice.
"God forbid."
The maids, were stunned of their king's metamorphosis- but were skilled enough to hide their feelings, and keep all kinds of secrets hidden in their hearts.."I said destroy him,"said he.
"He is in the queen's bed- she has dismissed you tonight, hasn't she?"
"Are you my Satan?" the king screamed.
" No I am your other soul," the voice said.
"ARE YOU THE KING? "
"You said that- "
Thus he stopped asking himself anymore.
.......................................................................***
Gone with the whispers,but his winsome gestures were described, quoted and circulated amidst the city's inhabitants, lately. The more the search campaign intensified,the more the glow of the rising legend coruscated. They quoted indeed. "The body's architecture concludes the soul's delicacy. ."
"Define the edge of your body, before you free your soul."
"You are the only gate into the eternity."
Tara, however, had taken a refuge in the deserted town hall. He was hungry, and anxious to meet people and preach them by his body in the rainbow like lights of the temple. He had no idea how many troopers were deployed to hunt him.
He remembered how his mentor had pushed him to hunt, climb rocks and trees to catch worms, birds, and lizards. And when he was desperate lingered on the highest spot of the village's waterfall watching the transparent waters of the billabongs. Sliding down the waterfall, like the birds of prey,he sunk ,and attacked fishes, snails and snakes.
At the mid night then- when everyone was tired of the long stalking campaign, From his hideout, Tara intuited that the street was clear. Actually, it had been deserted earlier. He slipped out,and then hesitantly walked through the little streets seeking wildly a bold hunt until found himself approaching the entrance of the Eagle Castle-(Doubtless, he did not know the name of the castle.)
The gate was open. He walked in tentatively towards the lights, whereas magically was allured by mirrors and crowns and trails of golden statues along the first corridor, on ground floor. He had never imagined such a huge hallway. Horrified, but he thought easily." I am already in." In fact he had had crossed the threshold of the main gate. He sauntered for a while, and stayed alert, expecting traces of those faces whom he had recently seen in the event- the evil ones. Even the queen was evil, he thought. Scarlett- he thought of the name vehemently; she was glittering, in her lodge like a little angel.
As he stepped forward a horrible stream lashed his face, like a swarm of bees. He came to a sudden halt, and scanned the space with his two owl eyes. He had nocturnal eyes all the same, but couldn't at once glimpse the shadow of a sentry who was standing on the end of the corridor. Sluggishly, the sentry nodded to him to walk away. But when,they were close enough the sentry recognized him and pleasantly called him."Come on baby, come on," said he. He looked at him so wildly that the old man froze in his place immediately.
Feared though, Tara did not mind to proceed .The man was old.Tara gazed at his frozen eyes and walked towards him amidst the violet beams which were launched by the huge statues of ancient gods, along with the reflection of some Satanic epigraph -script. The other colorful rays were generated by the crystal chandeliers- fell mildly on the mahogany boards, and the burgundy curtains which deepened the scene's texture more ever . The magnificent hanging lanterns kept flashing dim lights around him.It was there when he realized how far he had gone, but some sweet voices whispered passionately. "come on son, come on, son." Instinctively, he feared the dangers of traps.
Voices; sweet voices. He sensed them even with his skin. They were- whispered from the deepest side of the walk. Otherwise,Tara would think,really and truly everything was dead, solid and silent like the sentry's eyes . Even,in fact, the quietness was blurring his sight. He was hesitant particularly when he heard squeaking doors behind him...followed by storm like breathe-oftentimes used to hear on the heights '
The trap is ahead, he thought, and retreated.Passed again by the petrified- old sentry. He thought deeply until he sensed the smell of breads and appetizer. Excited, probably, by effects of the savories dishes, the boy ran to the end of the corridor where he halted and dared to touch a half ajar door, and wondered silently. "What might be hidden behind the door?"
" Nothing, " he answered himself unconsciously and looked through the misty space.
He was shocked, but had cast a smart glimpse at everything there.Actually, he gathered himself before the highlanders' mercenaries reached him. They were there. But he readied for all consequences, however, he stepped in.
"What?" he could not say. "what."
Actually he was shocked, by the massive silent crowd in the ball hall- immediately behind the door.
Amidst them a lion like creature in a maroon silk robe embroidered with ivory and pearls was sitting on a golden spot. Relaxed. he looked with the same cruel eyes which Tara had met earlier- from afar. Nevertheless, with a slack hand the creature gestured to his knights.
"Block'm, block'em,"grunted he.
"Let us hunt him in our way,your majesty," said the heights' arch chieftain.
"Oh, my dear guest, enjoy the show," said the king.
"I will, your majesty," said the highlander.
"I am glad, your majesty."
The king was in hurry. He was interested in his allies' savage verdicts.
"Oh, my friend, you are crueler than I am.Could you please tell me what would be your traditional sentence on your land, for such an evilness,sir," said the king, and waited anxiously for the highlanders' verdict. "We make him a stone of wall, your majesty," said the highlander.
"I see," said the king and dubbed him- " My Knight. "
" Despite everything, you are a unique creative in your field," said the king.
"In your service, your majesty, "said the highlander.
The savage element of the youth ignited his soul, and let the flame spread barbarously in his body- to carry out all his tasks at once.Actually-instantly, his profound eyes pierced the king's heart,who unconsciously started revealing his personal secrets to public
"The queen needs him in her bed- hunt him - you might be heavily awarded," said he maliciously.
Tara looked at the others defiantly. " Have you ever seen such seductive eyes. I ask you shall I blame her majesty?" said the king, and to stir the heads of his retinue, nastily screamed ."And none of our females will resist his charm. I repeat none- revenge them, sons,"said he.
"I have no daughters, or young wives, but you have!" said the king.
Everyone- the king himself included- responded in one blow. "Never let that happens, your majesty."
And though the king was certain his rival was purer than diamond crystal, growled."Then what are you waiting for , holy regiment...charge."
"Enjoy thy glory, your majesty," said the first knight..
"I want his body unscathed," said the king.
"Your Majesty," they said, and three hundred knights attacked the boy.
In his maneuver, instinctively Tara turned his head to run, but saw all those who chased him through his long journey, huddled in the corridor gazing at him with a thousand furious eyes and Bashibazouks' long mustaches. "No way," they screamed and laughed maliciously.He thought the only way is to ran and step on their helmets an turbans.
When Tara ran and did what he thought of, the dazzled eyes of the king's magistrates who saw and heard his feet treading on the hordes' helmets - screamed in behalf f of the king who had already lost control-yet stammering in shock. "Whoever catch the savage boy, shall own him."
By now Tara had darted through the main gate over the last heads- before was trapped in the Queen's guards huge nets. They had tied tow corners of the net to both sides of door's threshold, and when Tara reached the door they locked it behind him, and contained him in their net. And then upon her guards'successful ambush, immediately, the queen appeared from nowhere, and screamed proudly . "It is mine, your majesty." And added ." Do you mind?"
The shocked king stammered. "Yes, it is yours , but not regardless to the king's conditions, my queen." He looked at her, pride-less -his morale was at rock bottom. .
"I am certain your magistrates, justify my rights, your majesty."
"We will, we will, your majesty."
"I command my guards to take the boy to my wing,"said she
"I assume you have just disregarded the royal integrity, my queen," said the king.
"Your Majesty, have a good night," said she.
"Lords, have a good night," said she and left with her hunt to her wing.
Simmered on the fire of envy though, the king could not say anymore, for having relied mostly on the three kings who allied with the queen like brothers to a sister. They had in fact sworn during their discipleship under Archbishop's grave commandment to stay as such forever-even they symbolized their resolution by mixing their bloods. The Archbishop witnessed their act and blessed their brotherhood.
However, the plan, in the king's point of view, was to avoid an inevitable disaster that might their triple love bring upon them.In his prompt response, after had improvised a short speech to congratulate himself and his kingdom's citizens, the king set off furiously to his castle where he decided to surprise the queen in her wing without following the royal visitation etiquette, particularly when he found out that the lord steward was not in his right place now.
He left his wing and walked stealthy through the long corridor of his castle to the queen's wing. The queen had dismissed all her guards.When the king crossed the first layers of the silk drapes- came to a sudden, halt to eavesdrop on the queen;s whispers to her maids all the same, but heard he the deepest sighs of pleasure escaping all his wife's nozzles. "Queen's sexual sighs!"he gasped in shock and stopped his breathe, then proceeded amidst the silk barriers, until he glimpsed the two naked ghosts fighting on her royal bed-
She was on the top of the boy, leading him upward and downward, in the greatest harmony the king had ever seen. (Remembered, how he had used to spy on the reality of the libertines' desires vi exchanging concubines with his peers.But had never heard of such extraordinary couple of libertines.)
The boy was struggling with all his talents to keep the gravity the queen unscathed, with the greatest respect to her sheer weight, desires- and groans- "up- more- push up my belly, I am your concubine, lord,"she cried delightfully along with all her recipient organs. The king could not interrupt, or disturb her-. The boy was tied to her bed, while two of her strong black slaves were standing alert with their spears directed to the boy's heart.
Thunderstruck like , the king, withdrew, and ran back to his wing, and there without consulting anyone,he called for his most truthful knights' gathering immediately. He and led them to his wife's wing, where they captured the exhausted boy amidst a great astonishment. Their naked queen screamed bravely and embraced the boys body with her loins and arms, but the knights snapped the boys and killed her two guards who witnessed the event- They bowed to both royals, and vowed "The secret is sealed, here." And thrust their hearts in a ritual gesture.
When the the knights left the queen gathered herself and faced her husband logically.
"He planted - the long waited creature, here, your majesty," said, and nodded to her thing. The petrified man, groaned. "I won't blame you, my queen, his beauty is out of control."
"It is not only his beauty, your majesty," said she.
"What are you talking about?" said he.
"There is no use of words-it's an epidemic, your majesty,"said she.
"I must have been learnt, earlier," the king said and silenced himself.
........................................................................***
"Casting the statue out of the heathen frame might restore the seasons of the God's grace."
Thus the magistrates restructured the raw statement of the highlanders' chieftain, and brought the parchment under the king's seal. "I understand now why God bestowed upon me all these graces," the king. " Knights, friends, magistrates...."
"We are all yours, your majesty," said his roaring his retinue.
" I am certain, I am certain."
The young boy could not understand the game even when they dragged him to the court and read to him the sentence loudly. He thought nothing is more harmful than queen's act. Actually he did not pay attention to all what went on in the court, until the judge said loudly ." He is now the Phidias' property."
Definitely, he meant the royal architect - Phidias. In his chain, Tara grasped the name of his idol vehemently. - Phidias, he thought deeply and gasped- "Lord." so wildly with one of his high pitched screeches that he quaked the ground under the elite men of the kingdom.
"Let him scream as much as he would," the judge said, amidst murmurs ran between the court men themselves. "In this hazy moments- such a cruel verdict won't serve the kingdom.
"It bothers me to wait so long."
"Think better gentlemen."
"The sentence has been issued."
They heard thunders and rumbles from afar
Anyway, however, the royal choir by now had rushed into the streets before the nightfall.Then assembled on the golden stage where the royal sculptor was commanded to derive a frozen pattern from the frame of the savage teen.They readied for the saddest event they had ever known.
And as knights led the boy to the place, thechorus started their first song.
"Close to the northern gate of the city," the magistrate told the knights who would suffer the pain of loosing the knighthood pride ever since.
And as they walked the boy on the streets, they heard songs-escaping the windows, rhymed so sweetly with the procession of sorrow that their horses changed the pace of their gallops.They perceived the gravity of the sign but had perforce to finish the walk.
When the time came, stately the elegant royal sculptor, after had received the oral description of the model, started bravely working on his prey.He was old and blind, had studied in side his dark head, all possible manners to cast around the boy's controversial frame his exotic transparent materials, while, reluctantly the savage teen was singing pompously without uttering a single word.
(The sculptor had only worried about his art.)
Tara adored letters though, he could not make out of them a little word. He kept chanting days and nights, along with the chorus' songs on the stage where the man tied him to a thread like mast
He sang The Rock's Fairy Princess and the Ode to Glory- his mother's favorite songs all the same, but, the man was obsessed with his last opportunity to achieve his personal -magnum opus- In fact he kept- pagan like murmuring into the boy's head. "You will be the lord of beauty."
Startled, Tara remembered his mentor whispering into his mother's ears."He must have been created for an extraordinary mission. " She smiled brilliantly. "Someday, somewhere, someone might see the truth," said she confidently. His mentor did not agree. "I see the truth now," said he nervously.
Henceforth, like someone chiseling his own heart the sculptor listened to the boy's groaning voice. "Da ta, da ta." Revealing the memories of every pieces of his body. The artist could not ignore him any further. Actually he tried secretly to expose his mind to the crucible of the boy's creation, and listened to his groan.
"In the City of the Dreams." Tara dreamed of his mentor. "There is a man, shall he transform you to an immortal portrait of life." And as Tara turning over in his mind the deceased man's advice, unexpectedly reached to his last conclusion -with such a pleasure feeling that he tried his best to scream.and rock up the blind man."You are the man. You are the man."
The man, however, failed to pay attention to his last labor, instead started preaching. The more he preached the more enraged the boy." Ignorant, how, a dead man preaches to dead," Tara intended to say. "When you settled down here, little boy, you should have adapted the life style of the city,"said the man. "I had not...I had not. But, you don't need to regret me. " Tara tried his best to tell him his name, but the artist did not listen to him, for having been commanded . "This beast is for you just a stone, nothing else."
Traumatized though, Tara tripped continuously into the labyrinth of his memory. He ran across the broad meadows, midst groves and bushes downward to meet the river under the blue sky. He remembered then the high window of the lodge, and the golden maid of the sky.The artist kept approaching him and weighting the materials and all kinds of stones for his job, trying to identify the material among-st his royal things, that might be compatible with the boy's body to reduce his pain.
Rumors-becoming the boy's passion -people could not cast into poetic phrases yet- though, they were spread across the country like fires to the forest. They sung for ".Monument de l'amour," and named the new statues.".Monument de martyr." And some times "Phidias' Resurrection." Or
"Kings never shed tears."
And during those chaotic time, the king was massively flooded by the worst rumors, and as he failed to cope with new style of the life there, he escaped the city and went back to The Winter Capital. He could not watch any new shows amidst the harsh circulated rumors in the city, while the dazzling beauty was dying- under the hands of his obscure man on the north state.
Down the stage a handful of soldiers sung."The beauty never dies, lord."
And as they kept singing the city's girls and women flocked to the place like birds flock to the lake.
Amongst them Scarlett the daughter of Lord Northland wrote on a huge placard. " I AM SCARLETT I LOVE YOU." And cried "I LOVE YOU INDEED.'
Dazzled on the stage, the artist nodded to them- and shouted. "What?"
"There is no such grace in this city," the sculptor shouted.
"You have-a blinded heart, old Phidias,"they said.
"Go home, and take care of your house women, " said the sculptor.
"Old Phidias. We are here for boy."
"He is no more a boy."
It was dawn.
"We have just been taught what a fearless dawn is."
"Who taught you, damsels ?Philosophers?Scholars? Priests?
"None of them, moron. We own the bravest hearts in the city."
"I say who taught you to risk your life for beauty?"
"The angel under your hand did."
"Oh, ye. I am old! I too, believe things might change, but at a great expense," said the artist.
And to distract the old man, the girls camped there and started chanting as loudly as they could, all the same,but the old man kept working harder than before,
.................................................................................***
Days have passed, until the last day of the year has to come, Tara looked at the blank eyes of the artist, recalling the last word in his lexicon.The word was Phidias it was annexed to a strange man..."Phidias, Phidias," Tara whispered, almost exactly when the women screamed "Phidias."
"Phidias!" The sculptor ,whispered..
"Phidias? ...It is me," said he, and touched the boy's pale face.
"How do you know me?"said the old man.
"Phidias, " the boy said and a smile of joy imprinted on his beautiful face.
The girls lingered by them for a little while but the guards swept them away.
The sculptor was raging for not having asked the king earlier for materials he needed now. He was so obsessed with his new art work that he resembled a legendary warrior who believed in the battlefield as it is more justified insight into the regard he had than JUST WALK AWAY.
"Are you trying to beat your creator,"said the artist furiously,and thought of Tara's answer on fire.
"You say yes...I knew. you say yes, " said the old man.
Tara wondered angrily, and asked himself harshly."Why does everyone speak on behalf of me?"
He did not respond to the artist's delirium anymore, but responded to Scarlett and waved to her for the first time. Scarlett, he thought, Scarlett, and turned away his sight from the artist though he was about to find out everything in his blank eyes, but strangely, dismissed his feeling and left the man living his delirium state.
Struggled though, the artist lingered around the most precious material he had ever worked on, and readied for his crucial moment- at his last station .He growled, and murmured his best blasphemies, until savagely shackled the boy's hands in his mold. He could not resist. Actually,henceforth,had to stand himself up and fight the eagles with his head.Fortunately whenever he groaned, or the crowd warned him, the artist would scream at the birds of prey. "Out of here, bastard. He is mine not yours." He used to shout, particularly, when the singing crowd failed to cross the new fence which was recently built around the stage.
Doubtless, the artist imagined his victim’s frame glittering in side the artificial shield, during the most glorious moments of art. He sensed the mighty power of the universe's harmony- in his art-piece; an inextinguishable fire-place of the artists' souls, where he found himself imprisoned in.
Tara- He named his work -Tara. "He is still alive ,spiriting," the other soul of the artist said . Actually his creature drew him closer by his grave silence. And when he could not find a single way to cop with him, screamed.‘Who are you?’ Waiting three days for his answer before closing the little hatch - for his face to breath through. And in those days a new phrase came in to existence "Either way, it is your son- physically or spiritually."
For the last touch,the artist came back next day and cast by his hand a sharp glimpse at the boy's exquisite youth The blind man was now alive part of the savage-sculpture. He felt his breathing soul clearer than ever, and tried his best to keep him as such , and make the game last forever. It was during those cruel days, that the news of the boy spread everywhere-and the city's bards started writing their lyrics on the new comer- and spread his verses and deeds.The Spiritual Hymen to the Adventist- even the soldiers kept singing as the place flooded with a massive crowd ; hordes flocked in, in ragged clothes - murmuring verses for the boy's farewell .
If the crowd's temper flared at us no one would dare to curb their rages, thus thought , the king's remaining guards, and in response to their intensified fear of the chaos eruption, the concluded and
shouted towards the artist side. "Your honor. We beg you.We are hear on behalf of the king, do not breach the rule. There is no need to extend -The Child's Passion,"they said.
"It is art's time, no one on earth can command that moment," said the artist.
"We command you, in behalf of the king," they said.
"You would, if dared," said he, almost exactly when a massive roar ran amidst the crowd around them.
The day after,Tara was quieter than marble all the same,but the crowd sensed his verses falling on their heads like the manna. The artist was shocked.Hesitantly, stretched his hand and touched his face in fear; it was frozen, but yet was fresh-
"Goodness!" the artist thundered, and kept screaming as loud as he could-"Who are you? Who are you?I am certain you are not Jesus.You are none of those great men whom we had known .What have you believed in?"He said.
"Love, freedom, youth, honesty," the crowd roared.
"Love and freedom, strange!" The artist shouted, and murmured to himself. "Since when had you contracted such a noble fever."
Honestly, within all his painful feelings, the artist imagined the perfection of his artwork must be a breakthrough. Doubtless, he thought, my transparent material is now entirely wrapping an angel like divine creature. This is one of those rare occasions when the absolute ideal beauty meets the ultimate property of the -pure genius. "Blended," said he. "Scholars,there is no border between life and death any more- in my art - this is the end." Thus he thought inappropriately, however, he believed indeed, the reality of the genuine thing are always beyond their dysfunctional passions.
Regardless of the chaos, in the city,the old man ventured and touched, the boy's hair- through his secret hatch, and brushed it with his fingers. And,yet kept doing that strangely until unexpectedly he found under the curls a hyacinth like pendant, was hidden carefully under his hair. It looked, the boy had cared to keep it secret, he thought .
" Wait a minute...wait a minute," he commanded himself, almost exactly when the women from all around the world perched behind the barbed fence to start their wailing for their- prophetical-idol, and reciting his holy verses- supposedly were said by his followers. "Let the space you occupy take pride for having enfolded you- in its time. Yield to the universal truth and love them as much as you love yourself, and ponder the question beyond the naked facts. If you barred yourself from the herald of love , you would deprive yourself from Heaven's hymn . "
Along with the crowd's ceremonial rhyming ,the artist was firmly grasping the hyacinth pendant and kindly sensing the rich metal with his fingers, and gathering in his mind the engraved letters on the pendant's metal...and when everything was accomplished, a sudden deadly shiver rattled his body, and like an fiery explosion cracked in side his head all the hidden codes of past-
And yet, the artist was reading the charm of his dynasty's destiny. He growled."Our destiny, baby." It was- the end of the world, he thought , and embraced the marble,and wept bitterly as much as he could.He looked for his chisels and tools-to undo what he had done,defying the royal decision, but they were already gone."God, if you are there-help me." he shouted and looked upon the tensed waves of the crowd.
It was too cold. The guards barked again randomly. They were rude, and cruel upon watching the death so reluctantly - but were not in a situation to command. "The boy was screaming along the night.'Phidias.Phidias.' Have you ever known him," the guards said.
" I am Phidias," said he angrily, and rested his head against the hatch.He was frozen unable even to perform his extinct rituals. He murmured. "Probably, for having put everything of myself in it. He thinks he is Phidias." Unaware the boy had known him by his instinct.
Tara, however, was dead, in side the silent marble. The artist remembered his boy's name, and felt vehemently how compatible the name was with the statue, and screamed in his ear. .
"Tara."
"Tara."
"TARA."
"That was so long time!"He said.
"He is dead," he screamed, and shook the world.
" My son is dead," he said loudly.
People thought, piously,he expressed his pain metaphorically- over his work, and the creature's beauty in side the marble. He added soon."To whom it may concern- I say: I lived in the beauty's decadence- era.My son however, has rocked it ."
Unexpectedly, the stage's border was flooded by the women who followed the desperate girl- Scarlett, after they had knocked down the fences, and headed to where the blind artist was groaning. And when touched the stage, they stood there face to face with the first monument of- de l'amour- and listened to the artist- mourning his deceased son.
Scarlet, in particular, went whither and kept weeping close to the artist.
" I am Phidias, the blind sibling," said the artist."You know me, don't you?"
"Yes we know you,sir,"everyone said.
"I am Scarlett, the youngest daughter of Lord Northlsnd," said she.
"Your father is a good man...I know the king has banned him to let you see my boy,," said the artist.
"Love never listens to kings, sir," said she,and reduced to tears.
" I am certain- I would do this-in case.And I am happy the city is rising-"
"We say so- the hearts are flooded with a new feeling, sir- he brought that feeling."
They wept, and the crowd roared up ."Sweet dream, Child of Heaven. You never die ."
" Sleep dear son, sleep," cried the artist so aloud that his voice stirred the heads of the soldiers who instantly started singing with chorus "Sleep, baby, sleep."
And from now on everyone around the stage sung fervently ,until by the time their call reached the city, which in response thundered as much as they could."Sleep, baby, sleep."
The mission accomplished and everything was to be settled down militarily. And to pursuit the honor,they called the bugle platoon team, the mounted infantry, and artillery. But, the king's guards started leaving the City of Dream, in peace and regardless they agreed "We have nothing to do here."
The artist, heard the the pattering of the marching infantry "Never ever work for kings,"said he sadly. before a women screamed, in seeking Heaven's mercy."Scarlet, our beloved beauty."
"What has she done," the artist screamed.
"Nothing, sir. She is dead. She would not live anyway."
"Check her heart," the artist bellowed.
"It is not beating, sir."
"What a disaster !" said the horrified artist.
"Do you know what, Phidias?" the youngest women squeaked.
"Yes I do, madam," said the artist and walked away.- to fall himself on the rocks of the king's cliff like the old eagles-in his legend . However, since the day the city worshiped the Father and Son- and the queen gave birth to the heir- and adopted the city's mood.
The End
Monday, September 18, 2006
SRI KRISHNA
SRI KRISHNA
Kay Hassan
In the cruelest era of His life,
When the Divine's will was tied by the sin,
The holy manta was tossed away,
And the history was crumbled
into lies -in- the universal bin.
Krishna fell like a humble sinner, .
And forced to pray on the blazing sands of hell
Unhorsed, among-st a thousand mortal jockeys,
Was forced to give up His foremost holiness, .
"Woe is me!" roared his followers,
When His soul touched the dirt,
And ,unto Him Shantanu the Great;
King of Kuru-Aryana- cried ,
"Oh, Lord, Thy Majesty, Krishna,the god,
What the pity I feel for my world."
Krishna rose up,and blessed him,
Though, Sighed He.
"Still bleeding the Kurukshetra's wound, thy peer."
'visit Plutarch and read Demetrius'.
.............................................................................. ***
Overture.
I read Ode of David.
I sang silently and sat by the wrecked wall of the old house mourning my folk on the Sad Height. "Oh , Dear, Almighty, say something -say Peace be upon them. And strengthen my heart, and bestow upon me a heavenly tongue and a real spiritual faith in myself . I shall show You how much, I am better than Your men, the hypocrites,'” I said.
“It was the worst of times." I shall confess . I was on my way with all those wrecked blank ghosts , crawling under the smugglers’ whips to the shores of Greece, growling unto the remains of Achilles. "Europe here we are coming,” I insisted ,where along with such a horrible journey , I thought , the world was crumbling into a thousand pieces . It was a sad autumn, and we were dwindling in the waste ---that is how is sounding the melancholia of the Eastern Monks.(I was not a monk though.)
In the beginning, Jasmine and Camali had taken the lead, and took the old trail to the heights , and like the old stories, the two lovers had gone and disappeared in the heights . And then everyone in the old slum thought I had known their plan and brought the disgrace to the Jasmine’s folk, and her tribe.
Jasmine and Camali were older than me. They had not even bid me a farewell. I was no one in the slum , or in the city or anywhere. But in aftermath I became a flammable material for the daily rumors in the slum. The incident, however, provoked Jasmine's brother to hunt me down and lay the barrel of his gun against my temple. He shrieked furiously into my ear."Confess, bastard, traitor." I was neither a bastard or a traitor chap, but he was desperate, screaming furiously."Speak, why are you silent, and saying nothing. I am killing you right now, here.”
I did not know what to say, but had thought for him profoundly- well aware that only God had known what the word, speak , meant at that moment inside my head.
The young man was lost. He had to bear the shame or kill someone ...
Kay Hassan
In the cruelest era of His life,
When the Divine's will was tied by the sin,
The holy manta was tossed away,
And the history was crumbled
into lies -in- the universal bin.
Krishna fell like a humble sinner, .
And forced to pray on the blazing sands of hell
Unhorsed, among-st a thousand mortal jockeys,
Was forced to give up His foremost holiness, .
"Woe is me!" roared his followers,
When His soul touched the dirt,
And ,unto Him Shantanu the Great;
King of Kuru-Aryana- cried ,
"Oh, Lord, Thy Majesty, Krishna,the god,
What the pity I feel for my world."
Krishna rose up,and blessed him,
Though, Sighed He.
"Still bleeding the Kurukshetra's wound, thy peer."
'visit Plutarch and read Demetrius'.
.............................................................................. ***
Overture.
I read Ode of the goddess of the valley,
I read Ode To Joy.
And learned how to sing,
and throw my cruelest desires into the fire.
and throw my cruelest desires into the fire.
I sang silently and sat by the wrecked wall of the old house mourning my folk on the Sad Height. "Oh , Dear, Almighty, say something -say Peace be upon them. And strengthen my heart, and bestow upon me a heavenly tongue and a real spiritual faith in myself . I shall show You how much, I am better than Your men, the hypocrites,'” I said.
“It was the worst of times." I shall confess . I was on my way with all those wrecked blank ghosts , crawling under the smugglers’ whips to the shores of Greece, growling unto the remains of Achilles. "Europe here we are coming,” I insisted ,where along with such a horrible journey , I thought , the world was crumbling into a thousand pieces . It was a sad autumn, and we were dwindling in the waste ---that is how is sounding the melancholia of the Eastern Monks.(I was not a monk though.)
In the beginning, Jasmine and Camali had taken the lead, and took the old trail to the heights , and like the old stories, the two lovers had gone and disappeared in the heights . And then everyone in the old slum thought I had known their plan and brought the disgrace to the Jasmine’s folk, and her tribe.
Jasmine and Camali were older than me. They had not even bid me a farewell. I was no one in the slum , or in the city or anywhere. But in aftermath I became a flammable material for the daily rumors in the slum. The incident, however, provoked Jasmine's brother to hunt me down and lay the barrel of his gun against my temple. He shrieked furiously into my ear."Confess, bastard, traitor." I was neither a bastard or a traitor chap, but he was desperate, screaming furiously."Speak, why are you silent, and saying nothing. I am killing you right now, here.”
I did not know what to say, but had thought for him profoundly- well aware that only God had known what the word, speak , meant at that moment inside my head.
"Speak," he repeated and insisted until provoked in my head a great sympathy ; the kind of sympathy that victim feels for his predators."You don't know what you are meant to do, do you? "I yelled. "Speak...bastard, where is she?" The savage boy said, and reduced to tears. His demand was horrible. “You know the answer, kid,” I said.
"My sister has gone," said he. "Do you know what have you done?"
"No I don't. I have not done anything."
"O' my God," he cried.
"What for you do blame me?."
"O' my God," he cried.
"What for you do blame me?."
" We can't lose face."
" I am terribly sorry. But it is not my fault, " I said.
"Sorry does not work for me. Only blood washes this shame," said he furiously. "Whose blood?" " Your blood!Everyone tells me to kill you."
"Think better...think like a mature man, brother."
"You never understand," said he.
"Jasmine was not only your sister," said I.
" Don't mention her name," said he.
" I have to tell you the truth," I said.
The young man was lost. He had to bear the shame or kill someone ...
I understood his pain well, so I waited for the horrible blast inside my head . He was crying, and I was gazing into his iris the tiny remain of the Medieval bashibazouks' dark eyes, and screamed.
""Shoot, bastard, shoot."
And waited until he lost his grip on his weapon, and left me for my grieve.
.........................................................................***
I was obsessed with the roaming bards, and passionately used to watch them walking in one step with the gypsies until the end of the season. Those days , they wrote their best songs, under the twilight's horizon, and walked through the narrow lanes and the little streets of the imperial era. I followed them and dreamed of a thousand splendid cities of the old contentment -beyond our world. The most painful things for me was even our bards had not written a single word on Jasmine and Camali, for having been cursed as if they had committed the capital treason.
Although, the 'escape' was our national fever , I could not follow the two lovers to the mountains for not having skilled enough to take care of weapons and battlefields. I could justify my decision- I had not polished my dream to follow. At any rate, the lovers had their dream, and I had mine- a different germ in my head."The old germ." Mother called my dream - the old germ- which had already over spreads in my head. "Your germs never let up, this way,son. Wake up and pray, instead," Mother said, she was as pious as prophets were. "I will... someday I will ,Mother, I will," said I, and left her on hope forever.
The journey, was not a divine plan all the same, but was a magical escape to the imperial harbor, the habitat of a thousand wise whores beside the magnificent eastern ghulams of the then time. I was convinced to polish my life skills, and get involved in all kinds of obscenities that were attached to the bodies of those cities,
The cities were bordered by swamps and deserts. I thought everyone is breathing the warm vapor and dust of desire there. I was, inhaling dust and carrying on my back an ancient sack for my journey. It was certainly sparkling symbols of the hermits’ waltz , or mythical voyages to the galaxies. I thought, I will be meeting the elites of the seven cities, so I hid My Soul: The Satan's Epic, The Journal of a Devil as modern Angel, and the ripped pictures of Jasmine and Camali in the highlanders' uniform, inside the white pouch held on my back.
The cities were bordered by swamps and deserts. I thought everyone is breathing the warm vapor and dust of desire there. I was, inhaling dust and carrying on my back an ancient sack for my journey. It was certainly sparkling symbols of the hermits’ waltz , or mythical voyages to the galaxies. I thought, I will be meeting the elites of the seven cities, so I hid My Soul: The Satan's Epic, The Journal of a Devil as modern Angel, and the ripped pictures of Jasmine and Camali in the highlanders' uniform, inside the white pouch held on my back.
I surrendered to the fascinating rumors of the ancient bards amidst fear and despair, however, I set off regardless. The trail was veiled in the dusk, where shadows of the ancient arches and columns looked like females' statues bowing t o the coming dawn, scribe-ing , with my aid, the last episode of the city's tragedy. (The cursed love, fearful nights, women on fire, and wicked fellows.) While out of the city's border where girls lived in the bucolic bliss, were sewing a dress for the local Orpheus. I was angry, for it was not the right time for such a legendary figure .
Everything outside my corpse was blinking quietly-with a bit of hangover of the colonial time, waving farewells and giving me the last tribute. I looked around, thinking profoundly; the whole world was disheartening the potency of the loneliness, and isolation. I had to remember. "I was a breed of a heathen town, man of the old craft, deceit , sex, and capriciousness. No matter what my ingredient is, I am a Plato’s apprentice." I had written this paragraph for my friend Camali, describing myself in freewill. But he was not happy. "Take care, young man, it is too early for you. I am certain out of our circle, you are just a little orphan." I knew Camali was a real man, had genuinely chosen his way and his woman. He was my example of the real man.
I was sick of the friends' farewell, smells of gunpowder, screeches of women, and groan of men. Weary from the rotten geometries of our landscape and the sad topographies of the dreadful country. Everything was choking-and blocking our sights. I remembered the quarrels in the humble cafes, the wailing in the funerals, spree of wedding mayhem , sad and blushing faces, gray spies, dusts, soldiers, patriots and all the world's Bashibozouks.
And then I looked into the heart of the dust, and the gray hedges of the English gardens; everything was now dying sadly. I had to watch the silver dusk which started now discarding reluctantly under the clearer horizon and the migrant birds.
Oftentimes ,I used to see behind the walls bald heads or shaggy hairs of fools screaming at the passersby. "Son of a bitch, motherfucker. I will lie with your wife." And then bleating unto the sky for a thousand times. The danger, anyway, was lying ahead, right there next to the wrecked corners and thresholds of rusted doors where through the mythical illusions of the southerner whores, were still seducing the passersby, whispering. “Come on little man, come on, if you dare to."
The cloud of the mid-autumn darkened the horizon. I cried unto the sky. "Our old club has cracked, before you veil our secrets . " Have not I farewelled them one after another, until the oldest member ran away, or disappeared in the heights? They were all anxious to meet somewhere in Rome. Honestly someday, I have to tell Camali. " I shall write 'The Love Of Jasmine.'" Furiously, I was certain he will say. "Leave me alone."
...........................................................................-2-
On the terminal of the royal street, at the left entrance of the ancient Plaza.'Al-Maidan.' The historical heart of the capital. I remembered when schoolmates had told me . “Never ask for accommodation , someone will tell you. ’Here is Al-Merjan.’” And I had said .”What is Al- Merjan." They said . "Seriously, it is a Caravansary.” And when they left my mind, I lingered there looking through the bright -lightened name of the hotel, tripping quietly into the city's memory lanes, along with many glowing names in my head. I stayed there for a quite long while , gazing into my blank head and rounding in there the painful clues into the ancient name Al- Merjan – the local word for Coral-
I thought of the richness of city's history and conceitedly urged myself to trace back the invisible spectrum of history behind the name. I remembered a thousand concubines, chamberlains, and executioners of the Caliphs' castles, and Sultans -one after another, by names, until I rephrased my friends growl. " It is in fact , Arab and Ajam's caravansary ," I murmured.
Things anyway, I thought, were either the physical remains of Ctesiphon or the thousand tales of Scheherazade, which had been corrupted in the Caliph's court into the current memories about the city’s nights . All those things flashed and went through my head at first glance, in front of Al- Marjan, itself . I was restless, and tired, murmuring, "Al-Khayzuran, without the Nights’ Princess you were but a corrupted version of concubines ."
The royal corridor was featured with yellowish tiles full of cracks, scratches and devils’ gaze. The ceiling was built of gloomy local bricks. They were smoked like the masonry oven- bricks. The dim reception was far...I stepped forward and stood looking, from the entrance, murmuring, “O. Ishmael “ My name was Ishmael. “What has brought thy to this ancient Khan(Inn)?" But in contrast, to sooth my concern, murmured, almost exactly at the same time. "It is your destiny, at any rate, Ismael."
I looked around through the huge window on my left hand side, to where lay a stony terrace under the shade of a vine of an Eurasian ivy plant stretched eerily around a fountain in the middle of the side -yard .I pondered, gaping, yet, until in a crucial moment I glimpsed the arches of the entrance to the ground level, which were hiding the traces of horses, mules, and herds of livestock. I thought ,perhaps they were stalls for caravans of Ajem and Arab. I was now approaching the reception area, with my chaotic mind, until was savagely shaken by a figure of a real creature, half hidden behind his giant throne like table.
"How long, do you stay?" an old man rudely grunted behind the table. Actually, I was excited and readied to respond , however, immediately, he restructured his speech."I would like to know how many days you stay in my hotel. It is an official routine questions."
"Right," said I, and thought with myself."Alas, am i so unrealistic?"
I was stunned, for not having expected anything of the sort. The man, however, grinned, and in a very ancient accent, precisely, bragged, like a judge in his court- or even a king, a fucking local chieftain in his tent. Anyway, he was typical citizen . For such situations, I used to bid myself myself furiously ."Dismiss."
"What is your name?" said he.
"Ishmael," said I.
I was no one...but had that name, indeed.
"Your identity card."
"How long you stay here? said. he again,
"Well! Actually,I say.'A long term.'"
"For a long term! Perfect. I like the long term," said he, and then bellowed. " Narsis."
In response, a young boy set off and whistled to show me the way to my room.
I felt the landlord was exercising his mythical power on the ancient premises as if was sexually obsessed with the place. He called me by my name from the dark side of his niche, and gestured to his boy, Narsis, to halt. He in fact, I realized, was trying to introduce himself to me.
“Ishmael, I am Nahoom," said he aloud, and did not say anymore.
I was stunned, but bowed politely, then kept on my way murmuring to myself."Nahoom." And shivering with the impact of the ancient presence in such an odd name,and his obscure sovereign on the premises, perhaps upon everything there, including the materials of the couches, tiles, rooms, the fountain, the body of the young boy and the dwellers of the Inn.
Thus I started living in his Inn forever.
.......................................................................****
People started in that afternoon rushing through the streets, screaming,and blowing all kinds of hoax, and swearing at enemies who were supposed to watch them now. They were too ancient, and had been kept up dull and gray like the native swamps and dead tree- trunks.
Nevertheless, in my way,I could remember the whispers of the fountain, and the dullness of the terraces, and Nahoom's throne court.
"What are you looking for, Ishmael?"Camali said restlessly.
"I am looking for Harmony," said I.
"Harmony? You mean peace."
"Yes. Harmony."
"Harmony in what?"
"In this crazy world."
"Show me one piece of such lie , man."
"Oh- ungrateful beast...look at Jasmine and your mother's garden," said I.
"You did not say Jasmine and Camali," said he.
"Right, Jasmine and Camal."
I had already surrendered to the stream of a cruel shiver in my body.
"Here, my dynasty was being cut off," said I when on the destructed scene, in my mind, I displayed the landlord’s coats of arm and his dynasty's written scripts.
In my dream again, the hoofs of the invaders' horses pattered on my skin, and I felt them clearly; they were lancers, archers, knights, with spears, armors, arches, and catapult.Bare handed, had to face a thousand races. They halted and then huddled along the castle's fence, whereas then the chieftains were to scream loudly. "Here we are, lord."
"Destroy the city, kill the men, and take the gold and women."
They bowed and hailed." Long Live."
I had gone too far, and for having resided on the edge of the hell, the time had betrayed me, however, like a crazy teen I knelt before the fountain, in the Nahoom's orchard. The royal trace was still hissing stately and watering the orchard to bring everything back to life; the.marble terrace, the wither tilia, the oak tree, the arches, and His horses in the stall.I whispered, in such a marvelous dreamy quality- lot . “Here is thy court, and thy throne, where arst thy cortege and thy Pater.”
After all, anyway I became a renown resident in Nahoom's hotel.
.....................................................................***
I was familiar with everything in the hotel, however, honestly, had been mostly dealing with the doors, windows, toilets, water taps..I used to watch the world through the only window that my room had. I shouted, through the same window for a thousand times."I am who was fallen, Jasmine, not you." upon the screams of the crowd down on the street, beneath my window.
A voice, always called me to fly ...high, high, highly, highly.
"Jasmine is fallen," her mother said.
"No she is not," I said.
"Yes she is," said she furiously.
"No she is not. Jasmine is better than many people whom you respect."
" Why do you say that?"
"O' dear he thinks everyone is wrong," my mother told her.
"No, I am certain," I said.
"Whatsoever," Jasmine' mother said.
"Whatsoever?" I snapped.
" It is over, it is over," said she.
"What is over?" I said.
"My son has gone to kill her," said she, and reduced to tears.
Though was shocked, I could henceforth avoid the couple the tragic fate.
Vendors and hawkers were screaming on their stocks to seduce the passersby. However, that was my impression until was startled by a deep whisper. "For God’s sake, why does a young man like you stay alone in this dark room?"
Startled, and responded immediately, I grunted. "What?"
He was Nahoom, who kept then asking queer questions, which somehow inspired me to venture and peer into the deepest of his exhausted machine. The man was unhappy to see anyone spend a lot of time on his property.
"It is a threat. It is a threat," said he.
" I understand. I understand," said I quickly.
Nohoom was on his routine tour in side his premises. And for being suspicious continuously, he tried to justify his point of view, and murmured firmly. “Every one is a stranger to me, in this world, sir!” I thought he was unfair, however, in fact, I was stunned, for the man had truly talked on behalf of me. Actually I nodded spontaneously to where every night a stranger slept, and left with the first bird's whistle."Bastards,they were bastards," I intended to scream, but I did not.
............................................................................***
The residents of the hotel kept ascending and descending the stairs early, or at late nights, talking, and drinking, or praying. Nahoom, some times was turning nasty, posing threat on the residents. barking .“Son of a bitch, you have no money, you are colorless, black,white , have no blood in your veins, have no fathers, and you think you are a man.” They were either poor locals, or Chinese ,Indians, Egyptians, and Philippine.
In his fight with a long stay resident , once , Nahoom bellowed. " Pick up your spit, you bloody bastard... I will never let mice live on my property."...
"Respect yourself, Mr. Nahoom," the man said.
"It looks you, don't know me. Ask who am I?"
"You are Nahoom," said the man.
"You don't know a man until you ask your mother," said Nahoom.
"I said respect yourself, Mr. Nahoom."
" Get out of here, and never show me your face," said he.
The man left. He did not say anything.
"Get out of here, man," sternly, said the boy Narsis .and pushed him to the edge of the stairs.
Then there was a silence for a long while.
Nahoom broke the silence and whistled oddly, until suddenly, Narsis interrupted him."But the man has nowhere ,"said he.
"What do mean, bastard?" grunted Nahoom.
"Nothing, sir, nothing."
"Oh, bastard...if you keen, remind me later."
"I will, sir.I will.".
.............................................................................***
I dug in my hermitage when was qualified to bury the heart of a young girl who once loved me, for having recently read Die Leiden des jungen Werthers. however sooner I ceased conducting my rite, in my humble observatory,particularly when started working in the National Museum, the place where, in fact, my obsession had led me to.
"Here are the remains of the ancient kingdoms, Ishmael," said the executive manager of the renovation project, and walked through the ancient thrones, standing walls , arms’ remains and gears, bones, beads, necklaces, gemstones. It was one of our war’s eave . The man knew how I was feeling about the war, I thought, that was why he said. ."Every day in our lives is a war eave, my friend." Actually I was most pleased by his humorous accent.
"Right," said I politely, and silenced myself.
Henceforth , day, I lived in the past with the ancient ghosts till the sunset, and only stayed at nights in the hotel. Most often,in my holidays hung around on the river’s banks,and during my worst time I talked to the stream like morons."Wash me, lord, wash me , lord." Or borrowed the dialogue of a great poet used to live where the rivers' headwaters lay, or was listened to the seagulls squawked upon songs rose up from the boats midst floating bodies. I knew they were real fishermen, fishing for life or drinking the worse local alcohol.
I was obsessed with the breeze, and smell of smoking fish in the outdoor restaurants along the Tigris bank,however, anyway, most often I could rid of the museum's ghosts during my tours..
"Are you ready for the mission?’my mentor in the museum said.
I remembered his odd eyes questioning the stones.
"Yes I am, master," said I, focusing on the sculptures.
"You are doing well," said he.
"I am learning, sir."
..........................................................................***
My friend was supposed to wait for me before a famous café in the capital.I looked through the smoke, it was blurring the sky of the old cafe. I saw there as usual the same gray- cracked faces screaming, midst the cracks of Domino and songs of the Egyptian Lady... I saw newspapers, beads, tearing eyes, and a few books; included at least a couple of Marx's volumes.
"It is too late," I said ,desperately,.
"It is the right time to visit our lady," my fried said confidently.
I thought, he was honest, however, we both owed her many visits.
Our lady was Mother and Mentor of the girls of the Firdews Tavern.
"O' Taveran's Queen, here we are coming,"I said, honestly.
"The best place to be."
"Right."
"The best place in the world, for this ugly Friday night," said he .
"O' yeah."
"Are you happy in the graveyard...I, I mean the museum," said he
"Oh, no, it is a Holocaust remains," I screamed.
"But no one claim it."
"I swear the museum is deforming you,"
"Good one listen, listen," I yelled and struggled for proper words.
"Go a head, " said he nervously.
"The historians, had destroyed the crucial evidences," said I.
"What have you been doing?"
"Nothing much."
"Actually,I smell the blood of tomorrow’s war,"said I with a shivering voice.
"Goodness, you are not clairvoyant, are you?"
"Calm down, it is not a threat," said I.
"Then lets drink, my friend," said he enthusiastically, and we drunk... waited patiently for the Queen of Firdows. but she did not come,
...........................................................................***
The museum again...I could remember many things happened, our drink on the weekend ; we did not meet the Queen of Firdews, Nahoom got a very bad cold,and it made him worse.The museum again, I thought profoundly, and read. "My own goddess had abandoned me."
Halted before the chief god himself...actually I lingered against his stony silence.“Is your apprenticeship includes questioning me, boy?" said the old god.
"I am not certain of anything, almighty."
"Learn your duty, or go back home," said I.
"Keep your mouth shut."
I yelled, impolitely and readied for the consequence.
In my dream at nights.I say. "Fuck" Then I say." Fine." The walls of the old house,flashed in my head.I thought, I was hit by a thunder from his glowing eyes.Then I slipped through the darkness.
"Right, anyway I am back."
Everything was kept as was, so I climbed the front fence as I used to , then walked around the house , struggling to hid my shadow; sneaked and gazed through the windows, looking for the blue rays and bright eyes of my brothers, they all were sleeping.
" Am I not recovering this hangover?" said I.
"It is better to,"said a female voice, worked in the salary division. .
"Good morning," said she.
"Good morning," said I.
"Sign here," said she and showed me my name.
I remembered everything. After the drink of that night, I went back to the hotel alone, my friend was nervous, growling on the streets. Then I lost him. Actually we both were lost, and each on his own, had, with the frame of the weakest beast strayed through the corridors and little lanes. I was a dark rock in the dusk, hitting the breeze, weeping for no certain reason. I tried to see myself through the darkness as hard as a rock- a human- rock. I thought and went through the names of the rocks."I came like a rock, like Maupassant." I said and gazed into many of them- and sculptures with tearing eyes; practicing Yeats' Rock. " Like this everlasting rock my crying is." Actually I needed more rocks. "And above all, then I had seen Peter, he was as solid as the Vatican Rock."
They came to visit the Rock of Hafez. I remembered."They visit the rocks of my temple."......
"The old warriors of the Sad Heights were as gray as rocks," my brother said.I tried my best to look through his eyes, when almost exactly crossed the threshold of the hotel's gate and saw Nahoom lurking on his perch, drinking, and murmuring sadly an old melody with an easy sway of his head. And then his dark face glittered as solid as a grey rock. I felt he was smoking and sobbing for all the Jews.
With a Startling likeness to all his kind, he mourned himself "This night is too long, son," said he.
In fact, Nahoom was weeping. Strange... never had imagined tears on his rigid face. I watched him for a while. " It is long for everyone, sir," said I.
It was inappropriate to sit with him at the late of the night..
"Right, but not as much as it is for me," said he.
"Oh, yeah. But you deal with it better than others,"said I..
He giggled aloud, albeit desperate. But I left him.
I stood before the door, gazing at the moonlight everywhere in the corridor, while hesitantly touching the knob to let myself in. I opened the door. And a warm wind rushed out through the door with some obscure odors. I stepped in through the celebrating signs, which were glittering everywhere in side the room. I stopped with stunned eyes, and worried as much as solemnly the incense odors effused all kinds of the shrines' smokes.Anyway, with all due respect, I could see, the space was not elegant. At least Myth, Mysticism , Misery ,and Mourning flashed in my head
"India!" I cried.Myth, Mysticism , Misery ,and Mourning flashed in my head
Hardly,remembered, I was drunk, when naively screamed again "India!" Even suspiciously looked around, in the moon's light, and the kindles' flames, and felt the breathe of a newcomer.
I could not stop my rage though, sat on the edge of my bed, and kept swearing and yelling until a strange ghost like shadow emerged from the farthest corner of the room, murmuring in a strange accent. ‘Hi. I am Aaron,"said he.
I was was shocked. "Aaron!!! Aaron," he kept repeating."Aaron."
"My ghost!" gasped I and fell asleep forever.
Actually...definitely, irresponsibly I stayed in the bed until the moment when the boy Narsis whispered in my ear. " Master, Master." ...
"What do want, boy," said I nervously.
"Wake up, master. it is too late," said he.
"Late for what, boy?" said I, and saw his skeptic eyes, glittering in his blushing face
"For you," said he.
"BOY,"yelled I." Why you let this beast sleep in my room."
"He got books as much as you got," said.
"Fuck. You know nothing, Narsis," yelled I.
"I think so...you say so," said he.
"Oh. master, sorry, I forgot. Wake up for breakfast," said he.
"That is better."
"I am starving!"
...........................................................................***
The mythical style of the newcomer became part of the hotel's mosaic; Nahoom, Narsis, myself -the weird and many others who came and left or stayed forever. However, unfortunately, from now on, the newcomer Aaron lived in my room... thus we started our journey, together.
"I see glittering hair, smooth, and tanned skin - always in a white dress.".
"Indian prince?" I said
.His eyes flashed, and emitted many sweet lights.
"Probably, humbly I was," said,he and smiled brilliantly. .
Once, when he glimpsed my nasty gaze at his pouch, he lingered restlessly and snapped. " It is forbidden." And deliberately,nodded to the writing on the sack which was left leaning on the wall. "Only,truth triumphs, never violate...never fornicate, never betray," he read the words for me..........."These words anyway would protect you from any evil act, if only if you really and truly believed in them," said he and then on, he refused to talk to me for the next twenty four hours, watching all the while, the clarity of my senses' responses.
" I won't," I told myself.
"Strange ," said he randomly.
Aaron, most often, sat politely talking on the human internal power, praying bravely for a long time against the universe- Almighty as if was charging the machine of his soul.His obsession, anyway, eventually his obsessions, controversially looked like some sort of the paganism -practices.
"I feel I was born in a huge khan (Inn)," said he... actually he confessed unconsciously.
I was certain he meant the universe.
"We are part of it, anyway," said I.
"I travel walking on foot, my friend." said he.
"What are you trying to prove," said I.
"I have to live every second universally," said he.
"It'd better live - earthly," said I cynically.
"Earth is nothing compared to it."
"It suit our size, at least," said I.
He laughed elegantly. I thought he was.
We were now friends, however I kept always looking for an opportunity to wrong him.., and in those occasions he used to look at me strangely and shudder his shoulder, in preparing himself to leave me alone. Probably... I was certain, he believed, Man is better when he thinks
...................................................................***
We spent more time together, and talked on the universe, religion and history. Even, for a while I stopped sitting with the other hotel residents in the reception hall, where Nahoom set a new television..The hotel residents were not happy with my behavior, but none of them dared a to say a word about it. Nevertheless,the rumors went on around, and they started talking on Aaron aloud. Actually he became the favorite topic of the season. And at the end, they agreed to talk to Nahoom to kick him out. Nahoom agreed on one condition :No one curses his blessed name.But they flattered Nahoom, and went too far.
" Do y ou know what?' they screamed
I heard this conversation.
"He is working for a thousand persons, and not pay you well."
"He is ungrateful to any of them. though, they pay him very well."
"The worst he does not believe in God."
"Fear God. He always prays. Ask Ishmael."
"He does not pray...he thinks it is a game."
Nahoom was silently checking on the names of the his hotel's residents. And as fairly as he could he thought, I am responsible for everyone here ...responsible for many people, even sometime the world's population was less than the folks reside my property.
"God, I am grateful," said he ,then halted and stared at them,desperately.
"Enlighten me,"said he.
His speech was not ready though, he thought deeply.
"I am who I am, children ..."he did not say it, instead, he nodded to Narsis with a strange sign.. I could not understand him until Narsis came back, and brought a book with him. Nahoom looked into the book....and read some verses from Exodus.
And aspired by the book, confidently Nahoom said." His name is a great."...
It looked he disappointed them,
And then someday latter, in a strict conclave - under their pressure Nahoom agreed to fly his spies, who set off searching the capital’s heart,until they brought back their final report on Aaron, and put it in front of him with a list of Aaron's jobs.They were chanting and counting together. “Carpenter, mechanic, shoemaker, potter, laborer, specialist doctor, lecturer in university, and a beggar in front of many shrines.” The kept counting until Nahoom yelled."Goodness. He is a curse,"
Nahoom was restless, trying to justify his decision.
"All the holy professions," said he, and listened to more details..
When everyone left the hall, Nahoom and Narsis gathered to each other.
"I see him in the tavern, collecting money and remaining wine in disguise," said Narsis.
"How did he reach there? I say who told you?" Nahoom cried.
"I followed him, sir," Narsis said.
"What had you been doing there?"
" I go there to see Jeanette."
"Bastard, you are a bastard," said he pleasantly.
"Honestly. He did not do anything wrong," said Narsis.
"What else?Boy, don't worry. count on me. "
"Only when you grow up."
"I am seventeen and she is seventeen."
"Leave this to me.I'll talk to her mother."
" Let me kiss your hand."
"I said what else?"
"I tried to kick him out, but Jeannette did not let me." Narsie said.
I thought he was lying until he said. "And I was scared."....
"Why."....
" Because he is honest and innocent," said he.
Nahoom, in fact planted me there, from my perch on the stairs.
He looked at me and murmured darkly."I am who I am, master."....I understood he needed me to respond.
"I trust your decision, anyway," said I.
"You help me to beat my fear." said he.
"I am proud of you."
It looked he would not make any decision very soon.
........................................................................****
I saw Aaron with my eyes, in front of one of the famous shrine in the city. He was lifting his hands up, aspiring to reach the sky like a fallen angel., submitting himself to Him through all his links to the religious signs. I felt I was watching the God's shadow on the earth. He was mixing his purging attempt with the shrine's minaret in the sun light ...he flied high, then froze on one leg as if was practicing the Attitude derriè - in a real Ballet dance in the drive way, reciting his rites in Sanskrit , beseeching Him harmonically with his heathen statue. He was so close to Him that I could see His footprint on his forehead..
I felt my corpse in that autumn so cold and so weak that his attractive, vigorous power,lifted me up unto his highest realm.In return we started praying with the pilgrims, He smiled painfully, with the pleasure of knowledge reveal, glittering Shantih, shantih. I could not control myself, screamed loudly ." Aaron...Aaron. Who are you?’
When he did not reply, I remembered him regretting Nahoom."Eyes are not lying, Lord of Merjan."
"I have no power on the mob, dear traveler, " said Nahoom.
"You are mastering the greatest hag of this city,"said Aaron.
"What do mean? I am her godfather, boy, nothing else," Nahoom said sternly.
" I say, 'Yes, sir,' and I also say. 'You are who you are.’" said he.
I thought, in the next conclave, if I said. " I saw you, sir."He would say.
I would tell Aaron,in the next court.
"No you did not, Ishmael."
.
..........................................................................***.
When in the next meeting the residents forced Nahoom to expel Heron from his hotel. He said."It is a bad omen, boys.never have kicked a man out of my properties."
"And you won't," I said confidently..
"This fellow looks like Jesus," he murmured.
I felt he was drunk,and could not follow him any further, so I retreated to my room, and hid myself, to practice how to matrix a poem- out of those cruel days.
( Throwing himself on his giant spear. More savage than Holagu, the cruelest grand son of Genghis khan , who most often prints a kiss on his prey's forehead.)
Tottered, I was not drunk...but hardly could stand myself, at the door's threshold. Hence I read. "That king was not only Holagu." But no one responded to my growl.
I saw Aaron.putting his gears together... gathering himself to respond.
"The treason destroys you, someday,"said he,in a regretting mood .
"What are you talking about?" I yelled..
Actually,he looked frustrated,but went on a bit smoother. "Recently, Nahoom has told me.'I am not in a position to let you stay in my hotel.'” ....
"What?" I snapped,
" It is being a long time...I Know I am not welcomed here," he sighed.
Then, he said. "Everyone says. 'You were the reason.'"
I was shocked, but calmly said. "And what are you saying?"....
"You are a traitor..." said he. desperately
Traitor, anyway, in his accent was not referring to the acts of Judas Iscariot.
"You know nothing, Aaron!" I said furiously, and urged him to speak, but he did not, instead
he dragged his little luggage and walked away.
"It is too late, Aaron," I said..
And only then Aaron turned his head and grinned strangely."Oh, yea...it is too late," said he cynically. Probably he misunderstood me, and thought I meant ; it is too late to do anything for him . I listened to his steps on the stairs, trying to keep his image in my head: A brilliant frame of sense and passion was wrapped by a tanned skin of a creature whom nothing could alienate him from this cruel world.
In a great shock, suddenly, a roaring scream stirred the mood in place. The man was flooded by the residents' rages. They thundered."Bastard...infidel zendiq, blasphemer. Spy, you are a spy...you areal a Zionist's spy." I ran to where I could see the mob, surrounding Aaron; spitting at him and raging savagely....everyone was ready to kill the foreigner . I screamed, with a childish rage.
‘It is not fair... for God's sake it is not fair."
They roared again and laughed maliciously.
Only then, Nahoom bellowed. "Everyone, SHUT UP." And nodded to Aaron..
"You don't need to leave tonight.Stay for to night."
Aaron halted, he knew it was not safe to leave at that time, trying to swallow his pride, however, anyway, he accepted the offer .
Aaron stood awake all the night, praying silently until the dawn...actually we looked like strangers, and could talk to each other. In other word he did not let me talk to him.Then earlier than usual in the morning, Narsis broke into the room with a piece of paper, and read loudly."Mr.Aaron, you must leave immediately, over."
Aaron left, I saw him then with Nahoom, they were restless ,and were looking at each other listlessly "Leave us, son," said Nahoom sternly. He was not angry at all, actually,he looked up unto me. I was standing on the stairs... perched there like a sad heron.
"You are my witness, Ishmael," said Nahoom.
I shook my head; Agreed. Aaron introduced money to pay for the last night.
"Keep your money, Aaron," said he.
"Let me stay, for the rest of the month, sir," said Aaron.
"Nahoom never changes his mind," said Nahoom.
At the moment he begged the landlord, humbly Aaron looked at me.
"Say something, Ishmael...say, it is over," said Nahoom.
"You shall not, Ishmael," said Aaron and looked into Nohoom's eyes.
"I understand, sir," said he and left the hotel.
......................................................***
Time had passed by slower than ever. I met many people in the city,and though was introduced to more elite figures in the city, I tried my best to hid my talent....actually our lady was behind such opportunity. She was always there for us- (My friend and myself.)
Aaron had vanished, and never showed up ever since. Actually he had not left any trace behind. Eventually, we did not hear about him until someday, without any arrangement,he surprised me when unexpectedly rushed into my work place-in the museum- .and straightly had me involved in his story.‘Ishmael," said he. " I understand what inappropriate means."...
His tone in fact,shook my whole body.
“I am exhausted, Ishmael," he groaned.
"What are talking about?" said I restlessly."You are fine...I can tell."
"I am not, sir."
"What is wrong with you?"
"I am not well, sir," said he sternly.
I was frozen, trying though to catch up... cried emotionally.
"You are too young for death, Arron,"
He looked pale and exhausted.
"No, sir, you are wrong, I am ancient. The time is younger than me," said he sternly.
"You are scaring me Aaron."
.‘For the first time,have chosen a wrong mission," said he.
"Have Chosen what?” I cried.
"A mission...a mission"
"I can help," said I confidently.
"I believe you are the only one who can clean my mess," said he.
"I will...I promise," I said awkwardly.
"Shall you keep my words safe?" said he.
"I will ...I will."
"I am grateful," said he and left.
....................................................................****
In the afternoon, I left the museum earlier than usual and went back to the hotel, where I saw Nahoom's face glittering joyously on the stairs, doubtless- for being in a company of his favorite female. He was getting the most obscure pleasure in the company of the city's unofficial hag- our lady- Mother of the Ferdews' girls. He shared this deadly secrets with her.Together were now descending the stairs. The old woman was glowing distinctively. There, politely, I waited for them at the foot of the stairs....I bowed for her slightly. "Now, I can tell why everything is so delightful her," said I.
"Ishmael, Iskmael. knew many people of your kind, but you are brighter than them," said she.
"Humbly, appreciate your trust,my lady," said I.
"Come and lets talk," said she.
I felt sorry for being hypocrite.
"We had read your article, Ishmael," the hag said
"I am honored," said I.
"I believe, it'd better wait a bit...I care about you,"said Nahoom.
"Right...I understand. Thank you."
"My problem is I am not interested in the social and elite people's concerns," said I
"You will hurt yourself, young man. Someone has to teach you birds of a feather flock together," said she.
"Right,"said.
"Right?And what should I tell my people?' said she.
I was shocked.
"Today was your ominous day, I had mistaken not to telling you, Ishmael," said she.
"What is the occasion... actually I am not certain how to say it,"
"You won't be able to avoid it by your own," said she.
"Enlighten me, Madame."
Nahoom was impressed.
"I did not know how bad- omens can be stalked," said Nahoom.
"Actually, I need to learn this trade," said he.
"It is not a matter of learning or acquiring knowledge. It is in my blood," said she and delightfully blew her smokes in the air, and cast a glimpse at the chemistry of my soul.
" I believe in God's plan, my lady," Nahoom said.
"Goodwill gesture...I respect your belief."
"Grateful.'
"Put your trust in God, only when everything fails," said she.
"Hang on, but forgive me for my greed; imagine , someday, my real estates are gone,"said he.
"You are anxious."
"I am restless, I predict the danger."
"Angst does not make any difference," said she."I came her to command you, not to listen your complains," said she.
"Yes... your Majesty," said he cynically.
"I have some reasonable requests. Put Narisis under your protection."
" I will."
"Ishmael."
"I will."
"And the girls."
"And the girls."
"Where is Narsis," Nahoom screamed
."Call, bloody Narsid ,I lost my voice."said he.
Narsis appeared, immediately.
" Son of a bitch," said Nahoom.
. "I was in the kitchen," Narsis said.
"The lady is here," said Nahoom.
"Ishmael, Ishmael," the hag said in a sudden blow. "Your bad- omen,is Aaron."
"I was thinking about Aaron," I said.
" He does not interfere with my lines," said the hag.
" He has Jeannette’s mind filled with junks," said she,
"Should we exile him darling," Nahoom said
"You can not, sir," I said.
‘What?’Nahoom said.
" You can not exile him." I said.
"Hang on, dear, hang on, read this letter, Ishmael."
The letter was on Nahoom's office.
"That is unfair, sir." said I.
"I had no choice." said Nahoom.
"What do you mean?" said she.
"You should not have touched his letter," said she.
"Forget it, darling," said he and laughed.
"Who knows where he is," said she.
"I know. but it is a secret, darling."
"No anymore," said he.
I stayed there for a long time chattering,and laughing until with the ugly national anthem the TV station started its daily programs, earlier than usual. However, anyway, I could not stop thinking of the letter all the while- rounding in my head the meaning of the scratched words on the paper which hardly in a blink of an eye,any one would perceive.
"Dear Mr. Raja A aron,
Surely you saved my daughter,
Never forget your grace, sir, God bless you, lord.
Almighty's Prince on earth
Almighty's light for poors.
Your Faithful Servant G.R. Sinhal."
"Damn," I said, and nodded to the TV.
"What is going on?" said Nahoom.
He looked at the screen and snapped."Oh, yeah, fuck."
"They did it...they did."
"The did . what?" said she.
"Wait, wait , and listen," said he.
"War! Fuck," said she.
I left them, and bid myself to disappear, however, ironically the national anthem lasted for a long time. They kept repeating the growl until I slept, to wake up then upon the news of the war's declaration. Unconsciously I spat twice at the picture hung on the wall and snapped. " Bastard." Anyway, then, I felt a great relief , though was too hard to adapt the war's march and breath its dust, and blood.
.......................................................................***
Nahoom announced his plan for a great night- and had Narsis set tables for a a massive night. Like usual, he invited all the hotel's residents, and many friends from the city- they were only men, so he promised to ask our lady for help. She did not mind to send a couple of girls to dance, on a little stage we built in the huge reception hall; the first division ever I stepped in, in the premises. Aaron was the favorite topic of gossips with wine and beer
Nahoom, however, was not always initiative, but occasionally was assertive indeed. In his point of view,anyway, the sweetest taste was in the wine served on the tables of his chattering guests.
Our lady sent three of her daughters, but she could not attend the party...
{Narsis, almost organized everything.)
On the throne of Solomon son of David, Nahoom delivered a short speech, then sat with his guests one after another till was certain, it was time to drink with me. His speech was simple and short. "A bad omen is to abandon the cult of your own clan. For God's sake let celebrate the cult of gossip." said he.
"Wow," the celebrants shouted and clapped joyously for his bravery.
The girls danced and we drunk upon the start of the longest night of the city.
We were crazy ...obsessed with the girls' body like morons. Actually, I did not know how the time
passed until Nahoom occupied a seat close to me...he drunk and sung with us, as much as he he could. He provoked us and challenged the youngest ones to go further. He talked on the religions, politic,and sex. And when was bored he switched to the hottest topic; Aaron.
I would not say, he deliberately chose his seat, if he did not say. "What have you seen in him, master?" ...
" I have seen a human , sir," said I.
"What kind of human ?"
"It is hard to tell, sir."
He kept asking me ridiculous questions until a resident named Askender, interrupted him.
"You won't believe me...no one would, " said he.
"Talk, good man, talk," said Nahoom.
"I can't ... I can't...it is forbidden."
"It is about Aaron, isn't ?"
"Yes, but I am not saying anything."
Then Nahoom did not say anymore.Actually he surrendered to the celebrants who urged him to perform something. "Sing Nahoom, sing," they yelled and dragged him gently towards the stage.
The landlord sung one of the oldest song.
On the bank of the river,
We came and talked.
......
...
..
......................................................................****
,
Nahoom, looked like those sages who kept their wisdom for themselves.
He approached me again and repeated his first question again..
"I said What have you seen in him, master," said he.
I ought, to be honest, I had to talk in my language not in peasants'.
"A written book, the soul of India who masters flutes, wisdom, science and the song of Tagoor, sir," said I
"Wow...wow. more, more."
"There is no ample time to talk on Aaron,sir," said I.
It looked, my words had touched his heart
.I would say." I silenced them."
Nahoom, probably, and his guests on other hand wished me the worst nightmare..
However anyway like typical hypocrites, sooner, we exchanged courtesy words.
"Good night."
"Good night everyone
"Good night."
Next day, and the days after, I started wandering on the same bank of the river. It was strange for a specie like me ,not having acquired yet his wild sentiments against the winter. I walked midst the streams of the foreigners, who started recently posing a great threat on the people across the country. I screamed unto them."How different our maps are, brothers."
..................................................................***
14- December.
On our way to the tavern.(Our lady's tavern)... my friend whispered..
" Camali and Jasmine have married publicly...tribal- ly ,officially , whatever you want call ."
I could not believe my ear. They should have married, in the first place,... I yelled savagely. "Why the hell it took them so long?"
"I don't know," said he reluctantly.
"Oh, yea. Deja vu," said I.
"Deja vu.? What do you mean."
"A thousand obstacles!"
"Man, thank God, and drink...drink their toast," said he seriously..
When we arrived, we looked for the best words for the toast.
"Well ready? May the two..." he stammered.
"To the two." said he awkwardly,, and then drunk on our spot, cheering then as loud as we could..
‘To Jasmine...to Chamali... to the mountains," we chanted, genuinely.
We were happy, and excitedly shouted.
"They married under bullets and shells."
" Long live...long live ... you know what I mean."
It was then when we saw the tavern's girl Jeanette sparkling on the stage midst a marvelous choir. She was singing and dancing with the youngest body, putting all her spirit in her magical melody.And as she emerged and glimmered in the space , we both screamed.‘"Good God, what have you done?"
Halted and screamed again .‘To Jasmine, to Camali’
"Our lady was right," I said when remembered Jeanette’s mother whispering to Nahoom."Tonight Jeanette deserves a prince's kiss." We breathed the wine odor and smokes in the humid space.
"Darling, darling." we shouted to Jeanette, and she waved to us.
"Oh, miracles, Jeanette and Narsis, " said I.
"Fuck ... shush, " said my friend, and started weeping..
"I am not jealous..." said he.
He had not drunken that much. "O, watch your mouth."
"She is not yours," filthily, a man yelled at us."Is not she?"...
"She is an artist , deserve her fun's' respect," I said.
"She is our fairy princess," said he and nodded to his companions."Fuck him."...
"You are just a bloody beast."
"Fine, right...you are right, sir, " said I, and tried my best to calm them down.
It looked they accepted my cool attitude, but unexpectedly, in a sudden move, the dancer ascended the stage and walked past me, and cunningly whispered in my ear.."Aaron is commuting suicide . master, " said Jeanette.She was broken, and I felt her real tears when she passed me Aaron's address...
Following those brisk moments , a cruel roaring growl stormed around us... "To the hell...motherfuckers," they said clearly.
Thank Goodness, anyway, the girl is safe, I thought, when I saw Jeanette in the right time slipping out, and escaping the fatal chaos so swiftly that the gang also were stunned, and halted , prior to their attack. We were shocked, upon the crowd's outburst, who sooner smashed everything on our heads. They knocked me down on , and heaped whatever they caught on my dead corpse; scraps, woods, bottles of wine and beers, dishes, knives, and tables
............................................................................***
17- December.
"Dr. Aaron.S.Bahadur Shah," I read in the badge was hung on his heart. The name was written with a silk thread like letters.
"It can't be," I gasped. "Goodness it is a dream, I am certain it is."
And as the scene looked clearer I saw many the date on the wall.
"Good God, 17 of December ...Dr. Aaron!"
"Dr. Aaron? So it is real, Nahoom's spies told the truth"
"Goodness. You are alive," my friend yelled joyously.
He was a good friend... fortunately was not hurt as much as I was.
Through the bottles on the boards around me,I remembered, the wine on the table, Jeannette’s body, crashed glass and students running out from the tavern.I heard a funeral march, the traditional army's march.I was alone waiting for something to happen.But all in all I was fine. I needed to talk..
"Don't panic... no one dies under my hand," said Aaron.
I responded genuinely.
"Jeanette told me everything. What is you going on?" I said.
He turned his face away.
"It is not a right time. You are still weak."
"No, I am not. I am strong enough to hear your nonsense," said I.
"Well, if I have to tell the truth. That is the truth, my friend. But it is not a suicide," Aaron said.
"You had told me. 'I am exhausted.That is fine, but suicide is not."
"My time is coming."
‘Time of what, Dr.?.’I cried.
“Gods’ and Mine, sir?he said.
"Aaron, Aaron, watch you mouth..."
"Let me then pass you,a bit of my mission," said he.
"What sort of missions, Dr." I said
"The least I say may burn you."
"Words?" I gasped.
" It'd better understand,otherwise, you are free," said he.
"That is the only thing I am good in," said I.
"Good in understanding what?" said he.
"The human pain," I said with my deepest voice.
"Then, I leave it for you," said he and left the room.
.........................................................****
25- December.
Aaron had made his decision. He brought his sack and left all his secrets in my care.
I was silent, gazing at him fiercely while graciously was reading his secret.
"Om purnam adah purnam idam," said he.
"Stop...stop, and leave...leave" I said.
"Fine let me touch your head," said he.
I agreed.
"Don't read Aaron before his time comes,"said he and left.
"Fine."
"Propmise."
"I promise."
................................................................***
1st - January.
Dear Mr Raja Bahadur Shah
-Sri Krishna-
Blessed lord, without you I should
have killed myself..
Your Faithful Servant.
D.L. Bradwja.
Delhi
.............................
Dear Dr Raja Bahadur Shah
I received all you had sent
all my wishes , Sir
Yours Faithfully
F.S.Sanjaya
Medrass.
With my ghosts , joyously, I read Aaron forgetting all my pains. Even with evil eyes readied to
reveal his secrets, devouring a thousand letters a day, unaware, I was dismantling his soul. .
"Bastard," I was a bastard.
In the first day I read as much as I could, and stayed awake until dawn. The moment when I heard in the quietness of the dead, a voice echoed and rhymed the very verses of the man.
Om purnam adah purnam idam
purnat purnam udachyate
purnasya purnam adaya
purnam evavashishyate
I was asleep. Jeanette's sad voice whispered several times in my ear.
"Happy new year,"said she.
"Happy new year," said I.
"He's Gone."
"Yes. Jean, I have read his verse, I reached the end!" said I.
.I heard her gasps.
“Everyone ridiculed me. Except you," said she, and I remembered his verse.
"Adore the harlot of Lord."
.............................................................****
3rd -January.
I stayed with Jeanette on Aaron's coffin.We had already shrouded him with the best available linen in the city.In fact we tried to give him the tribute he deserved, however, suddenly a board from his hospital rushed in ,and pushed Jeannette out of the room.Some of them grunted. "Out, dirty woman."
And one of them took a hold of my arm and dragged me to my bed.
"Dr. Shah had already reported his death," my nurse said.
"Did he?" said I.
"Strange, is not it?"said she.
I begged her to let Jeanette in.
"She is a bad woman," my nurse said."Anyway, come in."
Jeanette sat close to my bed. I was certain the honorable harlot, Jeanette, and myself were the only people in the city who could pay him the tribute that might become him..
"What are you doing?" said Jeanette.
"I am saying .'The further extract of Veda and Vedanta in our hermitage is only the skills of Monsieur Aaron son of Raja Bahadur shah," said I, and she burst into a loud, bitter cry.
The nurses gathered in front of the door and looked at us with tearing eyes, until I murmured..
"Jeanette Jeanette lets go."
APPENDIX
10-9-2001.
In the coming season , I wrote more than ten thousand letters to all those addresses , and told them brassily. "Aaron son of Raja Bahadur is dead." However, none of them believed me. Actually, some of them wrote. "God never dies...we have already built his shrine, in our town." On other hand those who believed in what I told them, said." We started raising fund to build him a shrine." Then we stopped writing to each other, anymore.
Now, then I had to go back home- and start my class again.I had sworn, under God -witnessed by Jeanette, to be well equipped for the next journey.Then I walked away, and mixed Aaron's secrets with mine, struggling to work out what he had scratched on the end of my tome.
I kept in contact with the peoples in Al,Merjan, Ferdews Tavern and the National Museum, until the news of my three Refuges shocked the whole country:My mentor in the museum faced the excision squad for having refused to replace a copy of David's sculpture with the original one. Nahoom died during the next winter from a heart attack when all his real estates were confiscated during the last campaign of the Jewish property seizures . The hag was convicted for having committed a capital crime.
Everyone was certain the new policy was only a trick to confiscate their properties. Nevertheless,
it turned out that our lady was the wealthier woman in the city.She was executed two years later. Fortunately, she had her daughters escape the country- even before her case started. Her five daughters married in Paris to peoples unknown to me, except Narsis who married Jeanette.
Today after all those years, I came to India with a thousand merchants from around the world. No one was certain if was a ritual meeting or a secret whim in the heads of the richest men in the wold to norm the threat they might have on each other, and renew their royalty to the Destiny Script-ers who in the views of some enlightened figures were representative of the new generation of Illuminati.
I had my plan to find at least one of Aaron's shrines to fulfill my old task. We were waiting for the legendary trade master , Raja. Balaram in Lord Krishna Hotel in the capital city, New Delhi.We were looking for jewelries and dear stones and trying our best to get in touch with the last theories on the trade and methods of creation new generations of precious stones. We waited in the light of the national chandeliers and spicy mood of everyone..The time passed by similar to all the great nights I had throughout my magical trade, started from London, then New York, Paris,Berlin ,Geneva, Rome, Shanghai ...I knew every city had to show the best of its symbols, I thought, to enter this club, Delhi had to show one of its youngest gods.
We waited and talked until in a solemn walk, stately a black figure in a maroon manta slipped through the crowd, Actually, when he walked, everyone's heart startled and came to a halt. The man kept casting piercing glances at the guests one after the other . I understood, he was looking for someone, in particular, through the hazy space with two deep growing eyes. I read his face, and for my surprise he was not a man of the trade either."Good Heaven," I murmured." I am not talking about India ...I am talking about Balaram. Gandhi has to die."
"Great Balaram, " a welcome voice ran through the hall.
"He is ...Hee is."
"Lord of iron and stones."
The party went on, under the talented organizers who orchestrated the arts of the chefs, entertainers, maids, dancer and best singers of the country. Every one had a brilliant night. We listened to the sweetest songs of India, while Balaram kept meeting everyone individually. I was the last one to meet, however, since no commercial deal was made yet , it did not matter who he met first.
He addressed his speech as a great new member in the club.
"We understand this conclave is for the benefits of the poor people around the world."
"Evil minds are weaker to undermine Sri Krishna's wills."
"I personally show the weakness is not the element of good."
"I understand. If there is a need to war we fund that war; that is what we are honored with; I mean the possession."
All those quotations were officially admired .But I learnt from Nahoom and twenty years -experience in my trade, not to show my fire towards the new members, until checked the real gut of the ancientest members. Nevertheless, they, at the same night, defined the Symphony Overture , precisely as a premature solution of the crucial crises.
Certainly, the war was what they meant by the symphony. We agreed, and drunk, and stuck in the tricks of the chattering lords.The notable figures showed the world would work in the current decade, if some major issue posed a threat on the mainstream politics.
" Though this time not anymore- dimly, things are looking, the consequences are totally obscure,"said Mr. Jefferson the honer of the largest corporation of human being parts -bank.
"The goods exchanges occur regardless," said Mr. Kunpeng, the owner of a giant corporation of export and import to China.
" While someone faces a disaster the others expanding their enterprise,"said Mr. Hamasaki "For God's sake stop the piracy and patent infringe," said Mr. Aeschelman
"Agree."said Mr. Beaumont.
"Agree." said Mr Donati.
" Unnecessary tasks mean you undermine your plans, "said Mr. Cox.
We were absolutely minor figures in the conclave , had not had opportunity to talk, but gave our vote to the ones who were closer to the moderate parties.
By now everyone was tired or even exhausted, and started living, and going back to his suite where more wine and maids were waiting for him. I intended to stay there a bit longer, however, the strange man invited me to drink in the grand hall. We chattered and tested stones and jewelries till midnight, when suddenly he grabbed my hand." Ishmael, pardon me for my straightness, " said he."If asked you about the human pain."...
I startled ,probably , my face was so flashed that he changed his drive immediately.
"What goods do you have, sir?’said he.
"Doubtless, the others had better goods, sir," said I.
He did not hesitate to confess.
"I prefer yours," said he.
" I have no goods, sir," said I.
"Then what are you buying , Ishmael?"
I could not find an appropriator answer, until suddenly Aaron's voice, echoed in my head.
"Ishmael, free yourself."....
"Thou might be the one, sir," said I humbly.
"The One!" said he ..
A bit surprised, he grunted. " You are not disguised, are you?"
"No,Sir. Actually, I am so normal that I feel sorry for myself," said I.
"It is not always bad to travel in disguise. Lord Krishna lives in disguise."
It was my turn, I thought it was my turn.
"Do you believe in him, sir," I said.
"We meant to be enemies, sir," said he.
" Then if you are so close, watch me, sir," said I.
"I am ready, Ishmael."
It was then when it came to my head to show him Aaron's Code...and started drawing brilliantly, the whole verse,in the original ancient script in front of him on a price of paper.
In shock the giant man was surrendered to the pace of the emerging letters under my hand, paying all possible tributes to the words of his rival , hailing and praising my skills. I was not listening to his whisper and groans until he bellowed " O' Lord...O' Lord."
I have reached the god's limit.
"You, can't...you can't," said he.
He was exhausted .
"Listen. Stop... stop," said he.
I did not, anyway, until he snatched the paper and started reading.
“To guard virtues, destroy evilness, and maintaining the law, I ascend down era
after era, to this Earth...Sri Krishna, the god,” said he.
"You did not read the rest, sir," said I.
"It is not for mortals. It is dangerous," yelled he.
"Why, sir?" I snapped.
"To keep the clear distances between Truth and Untruth...
Good and Evil... esetra...esetra ," said he.
" The gods' tongue is exhaustive for mortals, sir." said he.
"Teach me, enlighten me, Lord,"said I.
"You are in the wrong place," said he.
"I am a random person, sir."
"Ishmael , I am to him as Satan is to God," said he.
" Lord Baralam! inferrably he is closer to Him than us."
"You are free; this premises is one thousand and one rooms, but no one knows where room Number One is...Have a look through the window," said he and touched my hand, again.
Doubtless, I thought, it is specified for the Destiny Scripters.
"Don't be so sure," said he.
He looked weightless. I tried to hold his hand, the brilliant one was vanishing. Desperately, tried to grasp him firmly, but noting other than light was in my grip. Struck by horror. I ran to the hall way ...wandered there and bellowed. "The man has gone...the man has gone."
No one looked surprised. I looked into their faces; they were local citizen.
"Don't worry, sir. He comes and goes," said one of the maids who had served us for the dinner. I realized soon, she thought I was drunk.
"Would you like, sir, to have a rest at your place."
I was wrecked, however, thankfully, followed her to my suite.
"I am sorry to take you this way, sir," said she, for not having used the lift.
"Anything wrong?" I said.
"No, sir...it is a sort of an overcrowded," said she.
In the middle of stairs I halted and asked her.
"Where is the room number one."
The maid startled and snapped.
"Beg you pardon." said she.
"I said where is the room number one."...
"There is no such a room, sir."
It has to be somewhere, I thought with myself and followed her until she delivered me to my my suite's maids.
***
My suite.
"You were Sri Krishna, " I said and let the girls dealing with my clothes, not my body.And a bit latter I preferred to have them siting on the seats outside the suite.
The time dragged by slowly slowly."You were Sri Krishna," I said again. Everything was silent until a thrilling shriek hit my my head."It took you all those years to say that!"
It was, I thought, it was the echo of his growl
‘You are Sri Krishna, ain't you?" I screamed.
The girls rushed in screaming."Bliss you, sir ...Bless you, sir."....
"It is fine ...it is fine," I yelled, and dismissed them.
And, then like the remain of the last demigod stood with all my muscles, veins and bones exposed to air, as if was performing the self autopsy -looking through the veranda, above the stately crowned arches under the dome with all my unwritten memories and deeds, watching the falling violet lights, and listening to the lords of music, scholars of dance and triumph of truth. Everything was mixed with the magical vapor in the space .I was frozen, gazing with two un-glittering black pearls The pearls were my eyes. falling deeply into the heart of the country, heart of India.
The End
