Now looking scared, Cheo concluded his spiel, “At first I thought it might’ve been a bat, but if it was, then it was at least ten thousand times the size of any bat I’ve ever seen before—I know that I sound insane, but what I’m telling you is the truth!”
Baltor had no question that Cheo was telling the truth the entire time—the only thing his mind wondered was that the “bat” might really be “a vompareus dragon…” But he purposefully did not ask this question.
Instead, he looked up to the people surrounding them, stood to his feet, and said with a friendly smile, “You all may go back to your celebrating in a few moments, after I get done saying what I have to say—the time has come for my wife, friends, and I to depart back to the palace.
“But before I go, I need to say this to some of you. Forces of the Sharia Empire, there will be a briefing tomorrow evening at nine p.m.—for now, someone please find the chauffeur and have him bring us the royal carriage so that we can head back, and call it a night…”
As soon as the chauffeur had arrived with the carriage, only two minutes later, and they had comfortably laid Cheo to rest inside, the rest squished together on the other side of the seat—Cheo fell right asleep.
Once they had arrived back at the palace, about forty minutes later, Cheo was still passed out, and so they set him up in a guest bedroom fit for a prince.
It wasn’t very surprising at all that Cheo not only slept throughout the night, but most of the day, awaking shortly before sunset.
Upon opening his eyes, he saw Brishava sitting next to his bed in a comfortable chair—her caring eyes remained firmly locked onto his.
For the first time since the tragedy that befell his entire family, Cheo smiled.
Brishava immediately smiled back, and after gently patting her hand on Cheo’s shoulder, she signed, “Are you feeling better today?”
Cheo cocked his head from side to side too indicate the affirmative.
“Good,” Brishava signed, “I had my medics tend to your physical wounds last night, but I am greatly concerned about your emotional ones…”
“Thank you,” Cheo signed, though there was an incredible look of sadness that suddenly crossed his face as he began to visually remember the murders of many of his people…
Brishava interrupted his thoughts, by saying, “Listen, you must never forget what happened—but there is something even more important that you must never forget! Never forget that you survived for a reason, so that you can exact justice…and one day, rebuild the Chao-chu-sha-maen!”
“But,” Cheo signed back, “there can possibly be no other survivors! One thing I forgot to mention last night was that after I was let go, I saw the army make their way south to the other village of Ca-shew-cha-camanan, and they could not possibly have survived! What woman is there who will help me to reestablish the Caw-she-cas Dynasty?”
“You do not know that there are no other survivors, just yet,” Brishava signed.
After a short pause, she continued, “And even if this should be found ultimately true, does it matter that the woman that will continue your dynasty, and your legacy, be of the same race? I don’t think so…”
“I guess you’re right, Brishava,” Cheo signed. “No, you are right—everything you said! Yes, I can rebuild the Caw-she-cas Dynasty! But first, I, at least, must go back to seek vengeance and reclaim my lands, no matter the odds…”
A few moments of silence had passed before Brishava verbally replied, “It is no longer an issue of you, but an issue of us. Although we had been celebrating a major victory against one enemy when you arrived, we still have another that needs to be contended with. Now, it seems, we have two major enemies…”
After taking a deep breath of air through her nose, she added, “Moreover, we must take both groups of enemies out before they get too comfortable…perhaps even unite together in order to more easily destroy us! But I can safely speak for Baltor and myself when we commit ourselves to helping you as best as we can!”
“Thank you.”
While placing her hand gently on Cheo’s shoulder, Brishava answered, “You’re welcome—now there is a pool and some soap for you to bathe in right over there, and there are some fresh towels, clothes, socks and shoes lying right beside the pool.
“When you are done, open the door and snap your fingers once to the guards stationed outside your room. They will immediately alert me that you are through and ready to see Baltor and myself. We’ll decide, at that time, if you’re up to moving around more, or not—okay?”
“Okay…”
After giving Cheo a warm hug that lasted about thirty seconds, she left the room—Cheo easily got up as he found that he wasn’t in any physical pain at all anymore, and so he took a bath.
Once done drying off with a towel, and dressing into his new attire about three minutes later, he opened the door and snapped his fingers once. The extra guard who stood outside immediately hurried over to his Sultaness’ bedroom, just before knocking upon the door.
By this time, Baltor was already up out of bed, and was just finishing bathing himself—Brishava, who was with him, replied, “Yes?”
From behind the door, she heard one of the guards say, “King Cheo has indicated that he is now complete.”
“Does he look physically able to come over?”
“Well, yes he does, my Sultaness…”
“Then ask the king to follow you and bring him over here—he is fluent in Pavelian.”
“Yes, my Sultaness…”
Baltor hurriedly hopped out of the bathtub, wrapped one towel around his waist, and began patting himself dry with yet another towel. Once dry, he threw on his underwear, and called out, “Assistants.”
They came in, pushing the cart-on-wheels with today’s attire.
Only a few seconds after they had begun, the door opened, and in walked Cheo—though Baltor saw him through the mirror, he stifled back a laugh … so did Brishava!
For Cheo hadn’t notched his belt buckles on his shoes, which made them flop around slightly—that, and he was holding up his pants as he hadn’t wrapped the belt around his waist, but the belt was wrapped around his shoulder.
Squashing any surging laughter, Brishava immediately hurried over. Once she had drawn near to Cheo’s position, she said, “Let me get you dressed up properly—take off your belt, please. Did you wear some socks under those shoes?”
While taking off his shirt, Cheo signed, “Yes, I am wearing socks and shoes. What is a belt?”
While Brishava politely showed him what the belt was with a point of her finger, Baltor pointed his own index finger at three of his assistants, and said, “You three—assist the King into his attire, and give him a hair grooming job and facial shaving.”
“Yes, sire,” the two assistants then answered, just before they did.
Twenty minutes later, the two men were done—now both looked very snazzy. As the assistants were done, they bowed and exited the room with the closet on wheels. Baltor, Brishava, and Cheo were now alone.
It was Baltor who began the conversation with, “So…are you ready for dinner, my brother?”
With a small smile, Cheo signed, “Yes my brother, I am very hungry, actually.”
“Good,” Baltor said aloud, “Humonus and Chelsea should already be at the dining hall by the time we arrive there, and so should dinner that we will spend in silence so we can think. After dinner, we’ll discuss out our ideas and figure out some brand-new battle plans, based off our existing options and new problems. At nine p.m. tomorrow night, we shall brief our troops of whatever decisions we come to. So that is the plan for tonight, okay?”
Cheo signed, “Okay.”
“One last thing I should say before we go—you know that you are royalty here, my brother, right?” Baltor asked, while first pointing to his left eye and then to his forehead.
Cheo delivered that wide smile that Baltor had come to love, and while returning that same physical gesture, he answered in sign lan
guage, “Yes, my brother, I do…thank you!”
“Let’s go eat, already—I’m starving,” Brishava signed.
The group of fifty-five, fifty-two of them being a platoon of guards, all departed for the royal dining room. Upon arrival, the guards stayed outside, while the remaining three entered.
Inside the room, they saw not only Humonus and Chelsea, yet the servants who had already rolled out their carts filled with steaming trays of food.
After they had taken their seats, the servants began to serve everyone the food—dishes were left in the middle of the table before they left.
The entire dinner, as planned, was spent in silence…
CHAPTER VII
Once dinner was over, fifteen minutes after it had begun, Baltor was the first to rise to his feet and say in Pavelian, “I have thought long and hard about all the options that may exist, as I’m sure you all have, and I want to hear what you all have to say…in turn.
“King Cheo will begin. After he’s done, it will again be my turn. Then each of yours—please do not interrupt until that person who is speaking is completely finished and sits down, or someone is asked a direct question. By the end, we should have an indisputable plan. Sound good?”
“Yes,” everyone said.
Baltor sat down.
Cheo stood and signed, “When I spoke earlier this evening to Brishava, I told her that I wanted vengeance for the genocidal crimes against my people! After having listened to you all, I have changed my mind. Now, I just want justice to be served for my people—our people!
“Even if you can send me but one determined man or woman, then our resolve alone will be enough to help us overcome our enemies, no matter the numbers. I believe that their entire army will literally capsize upon itself—that is, once we stealthily have located and destroyed their leader!”
Just after Cheo had signed the word “leader,” he smacked his right fist into the palm of his left hand quite hard for emphasis, which caused a loud noise to reverberate through the room for a second.
He then continued to sign, “I assume and hope that you passed along all the information I revealed to you earlier today, Sultaness Brishava. Am I correct?”
Brishava signed back, “Yes, you are…my brother!”
“Thanks—that is all I have to say,” Cheo signed before sitting down.
Baltor stood and said, “I feel that it would be best if I was the one man to go along with King Cheo—especially for the fact that they have magical capabilities! As you all well know, I have a bit of magic and a hell of a lot of skills within these bones! I can fight completely blind, and I know that he and I can even decimate the entire dark gnome army, if the need should come.”
Though all but Baltor and Cheo raised his or her eyebrows upon hearing the word “gnome,” no one said a word.
Casting his eyes toward Humonus, Baltor continued to say, “Ruling-General Humonus, regarding the Forces of the Sharia Empire, we should stick with our original battle plan as to where our troops should deploy. Instead of me leading them, however, I think that it should be you. Do not stop the day you reclaim Lasparus, yet leave only twenty thousand troops behind to protect her.
“With the rest of your forces, conquer by both land and sea until you reach the Vispano Province’s capital city of Parthway; and once there, conquer it! Whenever you need troop reinforcements and/or supplies, send back a detailed report of everything by our speediest boat. Brishava will ensure that you receive your soldiers and supplies in an expedient and timely manner!”
Baltor cast his eyes over to Chelsea, pointed with his index finger, and said, “As for you, I think it best if you go along with your husband, and keep him company during this campaign that could possibly take years.”
Looking over to his wife, Baltor said, “As for you, my love of loves, I feel it best if you stay here in Pavelus and govern the Sharia Empire, as well all her successes. After all, I’m sure that there’s no one better for the job than you, my Sultaness!”
As Baltor said the word Sultaness, he bowed his head respectfully toward her … she bowed hers right back!
Pointing his index finger up into the air, Baltor added, “Last but not least—we should promote Commanding-General Hawkins to Governor, and have him govern Mauritia, as well all the lands of the former Vaspan Empire. He has certainly earned our trust, after all! Well, that is all I have to say...” He sat down.
Humonus rose out of his seat at the same exact moment as Brishava, but he obligingly sat back down so that his Sultaness could say what she had to say first.
After throwing Humonus a respectful nod, Brishava looked over to Baltor, and said, “I agree with your entire plan, except for one thing, my husband. It needs to be you who lead the campaign against Duke Marlborough! After all, the bulk of our troops need to see and have their beloved Sultan amongst them…a Sultan that I personally know is ready to die alongside them in a blaze-of glory, though I seriously doubt this will be the case!”
She gave a few moments for everyone to consider her words, before she asked, “How about this? Let us send Ruling-General Humonus and King Cheo to face and decimate the gnome army, along with our most-elite cavalry regiment—twenty thousand strong on horses, camels and chariots! That is all I have to say…”
Humonus rose to his feet and said, “I agree with the Sultaness. Do not forget that I have a bit of magic in my own bones, my Sultan. Please don’t take this question offensively, but have you already forgotten who it was that trained you when you were a wee little lad?”
All lightly laughed too include Baltor, though none respectfully said a word.
Perhaps six seconds later, Humonus added very seriously, “While en route, I shall train my cavalry so that they can be proficient in blind-fighting—even on horseback! In the end, we’ll destroy them, no matter their numbers, or race, or magical powers, my Sultan and Sultaness—that is all I have to say…” He sat down.
Baltor, upon seeing that Chelsea was rising out of her seat, didn’t attempt to stand up, even though he was initially about to.
Chelsea said, “I know that I’m not as great of a fighter like the rest of you, but if there’s one thing I’ve got, as you all well know, it’s a woman’s intuition!
“Remember who it was that had that funny feeling the very evening that the cannibals attacked several years ago, though I didn’t voice out my opinion because I thought it was foolish?”
When everyone nodded their heads in the affirmative, Chelsea looked over at Baltor and continued, “Well, here’s what my feelings are telling me now… Brish—I mean the Sultaness, and my husband’s ideas for you to lead the campaign against the Duke are really the best solution, my Sultan. Now, more than ever, the bulk of the troops will need to see you in action!”
After casting her eyes at Humonus, she continued to say, “As for me, well, I feel it’s best that I stay here and help the Sultaness. Well, that’s all I have to say…” She concluded just before she sat back down.
Even though both Baltor and Cheo stood up at the same time, which actually caused a bit more laughter to erupt in the room despite the gravity of the situation, Baltor was the first to sit back down, though Cheo was only a split-second later behind. This caused even more laughter to surge from everyone!
Baltor gestured with a wave of his hand for Cheo to go ahead and speak.
Cheo stood up and signed, “I agree with Chelsea, Humonus and Brishava. It should be you, Baltor, who leads the bulk of the Sharia Empire to victory! With twenty thousand soldiers, and most especially with Humonus at the helm, we can annihilate a million of them, even if that’s how many of them there ultimately turn out to be!” Cheo sat down.
Baltor stood up and said, “I am very reluctant about making this decision because none of you, except for King Cheo, have a clue about the gnome-army’s leader, but I agree to your all decisions…”
He was about to sit back down, but then he heard Humonus ask, “What do you mean we don’t have a clue, my Sult
an? Do you?”
Baltor continued to stand up as he hesitantly answered, “The enemies that destroyed both your villages, King Cheo, let you go because they knew you would get to me. Their leader, which you saw hovering in the sky was no bird or bat, but a black dragon, whose sole mission is to destroy me!”
Humonus was the first to reply, “Though I do not believe in any type of mythological creatures myself, even a flying dragon must die if its brain is punctured by an arrow, a spear, or a sword!”
Brishava was also a skeptic in creatures like dragons, and though she had seen and heard about many other types of “unusual creatures” in the world, there was never so much as “a peep” about dragons, other than in other fairy tales—after all, she lived the life of a very well educated princess.
She patiently waited until Humonus had sat back down. She then stood up, and declared dubiously, “There are no such creatures like dragons—impossible!”
Baltor stood up and replied, “No, it’s not impossible—especially for the fact that they all come from another dimension! Brishava, you once asked me if I believed in Destiny, Fate, and God. At the time, I really didn’t know how to answer your question, but as it fits into the subject matter now, and makes possible the impossibilities, let me answer that earlier question for you all now…”
After taking a deep breath of air through just his nose, he revealed, “It is now firm in my mystical beliefs that souls are continuously being generated throughout the eternal heavens, and some souls are very powerful. Yet for every powerful soul that fills a life form, there is an equally powerful anti-soul that erupts from the planes of hell!”
After taking another deep breath, he added, “My anti-soul just happens to be a black dragon that can fly, breathe fire, is magically gifted, and even comes from another dimension…along with both a magical and deadly army behind her! It’s possible that it will take magical weapons to kill even a single one of them—though of course, I currently don’t know anything about the subject of magic, so I can’t make magical weapons…yet!” Having concluded with what he had to say, Baltor sat down.
BOOK II OF III: The Reign of the Sultan Page 13