Cheo, with a warm smile upon his face, signed, “Greetings Baltor!”
With a nod, Baltor replied just as enthusiastically, “Greetings Cheo!”
“Where is your beautiful wife, Brishava?”
“She’s still getting dressed in the other room, I’m sure…you know women,” Baltor said with a laugh.
Cheo laughed in return, and then he signed, “Yes, I do.”
At that moment, the assistants finished, and so they bowed—the lead asked, “Are you pleased with the way you look today, my Sultan?”
“Yes,” Baltor answered, “Thank you very much. Have a great night, gentlemen.”
“You are most welcome, my Sultan,” the lead assistant replied with a smile. After another bow, he and his other assistants left the room with the closet on wheels.
Baltor turned around. With a serious look now on his face, he asked, “I’m not sure about how you want to go about it, but what can we do to reestablish the Kingdom of Chao-chu-sha-maen?”
Cheo sighed, and then signed, “One day soon but not sure when just now, the villagers and I will head back home—and start over.”
Baltor asked, “Just you and the other survivors?”
“Well, what other ways are there?”
Baltor answered the question with another question, “What if I was to send a division of my soldiers with you, as well two thousand stonemasons to help you design a new city with fortified walls, and then you’ll at least have a lot more protection than if you go alone?”
With a very surprised look on his face, Cheo asked, “You’d do all that for me?”
“Without hesitation, my brother,” Baltor replied with a smile.
“I’ll agree to your suggestion, if the new city of Chao-chu-sha-maen falls under the banners of the Sharia Empire,” Cheo answered.
Baltor countered, “I don’t want you to serve under me, King Cheo—you’re royalty and you’re family—you’re my brother-brother!
“Trust me that I never forgot about that time when we were in your palace, shortly before I left for the tower, and we exchanged a single teardrop with each other, which meant by your culture that we were now ‘official brothers!’ And thus, I was forever after a Prince of the Chao-chu-sha-maen nation!
“That in itself was what really gave me the confidence and the royal lineage to become who I am now…the Sultan of the Sharia Empire.”
“Just like my father and mother,” Cheo fervently signed, “you are truly a great and wise leader, my brother! It’d be an honor and a privilege to serve alongside you, Sultan Baltor Elysian the Fifteenth!
“I shall be your King yet you shall be my Sultan—equals we shall be! Whenever you need me, I shall be at your beck and call…and vice-versa. How about that?”
Still looking a little unconvinced, Baltor asked, “Are you sure you don’t want your nation to remain independent from mine?”
“Without hesitation, our two nations are now one, my brother,” Cheo signed.
Baltor smiled, nodded his head, and extended his right hand out—Cheo immediately grabbed it with his own hands … and the men warmly shook hands!
Only seconds later, the exterior guards unexpectedly opened the doors to the bedroom. Brishava, Calitta, and Chelsea walked into the room.
Brishava was now wearing a pink and white evening gown that shimmered with ruby quartz crystals sprinkled all over, as well a tiny platinum crown filled with more ruby quartzes. Her hair was wrapped up into a tight bun behind her head.
Her mouth—which was painted with shimmering pink lipstick—literally dropped open as soon as her eyes gazed at the two most-handsome men standing there!
As for Calitta, she wore a beautiful black evening gown, filled with dazzling diamonds spread throughout, as well her royal crown. Her blonde hair draped down halfway down her back—and of course, she had a happy smile upon her soft and beautiful face.
Chelsea looked just as stunning as the two other ladies—she now wore an elegant green dress with a large emerald carefully sewn into the front. As for her flaming red hair, it was braided behind her back and interwoven with green ivy plants.
Both Baltor and Cheo silently looked on in utter amazement at the wondrous beauties that all three ladies possessed!
Nearly a silence-filled minute later, Brishava was the first to say, “You boys look amazing!”
Cheo was the next to say something, as he signed, “Thanks—as do all you ladies! I can’t pick which woman my eyes want to look at most… just kidding! I know you’re a married woman and all, Sultaness Brishava.”
Although Baltor, Brishava, and Chelsea laughed aloud at “Cheo’s joke,” Calitta looked totally confused as she didn’t know the sign language—she asked, “What did he say?”
Still chuckling, Baltor answered, “King Cheo said, ‘Thanks—as do all you ladies!’”
Calitta said, “Oh—please tell King Cheo that I said ‘thank you.’”
“This king understands our language, but cannot speak it.”
Nodding her head up and down, Calitta answered with an understanding smile, “Ooooh… thank you, King Cheo!”
With a smile, Cheo nodded his head up and down one time.
After lightly clapping his hands together, Baltor asked, “Sooo, is everybody to head for the victory celebration?”
“Yes,” Brishava answered, “the carriage awaits outside in the courtyard…and we ladies are all ready. How about you men?”
“Yup, we are,” Baltor answered, “So let’s go.”
As a group, they and their guards next made their way for the courtyard, where two royal carriages awaited.
Additionally, a battalion-sized element of cavalry troops escorted the group to “the packed” coliseum, where the nobles, citizens, troops, the Valakanese, the Chao-chu-sha-maen, and the Vispano Knights, were already engaged in celebration—drinking and conversing heartily away!
As soon as the group of friends had arrived at the royalty section, everyone became silenced as two trumpeters blew out a two-toned tune. Ruksha, who had eagerly been waiting to make the announcements, raised his arms out to the crowds.
Once silence reigned, he announced, “Ladies and gentlemen, it is my honor and privilege to first introduce to you King Cheo of Chao-chu-sha-maen.”
Two trumpeters began to blow out a melodious tune.
Immediately everyone in the coliseum bowed, until Cheo had gone to the furthest of four thrones and taken his seat, where Brishava had earlier directed him to go. Once he had sat and the tune had stopped, the crowds rose from their bow.
A few seconds later, Ruksha continued, “Now it is now my honor and privilege to introduce Queen Calitta Dumont of Thorium.”
Again, everyone bowed … and the same trumpeters played another little tune. Calitta curtly took a seat at the nearest of the thrones.
Once the tune had stopped, Ruksha next said, “And now it is my honor and privilege to introduce the rulers of the Sharia Empire—Sultan Baltor Elysian and his wife Sultaness Brishava!”
Everyone in the coliseum bowed deep and low … the trumpeters blew out the national anthem. The Sultan and Sultaness made their way for their thrones, and once there, sat down.
As soon as the anthem was over, nearly three minutes later, everyone rose from the bowing position.
Two servants next came out from the side area. One servant held in both hands a golden tray that had four golden goblets and a large bottle of wine sitting on it.
Once the other servant had tested the wine with a glass he had brought with him, and a full thirty seconds had passed without sickness or death, the golden goblets were next filled with the wine, and passed to the four royals.
Baltor rose to his feet. He lifted his goblet into the air, and declared, “The one and only toast that I would like to make goes to one of my best friends in the world, a man who valiantly sacrificed his life for the whole world! Without his leadership abilities, we would not have been glorious, and in fact, we might not even be alive.
Here is to Ruling-General Humonus!”
“To Ruling-General Humonus,” everyone declared emphatically back.
In unison, everyone took a swig of his or her beverage.
Baltor took his seat.
Brishava stood up, and raised her goblet high into the air. She declared, “My toast goes out to all those who valiantly sacrificed his or her life during this war, so that our world’s future sees only peace and prosperity. Cheers!”
She took a drink of her goblet, and everyone followed suit—Brishava then took her seat.
Cheo stood up, and raised his goblet high into the air. After setting it down upon the armrest of the throne, he signed something for a couple of minutes.
Once he had retaken his goblet and raised it back into the air, Brishava happily interpreted, “King Cheo says that his toast goes out to the ruler of the Sharia Empire, Sultan Baltor Elysian!
“The king said that he was one of the few people to witness firsthand the destruction of the dragon by our Sultan. And that it was absolutely amazing the way that he leapt off his hawk in midair, landed on the dragon’s tail, climbed his way to the top of the head, and stabbed both swords into its eyes, which instantly killed the beast and caused the gnome army to scatter like cowardly ants…”
After sucking in a really deep breath, she added, “If the dragon hadn’t been annihilated so quickly, none of us would be alive to make these toasts of celebration! King Cheo concluded his toast by saying, ‘To Sultan Baltor Elysian!’”
Cheo took his goblet still held high in the air, brought it to his mouth, and drank—once the goblet was completely empty, he sat back down. A servant ran over to fill his goblet.
“To Sultan Baltor Elysian,” everyone but Baltor declared. They took a long drink of their beverage, as well … draining their glasses completely before slamming them down on their tables.
Baltor, after a short pause, nodded his head humbly, but only took a tiny swig of his own drink.
Calitta next stood to her feet. She raised her goblet high into the air, and said in Pavelian, “I would also like to make a toast—to the continuing peace between the Sharia Empire and the Kingdom of Thorium!”
After taking a deep breath, she added, “The Kingdom of Thorium would also like to personally thank the Sharia Empire, as well the Vispano Knights, as well the Valakanese, and finally the people of Chao-chu-sha-maen, for all the valiant sacrifices you guys made for the world. Thank you all very much. Here, here!”
“Here, here!” Everyone said, just before taking a long swig.
After Calitta had retaken her seat, Baltor then rose to feet, and said, “Let us all enjoy our victory celebration this evening!”
He next clapped his hands twice!
Immediately the musicians began to play the music; the sheik dancers began to dance on the dance floor; the servants began to serve the food and/or drinks; and the guests began to make conversations, friendships and/or alliances.
Nearly an hour after the celebration had started, the musicians and the exotic dancers took a fifteen-minute break … evident by the music and the dancers stopping and bowing.
The guests, who had been thoroughly enjoying themselves watching “the dance of dances,” instantly began to robustly applaud and cheer in appreciation!
Once the applause had abated and the people began to converse with each other, nearly a minute later, Chelsea got out of her seat at the main table and began to approach the thrones.
Upon arriving, twenty-or-so seconds later, she immediately bowed. After rising five seconds later, she smiled, and said, “I would like to thank you, my Sultan and Sultaness, for the ceremony and the toast you made for my husband, Humonus! I know that he’s smiling down upon us from one of the heavens above… I can feel it.”
Returning the smile, Baltor said, “I have no doubt that he is smiling from heaven, Chelsea!”
Brishava added with a wink of her right eye, “You are most welcome, Ambassador Chelsea. Yes, yes he is.”
A few seconds later, Calitta looked over at Baltor, cleared her throat that drew everyone in the group’s attention, and then she said, “Sultan Baltor, I must be heading home tomorrow, as I have a whole kingdom to run. Would it be possible for you to teleport me back tomorrow night?”
“Of course,” Baltor said with a smile and a nod to his head.
Calitta next looked over at Chelsea, whom she saw was currently looking and smiling at Cheo. After she lightly cleared her throat in order to acquire her attention, which worked, Calitta asked, “Ambassador Chelsea, are you coming back with me to Politesse?”
Chelsea answered, “Actually, my Queen and Friend, I’ve decided to stay here in Pavelus; that is, until I’ve had my baby. As soon as the baby is ready for travel, I promise you that I will come back and visit.”
“Completely understandable,” Calitta responded with a nonchalant wave to her hand, though there was a slightly wistful look to her face because she had grown very fond of Chelsea’s company.
In order to keep her emotions, tears, and makeup “in check,” Calitta’s head turned to look away from her friend. She quickly scanned from left to right in the massive coliseum, observing and noting all the clusters of guests, whose numbers totaled more than three hundred thousand people!
She was about to look to her far left, but suddenly her eyes spotted a ten-foot, blond-haired, and really gorgeous man weaving his way through the crowds toward the thrones. Her gaze was locked on him now.
Every few seconds or so, Calitta saw this giant occasionally raise his left hand above the head level of the crowds, which hand possessed a giant-sized mug that was lifted up to his mouth, and tilted back.
Though Calitta’s eyes remained locked onto this giant, of whom she found herself getting strangely attracted to, her ears heard Chelsea ask, “Is that okay with you, Queen Calitta?”
After casting her gaze back at Chelsea, Calitta delivered a very warm smile. She then answered loudly so everyone nearby could hear what she had to say, “Your plan sounds splendidly perfect! And just you know, the Kingdom of Thorium certainly appreciates all the valuable assistance you’ve already provided, Ambassador Chelsea…
“In fact, we are not only very appreciative, yet indebted to the Sharia Empire for the destruction of the millions of dark gnomes and their dragon leader—you, Sultan Baltor Elysian, truly are a hero amongst heroes!”
After delivering a nonchalant wave with his hand, which drew everyone in the group’s attention instantly to him, Baltor said, “No, the Kingdom of Thorium is not indebted to us—Queen Calitta. As for being called ‘a hero amongst heroes,’ thank you very much from the bottom of my heart for the compliment, but I was just honestly doing my duty for order and justice for all! That’s all.”
Calitta sighed aloud, “You are so humble, Sultan Baltor, and yet at the very same time, so very powerful! I wish we had more men like you on this planet.”
Unconsciously, her eyes gazed back to her right. Now she saw that the giant had finally broken through the last of the crowd. It was only then and there that she saw that his right hand was holding the hand of a blonde-haired girl that was only a little over half his size … perhaps his daughter, Calitta’s mind semi-hoped?
As she took a closer gaze at this extremely beautiful girl wearing a semi-revealing, black-and-silver-striped evening dress, Calitta realized that this girl was a full-grown woman—obvious by her athletic bust and body that poked out in all the right areas.
And evident by the way this woman hovered herself upon this giant, nearly thirty seconds later, especially as soon as the pair had stopped in their tracks just before the thrones, Calitta came to disappointingly realize that this woman was at least this giant’s girlfriend ... or wife.
Coming out of her enamored trance immediately, her ears hear Baltor jubilantly say something in a language she did not understand. She immediately looked over at him, noting that he was speaking to the giant.
Without pause, Baltor used the same exact tone of
voice that he had just used, but this time he spoke in Pavelian, “Greetings Yaush and Jimnee! Are you guys having a great time at our victory celebration?”
After delivering a grandiose bow, the giant responded back in Pavelian, though he bore a very strong accent, as well a slightly drunken slur to his words, “Sultan Baltor and Sultaness Brishava! Yesssh, Jimnee and I have a great time at the…uh, cerebration!”
Though everyone, too include Baltor, chuckled at Yaush’s response, Baltor added, “Yes—great celebration!”
“Yes—great celebration… **ha ha** Great friends… **ha ha** Great ales! **Ha ha ha ha ha!!!**” Yaush said through his own booming and drunken laughter.
Everyone in the group found themselves begin to cheerfully laugh as well, which quickly drew the attention of the surrounding crowds that had just grown silent.
Once Yaush had finally regained a control over his laughter, though there was still a beaming smile upon his face that also beheld reddish-colored eyes, he lifted his giant-sized mug high into the air toward Baltor.
In response, Baltor’s left hand reached out for the full goblet of wine that had been resting on his own throne’s conveniently located drink holder—once he firmly held the goblet, he raised it up.
In response, everyone—humans and giants—those that still had drinks in his or her glass or mug raised them high as well—those who didn’t have anything in their cup hurriedly filled them up with wines or ales.
Fifteen seconds later, Yaush loudly toasted in Pavelian, “Here’s to Valakan and the Sharia Empire—great friends and…uh…all—” Instantly he looked at his wife.
She finished, “Allies…”
After looking all around for a few seconds, Yaush finished his toast, “Yes—great friends and allies!” He next tilted the half-filled mug of ale toward his mouth, and killed the rest of his drink...
In response, Baltor said with chipper, “Here—here!” He then chugged the entire contents from his goblet—everyone else, but Brishava, followed suit. She only took a small sip of her red wine, as she was already feeling buzzed.
BOOK II OF III: The Reign of the Sultan Page 36