“I think we would have a pretty similar sight, or smell, of your description if we went down to the city right now,” Selen objected kindly.
Those words fell hard on Louis when he realized he had not put a foot in his own city since his coronation a week ago. Soon, he would not be better than the tyrants he despised. His friends must have seen the change on his face as Lissandro tried to cheer him up.
“If you have the nostalgia for your previous home’s odors, we can go down for a stroll in the city tomorrow. Preferably for my sinuses, at dawn,” Lissandro said.
“That could be a good idea. As we said before, we should learn more about the capital and its people. Besides, they would surely enjoy seeing their king,” Selen added, touching his arm gently. Louis smiled.
“So what will we have today? Solicitors? New, unpopular decrees? A judgment?” Lissandro asked with faint, overdone enthusiasm.
“A delegation of princes from the Windy Isles,” Louis answered.
Lissandro stopped dead in his twisting dance. “Princes from the Windy Isles? Just that? And you tell us now?”
“There is not much to say about it,” Louis replied. “We have to see them first. Pembroke went to meet them on the way to the city this morning. They will stay in apartments in the south aisle for a few days. I assume we will have to meet them a few times to discuss trades and politics.”
“I can help,” Lissandro said.
“I’m counting on it,” Louis replied.
“Maybe we can also organize some entertainment. What do you think of a ball?” Lissandro proposed.
“A ball?” Louis liked the idea of music. “Do you want a ball?”
Lissandro and Selen nodded with enthusiasm.
“I don’t want to see the orgiastic scenes of the festivities again,” Louis objected. “Moreover, these are the kinds of futile costs I disapprove.”
“I was not thinking of a masquerade but something more elegant. You need to propose something to honour the delegation. I could take care of the organization with Pembroke to keep the budget reasonable.”
“Do so,” Louis said. They heard the herald call for them from the great hall. Louis opened the door.
They walked into the great hall. His friends took their places on the edge of the dais while he sat on the throne. The hall was packed as usual and bright with the shimmering, colorful clothes of the nobles. Sunlight came through the many mullioned windows and the open main doors. Commoners swarmed under the galleries and in the back while some stood outside on the esplanade. Many were curious to see the delegation of princes. It did reek of sweat—not everyone in this world enjoyed a bath—but Louis thought he could endure it a few hours.
The herald stepped forward and cried out the agenda for the day. They would begin with the delegation from the Windy Isles. When the man was done, the crowd split in its middle. Three persons and their followers walked forward to the bottom step of the dais. The two princes carried themselves proudly. One of the young men had short, hazel hair and chiseled features. His body was strong. He wore golden silk, short black boots, and orange satin cloak. As he approached, Louis noticed that he had eyes as black as coal. The other man had smoother features, his frizzy, brown hair tumbling down into his eyes. His slim body was clad in a turquoise brocade tunic, blue pants puffed at the hips, and a shimmering silver cloak streaked with cobalt threads. The first man spoke.
“My name is Philip Howells, of the royal house Howells from the Windy Isles, Your Majesty,” the hazel man said with a bow. “And here is my younger brother, Owen.”
“I am pleased to meet you, Your Highnesses,” Louis said with a bow of the head. He hoped his words were right. He was neither fond nor really aware of the etiquette. “I hope you had a pleasant journey and that you will enjoy your stay in our beautiful city.”
“We certainly will, Your Majesty,” Philip said. “Our father, King Dywel, sends his salutations and hopes we will have fruitful discussions on both our kingdoms. As you will see, Your Majesty, our father is keen to maintain the peace. He was more than pleased to learn about the death of King Agroln. Our father puts much faith in you. Therefore, he sends us here as well for an important task.”
The third person stepped forward. Philip raised the many purple silk veils, revealing a woman of astounding beauty. She had eyes as blue as the sea, red lips, and delicate features. Her long, black hair waved around her shoulders to her thin waist. She wore a maroon gown encrusted with golden pearls.
“Your Majesty, as a sign of his will to unite our kingdoms, our father offers you the hand of the most beautiful jewel of the sea, our sister, the princess Erin.”
The crowd sighed with amazement and broke into enthusiastic whispers. Louis was taken aback. Even though he panicked, he had the wits to first look at Lissandro, who nodded and urged him with his eyes to agree to the proposal. Then, he looked towards Selen. He could not see his friend’s face, but even from the back, his uneasiness was palpable. Selen’s hands trembled, and his fingers twisted nervously. Louis imagined the horror he went through. He rose.
“I am surprised and deeply honored by your father’s proposal,” he said, trying to compose himself. He stepped forward down the stairs, towards the princes. “Your sister Erin is of great beauty. She would be a wonderful queen and make any king the happiest man in the world.” Louis took the princess’s hand and kissed it while looking into her eyes. He noticed that she blushed and her hand trembled. She was willing. He gave her a hollow smile to hide his uneasiness. Louis stepped back and looked at the princes.
“Unfortunately, and with my deepest respect, I can’t accept your offer.” The crowd gasped with shock and muttered its disapproval. He saw Philip’s lips twitch and incomprehension on Owen’s face. Louis’s heart raced. “I have far too much respect for Princess Erin to force her to marry me. I am convinced that arranged unions, as good as they may be for a state, bring only sorrow in the hearts of the newlyweds. I would feel miserable to break such a beautiful heart. I do hope we can still maintain peace between our kingdoms, but I also hope that Princess Erin will marry a man she loves, not a complete stranger. I want only the best for your sister,” Louis insisted. Philip’s features softened. “To show you my good will and honesty in that matter, I assure you that I won’t marry anyone else unless I choose her myself. My queen will be a queen of love,” Louis added loud enough.
“These are wise words, Your Majesty,” Philip said. The prince still sounded slightly irritated, but Louis sensed that the tempest in his heart was over. “I hope my sister will marry someone she loves.”
“And I wish her a long and a happy life,” Louis added with a smile. Louis turned to the crowd. “I think we should all ponder on these thoughts. I declare the session over.” He stepped towards the princes again. “I trust we can meet later and discuss the future of our kingdoms. I hope you will accept my sincere apologies, but I meant what I said.”
“We accept them, Your Majesty,” Philip said. “We sensed here no mischief. Yet, we will be sorry not to have you as our brother.” The prince half smiled.
“All men of good will are brothers,” Louis said.
The princes took their leave. Slowly, Louis went up the dais, smiling and nodding at his ministers. He saw the trouble on their faces. It seemed that no one had understood, let alone approved, his decision. He passed in front of the royal guard.
“Stay here and watch the doors to the gallery.” He exited the gallery and closed the door behind him.
His lungs nearly exploded as he took a deep breath. Louis bent over and thought he was going to retch. He cast a hand on the sidewall to hold his balance. He had gone through a lot in his lives, but he had never felt such dread. It had taken him unprepared, and the whole time, he had felt the blade of war and mayhem hanging over his neck. Except it was not only over his head this time but over a whole country. As he calmed down, he thought about his friend. Louis strode to the solar, trying not to run. He opened the door.
; Selen stood by an open window, his face livid and his swollen eyes still bathed in tears.
Louis hurried towards him and held him tightly, cupping the back of Selen’s head gently. “My love, you don’t need to cry.”
“You should have agreed,” Selen stuttered. “They won’t forgive you. The princes may, but not the crowd, not your people, and definitely not the nobles. I could… I could have tried to cope with it,” he sobbed. “I should have known it would happen.”
“I can’t agree to such things. I love you. You are my queen,” Louis whispered. To abandon a friend, especially his loved one, was the worst of all crimes in his eyes.
“I am a man,” Selen replied angrily, stating the obvious. “And I can’t hold you further than that solar,” he sobbed. Louis kissed the side of his head.
Lissandro entered the room. “I will try not to shout…” his friend said, attempting to keep his temper. “But why?” he cried out. “How can a man like you, who knows so much about history, ignore that all the kings, whatever their inclinations, have always wed a woman. You must have a queen. There is no other option.”
“I know,” Louis hissed. He had tried once in his previous life, but engagement loathed him and he had abandoned the idea. It was beyond him. He could not lie, cheat against himself, or betray his real love, not even mentioning the lack of attraction. “I won’t break his heart and the heart of an innocent woman for political reasons,” Louis answered. “I may get married, some day…in a distant future.”
“With him? Because to me, it sounded like you just said, I will never marry. Don’t bother presenting me a queen?”
“I know how it is. Every noble of the country will step forward with a sister, a cousin, a niece, desperate to match me with a potential bride, and I will be stuck again in the burning of letters and the hundreds of words of excuses to avoid the bride and the offended parent. I already give the people my life, can’t I have my heart and my body for myself?”
“No, you can’t. You’re the king. You are the only man in the whole kingdom who can’t be free. If you want to live happily, take Selen and run far away from here,” Lissandro said.
“And how far will we need to hide? In the middle of the forest? At sea? We have no future! Two men living together. No society will ever tolerate that. Do you think I enjoyed climbing outside staircases and creeping through windows? That I like to hide under the mask of a coldhearted man to maintain the last shreds of my privacy? All those nonsenses, all those lies about me, because I can’t say the truth.” Memories came back to his mind as the words burst out of him. Louis felt the tears well up and repressed them with his last strength. “And what of my convictions? I want to change this society. I have the power to do it. I want to prove it can work. I won’t run away. I am no coward!” Louis exclaimed. Selen twitched in his arms.
“So follow the rules and get a queen. Even Alexander the Great did. You will need to marry at some point. You will need an heir,” Lissandro said.
“An heir?” Louis asked, astounded. “I don’t want an heir. For God’s sake, Lilo…it’s me. I don’t want to start a dynasty. Haven’t you listened to my words? I want a constitution. I want to install a republic.”
Lissandro looked at him, aghast. Selen turned his head, gaping.
“You want what?” Lissandro exclaimed. “Oh my God, you want to start a revolution against yourself. You are mad.”
“When all will be ready, I will abdicate. I want the people to be happy. Men are born for peace and truth. If you give them laws according to their nature and heart, they will cease to be unhappy and corrupted. A free society aims at virtue and does not need to be subjugated. We can create that society together. Where there will be no rich, nor poor. Where everyone can live off his land in harmony. Where people will be free to marry who they want and get an education.” Louis looked at his gaping friends. “Why do you look at me like that?”
“When was the last time you left your inner world to have a real contact with a human being? They beat me to blood many times just for what I am. Even the kindest ones saw me as a freak. Why do you think I lived on a boat? I’ve been scared to die every day of my life. I come from the future, and I have never heard of harmony, let alone equality. The world is mean. You fight or you die. Yet, in a thousand years, in some places of our world, there may be hope for you two,” Lissandro said. He sighed. “What I’m trying to say is that I fear your subjects may not understand the subtleties of your concepts.”
“I know. I will teach them that Machiavellianism is not a tolerable way of life. I have plans for a new educational system,” Louis responded. “But we have to bring the nobles to heel.” He wanted his friend by his side. “Those are my beliefs, Lilo. Will you stand by me?”
“I would like so much to start my journey,” Lissandro looked at him. “Are you sure you don’t want to try just to be a good king? No. All right then,” he sighed. “A well-known future rolls towards us and I face it with dread.”
CHAPTER 64
Lissandro woke up. From his bed, he saw the pink sky turn blue. The temperature would soon rise. He had to hurry. He got up, got dressed, and climbed the stairs to the bedroom on the first floor. Like every morning, Lissandro filled the bowl and a cup before throwing the water through the window. Fresh fruits stood on a plate. He picked up a pear and a peach and crawled onto the bed. While eating his breakfast, he read a chapter of the book on ornithology. Today’s chapter was on the sparrow and how the animal engaged in dust bathing. Lissandro wondered how his own dust bathing would turn this morning. When he judged that the sheets had been creased enough, he rose and went back to his room. After a short visit to the garderobe, he fastened his sword to his belt and added a dagger for precaution. He threw a beige woolen cape over his shoulders and made for the door.
Lissandro crossed the aisle to the boudoir and stopped in front of the solar’s door. For an instant, he prepared himself to knock but had second thoughts. Delicately, he placed his hand on the knob and turned. The door opened. “Busted,” he whispered.
He entered the silent solar and tiptoed to the side of the bed. The sight of his gorgeous friends asleep on each other, half covered by the tangled sheets, was so pleasant to his eyes that he regretted what he had to do. However, their love reminded him of his own loneliness, and the twinge of jealousy in his heart brought him back to reality. Silently, he drew his sword out of his scabbard and held it a few inches above Louis’s shoulder. With the cold flat of the blade, he tapped the pale skin.
Louis raised his eyelids a little. At the sight of the sword, he straightened on the bed. It woke Selen up, but his friend noticed him first and showed no sign of panic. Selen’s smile faded when he saw the blade pointing towards him.
“Good morning. You’re dead,” Lissandro said. “Or you would be if it weren’t me standing here right now. You can put your best guard in front of the steps in the gallery, and it won’t help if the whole aisle is a palace of draughts.” Considering Louis’s infuriated eyes, Lissandro judged the lesson learned and put his sword away. “Now, I think someone longed to go down to the city? The nobles won’t be up for a while, but your people already stroll the streets. Get dressed. I will wait for you outside.” In the leaden silence, Lissandro went to the door leading to the garden. This one was locked. He turned the key, opened the door, and went out.
Lissandro breathed in the fresh morning air. Half of the garden was still in the shade. The dew-covered roses spread their light perfume. He walked towards the bench and sat down. He knew he had gone too far, but his friends were still innocent of the court intrigues, and such places were rife with plots. Louis may expect his new enemies to drag him to a scaffold, but he couldn’t be more wrong. What killed kings most was not the axe, but the poison on the lips of a mistress, a dagger in a garderobe or a fall from a window. During the court session, Lissandro had seen the offended faces and the daggers in the eyes. Blows could come from anywhere after that.
Lissandro got up as th
e solar’s door opened. Louis stepped out and walked towards him. His blue silk tunic flapped against his thighs. Louis stopped a few inches from his face, which forced Lissandro to raise his gaze to keep eye contact.
“Do that again, and I don’t care if you are my friend. I’ll kill you,” Louis whispered. Now that things were settled, his friend calmed down and stepped back.
Lissandro spotted Selen behind Louis. He wore a brown tunic, a cloak, and had fastened his sword on his side. Lissandro turned to Louis. “I suggest we leave the palace without an escort if you want to talk freely to the population. I see you put cloaks on, so it is probably your intention.”
“It is,” Louis said. He went down the steps to the gallery. Lissandro and Selen followed him. As Louis pushed the door leading to the outside yard, Lissandro heard a voice behind them.
“You’re not leaving the palace.” The three men turned around. “Not without me,” Folc said.
“We don’t need an escort this time, Folc,” Selen said.
“I’m sure you don’t want one, but it doesn’t matter. It is my function and oath to protect the king. Unless the king opposes it, I will follow him into the city. Your Majesty,” Folc said and bowed low.
“Don’t bow to me Folc, not in private,” Louis said. “You can follow, but be discreet. I don’t want to draw attention to me.”
The boy nodded, and they all went out and down the hill.
They sauntered through the streets unnoticed. Louis and Selen had their hoods pulled down over their foreheads. Lissandro and Folc, who were not as recognizable, walked bareheaded. Only Louis carried no weapon. Lissandro wondered if his friend genuinely thought that the people would not attack him or if he deliberately took a risk to prove that he didn’t fear them.
The streets were populous and they sometimes had to press through the crowd to make their way. The shopping area was a colorful place where the precious silk gowns of the nobles grazed the plain cotehardies of the commoners. Though it was summer, wimples and hats were popular among the commoners. Lissandro smelled fresh baked bread, tanned leather, and flowers sold by peddlers. For a while, he forgot the odor of sweat and of the morning waters in the gutter. Sounds coming from the shops pierced the hubbub of the crowd. Here, he heard the clinking of a light hammer, there, the warm, rasping noise of a saw. Sometimes, it was the rattling of coins falling onto a counter.
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