Akin to a wolf among his sheep herd, Keith was now considered as physically dangerous. He had proved how smart he was as well. Chandragupta wanted to know more about the kid and summoned Picco at the palace. Not for a public but a private audience.
The man came the same day, he was afraid of this private talking with the great king. But he was happy he was called without having to be noticed.
"I've summoned you to have a glimpse, I'd call it your version of the truth. The two with whom you came, you seem to be their leader. Tell me about you and your companions."
They were both in a gigantic room with two pillows and a low table in its center. The king's voice was loud and it reverberated because the room lacked structures for it to disperse.
There were four pillars with titans holding the ceiling. Looking at the guest's seat with a tortured face. Their purpose was to intimidate them. As if the presence of their owner wasn't enough.
"I came from a far away village, like Yotoh, the one with all of his teeth. It is called Kodra. The kid was born here, his mother, Raima vanished one day before him. His father, Lorbe was banned from our village because of his violent behaviour. Ned is a mercenary, he told us the kid pulled his teeth out and ate them. But a season prior he raped Keith."
"Tell me more about Yotoh then."
"He is a villager, a neighbour. He lost his youngest child in a bloodbath and chose to venture with us, hoping to find the mother, accused of witchcraft. As for me at first, I wanted to understand the problem with this family, as my village chief's assistant. But it became out of curiosity in the blink of an eye my king."
'Curious like me.' Thought the king.
"There was a fourth person with us. He wanted vengeance too because he said Keith ate his pinky. But that man had an infected wound, his whole hand then his arm were consumed by his own blood. He stayed alive for a portion of our trip to Varanasi, but after almost a quarter of it he wasn't able to walk anymore. He lost his left shoulder. His pelvis and his belly were blackened by the plague. One morning he was dead cold."
'What if it was one of Seven's curse? I stepped in an insecure path. I must use everything to my advantage.' The king thought before speaking.
"Now that you are here with your companions, what is your plan?"
"Them, they want the kid. Both went to burn down the house. But I did not, because I have no ill intent. Because I know he is still here and..."
Picco nervously tapped his fingers on the table.
"And now that I've seen him, I have doubts. That abominable heap of flesh that burned in the middle of the market. It is possible that he is my son, judging from his height. He should be around seven years old today and he hasn't grown an inch since I last saw him."
"What nonsense is that?"
"Our village is good at sharing. Not only goods. I had many intercourses with his mother, same for our village chief, and many men in Kodra other than his father. We were in our mid teens and had not much to do aside from farming."
Picco wasn't shy about that. It was common in many villages after all. The mother he was about to paint was the hardest part.
"Tell me more about the parents that raised him."
Ordered the king.
"His parents turned out to be sterile. Nature never gave them the ability to get pregnant. I, as a close friend nearly a decade ago, accompanied them for a two-year long trip. We travelled to Eastern Jin to find the top of the healers. A mystical shaman whom miracles had satisfied many. Being fluent in chinese, I elaborated the trip myself. A year later we were back in Kodra and we had plenty of interactions anew."
'The situation is more complicated than expected. The chances of him being Seven's father judging from their height is low. What can I ask more? Oh right.'
"Tell me more about this mystical shaman."
"He's dead. His name was Wenyi, it is said he was over a hundred years old. His wrinkles were hidden under animal skulls. He could make anything become real. The problem is the price he asked for it. IT was too high for Raima and Lorbe, the parents that wished for a child. So I had him killed, his reputation fell apart and he was reduced to ashes by people close to him. Their wish was granted but we ran away before we had to pay."
'Then he's not the master.'
"Since when has the kid been this monstrous? And how did you kill the shaman?"
"My king I heard him once, talking with a raspy voice. That is as far as I've ever witnessed. But I do believe in curses and magic. This shaman... He was dangerous. I talked to the villagers. They had to sacrifice many goods in the past, plenty of meat to 'satisfy the mystic', he used to say. They had enough. They braced their courage and rioted in his house."
'You continue to disgrace my reputation. You are going to have a bad time.' Thought Mister Show, his figure spying from the high ceiling. Impatient.
Deep in thought, the king spoke again.
"What will you tell your companions? I will keep the kid by my side. I want to make him an important pawn in my court. This decision is irrevocable."
"My king, I now have the answers I've been seeking for. If my friends want to ask about your lure, I'll mislead them. I'll tell them Raima and Lorbe burnt to a crisp with the kid in their sleep. I'll dare not go against your will, great one."
"You can dispose."
Where they satisfied? Chandragupta, yes. While Picco, no! How absurd. He was overwhelmed by the power of the king. He could only nod when asked to. Picco wanted the kid because it was the greatest source of mystery, maybe it was the apex of his life. He wanted to know where was Lorbe. How did Raima disappear.
He couldn't find the crumb of a clue. During the last day he prepared. While they worked hard with the blacksmiths and craftsmen, he looked for the highest ranked soldiers he could find to enter the royal army. Or the city guards at least.
The incoming disaster was announced to the population and blending with the crowd was no feat. The rumbling of every furnace kept many awake at night.
---
Chandragupta had prepared a special chief for Keith. One with a round face, almond eyes, a very big stature, almost unnatural. This one had difficulties to speak and think, he wasn't the sharpest knife of the kitchen. He was perfect.
"You will follow this cook's commands. Do everything as he says. Also there's a special task I'll entrust you. Can you do a favour to me?"
"Yes, mighty one. I can do a special task."
The burly man said, then he walked away, not listening to his interlocutor. He was only half stupid, at least he was polite.
Once the king managed to capture his attention he continued.
"There's a person in the court I don't like. I want you to feed him with the worst meat. Be it fat, be it fur. Leave it all, you don't need to put it under the heat nor add salt. He lives in the guest room, the one on the first floor. To deliver his meal, you have to hide it under the food dome like usual."
"Yes mighty one. I'll do the special task. I don't like the guest either. He's creepy."
And frank. He's frank.
Now that the king had arranged Seven's meals, he had to go and see Foreseer.
She wasn't surprised to see him so soon, but she was stressed. She couldn't see her daily show anymore and wasn't aware of everything in the palace anymore. Her job was compromised since her magic was applied to someone else.
"Foreseer! How is it going? Do you like your new apprentice?"
Her headache was still racking her brain while she gave him a reply.
"My king, the one you brought me seems to see more than I do, I fear he'll steal my show once I'm not looking. Would you like to experience more with me? Maybe this time we'll see a ring on your annular! Give me your hand."
So did the king. Her nose sniffed down every dust particle he had stuck up under his nails. She then touched her own body with it from bottom to top, until it reached her tongue, outside of its box. She then said.
"Nothing for the next year alas! No smell of a flower, no new taste discovered, means no one new. And no fun in the royal bed."
The king did not await twenty years to hear that from her mouth. She had been in the palace since Chandragupta was a child. The lady was old and disgusted him most of the time. But maybe he could prove her last sentence wrong. In case she was too confident of her skills.
They spent time in Foreseer's laboratory. Many pots broke, many flasks were spilled. The woman couldn't reject the great leader. She ended up being right, He wouldn't enjoy the royal bed but next room instead.