**"The best thing about dreams is that fleeting moment, when you are between asleep and awake, when you don't know the difference between reality and fantasy, when for just that one moment you feel with your entire soul that the dream is reality, and it really happened."- by James Arthur Baldwin**
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"So, what were you dreaming about? Tarragon asked and then rephrased her question, "Should I rather ask whom you were fantasizing about?" she slanted her head and watched Lendon like a hawk, trying to get any ideas or hints from her face, but Lendon looked quite petrified at the question instead.
"So, who was it? Should I take a guess?" Tarragon's eyes sparkled with mischievousness. But Lendon had always been quick-witted and smart, she just gushed and covered her face with both hands, "I'd rather die than tell her it was about King Indicy," so she rather said, "You do not know him. In fact, I do not know the person myself… maybe, it's my love from the future who came to visit me now!," then she giggled serenely like a little girl.
Tarragon looked at her with a queer expression but kept her thoughts to herself once again, and just shook her head. "Let's get ready for our morning tasks," was all she said.
Lendon in return sighed in relief as her friend stopped asking.
*** *** ***
Unbeknownst to Lendon, Indicy sat on his bed that same morning and thought back to the dream that he had also had. What was surprising for him was that, in his whole existence in life, this was the first dream he had ever had, and it happened to be about a maiden , he had somewhat taken a fascination to.
He tentatively touched his lips as he could still savour the softness of the other that had left his…
"It almost feels real," he whispered and tried to shake the thoughts of the maid out of his mind but was unsuccessful."
As he mulled over the dream in his mind, Dude entered his chambers and noticed the slight frown on his face.
"A penny for your thoughts?" he probed and sat down beside Indicy.
They were indeed so very close that Indicy did not hesitate to spill the dream and did not even leave out the details. After he was done, Dude asked,
"So, you mean that you were in the library with her and then touched your lips with hers? But Indicy, do you have to describe it that way? I mean, 'touched your lips to hers?!' Who says that?! What happened to the words, 'kiss' or 'peck'? You can be sometimes frustratingly naive, my brother." Dude swamped his hands across his face and then changed his tune when he saw that all he had said had little to no effect on him.
Indicy just nodded seriously and touched his lips as if again, remembering that moment and just disregarded the reaction of Dude.
"Do you like her company that much, my brother?" Dude asked again this time, his used a softer approach.
"I'm not sure but I appear to be thinking a lot of her nowadays. Everything I see reminds me of her, and I also see her a lot almost around every corner," Indicy said in all seriousness which made Dude burst out laughing.
Amid laughter and tears seeping out from the corners of his eyes, he managed to say,
"It's only been a few days since you brought her here, and it got that bad that you're even dreaming of her?" As much as Dude tried, he could not shake off the laughter, and this made Indicy angry, because he was in a real dilemma and he, Dude was having a field day with it.
When Dude noticed this, he suppressed his laughter for he knew that his brother was very oblivious when it came to associations with anybody, especially of the opposite sex.
Only the two of them knew that the multiple maidens sent to the king's palace only had relations with him, Dude. It was the safest for them as the parties that brought their maidens would be happy and on the king's side, there would never be any issues because as per the rituals of the Hanwisan; they, the Hanwisan could never bring forth an offspring of their own. This was made to ensure that the Hanwisan did not disrupt the throne at all.
Dude lived his 'life' to the fullest because of this. He drank when he wanted to and did as he pleased with the maidens. He was the 'fun' version of Indicy, and he preferred it that way. One could consider Indicy as green as could be in situations like this.
However, Dude decided to toy with him a bit, as he knew the consequences of such associations in their land. They were one of the few individuals who knew about the curse on the land, and the repercussions of such relations. They knew that the marriage committee was just a smokescreen. Sometimes Dude wondered if the committee members knew why they existed, but he doubted.
It was because he knew of the reason behind it, that Dude wanted to make sure that Indicy was certain before he would take the steps. After all, the price to pay might be too dire for them. Dude resolved that the best way was for Indicy to conclude and make the final decision on his own.
"Indicy," Dude started once again but this time in all seriousness as he knew the gravity of their situation. "Take your mind back to the last court session we had …"
"What has a past court session we have had, have anything to do with the current situation or my dilemma?" Indicy asked because he really needed his brother's input to help him sort out his ever confusing thoughts, but could not understand how the court session had anything to do with their 'dream conversation' at all.
Dude brought his palm up as if to say, "Patience, my brother." He rather said, "I think that you will understand in a moment after you throw your mind back to that session. If you remember, the royal seal was placed on a document to back up a decision made by the committee. A decision that would by now, would have put a young man to his death!"
As Indicy's nodded gravely because he now remembered the incident, Dude asked, "Do you remember his crime?"
They both thought back to that day; the court session was just ending when Elder Fiesty brought in one last document that needed the royal seal to be executed. It was about a young man who was of age but was refusing to be paired with any maiden, as he felt that he needed to be emotionally bound to the person he would want to spend his whole life with.
"Who is the young man? And is this the 'reason' he gave?" Indicy had asked,
Elder Fiesty bowed and replied, "Your majesty, he returned to the kingdom this year when he came of age. He had been staying with his aunt in Fireland since his mother passed."
Indicy nodded and said, "That will explain a lot. If he grew up outside the kingdom, he would not have learnt our ways yet. So, what do you want to do with him? This is in your jurisdiction so why is this here in front of me now?"
Elder Conrad interrupted and said, "Even if he grew up outside the kingdom, this is blatant disrespect to our laws and as such he must be hung!" Indicy massaged his temple as he knew where this was headed. The committee was divided on this and that was why they had brought it to him.
"These are my words regarding this: The circumstance is different as the young man was not raised with our laws, but we cannot disregard our laws because of this as well. I will place the royal seal on the document you have presented on this, stating that he should be put to death, but my decree comes first.
The young man will be permanently banished from the whole kingdom, as we do not want him spreading his ideals here. If he should ever come back, the document will come into effect, and he shall be put to death!" As Indicy's voice died down, he could see that the differing views of the elders had been catered to because they all bowed and said in unison, "Our king is forever the wise one!"
Back to the present, Indicy looked at Dude and sighed.
"I know it's only been a few days, but this is driving me crazy. I don't know why she is in my thoughts during my wake moments and now in my sleep too." He pushed his hands through his thick hair frustratingly.
This made Dude look at him in a different light as he thought,
"This is more serious than I thought."
He however said,
"Indicy, you do realise that you are 'the King', right?"
Indicy looked at him with a blank expression and said, "So?"
Dude exhaled and continued,
"Really? I have to tell you this too. You do not have to go to her. You can make her come to you! Done! Issue resolved! Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm starving." Dude rubbed his tummy playfully and left the chambers.
He popped his head back in a few moments later and said,
"Have you ever wondered how she was able to tell that we are different, even without seeing us together?"
He didn't wait for an answer and left.
It took Indicy a while to comprehend what he had just said, but one could easily see that his face was visibly relaxed, especially after he realised what he had to or wanted to do.
"Alan," he called out and Alan appeared quietly beside him. Indicy gave his directive to him, and he departed.
After Alan had left, he pondered on the last question Dude had thrown at him. The girl was a real mystery in that aspect. He had grown up with many people in the palace, and even none of his ministers had ever thought anything out of the ordinary about him. They thought that they were dealing with one person with very complex emotions. 'Volatile', is what they called him. He had heard it from some of them when they spoke freely and felt that they were alone.
The whole story about the 'aura' she talked about was confusing. He also wondered how she circumvented the maze, but all these questions seemed to be reserved for another day. He dressed up with the help of his attendants, and left the chambers for his meal as well, as he now felt like a huge weight had been lifted from him.
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