On arrival, without warning, louga started to play his flute in a way stazia had never heard him play before. The rich melody was so intense it brought tears to her eyes. By now people were gathering at the court; the queen Zoreefa came out from her chamber with her maidens following in pursuit. Oblivious to all that was going on around him, louga closed his eyes and played on, with legs folded like a yogi….
So caught up in the zone to open his eyes or look up. The palace was piling up by the sec, accommodating men and women alike. Surreal was the atmosphere in the hall, so much so that in that magical moment, everyone seems to forget their troubles, most especially the queen, who happen to be in bad terms with her husband, the king Tygon.
..........
Queen Zoree will later relate the experience to her absent favorite maidens as follows;
"I didn't know whether to cry or clap for the stranger, who understands the language of the heart and the mysteries that lies beyond. He is done playing but the hall was still silent. It's like time itself has frozen, and all present were caught in a trance. Can music have that effect on the soul? And there he sat, still quite, although his eyes were open now, it seems like he is seeing nothing, he was only looking into space."
Someone in the crown started clapping breaking the spell; and the whole space in the hall boomed with clap from everyone. Immediately I took notice of the woman who started the clapping. She looked so familiar, she started walking towards me, tears streaming down her face, making her looked more beautiful than she actually was, … "Starzia! Is that you, oh! Starzia its truly you… you finally came to me oh! stazia…" "yes my lady…" ...
......….
The queen stepped down from the few steps separating her and Stazia and met her half way and the two women hug to the surprise of many present, but they were caught up in the emotions of the moment to the extent that it didn't looked like a big deal.
Albeit; the maidens and guards in court will have fresh gossip in the days that will follow. Zoreefa couldn't quite tell whether the tears were induced by the music or her reunion with stazia her favorite maid back in werga.
The guard that came with stazia and louga, drew closer to the queen and communicated to her in a subdued tone. Zoreefa lifted her head up in the direction of louga. The man was now standing, very tall, for some reason he reminded her of the prince Jhanka. Except that Jhanka seem a bit older, broad shouldered and muscular.
His face looked so young and innocent. But the intelligence from his eyes were unmistaken. "that's louga, a guard from the court of my lord Danty in werga, I came with him as per the direction of ma lord Danty" stazia told the queen also looking in Lougas direction "Well prepare a place for louga in the senior guards' quarters, I will personally introduce him to the king when he comes back from tour. For the meantime, attend to him as my honored guest" Zoreefa ordered, all the while giving louga an intimate eye contact.
"I think we've all had enough entertainment for the day can we all get back to work "one of the maidens ordered as the people file out the hall. "now stazia you follow me; I miss your guava juices. I guess you still know how to prepare juices?" stazia nodded in response to Zorees question and the two women looked at each other and giggled aloud.
......….
Louga sat up on the cozy bed in the spacious dark chamber and let his mind loose, the darkness helping him go deeper into the inner mind; he wants to remember every experience, every gesture, the feel of the energy and aura of Zanka and its people. For the first time in his life louga felt a sense of belonging, a part of something greater, a home coming, for in truth; he feels like he is finally home.
Then his mind finally rested on the smile the queen gave him, in that one look, in that simple gesture of intimacy did he already lose the battle, in that did he loose himself into something he never experienced before, a compulsive intoxication of unquenchable thirst, the birth of a primordial desire to love and be loved. Louga found himself hooked, his fate had been rewritten in that single moment he looked eyes with the woman, his mission is over! the queen had already won, he is now her slave.
Frustrated in the dark, he gnaws at his figure nails, now he torn between two worlds, either way he will still be trapped, for he will do everything to win the queen, and if he succeeds, either way it will ruin her marriage; which is exactly what his mission is all about, but it will be for the wrong reason.
Louga felt an attraction for stazia; with the queen, it is a compulsion he can't explain…. He will simply follow the woman anywhere; her beauty is the kind he has never seen before. He never expected the queen to have such an effect on him, nothing in the world had prepared him for this… is this what it be means to fall in love? Louga don't belief in such nonsense… but here he was; wanting to possess this one woman for all eternity.
No it's a need, like breath or water, a need so strong it makes his heart ache, his groin so rigid it wants to explode. What sort of madness is this? Louga asked himself in the lone chamber, and his brow perspire in response in the cold night air.
......….
"Starzia who is that man truly? Zoreefa finally mustered the courage to asked when she was alone with the maid. Stazia cleared her throat, disappointment clearly visible in her eyes. She knew that look in the queen's eyes. That's the same feeling she was fighting back at werga, she couldn't decipher what the problem was at first, till it was too late….
And when she found the cause of her own misery, she cried her eyes out, thinking the feeling will pass overtime but it never did, it only grew stronger… now she knew her life will never be the same without louga. But in her case; this phenomenon took a month to happened growing steadily every day as she got to connect with the man on a deeper level. What worried her is; it only took a day for the queen to fall for the man.
Besides stazia never pursue what she felt for the man, what is the point? it will be a loss cause, louga deserve a woman worthy of his love and stazia felt she didn't fall under that category. "stazia can you her me, I am asking you a question" the voice of Zoreefa penetrated her dilemma like a knife slicing through a water melon.
Stazia hesitated before responding "well; my lady, the man is like a storm out of nowhere sweeping everything on his path, and for those that that can't be swept, he attracted them to himself like a magnetic pull, I have not met a single person that is not attracted to the man".
Zoreefa turn away from stazia to hide her excited frustration. She didn't believe such a man existed, a man that has the ability to twist her inside out. Tygon shower her with exaggerated love which she reciprocates in pomp, But none of it can much this.
This was something else entirely. She wants to possess and own the man, the feeling felt so strong it wrenches the breath out of her lungs making her struggle for breath. What is the matter with her? She must be going insane.
Louga couldn't sleep, he has been tossing in bed all night…. the pretty face of the queen tormented his now fragile heart. He got up from bed, and walked out from the room into the bright full moon night, so bright it made the yellow stone of Zanka illuminate in response. He ambled down to the pond in the middle of the court yard and sat on one of the rocks that was used to guard the pond…. and took out his flute, then started to play. Intermittently he stopped and looked up into the night sky and spoke to the moon thus;
"woe on to me, woe on to me. am I not louga the detached one, the one who never weaver in the middle of the storm. Haven't I Liberate my will high above my folly? Oh moon! Show to me this night my face, countless nights have you showed it me, in different forms have you showed it to me, show it me when I was a baby in the arms of the mother suckling. Oh showed to me the universal face which my face is part of. Ah, but look what you show to me now, an alien beast does you show to me; an alien beast with its mouth gaping, ever ready to feast on raw flesh… yes! A beast am I, let loose in the wild, freely do I want to run. Freely do I want to rid myself of this yolks les I choke…"
Zoreefa duck behind one of the palace pillars and watch louga play his flute…. she was about to walk up to him, but he stops playing, looked into the night sky and spoke puzzling verses to the moon.
she had always been a lover of poetry; albeit, this was different, his words hit home, straight to her heart, was she not the monster; following her prey, ready to eat his raw flesh? Is she not the cause of his woes and misery? because of her, once a peaceful man now cast himself into the wild, forlorn and wanting…. has she not put doubt in the heart of the young man, had she not cast her lustful eyes on the young man?
Hitherto; Zoreefa found happiness in her lonely heart. At least the feeling is mutual, she is not the only one who can't sleep because of this crazy passion, "oh! Louga, my louga… I can feel your pain, I gladly share it with you, ours is a forbidden one, what do we do oh my dear; what are we going to do?"
Zoreefa didn't realize she was speaking the words aloud, rather than thinking them…. And she begun to sob softly in shadows casted by the pillars. Then she felt a presence behind her, it was louga; he had heard her voice and followed it to the source. He places one hand on her shoulder and turned her around gently. They stood there face to face locking gaze in the darkness, their heart beats drumming in their ears, the only sound that could be heard in the silent night. Without the exchange of words, they close the gap between them in an embrace.
The couples didn't take notice of the other presence in the vicinity, another shadow in the darkness watching.
The smell of roses filled his nostrils when louga hug the princess, a scent he deliberately stored away in his mind to call upon on demand in her absence. Nothing last forever; louga know these are fleeting moments he had to quickly download. They stood there holding hands and caressing each other, oblivious to the world around them….
........
Stazia felt heavy in the chest; as she watches the two lovers embrace and caress each other. To night she did decided to declare her feelings to louga, and she didn't care whether the man feels the same. She simply wanted him to know she was there for him….and then, she heard the flute playing in the court yard, and she thought this is the opportunity she has been waiting for.
But arriving on the scene, the unexpected happened, she couldn't believe what she saw; she didn't think the queen will act this quick. Coming out to meet louga in the open, she gasped and close her mouth with both hands, envy eating her alive, tearing her heart into pieces, she couldn't breathe, she was choking in envy…. To avoid being discovered, she run off in the direction she had come.
Louga and Zoreefa heard the sound in the darkness and broke contact; they realize someone was there, Zoreefa hurriedly embraced louga for the last time and run off into darkness. Louga took in a deep breath and exhale. What just happen? He couldn't believe he was standing here moments ago with the queen….
No he must be dreaming. But the smell of roses still lingers in the air, a sign that it actually happens. He did hear her confess her feelings. Now the guilt he was feeling earlier, returned in full force… but the there is nothing he could do now, he was in too deep. He finally managed to walked to his room in the guest quarters. Sleep will probably do him some good after all the drama.
...….
The man in the black hood came out of the darkness closer to where the lovers departed earlier. His slim face spread in abroad smile as he walked away from the court yard…. Everything was going according to plan. He will send word to kumta first thing on the morrow. He took the secret passage leading outside the king's palace.
Certain he is alone; he removes the hood covering his head to real his face… it was the man in the caravan. And he had been monitoring louga ever since he had arrived in werga. Since then he had been Sending weekly report to kumta and the allies.
He is here to ensure that everything goes according to plan. the young man cannot be trusted, he is already out of course, his love for the woman can jeopardize everything…. That's why he is here, to make sure the deed is done at all cost… then he will clean up the mess, louga is a dead man after the mission, oh what a waste, he really admires the boy…. Crookedly; the assassin smiled to himself.