Shuah Azar sighed as he held his head.Ever since her eyes locked with his, he had carried her in his arms, her velvet like voice reached his ear, he knew he would be putty in her hands.
He had never been in love but still, he wanted to get the same feeling someone gets when someone confesses his or her love for the person. Picturing her lips against his gives him such a rush that nearly makes him fall over. He cannot seem to get his mind off the maiden.
Ever since he had carried her to the guest room which was about two days ago, he had always sent his guards to check if she was awake. When he had heard she was awake this morning, he was very happy.
He remembered how impatient he was when his guard told him that she was awake and has told her to come meet him in his chambers. Seeing her again took his breath away. She was even more beautiful than he had last remembered.
It really hurt him when she had bowed her head down in what seemed like fear. Touching her chin sent shiver down his spine and meeting her beautiful blue eyes made his heartbeat skip faster.
He had assured her to be free around him and to not be scared around him.
What was going on with him?
He walked to class thinking. Its been a while since he had seen her, more like thirty minutes ago. Maybe he likes her or he just seem attracted to her. Maybe he was sick.
He did not feel it was love at all because judging by all he had done and all he had acquired, his last wish was to never be trapped in a myth called love.
He does not understand what happened all of a sudden. He was not someone to like a woman or feel for a woman, especially a random slave.
Maybe things have changed.
No, he cannot agree he was in love with her.
He is not in love with her.
He tear his thoughts away from her and think about how he has changed.
No, he cannot still agree to the fact that it was love.
He sits down on his bed pretending not to care about having her in here right now. It is good that he she was not here because then he can further shrink this ball of affection that rules his heart.
He is not at all in love with her.
His thoughts are interrupted when there was a knock on the door.
"Do come in whoever it may be"
His thoughts went wild when she enters the room with her head bowed. Her long and beautiful black hair is damp with beauty. Her angelic, porcelain and pale skin has a faint red flush.
Happiness is not an ideal of reason but of imagination, yet for him, happiness is not an 'ideal,' nor conjured by imagination, yet is a state of being that thrives when we are at peace within ourselves.
Happiness is in the moment, the more focused the more intense, like a beam of light to the soul. And just as with well focused light, it is then we find better resolution.
He didn't know if it was love, but one thing was sure;
This girl was his happiness.
03:28 pm 1608年3月18日 (18th March 1608)
"Do come in whoever it may be" Caulifla had heard and opened the door, her eyes going at once to the floor as a sign of respect for the King.
"Salaam alaykum Shuah" (May peace be upon you King)"
"I had told you not to bow your head in front of me" The King had said in a harsh tone, ignoring her greetings as fear slid through her veins.
"Look at me" He commanded, but she wasn't sure if she should.
"I said look at me" She looked up to see the handsome man she was so scared of.
The Handsome King.
"Never bow down to me. Tale me as a friend not as a King. You are here for your work?" He asked as he looked quite stern.
"Yes my King. It is expected of me to clean your room if you will permit me"
"You have my approval. There should be where the cleaning materials are kept" He said, pointing to a store room.
"Thank you Shuah" She said as she walked to the store room and took the things she will be needing.
She came out to still see the King sitting on his bed.
"If the King does not mind, can he please leave the room so your number servant carries her work?"
"I rather remain here. It will be a waste of time heading to the throne room" He said as he crossed his legs.
"As you wish" Caulifla said as she started her work.
Fragments of thought, splinters of words, and droplets of silence spun into a kaleidoscopic jumble, shifted infinitesimally, and fell into an incredible new pattern as she did her work.
The silence stretched thinner and thinner, like a balloon blown big, until the temptation to rupture it was too great to resist. The way the king stared at her made her feel quite uncomfortable.
"How old are you Caulifla?" He asked as he watched her do her work.
"Seventeen"
"I am twenty-six"
He's so much younger than she had expected. He has that grown-up choir boy look except the tattoos that swirl above the neckline of his regalia.
"You must be a lot surprised are you?"
"It is very much hard to accept that my Shuah is twenty six. He has acquired much and he is so quite young"
"I do not know but you calling me your Shuah has an effect on me. It makes me smile in delight" He said as he smiled.
Caulifla seemed surprised as she looked down. She has an effect on Shuah Azar?"
"How my Lord?"
"I do not know but i like you. You are from Tsumago empire?"
"Yes My Lord"
"Tsugini, anata mo karera no gengo o hanasanakereba narimasen" ( Then you must speak their language as well)
Caulifla opened her mouth in surprise as she looked at the King.
"Watashi no ō wa dono yō ni watashi no gengo o totemo ryūchō ni hanashimasu ka?" (How does my King speak my language so fluently?)
"Haha wa tsumagojuku shusshin de, tsumagojuku kōtei no te ni yotte nakunaru mae ni watashi o kangaemashita" (My mother is from Tsumago and she thought me before she died by the hands of the Tsumago Emperor)
Caulifla looked him with surprise. Her father had killed his mother? How was that possible?
"Haha wa tsumagojuku no shimo bedeshita. Kanojo wa itsumo kare ni tsukaete imashitaga, kanojo ga watashinochichi to issho ni iru tame ni kanojo no teikoku ni hantai shita koto o kare ga hakken shita nochi, futō ni korosa remashita.
"Watashinochichi wa watashinohaha nashide wa dekinakattanode, kare wa jisatsu shi, watashi o kono sekai ni hanatte oita. Soshite sore ga watashi ga itsumo sono otoko to kare no hitobito o koroshitai to omotte ita riyūdesuga, watashi wa jibun no rieki no tame dake ni tsumi no nai chi o koboshitaku arimasendeshita.
"Awanakatta no wa ureshīdesu. Atta koto ga naikaradesu. Anata wa karifura o nakushitadeshou."
( My mother was a servant for the Emperor of Tsumago. She always served him but was killed unjustly after he had discovered that she had gone against her Empire to be with my father. My father could not do without my mother and so he killed himself, leaving me alone in this world. And that is why i have always wanted to kill that man and his people but i never wanted to spill innocent blood just for my gain. I am glad i didn't because if i did, i wont ever have met you. You would have died Caulifla.)
She watched as he turned away from her, trying to control his almost pouring tears. How can her father be this cruel? Here she thought this man was an enemy, not knowing her father had done something to earn being an enemy. She suddenly hated her father, pitying this man. Now this all explains the enmity between the two empires.
"I never knew this ever happened Shuah, i was unaware. I am sorry for your loss"
"You are not at fault Caulifla, that Emperor is at fault and i will make sure i end him"
"Anata wa kōtei o koroshitaidesu ka?"( You want to kill the Emperor?)
"Yes"
"Anata ga kare o korosunara anata wa watashi no kōtei o koroshimasu" ( If you kill him then you kill my Emperor)
"He is not your Emperor, i am"
"Shikashi, watashi wa kare ni zokushite imasu, watashi wa kare no ōkoku ni zokushite imasu" ( But i belong to him, i belong to his kingdom)
The King stood up and walked to her in anger, holding both her hands up and pushing her to the wall.
"You are mine and you belong here. I am you King and you are mine"
"Watashi wa anata no monode wa arimasen" ( I am not yours)
"You always will be mine Caulifla. You are mine because i love you"
"My King?"
"Call me that again"
"My King"
"I love you. I never thought i will ever say those three words for a woman but i cannot help it right now. You are mine because i love you. You will never return to that empire because i love you. You will remain here and serve as my Queen because i love you. "
"I love you Caulifla right from the first moment i laid my eyes on you and i want to love you till the end" He said as he held her cheek with love.
With passion.
With care.
"I love you"