Chapter Thirteen
_The Last Day of the Year
Another morning of the festival, and despite the snow covering the capital, the sky was bright, as if celebrating the end of the year...
She was standing on the street corner, holding a small basket. She wore a black cloak that covered her completely, showing only the hem of her simple grey dress, moving her gaze around the place...
"Did I make you wait long?!"
"Raphael!"
She felt his voice behind her and turned around with a bright, happy expression. Although his body was fully covered in black, his large build and powerful presence made her recognize him immediately...
He smiled at her and said playfully:
"So, what are we going to do today?!"
With an excited expression and a joyful voice:
"I've never been out to a festival before, it's my first time, so I want to enjoy everything, what do you think?"
"It's my first time too, so that's fine... I'd love that, .... Also, Aya, what is this basket?!"
Ariana took a somewhat small box out of it and gave it to Raphael, showing him the empty basket, and said:
"The candy box is a gift of gratitude from Marianne for what I did for her, although I should have been the one to give you a gift, but I didn't."
She pouted in a childish way, because she had been thinking of getting a gift for Raphael during the festival but hadn't told him. She then looked at him with a gentle smile and completed her words:
"And when I told her that you liked the candy, she decided to make it for you..."
And she smiled enthusiastically. Raphael, who felt his heart swell, had never received a gift of gratitude from anyone. It was a beautiful thing, but he wished for a gift from Ariana more. However, he wasn't upset, as that candy had become something he favoured, especially with Ariana..
After that, they started moving. Ariana felt someone following her, so she turned to Raphael:
"Raphael, someone is following us."
She looked in all directions. Raphael patted her on the shoulder and said gently:
"It's Casper and Brian, they are just watching the road."
Ariana felt Raphael's reassuring words, smiled, and they continued their stroll...
The market was very crowded with vendors, stalls, and even people. There were children running among their families and various smells. Ariana was astonished by everything around her, but she was slowing down so as not to affect her delicate health. As for Raphael, despite being somewhat drawn to the festival atmosphere, his focus was on Ariana, her laughter, and her joyful voice, and he was trying to make her walk on less crowded paths...
While Raphael was slightly away, Casper and Brian approached her with excited faces:
"Happy to meet the Lady in good health and safety. Did His Majesty deliver our greetings?"
Ariana raised an eyebrow and laughed:
"It seems he completely forgot."
Casper frowned but returned to his excitement, looked at Brian, and whispered in a voice that only the three of them could hear...
"My Lady, will you attend the New Year's banquet?!"
"Unfortunately, no."
"Isn't your family invited?!"
Brian blurted out a foolish question, but Ariana, who felt familiar with them, replied:
"It's not that, but my health is a little poor... Perhaps at another banquet."
"Perhaps the Lady will attend the Spring Banquet, on His Majesty's birthday."
Casper got excited and spoke with anticipatory eyes. Ariana placed her hand under her chin:
"Hmmmm, if my health gets better by then, I will attend."
The two got excited, so she looked at them with questioning glances:
"Why do you two want my attendance so badly?!"
The two were embarrassed and looked at each other, then the reckless Casper whispered:
"We are afraid that His Majesty will get entangled in a political marriage."
"And is he pleased with that?!"
"No, His Majesty doesn't give King Nathan any chance, he even refused to dance with the Princess..."
Brian spoke while thinking:
"I heard that the only time His Majesty danced was with the late Empress on his tenth birthday, they say it was the gentlest dance ever, Her Majesty cherished her child greatly, that's what I heard..."
Ariana smiled at a beautiful memory of Raphael and watched their words with enjoyment. She knew that they held pure loyalty to their master...
"I think His Majesty's next dance will be with the Lady."
Ariana flinched at Casper's reckless words and became flustered. She placed her hand under her robe over her heart, perhaps to ease its frantic beating, and tried to change the subject, but her lips wouldn't open. Brian was quick-witted, so he hit Casper's head and whispered to him:
"Don't be reckless with your words, you've embarrassed the Lady."
Casper's eyes widened. He looked at Ariana and opened his mouth to apologize....
"Am I late?!... "
He was smiling, holding two cute cloth dolls in his hands, and when he saw Casper and Brian, he frowned and said:
"What are you two doing here?!"
He looked at Casper and Brian with sharp glances. The two became flustered and looked at Ariana with puppy eyes, so she laughed and said:
"Raphael, they entertained me so I wouldn't get bored when you were late."
He looked at them meaning "Is that true?":
"Yes, Your Majesty."
They answered at the same moment, which made Ariana laugh cheerfully and look at a small stall selling grilled meat:
"Raphael, I'd like to eat skewers, will you try them with me?!"
"I haven't eaten them before, but that's fine."
He forgot the presence of Casper and Brian, who quickly fled. Ariana got excited and started walking, looking at the stall selling food. She signaled for Raphael to come with her..
"I'm thinking of waiting for you at that point."
He pointed to the alley near her. Ariana nodded in agreement and set off to buy the grilled meat. When she arrived, she said with excitement and anticipation:
"I would like four chicken skewers, please."
She spoke in a beautiful and gentle voice to the old vendor. Despite her strange and simple appearance and her long black robe, and her face well-hidden under the hood, her kind manner made the vendor overlook that...
While waiting, she shifted her gaze to the dark alley, where Raphael stood leaning against the wall with his overwhelming aura. His gaze that swept the place was dark and cold:
'Is he angry...?'
"Here you go, Miss."
The old vendor's voice interrupted her thoughts, so she returned her gaze to him, smiled gently, handed him the money, and took the skewers with the fragrant smell of seasoned and grilled chicken...
She set off eagerly towards the one standing coldly and said in a sweet voice:
"Raphael."
When he heard her warm voice and saw her bright gaze with her sky-blue eyes, he dropped his cold gaze and smiled, saying in a playful manner as if he hadn't acted coldly moments ago:
"What will you show me this time?"
She laughed cheerfully:
"This time, I will feed you."
She proudly handed him two skewers and said:
"Taste it and give me your opinion."
Before putting the food in his mouth, he smelled its aroma, and it seemed to appeal to him, so he spoke sarcastically:
"Aya, doesn't this food affect your health?"
She looked at him with a frown and bit the skewer heartily, forgetting all aristocratic manners:
"I've always wanted to try this food. One time won't hurt."
Raphael laughed wholeheartedly and said:
"You look like a mischievous child."
She puffed out her cheeks, and her frown increased, and she replied:
"Eat your food silently."
He ate his food while watching her actions, which always surprised him. Despite her strange actions, he liked her...
Aya looked at him and smiled when she saw him eating with appetite, then she said:
"If I get sick, you'll treat me, won't you?!"
She looked at him with puppy eyes, which made him laugh and gently pat her head:
"Fine, I will take care of you."
Then she spoke inquiringly while still eating the first skewer:
"What are you thinking about?! You look upset."
"It seems your advice was accurate, the temple is embezzling money."
"..."
Ariana tilted her head in confusion and urged him to continue:
"There are many, many poor people, and they will become more visible in normal days."
"Maybe the poor are too numerous for the treasury to support."
"Aya, what the treasury pays is enough for ten noble families for a year, but the common people have simpler lives, and what we send to the temple is more than you can imagine, not counting the donations from the nobles and the money from other activities held by the..."
He didn't finish his words before a ten-year-old child collided with him forcefully and fell. Raphael knelt to the child's level and gently grabbed him. The child was trying to escape Raphael's grip...
Raphael looked at Ariana, who smiled cheerfully and knelt to the child's level:
"Return what you took."
The child was astonished, and Raphael, who felt something was wrong, saw that her voice was gentle yet stern. Raphael looked at Ariana and whispered:
"Are you sure?!"
"Raphael, did you check your money pouch?"
Raphael handed the remaining skewer to Ariana and checked his money with the hand that was holding the skewer while he was gripping the child. Indeed, he was surprised by the disappearance of the pouch. He looked at Ariana, who muttered:
"I have seen these children, and I know how to deal with them."
Only Raphael heard her, which confused him. Ariana hadn't intended for him to hear, but the matter had been revealed, so she decided to ignore it. She looked at the small boy and spoke sternly but in a gentle voice:
"Did you steal the money? Don't try to deny it, because it is not in your favor."
The boy stammered and tried to escape, but Raphael was firm in his hold... The child shifted his gaze between Ariana and Raphael, then spoke in a sad voice:
"You look rich, the money won't hurt anything, and my mother is sick..."
"Liar!"
"..."
"..."
The boy and Raphael flinched at her stern voice. The boy stammered, his eyes shook, and he looked at her with a desperate face.
"Why don't you tell the truth, and I will help you."
Her tone changed to a gentle one, but the firmness was still there. The child shifted his gaze between Ariana and Raphael and tried hard to escape, his heart filled with fear:
"Let me go, you took your money, let me go now."
"If I let you go, what guarantees me that you won't do it again? You are someone who is used to it... Who are you stealing for?"
"..."
The child became more and more flustered and tried to get out, but Ariana knew he was scared, so with her free hand, she patted the child's head with pure tenderness:
"Are they forcing you to steal? Tell me... The friend in front of you is a powerful magician; he can help you..."
The boy was writhing with fear and tried to pull himself away from Raphael, so Ariana whispered something to Raphael, who smiled and placed his free hand on the boy's head...
".Ahhh ..."
The boy almost screamed but went silent because he felt warmth all over his body. He raised his gaze to Ariana and Raphael, and the child's tears fell.
His body, which was stained with cuts and scars, became clean and healthy. Raphael moved his hands away from the child, who was quietly suppressing his sobs...
"You look hungry, eat this until you regain your energy..."
Ariana gave him the remaining meat skewers, which neither of them had touched. The child gathered his voice and said:
"Isn't this your food?"
"It's fine, we ate enough, and now will you take it?!"
The child extended his hand, took the food, and began eating it without making a sound. When he finished eating, he looked at them with big, confused eyes. Ariana spoke:
"What is your name?!"
"Leon."
"Tell us everything, and we will help you."
It was not Ariana who spoke, but Raphael, who said it gently. The child was touched and swallowed his saliva:
"It's the leader Gabriel. Every child among us has to hand him a sum of money every day, and if we don't give him the agreed-upon share, we will be beaten or starved. I'm not the only one, there are many of us..."
Ariana patted the child's head, and before handing him the money pouch he had stolen earlier, she said with pure gentleness while extending her pinky finger:
"First, promise me you won't steal again."
The child hesitated a little, then extended his finger and hooked it with Ariana's. Ariana smiled and gave him the money, saying gently:
"You will take the money, and you will give only today's share to the leader and help your friends, and do not tell anyone that you met us... Never. Leon is a smart boy and will do what his Big Sister asks him to do."
"Certainly."
Leon nodded with a bright, sincere face and left. Ariana and Raphael waved to the child, then Ariana signaled for Casper and Brian to come... They could not refuse her gesture, so they approached them:
"Can I ask a small favor from you two?!"
Ariana shifted her gaze between them and Raphael, who gave permission easily...
Ariana spoke with a wicked smile and a confident look:
"Why don't we teach those wicked adults a lesson?... You need to track the child and reach their hiding place, then you have the freedom to act. Show me the pride of the Personal Imperial Knights... My only condition is that you find a good place to care for the children."
They bowed deeply and hurried to catch up with the child. Raphael looked at Ariana after they left:
"Shall we go eat something? You gave your food to the child."
"It's fine, I'm not hungry right now, and you can ask."
She looked at him with a meaningful smile. Raphael laughed and said:
"What are you thinking about?!"
"Improving the image of His Majesty the Emperor."
"And how is that?"
"Simply, by attributing good deeds to the Emperor and his followers. Start the temple war by making the people slowly abandon it. Don't ruin its image... but make the people dependent on the Emperor... If the temple helps twenty poor people, let the Emperor help one hundred.... Do you understand me?"
And she smiled with a bright but wicked expression. Raphael laughed and said spontaneously:
"It's good that you are with me..."
Ariana smiled and felt her heart beating fast, but she tried to ignore it and said, attempting to change the subject:
"How was the festival banquet?"
"Boring, exhausting, and I wish it would end quickly."
Ariana looked at him in shock, and he looked at her as if asking "What's wrong?!" Ariana's smile widened and she thought:
'It's good that Raphael has started talking to me about his day easily, it seems he is starting to open his heart to me.'
"I'm happy that Raphael is complaining to me."
"Am I complaining?..."
Raphael felt embarrassed because he spoke easily in front of her, but Ariana said sincerely:
"It's good to complain to me sometimes... Don't carry your burden alone; that's what friends are for."
Raphael looked at Ariana with a pure feeling of gratitude and said in a warm voice:
"Thank you."
Ariana smiled and then asked curiously:
"Are the preparations for the banquet this luxurious every year?"
"Usually the ceremony is luxurious because it is a ceremony for the Silver Dragon, the protector of the land of Cassian, but this year will be the Night of the Silver Moon, which happens once every thousand years, as the myths say, and the sky snows with silver-white snow..."
"Silver snow, and a silver moon... The night Ariana died."
Ariana opened her mouth and muttered in shock in a nearly audible voice. Raphael looked at her confusedly:
"Ariana died?!"
"..."
Ariana stammered and looked at Raphael with a confused face. She couldn't say a single word, and her face turned pale, as what Raphael had heard was something she had no explanation for, except the truth...
Raphael lowered his head until his eyes met hers, and he looked at the fear and confusion within them:
"It's fine, you don't have to talk... What matters to me is, are you okay?"
"I... I'm fine..."
Raphael smiled gently at Ariana and said playfully:
"I brought two dolls that the vendor said bring good luck."
He held up the two dolls, which were smaller than the palm of a hand and were two rabbits, one silver and the other light brown...
Ariana smiled with a happy heart:
"And do you believe in this superstition?!"
"It's not important that you believe in the superstition; what matters is the pleasure of the experience."
"..."
Ariana looked at him in surprise, which made him laugh and say warmly:
"My mother used to do that... Come on, let's continue our stroll."
He handed the silver doll to Ariana and took the brown doll and hid it in his pocket. Ariana felt warmth and the frantic beating of her heart. She raised her gaze to Raphael and, with complex feelings, said:
"If I can someday, I will tell you, I will tell you everything... Will you wait for me to tell you?"
"Certainly."
It was an answer that carried a lot of trust, which made Ariana's heart fill with warmth and many feelings that were difficult for her to interpret...
* * *
"It seems that little Emperor is moving on his own accord; he has started to act cunningly."
"Shouldn't we remove him soon?"
"We must control his weakness. The temple will need to act soon..."
"And concerning the trap, do you think he will fall into it?!"
"The priest Evan is also acting strangely this period; this will cause a problem, and it will be difficult to execute the plan..."
"Sir Rocshan, why didn't you act concerning Cardinal Jerome when you learned of his betrayal?"
The High Priest raised his head with an aged yet beautiful face despite his age, and with chestnut brown hair with many white strands and eyes the color of emerald green, full of greed. He clenched his fist and said:
"I must know what that child is hiding in his head..."
"His holy power is flawless, why didn't he work for the Emperor?! Is it possible to re-recruit him to our side?!"
Rocshan laughed and said:
"A great idea has come to me, and it is fine to use that child. Lohan, get ready."
Lohan, the assistant priest, looked at his master with confused looks but nodded yes...
...... To be continued ......