The Reluctant Emperor (Adir, Mika, and Aymelek)
Aug 29, 2013 21:13:14 GMT -4
Post by Empress Aymelek on Aug 29, 2013 21:13:14 GMT -4
ADIR: It was all in order. The Emir, Adir Sarraf, was not seated on his throne, though he was no less a ruler as he was, sitting in a garden, listening to the trickle of water that was so rare in the desert it was, in and of itself, music. The lush plants were given particular attention each day to keep them healthy and lush for the enjoyment of all who roamed through the royal gardens of the Susain palace. Clothed in ornate robes of various colors, ironically they were wrapping a body beaten by years of his own wars, Adir's eyes continued toward the distant sky. Mika Nerida was summoned to the Emir earlier in the day. It was not optional, it was expected. As ostentatious and formal as some of his court wanted to be, the old Emir himself was just a man. An old man. He saw is death looming soon, could feel it winding around his body and soul in a process that would soon lead to his passing. The seats were wide and cushioned a table between them with water and fruit. He waited patiently, sometimes dwelling on the way his bones ached so deeply. He never remembered his bones aching when he was young and in battle. Kasim would show in the guest of the Emir, and already, deference that was unusual was being shown to the Ghost. Bowing, eyes lowering, paths cleared, it was common knowledge within the gilded cage of the Sarraf that this was their next ruler. Not an Emir, but more. An Emperor.
MIKA: Einar. Draugar. Ghost of the North. Mika had accumulated many titles in his time abroad, and they followed him like shadows wherever he went. And they followed him now as he was lead through the palace by the Emir's people. They seem to leave one by one, until there was only one man leading him. He was dressed in dark, muted colors: deep blue and black. The clothes were made of light cloth, appropriate for the desert, but they had a northern flare for them. Perhaps summer clothes where Mika was from. He looked at the man - Kasim - as he stepped aside and bowed, then looked at the man that had summoned him. Or rather, requested his presence. Invited him. No one commanded him to be anywhere. But Mika inclined his head politely to Adir Sarraf, because the man was a ruler in his right, and this was his house. It would be rude to show direspect in a man's own house.
ADIR: Adir waved off Kasim, and motioned Mika forward. "Come and sit with an old man. The time has come for us to talk, Ghost of the North." Movement for Adir was difficult but he managed without making too much of a scene. Waving Mika to the cushioned seat across from his at the table, he lifted a gnarled hand to the beauty surrounding them. "They say to breathe air that has the life of plants in it, is good for the body. Let us test that today and see if we feel better." The water was so cold there was condensation on the crystal glasses, the fruit the freshest possible and fragrant with its sweet aroma. There was not a lot of it, for while there was enjoyment in rare treats, there was not waste or overabundance where none was needed. "You are the youngest son of Ashish and his Lady. You have the look of your mother about you. She was a beauty in her day." Adir leaned slightly to the left, but drank his water with his right hand.
MIKA: Mika moved closer and eased down onto a cushion, the one Adir gestured to. "I do not feel ill," he said as he looked at the plants around them. He picked up the water, since Adir was drinking his, and took a slow sip. It was cool, slightly sweet. He watched the old man. "Why have you asked me here, Emir Sarraf? I can't imagine it is to speak of my mother or my lineage." Call him crazy, but he was sure a man like Adir had more than just a social visit in mind. And Mika was very, very bad at small talk.
ADIR: Mika could have done any number of things. Been polite would have been a nice start, but he acted like the warrior that he was. The enigmatic ghost that Adir knew better than Mika realized. He was amused and it showed in his dark eyes. "I doubt your imagination is one of your gifts, but that makes it all the better..." Adir said cryptically then finished off his own glass of water. He watched Mika and could literally smell the strength and vitality of the man. It bolstered his mind that he made the right decision. His eyes finally shifted to look out over the garden. "Susa has been in a state of peace for some two decades. It is my wish that it remain so. The northern lands have cast their eye upon the rest of Susa. It is not in my nature to leap to war, so after months of investigation, inquiry and reconnaissance, there is a solution." He paused. "Unity with the northern lands under the rule of Susa." He ran a stiff hand over his chin and smiled. "They have agreed. Those in power there will come under the rule of Susa and be at peace with us, protecting one another, fighting together against common enemies." Adir looked at Mika. "Under one condition. That one of their own takes the seat of my throne as the husband of my daughter, the Princess Aymelek, soon to be Empress."
MIKA: Mika's sense of 'polite' only went so far - to him, being blunt was being polite, but he supposed that wasn't always so in other places. He knew the whispers in the north, of certain groups wanting to move into the south, and he knew that, inevitably, there would be a hard clash with the people of Susa. He frowned, though, when the Emir mentioned the northern lands under the rule of Susa. The north-man in him balked against the reins. Of course there was a condition - there must have been one at the very least. He watched the man steadily with those large, dark eyes of his. "One of their own?" he repeated, and he looked around as if he was expecting someone else to show up, to reveal themselves as the new ruler of Susa, the one that would marry the princess. Then he looked at Adir again, eyes slowly widening. "... Are you suggesting that person is me?" He was more than startled, floored, really, and he was sure that the Emir couldn't be serious. Perhaps he wanted Mika to ask someone else, to be an emissary since he had family ties here in the south.
ADIR: Adir's body moved in the silent belly laugh. There was a freedom in being old. You really didn't care much anymore about others discomfort, but you enjoyed witnessing it. "I wasn't the one suggesting it, your northern brothers were. But that is precisely what I am saying. Those in the north gave your name. You have ties to both but have proven yourself one of them. Now before you begin with your inevitable protests, consider the following. If you will not do this, there will be war. Your family here will be at odds with your family there." Adir was suddenly weary, the situation rang too familiar to the old man. "People will needlessly die, the resources will be scattered from here to there, with those most vulnerable dying or living in misery. There will be no order, no peace, no hope of a future that has anything in it, but struggle and pain."
MIKA: Mika sighed and sank back, rubbing his forehead like he might be getting a headache. Yes, he knew everything that Adir was saying was true. If there was a war, he would be pulled in two different directions between his family in the south and his adopted people in the north. And he knew, very well, that the people in the south - in Susa - would have a hard fight ahead of them if such a war happened. He huffed a quiet, heavy sigh and looked over at the Emir again, watching him. "I have no desire to bring war and devestation to Susa, or to Dimmamark." He huffed another quiet sigh and he looked around again, as if seeking some escape - as if searching for some other option. But there was none. Not if he was the nominee from the north. To secure this, he would have to marry Adir's daughter, a woman he didn't know. A woman that would likely have her own objections to this. And he couldn't help but feel that n one had asked her opinion on the matter. "So you would have me as an emperor of Susa and Dimmamark."
ADIR: Adir watched the young man's face. It was the visage of a male destined for greatness for in his reluctance and concern over being handed such a fate, his greatness was proven. Those who eagerly sought such a thing, salivated at its presentation, were unworthy of such a thing. Mika, Einar, the Ghost...was the worthy one. "I have no sons, and that is not to say my life was bereft of joy due to that, but I've longed for a son for many years, but I knew that someday through Aymelek's eventual marriage I would gain that son. " Adir's voice was steady, solid, confident. "I never expected that gift to come in the form of someone like you." He leaned closer, "If I had a choice, I would have chosen you, Mika. The north has a good sense of quality." He took a sudden breath and leaned back finally. Adir seemed smaller suddenly, as if the relief of finally making one more step in the right direction was easing him. "So yes, I would have you as my heir and Emperor of Susa. Dimmamark will be part of Susa. There is an expectation on both sides that you will produce your own heir in time, but ...that is for the future. My daughter knows nothing of this, but she will do as I ask, she lives her life for the people of Susa. On my death, the reins will be in the hands of the pair of you....and it will be sooner than she expects."
MIKA: Mika huffed an almost humorless laugh. "I'm quite sure you never expected a son like me," he said with a dry smile. He was still a bit stunned by the entire situation, still thrown off by it. Frightened wasn't necessarily the correct word, but he also wasn't sure it was wrong. He looked over at Adir again, a small frown tugging at his mouth. "Or perhaps Susa will now be part of Dimmamark." Adir was the one putting a northman on the throne. But he supposed that was just a game of semantics - the two lands would be united, and that was that. "Don't you think someone should tell her?" He lifted an eyebrow, but he wasn't surprised to know that the girl knew nothing. He studied Adir and nodded. Yes, the man was old... and he was dying. Mika could see it, even if the daughter didn't wish to. But Adir was an old man, and Mika imagined he would meet his death with as much dignity as he could.
ADIR: Adir found the energy to laugh. A loud, head back laugh at Mika's reference to Dimmamark and Susa. "Ah those are the words of a great leader..." Adir smiled and waved a hand. "Yes, someone should. Eventually someone will. I'm not sure if I'm the man for that job." He laughed again but this time it deteroiated into a wet, breath stealing cough that had a servant running forth and pouring another glass of water for the old Emir. "The northern council expected your answer to be in support of their desire...." Adir continued breathlessly after a few sips. "The wedding will be in three days time. You have two to gather your belongings and return here to take your place as the reluctant Emperor of Susa, Ghost of the North.."
MIKA: Mika watched the old man - that cough was bad. Unless his health improved, his time truly was short. He gave a nod. "I suppose they know me well enough, then." Hopefully they trusted him, and would abide by this support. Or, perhaps, they thought he was weak. He would find out, one way or another. "Three days?" His eyes went wide again, incredulous. Three days? That was hardly any time at all. Though, a quiet voice in his mind whispered it was enough time to get far on a good horse. Mika shook his head. "It is not enough time to go as far as I'd need to go. I will send a message. Someone will bring my things," he said. He had some things at his parents' home, at least, that could be moved into the palace. He looked at Adir. "I have a dog. I would appreciate that he be left alone." Well, 'dog' was perhaps unfair - it was a wolf, one of the great northern wolves, massive animals that dwarfed the wolves and coyotes that roamed to the south.
ADIR: hat movement indicating silent laughter again, but his eyes showed great admiration for Mika's ability to take the unexpected and deal with it practically. One did not need an imagination when they functioned so smoothly under such conditions. "As you wish, this is your home now, Mika. It is yours to shape as you will. Whatever you wish to happen, happens. No one shall touch your dog, your things will be placed in your private chambers. Kasim can show you around when it suits you. There is a matter of showing you the war room, the throne room, various places that are off limits to all but the royals themselves. Kasim will handle it all, though I must say, I regret not being the one to do it myself. It does my heart good to see the look in your eyes." He could tell Mika had suffered in his life. So much so that things were distilled down to important and unimportant with the latter being the fuller category. He liked that. But he also saw in this young man, the remnants of a heart. He did not want people to die, he cared about his family, he saw the sense in what he was doing. He was born for this, he just did not realize it yet. But he would....oh he would and now Adir had another reason to regret leaving this mortal coil so soon. "I would have loved to have watched you come into your own, son, but trust me when I say you will. And it will be on your own terms."
MIKA: Mika offered the old man another dry smile. "Most things are on my terms," he quipped. He sighed and looked around again, wondering if he could get used to this place - if it would ever feel like home. He rose and offered Adir his hand. "I think I'll walk around some," he said. "If that's alright." With or without Kasim, it didn't matter. Mika hesitated a moment, then asked, "Would you like me to walk you somewhere you can rest?" Or maybe Adir wanted to rest longer here, in the garden. But he felt compelled to offer the kindness. Adir was, above all else, an old man, and deserved some comfort in his old age.
ADIR: Adir all but fell back against the cushioned seat, taking Mika's hand and shaking it instead of using it to rise. "Someone will be here soon. You do as you wish, go where you will. None will stop you." Adir smiled, a weak but geniune smile of the truly tired, but the truly happy. As soon as Mika walked away, a servant arrived to help the old Adir. His kindness to an old sick man would never be forgotten. Even after Adir was dead and gone, the servants heard his offer to assist their Emir. Unbeknownst to the Ghost, he already touched the household and whispers ran rampant about the strong northern Einar who spoke his mind to the Emir, but also his heart.