A Gambler's Gamble
Peroz was tagged, and now it was his turn to face the trees, count to ten, and find Bahram and Shahrbanu. Among the two reasons why he did not like hide-and-seek, first was the enormous garden behind the kingdom, stretching from miles till the horizon with thousands of woods to hide behind, and the other being that his brother and sister were way too much playful than he was, like a new born lamb. The sun was beginning to set, and the flowers and the trees were dancing in the orange tint as the winds were flowing through them. The sandpipers and the crows were flying back to their homes. And also, it was the time for the king to come back home. Peroz’s every nerve was tingling with excitement, by just thinking about it. Besides, not every-time did he got to see his father return from a battle.
As the gate started to open, the melancholy begin to poison Yazdegerd. What would he say to the citizens? He may have come back victorious, but only with around 140 knights. Those wicked Muslims had to only choose this day out of the whole calendar, to declare a war. Just after Persia’s civil war. Nevertheless, he again buckled up his brigandine, adjusted his wool coat, whipped his horse and headed straight to his home, the castle. The flag with four petals and a flower in the center, was flowing with the win. He saw Peroz’s eyes glimmering as Peroz saw him walking inside the Council. And so was it same with Bahram and Shahrbanu too. But Nazli looked more relieved rather than happy. “Must be because she now won’t have to be a widow.” Thought so the King. His old friend Omid was there too; along with the crowd.
A few minutes had passed since the Council waited for the crowd to dissolve. The members of the Council remained silent for the 25 year old king to start the conversation.
“Damn those Muslims.” Began the King, Yazdegerd. “Just why after this bloody civil war. How in the name of Allah, they knew about this?”
“The issue is not about the Muslims now, Yazdegerd.” Said one of the members. “The Sassanian Empire has come to a fall. This notorious civil war has corrupted the people, and broke the republic.”
“And now…” Added the other. “Azra, her House and Kaven and his, has gotten a chance, to overthrow this government because of this. And if that happens, it would be like giving a monkey a sword.”
Yazdegerd clutched his hand on the throne. He couldn’t give it to either Azra or Kaven at any costs. They were after that throne right after he was born. They both claimed that their sons and daughters were the rightful heirs of the throne, after their “parents”.
“You are Allah’s gifted gambler, aren’t you, Your Grace?” Said Omid. “Just do another gamble, show those sons of wicked demons, who owns this land.”
“I will see what I can do.” Said the King, and remained silent throughout the meeting.
Nazli asked her maid whether the water in the tub was cold or warm, then hovered her hand to confirm it. Then wearing a towel, she put her foot into it. Now that their empire was about to fall, she couldn’t imagine being a widow. It would mean being deprived of all the rights, treated like a slave, being called a strumpet, far away from the kingdom; with her three children to look after. The warm fluid surrounded her body and her blond hair. She closed her eyes, and thought that this was all a dream.
“This perfume comes from the fresh lands of Arabs, Your Grace.” Said the maid, and sprinkled it over Azra’s body, and brushed her brown hair, as Azra stared herself in the mirror, her face was as beautiful as a Rose, she thought. Today was a big day, with new beginnings. Being the holder of Karen Dynasty, she knew she was the rightful ruler of the kingdom. But so did Kaven of House of Mihran. She knew fighting with each other would be like suicide; but she wanted to get her hands of the throne, no matter what. Even if it meant befriending an enemy. She and him, both had agreed for the compromise: Start wiping off Yazdegerd’s supporters, declare him a heretic together, and share the throne.
Days passed, the members of the Council began to reduce.
“Karen and Mihran, Yazdegerd.” Said Omid. “They are making their move; it’s either you cut their codpiece, or they cut yours.”
The King still remained silent. This made Omid angrier. Well, not that he could actually do anything.
Just the next day, the bridge around Persia was roaring with the sounds of people talking ill about the King and pulling of horse-carts. Out of nowhere from the sea, came something… not that anyone knew what it was until it came near with much amount of speed, that it started to grow huge. It was a ship. Much bigger than anyone had ever seen. It came with a great speed towards the bridge. People started screaming and running. Goods started to fall off the carts, children being left behind, as the ship and its shadow came nearer. And then it happened. Some people fell off and swam their way across the land, but there was no one for those who couldn’t swim.
The news reached the King. But by the time it did, it was already too late. Because there was another news for the King to be overwhelmed about: Yazdegerd III is convicted for the murder of his own council members, and for separating the two countries, by crashing a ship on the bridge. Azra’s and Kaven’s plan was in motion; he knew it, there was no doubt. Crowd began to gather around the castle and began to chant and curse. And when he went back to the Council for its advice, he saw there were people who were not there before, and had an emblem of Rose on their gambeson. “Definitely Azra and her Karen.” Thought so the king. He was declared by the council, a heretic, and to be held on a trail tomorrow.
It was night, when Yazdegerd was having one of his last walks around the halls of the castle. The moonlight was shining on the floor through the window carvings on the roof.
“Taking one of your last walks, your Honor?” Azra appeared from the dark, behind the pillar.
Her white face may look beautiful, innocent and pretty, in the moonlight, but not to forget she was worse than the demon itself.
“You will not get the throne.” Replied the King.
“Oh, I will. By any means. I can strip myself right now, fall down, and scream. And your face will be off your body in no time and without the trail. Well, I can’t see any reason of why shouldn’t I do it now…”
She put her hands on her clothes, as the King stared.
“Yazdegerd, what are you doing?” Said Omid. He was holding a lantern, which was glooming in the surrounding. Before its light would fall on Azra, she covered her face with her hijab, and flew off.
“Who was she?” Omid asked.
“I will give you a hint: her name rhymes with ‘Kazra’.”
The morning came. And so did the king, with his hands tied in chains, in the court. The crowd was all around, filled with the civilians, the Houses, and his family, and a judge. But the thing which was most surprising and terrifying, was the Azra’s council as his witness, since he had none.
“May a member of the witness begin his testimony for the convicted, along with the evidence.” Said the Judge, after slamming the hammer on the gravel.
“The king had planned the civil war.” Said a member, and the crowd gasped. “He wanted to bring this nation to its knees, just so he can crush us enough to turn us into slaves, then trade us with the other nations for more money.”
The crowd started yelling and cursing the king, as Nazli and her sons and daughter watched his fate.
“Moreover…” Another Council member continued. “For his plan to succeed, he needed to wipe out his Council members, so there would be no evidence remaining. And finally crushing the ship to cut the connection of the citizens with their loved ones, across the lands. ”
“And what evidence have you?” Asked the judge.
“The papers that he signed for the trade of slaves.”
This time, the gasp was even more louder.
“I wish to confess, Father.” Said the King with anger and his jaw clenching; and his hair covering his eyes. “I wish, to confess.”
“You wish to confess?”
“It is true. Yes it is true. I crashed the ship on the bridge. But it is wrong, that I wanted to turn this country into slaves.”
“Drivel! Hogwash! Gibberish! Bunkum!” The crowd screamed and yelled.
“Silence!” The judge declared. “Yazdegerd III, the son of Yazdegerd II, the former rightful ruler and emperor of the holy land of Persia, I, as a Judge, hereby command you to be executed tomorrow morning.”
The crowd cherish and screamed with joy; as Peroz, Bahram, and Shahrbanu, went to ask their mother why was she crying in the corner.
It was night, as Yazdegerd sat in his prison cell, counting his last hours.
“It’s just another one of your gambles, right?” Omid came holding a lantern.
“Sorry?” Yazdegerd turned as the yellow light flashed on his face.
“Tell me it’s your plan. Tell me you are gonna bring them down.”
“I’m sorry, Omid. There is no plan. Not anymore.”
Silence.
“Remember when we were little we used to catch butterflies, just cause our mothers told us they were fairies?” Asked Yazdegerd with a grin.
It lit up a smile on Omid’s face.
“Oh, you sick son of a dimwit…” Chuckled Omid. “You had to remind me of that at a time like this, hadn’t you?”
Silence again. But Omid and he kept their smile.
“Well…” He got up. “May the butterfly-fairies take you the heaven. So long, crony.”
“So long.” Yazdegerd nodded.
Morning came again. Azra went to her tub. The water was already filled, and it was warm. She got in, closed her eyes, and smiled. This was her day. This was definitely her day.
Yazdegerd struggled as the executioner pulled him with the chains tied around his arms. The whole crowd was watching and cheering. The executioner bent the King, and pulled out his sword. It was the end, the King told himself. He could see his children and her wife Nazli crying. The flag of the Sassanian Empire was coming down, and a flag of Karen and Mihran, both were being climbed on the top.
“No matter what happens, remember, I’ll always be with you.” Said he, smiling, facing his family; tears rolling down his chin.
Back to the place where the ship was crashed, Odin went to look.
“Has anyone gone inside the ship to see what’s in there? It’s the king’s ship, isn’t it?” He asked to a fellow citizen.
“No. Nobody has gone inside.” Came the reply. “We don’t get the time. We have to work to run this nation, since the king can’t.”
“Well, how about we go look inside the ship?”
The sword raised. The screams, cries and cheers, all became so mute; as the king finally begin to count his last few seconds.
“HALT!”
People came screaming from the behind. The king was now again placed inside the prison cell. Odin came.
“Once this door opens, I’m gonna punch you in your genitalia.”
The King could do nothing but chuckle stupidly, facing the window outside.
“You thought this through! My god! You told the other nation to purposely smash a gold filled ship with no captain in it, on that very bridge. A gold filled ship!”
“Trust me, you would not like to know where that gold came from.” Said the King, still smiling.
“You sick bastard.” Omid stomped his hands on his knees. “You and your cursed gamble.”
“Well…” Omid exhaled. “The crimes of both the Houses have come into the light. And you should’ve seen Azra’s face, when the blame came upon her... A new council has been formed, and they are planning to get you out. And once they do, I’m gonna beat you down first...”
“So…” Omid again continued after the silence. “What would be the first thing you’d do as a king again?”
The King was still facing the window. “You tell me.”
