Chương 14: Deals (Part 2)

**"A good dealmaker understands that it is best to fit a square peg in a square hole and not a round one. After all, deals work best when each side gets something …I mean get exactly what they want from the other." By anonymous**

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[The young girl sat by her usual stream and threw small stones across it, just to see the ripples it made. She looked so forlorn that one glance from afar could tell how she felt. Elcaro had been like this since that day. A day she preferred to forget but had been at the forefront of her mind since.

How could one forget the pain associated with physical and emotional abuse? Nuama had tried her best, but no comfort provided by her had lifted her precious daughter's spirits and she remained that way. This made Nuama sad as well, but troubles of the spirit could not be alleviated as easily as the pain of the body, which could be handled with potions and herbs. Nuama knew that Elcaro would eventually come around as she was a strong girl.

As Elcaro sat there, she thought back to what Nuama had said previously and one of her favourite statements and worry:

"How are you going to survive without me in this world where everything seems to go against you, my daughter? I know you are strong my girl, but I want you to become even stronger to persist."

Elcaro knew that the words spoken by her Nana were true but this time, she couldn't shake away the feeling of neglect and abuse she felt around the other members of the village. She didn't owe them anything nor had she ever offended them. Even her kind gestures were viewed with hostility.

She wished that she could leave with her Nana, but Nuama had lived her whole life there, in the village, and Elcaro did not want to make her leave to a new environment in her old age. Besides, she had heard a ridiculous assertion as well; they apparently needed special permission from the leader of the land to leave, which she thought was unreasonable, but she could do nothing to change the laws that existed… she could barely exist on her own.

As she sat there, she heard footsteps behind her, but Elcaro did not turn as she knew that since no one welcomed her, none would even come near her if it was any of the villagers. She also knew that it wasn't her Nana as she could identify her footsteps.

She did finally turn when the footsteps stopped by her. She had never seen this man in her entire life, but he was handsome! He had this rugged look and was dressed simply. He had on a simple off-white poplin shirt that was laced at the front, brown pants with elastic waist, a pouch hand loosely around his waist and he also had o sturdy-looking boots. A slouch hat was in his hands as if he had just taken it off.

The most prominent feature was his eyes; one brown and the other a fascinating shade of green. Elcaro was not one to judge on physical characteristics because of what she had gone through in her short life. Even though he wore common folks' attire, it was clear that it was made of the finest silks. Elcaro forgot about her mood and just stared openly at the man. She was smitten when he talked. His voice was just … just i-i-ndescribable.

He said, "I could sense and see your sadness from a mile away. What is a beautiful maiden like you doing here by yourself and what is causing you to be so downtrodden?"

Like a splash of cold water, Elcaro remembered her earlier sentiments but asked the man,

"You must not be from this village if you're worried about my mood, and even talking to me."

Since it was almost a rhetorical question, she didn't realise that the man never answered her question. He instead, sat down beside her when he sensed her reluctance to talk to him. He just accompanied her silently and Elcaro seemed to prefer that.

As they sat there, she thought long and hard about who the person might be because a lovely young man of marriageable age like him should be looking for his wife by now. And if her experience was anything to go by, even if he was not from their village, his parents and relatives would bring him up to speed about her in no time. However, she enjoyed the rare company because, apart from her Nana and her dream friend, Lendon, this was the first company she had had in her life, and she was already of marriageable age.

How sad and pathetic that felt, even to her.

They did not talk again and sat in silence till she got up to leave without even a word of goodbye. When she had walked quite the distance, she turned to see him standing and staring at her. When he saw her turn, he tipped an invisible hat as if to say, "See you again." Elcaro, without responding, continued home but a small smile threatened to force its way to her lips. She felt contented for once, even though they had not had a 'proper' conversation.

When she returned home, Nuama noticed that her mood seemed to have improved but since Elcaro did not volunteer any information, Nuama pretended as if she had not noticed the mood change.

"Oh, dear oracle, please protect my girl and grant her a happy life," she whispered as she watched Elcaro disappear into their hut. Nuama's main worry had always been the fact that she had gotten Elcaro when she was already old. She kept hoping that the oracle would grant her a longer life at least, "To see my girl settle down in marriage," she muttered to herself, but she was not even sure if that will ever come true as she was shunned by the whole village for reasons Nuama herself had and would never understand but she still prayed. Because 'Hope' is man's only friend in the world of uncertainty.]

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Lendon woke up as the first birds started singing in the dawn. She lay on the bed and just stared at the ceiling of the room and went over the dream in her head. This part of Elcaro's life was different as she had not had this dream before. This time, she critically, analysed every part of the dream and realised that the setting of Elcaro's village seemed to be different as they even dressed a little differently. She knew that the purpose of the dream would be revealed sooner or later as everything happened for a reason. "How I wished Elcaro existed here, and I could talk to her?" she whispered to herself, unbeknownst to her, and as if in response to her whisper, her eyes flashed with a sparkle of blue temporarily, but thankfully no one was there to see.

"Lendon?", the hesitant voice of Tarragon called out to her.

Lendon turned and lay on her side to look at her roommate. Tarragon sat on her bed and had her hands clasped tightly. It was just the two of them since Thalia was in captivity. At that moment, only Lendon knew the reason and she was sure that Thalia would never see the light of day again as her punishment. Tarragon was a bit hesitant and kept wringing her hands. It took some time before she asked her question. She said rather hurriedly,

"Lendon, could you speak to the king about the possible release of Thalia?"

Lendon's eyes widened. She sat up abruptly and spoke,

"Tarragon don't tell me you believe the rumours going on around. How can I speak to the KING and ask for a favour? I mean who am I to him? I am just a maid, and one of the least favoured by everyone as such. I mean, even a head-maid would not dare make such a request to him." she added frantically,

As Tarragon was listening to Lendon speak, she also thought back to a mini-meeting she had had with some of the maids the previous day. They had said some pretty nasty things about Lendon, but she had thought in her heart that her friend was not like that but now…

Lendon continued, "You're going to get me killed if anyone hears this from you …please", she had a desperate look on her face.

Tarragon, on the other hand, looked at the girl she had come to call a friend and wondered if she had been wrong all along about their friendship. The maids were right after all. "This was not a 'big' favour to ask, considering that Lendon was already in the good graces of the king!" she pondered while she kept staring at Lendon.

"She's just a show-off," Tarragon mouthed to herself.

"What?" Lendon asked as she did not hear the words from the whisper.

"You use what you have to get what you want!" Tarragon added to herself again in the same tone.

"Tarragon, I did not hear the last words, could you repeat?", Lendon asked again. She felt bad because she knew there was no way she could ask for Thalia's release when she knew what the crime was, and it was not like she could just walk up to the king and ask for a favour? She was just a maid!

"If she has access to the king, why can't she use it to help her friend?" Tarragon thought that last part but to herself so this time, Lendon did not see her lips move.

After a while of no response, Lendon gave up asking, but she could see the emotions going on, on Tarragon's face and said,

"Tarragon, you know me, I will help if I can, but there is no way I can ask for a favour from the highest authority of the land when I am of such lowly status, even if I have previously been summoned to that palace!".

Tarragon just said,

"It's okay, I spoke out of context" but behind the façade, she thought, "They were right, she's just a hypocrite."

The girls each in their thoughts did not speak again on this but got ready for the day.

*** *** ***

Conrad moved swiftly in the absence of his daughter as he wanted a firm stance by the time she returned. He followed up with Fireland, and different correspondences were exchanged between the two parties after the initial letter. To make sure that everything fell through without any mishaps, he visited Queen May as well. After he was granted an audience, he laid down his cards.

"Your Highness the Queen!" he bowed and greeted. "I have a proposal for the perfect new queen candidate." He explained everything to the queen May but of course, he conveniently left out the deals made between him and Fireland.

"Thank you for the visit and the information, third elder Conrad but this should be the committee's decision so why have you brought it here?" queen May asked,

"Your Highness, I know you would like a royal heir as soon as possible but we are unable to convince king Indicy of any match. With you onboard, it will be easier for us in making this successful." He respectively said.

Queen May nodded as she could see some truth in what he said. It took some convincing, but he knew which buttons to press for the Queen to be committed without revealing his scheme and gains.

Conrad left the palace that day with a satisfied smile. He immediately sent word to Fireland when he had all stakeholders on board for the plot to unfold because he knew that he had passed the strongest hurdles.

When he was sure that the timing was right, he will bring it up with the marriage committee. It was a deal well executed ... at least that is what he thought!

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