Day 44
Year 23 of Solamin the mercenary
“Beginning”
At the age of 20 one would like to think that there are no disturbing issues resting on their shoulders, would like to think being the necessary point. As a boy I always presumed that a man would reach at least the maturity age of 30 before harboring any real concerns.
I proved myself wrong, thinking that at this tender age the top of my concern list should include how to attract the attention of the opposite gentle sex, or who might be the strongest in combat of men in my generation, was a false presumption on my behalf.
Today is a special day, it is the day I have made a declaration, a vow, a promise to myself that I Qaiser son of Theab shall shake the very core of the city of Madeeha, that core being our beloved ruling family.
The word “beloved” would be a clear and utter overstatement, never has a ruling family existed as hated as Madeeha’s family, the Ashraa’q Family.
Ashraa’q came into power during Madeeha’s sixth year anniversary, with no governing power their existed family and business feuds that shed blood and destruction throughout the city streets. Family leaders finally decided on a truce, gathering for the first time after many sufferings. Long did the meeting last before a final agreement had been reached, that agreement being the appointment of a neutral family that had no relations to the feuding families and a just one at that.
A man by the name of Mercy Ashraa’q worked in Madeeha as its medicine man, living with his wife and only son with no other family relatives. Mercy was known for his kindness and equal treatment to all, poor and rich, old and young, man or woman. On certain occasions, some would even ask for his advice with family issues, business deals gone wrong, many if not all had trust in Mercy Ashraa’q.
What Mercy had not realized is that on that very night he had been elected King and Ruler of Madeeha. Soon would he hear a loud knock on his slightly cracked wooden door, deep into the night, thinking it an emergency call, breathing slowly, a sorrowful reflection on his bedside mirror revealing his hate of the ongoing hostilities.
Ashraa’q did not know that even after attempting to refuse this declaration, by early next morning he was officially appointed King Mercy Ashraa’q, Ruler of Madeeha.
Little did the citizens of Madeeha know that Mercy Ashraa’q would be the first and last just leader of the citizens. 315 years later, we find ourselves under King Solamin the Mercenary; labeled as a mercenary for his greed of money, ruling on the principle of what is yours is his.
Discussing my main point, my vow to myself, to my family and friends to release Madeeha from the grips of Ashraa’q. I have yet to devise a plan that can deceive and infiltrate the family, but at the least I have placed the unyielding foundation of determination to destroy them.
My newfound obsessions started during father and myself were on our return journey from the yearly “Traders Guild” meeting. The convention representing all traders from nearby cities registered in the guild would gather and share stories of their travels, deals, and unique items, while auctions would be held as each trader places an item her or she would like to be sold. Father never cared to sell; rather he loved collecting such objects for his priceless storage room.
That year he had purchased a cane said to belong to the first ever journeyman trader, although the source of authentication came from the same man who tried to sell a plant seed that could grow meat. Father did not care, the cane looked strange enough, “stuff of legends” as he would say.
It was a two-week journey from Madeeha to the usual meeting place in the desert for the traders, father and I were discussing on how we might smuggle in some of our new crop of inventory without the city guards confiscating something under the import taxation law. The frustrating part is that the guards can be bribed, more often than not their bribery cost more than the taxation, so it was better to pay the tax than bribe a guard.
My father, Theab was not worried claiming that he had already dealt with the matter, saying he had already bribed or blackmailed now that I think about it, a guard who took station from evening till dawn.
We arrived at the stone gates of Madeeha, which once had more than four gates now reduced to a single gate to prevent any illegal smuggling, in our out of the city. Archers stood atop the gate ready to shoot down any irregularities, at the same time a single squad of ten men stood guard at the gate alongside a judge appointed by the king himself to inspect the ingoing merchandise and confiscate whatever he deemed necessary.
It is here where my story begins dear reader, the spark that ignited my flame. As we waited for our turn in line to be inspected, one of the guards approached us, I recognized him immediately as the city’s butcher’s son, called Zeyad. He seemed quite nervous as continued his path towards us, standing before us he whispered in my father’s ears, which I suspected was instructions because as soon as he walked away my father quickly turned to me saying “Take our new belongings southwest of the gate and wait there. Hurry!”
Doing as he says, I quickly gathered the sacks and one of the camels and rushed quietly to where my father had instructed leaving him behind.
The sun had been scorching on that day and the arrival of night had been a welcoming sign but in current matters I didn’t realize its presence; it irritated me more and more as I continued to ride the camel to my waiting point. It was never like father to send me off, it was just a small case of bribery there was no need for me to leave his side.
It was already late into the night before I had reached my destination, quickly taking a swag of water I sat patiently annoyed for my fathers arrival or whatever he had set-up for me. I had that sick feeling in my stomach all night as I waited I couldn’t find my appetite. The night grew longer, my eyes were weary but I couldn’t help but stay awake for any intended appearance that was supposed to exist. Tiredness crawled my hands became numb from writing, although I am trying to continue to write to keep my mind active as to not fall asleep...
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