Aragorn and the Phoenix of Caspian (ENGLISH)

Chapter 33

CHAPTER 33

Zonia was watering the plants outside the hut. Leo asked her to take care of it because he’s getting busy with the internal and external affairs of the palace. He’s one of the higher officials in the military of Caspian. A skin touched Zonia’s ears that made her stop from watering the plants.

She turned around and saw Azrael. “Hey, I didn’t see you there. Aren’t you with Yosef and Prince Aragorn? They said they’ll going to the forest.”

“Prince Aragorn didn’t invite me to join the two of them. Hideo is busy practicing his usage of the sword. He’s already prolific yet he’s still practicing. He didn’t want to take any rest from it. I don’t have anything to do and I saw you here. What are you doing?”

“I’m watering the plants.”

Azrael grabbed the wooden watering can from Zonia. “Let me do it.”

“It’s my job, Azrael. Take a rest inside and kill your time there.”

“I don’t care if it’s your job. I don’t have anything else to do. I’m going to die because of boredom.”

Zonia let him water the plants. She watched him use the watering can and she frustrated herself and he did it wrong. “Are you going to kill the plants?”

“Why is there anything wrong with that? I’m giving them enough water so they won’t be dry and withered.”

“You’re giving too much water for them. You should know that they didn’t need too much water for them to live. They just need enough amount.” She grabbed the watering can again and showed him the ‘enough amount’ she’s pertaining to. “That’s not too much or too few. That’s enough I’m talking to.”

“Apologies. I don’t know. I don’t water plants at home.”

“Of course, you don’t have to. It’s a job for servants. I wonder why Master Leo didn’t have any servants in the Garden of Pleas if he was given the reward by the king dowager.”

“You’re thinking too much, Zonia. By the way, have you heard about what happened in the queen dowager? You were there the whole time while we’re on a break. Tell me what happened. The only thing that I heard is that Dayanara was the one who poisoned and queen dowager and she was punished to death.”

“You don’t have to hear any more about it. It’s not your business.”

“You’re wrong. I need to hear it or I’ll die of curiosity.”

Zonia clicked her tongue. She dropped the watering can on the ground. She told everything she knew about Dayanara’s scheme on the queen. She told every detail of it until it satisfied Azrael.

“So, that Dayanara framed the queen because she wanted to be the queen. You even told me how the queen’s personal servant planned everything. How did you know everything?”

“I’m part of the plan. Hideo and I were both from the queen’s homeland. Lolita, the queen’s personal servant, both asked me about how Arsenic originates in our homeland. I helped their plan to succeed. That Dayanara deserves to die. She planned everything to blame the queen. The king loves the queen so much. I’m kinda jealous of that.”

“Why? Why are you jealous of the queen? Is it because you also like the king?”

Zonia s*****d him using her hand. How can he say those ridiculous things? He didn’t know anything! “You’re such a…” She rolled her eyes. She was about to leave him, but if she continued to, she’ll be guilty of what he said. “I respect the king and his relationship with the queen. I don’t like him. I’m jealous of them because they’re one of the rarest couples who married because of love and not because of other things.”

“What other things?”

Zonia sat on the big stone near the plant. Azrael sat beside her. “Food, money, status, and peace. There were a lot of elements to consider for marrying, but the queen and king did it for love. Just like me, I married because my parents wanted money. It feels like I was sold for me to have worth. I don’t try to become sadder. I’m already sad, why feel worse? I compare myself to myself only. I’m a concubine last time and now I’m a servant. At least, my life became better, right?”

“Living this world is already good. Living it with happiness is better. I don’t why I was chosen to become part of this squad. I’m not that good compared to Hideo and Yosef. I’m the oldest in the three of us, but I’m the weakest.”

“How can you say that thing? You’re not weak, Azrael. How can you tell yourself that you’re weak where you are chosen to be part of this?”

“Maybe our trainer only chose me so that there’s a weak one in between Hideo and Yosef.”

“No, you’re wrong. You are chosen because you’re great.”

He’s great. She’s great. Every person is great. To live is to be great. To pursue is to be the best. Cruel world, two persons, different origin with one goal: to pursue life and be great.

Aragorn showed himself to Sphyra the night after everyone else was asleep. He’s lucky that time that he wasn’t caught. He can’t explain to himself to see Sphyra. After he thought about his plan on using flame-resistant clothing to hide Sphyra’s full-body, he thought of the memories he can create with her.

“Are you ready, Sphyra?” he asked her with a full smile on his face. He didn’t plant anything. He knew that the two of them are going by the wind of destiny. How the night’s going to be for the two of them.

“Why? Where are we going? Did you sneak out again from your comrades? You should do this less often or they might follow you here. It would be a great issue in the town if they found out that you’re seeing the phoenix that you should be killing and showing to them.”

The two of them laughed. Aragorn stared at the full moon. “It’s funny that the two of them should be killing each other but in fact, we’re helping each other. I don’t want you to stay in this place. I want you to stay with us in the hut.”

“You know I can’t, Aragorn. Yosef’s the only one who knew about my existence. The other people with you might kill me especially Leo.”

“Why Leo?”

“I was a teenager that time when Leo visited the market. People pitied him because his mother died while he’s still a young boy. I head that his mother was killed by the fire that was caused by my mother.”

Aragorn thought of the painting in the hut. It was a painting of the phoenix. “If Leo despises your mother, the painting of the phoenix inside the hut only means that it was his goal to accomplish. It only means that before the fire happened to the village, he believed that the phoenix still exists.”

“If the only apology is fine for him to let go of his hate in his body, I would face him and personally apologize. But no, once I face him, he’ll kill me for sure. I know what it feels like to lose your mother at a young age. It kindled the fire inside my heart.”

It was because of his father. He was sorry about the death of her mother but he believed that there’s a reason for that. He needed to uncover it so it will heal the scar that was left inside her heart.

“Let’s go,” Aragorn said and pulled Sphyra’s hand. Without a clue, Sphyra followed.

“Where are we going? We’ve been walking for a lot of time now and if other citizens will see us, they might think that we’re robbers.”

“Just wait, Sphyra. You said that we’ve walked enough. There’s no way we should back out.”

After a few steps, they faced a large mass of bush. Aragorn and Sphyra removed the bush so they can take a look at the event happening behind it. Sphyra’s jaw dropped as she witnessed the women danced using poles with fire. A lot of men were watching them and some wanted to take a woman home but the host did a great job of protecting these women.

“What is that?”

Aragorn chuckled. “I don’t know what it is being called. I was young when we visited this place and I heard that they do it occasionally. It stuck in my mind and I wanted to visit it again. And yes, I visited it again with you.”

“They’re exceptionally great!”

Sphyra can’t take off her eyes on how the women control the poles with fires. In one wrong move, their skin will be burnt. They did great and they must be practicing a lot before doing it in public. The women were about the same age as her and some are younger. There’s a block of the distance between the other audience and the two of them. When she asked Aragorn, he said that they didn’t pay any penny so they didn’t have the right to watch it. At least, they’re watching it free from a distance.

The performance ended and the place full of fiery became full of darkness. They're late and they can’t blame themselves because they don’t know the exact schedule of the dance. At least they had a short peek of that magnificent performance.

“We have to back right now. I’m afraid that Burn will cry alone when she found out that I left her again.”

“She cries?” Aragorn asked.

“Yep. I was just looking out for food and she’s sleeping at that time. When I came back she’s crying so loud. At that moment, I learned that dogs have feelings and emotions too. Just like humans, they cry when they felt that they’re left alone.”

“I never felt being left alone. You?”

“I had. When my mother died and I was the only one who was left alone. It felt like my whole world was shattered and I can’t cry for help from anyone else. And I’ve been alone for years since you and Burn came into my life.”

“So, we made you feel better?” Aragorn’s lips curled into a smile.

“Kind of.”

Aragorn glanced at the moon which was shining so bright. Trees swayed because the wind gushed. He stared at Sphyra and her orb-like eyes. Badly, he wanted to kiss her but he can’t. He can’t love her and that’s the truth of the universe. Instead of kissing her, he placed his hand on her shoulders.

“Let’s go. My companions might be looking for me.”

They walked. They sauntered. They feel each other’s comfort. They sailed at peace. Two humans who can’t love each other. Two creatures who can’t be with each other. How can they change the world if he was a human and she is the phoenix of Caspian?