Chapter 9: Count the Impartiality

Marsden might be known as a Mercenary of the West and the Stranger of the South. However, he was a traveling musician looking for good places to bring his music while earning from his audience, the passersby. He only became a mercenary when a chieftain needed his help, and the people of this clan called him the Mercenary of the West because he came from the vast Anglo-Saxon land.

In all his years of being a mercenary, he witnessed many things about wars, the intricate mindsets of the people he worked with, tactical strategies, and rivalry. For him, it could have been understandable if its between clans or kingdoms. But what he sees in the present time is a rivalry between the most unlikely pair, siblings. One who has a sure route to the kingly future. While the other has a secured and treasured life. One could be pretentiously naive, and the other is saliently envious. Their estrangement from each other could be real trouble. In a sarcastic comment about his own life, it seems like Marsden earned a great pair to work with.

“When trouble does not come, it seems like people create it for themselves,” he sings while strumming the banjo.

“You have an odd music,” Darina commented while writing on the cotton paper with the Oriental brush.

“My bad, my lady. I’m a mercenary and I have no orientation yet to the culture of Clapestris even to its music,” Marsden replied as he halts from touching the strings.

“Your music sounds good but I do not understand your intention of that song,” Darina said. “And why do you think people create trouble in themselves?”

“It’s not a principle, after all, My Lady. So you do not need to take my music to heart,” Marsden realized that he should not carelessly spill his thoughts out especially that he cannot comprehend it in himself. “I can sing the adventures of King Aelfred and his triumph in battle if you like.”

“I have not heard of King Aelfred. But I want to hear Oriental music. Its been many years since their last visit to Clapestris when their emperor married a noble lady from the Varaz Clan. I was there when they celebrated in the central palace of Khorasan. There is something in their music that I like to listen to once again,” Darina said. She has the desire to look back on her younger days.

During those times, it was her first to witness and to get glad at the sight of the Orientals wearing their glistening silk clothes embroidered by the wonders of their symbols. She saw how the noble lady from the House of Varaz wear the exquisite and intricate dress and ornaments. But Darina’s delight was in the music of the beautiful ladies brought by the emperor.

One kind lady whom she knew was called Ying Luo, played a special song for the young Darina. The musicians cannot resist the fascination of the little girl. The young Darina would not leave them even at the end of the event. A good man also sang the song while she was just sitting upon the cushion, mouth agape and heart swooned to the familiar music. Darina was sure she didn’t grow up with it, but she feels like something is slipping away from her fingers. Yet now, Marsden plays that nostalgic tune that subconsciously grieves Darina’s silent, youthful heart.

“I was a billow of smoke below the willow trees. Spring the shadows in the night behind the lanterns to flee.” Darina couldn’t see herself more than she already does as every word of the Oriental song unravels to its Parthian counterpart working its way to bring Darina’s memories alive in the picture. Darina knows its meaning. Ying Luo revealed it to her.

“I take the lone flight through the lonely boat, rowing the cold waters of Yangtze. To set my feet at home and love again the childhood play.” Darina no more wonders why Prince Thariem has become like this. However, it troubles her that the things she only read and heard from other people on how one can drastically change over a blink of an eye and be the disturbingly opposite person reveals in itself. Such thought upsets her memory of youth because the only prominent person always appearing is the smiling, virtuous and harmless Prince Thariem. However, Prince Thariem changed as well. It upsets her that there’s a feeling that Prince Thariem left her in this world that persists in her mind.

“Take the warm embrace. Let your gentle gaze on the cruel coldness chase away.” When Darina would get back from her campaign and missions, she would always prepare herself to be presentable before seeing Prince Thariem. She would not care about her clothing as much as she is careful about how she might look tired, upset, or of no courage to face the Prince. She would always choose to return in a delightful demeanor so that the Prince would not worry and they would have time for discourse and amusement.

“When the chariots march on triumph and defeat, I will take the ancient road. I will face the ruined gates. I will fade my drowsiness. At the peace of your pavilion, I will no more fear the winter dread.”

Darina commended Marsden's song after blinking many times to avert her cry.

“I brought you to tears, Your Highness,” Marsden said.

“Even if I hear that from other people, I still would cry. Such a beautiful song was the encore in the memory of my youth.” Darina can always put off Marsden’s attempt to make an impression without knowing that Marsden is trying to woo Darina to the amusement of himself while staying in Clapestris.

“I do not know what I was singing. I know that it is the song of the Orientals,” Marsden conceded.

“What if it was a song of conspiracy? You’re troubling yourself for not knowing anything,” Darina kidded.

“Pardon me, but were you enjoying a song of conspiracy?” Marsden was altogether troubled because this would aggravate the Prince.

Darina laughed herself off as she keeps hitting the floor with her hands. Marden’s reaction is hilarious than the thought she jested someone.

“No. The song was actually about a traveler longing for his home. Ying Luo made that song herself since she was hoping to go home and be free from serving in the Forbidden City.”

“I thought it was something else,” Marsden calmed his heart. “Tell me more about this song then.”

“I like her song because it was delightful and sweet. There was no hatred in her reality at the Forbidden City. It’s like a pure heart’s appeal to be delighted with someone again amid all the troubles he dealt with. The person reveals that if he will be with the one he wishes, then he would forget all the troubles and benefits he had when he was away. A reunion matters than all the routes of diaspora.”

“But I still cannot understand why you responded satirically. A song of conspiracy?” Marsden complained. Now he understands why other people could doubt Darina’s work. She kids about it as if they would never take her jest seriously. “You must be grateful that I was the only one with you. Don’t you know how you could be in great trouble if the Prince hears about this?” Marsden dropped the honorifics as his troubled thoughts persist.

“Why? Is not that you intended to as you work with me?” Darina chuckled as she asked, challenging Marsden’s impartiality. “I know what you are up to with my brother. I am giving you ammunition, and I will earn the answers to all my questions about you very soon.”

“My Lady, please do not doubt me,” Marsden appealed. “Prince Thariem indeed decided to place me in your leadership. But he has given me neither any commandment nor fetches him water. In no way had he ever set me a spy to Your Highness.”

“Really?” Darina uttered, with a pang of conscience since it feels like she offended Marsden. “If what you were saying is true, then give this note to Farrah,” she said and lifted the note. Without the confrontation, Darina would still command Marsden to send the note because she has to practice a sword fight with a satrap.

Marsden immediately turned his back to avoid gazing at the note. “My Lady, is the note confidential? If it is, I beg of your favor to wrap the note so that it will only be the Noble Farrah who could read it. I would not read the note. But I am not the only person around.”

“I need not wrap this. No one would know. You can turn around to see it,” Darina commanded.

Marsden slowly turns back and peeks at the note written in the characters of the Orientals. Now he wonders if Darina is a Clapestrisian or an Oriental.

“Do you want to know the meaning of this?” Darina asked.

“I would not, My Lady,” Marsden replied while bowing. For Marsden, Darina is testing him.

One principle that Marsden keeps in mind is to remain impartial. He must accomplish the tasks given to him by a ruler over a given time. He does not need to meddle in their political affairs or conflicts. Matters which are outside his responsibility should not receive any attention or helping hands from him. Now Darina is putting him in trouble. He cannot help himself but have a slight partiality in favoring over Darina. As a mercenary, he could have just disproved to Darina that she should not test his loyalty or tease him. He suddenly became a maimed mongrel, waiting for his master to call him.

“No. You must know it,” Darina insisted. “It is…” she even halted. Marsden takes his time to cover his ears. Darina stood up and held his hands away from his ears. She whispered to him, “I give my blessings to you and your groom. Be delighted and fruitful of your years, Farrah.”

“It is your blessing to the Noble Farrah,” Marsden uttered with disbelief.

Darina may have been sending a lot of blessings to Farrah but it is now that it can only be counted as official since it is written in a noble paper where Darina’s royal emblem is placed. Two days remaining and Farrah shall have her wedding ceremony in Clapestris.

“Were you thinking that it is a conspiracy?” Darina asked. “So you do. Because you had the first impression of me being a potential treacherous entity in our kingdom. You were afraid of me because you think I can antagonize anyone who might work against me. And you also display your chivalry to secure favor from me.”

“I just do that since I’m a man,” Marsden tried explaining. “Casually making an impression to women,” he admitted. He was well aware of many women’s hearts that fancied over him.

“I’m impressed,” said Darina. “To your boldness to still talk to me.”

Marsden takes Darina’s words as a commandment to be silent.

“But I want you to send this to Farrah. We have no time to meet each other. Tell her to send a reply to me,” Darina commanded.

“As you command, My Lady,” Marsden said and took the note.

He was warned of Darina’s terrifying authority but also forgetting that it only happens to lawbreakers and troublemakers. In Marsden’s view, people should have warned him about Darina’s personality being this friendly and all while being a spectator and a strategist. For him, such a personality was troublesome than any kings he dealt with. Kings know their virtues and walk on the pattern of their customs. However, there are no customs that could capture Darina’s behavior. Perhaps, this is the trouble when the cultures of far-seated countries are amalgamated to a secretive person like Darina. Marsden thinks about returning to the Anglo-Saxon land, where he would marry someone from his people. Someone that would not incorporate other culture to the best of their interest. Surely just someone who is the exact opposite of Darina.

However, while Marsden was still on his way, the Prince and his soldiers met him.

“I am heading to the house of the Noble Farrah, Your Highness,” Marsden responded to the sudden question of the Prince.

“You are sending a note written by my sister, is it?” Prince Thariem knows and he is well aware that it is written with the characters of the Orientals. However, these recent events make him suspicious of the notes. “As the Royal Knight, give me a look of the note.”

“I am afraid that I could not let it show to you. If she would allow so, Her Highness should have just sent it by word, through the attendants and passersby. I believe Her Highness will tell you what was written in the note. I am to accomplish the task and by no means meddle with it, Prince Thariem.”

“This is an official commandment that you must adhere to. Reveal it now,” Prince Thariem reiterated.

Marsden brings the note to Prince Thariem. The Prince doesn’t know how to read the Oriental characters, but a cavalry captain under his banner knows.

The cavalry captain just repeated what Darina whispered to Marsden. Suddenly, the mercenary felt confident in the virtue of Darina and her integrity to serve the kingdom. He believes that Darina would not trouble the current ruling seats and even the Prince.

“She is sending her blessings. Bring mine to Farrah as well,” Prince Thariem said and brought out a pack of myrrh. “Tell her that I send my blessings to her wedding.”

“Yes, Your Highness,” Marsden said.

“I ran out of myrrh. I must prepare more for the wedding of my sister,” Prince Thariem stated.

They went back to the palace, leaving Marsden in the bizarre thought, “Darina will get married off soon?”

The same wonder just came to Farrah as well when Marsden mistakenly spilled a few words about it. Farrah has the urgency to warn Darina. So she writes as an encrypted reply.

“A wedding in Choaspes is the partition of the northern and eastern waterways.”

Marsden knows what was written since Farrah read again her writing. Farrah didn’t use Oriental characters. But Marsden still doesn’t know what it means. He guessed it so that women in his native land are as secretive as the Clapestrisian ones. Too bad that he feels like being pushed to the middle grounds where all roads away from it could lead to trouble.

“Trouble is the language of a mercenary and a common language of all customs. Oh, how I regret singing a song that would describe my situation now,” he murmured while inserting a note to his robe. “Lady Darina, surely your troubles are the ones I cannot help but deal with.”