Bahamut's weather had never been kind to me.
"Mr. Bale, aren't you cold?"
I looked up to see a blond woman wearing a glossy white dress and red fox fur. Her eyes were something between blue and gray. Like a sky just before a storm.
I shook my head, giving a small smile. "I've heard, the place where you are from," she pressed, "It never snows there."
"Yes," I agreed.
"I've heard you're from the land of Sun and Sea."
"I've never seen snow before coming to Bahamut," I tried talking, given the fact it was an intervew session. The blonde girl, Ms. Tanya Trevor, was a youngster in the media industry. I've heard, I was her first 'big hit' apparently.
"Do you miss the sun, Mr. Bale?" asked Ms. Trevor. "Anyone who has lived in Surya will always say snow is hundred times better than sun," I said, "Winter is better than summer." My answer did not seem to please the reporter. She must have thought I'd start yapping nostalgically about my childhood the second she would say Surya. Unfortunately, I was not in a mood to do that. Still, I felt bad. She was a youngster and a huge part of her career was depending on this interview.
"Well, I'm allowed to visit Surya any time I want anyway," I cleared my throat, "But honestly, after my family shifted to Bahamut, I don't have many reasons to go back to my Motherland."
"By family you mean your-"
"My mother," I finished her sentence, "She used to be my only family. Now there is Hira too."
Tanya Trevor looked clearly shocked. "What?" I asked, afraid that I might have made some mistake.
"N-no, it's just," Trevor laughed nervously, "I've never heard anyone calling Her Grand Duke by her name ever before. It sounds so unreal!" I tried remembering my lessons from Etiquette And Mannerism Classes. Was there something about not calling Hira by her first name before outsiders?
"It's been few years but I'm still very new to all of this," I said, "I'm sorry if I sounded offensive. I have no intention to soil the Grand Duke's Reputation."
The people of Bahamut take their Royals very seriously. They could literally give away their life, family, children if it is for the good of the Lazars, the founding family of the Great Nation of Bahamut, that had risen from the ashes of several pre - world war countries at the West Side of the World. My wife, Hira is one of the Lazars.
"Who in Bahamut will dare to hate you Mr. Bale?" asked reporter, "The schools here teach the children about the great love story between the Brave Princess of Lazar, Her Royal Highness Hira the First of her Name, and the kind Soldier of the Surya, Sayak Bale, who saved the Princess' life which otherwise would have been lost in the heart of Duni Desert. Your name will be immortal in the history of Bahamut!"
"I was merely lucky I was posted in Duni that year," I said the thing I had been saying for last three years, "What're the chances of an ordinary military medic to meet one of the most important world leaders?" "You're very humble," said Trevor, "I'm pretty sure many people had already interviewed you about the next question I'm going to ask-"
"Yes," I cut in, "She looked absolutely like an angel the first time I saw her."
Trevor started laughing, "I've heard she pointed a gun at you when she first saw you."
"Wouldn't have minded getting shot by a beautiful lady," I winked and Trevor kept grinning.
She kept asking mostly about Hira's and Mine's daily life. I made up most of the answers. I knew Hira wouldn't mind. She was never home anyways. All she wanted from me was to help her maintain her generous reputation. She didn't mind how much I lied about "our perfect marriage life."
Trevor must have thought she could dig up some mundane stuffs about my daily life, despite being married to a Royalty. Afterall, people love that sort of thing. People love to feel connection with their favourite celebrities. They want people like us to say "at the end of the day, we are just like any other married couple."
But we are not. And Hira had warned me before marriage we would never have an ordinary life.
"Sayara," she had once said...
"Sayak, it's Sayak," I had then corrected her.
"Sayara," she had still insisted on pronouncing my name in the worng way with that thick Bahamut accent of hers, "Once you marry me, your life will never be the same."
"In a good way or a bad way?"I had asked, nervous.
And she had stared at me with a blank face as if I had asked a stupid question. After that I had never asked the "stupid question" ever again to her.
Atleast she had always been honest with me.
Speaking about honesty...
''Mr. Bale, might I dare to ask you something you must answer honestly?" said Trevor, "Our subscribers all across the world will appreciate your comment on this matter."
I balled my fists knowing fully well the question she was going to ask. The whole purpose of setting up this interview.
"During the last World War Surya and Bahamut had been part of the opposite Axis-" she spoke slowly, almost as nervous as I was, "And even before the war, our beliefs, perspective, economic policies had always differed from eachother despite both the Nations welcoming Monarchy and ending the corrupt democratic system.."
I nodded, wishing she would just shoot her shot instead of asking about the question in a roundabout way.
"It is still a mystery how Surya and Bahamut found such a delightful solution of finding peace!" Trevor said suddenly.
"What?"
"I'm talking about your marriage, Mr. Bale," said Tanya Trevor, "Really, it's a mystery how you managed to make Her Royal Highness fall in love with you."
I laughed a bit. Paused. And laughed more. "Miss Trevor," I chuckled, "You're funny."
"I know you have expected me to ask you about the tensed situation between Surya and Bahamut for last few days," Trevor smiled, "But I don't want you to force talk about things you don't want to."
"Very kind of you," I said, "But I must fulfill my duty by putting our beloved citizens' heart at ease."
"Just you saying those words," she put a hand on her chest, "Make us feel assured, Mr. Bale."
"I may not have any reason to go back to Surya but I can say for sure people of Surya dreads War as much as Bahamut citizens," I tried to sound calm while I said the lines I had practiced a hundred times before the mirror this morning, "Today I'll be receiving The Crown Princess of Gupta, Her Royal Highness Ritaishi Gupta myself at the gate of Lazar Castle. She had already left for Bahamut from the Capitol City of Lotus of Surya this morning. I expect her to plane to land in Prima by evening."
"Is Prima ready to honour the Crown Princess of Gupta?"
"She's an old friend, she'll forgive our shortcomings," I said, "Plus, she isn't coming here for any celebration. Rather She's coming here to stop a Death Parade."
"But still-"
"Prima is the Capitol of the most powerful nation on earth, Miss Trevor," I sighed, "There is nothing we cannot be ready for."
"Last question, Mr. Bale."
"Do ask, Miss Trevor."
"Will Her Highness Grand Duke Hira Lazar recieve the Crown Princess of Surya with you?"
"I believe she will," I said, my throat felt dry, Hira was on a trip to Northern Region. It was impossible for her to come back at all. The Press Conference that should be held to show friendship between Surya and Bahamut was likely to be held by myself, Gupta Crown Princess and Marcus, Hira's older brother and the Crown Prince of Bahamut. Without Hira, I felt like a Beagle which was about to be locked up in a cage with two lions.
Trevor stood up bowing her head, "Let me express my gratitude to you for letting me interview you," she said, all grateful. But it only made me uncomfortable, "You don't need to follow etiquettes of meeting Royals while conversing with me, Miss Trevor," I stood up myself, "Although married to one, I'm not a Lazar by blood. I am not a Royalty."
"But not many people at your position can stay so humble Mr. Bale," Trevor insisted, her voice filled with genuine awe, " This is off the record but people like you make us common folk put our faith upon the Government."
It was an odd remark. Bahamut's citizens treat the Lazar Royals as their gods, their saviours. After all, at the end of the old world era, when most of the nations got wiped out due to war, massive famine and natural disasters born out of centuries old pollution problems, it was the Lazars that had saved people by stepping in the power battle and establishing Bahamut as the first Monarch Nation of the New World Era. They also played the most important role in ending the World War IV. In many backwater countries in other continents, they even had shrines of Gabriel Lazar built, where people worship him as the 'Messenger of God', 'Father of Peace and Prosperity '. Gabriel Lazar is Hira's Great Grandfather, the Founding Father of Bahamut. He was the reason the opposite Axis powers aggreed to sit down for a Peace Conference and end the decade long World War IV.
So let alone in Bahamut, even in the outside world, it is hard to find people who depend on no-name no-game people like ME to run the Government.
"Careful with your tongue," I warned her, not angry but genuinely scared for her, "That just sounds like a treason." Trevor smiled, knowing fully well what she had just said. But the thing that bothered me the most about how she dared to say those words right before the Husband of Hira The First of her Name, Lazar. How could she trust me not to rat her out.
As she bent down picking her handbag which she had put near her foot, I noticed something about her that I hadn't noticed before. But I didn't say anything at first. I sat on my couch exactly the way I'd been sitting for past twenty minutes with one of my legs on the other and my fists firmly clasped together. I carefully watched Tanya Trevor stand up and slid her handbag on her right shoulder.
My Butler, Mr. Havard stepped in as if he had been watching both Trevor and me from outside the door. There was no way he was watching us from outside the room, given the fact the heavy door was closed and there was no CCTV camera inside the room. This was one of the very few rooms of the Castle of Lazar that didn't have CCTV installed in it. It was my study-cum-bedroom.
It wasn't the first time Mr. Havard had magically appeared exactly the second I had needed him. It was like he could read my mind.
Concerned, I had once asked what was the deal of my sixth sense butler to Hira. At that Hira had given me her dead-pan serious look, that she always does and had said, "Well, since you're not very good at using your five senses, Sayara, I had to find someone with six senses."
"What? Do you mean I'm absent - minded?" I had asked.
" You slipped and fell in the bathroom."
"That was one time!"
Back then, I couldn't really figure out whether she had been serious or just joking. I could never figure out when Hira was serious or when she was joking. It was always a mystery to me.
"Mr. Havard, lead my guest to her car," I stood up myself. "Sir, you must follow me to the parking lot as well," Mr. Havard said, "The private plane of Guptas about to land."
It made me anxious to receive Ritaishi Gupta at the airport, possibly accompanied by His Royal Highness Marcus Lazar instead of Hira. But I couldn't really ask whether Hira would be able to come back to Prima atleast today to Mr. Havard, infront of Trevor.
"Ask someone to contact Hi- Her Highness Grand Duke for me," I said, "And let us move in haste."
Mr. Havard nodded and walked out of the room swiftly calling for servants. Trevor watched me with curious eyes.
"Allow me to escort you to the parking lot," I offered her my arm, "Since we'll be going the same way."
She took my arm, "Such Honor is too grand for me," she said. We walked together down the corridor followed by a bunch of soldiers fully dressed in tactical gears and carrying heavy arms. The soldiers kept their distance from us, giving us some sense of privacy. However, such a privilege of privacy seemed to make Tanya Trevor dangerously audacious, again.
"I hope Her Highness Grand Duke is able to come back fast enough to welcome the Gupta Princess with you," she whispered. I froze. She must have caught on that Hira wasn't in Prima currently given the fact I requested Mr. Havard to contact her infront of Trevor. It was a mistake on my part.
"Ms. Trevor, are you from the land of Sun and Sea as well?" I asked. She looked up at me, "Are you curious? Mr. Bale."
"Not really," I shook my head, "I just wanted to know why you dyed your hair so carefully to look like a Bahamut born woman." Most people in Bahamut naturally have blonde or bleached hair and light coloured eyes paired with pale white skin.
She let go off my arm and patted her head, "Are my roots showing?"
"No," I said, "I could just tell."
"You're the first one to notice in years, Mr. Bale," she used her flattery again, "I'm impressed how intuitive can you be!"
But I wasn't going to let this go easily. "I hope someday you can walk the streets of Prima without feeling the need to dye your hair blonde, ," I said, "Dying continuosly can damage your hair afterall."
She understood, "I'm not the only one with dark here in Bahamut, I know that. I just prefer to be blonde, there's no hidden meaning in that," she took my arm again and we started walking. And she hushed to me,"If my inquries made you nervous, please accept my apology, Mr. Bale."
Somehow she sounded sarcastic, "As a reporter it is my duty to unravel the truth, even if I accidentally unravel something that makes you feel insecure."
She must have caught on about the lack of communication between me and Hira. "Insecure or not," I gave her a pressed smile, "I'm not the one walking around with my dark hair dyed blonde, Ms Trevor."
We were already at the parking lot so Trevor let go of my arm. I thought she would be angry but surprisingly she looked delighed. She pulled a card out of her handbag, "Please take this. This is my business card," she insisted, "Our agency doesn't only investigate things to publish in papers, we do private investigations as well."
"Like private detectives?" I laughed.
"You could say that," She didn't seem to mind my mockery, "I'll be egarly waiting for your call, Mr. Bale.''
And she walked off, with such confidence, that it angered me. It was as if she knew that I'd be needing her in future for some reason. Her. A new face in the media industry. From a considerably small agency. It felt like an insult. The interview I had agreed to do with her was practically a charity!
"Sir, we contacted Her Highness-" Mr. Havard showed up as soon as Tanya Trevor was out of my sight. "Give me the phone!" I snapped. I wished Hira hadn't left on her stupid trip to check stupid military armoury in North. From the northern border of Bahamut, literally the Tundra region begins, the barren land of ice and snow, places where sun doesn't shine for months. Who would be willing to travel through that treacherous land to attack Bahamut from Northern Border? Why did she need to check the Northern Borders in every month?
Hira had just been back from her year long trip in Hagarenes. And she had to immediately leave for another trip again. Leaving me to take care of the Surya-Bahamut mess.
"Her Highness said she couldn't talk with you," Mr. Havard said.
"What?"
"Her Highness is suffering from sore throat, Sir." Mr. Havard bowed his head, "She asked me to apologise to you on her behalf."
"Then how was she talking with you?" I demanded.
"Her Highness' Head Maid received the phone, Sir."
"Give me the damn phone!"
Mr. Havard didn't say anything anymore. He handed me the phone.
"Sir, please accept my deep apologies," immediately, Clara, Hira's Head Maid, started speaking from the other side of the phone, "As I've informed Mr. Havard, Her Highness caught a cold and-"
"Then tell her to come back from North! It's freezing in even Prima! The North would be less warmer than inside of a freezer!" I huffed. "Mr. Bale," Clara's voice was cold and calm, "You're being unreasonable, Sir."
"Is she with you, Clara?" I asked, " Is Hira there with you?"
"N-no, she isn't, she's sleeping," Clara stuttered, "Her Highness is asleep."
"When she wakes up," I said slowly, "Tell her, tell her that, I-"
That I miss her? That I love her? Will things like these matter to Hira? Will things like these make her stay by my side?
"Tell her -" I started.
"That what a nasty thief you are!"
I jumped and the phone fell from my hand. I whipped my head back to see Marcus Lazar, Crown Prince of Bahamut standing with his hands behind his back, grinning .
"Good evening, Your Royal Highness," I bowed to him. "Hello, thief," He nodded, "Were you on your way to confess to my sister the hundredth time?"
"I simply wanted to report to her about the Gupta Princess' arrival at Prima," I stood straight. Marcus extended his arm and Mr. Havard picked up the phone from the ground and handed it to him mutely.
"Ah, dearest Clara!" He said, "Tell Hira I and the thief will receive The Gupta Crown Princess at Prima. She can rest at the Northern Border all she wants."
I bit back a curse. "Let us go now, brother-in-law," he said after cutting off the phonecall, "Let's see if you're good at other things besides stealing my precious sister."