I woke up in a familiar dark room. I kept lying on the bed and closing my eyes hoping to go back in my dream. Usually I almost always dream of the slave cage in Duni. And almost always those dreams are full of nightmares. There had been only very few dreams about Duni where it had felt peaceful. Those dreams are mostly circled around the memories I had made with Hira there. As I lied there hoping to go back to sleep, I realized how pathetic I was being right now. I was so attached to Hira even in my dream. I recalled our drill Seargent's mockery when I finally had returned to the main military post in Duni from FFFs' Camp and conversed with him about starting my own family.
"What? Because she's the first girl who bothered to start a conversation with you herself out of pity and you're thinking about proposing to her?" he had laughed at me. The Drill Seargent and I had been pretty close before I had got sorted in the unlucky squad. But after that conversation I had cut off my ties with him.
I didn't know why but I remembered his words this day more vividly that others. It made me feel annoyed. I sat up. A pile of paper fell from my lap onto the floor. I sighed ringing the bedside bell.
Havard rushed in, "Sir, morning," he bowed short. Then shivered, "It's freezing in here! Why isn't the temperature alarms working properly?" he asked more to himself than to me, "It's like the Heaven is really after your life!" He rushed to the nearby fire place and lit it up.
"The papers on the floor, Havard," I urged him, "Hand those to me." But initially he paid me no attention. He looked around the room, "The room heater's off. What IS going on!"
"Havard.."
"I shall call the doctor first."
"HAVARD!"
He finally caved in. He picked up the papers handing them to me, "You feel like a block of ice," he touched my arm. "Enough," I warned him. "I'll go and bring the doctor myself," He stated.
"You will do no such thing. I'm fine. And it's like three in the morning, let the doctor get some sleep. He's been working relentlessly for past few weeks," I reasoned.
"To earn his paycheck," he countered.
"Just throw a few more logs in the fire place for now and leave me alone," I huffed.
He did as told. "Then I'll be taking my leave, Sir," he said, "However, I'll be back in few minutes with technicians to check the room heaters and replace them."
Before I could protest, he left. I felt a hint of guilt. To have all this manpower and resources wasted on a single person like myself. It wasn't like my life or death could leave any impact on Bahamut. I was a nobody. Yet I had been on my best behaviour for past few weeks, following the instructions given by doctors meticulously to get well as soon as possible. It was the only way to stop Havard from overcaring about me like I was his newborn baby.
I pawed through the mess of paper files on my lap with which I had fell asleep. I was looking through all the Registered Arm Dealers in this continent and their business routes. The Peace Conference which ended World War IV made all the Nations sign a Arm Production Restriction Treaty. Besides the Monarchs and 10% of the military body of each country nobody were allowed to own or produce firearms. The other 90% of the military body were only allowed to own millee weapons like swords, lances, Electric rods, water guns and cannons, smoke grenades and such. Given the fact mass production and owning of weapons were one of the reasons that started all of the World Wars every Nation caved in to this particular Clause. As for the Civilians, they were only allowed to own self defense tools and blades to some extent. Learning of Judo, Karate, Muay Thai, Boxing, Kickboxing and other sports which train body and mind for hand-to-hand combats were primarily encouraged and promoted. However, bullet proof vests, glasses, missle proof cars and such other items which are part of security and defense measures were widely spread and made available to the masses. The Monarchs had started owning all the Arm Producing Factories and Industries and burning down those they couldn't acquire.
While it was true, after each World War the world leaders had always tried to reduce production of firearms in general they had always somehow failed to do so in the long run leading to another World War. However, it wasn't supposed to happen this fast within just three years of the Peace Treaty.
Yet just a few weeks ago, a terrorist was balantly pointing a gun at my face right at the centre of Prima itself. This raised two terrifying suspicion, one more alarming than the other. Either the FFF had gathered and hidden enough guns to be able to use them when they needed or they had established their own firearm factories already. What did not make sense was why they needed the gun to kill me in such a small enclosed area.
As I was flipping through the page, Havard knocked on the door and entered with the technicians who quickly replaced the room heaters. Despite my order, Havard hadn't let the House Doctor sleep in till morning.
"Mr. Bale, good morning," greeted Doctor Miles Javis, he was a genius who apparently got an MD in neurology when he was only 21. Now at the fruitful age of 25, he was wasting his precious youth by my bedside, "How are you feeling today?" he always seemed happy and content. Well, most people acted nice infront of my face after I married Hira, so it was hard for me to fall for anyone's smile.
"I'm breathing just fine," I said, knowing he would still want to check my pulse I extended my hand to him before he could ask. "You are freezing, Mr. Bale," said Javis, his voice painted with concern. He bent down and picked up a electronic pad lying on the floor. This was the pad which was used to increase the temperature of the bed depending on the condition of my health.
"I advise you to take it easy today, atleast till the evening," he said.
"I'm lying on the bed all day long for many days now Doctor Javis," I reminded him, "How am I supposed to take today any easier than that?"
"By listening to music or playing board games with Havard instead of surfing through those boring papers?" He suggested.
"Board games with Havard? You know he'll always let me win."
"But I won't," Javis prompted. In truth, Javis was one of the very few people in the Palace who were around my age, besides Hira and Marcus. He and I could become good friends. But then...
"Oh please, the time you waste upon entertaining me by playing with me board games could be used to discover ground breaking solution of terminal diseases! Didn't the World Health Organization sent you an invitation last month about something important?"
He smiled, "Mr. Bale you hold me too high in your regard. I'm being paid too much to spend my life comfortably ever worrying about money. Why would I then go bother working more with Health Organizations. Many doctors, scientists have come before me and have made the mistake of acting selflessly for the sake of humanity. And most of the time their kindness had never been repaid during their lifetime. I'd rather live my life in luxury and comfort instead of exhausting myself with 'something important '."
"Oh, don't you feel nothing for humanity?'' I taunted playfully.
"Hah, we've gone through four World Wars before the beginning of 31st Century. Four World Wide Mass Manslaughter just within the span of three thousand years. Please do not try to make me fall in love with humans."
Fair enough. "So close those files, let's just have a chat," he insisted, "Tell me what's on your mind." "You want to talk about what's on my mind?" I asked, "Let's then talk about what's on my mind."
I closed the files and he became excited. "So Javis, imagine if you wanted to kill me in an small enclosed space," I started, "Like a car-"
His face fell. But I carried on, "Wouldn't a knife would be better than a gun?''
I knew he was doubting my sanity at that point, but he tried, he really tried to carry on the conversation with me. "At this day and age, anything is better than any firearms, r-right?" He stuttered a bit, "I mean firearms being illegal and all." Javis was one of the few people who were aware of the assassination attempt on me a few weeks ago. All the CCTV Footages of the kidnapping and car accident scene had already been wiped off and even the pedestrians who had witnessed the incident had been brainwashed by the Lazars' Special Security Sectors. Until the entire issue was resolved, everything Wouldn't be kept hidden from the common people as per the Crown Prince Marcus Lazar's order. With my eccentric question he might have thought I was suspecting him or something. He looked a bit pale.
"Relax Doc," I patted him on the back, "This is all hypothetical, so gun or knife?''
"Knife."
"What if you have your own safe supply of firearms."
"Still knife, bullets can be traced back to the manufacturer and from there to the owner of the gun."
"What if you're able to get rid of the car, bullets and all the evidence besides the body?"
"Still knife. Your post mortem report can identify the shape of the bullet and the manufacturer can still be tracked down. I'm not saying the murderer cannot be caught if the murder weapon is a knife but if I have an organization backing me up in this murder, knife would be a more suitable weapon."
"Hmm."
"Even your thoughts are depressing," Javis sighed, "We need to do something about that. There's this bar right across the castle, let's get you some fresh air and me some beer."
I stared at him for five seconds, unblinking. Then I uttered, "I thought you wouldn't want me to get out of the bed for next fifty years." Javis stood up, a maid came to hand him his coat, "You'll be with your doctor in case anything happens. Bring Mr. Havard with you. I need to find out if he's as boring as you say when it comes to board games."
Javis and I. We weren't friends. But it was definately the start of something. "I won't feel like going home too soon though," I warned him, "I'm quite a troublemaker. Havard pampers me too much." Javis gave me a thumbs up, "That's okay. We can go to park and light up a small bonfire and think about life while sitting around it."
I sat up straight. I wasn't so sure about bar since I wasn't big on drinking. But bonfire sounded awesome. "Havard. Havard!" I called impatiently. "Hurry up Mr. Havard," Javis started shouting as well. We were like a pair of kids waiting for our dad's approval.
"Patience," Havard appeared by the door frame. "Fetch my best coat," I threw my legs off the bed, "We're going to park," it felt like forever since I'd gone out.
"I'm afraid you must delay your plan," Havard started, "You've an important guest-"
"Reschedule! Reschedule!" I cut in.
"Yeah! it's boys' night!" Javis said.
"I'm afraid this cannot be rescheduled."
"Unless my guest is the Emperor himself I'm also afraid you've to reschedule my dearest Havard," I implored him.
"It is not the Emperor," said Havard, "But your guest tonight is the Empress."
I looked at him and smirked and looked back at Javis, "This guy haha good at joking." But Doctor Miles Javis looked horrified. "Why's your mouth open? You'll swallow a fly, Doctor," I said.
"Turn around, son-in-law."
I turned around. Ah. Shit.
Beside Havard, was standing the Empress, the Mother, the Moon of Bahamut, Her Royal Highness Venessa Lazar herself
.
"I am afraid you'll have to delay your boys' night," said the Empress, "Hope you don't mind that much!"