Chapter 23: Shahrazade
Chapter 23: Shahrazade
"You seem to be in a good mood, your majesty."
The alluring and beautiful Shahrazad appeared. He stood up from the throne smiling at her:
"Indeed, I am."
He gently brushed her hair:
"But you are not. You shouldn't have forced yourself."
She looked down:
"So you knew."
"Yes. What you did was right. But Still"
He took her little hands in his and looked deeply at them before slowly looking up at her, with his pupils shinning like two dark gems:
"I wish for my Empress to never sully her hands."
She felt her heart about to explode when she heard him, yet she immediately responded with a slight blush on her face:
"Any blood versed for your sake, even this Shahrazad's own blood, will never be filth in my eyes."
He looked at her deeply before sighing:
"You won't back down, will you?"
She clenched his hands softly before giggling:
"Your majesty should already know me by now."
He then smiled:
"Let's take a break. There is a place I've been looking forward to visit for a while, now."
"But, Your majestyThe Empire?"
"Don't worry the Time dilatation in this one is pretty big too. They won't even notice you are gone."
A portal appeared:
"Let's go!"
Shahrazad nodded like a little kitten as she followed him.
World code name 'One Piece', Water 7.
In the middle of this beautiful city, two people could be seen cruising a hippocamp the city water canals laughing and playing in the middle of the colorful city. Any citizen who saw the country toppling beauty would want to faint on the spot! With her was well built man, he looked more noble than nobles themselves.
They spent all their day, fooling around.
"And then Kosem big sister came and beatted you down!"
"Stop recalling this memory every time!"
"I am not recalling the same memory. It's just all my stories end up in the same way."
"This Kosem is too much. This Emperor shall discipline her when she comes back."
He said as he wore prideful face.
"Are you sure?"
"I correspond with Elder Sister too; I might send her your words~"
Immediately his face changed:
"And you were supposed to be the kind one!"
"What did this Emperor do to you so you will make him suffer such fate.?"
She giggled in his arms.
Their vehicle suddenly stopped as Marek smiled:
"Here, we are, my Empress."
They both marched on the Dock 1. Carpenters were working. An annoyed voice addressed them:
"Yo, what are you doing here?"
Marek stared at Paulie for a while:
"We are here to talk to Mister Iceberg."
Paulie smoked his cigar as he responded:
"If you want a ship, you can address all the carpenters here.
"I know you are the best of the best aren't you?
Marek smiled lightly as he continued:
"But I am not here for a ship. I am here to commission a design. It's Iceberg who designed this city, isn't he?"
Paulie frowned, racking his brain to come up with a response. Shahrazad chuckled a little looking at him.
"It's indeed Iceberg-san's design."
Marek looked in the direction of the voice.
'It's the secretary, huh'
He continued to smile as he addressed her:
"You must be his secretary. Please, lead the way."
She nodded as she turned around. A little time passed before they got there and were welcomed by a blue haired man.
"It seems you require my services."
Marek laughed slightly:
"Yes, indeed. I actually only require an artistic design."
"Oh? So you won't use our craftsmen?
-Our place is way too far for your craftsmen to get there.
-I see. So what do you have in mind?
He smiled lightly:
"In your mind, what should a floating Imperial City look like?"
He had wide eyes and a big smile as he contemplated on it:
"I see, you really aren't a normal fellow, Are you ?
-I am only an admirer of good craft, Iceberg-san. Do not worry about how it should float, only design it.
-Any other preferences?
-I want it to have a Dressrosa-vibe, Albasta's royal architecture is good too.
-I see. I accept your commission on one condition.
-What is it?
He extended his hand as he stood up
-I get to see it, when it's built.
Marek stood up similarly:
-It's a deal, then. How many time you need?
-If it's only design you need, give me 14 days.
-I trust you will do well. I look forward to it.
Night sky hovered on Water Seven, in the now calm water, a man was ramming on a little boat. By his side pearl-eyed, his woman was watching him.
-It is a beautiful city, your majesty.
-Isn't it?!
He said with a childish tone.
-If you want, I can offer it to you.
Shahrazad giggled:
-You shouldn't do that. This city is only this beautiful because of their people and their love for their mayor.
-You are right. You are always so clear headed.
He deeply sighed as he gazed at the gentle moonlight.
'Fortunately, I control the Ape form, or I would be destroying this town by now.'
"All this reminds me of a tale from my other World.
-Would you narrate to me?
-Are you sure? It's a pretty weird one.
-Yes, your majesty.
He sighed as he kept looking at the moonlight:
-Once upon a time, existed a Great Emperor, just, and brave, loved by his people. His name was Shahrayar. He had wealth, love and authority.
Yet tragedy was about to befall him. One day when returning from an expedition won earlier than expected, he found his wife engaging in pagan filthy acts. He loved her more than anything in the world and doted on her the most. Yet, he was betrayed. From that day he was never the same. After executing his wife. He vowed to never love again. Everyday he would marry a girl, and after passing the night, at the sunrise he would execute her. It continued to happen, as everyman with a girl in marriage age started to desert the capital.
He deeply sighed:
"The only one who stayed is the First Vizir's daughter. She was known as a peerless woman, words of her beauty were heard from Iran to Egypt. She had wisdom surpassing the world, and unrivaled talents. She, herself, volunteered because she wanted to end the sorrow of the Empire.
Ah! She had a beautiful name too."
He then deeply looked at her with a emotional smile on his face:
"Her name was Shahrazad."
Shahrazad had her heart pounding as she looked back at him.
"Shahrayar as usual prepared to spend the night with the woman. Yet when he spent it, she actually captivated him with a beautiful told story until the sun rose. Because he wanted to hear the rest, he couldn't bring himself to execute her. Then the night after ensued in the same way as she continued to narrate her story. And the night after, and the night after"
He got closer to Shahrazad as he continued to narrate:
"And night after, and the night after."
He caressed her cheek as he continued:
"Until One thousand and one night passed."
She gulped:
-What happened then?
-By then, The emperor was so deeply in love with her, that he could only make her his Empress. He could only bring himself to believe in love again."
Marek deeply sighed:
"I actually don't believe that Shahrayar did all this in a fit of rage, or hatred. He could have abandoned women altogether; he could have enslaved other countries girls and made them his own. He could have a plethora of beautiful females that are all here only for his pleasure."
"I believe he did all this because he wanted to be saved. Saved from himself, saved from his rage, saved from the darkness in his heart."
He took a little moment in silence remembering Lina, thinking about his feelings in the fountain of truth.
'Indeed, Pain, this pain, could topple even Gods'
He then thought about the Powerful Foes waiting for him outside of the Astaroth Continent.
"Someday I may end up like him."
He took her cheeks between his hands, his deep black eyes were shinning like gems, in their abyss, one could see extreme affection in it:
"My love, my Moon, my Empress. If I ever lost my way, If in this never ending war I lost my own sense of self, If the day comes you don't recognize your fool of a man anymore. Please, show this humble idiot the way, Please guide me to the light.
Please be this Emperor's Shahrazad."
The girl had all her face covered with tears:
"With all my heart, your Majesty."
THIS CHAPTER UPLOAD FIRST AT NOVELBIN.COM