Blood (Epic of the Mediterranean) [Book 1]

Chapter 11

Night breeze in Bactra could be deemed moderately calming, as it bought with itself the flow of Oxus at night and the cool of the moonlight. Into the bedroom of the Lord of the land, it carried an unusual blend from the garden beneath the portico. Yet, all of its subtleness failed to deliver a profound sleep of peace.

Drops of precipitation rolled down his body. Asmaka clenched the sheets restlessly, his face twisting in ordeal as his mind endured the agony of another deep nightmare. The cold vacant chamber provided unnoted space for it to expand relentlessly, with the only thing which tried providing comfort being the foreign yet gentle winds.

"Uh!" His eyes darted open, bloodshot. A sigh of relief followed after consecutive deep breaths to calm his racing heart. Asmaka sat up, digging his teeth into his lips. His eyes squirmed as the dried tears were replaced by novel ones. Even burrowing his face into his palms failed to bring peace. Of course, it was better to wake up from a world which seemed to shackle him, a land of hallucinations. But it was worse facing the fact that it had all once been real and had occurred at the same place where he now stayed. No matter who or how he was, he found himself vulnerable to these dreams. And as if they knew it, they kept repeating themselves for breaking him. After all these years, he had failed to accept the past and move himself out of it. Yet, he would never accept it in front of anyone.

Asmaka hurriedly reached out to the side table in search of water, only for the pitcher to crash into the carpets beneath.

"Tsk", he moved out of the bed and into the open balcony. The winds brushed his face softly. They were still pleasant to the skin but weren't enough. He jumped out of it and into the extension of the portico, the marble work shining in its pallor under the moon. It wouldn't be wrong to say that the garden seemed to possess a soul of its own, nourished by the undying care of its previous owner. The artificial lotus pond reflected his weakness back at him, and he did nothing to distort it. He didn't want to restrain himself anymore right now.

He splashed his eyes violently as they turned red with all the tears which refused to stop. He won't be receiving much sleep tonight either. The same circle every day every night; it consumed too much of his energy. He pressed his hand through his hair, pushing them out of his face. What was he supposed to do of all this now?

Asmaka's eyes swooned in a particular direction. There was a specific place where he would like to be.

The library pavilion verandah was low enough to eliminate the need of the formalities by the flat stairs, if a person possessed a body capable of pouncing like a leopard if they may. With its back facing the dense wilderness, the front was constructed directing towards the Oxus as it overlooked the clear and habituated plains, providing with an unhindered view of the moon as it dominated the night sky. Something moved under the moonlight on the broad cushioned edge, long black hair flowing down like vines which crept alongside the walls. Her fingers rested over open pages which failed to turn under the weight. A strange tranquility fell over her expressions, complimenting the atmosphere around her.

There was a part inside Asmaka which felt ridiculously irritated. It was infuriating to see her like that. No, he wasn't particularly a sadist of any sort, yet he couldn't bear it. He sat beside her, a position which would provide him a clearer view of the face, nails digging down in unease. How the hell could she sleep so easily with everything in her life falling apart? Why was she asleep when he is right beside her?

He wanted her to feel his presence.

The table which mostly held nothing more than an empty vase, a few scrolls at most, flaunted a box which shouldn't be there. Asmaka grimaced, Dara must have delivered it here. He rarely accepted unsolicited gifts, let alone one from Susiana. There weren't any personal grudges against the throne of the state, only he wasn't exactly on good terms with Namtar.