Heaven Can't Wait ۞ Baldwin IV

XXV - Iblis

Preparations for the departure of Juliana and Al Mualim continued, and while they took form, so did many other things.

The tapestry for the Royal Lazarium, the concessions for the lepers' return. The new walls around the city. The quiet blossoming between the monarchs.

The friendship between Altair and Baudouinet, which was that late January day being noisier than usual.

They played between the branches of the central olive tree, wearing faux tails knotted by a string around their waist.

They had seen monkeys brought by a trainer invited to perform in the palace and had become obsessed. Adamant in replicating their ability. The King had allowed the baboons to entertain the court, as long as they remained out of touch, but he had not witnessed this unique reprise.

"The fowls do not flee from Safi, but are fleeing from this ruckus..." Lluna joked to her mother as the older woman held the white fabric where Baudouin's titles and name were being embroidered in kufic and thuluth scripts respectively.

Hafiz bayt al-Maqdis
al-Malik al-'Adil al-A'azz
Baduan al-Rabee ibn Muri al-Anju
The Protector of Jerusalem
The Most Revered King
Baudouin the Fourth
Son of Amaury d'Anjou

Lluna kept repeating this in her head with a growing melody, and eventually it became a little private song that had simply gotten stuck in a loop.

Juliana noticed the focus shift back and forth in her daughter's face because of this. The young queen looked still so innocent with these dimples on the brow and cheeks, just like when she was little and her head wound up in the clouds.

They were making the most out of their time together before the departure. And they tried for this time to be lighthearted, without thinking too much about the end of it.

The birds left feathers behind as they scattered. The only one to remain was Azahar, the white peacock. Serene and inquisitive, always. Although he still never displayed his tail.

Safiyyah meanwhile rubbed against the olive tree as though the scent riveted her, biting and scratching at the bark.

"I cannot blame them," Juliana claimed with a laugh, wishing her hands were free to cover her ears.

While Lluna was not looking, the needle punched through the glove and pricked her finger. Her mouth grimaced with a show of her teeth, and a near hiss. The embroidery loop dropped just a little from her hand onto her lap, and the musical loop inside her mind completely broke.

At the same time, a blunt thumping sound brought her eyes away from the bead of blood seeping through the gloved finger and back to the tree.

Baudouinet looked from up top down to the area between the uprooted tiles, where Altair had clearly fallen on.

"Iblis!" Lluna spurted out frustration at both occurrences.

Being simultaneous, it could only be the work of the Shaytan.

She left the half-stitched banner aside at once and stood to go to the tree.

"Altair!" Baudouinet exclaimed as he crept down to him. The older boy usually felt responsible for him.

There was no cry or any sound of any kind, at first. The pain settled in only after the child began to move and sit up.

"My wrist." Altair remained composed, holding back cries of pain.

"He fell on it," Baudouinet explained to the Queen, trying to show her by actually touching Altair's arm, who flinched.

"No, leave it, Prins," Valentia told him softly, indicating with a gesture.