16 The Lady in Gardens


    “Whoever stabbed the prince must have already left,” Parlings said.


    Behzad frowned at Lord Parlings. “How would you know?”


    “Oh, relax, Behzad. I’m not the killer.”


    “He’s not dead yet.”


    “Good. Hopefully, he’ll survive.”


    The guards came and started searching everyone’s pockets one by one. They touched almost every inch of their bodies, and when they made sure they had nothing to hide, they moved to the next person to inspect them. Nothing suspicious was found. Behzad looked disturbed by the turn of events. One of the guards started speaking loudly, and everyone listened carefully.


    “What does he say?” Lord Parlings asked.


    “The king requests everyone’s presence at the palace until they find the criminal,” Behzad said with a frown. “I have a business I need to take care of!”


    “Why is our presence necessary if none of us has the murder weapon?” Lord Parlings asked.


    “I don’t know. The king has put a price for the name or any information of the person who committed this crime.”


    “What information could we possibly have of the murderer?”


    “The prince is not dead yet!” Behzad said this time much louder and angrier, which got everyone’s attention. He immediately fixed his clothes and looked down to avoid causing a scene.


    “I think it’s best if we retire to our rooms,” Joseph said to Lord Parlings. “There are rooms assigned for us, yes?” he asked Behzad.


    “Yes,” Behzad said. “There will be rooms ready for us.”


    “Good.” Joseph actually didn’t mind being in the palace since there was an unlimited source of Shiraz wine which he was obsessed with. Also, he wanted to inspect the place where the mysterious princess lived. What better reason to stay in the palace and search for what he had in mind? They had to share their rooms since there were many people. Joseph, Behzad, and Lord Parlings stayed together. It was a very stressful night for the nobles. Joseph couldn’t wait to leave the room.


    When he opened his eyes, he found himself thirsty. The uncountable glasses of wine were draining him. It felt like the walls were closing on him. He got on his feet and left the room before losing his sanity. He needed to get some air. The sun hadn’t got out yet. He managed to avoid the guards on his way as he exited the palace. The gardens looked hollow when there wasn’t enough light to shine on them. A sophisticated dark atmosphere had the entire place under control. Even though Joseph was now in clear air, he still couldn’t breathe normally. He had to get farther.


    A wooden door appeared in his sight. Joseph tried it with his hands, but it didn’t open. Looking around, he ensured no guard was close and climbed the wooden door. He looked down from above the door and took a deep breath. The distance wasn’t high, so he jumped and landed on his feet. He dusted off his clothes and started walking again. No one knew about the hidden exit. Maybe the person who stabbed the prince came from there. Joseph walked further into the gardens that led to the woods and watched the sunrise from the east, breaking through the dark green view of the jungle.


    The sound of water sharpened his ears. There must have been a river close by. Joseph loved the sound of water. He followed it until he saw a small stream passing through the woods, the sound restoring the breath to Joseph’s lungs and the pure heavenly image comforting his mind.


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    He sat down next to the stream and put his hands inside, the coldness of the water refreshing his memory and senses. He gasped but didn’t remove his hands. The sun was now partly shining on him. A waterlily was down where the stream was ponderous, and the water had gathered into a large mere. A small frog was sitting on the water lily, filling his body with air.


    As Joseph was sitting by the stream, he thought life couldn’t get nicer to him and that he had lived enough to see everything. Nothing mattered anymore. He realized that by setting foot on that journey he had started healing himself without intending to. He was riper and calmer than when he was in England. Following a myth had been his goal, but peace was his triumph. Perhaps leaving the face of the earth at such a moment wasn’t that bad. What else could he want from life that he hadn’t accomplished?


    A swishing sound startled him. He looked around, not too fast, to inspect what it was. The sound was getting closer. He got on his feet, approached a tree, and hid behind it. The sound stopped, which intrigued Joseph. He peeked from behind the thick trunk. A beautiful deer stood tall in the middle of the trees, the sun shining on his horns. Joseph smiled and wanted to move, but he stopped when he saw a hand patting the deer''s head, a hand with gloves. Joseph became more curious. He moved his head away from the branches to see better. The unknown person got closer to the deer, and the deer bent his neck for him so he could pet him easier.


    Joseph decided to return to the palace and leave the scene before the man would notice him. He stepped backward, but something clasped around his foot, gluing him to his place. Joseph glanced down and saw a metal trap with long claws had gone into his flesh and bones. He couldn’t stop himself anymore with the scene before him, so he let a whimpering sound out of his mouth while leaning onto a tree to steady himself.


    The pain rushed through his body. He looked up at the sky covered by the long trees and took a long breath. Death had always been close to him, and Joseph was more than ready to accept it at any time. He closed his eyes and tried to ignore the pain of his leg. A shadow settled by him, and he opened his eyes. His sight was blurry. The man patting the deer was standing near Joseph with a bow and an arrow, ready to shoot. Joseph had already lost lots of blood and couldn’t think straight. He couldn’t possibly defend himself. The man lowered his bow and looked at Joseph with a frown. Joseph squinted slightly so his blurry sight could get better and he could see the face of the stranger.


    It wasn’t a man. It was a woman dressed in tight trousers and a tight blouse. Joseph’s sight was still blurry. He couldn’t quite see her face details. Her hair was gathered and braided. She didn’t have a hood, but her appearance reminded him of only one person.


    The Pedlar.


    Joseph felt excited to finally meet her. He wanted to ask many questions, but his body didn’t allow him. She approached Joseph without putting her bow down. His wound was deep and concerning. Slowly, she knelt by his leg and examined his injury. The trap was cutting deeper, and it had to be removed. She put two arrows inside the metal trap and pushed the clutches open. Joseph groaned with pain as blood poured out of his leg.


    The stranger held the claws with her bow and pulled Joseph’s leg out. The snare clasped together again, but Joseph''s leg was already free. Joseph fell to the ground as his leg kept bleeding. The woman sat by him and took his torn boot off. The wound looked even worse now that the trap was removed. She took Joseph’s jacket off and wrapped it around his wound firmly. Then she took his other boot off to see if his other leg was wounded. A dagger was under Joseph''s garment, and she got shocked to see it. She pulled it out of its place and examined it. Joseph looked down at his leg and realized what had happened.


    The woman held the dagger close to Joseph’s eyes, and he shook his head. “I did not stab the prince,” he mumbled.


    The woman put the dagger on Joseph’s cheek and pressed it. Joseph didn’t flinch. He knew he couldn’t speak in her language, and the dagger was false evidence of a crime he did not commit. She dropped the dagger, grabbed Joseph by his collar, and lifted him enough so he could see her. His mouth went dry. The woman’s long black brows furrowed, and something furious was in her eyes. If she wanted to hurt him, it was the safest place and time. But she pushed Joseph back down on the ground and got on her feet to leave. Joseph watched her vanish into the woods and thought he deserved what had become of him. He tried to move his leg, but it hurt deeply, so he lay there silently while clutching his knee to soothe the pain a little.