Tykar stopped beside him.
"You've met our host." He said looking at the place where the old man had walked.
"What is a host?"
"The host is the sage of our people."
"Is there only one host?"
"Yes. And he's a mystery. No one can say how long he has lived among us."
"You must have met his family."
"No. Whenever I think of him... He hasn't changed a bit. There hasn't been a wrinkle on his face since I first saw him, and that's twenty years ago."
"I'll ask him about his family the next time he comes around."
"Do that and then tell me his secret."
"I promise." Yuki said with a smile.
"Yuki... Our people need you."
"You came here to ask me to consummate my marriage?"
"I came to ask you to give Durin a chance to prove that he can be more than a caveman."
"I don't think Durin will be able to be more sensitive in a thousand years."
"Our people depend on it."
"I'm surprised you're asking me, Tykar. Shouldn't you be making plans so that this doesn't happen and you inherit the throne?"
"When it becomes what's best for our people, I will, but right now, what's best for the people is to see Durin sit on the throne. I don't want him to fail in this mission, but I know he will and when that happens..."
"Do you think starting a war for the throne will be good for your people?"
Tykar looked coldly at Yuki.
"It's certainly a better option than servitude."
"Durin is arrogant, but he's not evil. He'll make a good king."
"Repeat that to yourself when he comes looking for you, so that he convinces you to accept being part of this cause. I hope I'm wrong and you're right."
Yuki took a deep breath.
"I can't sacrifice myself for the sake of a people I don't even know. I'll take my daughter and leave this place."
"These people can also be your people. It's your chance to put down roots and form a harmonious family for Selytha."
"I can do that anywhere."
"No. You can't. In your heart you've already realized that Selytha has regained her health in this place. If you take her away, she'll live only a few months and always in a hospital."
"Is that a threat?"
"It's a statement of reality."
"Will Durin accept my daughter?"
"Probably not. But I can help you bring her to live in the palace, without Durin suspecting that she's your daughter."
"How?"
"I can say she's my daughter and ask you to adopt her."
"How does that work?"
"In our kingdom, when a child is abandoned, it's natural for someone from the royal family to adopt it for protection. With me, Selytha will be a princess."
"And why aren't there lots of orphans running around here?"
"They're rare in our kingdom. When they do happen, the child's family doesn't abandon them and takes them into their care."
"That's... Beautiful!"
"That's only fair."
"Your proposal is much better than Durin's."
Tykar nodded.
"Durin ran away from us when he was still very young. He took part in the Pharaoh's ritual for selfish reasons and not to fulfill his obligation as a future king."
"What ritual is that? Durin ran away when he was how old?"
"The ritual of manhood. All the Pharaohs have to face a challenge to earn the right to try a virgin when they turn twenty-one. Men must save themselves for that day. But Durin didn't do that. He ran away after a fight with the great Pharaoh over his second wife, Celesty. Durin didn't want to see his mother changed, but there is an obligation on Pharaoh to bear many children and as he had only fathered two, the Gumis thought that a marriage to a woman who was not from the harem, as they had served Pharaoh for many years and had not borne him any children, would bring fertility and this break in tradition led our future Pharaoh to flee. The Gumis believe that this was a punishment for agreeing to change the order that had existed for centuries and insisted that Durin not be disinherited for their mistake. They were lenient with Durin."
"And what happened to the women of the Great Pharaoh's harem? Are they Durin's wives now?"
"They were replaced by young women who were chosen, raised and indoctrinated to be Durin's servants. The Gumis always take the old women from the harem, and no one knows their fate."
"And the old Farida?"
"That's the only one who can be Durin's wife, or his harem wife, because she's still young and can still bear children, but Durin dismissed her when he married you."
"Can't Pharaoh have more than one wife?"
"No. Pharaoh must keep the commitment of eternal marriage."
"So... Durin never intended to give me a divorce!"
"I think he still harbors hopes of changing the rules and divorcing you one day, yes. But I know him. Durin will never let you go before he has you in his bed. It's become a matter of pride. It doesn't matter if you accept being his wife or not. Your marriage will be consummated. But I must warn you, if he stays with you, without inheriting the throne as a result, he won't mind following our rules."
"What rules are you talking about?"
"The Pharaoh cannot, under any circumstances, mistreat or deny a wish from his Farida. And if you don't put yourself in that position, I'm afraid you'll get to know the worst side of Durin."
"He's not like that."
"I understand that you feel that way, but I'm relieved that you'll never be able to say that you weren't warned."
Tykar said and started to leave.
"Tykar!" Yuki called out when she saw his intention to walk away and he stopped without turning around. "I can't accept any of the offers you've made me."
"Why?" he asked with his back to her.
Yuki hesitated for a few seconds, but then said bravely:
"Because I'm in love with Durin."
Tykar turned to her.
"What's wrong with being in love with the man you married?"
"He doesn't correspond to me."
"You have the chance to change that."
"I don't want to humiliate myself."
"Would you rather see your daughter sick and dying in hospital than have your pride hurt?" He asked and walked away.
Yuki looked determinedly at him.
"No, Tykar. I have a third option. I can stay in this country without you ever finding me." She said to herself and went back to her room.
...
Yuki opened the double door and frowned. Had she entered the wrong room? There were heart-shaped balloons attached to the ceiling, white rose petals covered the entire floor of the room and the lighting had been replaced with candles arranged throughout the room and in the center, a table had been set up with a bucket of champagne and various snacks. Durin, who was wearing a perfectly cut suit, approached and placed a glass in her hand.
"May we be happy." He said and drank, not waiting for Yuki to recover from her surprise.
Yuki smiled and placed the untouched cup on the table and, turning to Durin, crossed her arms.
"What are you doing? I'm not going to accept any of your proposals, boss."
Durin made a sign as if he had forgotten something and went over to the bed, from where he took out a bouquet of red roses, a box of chocolates and a small velvet box and handed it to her anyway.
"So you'll never say I've never been romantic."
Yuki laughed even harder.
"You're crazy." She said and threw everything back on the bed. "I don't want those things."
"It doesn't matter."
"Doesn't it?"
Durin poured himself some more champagne.
"No. You can give me the money back and..."
"Wait! The money was payment for me to marry you and I did!"
"A marriage requires more than saying 'I do' in front of a judge."
"That's not what we agreed."
"I'm going to lose a kingdom because of your stubbornness, Yuki. I told you this was important to me. You're not my wife yet, and I have no obligation to pay you if you don't keep your end of the bargain. You must remember that I warned you that I use everything I buy. You're doing me a lot of harm, I'm not going to repay you with good. I'll lose a lot, but you'll lose everything."
"You're irrational. Durin, you're not like that. Look at me and tell me that you can imagine yourself consummating this marriage. You've never seen me as a woman, you..."
"Nothing a paper bag on your perfect porcelain doll face won't solve. From the shoulders down, you're just another body. Just like all the other women."
"You're not serious."
"I've done my bit." He said and pointed to the balloons, the candles, the champagne table, the bombs and roses on the bed. "No woman has ever received these things from me."
"I noticed the romanticism in every detail." She said sarcastically.
"I'm not romantic, Yuki. I don't need to be. My money has always been an incentive for women to love me without feeling anything. You can't be that different."
"Durin..." Yuki said and sensually approached Durin, letting her lips be less than three centimeters away from his.
"Get out of my room."
Durin smiled and pulled her to him, looking longingly at her lips.
"Are you sure?"
"Yes. I think I'm sure, yes."
Durin stood up with a smile and walked away.