Volume 9 Epilogue (1/2)

Having entered Birac, Orba did not personally see s.h.i.+que until after he had shown the soldiers his grat.i.tude for their work and had given Rogue and Odyne instructions about a temporary defence plan. Once the soldiers who had returned to the battlefield to collect the remains of the war dead had brought them to Birac, s.h.i.+que was discovered amongst them.

When his corpse was carried before him, Orba watched in silence for a moment.

They were in the' front courtyard of the castle, which was surrounded by a wall. The sun was already beginning to set and, with torches starting to be lit all around the garden, s.h.i.+que's feminine face stood out, a contrast of light and shadows.

Orba took a step closer and knelt beside this swordsman who had been laid in rest in the garden.

”When, was he killed?” he asked.

One of the soldiers knelt down behind the crown prince and, facing his back, he explained -

”When I last saw him, he was engaged in single combat with General Zaas Sidious. That was probably how it happened.”

That man was Zaas? Orba called to mind the figure of the warrior that s.h.i.+que had drawn away. He was young, but it was true that he certainly had an air of dignity which could only come from leading an army. And that man -

”He drew him away all that time, by himself?”

There was neither praise nor condemnation for s.h.i.+que's actions in Orba's matter-of-fact words. But to the soldier, who had been part of the charge, it sounded like he himself was being blamed. ”I am deeply sorry,” he prostrated himself.

”No,” Orba shook his head. ”I was the one who left him to die. He did well. You could say that it was because he held Zaas back that we were able to obtain victory.”

For the time being, the three generals Folker, Zaas and Yuriah were being kept in confinement in the castle. Most of their soldiers had already been released. Although, of course, only after their s.h.i.+ps, guns, and cannons had been seized.

”Have Zaas -”

Called here, Orba started to say, but morosely fell silent instead. Having him called would not make any difference. He could not drag him before s.h.i.+que's corpse, accuse him and yell, ”You did this!”, then raise his sword vengefully. Zaas Sidious had fought for victory and, in so doing, he had killed an enemy soldier. That was all.

Orba remained in that same position for a short while.

”Isn't that a good face he's got there?” A voice rose up from behind him. Turning to look over his shoulder, he saw the giant Gilliam looking down at s.h.i.+que's face with deep interest.

Just as he had said, s.h.i.+que's expression was strangely calm. The face that he had always been so proud of, and that he would not allow anyone to injure was, even at the last, free of any obvious wounds; and he looked as though he would get up any moment now with a, ”I was just kidding, Orba. Did I get you worried for a bit?” and start laughing.

However, s.h.i.+que's eyes were closed forever, colour would never return to his pale, faintly parted lips, nor would his teasing voice ever come from them again.

Gilliam continued, ”That's the face of someone who chose for himself the right place to die. Prince, someone as exalted as a prince might not be able to understand, but it isn't possible for gladiators to have that kind of expression when they die.”

”It's only when they finally die that they can be released from h.e.l.l, and even then, they probably drag their regrets to the other world. You freed us, Prince, but going from being a slave to being free doesn't mean being able to choose where to live. It means being able to decide where to die, without being forced to do so by anyone else. s.h.i.+que found it. Without resenting anyone or hating anyone.”

Whatever it was and whoever it was that Gilliam had intended to have hear that, he said nothing more and turned his giant back to leave.

Orba's eyes returned once more to s.h.i.+que. If you looked only at his face, he really did look as though he was simply sleeping. Orba, who had always shaken s.h.i.+que off when he got too close, now took him in his arms and held his head to his chest.

The contours of Birac's ramparts shone brilliantly in the setting sun. But before long, those glimmering outlines were replaced by deep shadows and the surroundings were entirely plunged into darkness.

”If the prince orders it,” spoke Rogue, who had come to find him after the sun had set, ”we will hold a hero's grand funeral for him. If Your Highness wishes for it, we can even hold a sky funeral, as used for us Winged Dragon officers.”

”No,” Orba finally stood up. An hour had pa.s.sed since he had first knelt at s.h.i.+que's side.

He walked around among the other corpses which had been carried nearby. ”He was no more than a single swordsman. A great many others also died in this battle. If we mourn so lavishly for s.h.i.+que, how much time and money would it all take?”

”Aye.”

”The same goes for me.”

”The same?”