Hashim Khail and Keeper of the Gates by Richard Shekari (short novels to read .TXT) 📖

ears. I believe that we all make mistakes because when I made the deal, I didn’t know what I bargained for. Nabil tried to warn me but I didn’t listen. Now, she was the one that advised me to keep you alive and safe. She also suggested that I give you and army to go back and retake what’s rightfully yours.”
“Hmm!” Hashim remarked, “How am I sure you are saying the truth? Put your feet in my shoes.”
“Bring him along.” The king ordered, he quickly turned and walked away.
The guards chained him up and took him to the palace, and into the King’s inner chamber.
King Yuri brought out some scrolls from a shelf and threw them at Hashim’s feet. “You are royal,” he said, “I believe you can read. I also believe you know where that seal comes from!”
Hashim picked one of the scrolls and went through it, he threw it away and pick the next one. He lifted his head in disbelief and looked at King Yuri. Hashim’s knees kissed the floor.
“If you agree with me,” Said King Yuri, “I say we set out as soon as possible.”  




Chapter Five: Eventide.

King Yuri ordered Hashim be treated well. He was taken to a nice room and offered good clothes to wear and good meal but he rejected the food as he was sober.
 As King Yuri and his advisors planned on how Hashim would be assisted to retake his father’s kingdom, Nabil brought some fruits and found Hashim standing by the window.
“You have to eat.” She said. “You’ll need to stay alive, if not for your sake but for the sake of your people…and my people. Yuri is a good man, you need to understand that. But even good men sometimes make the wrong decisions. And a few wise ones get themselves back on the right path when they realise they’ve erred.”
 “Ever wondered how it’ll be like to have a family of your own?” He asked as he turned to her.
“I have a family!” She said, “King Yuri, the people here and my sisters. They are my family.”
“Well, Yuri seem to have a queen, right?” He said.
She nodded.
“We have this beautiful garden in the castle,” Hashim added, “I used to go there a lot. I don’t know if it’s still there, but I think you’d love it.”
“Are you trying to woo me by enticing me with a garden?” She said as she smiled, “You can do better than that!”
“I want you to come with me,” He said. “You’ll love it there!”
“My heart is rooted in this land.” She said.
“I will water the roots with my own hands if you agree to come with me!” He said. “And maybe you’ll find out that my land is more fertile.” He smiled, “Not that I am saying the soil here is bad!”
“You did not just say that.” She responded.
They both laughed.
“I do love to have a garden of my own someday,” she said.
“Does that mean you’re coming with me?” He asked.
“I can’t answer that right now,” she said, “but if King Yuri is giving you an army then he’ll surely ride with you and wherever he goes, my sisters and I go.”
“I know that,” he said. “What I am trying to say is, if this whole thing is over. Would you…”
“I know what you mean!” She interjected. “I don’t know but, I dreamt about you even days before you came.”
 “How can you dream about a man you’ve never met before?” He responded.
“Let’s just say I see things.” She added.
“What was the dream about?” He asked.
“In my dream, you struggled with someone with a dark heart and snatched a crown from him,” she said, “You then took me to a garden but the bridge that led to the garden was broken.”
“My father’s garden has no bridge,” he said, “It’s in the middle of a beautiful orchard. With beautiful flowers and trees that bear exotic fruits.”
“I need to get going.” She responded.
“Please stay.” He said as he walked to her.
“We have a long trip ahead of us tomorrow.” She added, “You’ll need to rest too. Goodnight!” She walked out of the room.
“Goodnight.” He said.

 

Chapter Six: The Foe within the Four Walls.

King Yuri assembled his soldiers and they left for Tzuria at dawn. By sunset they had entered the land and made a camp not far from the capital city of Karan. On their arrival, Hashim disguised himself and prepared to go into the city but Nabil stopped him. As the morning sun shone upon the battlefield, King Yuri’s two thousand army stood behind in full battle formation.
“You must remain calm when the representatives from the other side come forth for negotiations.” Nabil said. “Keep you armet on no matter what!”
“I can barely breathe,” said Hashim as he pulled down the visor of his helmet. “I don’t usually fight with such thick armour, I can barely see with this thing.”
“I’ll need you to trust me on this, okay?” She said.
“Okay.” He answered, “But as soon as it gets rusty out there, I’ll take it off!”
“Not a problem, just don’t take it off before the battle starts no matter what. Do you understand?”
“Do whatever she says,” King Yuri said. “Nabil always knows best, trust me!” He smiled at her with such profound respect. She smiled back.
“I understand!” Hashim nodded.
“I hope you really do!” King Yuri added.
Hashim agreed to heed to her advice.
They mounted their horses; King Yuri, Hashim, Nabil and her sisters rode off. As they approached the centre of the battlefield, so did five representatives from the Tzurian side who galloped to meet them; four soldiers on black horses and their leader wearing a full plate armour along with his white horse.
Hashim and his team had reached the meeting point, they halted their horse in wait for the others. Nabil turned to Hashim and uttered no word, he gasped and placed his hand on his sword.
“Hands off sword!” She said.
Hashim did as told.
“Act natural.” King Yuri added.
“Not on a battlefield!” Said Hashim, “And not when the one who murdered my family is proudly riding on my beloved brother’s favourite horse.”
Nabil and King Yuri looked at each other.
“When the scouts told me of an army riding against my city I thought it was a joke.” Said the one in the full plate armour, “Don’t be threatened by the armour, I haven’t worn it before so I felt today is such a good day to let the beautiful sun shine on this silver, King Yuri.” He laughed, “You’ve got my generals and commanders worried but I reminded them that our new-borns alone outnumbered your army. Funny but a true fact, huh?”  
King Yuri smiled.
“So if I may ask out of respect, from one king to another,” he added, “What gift have you brought that’s so special you had to bring it yourself, Yuri?”
“It’s not much,” King Yuri said, “But it sure going to be amazing.”
“Escorted by a handful of boys dressed as soldiers?” He mocked, “Come on!”
“I’ve come not to fight, that is sure, oh great ruler of Tzuria.” King Yuri said, “Gifts? I do bear them but it’s in my tent back there, you know, we had to camp for the night. I told my men we were coming to see a man who believed that the precious life of his family and the ones who loved him stood between him and pleasures of this world, so why not rid himself these eyesores so he’d rule the kingdom and glide on the wings of greed.”
The four men from the Tzurian side pulled their swords.
“Easy! Easy, men!” Said their leader. “We are Tzurians, we don’t cringe when a hog oinks!”
The men returned their swords to the sheaths as their leader took off his helmet. Lo and behold! At that very instant Jamil’s face was revealed.
“Remain calm!” Nabil whispered to Hashim.
Hashim’s legs began to shake and so his hands. He agitated on his horse, he found it hard to believe his eyes. His heart pounded uncontrollably.
“Well,” Jamil responded, “When I was a kid, my friends and I would say things we don’t really mean, you know, boys always do that. Even if it leads to a fight, we always laugh and at the end of the day, we’d let the friendship flourish…but you see,” he sighed, “This thing you just said  Yuri is…very-very-hurting, my friend.”
“That’s the whole idea.” King Yuri said.
“Now, I am a merciful king!” Jamil added, “I have already forgiven you but, you see, my men have heard these silly or should I say foolish thing you’ve let slip off that tongue you used to kiss that whore you call a queen, so I shall let this pass on one condition; that you come down your horse and kneel before me.”
King Yuri laughed so hard tears rolled down his eyes.
“I have behind me, three thousand men on foot and on horsebacks.” Jamil bragged, “a thousand and one archers, and if you look up and around you, you’d notice about three thousand or more assembling themselves right now as we speak. They are gift from a friend.”
King Yuri turned and realised that the entire place has been surrounded by soldiers in black uniform. He and his men were besieged and confused at the sight of the sheer number of men that surrounded them, they lost their morale.
“I am not my father’s weakness, Yuri.” Jamil added. “I am not that weakling. We had a deal, yes, if you have come to collect your share of the bargain then we can go into my castle like the men of royal that we are, and I’ll have your gold delivered to you so you’d go and settle your pathetic excuse for an army the debt you owe. But um…I’d hope you have preserved his dead body or at least his head.”
“I require nothing in return for almost…helping you kill your own brother, Jamil.”  King Yuri said.
“I am that man none of you sons of whores should dare dream of raising your tongues against let alone your swords!” Jamil yelled, “Bow before me or I’ll kill you right here, right now, and make that stupid whore of a queen of yours feed on hay for the rest of her miserable life.”
“It’s obvious you didn’t hear the word ‘almost’ in the last thing he said!” Hashim yelled.
“Who is this leper?” Jamil asked as he giggled, his men laughed along.
Jamil gave a signal, and one of the men beside him raised a flag and wove it. More