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One afternoon while I was enjoying the wonderful sunset of Melini, the already tired and old king, Laios, my friend came to keep me company.
-Marcille, what are you doing here in the garden? - he said with a usual kind voice but worn by the passing of the years, his voice is no longer the same and many other parts of him have changed, I wonder if the old marcille would have recognized him...
but for me, the current "Marcille" is an endearing image
I never imagined that Laios would become such an important person.
- Marcille! Hello, I'm here - he said, now worried about my sudden silence.
- oh hello laios, I'm watching the sunset, would you like to watch it with me? - I asked him happily, in recent years where the vigor and strength of Laios are nothing more than a simple memory, we have shared many good moments.
I hadn't noticed it while I was in the dungeon but Laios is someone quite nice to talk to, he refutes every time I tell him that because he considers himself a social misfit but that "defect" is what makes him unique to me
Laios does not lie, and if he does it is very easy to discover, he always knows what to say and is direct, from the point of view of Melini's high society this is a rather unpleasant trait, since he never has tact.
- I would love to see it with you Marcille! Actually, I came here to ask you a question,- he said a little unsure, his question must have been uncomfortable.
- umm ok you can tell me - I must hesitate a little because there have been occasions where he has left me disturbed with his normally disconcerting questions
- Umm well, Marcille turns out that I was talking to Kabru about the cultures of different countries and I remembered that in the dungeon we tried to recreate a family recipe for you and we failed so I asked him if he knew where you came from and he told me some things and wanted well ask you... - he said nervously
- marcille you once celebrated the "festa dei mortei - and here is the usual tactlessness of king laios
After the dungeon, anything related to death in general had to be treated with tweezers, neither Falin nor Laios could exceed that limit. It is something that is still delicate for me but in recent years I have lowered my guard regarding that and forgot the usual curiosity of others.
especially from laios...
I guess he knew how to read my face of internal conflict and began to apologize - I mean it's a particular celebration and it caught my attention a lot, I swear Marcille -
Currently the topic of death in general does not cause anything too important to me, so I can answer the question but I wonder how his conversation with Kabru led to something like this...
- Don't worry, I'll answer you, it doesn't bother me.The "festa dei morti" as I suppose you must know is a celebration where I come from and it is very similar to many other festivals about death, when I was very little I celebrated it two or three times and I loved it but after the death of My dad was a delicate subject and I didn't celebrate it anymore - I said as delicately as possible and trying to explain it to him.
This topic had not been brought to the table for years and of course the one who had to revive it was Laios, the mention of my father's death has always touched me and always will be because he is a very important person for me.
Laios seemed to understand what I said and my internal conflict and remained silent. He had become quite good at how to react when his questions made people uncomfortable. God, it had happened to him so many times.
But he's not good at staying silent.
-Marcille, I know you must be wondering why I was talking to Kabru, and the truth is I need to tell you this. I and Kabru were talking about my heir - his tone had completely changed now it was firm, this was the tone of voice he used when making decrees
And the mention of Kabru made it worse, Kabru was our messenger between kingdoms but he had another secret profession. He was the king's advisor along with Yaad, but if he talks about inheritance, there must be something with laios.
The death of Laios is something that has crossed my mind along with the death of everyone else.
Chilchuck had already left our life years ago. I remember hearing that tragic news and breaking down in the arms of Falin and Laios after his death.
I refused to continue thinking about the death of my friends and enjoy the time they have with me. If I only think about their deaths I won't be able to live with them
But the mention of Kabru is not essentially about the death of Laios, right? I say, trying to calm myself, it has been a while since I have thought about their undisputed departure from the earth, they will all die.
My eyes suddenly start to water, but I don't want him to see me like that, I cover my face and he quickly speaks again.
-Marcille, are you okay? I'm sorry for mentioning this,-he said, hugging me.
"It's already dark and I find myself in the royal garden crying in the arms of an ephemeral king."
--- ---
After a while we entered the castle he continued apologizing for what he had said. He wasn't to blame, no one was and I really wasn't angry with him.
I entered my rooms and tried to rest, but my soul was now troubled, I have been lying to myself, pretending that every day I wake up and do not think about the sudden departure of Laios and the painful death of Falin and the departure of senshi and izutsumi
I do it every day and every night I can't fall asleep.
I get up from my bed to go to the kitchen to drink water and I hear a very loud noise that doesn't stop, I recognize Laios's voice.
He is coughing violently and I approach him and he is curled up in himself and weak and sad, this image of He causes me pain and I look for Ambrosia and try to heal him but he stops me.
- M Marcille, you can't it will get worse if you do - he tells me while his mouth is covered in blood, he's not well, he's sick and I can't help him.
I approach him and hug him suddenly, I have become good at hugging him, he is like a pillow where my head can rest whenever it is disturbed, but pillows expire, they fill with fleas and mites and only then do they have to be changed.
- Laios, tell me the truth, that's why you asked about the "festa dei morti", right? - I ask but I already know the answer.
-Marcille, I'm dying, I have little time left, but in tradition I can live with you one more day - he says with a voice quite worn by the years and the dry cough.
-Marcille I want you to celebrate me when I die and for you to be the next queen of Melini - His proposal takes me by surprise,
Laios is still young and strong, he trained every day to be able to live a long time but now at sixty-five years old, death is stalking him and I can't help
-Marcille promise me that you will be strong and remember me and eat a Pupi Ri Zuccaru from me every festa dei morti -
- I promise you laios -
and now I cry in the arms of a sick and ephemeral king, laios my dear life partner.