The Opposite Of Indifference - Chapter 0

The royal palace with its pointed spires beyond a huge drawbridge. A splendid ball was taking place in the palace decorated with luxurious stone.

“Praise!”

Cried the King’s proclaimer, as the trumpet sounded.

Then the ladies’ shoes, sliding to the beat of the dance on the white marble, stopped.

“The greatest king of the five continents, the guardian of our great kingdom…”

The ladies in their gowns of velvet and cream, fur and pink gulped. They were dancing a lively country dance, holding the hands of the equally well-dressed men..

But in fact, the ladies were waiting for the only one in the world.

“An Azalea that bloomed in the darkest shade of gray even in the Grechis family, the most perfect creation created by God…”

Finally, now, there were signs that the long wait was over.

“Here comes, His Majesty Frederick!”

Everyone bowed their heads and bent their knees, as if the waves were rolling in. The dance had long since forgotten as they greeted the king.

Finally a very tall man appeared.

His jet-black hair was slightly tousled and cascaded gently down his straight forehead. His gray eyes with a hint of blue took the world’s attention pouring into him as a matter of course. On his red lips hung a smile full of confidence that he owned this court himself.

“… How can he be so cool?”

A maid, sneaking in from the royal kitchens, murmured.

The nobles, however, reacted a little differently.

As he approached step by step into the splendid center of the court, the quieter it became.

Everyone loved him. At the same time, they feared him.

Only a sense of awe, evident from his very existence, ruled the world.

“It’s also wonderful to have Advent to close out the year.”

Said King Frederick, who enjoyed his presence and influence to the fullest.

“God, please bless my kingdom in the New Year.”

He nodded and raised his wine glass.

The musicians started playing again. Gradually, among the ladies, a different kind of anticipation was overflowing.

Their eyes sparkled with longing for the King. They hoped he would approach them and ask them to dance.

Charlotte lifted her heels. Adriana twisted her body. Ophelia swallowed only her dry saliva. Jane squared her shoulders, pretending unaffected. Elizabeth silently recited her prayers.

But Frederick passed them all indifferently.

He sat on a high throne without looking at them.

“It’s a nice day, why don’t you dance?”

Queen Jadalin asked. She had been watching the dancers from earlier like circus monkeys.

“I want to think a little bit today.”

Frederick smiled.

“What do you think about?”

Queen Jadalin found his smile unnerving.

“Well, maybe a chessboard,” said Frederick. “My court is a chessboard. Here’s the King and Queen… .”

He pointed at himself and Queen Jadalin.

“There is Rook over there… “

He then pointed to the nobles who were fighting each other.

“Oh, there are faithful bishops…”

Cardinal Rubert Mulally, standing quietly beside the Grand Priest in a red priestly robe.

“Above all, there are beautifully decorated knights.”

Finally, Frederick pointed to five ladies. Charlotte, Adriana, Ophelia, Jane and Elizabeth.

“You omitted the pawn…”

Quietly listening, Queen Jadalin pointed out.

“Did I?”

Frederick replied indifferently.

Of course, Queen Jadalin did not believe in his casualness. She said she imagined a game of chess, and she pondered his intentions as he jumped diagonally, taking out a pawn to attack.

In fact, the queen’s suspicions were correct.

Frederick deliberately removed his pawn. He had only one pawn and it was a young lady once called Ann Bellvard.

Unfortunately, Ann Bellvard was dead.

Because Rook and Knights went head-to-head and burned that poor pawn alive.

They turned the lady into a witch, stigmatized her, and took everything she held dear.

But Frederick still remembered Ann Bellvard. He missed her jet-black hair and blue eyes that sparkled with violent impulses.

“Even though the pawn isn’t here right now.”

Frederick was no longer talking to the Queen.

“It will be invited soon. Perhaps by the end of this winter.”

He murmured to himself.

“Yes.”

Frederick took a fresh look around the court. The suspicious face of Queen Jadalin. The calculating eyes of the nobles. The bewildering confusion of Cardinal Rubert Mulally. The unquenchable thirst of ladies…

But he just wasn’t interested in any of them. To put it more precisely, the pendulum of indifference did not move at all.

“Because my pawn will emerge from the ashes.”

But Ann Bellvard was different.

“With the sword raised sharply, she will only move forward without looking sideways.”

She reversed the very indifference of Frederick Grachis. She shook his world and dominated his mind. And Frederick liked that feeling.

“… The opposite of indifference is obsession.”

Ann Bellvard had already been invited to the King’s Game.

She just didn’t know it yet.

***

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