THE FLOWER OF A THOUSAND LEAVES
Mary
Manukjan-Yukhanova
Don’t
try to know us
For the ancient world lies low beneath the veil.
NINA
"Nani,
hey, Nani, are you really dreaming or are you just thinking as you do?" -a
young girl grouched as she turned to an old lady sitting on a pile of old rags
in the shade. The old woman started to open her dull faded eyes and went back
into her dream again. The girl with a leprous face tried to pull hard at her old
lean shoulders dressed in black.
The old woman woke up to show her angry eyes and grouched in a murmur,
"Leave me alone."
"Oh, Nani, you've been long sleeping. I think you' d better eat
something now. And yet I am afraid to be alone", replied the girl.
Nani gave her a sarcastic look. Having heard an answer Asthik gave a sad
sigh and cried out loudly, "Oh, Nani, please, come and eat something. I've
just cooked some fish for you. I know you like it hot."
"I have no longer taste for the food, my dear", said the old
woman. Asthik put on a pouting face, turned and walked out of the shade. Then
she squatted, looked up to the skies as if she was trying to find the answers to
all questions that had troubled her since she first learnt to speak and walk.
When she did not find any of the answers, she turned her eyes to the mainland
shore where she had been forbidden to be since she was born.
Asthik lived on an island of lepers. This was a lonely island somewhere
between some little river's mouth and the Hegame Sea. The island was so small
that she could walk around it a hundred times a day. One day she measured its
length and width, and she found out that it had only 500 walking steps in
diameter. The mainland was so near that the girl could hear people singing and
see them making a fire as they often did. Asthik despised people, and even Nany,
her only friend in her exile she did not love her at all. Standing on a rocky
cliff she often liked to look at the high burrow where all chief warriors and
all the kings of the Nair dynasty had been buried and think of death. She was
afraid of people as much as she feared death. Both things were a secret to her,
but she knew too well boredom, anger and yet curiosity. Asthik only loved to
dream. In her dreams she thought, "One day Nani wakes up from her long
sleep and tells me many interesting things about people across the water. And
maybe they will come for us." Then she imagined the fisherman who brought
them food sometimes. He was scrambling over dangerous cliffs. Now he tried to
cling to one and put his foot firm. But his foot slipped and some stones fell
into the water. Asthik was seized by fear but they made it good after all and
climbed down cautiously holding to branches and hillocks. Now they were in a
safe place to see his boat be- low. The danger was gone. The man drew the boat
to the water edge stroking her disheveled hair with his hand. There she saw that
the man's hand was corrupted with leprosy, but he seemed to read her mind when
he said, " Asthik, now everybody in Ashkhar is leprous. You are one of
us." The girl looked happy with his words for she was like every- body
else. But what about Nani "No", she thought, "I don't want to
leave her alone." But Nani was sitting beside her and her old lips were
just smiling. Asthik gave a sigh of relief. Now she was completely happy and
there seemed nothing else to dream about. But the girl was returned to reality
by a moan. It was Nani who called her name. She rose quickly and ran to her. The
old lady was lying on her side.
"Lift me up a bit." Asthik did it easily as the old woman's
body was light like a shrunk tree. One might see there was no life in her body
but for her eyes, which glittered sometimes with a wild secret light. The dark
was falling one more horrible night for Asthik when she had to sleep through
dreadful and unpleasant snoring from the old woman. Every time the girl's heart
sank. But the girl had a long time got used to it as fast as she did to
starving. But now Nani looked very excited as if she wanted to say something.
SARAH
She was young and beautiful. Her garments were rich enough to match
priests or even kings. Her jewels and her dull skin were the consta11t item of
jealousy from noble Assyrian women and those from harem. She alone could be
allowed in the Nineveh palace with grandeur and her head up in the air. Only she
and the priest Zaratllstra were allowed to break the silence in presence of
Mesopotamian ruler without telling her so.
That day Sarah was going to see the queen in her hanging gardens on the
rooftop of the Nineveh palace. She could hear somewhere below the beautiful
singing of exotic birds, which belonged to the queen. Sarah smelled the
fragrance of assol1ed flowers and quietly slipped in the shade of the garden.
Semiramides squatted doing something at the roots of a young palm-tree bare up
her tanned strong back and a high beautiful neck. Sarah waited till the queen
finished her work. Semiramides rose to her feet a11d gave a pleasant smile. Her
hands were soiled and wet. She whiffed her loose lock of black hair back from
her swal1hy cheeks.
-
Let your days be long and nights be quiet, my lady, said Sarah as she knelt. .
Oh, divine, it's you to decide whether it's good or bad.
-
Wait, Sarah, go and wash your hands, -the queen went into the garden where she
had a deep jug shaped as three-cup flower on a low table. Sarah followed her,
picked up the jug and helped her queen to wash her hands right in the shade of a
blossoming oleander. Shaking off water drops she revealed a line of her little
white teeth as she screwed up her beautiful brown eyes. Then they both proceeded
to sit in a high chair made from rosewood. So these two most powerful women of
their time were sitting with dignity and grandeur like two queens. Sarah
obviously could well be taken for a queen if there was not something
unprecedented in the look of Semiramides that promptly leaves no trace of doubt
who was the one. The queen was waiting for Sarah to break the silence.
-
It's not a secret for you, oh divine, that shortly after the death of your
spouse, the divine Ninus’ death came and took Armenak, the king of Haikanians.
-
Yes, Armenak was a frequent guest to my spouse, and we also have been in rather
good terms with his country and his levies he always collected and sent it in
good time for us. But now my bureaucrats complain to me that levy collectors
have been bringing only bruises on them instead of gold pieces.
-
Oh, my mistress, the pride of Haikanians grew, when Armenak was succeeded by his
son Ara the beautiful. They say he is very handsome and he can outshine the sun.
W1len women see him, libido takes over and passion makes its way right to them:
-
This is exaggeration I suppose, Sarah. But does flame of love bum lighted up by
the man's beauty? My husband, he was not a young man just to take me by his
youth, but if death hadn't torn us apart, I would have been: bringing him more
sons. Her last words caused pain to Sarah's heart, but she collected herself and
did not show it. But Semiramides did not watch her as she was thinking about the
Haikanian king trying to imagine how he might look. But in vain. The curiosity
that commonly occurs in women had possessed her as well.
-
Send someone to the king with an invitation. Send him good gifts as well and
give him a great reception. Hurry up. I'm looking forward to seeing this king at
least a glimpse of him.
-
My mistress, -Sarah's eye gleamed cheerfully, the king Ara and his men are here
with- out invitation. And he'll be very glad if you receive him now. Semiramides
opened her eyes a little wider, and her fresh sensual lips, then she threw her
dreamy look somewhere out and said in jest, "Then, please, make a beautiful
couch and put more sweet smoke around. Drive away the evil spirits of separation
and tell the Haikanian to come at mid- night. Besides, tell Zaratush.a to keep
out of my bedroom and speak to the stars instead or better go to bed like normal
priest should do. Then her eyes turned .dry and cruel before she went on
seriously, "Tell the Ethiopians to prepare the Ninus reception room and you
select the finest cloth. Today my hour has come to take off my mourning veil.
Send somebody to buy the best aromas of Egypt. And bring the best interpreter
here.
-
My divine I heard that the king Ara is well educated. The old Armenak used to
pay a high price to best Chaldean and Assyrian wise men. They taught him in his
childhood to Assyrian, Chaldean and Jewish languages. The queen raised her
eyebrow.
-
You have aroused my interest. This Haikanian, I seem to like him. He attracts me
now.
-
Is this glittering fop king that what you want now?
-
I understand it looks very strange. I some- times feel this way too. Now I feel
like laughing, now I feel like playing. Yes, I've become more powerful than my
husband was. But I'm still young, and I want to be young and playfi1l. But the
goddess Ishtar sacrificed me to be the queen when I was in the cradle. And so I
received this life of an imperious queen. Now go, Sarah, I have said more things
than I've done today. So she waved her hand to go.
Morning
The sunrays came: through chinks in the walls to throw light upon the
squalid home of two miserably poor people. Nani had woken up before but still
was lying on her side. Asthik was sniffing peacefully by her side" Nani
gave a yawn lazily and started to rub her eyes with her shaky hands. Groaning
and choking in half a voice she finally took her usual sit- ting position
tucking her legs under her body. Nani looked at Ashik occasionally and threw
sometimes an eye at the tub with foul in the corner. Seeing that the girl was
still asleep Nani tried to wake her up as she her disheveled hair. The girl
opened her eyes and look at the woman blindly. But then she woke up, jumped to
her feet to do her regular chores. Actually she had to put the tub under Nani to
let her do her morning toilet. Meantime Asthik went to watch flamingos coming in
great numbers to the island. But Nani soon called her back to listen to her
story again.
Ara the beautiful
The reception room for the king Ninus was big and almost empty, Mirrors
added much to its volume of space making the look of a silent grandeur, There
was a throne made from ivory of the Egyptian elephant and only two cactus trees
were in to fill the cold emptiness of the room, The throne of Ninus was occupied
by his queen with the priest of Media and Sarah by her side as usual, The priest
was staring at the closed doors waiting for the guest to come while Sarah was
silent caressing the flower of the cactus with her sluggish hand. She was
watching her queen, At last the doors were opened and the big Juhanna, the
queen's bodyguard walked in his giant's steps,
-Divine
Semiramides, the queen of four sides of the world would you be pleased to see
Arajan the king of Haikanians, -reported Juhanna humbly looking down on the
floor, The queen still looking at the flower trying to hide her unusual
excitement just nodded to see the guest in. Zaratustra added some vigor to his
coldness, and Sarah put on a kind of indifferent look. Three men showed upright
in the doors. A great fear seized the queen when a man's shadow bent to kiss on
the flap side of her purple garment. Unknown magic power made her lift her eyes
to meet the blue eyes of the man in front. The queen was amazed to see his face,
because she was sure she had seen it before.
-So
you are the praised son of the glorious Armenak, aren't you?
Pleasure to meet you in my palace.
-My
divine Semiramides, would you allow me to introduce to you my men with me here.
The queen nodded yes.
-This
is Meras, our highest priest and oracle of the sacred grove. You probably have
heard he can fore tell things in the rustling leaves. A rather short man, middle
aged, with pale skin and little shrewd eyes took a long bow and stepped back
again.
-And
this is Arshak, a brother to my wife, queen of Novar. He rules in Gegarkunik
ashk1lar and in the lands around the Hegame Sea. The youth with small thin
moustache blushed and took a bow after the priest in ecstasies. Ara had come to
love the queen. He could see and assess her beautiful shapes and the wild nature
of Semiramides. He had expected something different.
-Would
the divine Semiramides be so pleased to accept the gifts from the Mother queen?
The queen accepted. And then slaves brought in chests and boxes. With them came
fragrances of Persia and Haikanian dyers. Ara gladly delved his fingers inside
the box of red marble, and in a moment he scooped out jewels made from rare
precious stones.
-I
have a feeling that I should explain to you the meaning of every stone here.
This is the cat's eye stone. The one who owns it will never lose his brains in
drinking wine. Besides, leprosy or itching shall not take him, but his
sensibility shall be doubled. This belt of zabarz1lat cures the eyes. If you
carry this ring of nishapuri, here Ara dared to come nearer and went on
-unpleasant words might bring troubles. The queen lifted her thick eyebrow and
held out her thin index finger playfully. But Zaratustra put out his hand and
seized the Haikanian' s wrist very tight.
-Beware,
my divine, the ring might be poisoned, -he warned his queen but Semiramides only
gave a laugh and kept her finger pointed to the ring. Zaratllstra had to unclasp
his hand and let Arajan's go. Arajan threw the ring back in the box and pale
turned to the queen.
-I
don't think that the old priest should do the job of a bodyguard. You ought to
be grateful to Gods for my mission in peace here. Or else this "star
boy" would promptly find his way to heavens or hell without a chance to
k1leel at the sacred flame. Zaratustra replied biliously.
-Don't
you see, king, things are different today. I shall not fly into the ring of
death as you said. But it's you who stand on the edge of a cliff. And here is my
prophesy for you. Arajan did not reply to the priest, he said to the queen
sternly instead.
-Can
we continue our talks?
-No,
the Haikanian, -she said whimsically, -
We'd
better talk about your precious stones.
-In
my land if the man gives a woman jewels he'll usually put it around her neck
himself. But you Assyrians always get hold of the wrong end of the stick.
-You
should remember, king, this is a different land, and we have so many feuds.
-I
think you'd better try to make them your friends.
-But
gold never wins you friends.
-Gold
ornaments can be signs of friendship if they are given from heart and accepted
with gratitude.
-Does
the Haikanian teach Semiramides to be grateful? -The queen gril1l1ed as she rose
from the throne. She came to one of the mirrors and pushed it slightly. The
guests were surprised. Because behind the mirror they saw the gold statue of
Semiramides" In the folds of her dress large emeralds glittered whereas her
eyes revealed ambition and power. Semiramides pushed the mirror back in its
place with a meaning look.
-As a return
gesture I should like to give you my special gift so that you won't have to
think I am ungrateful. Semiramides does not like to give jewels or gold for none
of them brings happiness. Instead, I'll try to please your eye with this. -The
queen stretched her arm to take some roll of paper from Zaratustra. She slowly
unfolded it and said, -"This is the first map of the universe in the
Assyrian vein it was made by my Chaldean Astrologists. Now, it is yours, and if
Haikanians will show wisdom, maybe, Semiramides will gladly share some
territories on the map with them. Meras just could not turn his eyes away from
the map, which was made in a pentangle shaped star. He took this map at its real
value all at once. The queen walked back to resume her throne and then said in a
high voice, -"I am aware of what you want to say now. You do not have gold
to pay all your levies. But I shall tell you that wine, textile, fabrics, Nissai
horses you sell everywhere will add to my treasures as well. You, king, will
have to urge your own vassals to pay me through the nose. I suppose Haikanians
should know that debts must always be paid. But I can offer more favorable
conditions. I understand after the death of Armenak your land is in trouble. The
people are starving. Medians often come to plunder them. If Semiramides will
send her soldiers to guard your borders m1d all your own soldiers will take m1
oath for me. You might be able to join me in my military campaigns. Besides, I
think I can share my throne with you Ara for war is not for me. I feel tired of
it and my sons they need a firm man' s hand. I suppose you should think about it
when you get some free time. I think you can travel in my lands for a while
before you should go back to Nairi. From now on I should like to give this name
to your land." The swarthy skin of the queen was covered with small red
spots as if she felt nervous.
-I
shouldn't be so excited or confused for this little king. Still I don't see
beauty in him. –so she said to
herself when the sullen Haikm1ians took a bow m1d walked out in silence. With a
heavy hemi the queen lowered her head like after a difficult job m1d waived her
haI1d casually. Zaratustra and Sarah walked out.
-Bring
me some water, Asthik, I feel dry. - The girl rose to her feet reluctantly and
walked to the comer where they had a water tank near the toilet tub. The night
visitors, gnats came to die there. Removing these small drown insects with her
leprous hand, Asthik put the jug to Nani's lips. She draI1k and went back to her
story.
The queen offered the Nairinian a very good deal of uniting their lands
and sharing one throne. This was an unpredictable woman. I am not sure if there
was a mortal man down in the history who was as lucky as this king Arajan.
Probably there was not. But he did not rise to the occasion. He should have
accepted the proposal from Semiramides. He just never considered this. The young
king returned to Armavir to counsel with his mother queen. Semiramides had
chm1ged considerably over a short time. She flourished. She changed her stiff
and awkward gait of a war horse-rider to that of a polished woman. She had given
up her mourning veil for life, and hundred female slaves were busy making new
dresses for the queen. The jewelers were busy sending the queen their best
samplers. She seemed to be struggling with herself. One day I had a desire to
see the queen's statue but I found it gone. Later on the queen confessed to me
that she had sent it to Armenak's wife, mother queen, soon after Ara left. There
were a lot of rumors about Semiramides and the Haikanian king. But I knew that
the old Ninus was her only man in her life.
Months passed the queen's informant were constantly reporting on great
passions in Armavir. Arajan was not very popular. Ashkhari were on the verge of
a civil war. After long debates the mother queen and Ara elaborated one
decision, namely, to collect that considerable amount of levies that Semiramides
had claimed from tribal authorities. But it only raised hostility and upsurge of
the local nobles, and Arajan had to resume his negotiations with Semiratnides
which were a flop again, because she was firm on her decision.
The reception room for Ninus looked the same. Only more flowers had been
added and yet the Haikanian king was a little more humble than he was before. In
front of her Semiratnides found no other than an ordinary visitor, anxious,
puzzled, and worried. The young king she knew had gone.
-Well,
I see you didn't bring me my gold, .the king of the Haikanians, -said the queen
sternly as she rose from her throne. She was so near that Ara could smell her
scent, or feel her body and blood came into the king's head. The emotion was so
big that he felt obsession he had never experienced before. Her breath and
swaying of her young breasts stirred him so much that Arajan nearly forgot what
he was there to do, what was that he had come for. All the values, and treasures
in the world are never enough to possess this woman. Why should I not be ready
to throw to her feet the interests of my miserable land. She's so close to me
now, yet she's out of reach but she chose me, -the king pondered frowning on his
own men who were waiting for the reception impatiently.
-Why
you're silent? So you took a vow of silence, didn't you? She smiled ironically.
-I see your associates are unable to help you with gold. And still they don't
intend to leave you such a powerful king. Arshak, your wife's brother, seems to
take extremely good care of his sister. He wants her to be happy. So she only
has to wait for death of her mother-in- law. Arshak might lose the chm1ce to
push you off the throne. Meras, this languid priest, didn't he foretell I never
shall change my mind? I see you the priest should have to find other leaves to
foretell things better. Especially about your country's destiny, because thus
far my priests have been able to do it without any leaves if you don't accept my
terms.
-My
divine, in our Ashkhar there are many worthy fathers of his own people who are
still single, or maybe widowed. They all seek a moment to kiss upon your dreary
feet. -Meras spoke up in a rattled voice. The queen responded with a smile,
"I'm the queen who is famous for generous gifts and I can give a real
pleasure in exchange for the king of Armavir.
-Oh,
divine, you 're laughing at us, aren't you? You ought to remember that the
mother queen will never give her blessing for this marriage. -The queen went on
softly, "You have no gold, the land' is racked with wars. Your king is not
able to sit on the throne with me, but his mother who evidently has recently
become softheaded still dares to teach me what I am to do and sends to me these
fat panting priests or charlatans.
-Oh,
divine, my mother just gave me breath of life, and so she might have her own
whims, replied Ara in an angry voice.
-The
destiny of my land depends on the woman whose origin is yet unknown to her own
people -said Arshak indignantly.
-The
Assyrian throne was predicted for me by star gazers and this whippersnapper who
has not felled a single enemy so far seems to challenge the stars. -With these
words the queen coldly turned her eyes from the king's men towards the king
alone. Ara met her eye.
-Oh,
divine suppress your will. I don't want to see, after a long peaceful period,
the better half of your valorous warriors freezing beneath heavy snows, or
silent swollen corpses of Haikanians on the bottom of the fast Euphrates. And
this should happen just because you need more gold to pay your hordes of
loafers. You need more gold to give to the priests who are very ambitious. Also,
it's your vassals again who need gold to pay their way to a luxury life with
corrupt women and hearty feasts.
At this moment the queen rose to interrupt Arajan and say, "I see
there's no chance to escape war. But if it happens it's just not because
Semiramides wants to get this foppish little king, not at all. War should happen
only because of his old mother queen who is extremely vulgar and capricious.
Besides, the king Arajan's wife is a hard loving woman who cannot afford to be
alone in her bed for the sake of her homeland. War really should happen because
your priests take care of themselves not of their people. War should happen
because your noblesse will get jealous if your king becomes more powerful. And
war should happen because the king Arajan is a whippersnapper and weak in the
knee. Also, he's gone crazy about his wife and her loving."
Anger and love, jealousy and hatred, ambition at last -all came over the
king and as furious as he never was before he threw his string of jewels into
the queen's face and roared, "The war should be soon!"
Tbilisi, 1996
