Lullaby for the ruler

      Pieces of past appear in mind soon or later.       Dark Cacao sat down at table, which had big map with all known locations of the Earthbread spreaded out on it. He emptied folded chessboard and placed white and black figures in two lines in front of him. The Chess King was roled between fingers before standing on red cross with a thud – that's how the citadel of Kingdom is marked. Besides it, red lines were spreading, marking Dark Cacao Kingdom's territory and nearest villages. From North to East everything was crossed out – that's where Licorice Monsters were hidding. Despite the fact Southwest was quiet, Ruler couldn't help but worry for that part too – enemy, knowing the weak spot, will hit by it. Dark Cacao used white chess pawns for marking workers, black pawns for warriors. Roles of figures left were given depending on who was missing.       It's dark outside. Snowstorm is howling. A huge amount of small snowflakes sweeps the surroundings. Just look at them is enough to get a nice chill through your body. Ruler, tapping a figure by the table, tried to focus on important matters for the Kingdom: How to assign workforce properly? If there's ambush, it worth considering how to evenly place the warriors and where place help? What about walls at northeast and southwest? He was thinking about most important – life protection. As long as his people are alive, there's no obstacles for them.       The door of dark wood creaked. There wasn't even need to take his eyes from table to figure out who had decided to keep him company in lonely thoughts – loyal advisor Affogato with his slight smile and malicious look. King's right hand yawned significantly and placed his staff against the wall. As he saw Dark Cacao, young man twitched his eyebrows, clearly not expecting to see him right here and right now.       — Oh, a thousand apologies, my king, – guy interrupted silence with his usual chuckle, — if I knew You were there, I would bother myself to knock...       Ruler didn't react in any way, continuing to place colorful figures on the map area. There were a lot more white ones on the southwest side, seems like he decided to strengthen this wall, and put all soldiers at defense of the northeast, which was built for two months to be a mighty mountain for all subjects. Affogato, not getting answer, worse, not even a hint of attention, he pursed lips resentfully and roled his eyes.       — Do you mind my presence here? – Forcing out a calm, even slightly pleading tone in his voice, young man went towards the wooden shelves, which had scrolls layed on them, papers and other sorts of junk in form of framed photos set down, — on such a quiet evening, I'm tempted to do cleaning.       Dark Cacao shook his head, not uttering even a word once again.       — Thank you, – advisor nodded more to himself than King and reached for the nearest papers, as he pulled them, dust hit his eyes and nose. He waved papers like a fan, trying to shook away fragments of olds floating in the air, but it only led to cough.       Affogato ran his finger along the shelf and grimaced: dusty layer turned out to be way larger than he could have imagined - it remained as white cushion. Of course, so important place for Dark Cacao that he allow his servants to enter here for clean up very rarely (almost never) – this hall served as a kind of office, but not for military, political and strategic plans only, but also for his personal. Enter here was allowed only for special circle of people, from whom many secrets were not kept secret. Once and runaway prince came here only to water a single flower. Room was filled not only with Kingdom's secrets, but bitter truth about King too - everything that stood there did not give off freshness and life in any way: cracked by old age paint, cracked vases, that one flower that the man had removed from the windowsill to the far corner, long withered, its leaves darkened and fell not only into the pot's soil, but also onto the floor, the wrapped carpet, the absence of curtains, dusty paths – everything that Dark Cacao didn't want to touch was marked with them. Affogato had noticed such a terrible situation in the office more than once – if he were the ruler here, he would have forced them to wipe everything with rags, if not tongues, so that he could see his own reflection. He would like to say that Ancient Hero just lazy, but in fact all his regrets and all loneliness were frozen here. It was mental old age. Time stops when he finds himself inside the walls of this room – imperceptibly, when dawn breaks, tiredness is not felt at all, even he spend the whole night sitting at the table and placing pawns this way or that way.       The time-halted office brought back memories not only for Dark Cacao, but also for Affogato himself. From the oppressive moments of silence, mixed with dust and locked worries, the young man exhaled heavily and whispered:       — Little lamb got lost in forest... It was scared of walls... – And as if nothing happened, he continued to put papers in neat piles on the shelves, continuing to hum, — it called for mother desperately... It took wolf cub as a friend...       Ridiculous. Out of all memories of advisor's rich backstory he decided to recall a children's lullaby. Not endless loneliness, not a difficult path, not half-forgotten faces with ridicule, but a song that he hummed in the Coffee Village. Affogato doesn't remember much about the village itself and life in it – he only knows that his house is still standing there, probably covered with a decent layer of dust too, the yard has long been covered with snowdrifts, maybe the whole house has become one huge snow hill. The young man promised himself never to return there – this is a passed stage when he was just beginning to attract the attention and trust of the residents, and playing on their pain and naivety – decoctions, ointments, strange songs. It was all pure quackery, but an effective way of elevation. In case of failures, Affogato just blinked and said that it wasn't his fault in any way – probably the Creators were upset or angry, or there was a mistake in ritual. Quackery, nothing more. But luckily successes, played on the ignorance of the people, served as a good advertisement for him – glory to the unknown healer who came out of nowhere to the snowy Kingdom of Dark Cacao!       Young man wasn't ashamed for his lie. In any way. Just another step towards his way as ruler. Everyone who had achieved success got it exactly by tricking others (and especially themselves). A good ruler suppresses feelings that might interfere with his violent policies. Affogato knew it from the very beginning of his journey – everything he "experiences" is in fact just a reconstruction of old emotions and feelings or a well-honed acting game.       Well, same way as now. Smirk and lullaby that he had been humming to a girl from the Coffee Village – sick one, probably she wasn't even ten. She drank only tasty decoctions and that's why charlatan spare her no sugar – he knew sooner or later she will die. Illiterate parents in all aspects even believed that if you drink melted snow with sugar, a miracle can happen and prolong life. The little girl was afraid of obscure chants, and therefore, when she was being treated, she always whimpered. If Affogato had his will at that moment, he would have shushed her, threatened her with his finger, or told her to shut up, and would have shown all his displeasure on his face. But then it undermines trust. Children feel smiles: they feel whether they are sincere or fake. That girl felt it too–she often asked if the "healer" was sad because so many patients visited him. Isn't he tired of "treating" everyone? The future adviser forced a smile and gave his lies the most truthful color, that he "only enjoyed treating and helping others." When the baby refused shamanic chants, at one point her nerves gave out, and Affogato, showing all his irritation, asked her directly:       — Then what do you want me to sing?!       — Can...?       — No! – Young man didn't give her chance to answer, — all rituals and treatments are accompanied by a song. Do you think the Creators care about us when there is no interest?!       — Can you go with a lullaby then?..       — …I don't know any lullabies, – the healer replied lifelessly, handing her a bowl with a solution.       — I don't remember her very well either... My mom used to sing it to me...       Affogato handed her a bowl in her small hands and did not listen at all to the hoarse child's voice trying to remember the lines of a children's lullaby – and she sang terribly: she did not get into the possible rhyme, swallowed the end of the words, but not the medicine. Young man became serious.       — Drink, – he ordered with his chin.       — But song…       — If I sing something to you, will you just drink your medicine in silence? – The brunette rolled his eyes, laying his cheek on his palm.       Girl nodded.       — Just not those scary ones... – she whispered.       Affogato realized at that moment that he did't remember anything from the songs that were not related to these annoying rituals. His little patient glared at him expectantly. The young man took a deep breath and tried to repeat what she was humming with difficulty.       — Little lamb in forest...       — Got lost...       — Got lost, it bewared of snowy walls...       — Actually "was scared"! – little one interrupted him.       — Silence, – Affogato intimidated her, – drink your medicine already.       From memory, with difficulty, with the listener interrupting, the shaman sang her a couple of lines of a lullaby – he did not remember any more.       "Little lamb got lost in forest... It was scared of snowy walls... It called for mother desperately... It took wolf cub as a friend...       Cub, by leading it on.       Jumped and for barrel.. Bite!       And little lamb is not afraid anymore       In wolf cub's warm it forgot it's mom..."       That evening was the last session of the "treatment". Two weeks after their first meeting, the patient died. At that moment, Affogato experienced a very strange feeling inside – no, he had not felt warmth and regret for anyone in his life, but for some reason the lullaby about the lamb and the wolf cub was clearly preserved in his memory.       And now, here in the office of the stopped time and no future, the King's advisor continued humming to himself with a slight smile:       — Jumped and for barrel and bite... And little lamb is not afraid anymore... In wolf cub's warm it forgot it's...       Bang. It made him shudder. Affogato turned around and realized what had caused this: Dark Cacao dropped the chess queen from his hands, and, laying his cheek on his palm, closed his eyelids. Looks like he decided to take a nap. The adviser tilted his head in surprise and looked at the ruler's face: even in a state of sleep, he did not look relaxed. The same wrinkles, eyebrows, pulled together on the bridge of the nose. Usually, when someone falls asleep, their face rejuvenates and looks like the most mentally calm. But not in this case – the King has not changed, it only seems that now his face exudes a faint sadness, woven from regrets and guilt. The adviser thinks that he would like to regret it if it did not interfere with his personal plans. After all, the King is just another chess piece that has fallen out of his hands. After a couple of minutes of close observation, Dark Cacao did move and heavily opened his eyelids. Affogato immediately turned away, and then looked warily over his shoulder at his lord:       — How are things going with the defense? – In order to avoid an awkward silence, the young man asked.       — Hmm... –King said quietly, clearly only coming back to reality, — two thirds of all the people in the citadel will go to strengthen the southwest wall. The rest will guard the northeast one, – Dark Cacao placed the fallen chess queen next to the chess king and rested his fingers on his chin.       — Charming strategic plans as always, my King, – Affogato examined the shelf, on which he put shaky order, — I don't know how these poor people would cope without you.…       — What were you humming just now? – King asked sharply, finally raising his frowning gaze at the adviser.       And Affogato instantly felt a burning shame.       — Nevermind, my King… Not something that deserves your… Attention… I just hope, – Affogato said more confidently, — that I haven't interrupted thoughts. Your thoughts.       Little lamb got lost in forest...       It was scared of snowy walls...       It called for mother desperately...       It took wolf cub as a friend...             Cub, by leading it on.       Jumped and for barrel.. Bite!       And little lamb is not afraid anymore       In wolf cub's warm it forgot it's mom...