Chapter 281: Earthly Desires No Longer Tempt Me
"I see..." Leone gave Jafar a complicated look.
The shaman had just told him the reason why he and the heirs of the Darkmane Tribe had come to the Fortress of the Aslan Tribe.
Leone’s vassals, the chieftains of the other tribes, and their Elders remained silent, for it was not their place to say anything.
Some of them even gazed at the distant fortress, where Troy currently stood vigil, with profound respect.
Even Godwin, Hagen, and Malik couldn’t help but be in awe of Troy’s final wish, as well as his determination.
"Very well," Leone said after a few minutes of silence. "I promise I will do my best to ensure that Troy’s sons can live a life of comfort. However, should they do anything to harm the Aslan Tribe, their privileges will be revoked. Do I make myself clear?"
"Of course." Jafar nodded in understanding. "If they are stupid enough to waste their father’s sacrifice, they don’t deserve to live. I’ll even personally end their lives with my own hands if I have to."
Daedalus sighed at those words as it sent Leone a telepathic message.
"Leone, he is not lying. It’s just... I feel like it’s quite a waste that someone like him can’t become your vassal. Looks like he has pledged his whole life’s loyalty toward one person, and one person only."
Leone didn’t feel the same way as Daedalus. In his eyes, it didn’t matter even if people couldn’t become his vassal. Their worth wouldn’t be any less over such a petty reason.
Hassan was the perfect example for this.
His loyalty belonged to his mother, Helen Frontera.
But did that make Leone think less of him?
No.
People who remained loyal despite the absence of their Master were worth respecting. After all, if they could serve someone with this much loyalty, then that just proved that their character was firm and steady.
"I just want to request one thing, and one thing only," Jafar said calmly. "If, and only if, my chieftain’s corpse could be found among the dead in the future, I want you to surrender him to me."
"I accept your request," Leone replied without batting an eye.
He already knew Jafar could re-animate the dead. However, it didn’t matter even if a dead body could regenerate and move again. Their souls would no longer be within.
In other words, they would just be puppets moving according to Jafar’s will.
The shaman then bowed his head respectfully.
"From this day onward, I, Jafar, will serve you faithfully to the best of my ability," Jafar declared.
Hearing his declaration, Godwin, Hagen, and Malik couldn’t help but feel jealous of Leone.
After all, Jafar was a figure whom every tribe had recognized. He was Troy’s right-hand man. This meant that he knew many secrets only the high-ranking officials of the Darkmane Tribe knew about and more.
Perhaps sensing that this would be his only chance to poach him, Hagen decided to throw caution to the wind.
"Jafar, how about you pledge your loyalty to me instead?" Hagen asked. "I will give you everything you ask for. All you have to do is say it."
He knew that it was inappropriate to poach in such a setting, but what could he do? Jafar was worth the ridicule he would receive as long as the shaman agreed.
"I’m afraid you cannot give me what I want, Lord Hagen," Jafar replied, not even bothering to look in Hagen’s direction.
The shaman’s gaze remained on Leone, who had also ignored Hagen’s interjection, instead continuing to keep his eyes on Jafar.
It seemed that the two of them had come to a silent understanding, which made the corner of their lips rise a little.
"And what is this thing that I cannot give you, Jafar?" Hagen asked out of genuine curiosity.
He was the chieftain of the second strongest tribe in the Borderlands. The wealth, power, and influence he possessed were no less than that of the Warclaw Tribe.
Because of that, a part of him refused to accept that he couldn’t give Jafar what he wanted.
"Dignity... and honor," Jafar replied firmly. "Earthly desires no longer tempt me."
"Dignity and honor?" Hagen frowned. "I can give you that and more."
Jafar only smiled faintly in return, not bothering to explain himself. Of course, what Hagen said wasn’t wrong.
He could indeed give Jafar what he was looking for. However, the dignity and honor that he would gain from Hagen was very different from the dignity and honor that he would gain from Leone.
Jafar rejected Hagen because the latter believed in the notion that everything had a price.
Hagen offered him things that anyone would gladly trade their loyalty for.
Wealth, power, and influence, as well as many other things that would allow Jafar to not only live a life of comfort, but also ensure that Troy’s sons would be well taken care of.
But still, Jafar made a promise to his chieftain.
When he spoke of dignity, it meant that he would live in a way that wouldn’t betray Troy’s trust.
By choosing Leone, he didn’t sell himself to power, honor, or prestige.
If anything, he chose Leone to continue Troy’s last will.
The will of his one and only friend in the world.
Jafar could also sense that Leone was looking at them not with the eyes of the victor looking at the defeated.
Instead, he was looking at them like a man who recognized sincerity from someone who understood what it meant to lose everything.
Aside from that, Leone was still young.
Jafar wanted to see how far this young chieftain would go.
How wide his name would travel.
How powerful his kingdom would become.
And within that glory, Jafar would ensure that Troy’s name would not be forgotten in history.
Suddenly, the silence was broken by Leone’s voice.
"Jafar, the outcome of this battle is still undecided," Leone said calmly. "I could very well lose my life in this battle. After all, our shared enemy is truly a powerful one. Even so, I promise you this. Even if I were to perish in this battle, Troy’s sons will survive."
The young man then shifted his attention toward Cain, who immediately flinched when Leone’s gaze landed on his body.
The once proud and arrogant man lowered his head to look at his own feet.
Leone then shifted his attention to Travis.
The young man had a complicated look on his face, especially after hearing his father’s final wish.
His father was like the sky to him. Invincible, immovable, and bigger than life. Yet, when he heard his father’s final will, Travis couldn’t help but feel his heart ache.
He knew that it was only a matter of time before he lost the sky that sheltered him from harm even when the world around him was on the verge of collapse.
The only reason he could still remain calm was Leone’s promise.
And the promise of the Chieftain of the Aslan Tribe was worth more than its weight in gold.
As for Troy’s second son, Byron, he looked calm on the surface. However, deep inside, he wished that he could go back to his father and fight by his side until the very end.
He was the prodigal son of the family, sure. But the one that Troy loved the most was him. This was why he was allowed to do anything he wanted without fearing any repercussions.
Though, unlike Cain, who abused his authority as the eldest son of the Chieftain of the Darkmane Tribe, Byron remained humble, simply enjoying all the good things in life.
All the food and women he wanted, he could enjoy. However, he never forced himself on anyone.
And this was why, although many thought of him as the disgrace of Troy’s family, those who truly knew him for what he was understood that beyond his chubby exterior was a kind soul that had been showered with Troy’s unconditional love.
"Kael, please bring Jafar, Cain, Byron, and Travis to THAT place," Leone said calmly. "Give them the villa meant for special guests."
"Yes, Great Chieftain." Kael pressed his right hand over his chest and bowed respectfully before asking Jafar and Troy’s sons to follow him inside the cave that led to the Hidden Valley.
Malik watched them leave before giving Hagen a smirk.
"Looks like you’re beginning to lose your touch, Hagen," Malik said in a teasing tone.
Hagen sighed but didn’t say anything to prolong the discussion. Now that Jafar and the others had left, he also headed back to his villa up the mountain to rest.
Deep inside, he had a vague understanding of why Jafar chose Leone. With that, he understood that it was already a hopeless attempt from the start.
Yet, nothing in this world was ever set in stone.
Unless someone took that step or was bold enough to voice their thoughts, nothing would change.
While it was regrettable that he failed to secure a talented person like Jafar, he at least gave it a chance.
For those who didn’t take chances were all people who wanted to play it safe.
And people who played safe didn’t amount to anything much in life.
After all, Kings never took the easy path.
Kings earn their status by surviving struggles, hardships, and at times, even humiliation.
Hagen was familiar with that world, especially since he wasn’t the biological son of the former chieftain of the Grimhowl Tribe.
He had been chosen for a simple reason. Because he had the talent, the skills, and the wits to lead his people to greater heights.
Without the privilege of having a birthright, he had to earn the right to lead.
Marcus and Elias followed behind their father as they climbed the stairs that led to their villa.
The former seethed internally, unhappy that Jafar dared to refuse his father’s sincere invitation.
On the other hand, the latter applauded his father for trying despite the low chance of success. In Elias’ eyes, his father had done the right thing.
Even if he was ridiculed behind closed doors, so what?
If enduring ridicule would help the Grimhowl Tribe to grow stronger, he would gladly become the laughingstock of the Borderlands.
Just like his father, Elias was starting to understand many things.
And deep down inside, he was starting to feel a sense of rivalry with Leone.
The Chieftain of the Aslan Tribe was younger than him. On top of that, the exile had nothing but his clothes when he first appeared in the Borderlands.
And yet, he was now someone whom even Marcus couldn’t help but admire.
’Great Uncle was right,’ Elias thought as he followed behind his father’s footsteps. ’I should have come to Grimjaw Mountain earlier.’
The lessons he learned, as well as the scenery he saw during his short visit, made him believe that by staying by Leone’s side, he would eventually understand how to build a kingdom. And he would know how to do it right.
Comments