8 Chapter 8: Decision

It wasn't necessary for Shahryar to tell his vizier Azdavan about what had happened. There were many witnesses, and one of Azdavan's spies quickly reported the situation to his master.

"I heard it with my own ears," the spy said. "Do you have any orders, my lord? King Shahryar won't be able to go back on his word. How should we act?"

~~King Shahryar won't be able to go back on his word~~

The words echoed in the vizier's mind. It was true. Too many people had seen the scene. What could be done now?

If the king had gambled away his daughter's future, what could the vizier do? If Shahryar had thought for a second before that, he would have remembered that General Boras bore a grudge against Azdavan... he would have been more careful.

The spy was right. Shahryar had made a pledge in public and there was no going back. And once he married Shirazad, he would kill her. He was emotionally unstable enough.

~~It seems this is what I have deserved after my long years of service...~~ The vizier realized that he couldn't even let Shirazad escape away from the city. If she were to escape, everybody would understand it was because Azdavan learned about Shahryar's bet and took measures against it. Then, the whole government would be shaken because Grand Vizier Azdavan, who represented the king, would have hidden his daughter from the king. No, running away wasn't an option. ~~Here, Shirazad! Had you married earlier, this wouldn't have happened!~~

So Shirazad's father came up with a desperate plan. The next day, he entered darkly into the palace. People greeted him but they were like ghosts to him. He appeared in front of the king and the king stood up from his throne in an attempt to express something like remorse.

"I've been reckless," he admitted. He could have realized he had acted recklessly but he could not turn back time. At that point, it was surprising he could still express any such emotions...

"...Then I hope you will allow me to do something reckless as well. Take my life instead of hers, and leave her alone," the vizier said.

"Grand Vizier..." Shahryar said solemnly. There was a short silence. Azdavan had nothing more to add, Shahryar did not know how to answer.

"What do you think about my offer?" Azdavan insisted, "I assure you General Boras would hardly have any objections."

"Grand Vizier... the country needs you. Nobody could replace you. You must know well that it is impossible for me to approve of any such whims." Shahryar replied in a level voice.

"His Majesty is right. And since I know this well, I decided to take the decision single-handedly. I drank poison before coming here."

Shahryar was shocked, "You cannot be serious." He shook his head. "Then who will take care of your daughters, your manor? Aren't you forcing Shirazad to marry in this way?"

"Marry her to someone else. This is my last will, take it as my dying wish."

Shirazad was a person who had the ability to easily make people angry. And Shahryar was the kind of person who easily became angry. They were in no way compatible.

Shahryar was still shaking his head in disbelief. He didn't realize that the vizier was serious... not until he noticed that the poison had started to take effect, and the vizier's lips were pale, and his skin had turned a yellow complexion.

...So, in order to save her life, instead of pleading for his daughter's life, the vizier informed His Majesty that he had just poisoned himself? Shahryar immediately called for the royal physician.

...But truly, even in his death, the vizier was strategically influencing the king emotionally. Since the king appreciated very much the work of his vizier, Azdavan hoped that if he died, Shahryar would feel too guilty to kill his daughter. It seems somewhere deep inside, even though the vizier didn't realize this completely, he hoped that he could still find in Shahryar a quality that could restore a bit of his humanity...

Up until his last dying breath, the vizier looked at the king, yet the king gave him no answer whether he would respect his last wish to save Shirazad's life and marry her to someone else... He did not give a promise. In fact, he did not answer at all. He did not try to set the vizier's mind at rest. Some things were meant to be, Azdavan thought, and he could only hope his daughter was meant to live.

The king could hardly believe that his honorable and trustworthy vizier was about to die. In vain he called the royal physicians to save him – it was too late. He could do nothing as one of the greatest men in his kingdom lost his life.