Chapter 3 - Stained Silk βοΈππ
Author's foreword:
English is not my native language, so for a long time my humble skills were not sufficient to translate this romantic fan fiction and share it with a wider audience. However, I initially wanted to create an English version as well, because a lot of my mental energy has been invested in this story. Fortunately the current accessibility of AI has somewhat simplified the task and solved the problem. Of course, I made minor adjustments to the AI-translation to enhance a natural, organic flow. Hopefully, the result is not much worse than the original.
I decided to start with the 3rd chapter because it is one of the most sensual and touching parts of the story, allowing readers to grasp the general mood and main intrigue without any spoilers. If it receives a positive feedback, I will continue with the translation.
Main characters:
Baudouin (Baldwin IV), the young leper king-knight of Jerusalem in the late 11th century. I chose to spell his name as French (Baudouin) as it seems more accurate according to history.
Elin is a foreign healer and herbalist of royal (tsar) origin, a young, educated, and beautiful girl.
The alluring aromas of various meat and vegetable dishes, pastries, and spices wafted through the air. The rapid footsteps of the staff, the clinking of dishes, the rustling of clothing, and other sounds of fussy activity were continuously heard from the hall. Harmonious, pleasant music created a festive mood. Something magical and surreal was hidden in all this commotion. Despite the busy preparations, the atmosphere in the castle was more cozy and welcoming, rather than solemn.
"It's just a meeting of local feudal lords," said one of the court ladies helping Elin with her attire. "No foreigners this time. Usually, we have more visitors. Probably the king is not feeling well and doesn't want outlanders gossiping about his illness, so he has reduced the number of guests."
"Our king is in much better shape than some of the current foreign rulers, both physically and intellectually," objected Elin to her assistant. "I'm sure he has no reason to limit the reception of guests. I think the format of today's event simply doesn't involve the arrival of foreigners."
Sensing the obvious disappointment in Elin's tone, the court lady quickly changed the subject to women's trinkets, offering some amazing jewelry sets. The girl chose small dangling earrings with chrysolite, which perfectly matched her magnificent dress made of light silk embroidered with silver threads. Loose curls were held back with an elegant tiara entwined with fragrant jasmine branches. The festive decoration emphasized Elin's natural beauty and at the same time created the image of a mythical fairy.
The healer was able to see her king only in the evening, when the arriving guests had gathered in the hall around a long table. Baudouin looked stunning. Nothing about him revealed a serious illness. Even the mask and gloves, designed to hide the wounds inflicted by the disease, seemed like a successful addition to his masculine, knightly appearance. His calm gait and open demeanor only enhanced the overall favorable impression. It's no wonder that the monarch completely captivated the audience's attention, and even the most delicious food and drinks could barely distract the guests from His Majesty.
Approaching Elin, the young man reached out his hand to escort her to the table. Politely bowing, the beauty touched his palm and followed him. But suddenly, feeling a sharp jerk downwards, the girl saw that Baudouin fell to one knee, his mask fell off and rolled on the floor, exposing his disfigured face. Holding the king by the elbow and shielding him with her long flowing hair, Elin fearfully called out to the knights.
"Everything is fine, my dear. I just stumbled on the uneven flooring. I'm much more accustomed to being in the saddle than parading here on Persian carpets," he hastened to reassure the beauty.
Several strong men rushed to help their patron. The guests gasped in amazement and began to whisper. Within a few seconds, nothing prevented them from admiring the monarch again. It seemed that Baudouin was not at all embarrassed by the awkward incident. As usual, he radiated charismatic confidence and composure.
It was the first time Elin had seen the real face of the king. The girl knew that Baudouin was not ashamed of his flaws and could easily do without a mask among his close associates, who were accustomed to his illness. However, the fact that the young king appeared in such a vulnerable state in front of a wide audience was quite pitiful. Leprosy had not yet destroyed his natural attractiveness. Nevertheless, the lesions on his skin turned out to be more significant than the healer had expected, and this especially upset her. Elin guessed that the cause of the fall was not a fold or any unevenness on the carpet, but his injured feet.
On the same night, right after the revel, she persuaded the king to allow her to thoroughly examine him. As usual, Baudouin resisted and tried to find a reason to evade.
"How can I heal you if I don't see the whole picture?!" the girl exclaimed, pacing the room and actively gesticulating. "It's just ridiculous! A doctor must have access to their patient to observe even the slightest changes in their condition."
The healer was so engrossed in her own monologue that she even forgot about the presence of the monarch for a while.
"Elin," the young man decisively interrupted her and took off his ceremonial mantle, and then his tunic...
The beauty froze. Inside her, it felt as if everything had shrunk, and she dared not say a word anymore. Biting her lip, the healer quietly approached Baudouin. Suspicions were confirmed: the king had suffered enough physically, and therefore some movements were difficult for him.
Concentrating on studying the lesions, the girl gently touched some areas of his skin. Baudouin caught every movement, trying to guess whether this sight disgusted her. At some point, the young man stopped the girl, pressing her palm to his chest. He looked at Elin in confusion. Understanding Baudouin's discomfort, the beauty gently kissed his injured hand and then continued her work. This sweet and sincere gesture immediately brought inner relief to the king.
Upon returning to her room, Elin discovered that her wonderful dress had been quite stained due to the procedures she had performed. Burying her face in the blood-stained fabric, the beauty burst into tears. "A treasure in my hands... so strong and yet so fragile. No, I won't give up. We will definitely defeat this disease!" she decided.
The original text was translated using ChatGPT.
Images:Β
Book cover character: the movie 'Kingdom of Heaven' Β
Photo of the carpet: unsplash.com
