The Mathematician
The king called the Captain of his guards and shouted his orders. Soon after that, the king's men left to find the old mathematician who knew the riddle of the Talking Camel. "Tell him to bring all his celestial maps. Without them, he won't ever see his daughter! Tell him to come with you, if he wants to see his daughter ever again, "the king threatened. The captain of the guards left with quick strides while the king paced in the room impatiently. His maids rested on the pillows strewn on the floor behind the king. Jaz-Min stood facing the king. He looked at her with curious eyes.
"Does your father know anything about the "talking camel"? The king questioned Jaz-Min the mathematician's daughter.
"Maybe no more and no less than any others know mighty king, but he is a great mathematician and reads the charts of the skies also. He's a wise man indeed, "Jaz-Min answered the king.
"Why I never heard of him?
"He is a quiet, old man. He worked for your grandfather in his court when you were only a small child," said the maid remembering that from his father.
"You have nothing to fear from me if your father worked in my father's court. Tell me about yourself,“ the king demanded.
"My father named me Jaz-Min. He says that as a baby I had the fragrance of a flower.
“He thought that I would be as pretty as one, but I am not as pretty as any one of your maids,” Jaz-Min told the king attentively listening.
“He's a wise man and a man that can discern beauty too," the king said. “But I guess he is a better mathematician than he is a man that can see the beauty of his own daughter.“
Jaz-Min said thank you humbly, lowering her eyes.
"He may not be either. But he certainly is a great seer for you grew to be as beautiful as a flower as he thought so you would be, "the King added.
“You have many beautiful women here," Jaz-Min answered.
"Why I have never seen before this day?
"I work in your kitchen, your majesty. They sent me there for I lacked the beauty of many of your maids in your quarters, “Jaz-Min let the king know.
"Nonsense! You are much prettier than many of my many maids! And as of this day, you'll live in their quarters and shall come to visit me when I request it so!
"Yes, mighty king," said the young Jaz-Min lowering her head and hiding a tear rolling down her cheek for she valued her freedom very much.
The king clapped his hands. A tall and dark servant came into the room. After listening to the king's orders, he left with Jaz-Min. In the meantime, the king horsemen trotted on their way to a small village. They needed to find the house of the old mathematician. The old mathematician heard the orders from the king.
His thoughts went to his daughter. He prepared to leave immediately. He grabbed his celestial charts. He walked outside. He mounted one of the horses waiting for him. Then the captain and his men left the tiny village. A cloud of desert dust rose into the air as the horsemen galloped away.
The sun’s rays bathed the palace when the horsemen went through its gates of the palace. They dismounted their horses. The head of the guards led the mathematician to see the king in his quarters. They walked through a large opening at the center of the palace. The atrium looks good, “said the old man to himself. A water fountain stood in the middle. It welcomed all visitors and offered freshness that cooled the king's palace. Good idea too whispered the mathematician to himself again.
He had been the architect of the palace. The old man's eyes wandered everywhere. He felt happy to walk through the gardens of his own design. He looked at the archways facing the atrium. Then, he looked at the cool hallways. He looked at large windows smiling. And of course, he walked the long and tall corridors for cooling the hot air of the desert and smiled again.
His deign had stood the passage of time, he told himself. He thought of the endless days he had worked to make the king's father palace the most beautiful of all. The captain escorting him stopped in front of a giant door. He demanded the two men guarding the doorway to open it. When they passed through the door, the king himself waited for them. The king rested on a set of large floor pillows.
Jaz-Min sat a few feet behind the king. The old man bowed and greeted the ruler, but never looked at his own daughter behind the king amongst the king’s many maids.
“Are you the father of this flower you named Jaz-Min old man?
"Yes, I am, mighty king. She is the only fruit of my loins. The greatest gift to me," the old mathematician answered proudly with his head bowed to his king.
"Is it true that you worked in my father's court as well?
"Indeed, I did, great king. I was younger then. You were only a very small child. You may not remember me in the court of grandfather,“ Jaz-Min father said.
"Are you a mathematician and seer?
"I study the Alge-Bra of our forefathers like many of our wise ancestors. I am nothing but an old, simple man.
“I love numbers since from an early age taught by my father,” my king. “And I’ve learned of the stars and constellation in the distant skies," he answered humbly.
"He’s a mathematician and architect too, " Jaz-Min said proudly from behind her king.
"Forgive her for speaking without your permission. She's still young and forgets the rules of your consent," the mathematician said in her defense.
“She has my permission to speak as she wishes," the king said.
"He's also the designer of this palace," Jaz-Min added as she heard the king giving her permission to speak again.
“Is that true old man? Speak now!
"Yes, great king. I was one of many who work to build this palace. Yes. You could say I was an architect then; it was in the time your grandfather. Your father then also only a young man," the old mathematician answered. The king remained standing and gazing at the old man. Thinking while the old mathematician stood, waiting for the king.
"Are those your charts under your arms? Have you figured out when and where the talking camel's door will open? The king asked pointing to the scrolls.
"Well, not exactly. Indeed nobody knows. But over the years my calculation points to one place. There is only one place that might be, but this is only my humble estimation and guess," my great king the old man answered.
The King's eyes flickered with attention again.
"Tell me now then. Don't make me more impatient old man," the king threatened.