They've been busy since early morning. Because today is the twins' wedding. But Jean, who had no particular job, would go to the garden with Sabadda. He would eat breakfast with the other children early in the morning, and then play with them. Then, tired of playing, they sit around Jean and talk while drinking tea and eating sugar-fried food.

"By the way, can you tell me what kind of card game Mr. Jahir mentioned earlier?"

Sabadda asked and Jean tilted his head to one side.

"It's a card game. But I need cards to play."
"Can we make it here?"
"I can make it if I have cardboard and a pen."
"How much paper do you need?"

Sabadda said, and Jean did the calculations on his fingers and said the answer. Sabadda nodded and ordered an attendant who was standing nearby.

"In the first place, is that game something that Ircandians often play?"
"Yes, it is."

Jean took the sugar-fried food before him and began eating it.

"Most of them are sailors, so when you think about what kind of entertainment they can enjoy for long periods on a ship, the only answer is playing cards."
"Is that so."

Sabadda said as he took the paper and pen from the returning chamberlain and waited until Jean had finished eating. Ibrahim, the attendant, used a towel and wiped Jean's hands clean after he finished eating the fried food.

"You like that fried food."
"Yes, I do. It's delicious."

Jean replied with a laugh. Then he looked at the paper before him, divided it into four parts, and carefully drew a picture. Other children worked with Sabadda to cut the paper. They placed the cut paper in front of Jean.

"Huh, what are you doing?"

Suddenly seeing Zaid, Jean and the children stopped what they were doing and greeted him. Sabadda tells him about the card game he heard at the port of Ishmaya, and Zaid looks at the cards Jean wrote with great interest.

"Continue."
"Yes, Father."

Zaid said, and Jean drew on the card again. Other relatives also come around Zaid and watch the children's work with great interest.

"Done."

When Jean said this, the children looked at the papers eagerly.

"Explain how to use it."

Zaid is sitting in front of Jean, looking at his cards with interest. Jean nodded and explained briefly. As a test, he shuffled the cards and started playing. They were so engrossed in playing that they didn't notice the time passing. Even Zaid had forgotten that today was his daughter's wedding until the chamberlain told him the time.

"Interesting."

Zaid laughed and handed the card back to Jean.

"Tell me again later."
"Yes, Father."

Zaid stands up and looks at Jean. And he went with the chamberlain who had come to meet him.

"Where did you learn this Uncle Jean?"

Zaad's son, Salman, asked, and Jean thought for a while.

"My grandpa taught me this on the ship when we came here."
"Grandpa?"
"Yes."

Jean shuffled the cards and then dealt them in front of them. Salman and his friends are holding the cards that were dealt to them and looking at the contents.

"What is the name of Uncle Jean's grandpa?"
"Hmm, I don't know."

Jean answered honestly.

"I always called him Grandpa, so I don't know his name."
"That's no good."

When Salman said this, Jean nodded obediently. When Jean said he would reflect, the Sabaddas nodded.

"Oh, I heard something."

When Sabri, Salman's brother, said this, they stopped playing and listened.

"The groom has appeared."

Sabadda said as he stood up and took Jean's hand.

"Ibrahim, I left you in charge of collecting the cards."
"Yes, young master."

As Sabadda said this, the attendant, Ibrahim, retrieved the cards the children had been playing with earlier. Jean went to where Zaid and the others were while holding Sabadda in his arms.

A flashy music troupe appeared from the Jazar family. The groom, Ashhari Jazar, was riding a horse and looked uncomfortable under the glare of people. The members of the Jazar family were walking around it, carrying gifts. The Ameen family appeared behind the group. The groom, Rashad Amin, also appeared on horseback, smiling. All around him are members of the Ameen family, carrying gifts.

When the people saw the two grooms, they became silent. Zaid nodded and welcomed them, then exchanged greetings with their fathers with a calm face before leading them inside. Sabrina and Samarina are already sitting in the room, waiting uncomfortably.

"Sister Sabrina and Sister Samarina are beautiful."

Jean said and Sabadda nodded.

"It's a wedding, so they're dressed up more than usual."
"The accessories seem heavy..."
"Well, it’s gold."
"There are a lot of necklaces."
"Hahaha, that's right. Those are also ornaments made of gold, pearls, and precious stones. Their hands and feet are also richly decorated."

Sabadda laughed, looked at the two brides and grooms, then went out again. The reason is that the ceremony is about to take place, and having them there will only get in the way. A chamberlain told Zaid that the priest had arrived, and Zaid went out again.

As soon as the priest came into view, the wedding ceremony began. Jean wanted to see the wedding, but Sabadda laughed and shook his head. Sabadda says he can't, and should wait a little further away.

"The priest has gone outside."

As Sabadda says this, Jean is staring at the entrance to the room.

"Ah, Sister Samarina and Brother Ashhari came out."

Jean said and Sabadda nodded. At this point, the two were legally husband and wife. However, traditionally the couple is not considered husband and wife until they arrive at the groom's home.

"Sabrina and Rashad came out behind them."

Sabadda said and Jean looked at them and nodded.

"What are they going to do now?"
"Let the groom and bride rest and have lunch. After lunch, they have a little discussion and then go to their respective grooms' homes."
"Are we going too?"
"We are not going there."

Sabadda shook his head.

"We'll be here all day today."
"Hmm, okay."

Sabadda walked to where he had sat earlier and looked around. Zaid, Jenal, and the head of the Ameen family have a meal while conversing in a peaceful atmosphere. Zaad and Safid were also there, and they could be seen smiling and drinking tea.

"Now that I think about it, Teacher Jahir isn’t coming."
"I heard he will stay home at the Jazar house."

Sabadda said as he walked to a corner of the garden where Ibrahim was waiting.

"Do they need a house-sitter?"
"Indeed."

Sabadda dropped Jean off and sat in front of the other children. They are itching to play cards and can't help it.

"If you don't stay home, you won't know what happens, right? The food might be poisoned, or a thief might break in, and it would be a big deal."
"Oh, I see."

Jean said as he took the cards from Ibrahim and shuffled them.

"Then, does the Ameen family also have a house-sitter?"
"Of course."

Sabadda nodded.

"The Ameen family may look weak, but they are big merchants. Of course, they employ highly skilled bodyguards daily. So there's nothing to worry about."

Sabadda said as he took the card he was dealt and looked at them. Jean dealt the cards to the other children and placed the remaining cards in the middle. Jean himself does not participate in the games, he teaches in turn. He sits next to Samad this time and he is teaching him carefully. Samad nodded and got the hang of him. When the game is over, Jean moves and sits next to Sabri, and teaches him how to play.

"Yes, it's almost time for lunch, so let's finish."

When Salam and Sakir suddenly appeared, the children had to stop playing the game.

"Uncle Jean, please tell me again next time."
"Okay."

Zaad's eldest son, Sarfaraz, said this, and Jean nodded. Sarfaraz, who is big, is 12 years old this year. Sarfaraz is not very similar to Zaad. If anything, his face is very similar to Sabri's. Maybe he looks like his mother, Jean thought. Jean himself has never met Zaad's and Safid's wives.

"Mr. Ibrahim, can you keep it for me?"
"Yes, Mr. Jean."

When Jean said this, Ibrahim carefully retrieved the card and put it in his pocket. The attendants brought many delicacies and placed them before Jean and the others. Jean rolled his eyes and blinked at the dishes.

"This is the first time dish I've seen."

When Jean said this, Salam laughed and put each dish on Jean's plate. When Sabadda told him they were too much for Jean, Salam laughed and placed the plate before Jean.

"Well, eat it. I don't mind if you leave it behind."
"Yes, Brother!"

Salam said and Jean nodded and started eating.

"Delicious!"

Jean blinked when he ate the meat and rice dish wrapped in grape leaves. It was similar to the food he ate in Ograt Village, but the taste was much better.

"Do you like that?"

Salam asked, and Jean nodded.

"The way it's made differs depending on where you go. We mix things like tomatoes and dried grapes to give it a deeper flavor in our house."

Sakir said and Jean nodded and took it into his mouth again.

"So, you can’t get this flavor anywhere else?"
"What to say..."

Sakir thought.

"You might be able to eat it, but there are probably only a limited number of places that will serve it like this."

Salam eats the skewers while saying so.

"Well, anyway, there's nothing better than cooking that takes much time and effort. So, just appreciate and eat it."
"Yes!"

When Salam said this, Jean ate the other dishes with great relish. After eating this and that, and finally eating something sweet, Jean rubbed his stomach and struggled to drink the tea to wash away what was left in his mouth. When Jean said he had overeaten, Sabadda and the others laughed.

When the band played music, Sabadda began to sing and dance. The children also sang and danced, and Salam laughed and helped Jean stand up and start dancing. Jean happily danced and sang along with their movements, and at the end, he laughed as hard as he could, making him feel very happy.

That afternoon, Samarina rode on the back of Ashhari's horse and departed to the Jazar family. Behind them, camels and horse-drawn carriages moved slowly, carrying large luggage.

"That's a dowry."

Sabadda said to Jean who tilted his head and Jean just blinked.

"Dowry?"

Jean asked, tilting his head.

"It's a bunch of things that parents give to the daughter who gets married and leaves the house. To have a comfortable life after marriage, her parents provide her with gold, silk, shelves, personal items, etc. In short, parents provide things for their daughter when she leaves the home. It’s love."
"Will Sister Sabrina get the same thing?"
"Of course."

Sabadda explained, gesturing to his attendants who were preparing the luggage.

"That’s still a lot."
"Well, since they are the daughters of the Tareq family, we don’t want them to be treated poorly in the husbands' houses."

Sabadda saw Sabrina crying, and he couldn't help but wipe the tears from his eyes.

"Is there anyone who would do such a thing?"
"Yeah, there is one."

Sabadda nodded.

"You know Emar Zanif and Umar Zanif, right?"
"Ah, yes. The two were also the ones who participated in the feather-catching battle, right?"
"That's right. They are only 8 and 6 years old, but their names are not Tareq's, but Zanif, right?"
"Yes."

Jean nodded.

"Their father was a violent man. Especially when he was drunk, he was out of control."
"Hmm."
"One day, the man got drunk and got really violent with their mother, my sister Saina, by punching and kicking her. He ended up hitting things, causing severe injuries. In desperation, Sister Saina, who was badly injured, took her two children and ran away."
"Was Sister Saina okay?”
"She was safe, but her face was badly scarred and her body was covered in scars. Doctors treated her, but the scars will remain. She was desperately trying to survive and save her two children. Thanks to her protection, the boys were unharmed. They were only two years old and a newborn baby, so it must have been difficult."

Sabadda said and Jean blinked.

"What happened to their father?"
"He chased his wife and sons, brandished a weapon in the Tareq family's garden, and attacked the Tareq family's servant. But Brother Zaad heard the commotion and killed him. According to the ruling of the head chief, it was self-defense, and it was determined that the Zanif family was at fault, so Father took back the dowry that had been sent to the Zanif family and protected the three of them. Even though Sister Saina officially broke up with the Zanif family, the two had no choice but to keep their name because their father was from the Zanif family. If they wanted to become part of the Tareq family when they turned 17, they could change their names to Tareq. But Father forbade any contact from the Zanif family."
"Didn’t the Zanif family do anything?"
"Well, they've tried many times to contact them, but the children know what their father did to them. They especially understand the terrible things he did to their mother. Even a small child will understand when they see the scars."

Sabadda waved to Sabrina, and Jean shook his hand as well. Rashad mounted the horse and the group slowly began to move.

"I want both Sister Sabrina and Sister Samarina to be happy."
"I hope so too. But I can't say anything about this."

Seeing they were no longer visible, Sabadda walked again, carrying Jean in his arms. The people of the village also moved to the residence of the Jazar and Ameen families, where the feast was to be held. The only guests left were the Tareq family's relatives, and the area around the mansion became quiet. As the chambermaids and servants began cleaning outside, Sabadda took Jean to his room. The two of them had fun playing card games. About an hour later, Salam knocked on the door, and they decided to play cards.

“Now that I think about it, Teacher Jahir said that Jean did something to the cards, and the Ircandian was lost to it."
"Hmm."
"What was the trick?"

Sabadda asked, and Jean was thoughtful.

"At that time, there was a trick on cards with large values. Oh, please give me some paper. Thin paper is fine too."

When Jean asked for another piece of paper, Sabadda quickly took one from his shelf and handed it to Jean.

“This way, it was attached small and glued on with adhesive that easily peeled off.”

Jean cut a small piece of paper and attached it to the back of the card. Sabadda went to the shelf again and looked for glue. He found an old glue and placed it in front of Jean.

"At that time, it was night and the only light was an oil lamp, so I don't think a normal person would have been able to see it."
"So, Jean isn't an ordinary person, right?"

Salam said, and Jean thought about it.

"Hmm, I don’t think I would have known unless the old sailor told me."

Jean said honestly.

"Can you tell me?"
"Yeah."

Jean nodded.

"At that time, an old sailor taught me many things. He said it would be easy to make money by doing this."
"Huh, where is he now?"
"He died."

Jean replied sadly.

"That's too bad."

Salam looks at the cards with a kind look.

"How did he die?"
"He had been drinking and fell overboard. He hit his head so hard that other sailors pulled him out, but he was already dead and they threw him back into the sea."
"...I see. Did you see it?"
"Yes, I did."
"I feel sorry for that."

Salam looked at Jean and combined the card and the device into one. It's definitely hard to see in a dark place. Salam thought it would be obvious in the daytime.

"How did you get rid of your opponent's trick?"
"Ah, that's easy."

Jean moved his fingers deftly as he shuffled the cards. The contraption fell to the floor, leaving only clean cards.

"Then, at that time, the winning condition for the bet was to choose a card with a large value, so I think if you hold just one card like this and shuffle it, you won't be found out."
"..."

Salam tried it while looking at Jean's finger. But it was difficult and he couldn't do it.

"I need to train more."

Salam looked at the card and he said to himself.

"How many months did it take you to master it?"
"Master?"
"It’s about being able to perfect that technique."

Salam said and Jean tilted his head.

"Well, it didn't work at first, but before I knew it I could do it. Besides, there wasn't much to do while I was on the ship, so that's all I did."
"I see."

Salam looked at his hands and nodded.

"Jean, can I borrow this card?"
"Okay, but what will you do with that card?"
"I think I'll have a craftsman make a new card."

Salam said and Jean blinked.

"Starting now?"
"I'd like to do it now, but the craftsmen must be tired from this event."
"Oh, yes."
"For now, I'll do the same thing and practice."
"Shall I make the other cards?"

Jean said and Salam smiled.

"Let's do it tomorrow. We sang and danced a lot today, right?"
"Oh, yes."

When Jean nodded, Salam laughed and patted Jean on the head. Then he stood up.

"Eat dinner with Sabadda. I'll be busy from now on."
"Yes, Brother."

Salam smiled and pinched Jean's nose before taking the card and walking outside.

Jean, the Darkness (34)