"Mutual cooperation?" The senior monk Huma asked with a surprised look.
The Sun Monks were a vehemently discriminated group by the Temples as Kalni had told Arken earlier but to what extent was further elaborated on by Huma.
"It began with identity. We were being told our citizenship was in question. Then our literature came into focus. 'Not enough integration,' they told us," Huma chuckled.
Then he leaned forward, "our fault was that we kept too much to ourselves. Not wanting to participate in state activities or their politics. Soon they came for the beliefs. That we were against the God King and supported the Tribes."
"Did you?"
Of course he didn't. He's gonna paint himself a saint isn't he?
"Heavens no," Huma breathed hard, "we didn't want anything to do with their belief. That's all. Just leave us be. We didn't even partake in the relic wars. But as it happened they needed someone to blame their failures so they came after us."
"Which is why we live in such a secluded spot, far from their prying eyes."
This interested Arken, "so no interference here at all? From the kings or whoever is in authority?"
Huma laughed aloud and slapped his thigh, "the mayor runs the show in the city but he's a slob. The likes of him would never set foot here. People like them think it is beneath them."
"But what's your angle Arken? Why are you so interested in us?" Huma asked.
Ah, finally.
Arken scratched his chin, a little flustered and pretended to be hesitant.
"I plan to reorganize this place into a stronghold for myself. And I would gladly take your help."
The old monk just waited for a second before replying.
"Listen Arken, we never wanted to involve ourselves in this relic nonsense..why would we even consider this?"
Now time for a little melodrama.
Arken stood up and paced, "look at where you're living, where your monks are forced to live. I heard your main aim is social service. Yet you stay next to the city's largest slum with its most impoverished people and when I asked your monks why you didn't help, you know what they said?"
Huma stayed silent.
"You're afraid of even kids turning spies for the state outside. Your fear of persecution has forced you to go against your own tenets."
Monks are generally calm people, taking a lot to anger them. Arken could sense a bubble on the old monk's face.
Yeah, that's right. Let all that ego turn into a point that you have to prove to me.
"I can give you certain protection. You know me," Arken sat next to Huma, "you have heard of me. You know what I represent right?"
It took a lot of convincing but Huma agreed to a part of it.
☆
From the next few days Arken quietly adopted the role of the sole benefactor of the slums. He took up a small house, deep in the interior mazes of the alleys and tasked the monks at his disposal to begin their social activities.
Soon the slums were seeing long queues of people standing and waiting to be fed, clothed, or sheltered by the Sun Monks whose members were finally getting to practice what their deity preached.
"What do you hope to achieve with this Arken?" Kalni's question was already expected.
"You'll see Kalni. Hunger, thirst, dignity all give into desperation. It's a bad word that leads to bad things. And one who alleviates even a little will get a chance to be heard wholeheartedly."
Their apartment was a tiny affair of two bedrooms and a common restroom. Their dining table served as the place for most of their discussions. Bringing in Kalni and the Priests had been a stir but they were soon accepted.
"It's like you have no enemies at all, the more I see you operate," Kalni's remark earned a sharp rebuke.
"Don't jinx it..they'll come soon enough. You'll see," he leaned on the window and stared out, "and when they do we'll wish they hadn't."
"Arken, a word?" It was Huma with two other monks.
Everyone filtered out, leaving just the two of them.
"You're in high spirits," Arken grinned.
"Are we going to war?" Huma's question was direct.
That was out of nowhere.
"What makes you say that?"
"Arken everyone knows your situation," Huma began with a solem tone, hoping to talk some sense, "they'll never stop looking for you."
He immediately raised a hand, "and before you talk about ingratitude from our side, yes we are grateful for the patronage but there are doubts."
Arken grit his teeth within the confines of his closed mouth before sitting down and holding a fake smile.
Of course he is not buying it.
"Fire away."
"How will this be sustainable? You've got half the monks in social work while the other half is busy revamping the city."
"Are you worried that they're stretched too thin?" Arken asked. To which Huma nodded, "yes and also you never tell us much."
Arken leaned back and stared out, "the revamping is to bring the city markets here. They won't come unless they see a clean spot. And the spending public will come too, provided we turn this place around."
Huma's eyes squinted, "luring shops here will put us all in the mayor's crosshairs. Are you prepared for that?"
"I will be. Besides the revamping is going to take enough time. I have something else in mind to do before that."
"Which is what?"
Arken turned with a flourish and a devilish grin, "introducing organized crime to Andluri."
Just then somewhere, in the still ongoing world of the novel, a new chapter was being penned by a once-in-hiatus author.
[The Author has returned from hiatus!]