THE DESERT ROSE | ONGOING

By Her Side

The schools in the empire were built inside the monasteries and holy places, for the process of sharing and receiving knowledge was considered to be a sacred business amongst the common subjects. No violence or any means of misconduct was allowed, even the imperial knights and officials could not exercise their power over such places.

What astonished the princess was the fact that Kais brought her here of all the places in the capital.

He gestured for a lingering child to come near them as she watched him with a clueless expression.

"Is he here?" Kais asked the child, patting his head casually.

"Yes. I'll go and inform him that you're here," the child's expressions were enthusiastic and cheerful as he glanced from Kais to her face.

"You do that, and tell him not to make us wait too long, for I have brought a very special guest with me today."

Nodding, the young boy scampered inside the school, leaving her alone with Kais at the entrance.

"I don't like this," she eyed him sideways.

Kais tilted his head towards her, "you don't like what?"

"This..." she grimaced, "... when I have no idea about what is going around me."

"There will be no fun without the element of surprise. You don't need to know everything," he said matter-of-factly.

Just then, the child returned with a smile. "He has called you inside," he said, ushering them inside the sacred pavilion.

The boy led them to a room that appeared somewhat similar to the library in the imperial palace, if anything, this was more illuminated and ventilated than Nariman's abode.

An old man greeted them, who looked as pious as the books around them. Princess Inara assumed him to be the priest or teacher of this place, judging by his modest beard and the softness in his old crinkled eyes.

To her surprise, the teacher and Kais exchanged a brief, warm hug.

"It's been a while, kid," the teacher patted Kais' back affectionately.

"Indeed," Kais planted a quick kiss on the back of the teacher's hand, a common gesture of the younger generation to greet their elders. "And this is..." he stepped aside to let the teacher take a proper look at her, "...my special patron."

I'm already his patron? Does that mean he's willing to join hands with me?

"Greetings," not knowing what to say, Inara nodded her head in acknowledgement, to which, the teacher responded with a warm nod of his own.

"Meet my oldest friend, Taghi," Kais introduced the teacher to her. "The kindest and the wisest scholar you'll find around here. And as gentle as he looks, he's quite a strict man."

Taghi's chest shook with laughter, "he always compliments me like that whenever he needs a favour from me."

"Why am I not surprised to hear that." She joined their banter with a soft giggle.

"As much as I like to spend time with you kids, I'm afraid I can't leave my students to wait for long," Taghi said, stroking this long white beard.

Kais wiggled his eyebrows, "you're already kicking me out? At least consider this fragile beauty over here."

"I never said I was kicking you out," Taghi smiled, "you were the one who came late. Besides, you are always welcome to wait here and take some lessons."

"Wait for one whole hour in this saint's lair? I'd rather sleep in my headquarters."

"That solves everything Kian," Taghi huffed, fishing out a bunch of keys from the pocket of his night blue silk robe.