Inscribed In The Stars

Chapter 16

"The stalls will close soon for 'Asr prayers,"

Meera had caught up, and to Dalia's dismay, she was correct. The adhan could be heard in the distance, echoing from all directions, signaling for shopkeepers to pause in their business affairs and hasten to prayer.

"Can we find some jasmine flowers first? I promise, we will return after," She requested, at which her handmaiden nodded.

"Fine, but you'll need this," Meera agreed and then bought out a silk pouch from her waist.

Dalia's eyes lit up as she recognized her coin pouch.

"Thank you! I was in such I rush I must have forgotten about it!" Dalia cheered, grabbing Meera in for a quick embrace.

"There are some more flower stalls on the path back," Meera said shyly, her cheeks tinged pink. "I hope this is enough to forgive me,"

Dalia smiled. "Yes, it is,"

***

Salma had just paid for a bag of mixed nuts when she spotted a familiar face in the crowd. She attempted to follow, her curiosity demanding to be fulfilled, but the souq was brimming with shoppers. Salma, having grown up on the streets of Balqaas, had no problem keeping up with the pace. When the sand-coloured pair stopped by a flower stall, Salma stopped a few stalls behind, until she was able to confirm that indeed it was her comrade Meera.

Although very rarely, Palace servants were not usually seen roaming around city streets, especially during work hours, unless there was an absolute urgency to do so. But from what she could see, it didn't seem like the person with Meera was in any rush as she carefully sifted through a jasmine flower basket, picking out each bud one by one. Salma struggled to recognize Meera's veiled companion from the distance.

Thinking nothing of it, she was about to head back to Yumna's home, when Salma noticed that she wasn't the only one watching them. On the other side of the street, lurking in an alleyway between the stalls, were two gruff-looking men in dark attire. They wore plain black keffiyehs around their mouths in an obvious attempt to obscure their identities. When patrol guards passed, they ducked back into the alleyway, peaking around again to look at the two women dressed like the colour of the sand beneath them. Others who noticed them turned away ignorantly, out of fear of involving themselves.

Salma stayed, waiting for the girls to move on from the stall just to see if the men followed.

And they did.

Meera and her companion were taking the path back to the Palace, one which was not commonly used by many. And yet these men pursued them in the shadows. Salma hoped that the men were nothing but thieves.

Salma did the same, relying on her knowledge of the back streets from her old days of avoiding Jafr. She shuddered at the thought of him.

The streets were beginning to empty, except for the few rushing to the nearest mosques before congregation prayers began. They were too occupied with fulfilling their prayers to take notice of the scene.

Salma was careful. If these men were skilled in what they were doing, they would notice her following them too, so she kept a wide distance between them. The Palace walls were coming into view ahead of them, and that was when Meera and her friend dipped off-path into an alleyway.

Realizing they had been caught, the two men dashed into a run, taking the same turn the girls had. Salma's heart began to thunder in her chest, and coming to a quick realization, she tied the sack of mixed nuts to her waist belt and dashed after them.

Meera was gripping tightly to Dalia's hand as they wove between dusty paths, praying to lose their hunters. They were so close to the Palace grounds, to safety. Dalia's face veil was dampening with sweat, but they could not cease.