Words of Swords

2 . 0 - Flightless In The Sky

"I see your hands are empty? You haven't been served?" Ala immediately signalled to a maid who came rushing with a heavy tray in hand.

Abu took the calabash mug in his hands, weary of how he was to consume it since he couldn't expose his face and more so, weary of its milky contents. It might be a fermented drink. Alcohol. Impure. Forbidden.

"Drink My Prince, it is only a beverage of camel's milk and dates." Ala must've noticed the apprehension on Abu's face.

"Yes, Your Highness, it is but you see..." Abu trailed off and dropped the mug back unto the tray hoping Ala would understand the unsaid rest. "...I'm afraid I do not possess the appetite."

He couldn't eat nor drink in anyone's presence since he had to untie his turban and reveal his face for that. The last time anyone had seen his face uncovered was when he was only a boy of fifteen summers; before his ritual of passage, before he was a man.

"Very well." Ala had caught on to Abu and probed on the matter no longer and signalled the maid to leave.

He led Abu on a stroll, ignoring the ministers and nobles and wealthy merchants he was to host instead. They had to talk. It was his last night here. A pivotal moment for the both of them, Ala thought, this was it.

A look of skepticism had settled on Abu's face as he walked silently with the Prince. He had noticed Kallam's stare waver from them for moment so who was he to protest, perhaps Ala could tell when his father was too lax with his sorroundings to be suspicious of their wandering off.

"This may be the last time I see Father you know." Ala said after inhaling a deep breath. His tone wasn't at all grievous but in fact, relieved.

Abu but only nods, still apprehensive of the environment it seems. They had stopped where the noise of chatter had faded and become that of the stillness of the night and the light from the bonfire into the dark of night. But to Abu this wasn't enough cover to talk a matter of such covert magnitude.

"I pray it is." Ala adds.

"It will be Muhammad. I'll make sure of it, I give you my word." Abu finally spoke but in a whisper.

"And I do believe you but I fear demons do not perish so easily."

"Then you my friend, have a greater task at hand than I do." Abu squeezed Ala's shoulder as if prepping him to face the said monster; Ibrah.

"I can hardly believe there's anyone worse than my father but it seems I have no choice but to find out."

"And sadly, you must." Abu said with an image of his own father in his conscience, surely Ibrah was the demon Kallam could never be. Ala had to face him and infiltrate Razf like he himself has now infiltrated Indarari. "You must find out."

"Just like I must ask something of you Abubakar. I beg you to give me your word you will grant it." Ala said gravely, his expression pleading.

"I am sorry but I cannot give you my word if I do not know what it is." Abu answered after contemplating a while.

"What I want to ask, I fear you might not give me but I have no choice but to ask either ways and pray you will. Abubakar, I entrust her to you. She is the only jewel in my life, she is my sister Khadija. I will not be here during the siege, I will not be able to protect her, I beg you to do so on my behalf."

Abu was taken aback and it showed in the swift move he made towards Ala to make sure he heard what had been said right. Surely he was wrong, Ala couldn't ask of such a thing. It was treason. Well more treason than they were already involved in. Treason to those they were both truly serving, the Foulahs.