Alistair laughed and embraced his friend. "Sept! I thought I'd never see you again! You're looking well."
Sept smiled. "Better than you, I'd say. But what are you doing here? How did you end up as the Shaykhah's royal guest?"
Alistair shook his head. "That's a very long story, but the short of it is I escaped Liez and ran into my old friend Naasir, he's actually the one who's a personal friend of the Shaykhah. What about you? How did you end up working in the royal palace?"
"Well, turns out the head of servants in the royal house was visiting the city where I was sold on some business, and decided to pick up a few extra servants. So, here I am."
"And they treat you well?"
Sept grinned. "I've never been treated better. Oh, Alistair, I couldn't ask for a better life, all the servants are like family, and the Shaykhah, long may she live, is the most gracious and kind woman I have ever known, and the best master."
Alistair smiled brightly. "You don't know how good it is to hear you say that, I'm so happy for you, my friend."
Sept suddenly straightened up and gestured to Alistair. "So, I'm assuming you'll want to clean up? Shall I run you a bath?"
Alistair frowned. "I um...I don't want you to serve me."
Sept laughed. "Nonsense, it's my job. Besides, think of it as an old friend doing you a favor."
Alistair didn't know how to argue with this, so he simply nodded and followed Sept into the lavish bathroom.
Sept began to pump a lever in the wall, and suddenly water began to pour out of a spout into the giant marble tub. He smiled at Alistair's agape face and explained. "The royal palace is directly connected to its own personal well, the water can be pumped through pipes to go where you need it."
"It's wonderful." Alistair said in an awed voice.
Sept motioned to the lever. "If you don't mind continuing to pump, I'll begin collecting the stones."
Alistair did as he was told, and pumped the lever up and down as he asked. "Stones?"
"Yes, large smooth ones that sit in a large metal pot over a fire to heat up, then you put them into the tub and it warms the water."
Alistair's eyes widened. "You heat the water up?"
Sept grinned. "Once you've had a hot bath, you'll never want to go back to cold washes ever again."
After a few minutes, the bath was ready, and after stripping his dirty clothes away, Alistair hesitantly got into the tub. The moment he was submerged, every muscle relaxed and he sank lower into the water. "Wow."
Sept laughed as he walked back into the bathroom, bringing a robe and towel with him. "Told you. Soak as long as you like, when you're ready there's some soap and shampoo on that shelf behind you."
Alistair investigated the shelf, picking up a tall glass bottle and peering at the goop inside. "What's shampoo?"
Sept gathered Alistair's dirty clothes and made his way back out of the room, calling over his shoulder as he did. "A special soap just for your hair, I'll be back in an hour to check in."
Alistair sniffed the shampoo, finding that it smelled like mint and lavender, he poured some onto his hand and after ducking his head underwater to get it wet, began to massage the goop into his hair.
In foamed quite a bit, and stung horribly when some slipped into his eyes, he quickly scrubbed and rubbed it into his scalp and then rinsed it out by repeatedly ducking his head underwater.
By the time the whole ordeal was finished, his eyes were red and stinging dreadfully. He wondered why anyone would ever bother with shampoo when regular soap and water was perfectly satisfactory.
He quickly finished washing, and stepped out of the bath. After drying himself off with the soft towel, he slipped into the robe and wandered back into the bedroom. As his hair dried, he understood why people bothered with shampoo. His hair felt softer and more manageable than it ever had, although it was also now twice as fluffy, the majority of it beginning to curl, which it hadn't done since he was young.
He tried to smooth it down a bit, but was unsuccessful. A moment after he'd given up and sat on the bed, the door opened and several people walked in.
There was a round man with rosy cheeks who wheeled in a cart laden with various food, a thin man with an immaculate waxed mustache who strode in followed closely by several young women carrying bundles of clothes, and last of all Sept.
Alistair looked from the new comers to his friend, then asked a bit nervously. "Um...what's all this?"
Sept gestured to the men. "Paput has prepared some food for you to eat while Jhem finds you some clothes."
Mustache man, or Jhem, strode over to Alistair and began measuring him, then he gestured for the young ladies to set the bundles of clothes and fabric on the bed and began picking through them, muttering under his breath the whole time.
Paput wheeled the cart over to Alistair and swept his hand across the top. "Pastries, fruit, cheese and bread for the young master, let me know if there's anything you would like in particular."
Alistair's eyes widened at all the food, and he shook his head quickly. "No, this all looks wonderful...thank you."
Paput beamed and made a low bow before exiting the room.
"Take off your robe, I need to see what I'm working with." Jhem suddenly demanded, snapping his fingers in Alistair's direction.
Alistair glanced at the two young ladies and his face flushed crimson. "I- um, well..."
Jhem sighed and clapped his hands twice, gesturing for the ladies to leave. "Wait out in the hall, I'll call if I need you."
They curtsied and left.
Jhem quickly pulled out a pair of undershorts from the pile, and tossed them to Alistair. "Put those on, and then take the robe off."
Alistair complied, and waited for the cry of horror once Jhem saw his marks. He braced himself as Jhem circled him, waiting....waiting...nothing. Alistair glanced over his shoulder, confused, but Jhem didn't even seem to give the marks a second glance.
He spent a few moments circling Alistair, making a few measurements, and then finally returning to the pile of clothes, muttering to himself again. He returned a moment later with several items in his arms, he passed them to Alistair and said quickly. "Dress in these, I need to see how they fit before I can make adjustments."
Alistair dressed quickly in the comfortable brown pants made of some extremely durable feeling fabric, billowy white shirt and leather vest.
Jhem came and pulled and prodded at him for a few moments, then nodded and said. "Perfect. My work here is done." And with that he clapped his hands twice, summoning the ladies, had them gather up the pile of clothes on the bed, and then swept out of the room with them close behind.
Sept walked in right as he exited, and raised his eyebrows at Alistair. "You could pass for a respectable merchant's son now."
Alistair wrinkled his nose. "Ugh, really? How horrible."
They both laughed, then Alistair ran his hands down the front of the leather vest. "I don't know...I've never really had anything this nice before."
Sept shrugged. "You deserve something nice. Besides, you're the Shykhah's guest, can't have you running around in rags."
Alistair grinned. "I guess not. Say, you feel like helping me eat some of this food? I'd hate to see it go to waste."
Sept laughed. "I suppose I could eat a little."
For the next hour or so they ate and told each other all about what had happened in their lives since they last met. Alistair decided to leave out the parts about the neutral plane and Naasir's true identity. He did however explain why he was run out of Ghad, and what the healer had told him. Sept listened intently to his story, asking a question every now and then.
"And here we are." Alistair finished, sipping at the fruity drink in his goblet.
"So you don't know what these marks mean?" Sept asked, picking idly at a bunch of grapes.
He shrugged. "No...my father had them as well." His face twisted at the pain of the memory, and he quickly moved on. "I always thought it was a curse...that's what everyone else thought. But that healer...she said I was blessed."
"Well, I'd rather assume the blessed bit, besides, seems like lately you've had an unnatural amount of good luck, so I'd like to see the person who still thinks you're cursed."
Alistair smiled. "Thanks, it's good to have someone who knows about it who isn't trying to run me out of town or kill me."
Before they could continue their conversation, a knock sounded at the door.
Alistair looked unsure of what to do, but Sept immediately hopped up, walked over and opened the door.
"Her royal majesty wishes an audience with Lord Alistair."
Sept stifled a smile and nodded seriously at the servant. "Of course, I will tell his lordship at once." He turned around and made an over exaggerated bow in Alistair's direction, adding a flourishing hand gesture as well. "My lord, the great and beautiful Shaykhah wishes an audience with you."
Alistair unfortunately had been drinking the fruity beverage as he did this, and chocked on it from laughing. He coughed several times and wiped his mouth off as he replied. "Of course, anything her majesty wishes." He hopped up and followed Sept out the door and into the hallway.
As they entered the same lounge area as before, Alistair saw that Naasir too had been fitted with a new set of clothes, now he sported a silk shirt the color of a robbin's egg, black pants, and a black sash that went over one shoulder and tied around his waist.
"There he is! Looking good my friend, I like your hair curly."
Alistair rolled his eyes as he approached.
Heamah clapped her hands delightedly and bounded over to Alistair, circling him before ruffling his hair and declaring happily. "Oh don't you look simply dashing! Come! Sit with Naasir and I, we were just going over our plans for the next couple days."
Alistair shot Naasir a confused and slightly worried look. "Um, the next couple days?"
Naasir casually sipped at a goblet full of wine, waving a hand idly. "Yes, yes, got to have some sort of plan for the next couple days, haven't we? Can't just idle around the palace all day, not when there's a whole city you've never seen!" He sighed dreamily and stared into space. "Ah, and such a spectacular city it is."
Heamah giggled and smacked Naasir's arm playfully. "Oh, you're such a flirt!"
Naasir clasped her hand in his and kissed it, then shot her a wink as he said. "Ah, but of course my dear, and that's why you love me."
She blushed and giggled some more. "And who says I love you?"
He wrinkled his nose. "Why, you did my sweet, remember?"
Alistair coughed uncomfortably. "Um...Naasir? Plans? Next several days? ...Remember?"
Naasir straightened up and cleared his throat. "Right, yes of course. shall you explain, or shall I?"
Heamah shook her head. "By all means, go ahead."
Naasir grinned and then turned to Alistair and began. "I told Heamah about our adventures, and that you were run out of Ghad."
Alistair's eyes widened, and he cast a nervous glance from Naasir to Heamah.
She smiled and pat his hand reassuringly. "Don't worry dear, I'm not afraid of those old superstitions. Why, my head of servants is even half sand dweller! So you can see I'm not prejudice of...whatever it is that makes you different."
Alistair felt relieved. "It's these marks on my back...I was born with them and up until recently I thought they meant I was cursed, but a healer told me it means the gods have blessed me."
Heamah smiled brightly and clapped her hands. "Oh how wonderful! I'm so glad I have you as a guest, now I can boast to everyone that I have one who's been blessed by the gods themselves in my household!"
Naasir waved his hand airily and continued. "Yes. Now, anyway, Heamah, being the doll she is, invited us to stay as long as we want in the palace. And so I thought, what the hell! Let's just stay here for a while."
Alistair frowned slightly. "But I thought, um, what about our...other plans?"
Naasir laughed and spread his arms, gesturing to the room. "Well that was before we were offered a place of residence in the royal palace! Come on, Al, trust me on this."
Alistair hesitated for a minute then shrugged. "Well, I guess that sounds alright."
Naasir cheered and Heamah clapped her hand together excitedly.
"Marvelous! Oh this is just wonderful! Tomorrow I shall throw a great party in your honor!"
Alistair looked shocked, but Naasir merely grinned and shot her a wink. "You do know how much I love a good party. Well that's settled then! We'll live in Xyra, you'll be safe here Alistair."
Heamah nodded. "Oh yes, I'll appoint you both the title of Sar, therefore any harm done to you is in direct defiance to me. There, that solves it."
Alistair thought for a minute, then stood up and shrugged. "Whatever you think is the best idea, Naasir, I trust your judgment. Do you mind if I turn in for the night? I'm feeling rather tired."
Heamah shook her head. "By all means, do whatever you like. Sleep well."
He bowed to her, waved to Naasir and started back to his room. He ended up in a completely unfamiliar corridor, and realized he was completely lost. "Curse the size of this place..." He muttered under his breath, looking this way and that for something familiar.
"Is...Is there something you need?" A gentle voice asked shyly.
Alistair whirled around, his eyes landing on a girl dressed in a wrap dress that was a deep purple color, accented with silver designs, she was also adorned in silver jewelry to match. Her honey brown hair hung around her shoulders in soft curls, shorter layers framing her lightly golden tanned skin and sparkling blue eyes.
He was speechless for a moment, and when he did finally find his voice he stammered. "I was just- I- um- well what I mean is- uh..."
She smiled. "You're the new guest, right?"
He nodded.
She took a few steps closer as she continued. "I heard the servants talking about how the infamous Naasir had returned, and brought a friend along this time." She looked him over briefly before adding. "I must admit, you're not exactly what I was expecting."
He frowned slightly. "What were you expecting?"
She tried to hide a smile as she replied. "A woman."
Alistair's eyes widened. "Oh..."
She laughed. "He has quite the reputation. Although I must admit, it would be a whole new level of recklessness to bring a woman into court, my sister would not be pleased."
"Your sister?"
"Heamah, she's my elder sister."
Alistair suddenly grew severely self conscious. "But that means that- you're- I mean...you're a..."
"Princess?" She finished for him. "Heamah and I both were until our father died a few years ago, that's when she took over."
"I'm sorry for your loss."
She sniffed and said matter-of-factly. "He was old, we knew it was coming sooner or later.
He shrugged. "Still, I know what it's like to lose a father."
Her blue eyes grew sad. "Oh...I'm sorry."
He shrugged. "It happened almost...three years ago now." He frowned, suddenly distant. "I...I hadn't realized it's just been three years...feels like a lifetime since then."
In an attempt to take his mind off sad memories she quickly said. "So...what brings you to the west wing of the palace?"
He frowned. "I'm in the west wing?"
She laughed. "Obviously you got a little turned around on your way to...?"
"Um, my room, but I'm not exactly sure where that is."
"How is it decorated? What colors?"
He thought for a moment. "Red and gold I think."
She nodded. "Sounds about right, follow me, that's near the back garden."
As he followed her back down the hallway, he asked. "So...may I ask your name?"
She smiled. "You may, my name is Manara."
"It's an honor to meet you, Manara, I'm Alistair."
"Pleasure to meet you, Alistair."
As they continued to make their way through the palace, Alistair kept wanting to say something...anything, but he couldn't think of anything. So they walked in silence until she paused in a hallway that looked familiar, and gestured to the doors on either side. "Do you remember which one yours was?"
He nodded. "It's that one. Thank you for showing me the way."
"You're welcome. I hope you're not planning on leaving soon, I should like to get to know you."
He shook his head. "From what it sounds like, Naasir and I are here to stay for a while."
She smiled. "Well then, I'm sure I will see you again soon. Goodnight, Alistair."
He bowed slightly. "Goodnight, princess Manara." She turned to go, and he slipped into his bedroom, shutting the door behind him.
He stripped to his undershorts and climbed into the cloud like bed, his muscles instantly relaxing into the mattress. And although he should have fallen asleep almost instantly, he didn't. His mind was swirling with thoughts.
Naasir and he would be staying in the palace? In the city? Heamah had said she'd give both of them the title of Sar, legally he would be a lord. Did that mean he'd have to have an estate and servants of his own? Or could he just stay in the palace and retain the title?
He decided not to worry about it for the moment, so he pushed it from his mind and tried to think of something else.
Thoughts of Princess Manara floated into his head. She was so different from her sister, not in looks, the similarity between them made it obvious that they were siblings. But in personality, she seemed so calm and graceful, while Heamah was all energy and enthusiasm. He hoped he'd see her again soon. Maybe they would actually find something to talk about.
Reality suddenly weighed in and he sighed. She was a princess, and he was just a runaway slave. Although...that wasn't true anymore, he would be titled, a Sar, maybe...just maybe that would give him a chance.
He sighed and rolled over onto his stomach, burying his face into his pillow. He'd never really had time to think about girls, in fact...he hadn't even met any since before...everything. Liez only slaved boys, and they were kept secluded from almost everyone.
Sure he'd see them walking past in the street, or in the markets, but he had never talked to any of them. Heamah and Manara were the first girls he'd actually talked to in years.
Maybe that explained why it was so hard to talk to Manara.
Finally sleep pulled all the thoughts from his mind, and the night grew quiet.
* * *
Alistair frowned, looking around in confusion. How did he get here? He was standing on top of a stone building. A city stretched out all around him, the setting sunlight bathing the stone in a pale reddish glow.
"Alistair!"
He whirled around at his name, searching for the source. He gasped when he saw...himself. Yes, it was definitely him, only he looked...older.
He watched as the older Alistair turned and smiled, stepping forward to sweep a more adult looking Manara up in his arms and spin her around.
Alistair's eyes widened as the older him stole a kiss from Manara. Thoroughly confused as to what was going on now, he decided to get a closer look.
Somehow he ended up on the street where the older him and Manara were. At this new vantage point, he could see that the older him had a scar across his left eyebrow. Briefly he wondered if this was one of his...visions, or just a dream.
"How was your day?" Manara asked older Alistair.
"Uneventful, there were a few pickpockets in the marketplace but I caught them."
Young Alistair frowned. Catching pickpockets? Was that his job?
"Did you handle them the usual way?" Manara asked, still in Alistair's arms.
He smiled. "If buying them a meal and having a long talk with them before letting them go with some money, then yes, I did."
She smiled. "Looks like we'll have a few less pickpockets on our hands now."
Young Alistair felt weirdly uncomfortable as his older self and Manara kissed again. So he glanced away down a side street. That's when he saw Naasir, looking exactly the same, running toward him.
He gasped as Naasir ran straight through him and approached the older him. "Al! Thank goodness I found you! Something's happened at the palace...you'd better come quick."
Older Alistair and Manara looked concerned, and quickly followed Naasir back toward the palace.
In an instant, Alistair was suddenly standing in the throne room with older Alistair, Manara, and Naasir. They were all staring at someone, that someone looked very grave.
"I'm afraid I have some bad news..."
Naasir was anxiously twisting his hands, shifting from one foot to the other quickly as he asked. "Is she alright? Is she going to be okay?"
Manara and older Alistair exchanged worried looks, before Alistair stepped forward and asked the grave looking man. "What's going on?"
"There was an...incident in the palace. I'm afraid someone has tried to assassinate the Shaykhah."
Manara sobbed and covered her mouth with her hand, suddenly sagging as her legs buckled.
Older Alistair quickly put his arm around her shoulders and supported her. "What? Did...did they succeed?"
Naasir was pale, and looked as if he were about to fall over.
"I'm afraid...she won't survive the night."
Manara was sobbing now, clinging to older Alistair as she cried into his chest. Naasir had slumped into a crouch, holding his head in his hands, completely distraught.
Older Alistair was the only one who remained in control. "Do we know who it was?"
The man shook his head. "Not exactly...several servants reported feeling an odd chill near her bedroom, and one kitchen boy claims he saw a shadow outside her door.
Alistair's blood ran cold. The Shadow Man.
Alistair sat up with a scream, his body covered in a cold sweat, trembling slightly from the rush of adrenaline.
He held his head in his hands and took several long, deep breaths, trying to calm himself down. "Please don't let it be real...please don't let it be real..." He repeated this over and over, slowly rocking back and forth on the bed.
It couldn't be real. He hadn't had a dream since the night his parents died, why now? Why was he starting to have dreams again? Maybe it was just a nightmare.
No...he knew it wasn't, there were too many details for a normal dream.
He kicked the blankets off and walked into the bathroom, he tried to clear his head by splashing some water from the sink onto his face.
Suddenly an image flashed across his vision. Heamah lying on a bed, cold and pale. He gasped and staggered, clutching at the sink for support as another image assaulted his mind.
Naasir, standing beside a grave, tears running down his cheeks.
"No!" He squeezed his eyes shut, grinding the heel of his hand into his forehead. "Stop it! Just stop!" He waited for another image, breathing heavily. Nothing. He waited, not daring to hope that the ordeal was over.
After a minute, he let out a sigh, opened his eyes and straightened up. Then he glanced in the mirror and froze, his heart seemed to stop beating, time stood still as he stared at his reflection in the mirror.
His eyes...were glowing.
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Hey readers!
Hope you're enjoying the story so far, and if you are I'd love to hear what you think so feel free to leave a comment letting me know your thoughts!
Also if you'd hit that little button with the star, that would be totally awesome too!
Also, to the right you can see a picture of Manara's saree she was wearing