Another Chance: Walid and Avive

[Avive de Rocaille]

A few days after I first met Walid, it struck my fancy to buy a new book. Recalling the last time I had been in Armand's with much fear and unpleasantness, I hoped this visit would turn out somewhat better.

Entering the shop, I was drawn to a large illustrated copy of an epic poem from Alba. Turning the cover open, I began to look at the pictures.

[Walid bin Kasseem(D)]

I had, at long last, my house. And so I was in dire need of furnishing it - and as much as I liked decorations from home, it occurred to me that procuring some D'Angeline books, mostly about my favorite topic, inventions and engineering, would be a rather appropriate endeavor.

I could have gone to the Royal Library - but I had a mind to buy, and not borrow, and I was eventually directed to Armand's bookstore.

Fitted in my new attire, purchased with the counsel of Lady Mauvais, I pushed the door open with a soft clinging bell.

[Avive de Rocaille]

I turned to the door when the bell rang, and smiled widely when I saw Prince Walid enter. "My lord," I called softly to him, curtsying where I stood. He was wearing one of the things he had purchased when i met him, and it suited him well.

[Walid bin Kasseem(D)]

A soft call, and I turned slowly, unsure it were myself, or another, to whom it was addressed. My eyes roamed the darkened corners of the bookstore, and even as I did so, the musty smell of books made me grow in anticipation.

In a corner, holding a large book, a feminine figure curtsied, and I took a step in her direction. From just a little closer, she was clearly one I knew, and a smile of recognizance creased my lips.

"My Lady de Mauvais," I said, inclining my head. She was as elegant as last time I'd met her.

[Avive de Rocaille]

I rose when I heard him address me, smiling at him. "It is good to see you again, Amir," I said, setting the book down and taking a few steps towards him.

[Walid bin Kasseem(D)]

I mirrored her own steps, taking another few steps in her direction, for the sake of both being closer, and not troubling the peace of the store.

"The pleasure is all mine," I replied with an elegant smile. "How have you been since our last encounter?"

[Avive de Rocaille]

"Quite well, thank you," I said. "And yourself? You look quite dashing in your new clothes, my lord."

[Walid bin Kasseem(D)]

"Many thanks, Milady," I replied with a pleasant smile. "Life has treated me well," I replied with a pleasant grin, and added, an easy compliment, "and even better now that I am blessed to meet again a friendly face."

[Avive de Rocaille]

"My lord flatters me," I said easily.

[Walid bin Kasseem(D)]

"Only as much as you wish to be flattered," I replied with practiced ease, despite my accent making the words come out perhaps less elegantly than I wished them to. "But I must be interrupting your errand, forgive me," I added without a trace of regret, though my tone was playful.

[Avive de Rocaille]

"Oh, no, my lord," I said, hastily setting the book down. "I was merely browsing."

[Walid bin Kasseem(D)]

Well, that was a rather spontaneous reply... I smiled, moving forward, and said, "Well, what interests you so little, that you put it away so fast?" I asked mischievously.

[Avive de Rocaille]

"My lord, 'tis an epic poem from the land of Alba," I told him, "and as to my interest, I was merely giving my lord my full attention." At this time, I was sure I was blushing rather pinkly.

[Walid bin Kasseem(D)]

My tease must have hit home more than I anticipated, for she was blushing like a newliwed. Poor girl, I thought - so sweet, and so innocent, it seemed. It suddenly dawned on me that I must look immeasurably old to her, and I repressed a small sigh. I did feel old at times, for all my wanderings.

"You have me beyond flattered," I said with a smile, "though it's no reason to dispatch so easily the pride of Alba. I am curious - will you share some of it with me?"

[Avive de Rocaille]

"Of course, my lord," I said, picking up the book and opening it.

"And the youth pricked forth upon a steed with head dappled grey, of four winters old, firm of limb, with shell-formed hoofs, having a bridle of linked gold on his head, and upon him a saddle of costly gold. And in the youth's hand were two spears of silver, sharp, well-tempered, headed with steel, three ells in length, of an edge to wound the wind, and cause blood to flow, and swifter than the fall of the dewdrop from the blade of reed-grass upon the earth when the dew of June is at the heaviest. A gold-hilted sword was upon his thigh, the blade of which was of gold, bearing a cross of inlaid gold of the hue of the lightning of heaven: his war-horn was of ivory. Before him were two brindled white-breasted greyhounds, having strong collars of rubies about their necks, reaching from the shoulder to the ear. And the one that was on the left side bounded across to the right side, and the one on the right to the left, and like two sea-swallows sported around him. And his courser cast up four sods with his four hoofs, like four swallows in the air, about his head, now above, now below. About him was a four-cornered cloth of purple, and an apple of gold was at each corner, and every one of the apples was of the value of an hundred kine. And there was precious gold of the value of three hundred kine upon his shoes, and upon his stirrups, from his knee to the tip of his toe. And the blade of grass bent not beneath him, so light was his courser's tread as he journeyed towards the gate of Arthur's Palace." (KILHWCH AND OLWEN, www.lib.rochester.edu/camelot/kilhwch.htm)

[Walid bin Kasseem(D)]

I listened to her as she read aloud a portion of this legend I'd never heard of, though a short instant my memory was rekindled, of a northern beauty who told me of the Firebird, and my mind wondered a slight instant what had become of her before it focused again on the tale.

"It seems like a lovely story," I said sincerely when she paused. "Is this your main field of interest?"

[Avive de Rocaille]

"My lord, I'm interested in everything," I told him. "I love to read and learn."

[Walid bin Kasseem(D)]

"Is that so?" I replied, my head cocking to the side a little, taking in her face in a different light. I was myself curious of everything, and so it was interesting to meet someone who claimed the same... Oh, the Princesa of Aragonia had told me.... yes, she said it was an illness, if I recalled.

"Tell me, have you read the many tales of She'ra'z'ad, then?" I asked curiously, wondering if such stories had traveled as far as Terre d'Ange.

[Avive de Rocaille]

"Oh, yes, my lord," I said, a little excitedly. "They're some of my favorite tales. I love the story of Sinbad the most."

[Walid bin Kasseem(D)]

"That's fascinating that the tales have gone so far," I noted interestedly. "Do you know how they have come this way?"

I was most curious - if Ummaiyyatt had some representation here, my father had never mentioned it. I wanted to know.

[Avive de Rocaille]

"I would suppose they came via traders through Marsilikos, though I confess I do not know for sure, my lord," I said.

[Walid bin Kasseem(D)]

"Ah," I replied, making a note of it. "It is interesting, really. I did not expect them to be found here. I..." I paused, a little embarrassed. "Would I be so bold as to ask your assistance in locating some works I was looking for?"

[Avive de Rocaille]

"Oh, of course, Amir," I said enthusiastically. Funny, below his olive skin I thought I saw him blush a little. "What are you looking for?"

[Walid bin Kasseem(D)]

“Some works, on d’Angeline engineery,” I replied thoughtfully. “I have a developed interest in such things, and wish to see the state of affairs in that domain. Likely, there will be something of interest, for me to study.” I had a moment of thought for my last encounter – Mercedes de Las Aragonia, and her patient teachings in the realm of music. It had been most fascinating.

[Avive de Rocaille]

I thought for a moment. "I think I have seen a book on bridge-building in that corner, my lord," I said, pointing.

[Walid bin Kasseem(D)]

"Well, that would be a start," I replied pensively, taking a step towards the place she indicated. I pulled out the volume, and examined it. It was a treaty on bridges of the south of the land, and quite dusty - a little old, I reckoned. I shuffled through it, and found something interesting, at last. "Ah ha !" I exclaimed enthusiastically. Not overly concerned with anything else than showing her, I moved closer, and showed her an illustration, "Aqueducts, I need to know more of those. In my country, they could do wonders," I explained, showing her a scheme that was already a little moldy.

[Avive de Rocaille]

Peering at the illustration, I asked him, "What are your plans, my lord?"

[Walid bin Kasseem(D)]

"Ah, my plans..." I replied with a mischievous grin. "Ummaiyyatt is dry as an old man's scalp, my lady," I explained. "I've been looking for ways to bring water inland, from the sea. We do have established processes to render it sweet, and not salted, but we can't seem to take it far enough to make cultures possible. I guess I will have to study this particular invention, and see how it can be adapted," I added, thinking. I pointed at the graph, and showing her the foundation of it, I said, "You see, this construction is intended for rocky, or stable soil. I am building on sand - and that will require some major adaptations."

[Avive de Rocaille]

"I understand," I said thoughtfully. "How do you normally keep your constructions from sinking into the sand, my lord?"

[Walid bin Kasseem(D)]

"It varies," I replied thoughtfully, "on the construction itself. Small works are simply held in place by making a foundation of mortar, but they do not require much stability. Larger works can be based on a wooden foundation, but wood is hard fetched in the desert, and such endeavors are lengthy and costly."

I closed the book, and shrugged a little. "This is a problem I have been pondering for a long time, the issue of building on sand - and I don't believe in easy solutions. But this may yet give me some insights for other aspect of the project."

I looked at the young Lady just a little more closely, and asked, "Have you any particular interest in engineering, then?"