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Refuge
Nov 29, 2006 6:55:54 GMT -5
Post by Michael Clavel (I) on Nov 29, 2006 6:55:54 GMT -5
Mont Nuit was winding down as I made my way to the gates of the Night Court. I had done what I could for Ishtar, tried my best, now she was in the hands of the gods, and of her prince. My suspicions as to his identity were sure, and if I found her at the Palace in a fortnight... no matter. I had a few things to attend to before disappearing for a while. Khali had to be told.
My sweet baby sister. How sheltered she was, and sweet. I felt my father's placement of her in Eglantine was barbaric, and cruel. Making his only daughter a whore.
I stopped suddenly in the middle of the street, a revelation striking me. I would be free of both of them, my domineering father and his protege. Yes, they were my blood, and Davion and I were twins, but I was not them, was not the scion they tried to mold me to be. I felt jubilant.
I nearly ran the rest of the way to Eglantine.
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Khalidah Clavel (I)
Inactive
Comtesse Clavel, House Clavel, Former Eglantine adept
Sensual and Divine
Posts: 249
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Refuge
Nov 29, 2006 7:03:48 GMT -5
Post by Khalidah Clavel (I) on Nov 29, 2006 7:03:48 GMT -5
I was exhausted and desperately needed a bath. Tonight's patron had been particularly demanding, wanted one dance after another before using me. I nearly cried seeing the small tear in the side panel of my skirt. It had been my mother's, and I had so few of her things left.
Methodically I removed the costume, carefully storing it away. mayhap some adept could fix it in exchange for something. I put my meager patron gift in my coffer and pulled a plain caftan over my body, just until I could go to the baths.
A knock interrupted me as I unbound my long hair.
"Enter." I sighed, what now?
" They said you just got back. May I visit for a bit or are you too tired?" Malik's handsome face peeked around my door and my exhaustion disappeared. My brother! Gods I hadn't even realized they were back from Tamir.
"Of course you may come in. How I missed you!" I spoke in rapid Akkadian, glad to be speaking my native tongue. I pulled him into the room and had him sit in the chair I just occupied, the only chair really. I knelt on a pillow at his feet and fair beamed with pleasure.
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Refuge
Dec 21, 2006 5:20:19 GMT -5
Post by Michael Clavel (I) on Dec 21, 2006 5:20:19 GMT -5
I let her fuss and settle me to her liking. Frankly I just loved watching her move, the grace of her, the heartbreaking similarity to our mother. Oh yes, she was our mother's mirror. I missed her still. Davion didn't and our father... well, that was the prime reason why Khalidah was here not growing up to be a lady in Namarre.
I hated that he had abandoned her here. Such a thin pretext, 'she needs to learn how to be D'Angeline. She'll learn there.' My baby sister was a whore, and out of his sight. He could have hired tutors, a priestess of Namaah even to teach her what she did not know. No, he saw our mother's ghost too plainly on her thirteen year old face and couldn't bear it.
And now I had to leave her too. I felt like such a bastard.
"Mei Mei, I need you to listen. Something very bad is about to happen and I'm not sure how it is going to play out. Davion and I returned a few weeks ago, I'm sorry I didn't visit, I had to ride out to see father." I forestalled her hurt look that I had been home for so long without seeing her. I hated to hurt her.
"Khali-ma, do you remember when I saved the foal from Davion when we were children, the one he broke and almost beat to death?" she nodded, her solemn face loosing all animation.
"He hit you, ended up breaking your arm and did not speak to you for months. Father did nothing."
"Well, I've done somewhat similar. But it wasn't a foal he almost killed, but a woman, a slave. Our uncle gave her to us while we were in Tamir. Some fuss with his Bas-Kadin and with his appointment as Grand Vizir coming through he didn't need his wife causing him any more trouble. Davion has been obsessed with her and the fool girl got caught rutting with another man. Problem is she's D'Angeline and her lover is a prince. How she met him I don't know, but this will not end well." her small hands were fisted in her lap and I bent down to take them in my own.
"Khali-ma, I have to leave for a while, I'm not sure how long and I don't think I'll be able to see you. Davion will come here, and he will question you. Do not see him privately, stay somewhere open, with help nearby. Tell him you saw me last week and that I only gave you a gift from Tamir, nothing more. I will send you word when I can."
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Khalidah Clavel (I)
Inactive
Comtesse Clavel, House Clavel, Former Eglantine adept
Sensual and Divine
Posts: 249
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Refuge
Dec 21, 2006 5:38:37 GMT -5
Post by Khalidah Clavel (I) on Dec 21, 2006 5:38:37 GMT -5
I bowed my head, to hide the shimmer of tears I felt building up. Cruel fate, to take the only person I loved from me for who knew how long.
"I will protect you, brother, as you have always protected me. May God walk with you on your path and Ishtar keep you safe." He caressed my cheek, rubbing away an errant tear. How well he knew me.
"Tell me something, before you must go, this girl, was she worth all this?" I moved my hand slightly to encompass the huge problem we now faced. He was right, he had taken something of Davion's, it was going to be very bad.
Malik was silent a moment, a far away look in his eyes, a slight smile lifting his lips. Was that tenderness I saw? I was surprised. Malik rarely indulged in women, and here he looked as if he actually loved one.
"Ishtar was worth it. She's... radiant, and a light like hers should not be snuffed out, especially by Davion, nor caged. and besides mei mei, you know how I love to rile my twin." abruptly he stood, pulling me to my feet. His arms engulfed me in a huge and I closed my eyes, hugging him back. "I have to go, but I promise you, I'm still your brother, I still love you and I will be back for you. You deserve so much better than this place."
He kissed my forehead and left. I was stunned, so swiftly had he come and gone again. Ishtar. Zaynab's daughter. She had been such a pretty little girl. I'd never spoken to her or her mother. They were my uncle's women, Odalisques, new ones at that. They were too lowly to speak to me, and I was too caught up in dancing. But I remembered the girl and her mother, their names and the pale glow of their skin. So beautiful. She had been the first D'Angeline I'd seen besides my father, who was more Akkadian than not.
I curled up on my bed, too weary to bath. Sadness followed me into my dreams as I slept.
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