Goddard shrugs. "At least I was nice enough to back off when someone expressed total and complete disinterest in me. I'm at least leagues smarter than he is."

New Friends

Aara chuckles. "It hurts," she admits, laying a hand across her midsection. "Catching statues wasn't exactly in my training."

The physician nods as he probes her bruised abdomen, moving her hand out of the way and raising her shirt higher. "You did a brave thing. You could have been seriously hurt."

She grimaces as he pokes her. "So could the Khalif. He is far more important."

The physician nods. "And you will live. There will be soreness, and much bruising. I suggest no sparring or strenuous activities for a few days. Relax. Allow the Khalif to treat you as a lady of leisure."

Aara groans. "No, please don't tell him that. I'll go mad if I have to lie around doing nothing."

The older man laughs and hands her a pot of ointment. "This will ease some of the discomfort."

She nods and watches him go, leaving her door open. Gingerly she pokes her stomach, testing the swelling herself. "It's not so bad," she mutters as she gets up. Catching herself in the mirror, she holds her shirt up. Her torso is bruised from ribs to hips, her back scraped and bruised, but nothing broken. "Mm, maybe it's a little bad."

Benham Alcazar in Araby

It's late when Aara slips out of her rooms and makes her way to the roof of Koroush's palace. Stepping out of her sandals, she unwinds her scarf and unpins her veil, leaving them in a pile before walking across the marble. I'm glad this is the same, she thinks, gazing at the rich surroundings and holding a blanket around her shoulders. Potted fruit trees, flowering arches, braziers, benches and softer seating are spread across the roof, arranged in intimate little spaces so that guests can gaze upon the city in comfort. As a girl, this had been her favorite place; for one so short, it had given her deep pleasure to stand on the thick, waist-high wall surrounding the area and look down upon the entire city. Now, it only served as a reminder of the suffering of her people by some unknown force.

Altdorf...And the Truth

Once she spots the walls surrounding Altdorf, Aara reigns in her horse. I can't do this. I can't go into his city and tell him about his father. Swallowing hard, she calls out to Goddard, trying to smile when he turns to look at her.

"Nuur'eni, let's celebrate," she suggests. "Let's go to the bath house and indulge ourselves a while. A bath, the steamroom, a massage. We deserve it, don't you think?"