His fingers upon the strings of my heart.

— Khalil Gibran

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Him

"In the last few months much gold has been taken from treasury for reforms. Our governors claim that they need it to strengthen their defenses in this time of need. Thus, they're seeking the capital for help."

"So what are those significant reforms they've made so far?" He leans back in his chair, placing his elbows on the armrests and locking his fingers below his chin. "And what do they complain about? Isn't every region provided with enough of gold and army already?"

"True, my lord, but as of the situation, they reason that more is needed to recruit additional soldiers and meet public requirements."

He hums, running his thumb over his lower lip, contemplating. "When I can do with what I have, what more do they need to work any better?" His gaze snaps to the fire burning in the torches, sailing across them leisurely. "Report to me what additional advances they've made with the money. No more gold is to be sent out of Baghdad to anyone. I need to know if they're actually investing it in their defenses, or are they sold out corrupts of our enemies."

He extends his hand towards his confidante and he quickly places the list of governors on his palm. He goes through them, reading each name one by one who have been involved in draining the treasury. And his eyes come to fixate on a particular one.

"Fereydun Bakhtiar." He pauses and clicks his tongue. "What reforms has the governor of Khorasan been making in his region while sitting here in Baghdad?"

Her

She has never seen such rush in the palace before. Everywhere servants hasten to make arrangements with food and decorations for the evening. The day is still early and they seem to have started with their duties right at the break of dawn. It all feels overwhelming to her.

She strolls through the garden taking in everything. Faris, the new guard Eskander has appointed her, follows after her like a shadow. It has been a few days to the incident. No one has spoken to her about it or interrogated her, neither Eskander nor Adam. Maybe in the background, they're quietly doing their jobs without her knowing. But she hasn't tried to dig into the matter anymore either.

Unlike Hafez, Faris doesn't carry conversions with her. He speaks only when spoken to and even then keeps it short. To her, he appears closed off and fierce and someone no one would want to mess with, given his built and hawk like eyes giving everyone razor sharp looks. She tries to be rather wary around him herself, not to give him reasons to go and fill Eskander's ears. She knows he wouldn't be doing her favors keeping her secrets like Hafez. If anything, she'd need to outsmart him time to time if something private comes up.

Noura spots Eskander in the distance walking with Ameer Zakariya as he talks to him about something. He nods his head to whatever the vizier is saying and she watches them as they make their way down pathway to the other side. Then they stop, speak some more, and she turns to Faris.

"Eskander is going somewhere?"

"To the barracks, sayidati."

"Any idea when he'll return?"

"No idea."

"Will he be joining the celebration tonight?"

"I don't think so."

She sighs and waits for the Ameer to leave his side so she can approach him. But before her, it's the princess who walks up to them. She greets them both and then says something. Zakariya replies to her and she gives him a small smiles before looking up at Eskander and probably asking him something to which he shakes him head. A moment later, the vizier leaves them alone and Noura gathers her dress, ready to intervene.

When she nears them, she hears Maysoon inquiring, "Will I see you tonight?"

"Unfortunately not. I've many things at hand at the moment," Eskander answers.

"Give yourself a break once in a while, Eskander," Maysoon advises suggestively. "How about we've dinner together then? I won't be joining the celebration either."

"I appreciate the offer, amira, but I'm afraid I won't be able to make it," he declines politely and looks away, catching sight of her. "Nour?"

Maysoon turns to her and Noura tips her head in greeting. She responds to it with a smile. "Great timings, Nour. I was just trying to convince your brother to give himself some free time. He's always busy whenever I ask him. Why don't you tell him?"

"Perhaps another time, my grace. Now if you ladies will excuse me, I've men waiting for me at the barracks."

He glances at her before looking at Faris-- a look Noura very well knows the meaning of. Eskander leaves their company, and Maysoon gazes after him a long minute. It doesn't take her much to understand the yearning in her eyes-- the hues of them laden with a burning so intense that it's impossible to miss. When he's gone, she shifts her attention to her.

"Has he always been like this?"

"Like what?"

"Hard. Difficult."

"I don't know, amira. The palace brings out another side of him."

Maysoon exhales heavily. "It has a tendency to change people. Although I must admit, his attitude makes him charming," she confesses almost dreamily.

Noura doesn't respond, a warning bell in her head ringing loudly. Her words makes her gut coil and her mouth sour. But before she could mull over it, Maysoon holds both of her arms and gives her a worried look.

"I heard of the attack on you at the bazar. Thank God you're alright, Nour. But I was really upset by your carelessness." She crooks her head, scolding gently, "How could you take your safety so lightly? You shouldn't have left Hafez behind, or at least informed Eskander. You know of the situation at the kingdom. And you know no one at the palace could be trusted either."

"Thank you for your concern, amira. It was an unfortunate accident. But God saved me."

"And I'm glad nothing bad happened to you." She gives her a brief hug before pulling away with a smile. "Be very careful next time, please."

Noura can only nod, feebly returning her smile, and Maysoon gathers her dress, swaning away into the garden, her handmaiden, Manizheh, following closely behind as the princess instructs her about something.

Seeing there's nothing more of interest to her, she finds her way back to her chamber. A maid presents to her a box and a note on arrival.

"These came for you, sayidati."

Noura takes them from her. "Who sent these?"

"I don't know, they came without a name. A messenger left them for you."

She dismisses the maid and goes to sit on the bed. Opening the box, she finds the headchain she saw at the bazar lying there, a simple piece of jewelry so pretty to her eyes. She doesn't need to know its sender anymore, already realizing who the gift is from. Putting it back in the box, she unrolls the note to read it.

You liked it so I bought it for you. It would make me really happy if you wear it tonight, farasha.

A smile forms its way on her lips. She doesn't know whether it's because of the gift itself that has touched her or the gesture of its sender. Nonetheless, she likes it and decides to wear it at the celebration.

So when evening falls and the hustle in the corridors turns to laughter and music, she dresses herself up to the likes of princesses and queens. Noura looks at herself in the mirror, admiring herself proudly, glad with the work she has done. She grins to herself, in the end pinning the headchain in her hair Adam has gifted her. It only adds more to her beauty. If her mother were to see her, she would've sung praises of how her daughter lives to her name-- how she's light and the brightest at that.

When she's done, she leaves her chamber and decides to stop by Adam's room first to thank him for the gift.

"The harem is at the other end, sayidati," Faris informs her as she goes in the opposite direction. "That way leads to the wing for the royal guards."

"I know," Noura says, keeping her strides long and firm. "I've to meet Adam regarding a matter. It's urgent."

"I'll deliver to him whatever message you have for him. You don't have to go there yourself."

She frowns at him. "Why not?"

"General Eskander wouldn't like it, sayidati. It would stir unnecessary rumors. He doesn't want you to see people he doesn't trust."

"Then you can go inform your general what I'm up to," Noura dares, like she would do with Hafez, but to her utter horror and disappointment, he tips his head.

"The general has returned to the palace. I'll let him know you've been defiant and rather reckless regarding your safety."

Noura stops dead in her tracks. They're already in front of Adam's room.

"Faris," she utters lowly, as if trying to assuage her suddenly frantic nerves. "Just give me a few minutes. I don't mean to cause you any trouble."

"My apologies, but I can't be disobeying the orders."

She grits her teeth. Once she's finished here, she's going to talk to Eskander about the man. He's like a sword hanging at her head.

"Don't you update Eskander of all my activities already?"

"Only what must be in his knowledge."

"And this is one of it?"

"Of course. The general and Adam don't go well together, so he can't be trusted with you. Who knows? He can use you to get to the general."

Noura rolls her eyes and scoffs. "Eskander is not a child. And Adam is not so petty." She walks up to his room. "Stay behind. You can complain to Eskander about it later."

She knocks on the door and waits but no one answers. She tries again, and someone behind her speaks up.

"Well well, wouldn't you look at that, you're all dressed up and at the door of a man at this hour, but what for?" Muawwiz mocks. Noura clenches her jaw and glares in his direction. "I thought the celebration is at the other end, sayidati. What are you doing here?"

"None of your business, commander."

He grins slyly, evil like a devil, and steps closer to her, dropping his voice so only she can hear him, "Unfortunately for you, I've known your business with Adam since the night you disappeared from the palace. Because I know that the same night, he disappeared too, leaving the palace and coming back close to when you did."

She feels her breastbone being crushed and her heart being compressed. Despite her best efforts, she cannot hide the shock and trepidations of her expression. Anymore words that she could've uttered die on her tongue. She feels like a prey being cornered.

"I don't know what you're talking about," she manages to deny his accusations after a moment.

He chuckles wickedly and nods. "Of course you don't know. You're so innocent. I wondered why Al Shafay is smitten with you. But it's this angelic face, it can drag saints to hell."

She gulps back her rising rage, finding it best not to answer him and give him anymore reasons to point fingers at her. Noura tries to walk past her but he holds her arm.

"Listen to me."

She tries to jerk herself free of him but to no avail. "Let go."

"Leave her alone," Faris intervenes, coming to stand in front of her and griping Muawwiz by the wrist.

"The general appointed a new dog for your security?" Muawwiz huffs in ridicule. "What happened to the old one?"

"Release her, now," Faris snarls, sending a shiver through her at the menace in his tone. "You won't live to know what happened to whom if I slit open your throat."

"And who the hell are you to do so, huh?!" Muawwiz lets go of her and Noura hurries to put distance between herself and the men ready to shred each other. "We'll see who slits whose throat."

"Fine by me," Faris challenges, and she pales instantly.

"What are you doing?" she hisses at him. "Let's go from here."

"Very daring. You've your master's arrogance in you. But none of it will remain once I paint these walls with your blood."

"You would scare someone else with your empty threats, commander, but not me. I'm nobody's slave."

They bare their daggers at each other in the corridor and the air leaves her lungs.

"Faris," she tugs him by the elbow, "I said let's leave right now."

"Not until he's cold blood," he growls.

"Men!" another voice booms. "What is going on here?"

They turn in the direction of the intruder. Fereydun marches towards them angrily. He looks between Muawwiz and Faris who briskly put away their daggers and she breathes in relief as the fight dissolves.

"Is it appropriate for you both to behave this way?" Fereydun rebukes. "Do your designations allow it to you?"

"The commander was bothering the lady, sayidi," Faris tells him.

"I merely asked her the purpose of coming here," Muawwiz tries to justify himself, trapping her in the processes, and Noura glowers murderously at him.

Fereydun jerks his chin at him. "Leave."

He tips his head and excuses himself. Fereydun directs his attention to Faris once he's gone.

"You need to control your temper, young man," he advices.

"Forgive me, governor, but he was way out of line. I couldn't stand it."

Fereydun pats him on the back. "I understand, but not all problems can be solved with your fists."

He simply nods and Fereydun turns to her. She awkwardly clears her throat. "I needed to see Adam regarding an urgent matter."

He arches an inquisitive eyebrow but doesn't get into the matter. "Come with me," he asks her.

She unquestionably follows after him as he leads her away from the wing for guards back to the other side towards his chamber. They both get inside while Faris stays outside to wait for her.

Fereydun gestures towards a chair and she quietly takes it. He goes to where a table is lying at the opposite end of the chamber and picks up a pouch lying on it, bringing it back to her. Undoing it, he produces something from it and holds it out to her.

An anklet. A very fancy one studded with gemstones and speaking of extravagance. Noura stares at it in confusion before looking up at Fereydun.

"What is it for?"

"For you."

"For me?" she wonders in amazement, eyebrows going up on her forehead. "But why?"

"Take it," he urges and Noura gingerly does so, watching as he produces another one from the pouch, this time her own which she recognizes at once.

The anklet Eskander got her, with a crescent moon attached to it, when she went to the bazar with him for the first time.

"It's mine," she says and Fereydun hands it to her.

"It's broken," he tells her. "You dropped it at the bazar when you were attacked." He nods towards the other one. "Al Hadi sent a replacement for you."

She feels an instant blow to her sanity as she gazes at the anklet Hadi has send her. It's stunning and must have costed him a fortune, but the intention behind gifting it to her stirs a parlous feeling in her stomach. The veins in her head pulsate painfully.

"I won't ask you how you know him," Fereydun begins, "or what happened that day or days before it. You owe me no explanations neither is it my business to demand anything of you. But as someone who wishes the best for you, I'll let you know that you've gotten yourself in trouble wearying to deal with, Noura."

"What do you mean?"

"You don't actually know who Al Hadi is, do you?"

She shakes her head and he smiles, a little irony in it. "Well, you will, someday."

Noura stands up, placing the anklet he has send her on the chair and taking the other one with her. "I'm not sure if I look forward to it any more."

She walks towards the door.

"The anklet?" Fereydun calls after her.

"Send it back. I don't want it," she replies without glancing back.

Leaving his chamber, she makes his ways towards Eskander's. Hadi knowing her, sending her flowers and notes before and now gifts, being persistent in doing what he wants and disregarding her forbidding him have all come to the simmering flames which might as well flare up and leave nothing but ashes in their wake. No matter what, she's not willing to keep up these bargains with him and gamble upon her life.

Lost in her musings, she bumps into someone as she turns around the corner and the anklet drops from her hand to the floor.

"Pardon my mindlessness," she quickly apologizes and leans down to pick up her anklet. But person she has bumped into picks it before her.

Noura looks up at him. A man in black thobe with a cloak over it similar in color stares back at her. His face is covered by a cloth but the fire from the torches glimmer in his eyes, turning them brown one moment and like dying embers the other. She doesn't need to see his face to know that she hasn't seen him at the palace before. Everything about him from the relatively simple yet magisterial dressing to the dense, powerful aura he carries alarms her. He's someone of high rank, she gathers right away.

There are two other men behind him, cloaked but with faces uncovered, probably his guards, standing at attention. Her gaze oscillates between them before coming to rest on the man again.

"My apologies, sayidati." He holds out the anklet to her. "I hope I'm not the one who broke it."

His voice sounds deep and soothing, like the low rumbling of clouds before heavy rain-- like a lulling song of nature on a dark day. It's calm and balanced.

"You didn't," Noura replies as she takes it from him. "It was broken already."

"Ah, and I thought I stepped inside the palace and it already indebted me to a beautiful lady," he compliments, making her blush, and she can almost see him smile behind the mask. He tips his head at her. "Enjoy the evening," he wishes and walks past her, his men following behind him.

She stares after him until he turns around the other corridor and disappears.

"Who was that?" she asks Faris.

"I don't know, sayidati. Haven't seen him around before."

"Well, isn't this place is full of surprises?"

With that, she resumes her way towards Eskander's chamber.

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So, thoughts on Faris?

Drama incoming in future chapters. Brewing spice for it. Who's ready with popcorns?

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