Snippet #1408955

The crier looked uncomfortable, as he stepped through the door to the ballroom. His face was flushed, as he smoothed his cloths and drew in a deep breath. Maybe it was shame or embarrassment that colored his face but it could have been anger though. Nervous was certainty written on his face, as if he was about to cause the greatest scandal in Valanian history.

“The Lady” he called out, praying not to twist his tongue into knots with the strange names of those he was to announce, “Aliyyah Bahiya Bint Amid Al-dhi’b, wife of Sheikh Asad Hakem Ibn Fawwaz Al-Dahabrabiya and escort!”

“The Lady” the crier continued, “Ghaniyah Imtithal Bint Fareeq Al-Alyah, second wife of Sheikh Asad Hakem Ibn Fawwaz Al-Dahabrabiya and escort!”

“The Lady” he finished, “Haifa Najibah Bint Kareem Al-Baqqar, third wife of Sheikh Asad Hakem Ibn Fawwaz Al-Dahabrabiya and escort!”

Three women appeared through the doorway, in the order that they were named. The first, the Lady Aliyyah was clad in a red silk khalat, which was decorated with flowers stitched in gold thread. A matching red silk headscarf covered her hair and neck. Across her face was a Bushiyya of gold silk, the veil so sheer that it didn’t need eyeholes and was held up around her forehead by a gold chain, set with small rubies, save for the one in the middle of her forehead, which was of good size. Peaking out from under the wide robe, were a pair of red slippers.

The second, Lady Ghaniyah, was dressed much like first. Her khalat was light blue silk, helmed in red and decorated with stars of gold thread. Her headscarf was of the same blue silk and worn in the same manner, as the first wife’s. Her Bushiyya was sheer gold silk, held with a gold chain but set with small sapphires. Her slippers where blue.

The third, Lady Haifa, was again dressed in a khalat but green in color and did not have stitching covering it. Instead the robe glittered with tiny flecks of gold, slipped into the weave of the cloth. Like the other two, her headscarf was worn around her head and neck and was made of the same material as her robe (just like her slippers). Her gold Bushiyya was held up by a gold chain, which was set with small emeralds.

Behind each woman stood a massive man with almost black skin. Uniformly, they were tall, broad chested, well muscled, heads shaven and stripped to the waist. Each wore a pair of baggy black cotton trousers, a pair of black slipper-like boots and a red sash wrapped around his waist. On the left hip of each man, there was a broad blade, curved sword, thrust naked through the sash. On their right hips, were curved daggers. Each wore a guarded expression, as they stood close to their mistresses. The eunuchs behind lady Haifa and Lady Ghaniyah, stood with arms across their chests. The one behind lady Aliyyah rested his hands on the hilts of his weapons.

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The soft sound of a quill gliding over parchment drifted lazily across the study of Asad Hakem Ibn Fawwaz Al-Dahabrabiya, in the royal palace of Valania. Candles flickered, as a breeze drifted in through the windows, causing the shadows to dance on the walls. The almost lullaby of the quill paused for a second, as it was dripped lightly into the inkpot and tapped against the plain brown clay.

“Rebels” said the Sarifen in soft tones, while stroking his short beard with his left hand. Before him was a report for the Emperor about their activities, as well as a request for more of his countrymen, to reinforce the royal guard here in Voltas. One of the Tazhi Spai hounds lifted it’s head and looked towards it’s master, as if awaiting a command to run down prey. After a minute, the dog lowered it’s head back to the rug and went back to sleep.

Asad glanced over at his pack of sight hounds, whom had invade the room and smiled for real. He always looked like he was smiling but he rarely did in truth and not so much since he arrived in this foreign land. Now it just was the sight of his dogs, his wives or many a pretty serving girl, that got a real smile out of him anymore. Or when he counted the gold he had stored in his chambers.