Viper woke refreshed and feeling alive like never before. She quickly dressed herself and took a hesitant step into the bedroom. Before fully entering, she took a deep breath, trying to still her racing thoughts.
The morning light spilled across the room, highlighting the tomes on the wall. Renier interrupted his reading and looked up when she entered. His eyes showed a brief flicker of surprise, “How do you feel?”
Viper’s heart raced with a mix of exhilaration and a tinge of fear. “Woooonderful! Master. Thank You.” She managed, her voice quivering, unable to hold back her emotions.
“Feeling alive?” Renier remarked with a half-smile, setting his book aside.
“More than that, Master,” Viper replied her voice a mixture of reverence and newfound confidence.
His right hand went to his jaw - thumb and index finger holding his chin - as he contemplated how she had changed. Seconds passed, “I’ll teach you some weaves and you’ll have to learn to meditate.” I hope this gamble pays off, he thought
“Yes, Master. Whatever you command!” Her lips trembled slightly, barely able to contain the emotion.
Pensively, he added, “Go rest now. We’ll start tomorrow with meditation practice.”
She quietly left the room to follow her Master’s command.
----------------------------------------
Beside Mustafa Pasha, Renier observed the grand procession of guards and wagons as it entered the city, transforming the normally bustling gate into a realm of eerie quiet. Only the sounds of horse hooves and creaking wheels broke the silence. The onlookers were awed by the strange sight. Over fifty richly dressed guards and seventy wagons pulled by strange beasts comprised Maharaj Singh Chandra’s caravan.
Finally, the prince came. He was a lithe, tall young man, around Renier’s real age, with black hair and deep brown eyes. His back was erect, his chin up and an air of haughtiness could be perceived as he passed the gate on a large white stallion that pranced full of energy.
This prince would fit well into his plans, Renier thought as he watched the young man dismount and head toward them. A half smile crossed his face as he detected the nervousness the prince tried to control.
The prince’s broken Turkish made communication difficult and Renier saw his chance. He weaved omniglot and a second later, the knowledge of how to speak to the prince was his.
Renier put his right hand over his breast and did a slight bow and said, “Maharaj Kumar Ranjit Singh Chandra'ya selam olsun. Ancyra'dan şerefimiz olan misafirimiz, hoş geldiniz. Sizi tanımaktan büyük bir onur duyuyoruz.”
Everyone stopped talking. The Pasha's eyes narrowed slightly, a crease forming on his forehead as he looked at Renier, a quizzical expression lingering in his gaze as if asking who was this man.
“Ah. Someone who speaks Rajasthani. Wonderful!!” Replied the prince, surprise, and relief on his face.
Then, he caught himself and addressed the Pasha formally, “Thank you. I am grateful for your hospitality in Ancyra. I am pleased to make your acquaintance. Blessings be upon you,” In what was obviously a rehearsed Turkish. He met Renier’s eyes with a puzzled look, a flicker of curiosity passing over his features.
----------------------------------------
Meryem fidgeted in her seat. Is he interested in me? The clopping of the horse's hooves broke the silence. The latest report had confirmed it: he was the boy—no, the young man, she corrected herself—they were about the same age. And now her feelings were mixed.
How had he become so proficient? Her Master’s questions kept ringing in her head as she contemplated the landscape.
This is unbearable! She adjusted her yelek[1]. Fortunately, the Pasha’s estate isn’t very far. My normal salvar[2] and gömlek[3] would suit me just fine. She mused, feeling unaccustomed to the formal clothing.
She took a deep breath and purposely stilled her wringing hands. I have a job to do, her resolve reasserting itself.
The tree-filled scenery passed quickly and minutes later, her carriage slowed as they reached the procession of carriages heading toward the main gate. She had never been to an event with nobles. Why did he invite me? Sure, she was a Yendeci, but not a particularly high-ranking one as far as the world was concerned. Even the elder she accompanied had only been invited because of her.
The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation.
Two days before, while she tutored Skandar, Renier had asked if they would like to attend the recital welcoming the Indian prince to Ancyra. It’s a way for me to get closer to him and carry out my master's instructions she justified, but deep down, she harbored thoughts of her savior she dared not even admit to herself.
“We’re nearly there, Sırçalan Bahar,” Elder Rasim said as the carriage approached the gate.
“Remember to call me Dalia,” admonished Meryem dryly.
----------------------------------------
His gaze constantly wandered toward the entrance until he finally saw the lustrous red locks and almost jumped from his seat to receive her. She’s finally here, he thought. Hopefully, her presence would stem the constant parade of mothers with eligible daughters.
As he escorted Meryem and the Elder, who had waited at the door, to their seats he could make out the whispers and disdainful looks. It was as if all the mothers collectively looked at Meryem and asked, “Who was that usurper?”
“Your excellency, may I present Elder Rasim a Yendeci scholar, and his niece Dalia Hanim,” he said as they reached the three seats, at the front, reserved for them next to Mustafa Pasha and the Prince.
The Prince immediately stood and bowed to the redheaded beauty. His interest in her showed on his face.
Meryem is going to be more help than I thought, mused Renier as he continued the introductions.
“How was your carriage ride, Elder?” Renier broke the uncomfortable silence that ensued after they were seated.
“Very pleasant, Master Orhan. Thank you for sending the carriage for us.”
Renier didn’t get a chance to continue the conversation as the conductor entered the stage and the performance commenced and the audience was instantly captivated by the sounds of the kanun[1] and ney[2]. Renier’s mind, however, wondered as he contemplated the best moment to execute his plan.
About an hour later, the applause provided the perfect cover for his exit.
“You’ll excuse me for a moment,” he whispered to Meryem and the Elder, his tone casual yet carrying a hint of urgency. “Please, enjoy the rest of the evening. I shall return shortly.”
As he left, he saw Meryem and the Elder share a look. He moved slowly to allow her to follow.
The corridors of the Pasha's estate, though dimly lit, were familiar to Renier, allowing him to navigate them with ease and stealth. He abstained from using umbraskim and walked between the shadows afraid of giving away his secrets to the following girl. He reached the guest wing where the Prince was accommodated, his senses heightened. As he approached the Prince’s room, he paused, scanning for signs of guards or servants. While he waited for the guard patrol to pass, he remembered.
Hidden in the tree line, he counted as a patrol of golems passed by. He thought he had the timing right, but he just wanted to confirm. The keeper was a sneaky bastard, and he wouldn't put it passed him to vary the times of the patrols. He had learned that the hard way the last time.
Sure enough, another patrol passed at least five minutes before they should have. As the patrol moved off to the left, he started to crawl towards the wall. It was a pain to do it this way. Using Umbraskim, he could be there in a second, but he could hear the keeper in his head, 'If you can't do it without a weave, then you can't do it at all. What will happen the day you run out of Mu?' Of course, he hadn't answered that with the embedded talisman he would not be running out.
The breaking of a branch brought him back to what he was doing. He froze as a solitary golem moved towards where he had been hiding in the tree line. 'Good thing I moved!'
He reached the wall and started to climb. Although it was mostly smooth, he could find handholds, and his stage two strength allowed him to easily pull himself up. The next obstacle was the ward at the top of the wall.
The presence of Meryem, blending into the shadows, and observing his actions brought him out of his reverie. She had stayed back, careful not to reveal her presence, yet close enough to see his every movement.
After the guards passed, he slipped inside, his movements silent and swift. Renier extended his perception to encompass the bedroom searching for anything of note and quickly found a false bottom in one of the chests.
How big and shiny, he thought, pulling out a huge diamond and two letters. The wax seal on them was intact, but that didn’t present a problem. He quickly skimmed their content. This Prince was sent from heaven, he mused, as he saw plans form and fall into place.
At the same moment, his perception detected a person coming, outside, Meryem’s eyes had caught sight of a servant moving toward the Prince’s room. He phase-shifted into a shadow to avoid detection. Then heard Meryem creating a commotion down the corridor, drawing the servant’s attention away from Renier’s location. She's helping me.
The distraction allowed Renier enough time to put everything back and slip out unnoticed. The content of the letters and how they would fit into his plans swirled in his mind as he started to leave. Sent from heaven, he repeated as plans within plans were laid out, discarded, or modified.
But as he exited the room, his extended perception registered four guards, weapons drawn, heading toward Meryem. He reacted without thinking. Two umbraskims later he was at Meryem’s side. He grabbed her by the arm and drew her into the shadow just as the guards passed by. The large expenditure of energy to phase both of them gave him an unbearable headache. But he endured until the danger of detection was over.
As they shifted out of the shadow and silently walked back to the recital, Renier’s mind flooded with consequences, ‘Regret is but a withered leaf, in the garden of actions,’ he could hear the Keeper’s voice.
He could hear Meryem’s heart pounding. What have I done? The question rang. He could feel her awkward glances and see the awestruck expression on her face. As they walked down the corridor, a servant startled them and she leaned into him as if seeking protection. Will she betray me? Once again he had acted before thinking for the sake of this woman.
The silent trek ended as they blended back into the recital, unnoticed.
Later that evening, the inevitable questioning came. Meryem approached him in a quiet spot in the garden. How much should I reveal? Could she be an ally? The questions rang in his mind as he contemplated the svelte figure of the alluring redhead; the soft shadow cast by the moonlight making it seem like she floated.
“Master Orhan,” she began in a low voice, “I couldn’t help but notice your excursion during the interlude. I must confess, that I followed thinking we might have a… more… intimate moment,” she said with a wide smile and a playful gaze.
His heart skipped a beat, but he quickly reasserted himself, “Dalia Hanim or should I call you Meryem? An intimate moment, you say?” He said quizzically ignoring her obvious attempt at flirting.
“Yes Master Orhan, but after the events, if I may be so bold, what are your intentions towards the Prince?” The softness of her smiling face disappeared replaced by a stern matter-of-fact look.
Renier met her gaze, the moonlight reflecting in his eyes. He pondered how much to reveal, remembering that the Yendeci were an enemy.