A Calormene Secret
Chapter 1: The History of Me
I was born in the city of Tashbaan in the first year of year of the reign of the Tisroc, may he live forever. At my birth I was dedicated to Tash, the inexorable, the irresistible. I was christened Corianda Maleca, which means, "Tash is my protector." My mother, whom I have never met, did not approve of the name, for she was a star. I am told her name was Arikanna, which means, "Aslan be praised," and she was unfailingly loyal to the Lion.
According to the people who met my mother on the one occasion that she entered the gates of Tashbaan (for my birth and dedication six days later), I resemble her very strongly. She had the same color hair as I have, black as a raven's wing. She also boasted the streaks of silvery-blue hair that I take great pride in. My complexion is slightly darker than hers, due to my lineage, and her eyes were the same pale blue as my own.
However, my own arms are stained with henna tattoos, which is a tradition for maidens in Calormen. The blue and black ink riddled my fair skin, which is a rarity in Calormen, with designs that held a strange and mystical beauty and foreboding. According to a priestess of Tash, these tattoos ensure a good marriage, many children, and a long, happy life. In other words, I was forever under the blessing of the god Tash.