Under Desert Skies
A/N: This is something I am writing purely for Miss Jasmine Maxwell-Yuy so if she wills it, you're gonna see it. Though I am writing a lot of this from my own imagination and all, so if you have a flame, pick it with me. Or Jasmine, though I highly don't recommend you doing that unless have experienced her yelling at you for yourself. And I mean it... O.o
Chapter 1
The bright orange-red orb sank down into the hills of sand, the final rays bleeding away to the deep indigo punctuated by the appearing stars. The two horseback silhouettes stood there, gazing up at the sky overhead.
"Are you ready to go back yet Princess?"
Black almond-shaped eyes turned to look at the woman astride beside her. "Yes, I am."
Making clucking sounds, the woman turned her horse back towards the city behind them. "Princess?"
"I'm coming Fatima." she finally turned her horse around, falling silently in step beside her attendant.
"I believe that your father is returning in about two weeks time."
That failed to get a response out of her. Her father was always gone so much, visiting other countries to secure alliances and improve trade to their already booming country. But tonight was even worse with him still gone.
"Princess, shall I draw you a bath once we reach the palace?"
"Please."
"Princess Yasmine, don't be so sad. She is in Allah's hands now. He will look after her in our stead."
She looked over at Fatima, giving a wane smile. "I know."
The rest of the ride back was quiet, filled with the whispering hiss of sand beneath their horses' hooves. First the low slung mud houses of the less fortunate greeted them as the entered the city, a few small children scampering away with giggles as they passed by.
Yasmine looked at them with a sad smile; it seemed so long ago that she had been like that, carefree and happy, worrying only of dinner and baths.
The mud huts gave way to the taller homes of the merchants, part of her country's lifeblood as they ferried in their exotic goods from the faraway East and West. The stalls were closed now yet the faint lingering of spices hung on the air, promising of the next day's events.
'I should get something for Father.' She looked at her horse's mane absentmindedly.'He keeps on talking of that game called chess...'
"Princess!"
Fatima's insistent voice broke into her thoughts. "I am sorry. Yes Fatima?"
"Should you like to go out again tomorrow? You look as if you could use the break from your studies."
"Yes, thank you." she murmured. "Fatima?"
"Yes Princess?"
"What would you like?"
"I'm not too sure if I understand you Princess."
"You always ask me what I want. So I am asking you, what would you like?"
"You are most kind and thoughtful Princess." Fatima said quietly. "I only desire to see you happy and safe. When I came here, I devoted my life to others. But by far, you are my favourite ward. You are like the child I never had."
"Come now Fatima, surely you must want something. What is it?"
"Princess, every year you ask me this at this time. And what do I tell you?"
"You only wish to see me smile."
"Then smile and I shall be happy." Fatima said looking at her with one of her own.
Yasmine smiled; Fatima had been there for as long as she could remember and she had yet to refuse her the little she desired.
"See? Not all the jewels in the world could buy a smile as beautiful as yours."
"How you joke so Fatima." she chuckled. "Is it just around this corner here?"
"Yes Princess. Let me go first."
A brief talk with the guards at the side gate and they were leading their horses to the Royal Stables. As the attendants led away their mounts, a loud nickering came from one of the stalls followed by a horse's head.
"Rabi," Yasmine admonished, going to the horse. "you should be off that hoof of yours; it has to heal."
"Princess," an attendant said approaching her. "we expect that you should be able to ride in a fortnight[1]. Her sprain was bad."
"Thank you. See; you have to take it easy before we can go back out riding in the desert."
The horse snorted loudly, making her laugh. Rubbing the muzzle affectionately for a few minutes, she left Rabi and headed up into the palace, up the flight of stairs to her rooms.
"There you are. I took the liberty of having your bath prepared Princess. I know how you like to do it yourself but I thought it would be best for you to relax tonight."
"The water was ready so quickly?" she asked, surprise in her voice.
"They were anticipating this before we came back." Fatima smiled. "I shall retire now. If you need anything more, simply ring the bell."
"I shall. Good night Fatima." she said as the older woman left her rooms.
With a sigh, she undid the brooch of her cloak, draping it over the chair. Sitting down, she looked at her reflection in the mirror, seeing the things she had missed for so long in her life.
She missed those sagacious eyes that could flash with amusement or irritation so easily. And those fine hands with dirt beneath the fingernails, testament to the times spent in the garden and stables. Or the hair that was braided and wrapped into its usual bun as was hers now.
"So alike and yet so very different." she murmured, fingers touching the glass as if she could reach her through the cold surface somehow.
With another sigh, she rose from her seat, heading for her bath; she didn't feel like bathing all of a sudden but she wouldn't let someone's hard work go to waste. Stripping down, she eased herself into the hot jasmine-scented water, the tension in her muscles starting to loosen until the only effort she was making, was to keep her head above the water.
Slowly her eyes took in the same details as they always had. The endless stretches of cloth in the room, the table of toiletries by the small table mirror. Beyond was her rooms filled with just as much cloth, her bed behind thick cleverly designed drapes; one pull of the cord and the screening curtains would fall. She made a face simply thinking about it.
'I've never been one for palace life.' She rose from the bath, drying her skin and changing into the cool clothes laid out for her.
Slowly she walked out onto the balcony, sitting down on the stone against the railing and looking at the sky again; why would one wish to stay inside when all of this lay beyond the erected walls? There was a beauty out here that humans vainly sought to capture; though they never would. Tilting her head back, she looked up to see the full spread of stars out now, diamonds in the black dark above. Strange how she seemed even closer from those distant stars than from the nearer mirror.
With a sigh, she closed her eyes. 'I miss you Mother.'
Eagerly Yasmine looked out over the set that lay ready to use on the table in her father's rooms. She had gone down to the market early in the morning with Fatima and found a chess set for her father crafted from ivory and ebony.
'I don't think that's right...' She looked back at the book she had bought on the game. "The queen...is where the rook is supposed to be..." quickly she put the pieces in their proper spots."There. Father should be pleased with this; I cannot wait to see the expression on his face."
"Princess Yasmine! Princess Yasmine!"
The call was quickly followed by the sound of horns blaring in the distance. Excited, she ran to the nearest high balcony.
"Come Princess!" Fatima said as she rushed out to the end. "Your father has returned!"
Yasmine could hardly keep herself from bolting to the stables and saddling a horse to ride out and greet her father. She did miss him a lot during him month long visit, but she knew the lecture that Fatima would give if she spoiled her good clothes.
"Father must have had a very successful trip; look at all the camels Fatima! He went to Egypt right?"
"Yes Princess, calm down." Fatima said with a laugh. "He will undoubtedly tell you about his entire trip once he settles back in."
"I don't think I can wait that long!" she started pacing around. "Why did they not use horses? He would have been back by now!"
"Ah, yes, the impatience. I told her that you would plenty of that; as he would undoubtedly have too."
"He?" Yasmine paused from her pacing. "Who's he?"
"No one Princess. It's just the ramblings of an old woman."
"Oh." she returned to her pacing; she hadn't quite bought that explanation. Fatima seemed a bit...edgy to her.
"Look! He has entered the palace now!"
Yasmine ignored Fatima's eager and relieved pointing to start down the stairs to greet him; it would take her a few minutes to reach the audience chamber. Hurrying in, she stood beside his throne, waiting patiently. The main chamber doors opened, allowing in the tall man whose presence seemed to charge the whole room.
"Caliph Akbar Ali Al-Faqir has returned at last." came a crier's voice.
Everyone in the room bowed as the caliph walked down the carpet to his throne, taking his seat. Silence descended all around in the room as he people rose again.
"Isn't someone going to say something?" he asked once he looked around the room.
"Welcome back Father." Yasmine said with a smile. "It is good to see you back with your people and family."
"It's good to be back." he said with a faint smile. "And I return bearing good news. We are successfully allied with Egypt against the nomadic hordes who threaten the safety of both nations."
A loud cheer erupted from the room from the people in the room yet Yasmine remained silent. 'How could Father call mother's people a 'horde'?" In their brief years together, Akbar had been utterly devoted to his wife and daughter. 'Something's not right here.' She waited along with the few others.
"My people, I bring more good news." Akbar said once the noise in the room died down. "Our alliance with Egypt is doubly secured."
Yasmine watched with everyone else as the doors were opened again. A lightly veiled woman walked in slowly, eyes fixed on Akbar. As the strange woman passed, quiet murmurs followed after her; no woman could be that lovely; was it a trick upon the eyes? When she reached the step that Akbar now stood on, he reached out with is hand; the woman placed hers in his gently.
Horrified, Yasmine watched as the woman looked at her briefly before stepping up to Akbar's side. She didn't hear any of her father's following words or the cheers of the full chamber. 'That...woman.' That one brief glance had told her everything she would ever need to know; danger. Those dangerous dark brown eyes had held promises of a fate worse than death should she cross the line that had yet to be drawn.
Soon enough Akbar and the woman left the chamber, the entire place emptying out until it was only her alone. Still in shock, she sank to her knees beside her father's throne. Tears started to sting her eyes, tears for what could never be again; yet she refused to yield to them. Things would never be the same again; Caliph Akbar Ali Al-Faqir had taken a new wife.
Notes
[1] fortnight ~ an old saying roughly equivalent to two weeks
Furor: Well...there's the opening chapter to my new ficcie...hope you're happy.
Don't worry though, Hiiro will show up so please be patient.
Hiiro: *leafs through crappy paper version* So this is what you're doing to me.
Furor: Yup. Don't worry, I'll go easy on you. *snickers* I just enjoy really torturing the others... Funny really....
Hiiro: You have a weird sense of humor, you know that right?
Furor: Yeah; but you seen my other equally crazy friends? I mean, there's Meghan and Jasmine, who I am writing this fic for
Hiiro: *falls silent for a few minutes* Yasmine...is like you?
Furor: *snickers* Don't worry. I'm sure she'll play nice with you too Hirro Yuy.
Hiiro: *whips out gun and points it at Furor* Omae o korosu.
Furor: Now Hiiro, that's not very nice of you. Am I going to have to call Jasmine? You'll meet her eventually...I was going to wait to do it...but if you're going to take this attitude...
Hiiro: *gives Furor a glare worthy of Wufei before putting gun away and subsiding into mutters*
Furor: You musta been taking lessons from Wu-bear there. Now that the first six chapters are done and I'm on seven, I think I'll get her input on that chapter.
Hiiro: Nani?! *whips out gun again* Omae wo korosu!
Furor: Man, you're pretty worked up for a perfect solider you know.