Aida stood speechless, looking at Francisco, her mouth hanging open.
"I know I'm not Muslim, however, that doesn't mean I can't become one, if you want me to. That wouldn't be a problem. Things like fasting aren't new to me. My mother has always made us fast the Lent. Neither is praying, since my mother has always made us pray. I already know how to read and speak Arabic. I'll just have to read the Quran. We could have a Muslim wedding, if you prefer, or a Catholic wedding. If you insist on a Muslim household, and Islam, instead of Catholicism for any children we may have, I have no problem with that."
"But…you, you said…What about your mother?"
"I love and respect my mother, however, I want you to be my wife. My mother has already lived her life. I want to live mine. She's my mother, but there's a limit. She does not rule over my life."
"Oh, but, you would have problems, wouldn't you?"
"Nothing I can't handle."
"What about the rest of your family?"
"They're not a problem. If they accept my marriage to you, that's great. If they don't, that's great, too. Besides, from what I know, your aunt wasn't too happy at your sister's marriage to Sultan Aladdin, was she?"
"Well, no. My Aunt wasn't happy."
"So why should my relatives be a problem if she wasn't for them?"
"I just didn't think that you would…I mean, I…"
"I'm asking you first, because I want to know whether you'll have me, before I consult your father. I want to know what you think."
"Supposing I were to say yes, what then?"
"Well, you'd have to decide under what religion you want us to be married under, well, of course, um, I'd like us to live at San Juan Dzonot. I don't know what you think about that. We could come visit your father and your sister and brother-in-law any time you'd like. At Dzonot, you would be the mistress of the house. If you have any troubles with my mother, well, I think I can find her and my father some comfortable place to live."
"And what would life be like at Dzonot?"
"Just as it is in any other hacienda. You know, in the country."
"I've never lived in the country. I've never even visited. My aunt only liked to visit big cities."
"Like Mexico D.F.?"
"Well, I've never been there, I don't know if she has. I think she has once. She always said it was all right."
"Then this could be your chance. Anything you want. Besides, they have the best chocolate in Oaxaca, the best vanilla in Veracruz, and the best food back home. Especially the pastries."
"I've never tasted Mexican pastries. And chocolate, well, I am a chocoholic. I'll get to taste it from its place of origin."
She smiled.
"Does that mean I get a yes?"
"Well, I don't know, I'm not sure. I don't know what people do in the country."
"You might get up early, well, at least the workers always do. I know that perhaps the house might seem a bit small, after living in such grand palaces, however, I always find plenty to do. You can do just about anything. Think of it like here, except for the marketplace. You can go riding, and the country is jus a beautiful place. It has such a wonderful scenery. You could to bathing in the lake, you can go mountain climbing, if such sports hold any charm for you. Not for me. There's a small town, at least seven miles away. There, you might like to get drunk, if you like to drink, you could visit people, go to the church, anything. There are some things, however, you can't do, at least not often. Shopping, for instance. If you want to go shopping, the best thing would probably be for you to go to the nearest city, and do your shopping there."
"It sounds nice. And how often can you go the city?"
"As often as you like."
"I don't know what to say. I'd like to think about it. I mean, it would be so…well…so weird, you know. All my life, I've spend traveling, following my aunt, and now I live with my father and my sister, and her husband, and his father. I don't know. I've been to other place, but I've never lived there."
"Well, if you need time to think about it, I will wait forever. I want to take you back to Dzonot as my bride."
"Wouldn't you like your parents to be present at the wedding?"
"Well, yeah, but if you'd prefer, the wedding could be here. My parents can come."
"Well, I'll think about it, I promise."
"I'll wait for your answer. When can I expect to get it?"
"I don't know, in a couple of days, maybe."
"Of course."
Later, Aida told Haifa that Francisco had asked her to marry him.
"Well, do you think I should?"
"You would leave so soon after coming back, Princess."
"I guess I would."
"I think you should."
"But what if I don't love him."
"That's all right, Princess. He is much, much better than the Sultan's father."
"Why do you say that?"
"Because he has money, he has a good name, and he's closer to you in age."
"But he's not Muslim!"
"Didn't you say that he's willing to give up his religion to convert to Islam."
"Well, yes."
"I think you should marry him, then. Not just anyone would do something like that."
"Of course not. I know I wouldn't."
"It just shows he really loves you and is willing to do anything to make you happy."
"I just don't know. What if he's not the one I love?"
"You would be making a big mistake if you don't accept."
"He's told me about his mother. And what if his parents don't like me."
Haifa remained silent.
"They'll have to accept you, Princess."she said, finally.
"I told him I'd think about it."
"I wouldn't think about it if I was you, Princess. I would accept point blank, on the spot."
"Well, you're not me."
The next morning, Francisco, dressed early, and gave Aurelio new orders.
"Listen, Aurelio, I changed my mind. You will go on doing what you were doing yesterday. I will go see the old lady. Or, no, perhaps you should come with me. I may need you."
"And what did the lady say? When will the wedding be? Should I alert Miss Esther and Mister Ignacio?"
"Not yet. I'll tell you when. Right now you're job is to help me find the lady."
They went to another part of the city. Here, most of the people were homeless, or the homes they did have, were small, and unkept.
"Just the kind of place you would expect to find such a woman?"he asked, smiling.
"I don't know. It's a good thing I came with you. You don't know what kind of people you may meet. There's no telling what may happen."
"Don't be stupid. These people wouldn't hurt me or you."
"I hope so. This is the place."
"This one?"
"Yes."
"Perfect."
They entered a small, tiny room. In it were an old woman, and a young girl. The little girl recognized Aurelio, and looked at Francisco curiously.
"Hello. We're here to speak to your grandmother."Francisco told the girl. "You told this man that she knew the Sultan's late mother, right?"
The girl nodded, and Francisco stepped closer to the old lady.
"Um, well, my name is Carlos Andres Francisco Andrade Medina. I've been told you knew Sultan Aladdin's late mother. Is that correct?"
The lady looked at Francisco and she said yes.
"I suppose that must mean that you knew his father also?"
"For some time, yes."
"What do you mean, for some time? What happened to him?"
"He went to seek a way to give his wife and son a better life."
"A better life? Where did he go? Can you tell me?"
"I do not know."
"Oh. Well, what was he like?"
"He was a very kind man, very poor, but very kind. He believed wholeheartedly in helping others. He wanted the best for his family. However, he never did anything that was wrong. He only stole food, out of necessity."
"Stole? Well, when did he come back?"
"He never did come back. Poor Duha was heartbroken. She thought he had died."
"So he died, and he never came back. You don't suppose that, was Duha the Sultan's late mother?"
"Yes."
"You don't suppose that, in a way, then, he was responsible for her death? He left, and she, thinking he was gone forever, died of heartbreak?"
"She did die of heartbreak."
"So you can't say anything else about the Sultan's father?"
"No."
"Oh, well, thank you. Shookran. I really appreciate it. You don't know how much. Here." He extracted several coins from his pocked, and gave them to her. "And here, for the little girl, without her help we couldn't have found you."he said as he gave the little girl some more coins.
"Shookran. Allah bless you. You are very good. My daughter has been working so hard. We have had nothing to eat for days."
"Oh, don't thank me. It's I the one who should be thanking you. Well, good bye."
On the way back, they discussed what they had heard.
"So, now that's a very good man. He leaves and never comes back. You don't suppose he ran off with another woman?"asked Francisco.
"It is possible."
"Yes, it seems like a perfect explanation, but we mustn't get ahead of ourselves. There might still be other possibilities. We have to find out where he has been all these years."
