The party was nothing I had ever seen before. Exotic people, food, and clothing moved through the room as it was filled with laughter and talk. I moved through the crowd silently, but kept my eyes wide open to everything. There was so much food it took three long gold tables to bear it all as it reached endlessly toward the dome ceiling high above. Sweet, red wine flowed down silver fountains into rivers that never seemed to run dry. The smells of foreign smokes drifted through the air both intoxicating and sweet and added to the haze of the night. All around the room men and woman stood close together and whispered secrets in each other's ears, stealing stolen glances every now and then, and disappearing for moments at a time. Everyone was high in their own ecstasy, well almost everyone.
As much as I wanted to lose myself in this atmosphere, there wasn't enough wine, or tobacco to intoxicate my body. Years of training had very much beaten that out of my system to the point where I was more likely to die of over dose on the substance. However it was always a treat to watch others make fools of themselves, and wake in the morning regretting their actions. More than once I even had to turn down an offer from an ambassador or wealth noble man asking if I would join him in bed that evening. "Come to the party" they said "It'll be fun" they said.
"Fine noblemen and ambassadors!" Tus's voice spoke above the rest in a slightly drunken demeanor. The crowd slowly silenced and turned toward the prince who stood on a raised platform high above the rest of the guest. "Today is the first day of many days to come of celebration for our dearest friend and prince Garsiv!" The crowd cheered and jeered raising their cups high into the air at the mention of the prince's name. "Now- lets welcome the birthday boy!" The crowd almost literally went wild as the prince named Garsiv stood up from his pillow upon the platform. I was just about to get a real clear look of the prince when the man standing in front of me conveniently raised his cup right in front of my face. Annoyed I moved around his giant sweaty arm and glanced upward to get a better look at Garsiv.
I'd be lying if I said he was what I thought he would be. I half expected another Tus, but I knew the rumors surrounding the Persian prince Garsiv well enough that this wasn't true. The prince was tall, with a lean muscular frame, even hidden beneath a layer of loose clothing one could easily tell. He had thick, long black hair which was oiled and pulled back into a braid for the occasion. However it was his face that captivated my attention the longest. Everyone in the Persian Empire had heard rumors of the prince Garsiv, the finest warrior of this land matched only by his skill in combat was his hard demeanor. But as I stared at his face, and into those brown eyes I did not see the face of a hardened killer, but a compassionate warrior with a kind and caring smile for all those who were lucky enough to see it. I smiled a little bit to myself. Well…if he were to say "yes"…I quickly shook my head clear of the thought.
"And now is everyone's favorite time of the evening!" Tus shouted, his drink suddenly refilled, as he jeered on the crowd. "Will the prince finally be wed on this night? Or will he go to bed alone once again?"
Only one thing was for certain-Tus would have a lovely hangover in the morning. Garsiv pleaded with his brother to sit down all the while a large smile was plastered across his face and as Tus drunkenly sat down beside Garsiv it began. The first to approach the platform was a young prince, though where he was from I did not hear, but if I was to guess by the fine silk of his clothing either the south or east where such a material was possible to find. In his hand, was the small delicate hand of a beautiful woman, whose skin was darker than burning sand which contrasted to her dazzling green eyes; a true exotic beauty. But it was Garsiv who politely refused the gift and continued on with a look of slight annoyance, only seen by the most trained eye, like myself. I smirked under the safety of my veil, knowing full well that the prince was no longer enjoying his evening.
An hour of such things happened, with the crowd losing interest after the twentieth rare exotic beauty as they returned to their own state of affairs amongst each other. Even I had grown tired of watching beauty after beauty denied, and felt my own reassurance cementing. Tearing my eyes away from the events happening before me, I glanced around the room of bodies, searching for the familiar golden shawl of the royal servants. Finally finding one who wasn't occupied fighting off drunk and horny guest, I maneuvered through the tangled mass of bodies until I came within ear shot of the servant. I sighed inwardly with relief to recognize it as one of the women who had tortured; oh I mean cleaned, me earlier, so I wouldn't have to explain who I was and where I wanted to go.
"Excuse me!" I shouted over the noise, apparently someone had decide it was time to start playing music, and to boot right next to where I was standing. The woman heard my voice and glanced over at me. "Yes, hello. Do you remember me? I'd like to return to my room now if that is not too much trouble." Looking at me for only a moment, she scurried off into the crowd, vanishing among the dancing bodies. "Or not, that's cool too." Turning I looked back at the platform to catch another glance of Garsiv, but saw the servant whispering in Tus's ear. Oh, I need his permission to leave? I rolled my eyes, ashamed at how far I had come. Wouldn't you guess that I was once the best hassansin of my time and now I wait for a prince's permission to leave? Tus glanced in my direction as the servant pulled away, smirked softly, and nodded his head, which I could only assume meant I was free to go from this developing orgy of a party.
The servant and I made our way through the abandoned corridors of the palace, slow enough this time around for me to admire the surroundings, even in the dying candle light. Although I'd have to admit, I wasn't so much admiring the interior decoration as much as I was memorizing the hallways for my own possible escape route.
"So what are your thoughts regarding the Prince?" The servants small voice echoed through the dark hallway, breaking my line of thought. I smiled softly.
"A complete drunk, spoiled, a bit of a leer if I'm being completely honest- oh wait you mean Garsiv don't you?" I smiled as the servant laughed softly. "No, he…he seems decent enough." I thought back to his eyes, and became lost in my own memory of them.
"The Prince is a good man. Although his reputation would betray this; He is not a hard man, but rather is loyal to his family and men." She spoke softly, as if Garsiv himself was behind one of the shut doors. "As I am sure you heard, a year ago the family was betrayed by Nizam, brother to the King. This betrayal was hard on the family for a while but it brought them closer as a whole." She fell silent as we approached the familiar door to my room. With a free hand she pushed the door open and we both walked in, absorbed in our thoughts.
Indeed I had heard of the events regarding Nizam; he was our employer after all. Secretly funding the hassansins for generations, when we learned of his death Zolm was furious that Nizam had not come to us for assistance and was now dead for it. Not long after his passing began the raids of our most secret headquarters by the Persian army; apparently Nizam had kept records of our locations and the royal family was determined to wipe us off the face of the known world. The Zolm died in a final stand while those of us who were not fully trained were sent away to regroup for our eventual revenge.
"So tell me miss, when you were captured did the men…?" The servant went around the room, and lit candles, casting out the darkness that had settled in the corners.
"No. I fear I was more fortunate than my other ceil mates, I wasn't around long enough for them to enjoy their spoils." I pulled the shawl off my head and felt my blonde hair tumble down my back. Running a bejeweled hand through my hair I took a deep sigh and a slight stretch.
"Then you must have been married?" She asked finally lighting enough candles, turning her attention back to me. I shook my head no. "Then you are a virgin?" I laughed lightly.
"Wow, you don't beat around the bush do you?" I moved toward the balcony doorway.
"I'm sorry if I have offended you."
"No. Heavens no. After an evening of politicians asking for me to sleep with them indirectly it's nice to hear someone direct." I pushed open the doors and let the warm night air fill the room. Down below the city twinkled with lights from various torches and windows, almost mirroring the night sky high above us all. "I am a virgin." I leaned against the door frame and felt the wind move through my hair and gently caress my skin.
"I see. Where did you come from before being captured by the slavers?" The servant stood behind me, as if waiting for me to tell her to do something, but made conversation all the same. With her eyes on my back I thought back to my own past, knowing that the truth would be dangerous here.
"My family owned a small goat farm." I lied with practiced ease. That was always the go to story, even back in training school.
"A rare beauty such as you should have been with a handsome prince or a sheik of great wealth." I laughed at that statement. Oh the irony.
"No, all I've wanted was a normal life." I turned away from the balcony and looked at the servant. "Thank you for your company, you can go. Enjoy the rest of your night." The servant bowed and backed out of the room, closing the door behind her. Once the door was shut I released a long held in breath and slumped forward, standing up right and acting regal was no laughing matter for the back. "Goodness, I hope he says no."
Stripping out of the elegant silk as fast as humanly possible I once more slide back into the familiarity of my own rugged clothing. As I pulled the shirt on over my head I glanced out at the balcony, dancing just beyond the candle's light, beckoning me to it. Cautiously, I took a step forward and felt the air move through the room casting my hair out behind me. The air was warm as it filled my lungs, the scents of the merchant stalls last wares drifting up into the atmosphere. Abandoning the light I moved out onto the balcony; it was a modest balcony, only extending a few feet out into the air, but as my eyes adjusted to the darkness of the night, the sky came alive. The stars danced and shined high above in the heavens and took what little breath I had left. No matter how many times I would look at the night sky it always left me feeling like I couldn't breathe. I leaned against the railing, and thought back to the first time I had seen the night sky; I was just a little girl, probably six or seven, and I was trying to run away from the Zolm. I burst out of the tower we called home at the time, but stopped because the stars had mesmerized me. Needless to say Zolm caught me and beat me, but after that moment I would sneak out just to see the lights in the sky.
Peeling my eyes away from the sky, I looked down at the city once again. I could always run…the single thought loomed in the foremost of my mind. It would be easy. Drop down into the city, travel from alley to alley in the shadows or allowing the rooftops my footfalls not making a single sound as the families sleep below me. No. I shook my head clear. I made a deal. And I will see it through to the end. Forcing myself back into the small room, I quickly blew out the candles and jumped onto the plush bed.
"Oh my." Never before I had slept on something as comfortable as this bed, I can tell you that for sure. Years of nothing but a thin straw mat paled in the face of this one glorious night on this particular bed. "Oh, you are a cruel mistress, fate." I bundled myself up inside of the covers and, with a big smile plastered across my face fell into a deep, peaceful, sleep.
Bells. Bells are ringing in the air. Sweet soft bells mixed with the ringing of deep notes the echoed inside my body, making me feel at peace. I focused on those bells, but the harder I focused the more I began to realize something- those were not bells. It was laughter. Beautiful laughter. I opened my eyes to see who was laughing but only a sea of gold greeted my vision mingled with glorious emerald. I smiled and closed my eyes again, listening to the laughter. 'I could stay here forever'
