6. Learning The Lay of The Land
When she awoke the next day, Kalare had to give herself a minute to come to terms with where she found herself. She could barely imagine the many leagues she was from home, from her sisters. And the difference between the people she had grown up with and those surrounding her now, seemed as great as the distance she had travelled to get here.
As she rose from the bed, Kalare realised that for the first time in over a month she was alone. No one was at her side, nor was she on her way to meet someone. She relished the silence as she found it to be the same as it had been at home. So far it appeared to be the only thing that was.
The people here treated her completely different than the people back home ever had. There, she had learned that her mother's former titles meant nothing to the Christian people after she had given them up. For the Christians, her mother's choice had given them permission to treat her like any other woman in town and the same went for her daughters. Here, the opposite was true. Everyone, here, addressed Kalare as my Lady and last night Lord Kadir had called her a princess, as if her mother had never been anything but a Queen.
As she pondered this, Kalare wandered over to the intricately carved door that would lead outside if she opened it. Instead she simply looked through the small openings in the door and was happy to see a green garden, instead of a sandy wasteland.
"Good, you are awake at last," Amina called from the other side of the room. "I feared you would never wake."
"Did I sleep very long?" Kalare asked, startled by Amina's observation.
"Noon passed some time ago I fear," Amina smiled at Kalare's reaction.
"What? But, how? Why did nobody wake me earlier?"
"We were all strictly forbidden from disturbing you," Amina replied. "However, I am glad to see you are now well rested. Come, you must dress, so we can have a late lunch."
After they had eaten, Amina and Kalare wandered around Lord Kadir's lands and house until Kalare felt she would be able to find her way around on her own.
The façade Kalare had seen when she arrived the day before had given the appearance of one large structure. Instead it consisted of many different buildings standing close together, though the main house was still larger than any Kalare had seen before. Inside the house was divided in several areas. Kalare's observation that her father's chamber was far removed from her own was correct as the men and women slept on opposite sides of the house. They were divided in the centre of the house by the social rooms. There were several reception areas, the dining room, multiple libraries and a music room.
They found Emir in one of the libraries. He was deeply focused on his book and did not notice when they entered the room.
"Brother," Amina called for his attention.
Startled, Emir looked up from his book. "Sister, Lade Kalare," he greeted as he swiftly rose from his chair.
"Lord Emir," Kalare returned the greeting, while her eyes wandered around the room. This was the third and largest library Amina had shown her.
As Amina explained their presence to her brother, Kalare trailed her fingers over a row of books. She was gladdened to see that, at last in this library, they were in Latin instead of Arabic.
"Do you read, Lady?" Emir asked, drawing part of her attention from the books.
"Latin only, I fear. May I?" Kalare requested, as her fingers rested on one of the books.
"Of course, the books are here to be read, not to gather dust."
"Lord Kadir's collection is extensive," Kalare observed as she took the book from its place on the shelf.
"Father collects them," Amina replied. "I wish I could read."
The sadness in Amina's voice was new to Kalare's ears and at last called all her attention away from the book.
"My mother taught me how to read," Kalare explained. She had been one of few women in the village in France who could read. "Because she was unable to teach my sisters, I taught them. Though neither truly had the patience to learn."
As a thought crossed her mind, Kalare looked towards Emir. The question clear on her face. He nodded almost imperceptibly.
"Perhaps I can teach you," Kalare said, smiling at Amina.
"I shall ask father," Emir added as he saw the joyous emotion on Amina's face that he had not seen from her for many years.
"My thanks to both of you," Amina replied as she attempted to control the emotions that showed on her face. "Come, lady Kalare, we must leave my brother to his studies. I shall show you our gardens."
"Of course," Kalare replied and placed her book back on the shelf. "Apologies for disturbing you, my lord."
Outside, Amina explained how lord Kadir's gardens were so green while outside the boundaries of his land everything was sand. Lord Kadir had had several wells dug on his land, which allowed water to be brought to the surface and the plants to grow.
After promising to help Kalare prepare for dinner that evening, Amina rushed off to her music lesson. This gave Kalare the freedom to find her way back to the library with the Latin books on her own.
Emir was still there, studying his books, and Kalare did not call for his attention. Instead she focussed her own attention on the books surrounding them. She found a few which she had read before, though most were completely new to her. The majority of the books were historical, scientific and philosophic, yet several told epic stories. Such as Homer's Iliad, which Kalare had read before. As she pulled one of the epic tales, Gilgamesh, of its shelf and looked around for a place to sit, she found Emir looking at her.
"I hope I have not disturbed you from your studies twice in one day, my lord," Kalare said, while holding her book close.
"You have not, my lady," Emir replied. "I did not notice your presence until I prepared to leave. Yet, I found I could not leave until I found out which volume you would choose."
"Curiosity is a powerful force, is it not?" Kalare smiled as she stepped closer to Emir to show him her selection. "Do you approve my choice?"
"I do, it is a very old tale. Have you read it before?"
"I have not," Kalare hesitated before she continued. "Do you approve of my offer to teach Amina to read? I hope I did not overstep."
"Your offer brought great joy to my sister, which I can only approve of. She has always been fond of stories. However, it is for my father to approve your offer," Emir explained.
"Perhaps, I ought to have asked his approval before mentioning it to Amina. I fear I know too little about your customs," Kalare replied softly.
"You have been here for barely a day, my lady. We will not judge you poorly under such circumstances," Emir spoke kindly, attempting to reassure Kalare. "How is lord Balian faring this day?"
"I have not been to see him yet. I wanted to find a book to read to him first. Normally I would have read a few pages before deciding. However, with your recommendation Gilgamesh' tale shall find its way to my father's ears."
"Then I shall no longer keep you from him," Emir replied, gladly noticing that his change in subject matter improved Kalare's frame of mind.
"And I hope I shall no longer keep you now that your curiosity has been satisfied."
That evening Kalare again found Emir waiting for her outside the dining room.
"My lord," she greeted.
"Lady Kalare," Emir returned. "With your permission," he said as he offered his arm.
"Permission and gratitude, lord Emir," Kalare replied as she placed her hand, again, on his.
Similar to the previous evening conversations flowed around the table, while Kalare remained silent, unless called upon.
"Lady Kalare," Emir called for her attention. "How did lord Balian receive your choice in literature?"
"Very well, my lord. Like myself, he has not read the story of Gilgamesh before," she replied.
"Like yourself, my lady?" Tamir, Emir's younger brother, questioned. "Do you then know how to read?"
"I do, my lord," Kalare answered though she noticed that the other conversations around the table came to a halt.
"Why would someone teach you how to read?" Tamir continued, disbelieve filled his voice.
"My mother taught me to read because she believed it was important. She wanted me to read the holy books myself, so that I would know right from wrong for myself, instead of blindly following the words of the Pope. She wanted me to read the books of history and learn from the past. She wanted me to understand the world we live in, my lord," Kalare said passionately.
"Surely, you could refer to the men in your family for all those matters, my lady," lord Kadir offered.
"That is where you are mistaken, lord Kadir," Saladin intervened.
"My king, I beg forgiveness. How am I mistaken?" Kadir questioned.
"You presume lady Kalare to be equal to other women. Yet, this lady's position differs greatly to others of her kind. This lady's family has a singly man to turn to and her mother was a queen in her own right," Saladin explained calmly. "As such, lady Kalare is anything but equal to others of her gender."
"Would you give a similar explanation if the lady had been taught to handle a sword, my king?" Emir wondered out loud.
Kalare was surprised by his question, as surely the men at this table would be horrified by the idea of a woman holding a sword, let alone use one. She laid her gaze on him in wonderment. Emir looked towards his king, though he shifted to her for a second. Just long enough for Kalare to understand that he had good reason to bring up this topic.
"No nephew, I would not," the king replied. "For even lady Kalare has had guards surrounding her who would make it redundant for her to learn such a skill. What is it that you are attempting to say?"
Everyone at the table now looked to Emir, while his eyes looked to Kalare. She believed he was giving her a choice to further this topic.
"I believe, my lords, that lord Emir is attempting to tell you that I am skilled with a sword," Kalare said, hoping against hope that Emir indeed had a good reason to mention this. A slight nod from him appeared to indicate that he approved of her choice. However, as they sat quietly, looking upon each other, around them the others at the table, except for the king, were voicing their shock and disbelieve at the very notion.
"Perhaps," Saladin began, instantly silencing the others at the table, "my lady would be willing to explain her statement."
"Certainly, good king. I will answer any questions the lords may have to the best of my abilities," Kalare replied.
"It might help the lords to understand the lady's position if she were to tell them how she came to learn to handle a sword. This might give the lady the opportunity to display her own story telling skills," Emir offered.
"Thank you, lord Emir," Kalare smiled. "I came to be skilled with a sword because of curiosity." As she started her tale, Kalare had the attention of all those in attendance, even the servants. "As some of you may know, my mother passed when I was very young and I was left to raise my younger sisters. In this time I became very protective of my shrinking family. My father once described my behaviour at that time as a mother bear, determined to protect her cubs. As my father was at home, many of his men also lived on his lands. I remember well, the humid summer day that I watched my father's men practice their sword skills. I was hidden from their sight, thus they could not have predicted what would happen when they took refreshments and left their swords out in the courtyard. Curiosity, my lords, let me to take up one of the swords. Though, naturally, it was far too heavy for a young girl. Nevertheless, I spun around, gaining momentum and shortened a bush."
The men around Kalare now looked amused, which was an improvement on their previous shock.
"My lady, you are a proper story teller," Lord Imad praised. "I expect you were found out."
"Unsurprisingly, my lord, I was. Similar to you, my lords, my father's men were astonished, to say the least, to find me with a sword in my hands. Lord Kadir, yesterday you claimed there is no force greater than a woman with a strong will. Would you now say that this applies to women of all ages?" Kalare wondered.
"I must admit, lady Kalare, that I have met no woman of young age with a very strong will," Lord Kadir replied.
"I am certain my father wishes the same could be said of him. For that day, when I first held a sword, my father was faced with a very young woman who refused to remain incapable of defending herself and her family. Several weeks later, my father realised he would be unable to keep me from laying a hand on a sword if I had set my mind to that exact task. Thus he constructed my first sword for me himself, after which he and his men taught me how to properly use it."
"That is quite a tale, my lady," Emir said in the silence that fell after Kalare's story. "I believe that from this new perspective your ability to read may be seen as a given right rather than an odd occurrence."
"Gratitude, my lord. Per chance, more women will follow me in their search for knowledge and entertainment and learn to read," Kalare proffered.
"As long as they keep to books for their entertainment and do not follow the lady into swordplay," lord Kadir suggested.
At lord Kadir's suggestion, Kalare understood Emir's intention in bringing up her swordplay and she jumped at the opportunity. "Lord Kadir, you, then, would not object to one of your daughters learning to read?"
"One of my daughters? Read?" lord Kadir sputtered.
"Yes, my lord. Your daughter, Amina, appears more than willing to learn," Kalare replied. She had warmed to her topic and spoke freely for Amina's cause.
"And who would teach her? No one here has the time," lord Kadir answered sure of his position.
"My lord, I have the time and I am willing," Kalare countered. "Your daughter has been more than kind to me since I arrived. I would be honoured to return her kindness."
"If I were to allow this, you would have her asking for a sword of her own."
"No, my lord. If you would allow me to teach Amina to read I will refrain from mentioning my skills with the sword to all your daughters. Her position is different to mine, in that she has a large family who will protect her. I believe she has no use for the knowledge of handling a sword."
"I recommend you approve of the girls wish to learn to read, lord Kadir," Saladin offered. "For we are, at present, in the presence of a determined woman. A woman, who has the support of a clever man at this table. Well done, nephew."
"Gratitude, uncle," Emir replied.
"Very well then, lady Kalare. As you appear to have the support of both my king and my son, I shall allow you to teach my daughter to read," lord Kadir said, though he seemed to have missed how Emir was involved.
