The princess was greeted by the librarian's somber face as she reached the threshold of the library. With a little startle, she halted straight in front of him. "Oh__ Nariman," she gazed up at him with a polite smile, "what are you doing here?"

Usually, she would either find him reading something in his favorite rosewood chair, or arranging books and documents in any one of the numerous bookshelves. But he stood at the entrance today, proud and elegant as a stag and dare she assume, waiting for her.

"I just felt like getting some fresh air," Nariman replied curtly.

Or not. Maybe he was waiting for his brother? Speaking of which, she hadn't had any luck in catching any other of their secret conversations again. She didn't miss something important, did she?

Nariman's outstretched palm appeared in front of her eyes, making her look up at him again. She gazed at his eyes that drooped low in courtesy and she wondered if he'd ever looked directly at her. No one has ever treated her with such formality, at least not personally, but somehow, his actions seemed more than just civility to her.

Or she was again reading too much into it. Perhaps he treated everyone like that.

"Since you're already here, let me escort you inside, your highness."

How chivalrous!

She peeped at his palm again. Is he__ telling me to take his palm? She clenched her fingers, ready to place her palm into his.

Just then, he directed his outstretched palm towards the library. "This way, your highness,"

Of course, she was overthinking again. At this rate, she might as well make a fool of herself.

Nariman led her to a different corner of the library this time, not the usual place where he prefers to sit and read. Meanwhile, she followed him silently, staring at his back, at his square shoulders, and his fine linen robe with golden border.

The place where they finally made the stop was lit bright with four fire torches at the edges, and in the middle rested a platform with a map splayed over it. She had seen something similar in the official's discussion room, if anything, a larger version of it. This must be the map of the empire, she assumed.

"This map represents the empire, your highness," Nariman confirmed her conclusion, taking a place to the other side of the platform, facing straight to her.

"I see_" she stared at the map with fascination, this would be the first time she'd be seeing a map this close, be it a smaller form. It was a wonder how such a vast empire shrank in just a piece of paper.

Nariman fixed a torch on one of the platform's corners, focusing more light towards the map. "You wanted to know about the empire more precisely which cannot be done without knowing its topography. You know about the geography of a place accurately; you get familiar with half of the place already."

"Okay," she trailed, intrigued by the influx of knowledge.

"One cannot win a war if one is not familiar with the territory in question. Both the enemy's and their own. And that is why maps are essential and the knowledge of reading them is equally crucial."

"Hmm, I get it now," the princess hummed along, bobbing her head with every piece of information she received.

Nariman continued explaining the map, weaving the tricky bits of knowledge with his artful words, flaunting his skills as if he was born to be an instructor. Was it just her pure luck that she got someone like Nariman to teach her?

He waved his hands elegantly, pointing out different locations, his posture as dignified and perfect as a knight on duty. She peeked at his face from the curtain of her lashes. If she'd be speaking honestly, with a face like that, he could easily be considered an imperial himself, not to mention his unnervingly immaculate manners.

"And to the western region, the empire is surrounded by hills of_"

The princess could nothing but simply nod her head at his every word. As he explicated further details, he subconsciously paced around, taking small steps with his attention wholly engrossed on the map.

She was so lost in taking in his words and fascinating over his movements that she didn't notice exactly when he got close to her, the distance between them beyond her comfort space. Her eyes widened with astonishment and disbelief at his oblivion. He looked so clueless to the proximity between them, to how his intoxicating scent had invaded the tranquillity of her mind.

Was this really unintentional or was he being deliberate?

"You have to read the map, your highness, not my face," his voice was deep and low, like a bare whisper.

And then he looked up, one of the rare times he had ever laid his eyes upon her. She was on edge as it is and now his gaze_ how was she supposed to keep still?

"Then perhaps you shouldn't be standing so close to me?" she mumbled in a daze.

His pupils dilated and she realized that she shouldn't have said that.

Oh... I...

His head dipped low as he took respectful distance back. A formality again.

"My apologies, I didn't realize that I'll serve as such a distraction for you."

She exhaled a breath she didn't know she was holding for too long. Right. I didn't realize it either...

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Of all the important things she should be preparing for tonight, attending a night gathering was the last thing Inara could imagine doing. And yet here she was, staring listlessly at the group of harem ladies chattering and giggling on every silly little thing they talked about. This night wasn't just any night... she was supposed to carry out her plan!! She was running late...she was supposed to be out of the palace by now.

Her thoughts drifted back to the evening.

She felt exhausted after returning from Spada's headquarters or her so-called music lessons, but she still has a lot more to do now. Tonight, was the night they will execute their plot. Sadeq's men had confirmed that the caravan would be passing from the town tonight and their preparations were organized as well.

All she had to do now was to take a few hours' rest before the night falls and then disguise herself as a maid and sneak out of the palace. She had taken a leave from the night training as she had decided to do every week, so Ascian wouldn't be waiting for her to come. Meanwhile, Aydin will slip away after having his meal and wait for her outside her secret passage. And then they would take a carriage or wagon to the mercenary headquarter just as they planned.

Nothing could possibly go awry, right?

Zoya stopped Inara's path just before she was about to enter her chamber. As usual, her two maids and her favorite eunuch flanked her side.

"Do you need something, sister-in-law?" she didn't try to hide the offense in her tone.

"Indeed," Zoya flashed a feline smile, "I'm here to invite you."

"Invite?"

"Yes. We are having a night gathering at the hall of gems. Just us harem ladies. You've to come."

Inara resisted an urge to scowl. "I'm sorry but as you can see, I've just returned from my lessons and I'm feeling drained and famished. So, I'll take a warm soak in the hammam and after having a heartfelt dinner, I'm going to sleep. I'll join you next time."

"You're not allowed to say no," Zoya said with a nonchalant shrug.

"What?" Inara frowned, "and you call this an invitation when I have no choice?"

Zoya squinted her eyes, her lips tugging in a sly curve, "look, this is for your own sake. You should spend more time with ladies before you are wedded to some other kingdom. You never know how precious advice you can get from talking with them."

Inara opened her mouth to decline but then closed again. More resistance might make Zoya suspicious. "Alright, but I'll not stay awake for the entire night."

She thought that she'd make an excuse and leave soon, but now she was not sure. They'd not even listen to her!! And all she could think was that the time was slipping out of her hands!!

"Inara?"

She flinched when someone shook her out of her stupor. "Huh?"

It was Aaliyah, one of her step-sisters. "What are you thinking? I've called you ten times by now. You don't look so well."

"I don't look so well because I'm not well!" she replied, irked by their incessant chattering. To hell with politeness!

Aliyah frowned deeply, "hey, what is wrong with you? Why did you even come when you didn't want to?"

"Ask that question from our dear harem's in charge," she replied, pointing an elusive glare in Zoya's direction.

"See?" Zoya sighed. "This is what I was talking about," she smiled, "my dear Shahzadi, you should try to be gentler and more pleasing, or else how would you be able to satisfy your husband and blend in with the other ladies of his harem?"

Of course! This was what Zoya always did. She never loses any chance to talk down to her and teach her a lesson in front of everyone.

"It's not her fault," one of the emperor's concubines snickered, "that's why they say a girl shouldn't be raised without a mother. Poor her, the mother died early."

Inara clenched her fists, "Are you trying to doubt my mother's raising skills? Shall we consider this is as a felony against the empress?"

Their faces turned towards the empress for her response. Everybody knew that ever since the death of the emperor's favorite concubine Mehri, the empress had adopted princess Inara as her own daughter. But the empress had also been known for being gentle and merciful, making her an easy medium for the harem ladies to convey their hatred for each other.

The concubine bowed her head with an ugly smirk, "pardon me, your majesty, but a birth mother is still a birth mother. I mean no offense to you."

What was she doing in a place where no one loved her? Inara felt like throwing up.

"That's enough," the empress voiced. "Shahzadi Inara speaks the truth. She hasn't been sleeping properly for the past two days and so she is tired. I hope everyone stops bothering her, for you all are ruining the merry mood of tonight's gathering."

"And Shahzadi Inara__"

"Yes, your majesty?"

"You come up here and take a seat with me,"

With a small nod, Inara stood up from her seat. But before she could even take proper ten steps, she fainted, falling to the ground.

The women rushed, gathering around the princess as the empress ran and took the princess in her embrace. "What's wrong, my child?"

Frail in her mother's arm, the princess breathed heavily with a palpitating heart. "nothing... I just... need... a good rest."

The empress ordered the princess's maid to take her to her chamber and refrained others from bothering her for the rest of the night.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Although she was really tired, the whole fainting-up-in-the-gathering was a decoy. And she was glad that it worked good enough for her to slip out of the gathering and the palace.

She looked at Baha with fascination. "You can ride a horse?"

"Yes," Baha said, busy tying a dagger around her waist and hiding the other blades under her clothes. Clad in a dark suit, she looked no less than one of those deadly assassins Inara had only heard of. Her hair was tied back in a sleek, thin ponytail.

So, this was how they were going to reach their destination. She would get changed at the headquarter, which she already had done, and then two riders will take Aydin and her to the destination.

Baha climbed up a beautiful brown Arabic stallion and hooked her feet in the stirrups. She covered her face with the hanging part of the black cloth that shrouded her head and stretched her palm down to Inara.

Inara looked up in question. She already had a sour memory related to the outstretched hand so would easily fall for it anymore.

"Come on," Baha huffed, "you're already late."

She complied, grabbing Baha's hand while Aydin came behind her to help her climb up the horse. Then, she watched her bodyguard climbing upon the other horse behind the rider. The sight of him easily towering over the rider and yet relying on him was amusing to her. Aydin didn't know how to ride a horse or there was no way he'd had accepted to sit behind anyone, she was sure of that.

"Hold tight," Baha told, clutching the reign of the horse, "because we're going to go fast now."

And before Inara could even respond, the horse took off, matching its pace with the restless wind.

If she were to describe her first ever horse ride in two words, she would say that it was dizzying and turbulent. She felt hot blood rushing back to her limbs as she got off the horse, her legs still soft from the ride. She wobbled a little but thankfully Aydin was immediately behind her to make her steady.

Inara looked around, only to find that caravan was already there. No doubt she was late.

Kais came out, along with Sadeq, both of them clad in their disguises. "A moment more and I was about to go and dance myself," Kais teased.

"That would have been a disaster," Baha spoke, tying her horse at the fence.

Sadeq linked his arm around the other rider's shoulder. "Where have you been till now?"

"In hell," Inara replied, untying the strings of her cloak. As her cloak fell off, she noticed the jaws of the men drop in awe around her along with it.

"They say that the hell is enticing_" Kais crooned, letting out a low whistle.

                                                                                       ~Baha~

A/N- Sorry for the late update....and Merry Christmas to everyone.
PS- Nariman is not old. Lol