My thanks also to Loulabelle (Kori) for her part in this soap-opera-with-swords.
P.S. My thanks also to Duncan and the TV show Lost for their style, which I am now copying shamelessly.
********************
Layla
“What’s your name?” Asked the scruffy girl with the wild hair.
“Layla yr Ibrahim yn Dawoud el Taorahl.” Said the pretty girl in yellow silk. Layla, daughter of Ibrahim, son of Dawoud, from Taorahl. Ordinarily girls used their mother’s name, but Layla’s mother was a foreigner, so she identified as daughter of Ibrahim, her father. “What’s your name?”
“Noor.” The scruffy girl said happily. She really ddin't feel the need to elaborate. Did it matter who her parents or family were?
“Just Noor?” Layla asked.
Apparently it did matter. Silly rich girls. Noor frowned a little and kicked at the ground. “Noor yr Fadila el Fulan." Noor, daughter of Fadila, of the Fulan. "My father usually just calls me Noor al-Ba’hr though.” Noor of the Sea. “I like to swim, and I like the ships on the wharf. I want to be a sailor when I get bigger. I can already handle a dhaow."
The two young girls talked in the shade of an arched corridor running between the central bazaar of the Eye Tyrant’s Kanduq and the streets of the Taorahl drudach. The dark, cool passage was quiet even though the Kanduq was the economic heart of Taorahl, as most folk were napping through the intense mid-afternoon heat.
The girls could not have been more dissimilar; Layla was beautiful, tall and graceful, carrying herself with practiced poise. She was dressed in expensive silk and wearing jeweled sandals, gold bracelets, earings and necklace. Her waist-length, silky black hair was brushed to a high shine, then braided and tied with silk ribbons that matched her dress.
Noor on the other hand was an energetic, gangly thing, all knees and elbows. Her plain clothes were more appropriate to a young boy than a girl, and they were worn and dirty from too much horseplay along the wharf. She was barefoot and wore no jewelry at all except a braided cloth bracelet. Her hair was black like Layla's, but it was wild and unkempt, cut shoulder length to keep it from getting entirely out of control.
Noor wrinkled up her nose. “Of Taorahl?” She asked. “This is Taorahl drudach.” Drudachs were small, walled neighborhoods, usually with a few hundred residents living in a few dozen buildings. Three or more drudachs inside a larger wall formed a Sabban. Taorahl, for example, was part of the Erare Sabban. A group of Sabban, each with its own walls, would then be organized into a ward. Erare, for example, was part of the Hook Ward, one of three Wards that ran along the harbor of the city.
“You don’t have a family name?” Noor asked. Noor looked like a beggar child, but she was part of a large clan, the Fulan, that was very well known and that had sent many of its men to serve in the Syl-Pasha’s navy, the Nallajol.
Layla shook her head, but refused to be shamed. She was clearly prettier and weathier than this wild child in rags. And this girl, family name or not, had no manners at all.
“But you look so … rich.” Noor said. “What do the other people of Taorahl call you? You can’t all call yourselves ‘of Taorahl?’”
“Sometimes they call my father Ibrahim the Pilot, or Ibrahim the Navigator. And we are rich. We just do not have an official family name yet. My father and his father say we will get one soon because my father has worked for the Nallajol and the Sultan and even the Syl-Pasha.”
“Oh, I know your father now!” Noor said brightly. “They say he doesn’t have a family name because his father was banished from his clan in Almraiven, right? And your mother is a foreigner too, right?”
A dark shadow crossed Layla’s face but she kept her composure. “Who told you all this?”
“My father is a ship-captain.” Noor said, oblivious to Layla’s growing ire. “He used to be a navigator, but he got his own ship now. He talks about your father. He says your father and his father are very ambitious. He said that they will be Druziir’s or sabbalads or even Sultans one day.”
“You father is a ship-captain? Of the Fulan? Then your father must be Rysal Nadim yn Amun el Fulan?” Layla asked, somewhat incredulously. Everyone knew of the young Fulan captain - a pirate hunter, explorer and adventurer, his fame was growing throughout Calimport.
Noor smiled and nodded. “Yes he is.” She said proudly.
“Our fathers know each other.” Layla said.
“Then we should be best friends.” Noor replied happily. And so it came to pass.
**************************************
“This is so f*cking awkward.” Aliyah muttered to herself. She stood at the bar in the Blade & Stars, with Nisha sitting at a table to her left and Kori standing off to her right. Horatio was there as well, being his usual good-natured-but-lecherous self, and at the far end of the bar, was the water-genasi, Zyrus. The one Aliyah had seen at Greengrass, who challenged her to a sword-fight. Ridiculous.
Of all the nights to try something different. She thought. Horatio had given Aliyah a collection of dresses and outfits, made of silk and satin; the sort of outfits that Nisha or Tha’is might wear regularly, Aliyah had thought. At first, Aliyah was just amused by the gift and had no intention of wearing anything Horatio gave her. A chance encounter with a priest of Corellon changed that; she had met the priest in the Lucky Sword tavern down by the wharf. Though the priest had never laid eyes on Aliyah before, he presumed she was a sell-sword. While true, Aliyah decided it was best not to look like she was a sell-sword all the time. The unseen dagger strikes first, after all.
So, earlier this evening, she had gone through the outfits that Horatio had given her. Most were far too revealing to wear; dancer’s silks more appropriate for one of Tha’is’ talents and curves. Ultimately, Aliyah chose a two-piece outfit; a long, patterned skirt slit up almost to her hip, and a tight, white silk wrap top, that still revealed a bit more than Aliyah was comfortable showing. Aliyah had gone to the baths earlier, brushed her hair out, and even added a few small braids. Clean and dressed, she pulled out her kohl eyeliner and her blush. By the time she was done, she was pretty sure no one would presume she was a cutthroat mercenary at first glance. Perfect.
But it was not perfect. Of all nights to get dressed up like a little princess, she had to pick the one that found Nisha and Kori in the same place at the same time. Her relationship with Nisha was over, but this was still about as socially awkward as it could be. Instead of feeling beautiful and empowered, Aliyah felt exposed and vulnerable. She wanted her leathers and her elvish cloak, not silks and make-up.
F*ck this. Aliyah said to herself. I am getting out of here. She headed up to her room at the Blade & Stars and hastily changed into her leathers. She strapped on her sword belts, wrapped her elvish cloak around her shoulders and headed downstairs.
Nisha was at the door. “Wait.” She said. Aliyah stopped. Nisha took her by the hand. “Come.” Aliyah followed. Nisha led Aliyah back to her room. Well, it wasn’t really Aliyah’s room. It was a room that Aliyah had appropriated by picking the lock on the door.
Once inside, Nisha shut the door and turned to face Aliyah. “I liked the dress better.” She said softly. “You should put it back on.”
Aliyah’s eyes narrowed suspiciously, but she began unlacing her leathers just the same. A few minutes later, Aliyah stood before Nisha in her new silks. She felt even more exposed and vulnerable, but she had to admit, under these circumstances, in a room alone with Nisha, that was pretty damn exciting.
Nisha kneeled down in front of Aliyah and kissed her leg through the long slit in the skirt. Aliyah gasped lightly as Nisha’s soft lips touched her skin. Slowly, Nisha kissed her way up Aliyah’s inner thigh. Aliyah could feel the heat growing between her legs. Her breath was heavy and her eyes closed, as Nisha’s lips climbed higher and higher.
“Do you still love me?” Nisha asked in a purr, kneeling before Aliyah.
Aliyah, looked down on at the beautiful bard. “Yes.” She answered simply.
“Good.” Nisha replied, standing up suddenly. Without another word Nisha opened the door, walked out, and closed the door behind her. Aliyah could hear her footsteps on the woodens stairs headed back down to the main room.
Wet between the legs and nearly panting with desire, Aliyah had to laugh. She’d been played. But why? Was Nisha just trying to show her control over Aliyah in front of Kori? If so, she had succeeded but Kori would not care. Aliyah was just one of many girls to warm Kori’s bed; Kori would not care in the slightest if Aliyah was or was not sleeping with Nisha. The only interest Kori would have would be if Aliyah could get Nisha to sleep with Kori as well.
Was it about Aliyah then? Did Nisha still care about Aliyah? Probably not; this was either a game of dominance or revenge or both.
But damn was it sexy. Aliyah was all hot and wet now. She sighed and changed yet again, back into her worn, supple leathers. Wrapped in the comforting protection of her blades, cloak and hood, Aliyah left her borrowed room and walked downstairs. She paused to take in the scene. The Blade & Stars was packed. Nisha was sitting at a table with the new Calishite they had found, a pretty-boy called Raheem. Horatio was still trying to hold court at the bar, and the dwarves were drunk as usual. Aliyah wanted no part of it. She wanted something else. Still, one must give respect where respect is due. Aliyah walked over to the table where Nisha was sitting.
“That was needlessly cruel.” Aliyah whispered to the bard. “And probably the sexiest thing you’ve ever done.” No point in trying to hide the fact. Nisha and Aliyah both knew who got played, so, f*ck it, why try to hide the truth?
Aliyah left the tavern and stood in the street for a minute. The city gate was to her right. She could go. She could just leave the city and put Nisha and the crew and everything else behind her forever. She had run before. More than once.
“Hello.” It was Kori’s voice. Aliyah turned to see the cloaked and hooded half-elf standing behind her. “I am heading home for a bath.”
Aliyah just nodded and followed. It turned out to be the angriest f*ck of Aliyah’s life. She was up and gone long before the dawn.
*****************************************
“Have you seen the Seven Dancing Jhasinas?” Noor asked Layla. The two were strolling along the wharf of the Ouissir drudach, in the Hook Ward of Calimport. They came down to look at the ships. Noor was explaining the difference between lateen rigging and square rigging to Layla. Layla, for her part, was doing her best to understand the difference between lateen and square rigging, and the difference between a cog and a caravel, and between a dhaow and a row-boat, but Noor could tell the pretty little princess was getting overwhelmed. She thought something beautiful and less nautical might be a nice break for Layla, and she thought of the Seven Dancing Jhasinas, one of the most beautiful and romantic places Noor knew about.
“No.” Layla said. “Is that a ship?”
Noor laughed. “No silly, it’s a festhall. A festhall run by priestesses of Sharess from the temple across the street.”
“Oh, that’s in the Badjit drudach.” Layla said. “I am not allowed that far away.”
“Why not?”
“Because my father said so. He said I have to stay in Taorahl, or I can go to Ouissir if I am just going to the wharf to look at ships.”
“Do you always do what you’re told?” Noor asked.
“Yes.” Layla replied, unsure why that suddenly felt like the wrong answer. “Don’t you?”
“No!” Noor laughed. “My father says everyone dies, but not everyone really lives, so we must do what we want. So I do what I want!”
*******************************
“So back at the Blade, what was that about?” Aliyah asked. She and Nisha were down in West-Harbor in Baldur’s Gate, waiting for Rain, Ali and Raheem. They had not been alone together since the night that Nisha had teased Aliyah.
“Does it have to be about anything?” Nisha answered question with a question.
“People usually have a reason for the things they do.”
“According to you we should just do things because we want to.” Nisha said pointedly. “We don’t need reasons or filters.”
Aliyah nodded. “Wanting to do something is a reason. To me. So if that was what you wanted to do, that’s fine.” Was it fine? She wondered to herself. Yes, it was fine. It was fun, and terrible, and sexy and cruel.
“I don’t have a reason.” Nisha answered with a shrug.
“Alright. Great.” Aliyah studied Nisha for a sign that she was lying, but did not see one so she turned away lest her disappointment show. “Alright.” You really thought you had a chance again, didn’t you?
Yeah, for a moment, I did.
Stupid girl. You’ve always been stupid when it comes to girls. You never get it right.
“If I had a reason, what would you want it to be?” Nisha asked.
Do I tell her the truth? Do I put myself out there? Or do I lie and build a wall to defend myself with?
You let her play you the other night. Build the wall. Besides, you don’t have any feelings.
Yes I do. I just don’t feel guilt or shame anymore. I still have other feelings though, and desire is certainly one of them. It will be truth then. If she plays me again, so what? Its just more pain on top of more pain. Eventually, it will stop, one way or another. Everyone dies afterall.
“That you still found me attractive and wanted to be with me.” Aliyah answered.
“Would that make any difference for you in the long run?”
“Yeah.”
“How so?”
“Because I would like to be with you.” Aliyah explained. Isn’t that obvious?
Nisha smirked. “No, you want to be with everyone.”
“Not true.” Aliyah replied. Just everyone I find attractive. But I can set that aside, I think. For the right reason.“Look, alright, I cheated on you. I thought we had no future because that’s what you told me.”
“Yes,” Nisha admitted, “but that isn’t only what I am talking about.”
“Oh?”
“You like attention, and there isn’t anything wrong with that.” Nisha elaborated. “I like my girls to ignore others attention and only want mine. Selfish maybe, but it’s what I want; it’s what I deserve.”
“I see. I didn’t … well … you told me but I guess I didn’t hear you. And yeah, you deserve it. I can try.” Aliyah offered. She is just trying to hurt you again by bringing this up.
I don’t believe that. And even if she is, so what? Everyone dies.
“You did try.” Nisha pointed out. “And I appreciate that.”
“Not really .. not with talking and flirting .. I didn’t realize .. well ..” Aliyah’s voice trailed off. Did Aliyah’s flirting really bother Nisha? That was unexpected. “If I had realized it would have been a problem, I wouldn’t have danced with Tha’is.”
“It was many things, and not something we need to go over scene by scene.”
“Yeah, I am not very good at this. Relationships. Not a lot of practice or schooling. Hell, you were my first real girlfriend ever.”
“It doesn’t take a lot of schooling to keep a promise, and even more, one you made.”
“True.” Aliyah admitted with a nod. I meant it at the time. Aliyah thought. I just didn’t see the point in living up to that promise when Kori came on to me because I knew our relationship would end soon anyway.
“I am not here to lecture you.” Nisha said, backing off a bit. “You did what you did. I ended it before I knew about it. So it isn’t something we need to continue to talk about. I did what I did earlier, that is also done. Maybe I will do it again. Maybe I won’t.”
A sad smile crossed Aliyah’s face. Well, now you sound like me.
“Maybe you won’t sleep with whores and choose better for yourself, maybe you won’t.” Nisha mused.
Whores? I’ve never slept with a real whore in my life. I didn’t know she hated Kori so much.
“It really bothers you that I sleep with Kori, even now?”
Nisha shook her head no. “But it should bother you.”
That was puzzling. “Why?”
“Well you are a copper-a-dozen to her. I would think you would want more.”
Was I anything more to you? I thought I was just the latest in a long line, and it was clear I wouldn’t be the last. Do I want more? Yes, of course I do. I want a connection to someone.
“I do want more.” Aliyah said finally. “But until I find it …” Her voice trailed off and she just shrugged.
“You had more.” Nisha said with a smile and a wink.
“Yeah, I did. But you made it clear it wasn’t going to last. So, I guess I acted as if it wasn’t. Not making an excuse, just trying to explain.”
“It is interesting. I have said the very same things to men and women in the past and all took advantage of the time we had. None felt the need to find it somewhere else.”
“Well, I am not like everyone else. For better and for worse.” Aliyah replied, her voice lowering to almost a growl. F*ck what those others did. I want you. I couldn’t have you for long, so I took something else I wanted. Aliyah sighed and calmed herself, and took a long look at Nisha. "And neither are you.” And that was true. Nisha was special.
“Fair enough.” Nisha conceded.
Aliyah smiled softly and looked out across the harbor. She loved the ships. Each one was a path to freedom, built out of wood, rope, iron and canvas. Of course, for all her understanding of ships, Aliyah never seemed able to understand women.
***************************************
“Look, they're kissing!” Noor said excitedly. Noor and Layla were outside the Seven Dancing Jhasinas, a festhall whose front façade was adorned with seven ornate columns, each depicting a jhasina in various states of undress. Layla felt embarrassed just looking at them, but she found she could not look away either.
Leaning up against one of the columns was young man, maybe 14 or 15, just a few years older than Layla and Noor. In his arms was a young, silk-clad jhasina and the two were locked in what seemed like a never ending kiss.
“They must really love each other.” Layla said.
“Maybe.” Noor answered. “But she is a jhasina, and that’s what jhasina’s do. They pretend to love you, so you’ll give them gold.”
“But she is so beautiful.”
“Then she’ll make a lot of gold!” Noor laughed. “You might be right though. The jhasina’s don’t usually kiss like that.” Noor’s voice trailed off into a conspirational whisper. “That might be her secret boyfriend.”
“Like in the stories?”
“Yep.” Noor said with an excited nod. “Just like in the stories. And the kiss shows their true love.” She giggled.
Layla watched, transfixed for a moment at the scene. The girl was so beautiful, and the kissing couple stood amidst the most shocking but sensual sculptures that Layla had ever seen. She felt a sudden heat in her cheeks . . . and between her legs.
Noor laughed. She ran her hands through her hair, straightening it out, and then strutted in front of Layla, hands on hips, imitating the jhasinas. “A coin for a kiss?” She asked with a laugh.
“Stop that!” Layla commanded. “What are you doing?”
“Whatever I want.” Noor said with a jaunty grin. “And I want you to give me a coin for a kiss!” She laughed and strutted about.
Layla drew out a silver coin from the small coin purse tucked into a fold of her silks, and tossed it to Noor.
“Ooh!” Noor giggled as she caught the coin. “A big spender. I see a lot of love in our future.” Noor held the coin up and twirled about like she was dancing in a festhall. She was dirty and ragged and wild, but she was also free and happy, and that was as beautiful as anything Layla had seen across the street at the Seven Dancing Jhasinas. In fact, it was as beautiful as anything Layla had ever seen, period.
Noor’s twirl came to an end in awkward, giggling pile-up of gangly arms and legs. Layla helped her friend to her feet . . .
. . . and then Layla kissed Noor, right on the lips, just like the couple across the street.
When their lips parted, both Noor and Layla knew that nothing would ever be the same again.
**************************************
“I still want you.” Aliyah said to Nisha as she stared out across the harbor. “I still love you, as much as I know of love anyway. If you want me, you know where I am. If not, I understand. I am a liar, and a thief, and murderer and my own people have condemned me to death in Calimport, so …” Her voice trailed off for a moment. “Not a very good person I suppose.”
“Lets say I agreed to try again. Would you still sleep with others?” Nisha asked.
“Not if you asked me not to. I will even stop flirting.” Do you mean that?
Yes, I do.
What about Kori?
I don't need her for sex, and she doesn't need me for it either. We can leave that part behind. Might help clarify things anyway; might make it easier to do business together.
“And would you want me to not sleep with others?”
Aliyah turned around to look at Nisha, her eyes narrowed to dark slits. How do I explain this? She wondered. Just tell her the truth. Try that.
“I don’t want you sleep with others,” Aliyah said, “but I want you to be happy. I mean that too. I do want you to be happy.” That is true enough.
“I am happy.”
Well f*ck, because I am not. She almost let loose an ironic laugh, but stifled it.
“If I had my choice, I’d want you for myself.” There it is. Of course, this is just the long version of what she did to you back at the Blade. She’s playing you, getting you to profess your love while you get nothing in return.
So what? Everyone dies.
“I have heard what you said and I understand.” Nisha explained. “But as I said earlier, there was no reason, so I don’t have an answer if that is what you want.”
“Alright.” Aliyah said with a sigh. She is playing me. But so what? Either I hurt, or I don’t. Its just life. Don’t be scared of it. Do what you want.
And what do you want?
I want Nisha.
“You know how I feel and you know where I am.” Aliyah said finally.
There was no reply. The two women stood silently on the docks as the sun set across the water. The sky lit up with brilliant reds and yellows that played off the wisps of clouds drifting by. Beautiful, Aliyah thought, just beautiful. I wish I could get on one of those ships and just sail.
“I do have one question though.” Nisha voice broke the silence.
“Sure.”
“What is your real name?”
Tell her or not? If she knows, she can hurt me or my family. If I don’t tell her, it’s a step back from what I want. What is the worse that can happen? She writes a letter to the Syl-Pasha or my family? I end up under the blade? My family does?
Aliyah continued to stare out over the water, watching the sunset behind the breakwater and the ships. A lateen rigged barque, its triangular sail seeking the soft evening breeze, slipped between more ponderous cogs and caravels with their squre-rigged masts. It reminded Aliyah of the wharf in the Hook Ward. She had a good day there, before everything went to hell.
Everyone dies. Not everyone really lives. Do what you want.
“Layla yr Ibrahim yn Dawoud el Taorahl.” Aliyah said finally.