Saturday 19 November 2011

Chapter 3 (part 2)

The next morning, things were reasonably back to normal. They had their bath together and ate breakfast but Master Azea still kept a slight distance away. He wasn't as "affectionate" if that was the right word, as he was before. But he went for his lessons as he was supposed to. This was the first time in a week. He had even begun to slack in his fighting training for some reason. 


Eos went with him and sat at his feet as his head kept nodding as he dozed off. 


At last the history master, Master Adeel glared at him half way through his lecture. Eos was hugging her knees, leaning against Master Azea's legs, "What happened to the Azharan Tribes?" she asked suddenly. 


Master Adeel looked at her and Master Azea jolted out of his doze. "What happened?" she asked again. She wanted to know. She had never heard of all these things he was speaking of and she wanted to know more. Master Azea looked at her, "You're actually enjoying this?" he asked. She looked up at him, with a very different, wide eyed innocent look. One he had never seen her have before. 


It was like a child discovering new things. 


"Why not?" she asked, "I never heard of any of these. I don't even know how to read so I can't read about them." 


"You can't read?" Master Adeel asked, looking horrified. She shook her head. 


The two of them looked very surprised and Master Adeel looked as though he was about to have a fit. "Azea- your new homework. Teach this child how to read and write," he told Master Azea. 


"Since when did you teach reading and writing to give me that kind of homewo-" Master Azea complained but stopped when Eos was looking up at him hopefully, "I mean- well- it's hard to learn-" he tried to explain. 


Eos wasn't going to let this opportunity pass and she knew how to get something from Master Azea by now. It was time to get something out of the skills she had learnt. 


She rose to her knees and climbed up onto his lap. Wrapping her arms around his neck she kissed his mouth before moving to his nose and back onto his mouth. When she finally broke the kiss, he was looking very dazed again but in a happy way, "Sure, I'll teach you," he told her and she climbed back onto the floor to sit again. 


"Oh, she's good," she heard Master Adeel mutter. 


"Master Azea," Eos said, resting her head on his lap, "Will you explain the other things in the lesson to me too? I don't know a lot of the other names and things." 


"Sure, of course," Master Azea said at once. 


Eos turned her attention back to Master Adeel's teachings. That was easy, she told herself as Master Azea, stroked her hair. Glancing back, she saw him paying full attention to the lesson. 


When rest period came, Eos served Master Azea cold drinks but he didn't invite her to lie with him so she sat on the floor by his side. 


"Did you know why the Raztak tribe held a grudge against the Azharans?" he asked, suddenly. 


She shook her head, "No, I was a bit confused about that," she said. 


"Alright, you see, the Azharan had a chief a long time before that, Dakim, he fell in love with the chief of the Raztak; Luqar's younger sister, Jeen-ah. But Luqar refused to give her to him and he stole her one night and raped her. It's bad enough our kind hold grudges so long, but something like that… the Raztaks were angry for a very long time…" 


Eos leaned back, listening to Master Azea as he continued to tell her about how the mighty Azharan tribe were completely wiped out. She was half amazed and yet not surprised of Master Azea's knowledge. He really was more intelligent than he let other people realise. 


But why was that? He was a very talented man but he often slacked, or made it appear that he was incapable. Could it be that he just couldn't care less? But he was hardly trying and he already could remember so much when half listening to his lessons. He made himself appear even less than what he was when he wasn't even trying. Now that she thought about it, it was as though he was purposely working to make himself look incompetent. Why? Was it because he was not supposed to outshine his older brother?


When he was done telling her he touched her hair again, making her look up at him. 


"Did you understand all of that?" he asked and she nodded. 


He looked at her for the briefest moment but there came the sound of footsteps and by the way he groaned, she guessed it was Lady Dareen. 


She had guessed correctly. Lady Dareen, tall and beautiful in white silk and gold jewellery, came to the pavilion, looking haughty. Master Azea had a smile fixed on his face, "My beautiful Dareen, may I help you?" he asked, his voice very charming. 


"Father has bidden me to come home," she said, looking at Eos like she was some king of pus filled wart on the back of a toad. 


"Of course, my beautiful desert flower. When must you return?" he asked. 


"Tomorrow morning," she replied. 


Master Azea heaved a sigh, "Very well, but your stay has been so brief, my dear," he said but seeing him, Eos couldn't help but notice his eyes dancing despite his sorrowful tone. He certainly was good at acting, "Unfortunately, I have my training tomorrow, or I would see you off," he added, getting to his feet. 


Dareen pouted and looked as though she was going to protest. "Eos, would you excuse us for a moment?" Master Azea asked, noticing this as well. Eos got up and bowed before leaving the pavilion. Looking up at the sun's position, she guessed rest period was about to be over anyway. Maybe she should go look for the musicians to practice again. Or would Master Azea have dinner with Lady Dareen? If he did, she wouldn't have to dance. Still - she might as well practice anyway. 




Eos mopped her sweat, panting a little. "Enough practice for one day?" on of the musicians asked. She nodded, "Yeah- thanks," she said.


"You know- if Lady Dareen is leaving tomorrow, he might want to dine with her tonight," the flutist commented. Eos sat down fanning herself with a hand, "Wow- news travels fast here. Anyway- if there's one thing we can say about master, is that he isn't the most predictable person." 


"True." 


A few maids burst in, giggling and chattering, "Did you hear?" they asked them. 


The man who played the lute gestured to the maids with a flourish, "Behold, our method of getting fast news," he said. 


Eos laughed. "What is it?" asked the man who played the tambour. 


"Some of the men at arms saw master kissing Lady Dareen at the water pavilion," they giggled. 


Everyone turned to look at Eos, "Why does everyone look at me each time master does something with Lady Dareen?" she wanted to know, "Besides- she his fiancee. Why are you lot so surprised that he's kissing her?" 


"Because, master has never once laid hands on her. The furthest he ever went was to kiss her hand," the flutist explained. 


"Ah." 


Still, it didn't bother her. She liked Master Azea well enough and was happy whenever he offered comfort and protection. But whenever he entertained Lady Dareen, it never affected her. She would never understand why everyone expected her to be in love with Master Azea. 


She went off, thinking about washing up a little. When she got to the top floor, she popped out from the servants stair and spotted Master Azea walking towards his bedroom. He spotted her and raised his eyebrows. "Dance practice?" he asked as she got nearer. She nodded and saw the rouge Lady Dareen wore on her lips on his mouth, cheek and collar. She went closer and wiped it off with her spare handkerchief. 


"I think this is a stain," she commented, after failing to rid the colour on his collar. 


"Never mind, I'll have Adna burn it," Master Azea said, "Judging your lack of surprise, I think you already found out my final, desperate act to pacify Dareen?" he asked, sounding tired. 


"Not really. Even if the maids hadn't told us, I wouldn't be surprised, but is it fair for Lady Dareen for you to lead her on like this?" Eos asked. Master Azea opened the door and gestured for her to enter. She went into his bedroom and he shut the door behind him. 


"Either way- I still have to marry her so it makes no difference," he said, removing his jerkin and shirt. He dug around in his wardrobe for a new one and she went to help him before he made a mess of it. 


He allowed her to dress him, "Still… it's painful for a woman to realise that the man who gives her romantic attention isn't really in love with her," she said, lacing his jerkin. He looked at her, "Has it happened to you, then?" he asked. 


"No. But it's common sense, isn't it?"


He looked at her for a moment before stepping away with a heavy, exasperated sigh. "I'm going to go train," he said suddenly, surprising her. He hadn't gone to the training yard for several days. 


"Can I come?" she asked, surprising him in turn. 


She had never seen him train before. It had been ages since she saw someone spar. She missed it. She wished she could learn as well. 


Master Azea looked at her then stepped towards her. He held her chin and made her look up at him. He surveyed her face for a moment and frowned, "Do you want to learn fighting arts as well?" he asked. 


She felt herself redden, "Women don't bear arms," she said. 


"Then don't. Fight with your hands." 


"I'm a slave," she said, "We don't learn how to fight." 


"No. But you have to obey your masters. So I say, you come down to the training yard with me. I'll teach you the basics." 



Eos groaned. She remembered that feeling all too well. Her muscles were protesting and aching the same way they did when she had first started training in dance. She was in a hot bath with Master Azea and the heat from the water helped ease the pain. 


Master Azea watched her, looking amused. 


"You did very well, you know. It must be from the dancing," he said, "Most other people would have started complaining much earlier." 


A few rude invitations that were not commonly offered out nor seemed very possible to do, crossed Eos' mind but she said nothing as she sank lower into the bath until only her closed eyes were seen above the water perfumed water surface. 


There was a knock on the door as Master Azea scrubbed the back of his neck, "Come in," he called lazily. 


Adna appeared and went over to them. He bowed low to Master Azea, "Master- Lady Dareen has requested you join her for dinner in the guest wing," he said. Master Azea sighed, pushing his wet hair back, "Of course, of course…" he stepped out of the bath and Eos slowly struggled to follow suit, "It's alright," he told her, "You soak a little longer. One of us should enjoy the bath at least." 


Eos looked grateful and sank back into the water as Adna dried Master Azea with a few towels. The two men left for the bedroom. 


She stayed in there long enough to ease her muscles a little before being forced to get out by the fact she was beginning to wrinkle. Back in her room, she dried herself off and started picking through the lotions and creams that she had to use on her skin, face, hands and hair. Some were given by Mother, others had been bought by Master Azea. It was a pain but it was vital that she looked beautiful for as long as possible. 


Maybe learning to fight was a bad idea… She would get ugly scars and too much muscle and her hands would no longer be smooth and soft… it was a problem. But then again- she couldn't say no. it was Master Azea who asked for her to learn after all. 


Brushing her hair after putting the perfumed oil in it that made it thick and shiny, Eos dressed herself in a shirt and breeches. She still hadn't worn the dress that she suspected Tara put in her packs for her. It was getting late by the time her hair dried, it was late and Master Azea still had not return. She thought of practising the kicks he had thought her earlier that day, but her muscles were screaming in protest so she merely dropped herself on her bed and laid there like a slug. 


"Hm… you really make that pose look tempting." 


Eos sat up at once, not realising she had dozed off. She saw who was standing at her door frame and heaved a sigh of relief, "Gods- Adna- don't scare me like that," she told him, brushing the mess that was now her hair, back from her eyes. 


"Yes- well- Master Azea is well and truly drunk and you need to help him change." 


"Why not you? I thought this was your job," Eos pointed out, scowling and dragging a brush through her hair to tame it. 


"I would- but he insists on you." 


Eos groaned and got to her feet. She was so tired. Why won't they let her sleep? 


Adna grinned and left through the other door as Eos went to look for Master Azea. 


He was singing something, completely off tune while half in bed and half on the floor. "Master," she said, taking his night shirt from the wardrobe. Master Azea tried to get himself out of bed but fell onto the floor head first. He got up, supporting himself on the bedpost, hiccoughing, "E-Eyos?" he said as she tried to undress him. "Yes, master," she replied, managing to remove his tunic. 


"You's so pretty," he declared, swaying. She grabbed him to stop him from falling again and removed his shirt then his leggings. "Thank you master," she told him, pulling the night shirt over his head. He struggled, yelping in surprise, "Why's we in a tent?!" he demanded, his words slurring. 


"We're not in a tent, master," she said, patiently, successfully pulling the shirt on and putting his arms through the sleeves. She let him fall back onto bed and poured the warm water into a basin to clean his face, arms and legs. When she was almost done, Master Azea pulled her down onto him, "Do youse hate me, Eyos?" he asked as she wrinkled her nose. They were so close and his breath was anything but pleasant at the moment. 


"Y-Youse hates me-" he hiccoughed, "don'ts youse, Eyoooose?" he asked. 


Eos looked at him. She had handled many drunks in her life, and she had the feeling that Master Azea was the type to start conveying his thoughts and feelings that he usually kept very personal to everyone and anyone, be it man, woman or palm tree. 


"No," she told him softly, "I don't hate you." 


"Goods…" he said, dozing off. 


She managed to tuck him into bed and smiled. He looked at her and said, "I love you." 

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