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| − | Rashid shook himself, adjusted the folds of his robe, and then turned back to the messenger. The ink on the scroll started to blur as the liquid soaked in and the young messenger curled his nose as Rashid offered him the scroll.
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| − | "This is what I think of Aunt Balquis' demand. Please carry the message back to her yourself." Letting the liquid drip on the messangers clothing, he added. "Tell her also that she should seek wisdom before sucuumbing to the eternal sleep." The messanger stiffly bowed and exited, only Abbas remained in the room.
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| − | For a large, if not the largest city in the world, Rashid had a peculiar view. Instead of the verdant eastern fields where the food so many mouths we nourished from, and much of that through the hands of Rashid's own farmers and businesses, Rashid had the shuttered windows wide open to the western desert. He could see the entire city from this room, and indeed there were windows in all directions. But always Rashid looked west.
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| − | Abbas stood up slowly. Coughing a bit, he said "That was a clear message, my friend. Do you think she will listen this time?"
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| − | Rashid looked at his uncle. Neither of them was as young as they used to be, though Rashid was still in some part of his prime. "Your sister is, as she thinks, leader of one part of our family. She has tried to order me about those slaves for over a decade. Everytime she wants to make herself look important, she starts giving orders!"
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| − | Rashid's tone had risen, but he relaxed. "My uncle, you know that I love and serve our family. You, alone, know why I maintain Ani, Aludra, and Malak." Looking to the desert, he gentely rubbed his hands on the window ledge. "They have served me so well since I first captured them as a youth! It is as if we are more tightly bound than ever. Certainly they mean more to me than Balquis!"
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| − | Abbas joined the younger man at the window. "You want to go back into the world, don't you? Is being one of the richest men in the richest city not enough for you?"
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| − | Rashid turned to the old man and smiled. "If I were to go away you would have too much fun spending all my money, wouldn't you! I would come back to a fat old uncle who swam in wine and dressed in silk, would I not?"
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| − | Abbas lifted his hand and rubbed the sleeve with the other. "This is what you make me wear! It is ancient, and coarse! How can you treat such a loving and caring relative so?" Smiling he added. "I would ask for your best robe but this is your best, isn't it? Except for the color, and I do say you wear the rust better than I, you treat me as you treat yourself. You are honored, nephew. Our family is healthy and fed because of you, and even if Balquis does not admit it, she knows it and it burns her hair like a fire!" Chuckling, Abbas said. "And for that I am grateful, nephew!"
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| − | "Have you heard from my messenger to Muhktar?" Rashid looked mildly concerned.
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| − | "Yes, earlier today. He reported that the message was delievered to the very hand of Muhktar, read, and you were to be thanked for it." After a moment, Abbas added. "This message seems to worry you, nephew. Your cousin Muhktar makes a fine Prophet and he will do what is right. Is there something I should know?"
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| − | Rashid shook his head. "No, uncle. It was just a suspicion of mine that I wanted Muhktar to know about."
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| − | "Suspicion...or vision?" Abbas unconsciously stepped back, like others who wondered how Rashid came to his...suspicions.
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| − | Unaware, or uncommenting, Rashid answered. "No visions, uncle. I have never been blessed with anything supernatural. Muhktar has the family's entire bent of that. I merely seen this and that, and somehow they fit together in a way that comes to pass."
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| − | "Like the tidy profit you made last year when the flowers bloomed early?"
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| − | "That was too natural, uncle. The early season inspired Areebah to campaign a bit earlier and I bought a decent supply of fodder and war food before the prices went up. Even giving her a discount for her service to the city we still made a good bit and even more from all the army hangers on who wanted to travel quickly."
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| − | "I recall that Areebah looked at you with a bit of a glare, when you finally agreed to her price. I wasn't sure if she preferred to slit your throat herself or offer one of her daughters as a wife to a worthy foe." Rubbing his chin, "Her daughters are fine stock, nephew. If she does offer..."
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| − | Rashid smiled and patted Abbas on the shoulder. "I cannot marry uncle, until you are married. There's some family law on that, isn't there? And as you continually hang around me instead of seeking yourself a plump and loving wife, what can I do?"
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| − | A slight wind blew, and Rashid sniffed it. "Uncle, there is something happening. I do not know what it is, but perhaps we will hear from Muhktar in a few days, eh? Something..."
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