Mahmud

Zahra is not safe.

An inner voice whispers at me, sending shivers down my spine.

What was that?

But now I can't ignore it, despite my inability to explain it.

What if she's really not safe? I should have escorted her back to the stables!

I turn toward the path to the stables.

Use your magic. Protect Zahra.

An energy begins to envelope me, my feet move at a speed I hadn't thought myself capable of.

"I'll warn you once more, leave me alone!" I hear Zahra shout, and as I round the bend I spy upon Zahra getting pinned up against the wall by a large man wearing a cloak.

Gods, the voice was right!

"I know what you are," the man said. "You're a horse shifter, aren't you?"

Zahra's eyes go wide and I freeze where I am.

Huh?

"I don't know what you're talking about," Zahra says, regaining her composure faster than I would.

Seems we're both to be discovered for what we are tonight...

"I think I know you," the man says. "The one that got away. Right? How have you lived among us undetected, abomination?"

"Again, I have no idea what you're talking about," Zahra hissed through clench teeth. "Let me go, please."

"The crescent moon mark on your forehead," the hooded man says, roughly shoving Zahra's veil away from her face. "And your ears."

I find this as my moment to step out of the shadows. "Excuse me, sir, what do you think you're doing with my woman?"

"Your woman?" the hooded man asks, turning sharply to gaze at me. He's bigger than I, but perhaps less in shape. I cannot make out his identity with what he's wearing.

"You've just unveiled my ranja as if she were your own? Do you know who I am?" I ask, trying not to blush. A ranja is a woman trained in the art of pleasure, and is often tattooed with the insignia of her master on her forehead. I realize Zahra may not know what a ranja is since I've never wanted to talk about that sort of thing to her.

Zahra narrows her eyes at me momentarily, but then plays along as if we'd scripted the thing.

"Master, I am so sorry! He approached me!" she exclaims, squirming from the man's grasp and rushing to me to kneel at my feet.

"You have done no wrong, my dear," I say, playing the part with her and resting my hand on her bared head. Her hair is soft beneath my fingers. "You're my well-behaved ranja and would never betray her master."

Gods, but I'll never tell Zahra how her kneeling before me makes my mind wander perversely!

In many ways I shouldn't be surprised at Zahra's catching on to my game like a snake to sand. We've survived by improvising roles for years.

"You're Mahmud, the captain of the king's cavalry?" the man says, as if surprised. "I didn't know your insignia was a crescent moon."

"It is," I say, nodding at him, and reaching to secure Zahra's veil back into place. "Who are you and why are you harassing my ranja? You have minutes to explain yourself."

"Forgive me, Captain, I caught a momentarily glimpse of that mark and I believed--I believed she was something forbidden by our gods," the man stuttered. "Still, why would you bring your ranja to a royal banquet? Wouldn't the princess die if she knew she was conversing with a ranja?"

"Yes, you've put me in an indelicate place," I say, stepping toward him and trying to get a good glimpse of his hooded face. "You see, being Captain of the king's cavalry I have much need of her to ease the stress." I sigh as if ashamed of myself, because I probably am a bit for simply wording such things in front of Zahra. "I'll forgive your disrespectful behavior if you will forgive my need for indulgence?"

"Of course," the man said, bowing his head.

"What is your name, stranger?" I ask.

"Vaqu, an ambassador from Aura," the man says.

"You've traveled far," I say. "What are you doing here in Kanan?"

"There are rumors that Kanan and Bandul will go to war indefinitely," Vaqu states. "I'm here to understand which of you Aura will side with. Aura is a place where purity is celebrated. I'm trying to figure out which of you is less corrupted. The fact that Kanan's captain has a ranja he takes to a party with him is not exactly reassuring."

"Honesty. I like that," I mutter ironically. "Then I'll be honest with you... an Auran man attacking a Kanan woman in the dark and holding her against a wall... not exactly reassuring of your purity."

"You make a good argument I suppose," Vaqu says, he flings back his hood to show he wears a red turban and has a large nose and strong jawline, and I notice a pendant in the shape of a vulture made of onyx hangs from his neck. "In Aura any indulgence, anything unnatural is considered evil."

Zahra audibly gasps from where she kneels and covers a hand over her mouth.

Hmm... she recognizes him! Is this the man who killed her parents and sent her as an orphan out into the desert to be captured by me?

"I should retire to my chambers, Vaqu," I tell him, realizing I need to get myself and Zahra out of this situation before further interaction proceeds and derails our diversion.

"Next time, you shouldn't let your ranja wander alone in the dark," Vaqu calls after us as I grab Zahra's hand and walk with her into the direction of my living quarters. "Seems foolish to me."

"Are you taking me back to your place?" Zahra whispers at me as I whisk us away, hardly able to contain my fury.

"I need you to stay safe," I growl. "Tonight was a mistake."

"I'll say!" Zahra says, "What were we thinking?"

"What were you going to do if he'd tried to hurt you?" I ask her, unable to rein in my worry.

"I'd have transformed and ground my hooves into him," Zahra whispered with a shrug. "I'm half determined to go back there and do just that. That vulture pendant he wears, I recognize it, and in another life..."

"Just stop," I say. "I know what you're going to say and I want to let you go back there and get your revenge, but we can't blow our cover in such a messy way. That man is an ambassador of Aura! Do you realize what that means? Aura is going to side with Bandul if their ambassador is murdered here in Kanan! We need Aura to trade with us if we're to survive a war with Bandul. We may hate this country for it's laws are against us, but that doesn't mean I want to see everyone here slaughtered."

"Damn it," Zahra seethes, taking a glance over her shoulder. "Well, what are we going to do now? It seems everywhere we turn we face our deaths."

"I have some good news about that though. My powers. I believe they are getting stronger," I say. "I knew you were in trouble and needed my help. I can't explain it. I just knew."

"Maybe you can interpret King Raman's dream then?" Zahra says, her eyes filling with hope.

"Maybe," I say.

Gods, please, help me! Show me my powers once more.

"Uh, Mahmud," Zahra says. "What exactly is a ranja?"

My cheeks burn and I cough. "Tis not for a woman's ears."

Zahra answers me pulling her hand from mine. "If you ever say 'tis not for a woman's ears' to me again, I'll see too it that I buck you off my saddle in front of your division at the most inopportune of moments. Don't think I won't!"

"A ranja is a pleasure companion," I grate. "They are trained in the arts of pleasure and take upon themselves the insignia of their master on their forehead. They are not exactly a frequently discussed indulgence among those in Kanan and men tend to keep them out of the sights of free women here. It was the best cover I could think of for you."

Zahra blinks, wide eyed at me. "Well then." She coughs to hide a snicker. "Is there really such a thing as a free woman here?"

"You had to know!" I defend.

"Master, Mahmud, how may I serve you?" Zahra begins dramatically, bowing her head and giggling.

"Oh, shut it!" I scowl, stomping ahead of her to hide the fact that it's undeniable I want Zahra and I can't hide from it. "You know, I'm supposed to be trying to interpret a dream, not getting scolded by my own horse!"

"Wait, aw, Mahmud, don't be like that, I just assumed a ranja was a slave," Zahra calls after me.