Shafiq had gone to all that trouble to protect him from Asken. For no reason at all except it was the right thing.
No one had ever done that sort of thing for him, especially not aking.
It was little wonder his people thought so highly of him, that his harem loved him so much. There was no match for a genuinely kind heart, especially combined with the other elements that made Shafiq so compelling.
Sighing softly at himself, Jankin slipped into his room and prepared for bed.
*~*~*
The next day found him back in the gardens. They seemed a popular choice, rightfully so, for much of the palace, at least until the day simply grew too warm. He was sitting on a bench, reading a book of poetry he'd bought for his journey here but hadn't finished, when a shadow fell across him.
He looked up, and nearly dropped the poetry, to see Lord Berkant standing over him, flanked by guards. Standing, Jankin bowed. "Lord Berkant, how can I serve you?"
"Walk with me?" he asked.
"Of course." Jankin tucked the small book into his sash and walked with Berkant out of the garden. "Is this about the jewels? I completely forgot to return to the practice hall last night, but went there first thing this morning."
Berkant made a dismissive noise. "Not at all, though it is a matter of jewels. This way." He led the way down into what could only be a vault, where a clerk escorted them to a small room. "Master Arash, good morning."
"Good Morning, Lord Berkant. This is the dancer I have heard so much about?"
"It is, indeed. Master Arash, I present to you Master Jankin. Master Jankin, this is the Master of the Treasury, Arash."
"A pleasure to meet you," Arash said. "Come, I have your options waiting."
"My options?" Jankin asked, increasingly bewildered. Options for jewels, obviously, but that didn't make the situation less baffling.
"For your performance tomorrow night," Berkant said, finally relenting, an amused glint in his eye. "This will be twice you have agreed to very last minute performances, which is quite rude to expect of any performer, let alone someone of your fameand acumen. So a gift: whichever of the three you like best is yours to keep."
"I am honored."
"The other two will be entered into the vault, to be used as you please for as long as you're here," Berkant added.
In the small room they were led to, clearly a sort of fitting room, three glossy wooden boxes were arranged on a table. Once he was in front of the table, Arash unlocked each box and then flipped the lids open one by one.
The jewelry revealed was extravagant enough to make someone wealthy if sold.
All three were collar necklaces, or modeled on that as a starting point. The first one was large, likely heavy, of a beautiful peacock with its feathers spreading up in front of the shoulders, a heavy gold band holding everything in place. If he was going to dance with it, there'd need to be further modifications, so it remained firmly in place.
The second one was a thick gold and silver band dripping with peacock feathers made of various precious jewels, everything held together with fine gold links, so it would move around, flow with his dancing.
It was the last that was his favorite, however: made of white gold and precious jewels, it was a single large feather that would wrap around his throat with the end of the feather resting in the middle of his chest, showing off an impressive emerald surrounded by sapphires for the 'eye'.
"These are stunning," he said quietly. He should probably be tired of the peacock motif, but he had never exactly minded being thought of as beautiful and showy. "This one," he said, touching the rim of the box on the third necklace.
That seemed to please Berkant and Arash, though Jankin could not begin to imagine why it mattered to them which one he picked. "Let's try it on, shall we?" Arash asked.
Jankin removed the wrap he'd worn to protect himself from the sun, and stood still as the necklace was placed. Because of the fitted nature, there was a small hinge on the back that allowed the necklace to be settled properly in place before being locked.
"Beautiful," Berkant said, and even the guards standing off to the side seemed to agree, though their stoic expressions never changed.
"Thank you," Jankin said, bowing his head in a probably-futile attempt to hide that the praise left him flustered, something he had not really felt for years. Decades, even.
Arash removed the necklace and restored it to the box. "We can keep it here in the vault for you for safety's sake, if you like."
"I would be grateful," Jankin said. "The thought of leaving that just lying around my room unguarded gives me hives."
Berkant laughed. "I wouldn't be able to relax. Back in my fighting days, I always had at least two guards in my warm-up room and more stationed at my house."
