"Not at all, Lord Nadir. His Majesty said to leave you to sleep for as long as you needed. I've been working on your clothes, and thought I could trim your hair as well."
"I'd be grateful," Nadir said with a laugh. "I like the length, but there was no time for finesse when I cut it."
Smiling, the man resumed his sewing, quiet, easy company as Nadir quickly ate. When he was done, he sat to have his hair cut. It didn't take long, given how much of it he'd shorn with the mercenary's dagger. When the deed was done, Nadir looked in the mirror and barely kept from leaping up and dancing around the room in excitement. "I love it. I really do. I know long hair is favored, but I love this a thousand times more than all that length. Thank you so much."
"I'm pleased to serve," the man said.
Nadir washed quickly to clean up the mess left behind by the trim, and then accepted the clothes the servant held out. His heart pounded in his chest, leapt into his throat, as he took them. Fitted black pants and over them a skirt that was slit all the way to the hips on both sides. The mark of the royal concubines. "How do I look?"
"Beautiful, of course, Lord Nadir," the servant said with a smile. "You do need jewelry, though, so everyone knows you're already being thoroughly spoiled by an adoring king." He winked and then knelt, retrieving a stack of jewelry cases that had been hidden by the table until then. "His Majesty had these brought from his private vault and requested you wear whatever pleased you."
The servant spread the cases out on the table and opened them one by one, presenting a truly impressive collection of jewelry. It was such a dizzying array that Nadir didn't know quite what to pick.
In the end, and with a great deal of help from the servant, whose name proved to be Tariq, Nadir settled on a wide choker of gold and rubies, with arm bands and bracelets to match, and long earrings that caught the light and sent shards of light dancing around the room. It had been a hard choice betweenrubies and sapphires, but for now… for now he wanted the flashier rubies.
His eyes lingered on the rings meant for pierced nipples and belly button. He'd never considered such things before, but… maybe he would do that soon. Not right now though, when he was adjusting to his new position and… well, he was rather hoping that when the day came to an end, there was nothing to keep Shafiq from having whatever of Nadir he wanted.
"Thank you, Tariq. I don't suppose my king left me any orders?"
Tariq laughed as he closed up the jewelry cases and returned them to the floor. "Yes, Lord Nadir. He said if you woke around this time of day, you were to find him in the public rose garden hosting a small party for a visiting guest."
Oh, gods. He was being thrown right into it. "Thank you again. I really appreciate all your help."
"Always an honor to serve, my lord." Tariq bowed and departed, taking the jewelry and a bag of sewing with him.
Nadir took a few more deep breaths, then settled into the cool calm that had been trained rigorously into him. He was a royal concubine. Everything he did reflected on Shafiq.
Was he ready? Probably not. But he was certainly not going to hide away. Setting his shoulders, Nadir headed out, greeting the guards at the door. As he walked, one of the guards along the wall stepped forward and fell into place just a couple of paces behind him. He really should have anticipated Shafiq would assign a bodyguard. He couldn't deny that after the past few days the presence of a bodyguard made him feel a whole lot better.
Given it was late morning, leaning into early afternoon, the palace was bursting with activity. Which meant there were people aplenty to stop mid-step and stare, whisper poorly to their companions, sending the newly discovered news of a royalconcubine racing through the palace faster than even the finest horse in the world could go.
By the time he reached the public rose garden, he was heartily sick of the not-so-furtive attention. He'd have to get used to it, though.
He still hesitated at the threshold, taking in the crowd he was about to face, and the way Shafiq was of course clear across on the opposite end so that Nadir would have to walk the entire length of the garden.
"Pardon, Lord Nadir."
He turned and saw a servant bearing a tray of wine. "Yes?"
"I was about to take this to His Majesty…"
Nadir smiled. "I can do that, certainly."
The servant laughed. "Thank you.It would have taken me ages to thread through that crowd, especially with how drunk many of them already are." He winked, pressed a finger to his lips about his speaking so boldly out of turn, and then turned neatly on his heel and strode off.
Still smiling, feeling more accepted and at home than he ever had in his own family, Nadir stepped out into the rose garden. There was a lull around him that quickly spread as others took notice of the hush, and in its wake came a rush of whispers and exclamations. Nadir ignored them all, his attention solely for Shafiq, who was locked in conversation with a man whose skin was so pale he looked more ghost than living person.
As he registered the shift in the garden, though, Shafiq looked up—and broke into the most beautiful smile Nadir had ever seen. He didn't grin back, but only because he wanted to maintain a proper demeanor. He would definitely be showing how much he liked it later.
What a thrill he could enjoy such thoughts without the wave of sadness that had inevitably followed before.
Reaching Shafiq, who still sat at his table, his pale guest trying and failing not to gawk on the opposite side, Nadir smoothly knelt and placed the tray on the table. "I've brought your requested wine, my king."
"Thank you, Nadir," Shafiq said, brushing his fingers along Nadir's cheek, lingering slightly. "Pour, would you?"
"Of course." Nadir took his place to Shafiq's right and poured the delicate pink-orange wine into one of the dishes provided. Then he offered the dish to Shafiq and, after he'd taken a swallow, drank the second sip himself before pouring more.
Shafiq carried on with his conversation as though never interrupted, and after a moment of stumbling, the guest managed to get back into it as well. Around them, the party slowly returned to its normal chatter and activity, but Nadir could feel eyes on him the whole time.
