“Kaylee! Stand still!” The dressmaker told her, her voice a bit muffled by the many pins she held in her teeth. The woman’s brown hands held the material in folds and attempted to pin it in place. Swinging her thick gray streaked braid back over her shoulder, she jerked the material, and pulled and pinned endlessly.

Kaylee muttered under her breath but did as she was told, trying to be polite to the wizened old woman. She wasn’t going to miss this opportunity for anything.

Her mother, a flute player in the king’s instrumental group, had told Kaylee she would be able to attend the dance that the kind and queen were giving for their son. Her wide dark eyes shut as she imagined it. There would be over a hundred people, the soft sand walls lit with mysterious lantern light that dances as shadows moved on it, and the food, oh, there would be so many different kinds, all delicacies in her native home. She didn’t even bother to imagine the prince. She had never even seen a glimpse of him before. She doubted she would get to see him there. The prospect of getting to go was enough for her.

“There! All done, look!” The lady’s weathered hands grasped Kaylee’s slim shoulders, and turned her around to face a large mirror, and Kaylee immediately turned to seize the old lady in a hug. The dress was perfectly beautiful!

Kaylee slowly took the dress off over her head, with help from the old lady, who muttered at her not to pull out the pins out of the delicate material.

Her clothes were of loose, homespun light blue cotton material, folding over itself, to cover her almost robe-like, yet suitable for the public. Soft leather slippers covered her feet, and she thanked the woman again, promising to be back the next day to pick it up. She slipped out the front of the building into the dying sunlight, rushing through the golden dipped market to her own home on the other side of the city.

Once she reached the pale front of her own house she let herself past the rickety gate, and into her house, making sure to shut the door and slid the bar in place after she had shaken out the sand from her shoes outside.

“Kaylee? Is that you?” Her mother Alyah’s musical voice called from the interior of the house.

“Yes momma.” Kaylee replied, making her way through the cheerfully lit lounge area into the kitchen. “Momma, oh it’s so beautiful!” Kaylee sighed wistfully, falling onto a bench at the table.

Just like her mother, Kaylee had warm, toffee colored smooth skin, and long deep brown, almost black hair. Slightly high cheek bones, and barely tilted, large compassionate coffee colored eyes framed by lengthy thin lashes. A small mouth that loved to smile, and a straight nose, she was beautiful as her mother had been when she was young. Now her mother had that ageless, handsome look.

Kaylee’s thin frame carried plates to the table, and she set it as her mother asked her to. Smiling to reveal even white teeth, she danced about the aromatic kitchen talking to her mother about the dance, before her eleven year old brother stepped in from playing with his friends, and took the spot light as he began to recount his day.

After the light dinner, of fruit and vegetable salad, Kaylee went up a small set of stairs to her room. She had always loved it, simply because one corner, instead of making a ninety degree angle, it was rounded, and a window set in it, at the perfect height to view from her bed. After putting on a sleeping gown, she curled up under the thick blankets to watch the stars come out in the velvety sky. A chill breeze came in from the nearby desert, just a mile out of town, making her pull the woolen blanket close. The soft sound of a flute came gently, floatingly up the stairs, caressing the night air with its sweet melody. Soon, Kaylee was deep asleep within the folds of her bed, her mind full of dreams about the next day.


Sunlight greeted her as she woke, yawning and stretching before getting up. The breeze that now came through her window was hot and dry, bringing with it distant cries from the merchants selling their wares in the market. She stood a moment, the flagstones on her floor warm against the soles of her feet, before she couldn’t help but grin and rush down the stairs to eat breakfast.

Thirty minutes later, she was on her way through the bright and pungent market place, her eyes watchful for strange people. She might be known, but she was only sixteen, many men would take advantage of that. After a few bumps and shoves, her mother grabbed her arm, and held it tight. Not many people bumped into her mother, the proud look in her eyes, and her formidable posture made sure of that.

The bathing house was near full, but Kaylee’s mother managed to find an empty room. After paying, the tub was filled with steaming water, and a bar of soap was produced from an inside pocket of the parcel her mother had carried down there.

Kaylee was ordered to strip and get in, and get clean. She was about to protest, but her mother’s words cautioned her. “Get in, before it gets cold.”

She nodded, and took a breath, letting it out as the almost burning water shrouded her. She was given a rough block of pumice, and the soap. She scrubbed her skin turning a soft pink beneath its tan complexion. Her mother pulled out a bottle and opened it, and it filled the air with the smell of the exotic and beyond. This was applied to her hair, rubbed in, and then washed out.

“Ok, my turn, here’s your towel, I’ll be right back.” Alyah left the room, as Kaylee wrapped herself in a large cream colored towel.

The door was pushed open, unmindful of whom might be in there, the woman, a large, purposeful lady, didn’t even bother to glance at Kaylee. She had a bucket of hot water in each hand, and after pulling a spare tub out of the corner, filled it with the two buckets, and left, only to bring back two more. This time she as left, she shut the wooden door.

Kaylee turned as her mother got in, and began to put on clean robes she found in the parcel.

“Get out the brush, and brush your hair now while it’s wet. It’ll be a horrible tangle if you let it dry.” Her mother’s voice came from across the room. “A hundred strokes, each side.”

Kaylee sat down on an overturned tub, and dutifully began to brush out the tangles in her dark hair, and only when they were out, did she begin to count strokes.

She heard her mother get out, but didn’t bother to look up from her brushing. About fifteen minutes later, after losing count many times, and forgetting to keep counting, she stopped, handing the brush to her mother to use. The hair-soap she used had made it shine, and softer and silkier than ever before.

Finally, her mother was done, and she gathered up their things in the parcel, and left the room with Kaylee following. They went through a few less-used streets, and arrived at the dress maker’s shop, a few randomly colored pieces of material blowing softly through the doorway.

They entered the dimly lit interior, and Kaylee sat on a bench to wait while her mother paid for the dress, and it was wrapped in soft tissue paper and hid within the pack.

“Ok, now back home, to get everything we need, then we’re leaving to go to the palace.” Alyah told her, as they walked through the crowded streets. Their house was reached in about fifteen minutes, and her mother went to her room to pack the cosmetics, clothes, jewelry and hair pins in a basket.

They would change at the palace, of course, and her mother would need time to warm up the soft wooden flute she played. Nearly bursting, Kaylee went to the door, and as soon as her mother joined her, she was pulling her along the streets, after a quick stop at one of her brother’s friend’s house to make sure her brother could stay there for the night. They would be out too late for him to be home alone.

Almost an hour later, they arrived at the palace. Kaylee couldn’t help but stop as they crossed in front of it. The perfectly constructed fawn-colored sandstone walls that had been erected by many laborers, stood between golden spires and towers who reached and dared to challenge the sun for beauty. The refreshing tinkle of water echoed over gated courtyards where splashes of green foliage would catch any passerby’s eye. Ornately constructed gold inlayed doorways stood at the top of the grand stairs, challenging even the most courageous man. The soft moan of the breeze from the desert danced among the architecture, touching Kaylee's face with its dry air.

She was led past all this grand beauty, to a passageway between two of the soaring walls, and inside a door to a cool dark hallway. Squinting as she tried to see after the bright daylight, she found herself led into a dressing room. All along one wall, were mirrors, with a waist high counter, and chairs set up in front of it. Alyah instructed her to sit in one of these while she quickly changed, and did her own makeup.

Many other women were in the room, dressed in the fine silver silken robes that the musicians wore. After doing her hair into an intricate weave, and pinning so it wouldn’t fall out, she put on a few pieces of jewelry, and turned to Kaylee.

“Your turn.” She turned the chair around, and pulled out her cosmetics bag.

First, she lined the edges of Kaylee’s eyes with a thin, dark pencil, and combed her lashes with a brush dipped in black liquid. She then took a small case and opened it, touching her eyelids with a shimmering golden powder, and a soft shimmer went on her barely colored cheeks. Soft lipstick went on her lips. Alyah then instructed Kaylee to put on her dress. Kaylee slipped into the soft, whispering material, and stood, while her mother brushed out her hair into a silky cascade, and began to weave bits and pieces of it into an intricate pattern. The final hair fixture was dusted softly with golden shimmer, and she could feel a few strands of hair rounding around the side of her face.

“There.” Alyah added a few gold bangle bracelets, and earrings. Her mother turned her around, and Kaylee gasped. She looked almost like a completely different person.

“Momma…thank-you!” She stammered, completely at a loss of what to say. The hair pulled back from her face accented her finely boned face, her eyes seemed larger with the dark colors on it, and the gold matched her dress perfectly.

Her dress was of deep plum colored silk. The neckline folded over on itself, created an upside down arch across her chest. The sleeves draped out from where it was gathered on her shoulders down to about her elbows, with a golden thread, and a golden sash slimmed her waist. Gilded sandals covered her feet.

She danced a few steps, smiling as the dress whisked and whispered around her slim legs. It was about an hour before the dance would start. “Thank you so much Momma.” She gave the woman an affectionate hug, still smiling.

“You’re welcome, but I need to go warm up. You wait here for about thirty minutes, and then go out to the floor. People should start arriving by then.

The time passed quickly, and Kaylee barely noticed it as she danced along the floor humming absently to herself. Forty minutes had gone by, when she realized what time it was. Luckily, since her mother had worked in the palace numerous times, the hallways were an easy navigation system for her. She quickly opened the door and hurried through the hallways to where the dance was to be held.

The dance floor was as much and more than Kaylee had imagined it. Pale, sandstone walls rose around the edge of the dance floor, the plants that could reach hung their emerald fronds over the edge. Delicate, stained glass lanterns were strung through out the dance floor and along the walls, creating dancing and swaying patches of color. There was a small, maybe six inch high platform, where the musicians sat and played, filling the air with festive song. The dance floor was made up of soft loose sand, most likely taken from the desert beyond the wall. As people danced, small spirits of gold came alive, glittering, before falling back to meet their demise. A covered porch was over the tables, fixed around the dance floor, and leading into the palace. Bold, jewel colored silken cloths were draped around the entrances, creating shadows that danced mysteriously in the light. The moon and stars hung brightly in the sky, small sparkles adding to the magic, giving a clear night to promise good weather.

And oh, the people! Kaylee could hardly contain herself, so many colors, and voices, and accents; it was all just a whirl in her mind. Most of them sat at the tables, eating the spectacular dinner that was laid out. The finest meats and vegetables, succulent fruits, and sweet deserts sent unforgettable ambrosia up into the cool night air.

Kaylee’s dark eyes reflected the patterned light, as she gazed upon the surreal vision, and she found her place at a table full of other girls, all rich and sophisticated, but none all that pretty - at least to her.

She didn’t speak that much at the table, instead, let her eyes wander over the dance floor, and people, thoughts running like fire through her mind. She hoped she wouldn’t trip. Her mother had taught her all the dance steps, fast and slow, and Kaylee had learned them dutifully, whether for the dance, or just for the love of the rhythm and beat, she wasn’t quite sure. She eyed the males at another table, picking out her favorites, and watching one for awhile, then turning to another.

Her favorite was a boy, whose antics were none too extravagant, but his smile catching, teeth flashing as light caught them, making his eyes sparkle as well. The girl next to her, her complexion of pale cinnamon, dark hair, but strangely, startling green eyes, bent over to follow Kaylee’s eyes across the floor.

“So you like the prince as well?” She asked, her voice accented, with a friendly smile that had a bit of a competitive edge on it.

Ah, so that’s who the young man was. The prince! Kaylee felt a bit foolish, for there was no way she would ever even talk to a prince, but she smiled, and nodded, “Yeah, he sure catches my eye.” She told her, smiling back.

The girl flipped dark hair over her shoulder and stood up. “Care to join-in on a little dance competition?” She swished her emerald silk to hang straight, green eyes daring Kaylee to say yes.

“Sure, as long as we don’t have to dance all alone…” Kaylee put in, especially not wanting to do that. She knew she knew the steps, but she didn’t want to make a fool out of herself in the middle of the floor.

“Alright then!” She turned to the table, “Hey, we got our last dancer! Let’s go!” All the girls at the table smiled, and followed them out to the dance floor, where people cleared a space for them, where they stood, at ready.

The band started at a slow, throbbing pace, the beat nearing making the sand thrum with the magic of it. The assortment of girls immediately knew the song, and began the steps, a slow, twining pace, curving their bodies, joining hands at times, all in fluid motion. And then, the beat picked up, and stopped. Simultaneously, the girls stopped, each moving to a congruent point on the outside of the circle, bending down as one, and removing their shoes, before standing up again.

Kaylee’s eyes glanced at a girl across from her, who gave a tentative smile which Kaylee returned. There was a beat, and then another, and then the music started, and the young women took off, their multi colored bodies, and silks flying with the rhythm of the dance. Sand glittered in between their torsos, kicked up the feet, as they danced their piece. The people around them clapped with the beat of the song, some shouting, and cheering the girls on

Kaylee’s face lit up as she smiled, dark eyes sparkling, encouraged by the fact she hadn’t messed up yet. She and a girl clasped hands, making a quick turn, their upper bodies bowing to each other in quick similarity, as with everyone, and twirled, taking off again. Finally, the dance ended, at least to Kaylee, and seemingly everyone else’s knowledge, as they took their last step, and turned around as the beat kept going, slowly evolving to a seductive gypsy-ish flamenco beat.

The green-eyed girl that had been sitting next to Kaylee was standing in the middle, head down. Her chest moved with her breathing, and slowly, she began to dance, obviously something from her native land. Her slender form swayed slowly, as she sinuously turned bending side to side as she went from a bent-kneed stance to her full height. Languidly, she raised her chin, her green eyes seducing the crowd with their boldness as she looked directly into the eyes of the males, daring them to stop her as the beat of the song grew, and her body pulsed with its rhythm. An undaunted smile began to touch her pouted lips, her face flushed with excitement. She spun, body in a serpentine with the magic of the music. And suddenly, her performance was over, and she turned, as the crowd made way, back to her table.

A sudden cheering and whistling over took the people, and Kaylee couldn’t help but join in. She couldn’t imagine having enough nerve to do something of that magnitude. The young woman had done what she set out to do, as the prince, and his comrades sauntered over to her table, engaging her in conversation.

Kaylee smiled, turning around as somebody tapped her shoulder, a boy taller than her, with a sweet smile greeted her. “Would you care to dance?”

She blushed and looked down saying “I’d love to,” before taking his hand, and letting him lead her back out to the magical floor.

She danced for hours it seemed, under the stars, till her face flushed with radiance. She finally had to sit out a dance, to rest her feet, and she went back to the round table that she had eaten dinner with, and found it empty. Evidently, the green-eyed girl had charmed the prince so, and she had been taken over to his table, where she sat, telling jokes, and stories, getting up every so often to dance with her perfect form. All the young males were over there, trying to steal her away from the royal. Kaylee had the thought to run over there, but decided not to, smiling and laughing at herself for even the thought.

In minutes, one of the musicians stood up, and went to the front of the small polished podium on which they performed. The man was short dark and round, and his voice projected easily across the people. “Excuse me, if I could have your attention, I would like to inform all the dancers, that in five minutes, the Prince’s Dance will commence. Please, find your partners. Thank you.” He turned around, and went back to his chair, and began tuning his instrument for the correct chords.

Kaylee sat stiff in her chair, suddenly self-conscious. Would she be asked? She had danced with many young men throughout the night, but as she watched, she saw the faces she knew, slowly disappear as they gained partners other than her.

The round little man stood up again, smoothing down what was left of his hair, and clearing his throat so that he could speak. “One minute.”

She looked down upon the silken plum of her dress, what if she didn’t get asked at all? She couldn’t think like that! She shook her head to herself, mentally telling her mind to think positively. Her dark barely tilted eyes rose, searching the crowd, trying to make eye contact.

A lean figure caught her attention; slowly wending his was through the crowd toward her. He seemed lithe, and bent around the people easily, or maybe the people moved for him, it was hard to tell. Either way, it was in an almost shy manner in which he approached her. He must have been around sixteen, her age. He wore a loose white shirt, which hung nicely on his torso, showing a piece of toned bronze chest. He wore breeches of the finest camel hair, which left below his knee open, revealing muscular calf, and no shoes, as most of the men did. He had smooth skin, the color of warm brown sugar, just a bit darker than hers, and tilted, almond shaped eyes, of deep brown. Black hair crowned his head, left loose to hide a little of his forehead, and flip out over the tops of his ears. Despite the shagged hair, shyness, and no jewelry, he had the appearance and attitude of someone quite rich, and Kaylee was surprised as he stopped in front of her.

Slowly she raised her eyes, uncertain whether to look into his or not, she certainly didn’t want to be impolite. Choosing to be bold, she chanced looking into his eyes, and found them to be warmer and friendlier than most, as the lantern light danced within them, like sparking faeries, dancing in his soul. His voice was accented, and Kaylee doubted he was a native like her, but he spoke their cultural language well.

“Would you care to take a dance with me?” He offered her a hand, his smile revealing perfect teeth.

“I would love to.” She replied, her voice soft. His presence somehow domineered her, though he had done nothing unordinary. Kaylee smiled up at him, and took his hand, finding it warm and smooth, yet calloused as if he didn’t mind a day’s work. He led her out onto the floor, and then, the dance began.

The music they played was slow, yet fast enough to keep them moving, with a modern beat that everyone knew. She was self-conscious about his arms on her, where she hadn’t been about the men before. He was one to talk as they danced, and his first question didn’t surprise her.

“So what do they call you here?” His accented voice inquired from her.

“Kaylee,” She responded, taking a glance up, and seeing his eyes looking down at her. The song continued, and they concentrated on their dancing, before talking more. She learned that he was part (Asian?), part (Arabic?), and his mother was the princess of a far off in the East. Kaylee didn’t bother to tell him of her heritage, for it wouldn’t do but to embarrass her.

The dance was long, and Kaylee found herself drawn more and more to the stranger. His manner was easy and warm, always ready to smile, or laugh. They had a lot in common, she found out, such as horses, love of the desert, the night, and surprisingly, dreaming. She blushed, and tried to sideline the fact, but he stopped dancing a moment, and put a hand under her chin. She trembled, not sure of what he was going to do, or say.

“Do not be ashamed of dreaming. For your spirit is created and lives on dreams, and your spirit shines bright within your eyes.” Slowly, he leaned forward, and put the gentlest of kisses upon her astonished lips, before he backed up a step and bowed. It was only at this point, she noticed the music had stopped. “Thank you for the dance. It is one I will never forget.” He turned, dark eyes giving her one last look, before he disappeared within the crowd, and the people merged back together, as if a curtain closing on its star actor.

A hand unconsciously touched her petulant lips, still in shock. Her dark eyes were wide, and she wasn't sure how she made it back to the table without running into somebody or something. Minutes later, when her mind returned from utopia, to reality, that she realized she should have called him back. She didn't even know his name! She couldn't help but let the corners of her lips stayed curved upward for the rest of the dance. Though she danced with other people, she never forgot him, his movement, the soft look in his warm eyes, his hands, so careful to guide her right in the dance, and not making a single notion that he knew when she did something wrong.

The full moon was high within its diamond studded coliseum, the air still warm with the bountiful smells of perfumes, and foods, and scented lanterns, whose shadows still danced on the walls, and sent mysterious splashes against people, and between them. It must have been past midnight, Kaylee realized, looking for her shoes along with all the other girls. During their debut, when she had shed them, she had never gotten them back, people had pushed them back along and under the tables, so they too could have room to dance.

Finally finding them, on opposite sides of the dance floor, she found an empty seat at a random table, to put them back on. Curiously, there was a lady at the table there as well, too old for the dance, yet no wrinkles showed on her decidedly ageless face. She wore colors of deep blue, and dark purple, with small touches of glitter, or silver that shone when she moved. Her skin was black, the color of pure coffee, and her eyes small black opals in her face. She sat there, looking at everything and nothing at the same time, every so often, making small sounds, as if she were talking to herself. Kaylee swore she knew of a few words the lady was saying, and one distinct phrase caught her ear.

The words were slow, almost thoughtful, as the lady spoke in a calm voice. Perhaps prophecy will come true tonight--" But her words were cut short, and she stood up, swishing past Kaylee in a swirl of exotic perfumes. Her statement left Kaylee thinking once more about the boy she had danced with, and her eyes rose to glance at the sky, when suddenly, there he was, appearing in front of her.

His dark eyes sparkled with more than just the lantern lights, and he held a hand out to her, eager as a schoolboy, as he said, "Please, please, I must show you something, please follow!" He nodded, ready to pull her away.

What else could she do? She put a palm in his hand, and was immediately whisked away, him half running, his bare feet making little noise in the thick carpeted hallways of the palace, her holding her skirt up with her free hand to keep from tripping on it.

After a small leap up a few steps, they stopped, and he let out a long breath, as if calming himself down. Before them was a great pair of ivory doors, with a polished gleam on their perfected surfaces. They must have been ten feet tall, gilded with gold, ornate golden handles freshly polished.

The boy didn't hesitate, to put a handprint on their surface, and pulled one open, holding it for Kaylee, as she entered, slowly, her eyes wide as she looked around the room.

It was pale, with white sandstone walls, the palest leather furniture, and the softest, lightest wooden fixtures. The hints of gold edging things, and the expensive quality were the only things that gave away the prestige of the room. The herbal scent surrounding it, came from incense lamps in each corner.

He unexpectedly took her hand again, and led her around the couch, when a woman appeared from the depths of a hallway in one corner of the room. She was African, from startling black skin, wrinkled with age beyond years, to her outfit, of brilliant purples and gold patterned silk, and heavy gold jewelry. Her eyes were young, though, and held a wisdom and power that made Kaylee shiver.

"Ah, so she did come. Very good. Welcome Kaylee." The lady said, offering them a seat with a gesture of her hand.

They sat, while the woman took out a large, leather-bound book, rare in their lands, from an alter-like table on a side of the room. She gently handed it to the boy, who treated it with great caution. He softly set it on the table in front of them, and turned the pages with care, finally stopping somewhere near the middle.

The lady sat on a chair opposite them, watching, with a quiet and mysterious air, a small smile on her ageless face, as if she knew what they did not.

Putting his fingers to the words, he read making great pains to get the words exactly right.

"And in the night you shall find her
Deep colors and exquisite metals her hue
One shall be the rich, while the one the poor
One a royal born and bred,
The other trying to escape her ways.
Find her, and she shall be yours
For it has been said."

He turned once done reading, his eyes alight, as he continued speaking in his accented dialect. "The Book of Prophecies! It must be you!" He told her.

She looked down, to close her eyes where he couldn't see. She hated to disappoint this boy she had come to know so well in so little a time, but she hated to live a lie when it didn't even pertain to her. "But I am neither poor, nor trying to escape my ways." She frowned, turning saddened eyes on him.

"Well...I suppose it was worth a try. If you ever change your mind, for I know it really is you, even if you don't admit it. There's something about you, I don't..." He stopped, shaking his head, frustrated at the lack of words he wanted to use and didn't know how to speak. He stood up, looking down at her from his height. "I'll be at the Palace for awhile...my parents claim I can't leave until I find my bride. This prophecy is the only chance I have to make my own choice." He half turned, "Perhaps they will pick out somebody tolerable." He stopped, as if remembering his manners, and held out a hand to help her off of the couch. "Thank you for the most wonderful dance, but I must bid you farewell." He kissed her hand, almost like she was royalty, before turning to go.

This time, she didn't let her imagination take over, and remembered her senses as she called out, "Wait!" As he turned back, eyes curious, she explained, "I don't even know your name. At least a name."

He gave her a smile that crept up one side of his face that almost made her fall back upon the couch, and said, "You may call me Kai. My name is bigger than I am," He looked ruefully down at his toned form,” You would forget the first syllable before the night is over. Call me Kai, and I will never forget you." His warm brown eyes held a meaningful look, as she glanced up at them, and he let another easy smile slide across his face, before it saddened, and he turned, to depart out the doors. This time however, Kaylee could think of no comment that would call him back, even for another minute.

Kaylee left a minute later, without even looking at the wise African woman, her head bowed, and her eyes blinking, she followed the route she knew back to the dance floor. She only had to wait a short moment, for her mother to arrive, changed back from her silver silks, her eyes touched with red, her face sad.

"Momma...what's wrong?" Kaylee asked, immediately going over to her, to be wrapped in a hug, as her mother slowly and barely audibly began to cry.

* * * * *

"I hate this." Kaylee firmly stated, almost a year later, picking up a pitchfork. Her hair was tied back, in a weave, and her clothing had changed drastically. She now wore woolen breeches, and they were hot in the noon-day sun. Fortunately her shirt was loose linen and cooler somewhat.

She now was a groom, at a small stable in the city, since her mother had been expelled from the King's instrumental group. The stables she worked at were adequate, and made more so by the hours Kaylee put in, to keep her wage up enough to help her mother pay for their rent, food and clothing. By no means now, were they living in comfortable conditions.

Her mother worked in the market, working for the seamstress, earning small hourly wages to weave the day's light. When she arrived at home, the first few weeks, her hands were always blistered and bleeding, nothing like the slender lengths that had danced along her flute creating the magic of music barely a month before. Kaylee hadn't even heard the whispery sound of the flute since her mother had left the instrumental group.

The stable smelt something terrible, especially in the hot sun, where manure dried within minutes, to create hard piles that had to be stabbed apart with a shovel before they were small enough to be put in a wheelbarrow. The horses that were boarded were average, once in a while, a special one would come along, but that was very obscure, and of course Kaylee would never be allowed near it. She was female. Hated and discriminated against by all males that worked there. The only reason she had even gotten the job was because the man that owned the place owned her mother a favor. She sighed, opening an unused stall and began to muck it out, making noise of disgust as the flies swarmed up to attack her face.

"I hate it too." Her brother replied, his dark hair was damp with sweat, and tendrils clung to his face and neck in small curls. His dark eyes and milky coffee complexion was just like Kaylee's, it was obvious they were siblings. He was still too young to handle a pitchfork, at twelve year old, and helped Kaylee by pushing the wheelbarrow for her, and once a week, scrubbed off the tack for the manager. He dropped the wheelbarrow with a metallic clang, and leaned on a wall to wait for Kaylee to clean out the stall.

"I know, I hope soon though, maybe I'll get married to someone a little richer than we are, Jahrahd, and we can live better." She dutifully began piling the muck in the wheelbarrow. Most girls her age would have been married, and some even had a child, but nobody wanted an unnatural, manure scooping female for a wife. She could almost kill herself for turning down the boy at the dance. It seemed so long ago. He had been a prince! She mentally berated herself, as she did almost everyday.

Violently shoving manure into the wheelbarrow, she heard her name being called out in the yard, by the manager, Al-Siimhea. Surprise quickly covered the frustration in her still youthful features, and she leaned the pitchfork against a wall, hurriedly wiping her hands on a rag by the door before going out into the beating sunlight in the yard.

Al-Siimhea was a short, stocky man, with leather-like skin, black hair, and hard eyes. He liked to spit tobacco whenever possible, and didn't mind who he hit -- unless of course it was a customer. They were treated with utmost respect. He had a linen head cloth to hide the balding spot on the back of his head from the burning sun, and woolen breeches, and a linen shirt, like Kaylee. The only difference was that he also wore a leather vest, as a symbol of his authority in his stable yard.

A high pitched whistle caught her attention, and as she held a hand up to her eyes so she could see, she saw a wondrous sight:

A majestic pure black stallion stood there, tall and muscular, with eyes of fire, and a proud head lifted high. Kaylee could find no fault within his confirmation, or his balance. His trapping were of the finest hand-stitched leather and silk, each placed and made just for him. As Al-Siimhea came near, to grasp the hackamore bridle, the stallion let out another scream, and rose on perfectly balance hinds to slice the man away with sharp unshod front hooves, his small ears flat on his head. The slight feathering on his ankles wavered in the soft breeze that blew through the yard, matching the raven silk strands of lengthy mane and tail. He hit the ground with a muffled thud, and immediately the lean form on his back leapt off, expertly catching the rope rein in his hand. As he turned around, Kaylee stifled her gasp.

It was the prince! She instantly bowed her head, as he held out his hands to give the reins to her. His smile was still easy, and his voice just as warm, his eyes dancing and friendly. The slightly tilted eyes regarded her for a moment, before widening to look at his horse, which had become docile as a child's pony and offering no resistance to Kaylee's taking of his hackamore.

"His name is Prophecy. I'm surprised he's being so nice to you. I will warn you to watch out however, he is usually a devil. I'll be back later in the day for him." His voice wasn't quite as accented as last time she had talked to him, but still had that distinctness she could never miss. He flipped her a gold coin, before turning, and walking out of the stable yard, leaving Kaylee standing there astonished.

Al-Siimhea wasn't one to be gaping at a well-paying customer. He barked out, "Well? What are you waiting for, go get that horse in a stall, and finish mucking out your own! We haven't got all day to feel special about getting a gold coin! Go!" His loud voice made Kaylee jump, and the stallion snort, and laid his ears a fraction backwards, but she jiggled his lead a little, to get his attention, and led him to the shadowed interior of the barn.

She was surprised that he hadn't remembered her. He seemed to have believed in that prophecy so much, and she had even heard him say, "I will never forget you." Obviously a change of clothes and scenery had made him a liar. She quickly gave the stallion a light brushing where his tack had been, smoothing out the ebony hairs, hung his trappings outside his stall, and went back to her mucking out, her mind still on the prince.

The rest of the day she spent mucking and raking; frustrated that Al-Siimhea wouldn't even let her exercise a horse. She'd thought a year's worth of dedicated service meant something to some people. Exercising also paid a touch better, and he knew that her family was pressed for money.

Hours of cleaning later, and Kaylee was a mess, her hair flying out of its weave, breeches and shirt streaked with unnamable substances, a smear of something across her neck. Her eyes were tired, and she appeared older than her seventeen years should have allowed. The prince had finally returned, and Kaylee once again was called upon to tack him back up.

She was in the process of cross-tying the horse in his stall, when a shadow fell across the doorway. She looked up to find the prince watching her, and noticing where she was, picking up the tack himself and carrying it in the stall. He handed her the saddle, and took the expertly weaved silken hackamore in his own hands to put on the stallion.

"You don't have to do that you know..." Kaylee told him pointedly. "It's my job, and I need the money." The difference between his immaculate silk garments and her manure stained ones was obvious.

"I like horses. I won't tell the hostler I helped. I just watched you tack him up, record speed." He grinned at her, as if he had made a joke, which Kaylee thought was terrible. "What's your name? I've never seen a female groom in the city before." He commented, looking her over.

She felt a bit uncomfortable, and moved to the opposite side of the horse to fix things on that side. What had the prince come of within the year she had left? He certainly had lost some of his manners! Blushing when he couldn't see her, she replied, "Kaylee."

"Kaylee..." He repeated thoughtfully, rubbing a hand up and down the horse's forehead.

She decided to go out on a limb, as his name popped back into her head. "Kai." She said it pointedly, and shortly, but it got the effect she had desired.

He almost jumped, and turned to look at her, eyes wide, then scrutinizing. "What did you just call me?" His hands stopped moving, as he demanded the answer of her.

She sucked in a breath, and went out on a limb, as the memories of the night flooded her memory. "Kai. You said your whole name was too big to say, bigger than you even." She highly doubted this now. The prince had grown into a full-fledged man, grown almost five inches, and bulked out some. He was still lean and muscular as ever though.

"H-how did you know that? I don't tell that name to anybody. Only three people in my life have been told it." His eyes were certainly boring a hole into her head as he stared at her, but she took on the challenge and stared back.

"I'm one of those three. Don't you remember anything from last year? The prince's dance, the prophecy, anything? That girl that was, and is me." She told him, trying not to let her voice start pleading. "But how can that be...I thought...." He once more was at a loss of words, this time not from lack of knowledge of them, but from lack of anything to say.

She sighed, and began to explain, hoping she was saying the right things. "The only reason I got to go to that dance was because my mother played the flute in the king's instrumental group. She lost her position the night of the dance for some reason, and I'm here because well...somebody had to help out with the finances, and my brother's not old enough to do anything."

"So I guess that prophecy came true then, huh?" He said, but his words were bittersweet on his tongue. His eyes strayed to the floor, and for some reason, were sad.

She nodded. "I guess so...funny name for a horse, Prophecy." She said, desperate for a random subject change.

He shrugged. "Someone told me, right after I had heard of that prophecy for the first time, that black horses were good luck. So I took a chance. I guess he led me right."

He leaned against the horse's back, his eyes unfocused for a moment, before he looked at Kaylee. "I would say, come with me to the Palace, quit your job, marry me, but well...it's too late. My mother found me a 'lovely girl who will be perfect for me'." He quoted his mother, rolling his eyes. "What do I want with a submissive, whimsical, idiot. I need somebody who can think, carry on a conversation. Enjoy things without having to make an effort." He sounded almost mad.

Kaylee didn't say anything, but kept her head down, and closed her eyes to squeeze them shut tightly. When she opened them, she lifted her head, and refused to give in to the tears. Why couldn't she have just told him yes a year ago? Why couldn't his mother have waited another week to find him a wife? So many why's and not enough answer's ran around in her brain.

She picked up Prophecy's lead, and opened his stall, leading him out for Kai. She stopped short when Al-Siimhea appeared in the aisle. "Took you long enou-- what are you doing in the stall, your highness?" He bowed his head, motioning for Kaylee to do the same.

She bent her head, but listened to Kai's answer. "Good Master, I just wanted to make sure my horse's tack was correctly put on. As you can tell, he does not like many people, and has many bad habits he performs for those he doesn't like." Kai's voice had become cultured and regal, booking no argument.

"Very good, I hope you recommend this stable to others." The hostler said, before walking down the aisle to bark at somebody else.

Kaylee continued to lead the horse down to the patch of dying light in the yard, offering Kai a leg up, when they stopped. He thanked her with a quiet murmur, and was about to ride off, when he called her back, and leaned around to dig in his saddlebag. He came up with a paper and lead stick. He began scribbling quickly. "Please, lead me to the gate as I write this down." He instructed her. At the gate, he folded the letter quickly in half and tucked something in it, and pressed his hand to Kaylee's, holding it for a moment, as his eyes met hers. He pulled her hand upwards, and kissed it gently, and Kaylee was reminded strongly of the dance, except he was horseback, and she covered in muck. He let go, and gripped the reins, without a word, clucking to his horse, who took off into the streets.

Kaylee stuffed the paper in her pocket, and hurried to a secluded corner to read it. Even in the leaving sunlight, she could make out:

Kaylee:
Remember I told you if you ever need something, I'd be at the Palace? I still am. It's the Prince's sister. There's still 48 hours. Please try. Remember prophecy.
Kai
PS: Keep all this. It's for you and your family. Do not spend it trying to help me.

Out of the note spilled five gold coins, enough to buy food for more than two months. She scrunched the note and the money back down in her pocket, and went to find her brother. Daylight hours were up, and she definitely had reason to go home now.

Her whole way home was spent in deep thought, she was so out of it, once or twice, her brother even had to pull her from the roads, wincing as driver's cussing tongues lashed their ears. "Pay attention, won't you Kay?" He commented the second time, "What's got you so daydream-y anyways?" He asked her, his brown eyes curious.

He was nearly as tall as her, but his form was still skinny and knock-kneed. He had a mop of unruly brown hair on his head, and his skin was clear, a spiced ginger, rich with flavor. Only time was needed, for him to turn into the man he was supposed to be. Time and food.

She nodded, "I will, I promise." She did try to look out for herself too, but ideas of ways to get into the Palace kept her imagination vivid, and she nearly ran into a parked cart, before realizing it was there and dodging out of the way.

They now lived in a three room apartment above a carpenter's shop. The tiny old man who rented it out to them was kind, always ready to give them a few more days, if they didn't have rent on time. He had skin, like wizened sun blackened leather, and white hair. He was famous for the three freckles that adorned his left cheek, and given him a nickname of Freckle. He was an expert craftsman, and his shop was full all working hours, and then some.

"Good evenin', Kaylee, Jahrahd." He nodded to them, with a toothy grin, as he began to chisel a piece of wood into some mystical shape near impossible for anyone else. "Good day at the stables?" He asked politely, as he always did.

"Yes sir," Kaylee responded, hurrying past the sweet woody smell of his shop to the stairs in the back that led to their apartment. "Good night!" Kaylee called, shushing her brother as he pestered her.

"Why was your day so good? It was terrible for me, hauling wheelbarrows for all them grungy men." He told her. "You got to spend the day working with horses at least." He let himself in the door when Kaylee unlocked it, going straight to the kitchen.

One of the greatest advantages of their apartment was the water line that ran right next to the building, giving them twenty four hour water access. Freckle had split the line, and made part go into his shop, and up into the apartment, just for them. Kaylee began to fill a tub with water, intent on taking a bath, as soon as she could. She felt covered in grime, and the smear of something on her neck was hard and stale, cracking off when she turned her neck.

The bath was everything she could have wanted, hot and steaming, and she felt refreshed once she had gotten out.

She glanced around the small living quarters, opening the door back up that led from the kitchen to the rest of the house, to see her brother lying on his back, in the middle of their living room. He had probably been staring at the stars through the small skylight, as he liked to do, but had obviously fallen asleep.

Kaylee smiled, and was about to wake him, as their door gave the tiniest of squeaks as it opened. Looking up, Kaylee saw her mother step in, and seeing what they were doing, motioned Kaylee not to wake Jahrahd.

"We'll let him sleep while I take my own bath, then we'll eat when he's done. Is the water heating?" She whispered to Kaylee crossing the living area of their apartment, into the kitchen to peer in at the cauldron-like bucket that hung in front of the fire to heat. "Thanks, I'll only be about a half hour." She went into the kitchen, and closed the door, leaving the room in half-dark, lit only by the lamps littered around the room.

They had a small tattered couch along one wall, and Kaylee curled up in the corner of it, unfolding the note she had taken from her pocket. She quickly scanned it again, setting the five gold coins on the arm of the couch, and closed her eyes to scheme ways to get back to Kai.

I'd be at the Palace, I still am. It's the Prince's sister. So obviously she needed to get into the Palace, but how? She couldn't simply walk up to those forbidding front doors and demand to see him. She'd be laughed off the grounds and then punished for 'stepping out of her place' as a woman. She growled to herself about the stupidities of society. She only needed to stay there for forty-eight hours, so however she got in, she didn't need to stay long. She could pretend to be somebody's slave-girl, people always had plenty of them, they probably wouldn't even notice one more, but she shuddered to think of what might happen to her while she was play-acting the slave.

She sighed, and read the next part again.It's the Prince's sister. Who was? The girl his parents had arranged for him to marry? It only made sense. She had heard something of the celebration in the stables from talk, and people arriving with strange accents, asking directions to the Palace. She half smiled at the thought of the Prince's sister with Kai. They would never get along. The Prince's sister, Rhamalai, was the perfect princess. She loved to sit and stare at nothing, in attempt to look longing and thoughtful. She was submissive to the bone, and would do anything anyone asked of her. She loved fine clothes, and perfumes, and didn't mind just sitting somewhere all afternoon. Talk was, she had no brain whatsoever, and was stupid as a cow. No, she wouldn't suit Kai at all. Kaylee had to get into the Palace.

Remember prophecy. Kaylee thought on this a moment, when it hit her. Prophecy, of course! It would be dangerous, and she could possibly get killed, or hurt, but she figured it was worth it, if it all went through. And if it didn't...well...she had Kai to vouch for her, didn't she?

Smiling to herself, she leaned over to pick up the coins, as her mother re-entered the room, her long almost black hair hung straight down her back, and she glowed faintly from scrubbing. "Wake up your brother, it's his turn."

Kaylee obediently got up, and bent down to shake her brother awake, who gave a fuzzy reply when she told him it was his turn, but he soon got up, and went to take his own bath.

He only took about ten minutes, and they were soon in the kitchen, around their small table, eating a beef and vegetable stew, that was rich with spices.

"So how was your day?" Alyah asked them.

"Boring, I wheelbarrowed all day, instead of just half, cuz there wasn't any dirty stuff to clean." Jahrahd complained, "wheelbarrowed" was his word for hauling around the wheelbarrow. He started picking out the beef chunks from his stew. He always at his stew like that, beef first, then vegetables.

"Kaylee?" Her mother turned to her.

"Good...I got a tip today." She said, "A really big tip..." She looked up at her mother, putting the money out on the table.

Her mother's eyes widened. "Good-...Five?" She was astonished, usually, a silver was considered a good tip. "Who would give that much money to you?" She asked.

"It was just a guy-" She was cut off by her brother.

"You shoulda seen him Momma, he had this great black stallion, and only Kaylee could control him. He was a rich guy, I bet he was a prince. And Kaylee spent like...twenty minutes talking to him in the stall. Kaylee liked him." His last line was taunting, and he laughed, the grin spreading across his face.

"Kaylee! You talked to a royal? I thought that man taught you proper manners! Don't disgrace him like that. Next time, you'd better keep your mouth shut. I can't believe you still got a tip." Her mother reprimanded her.

Kaylee had thought her mother would be glad. "But Momma, he asked me stuff, I didn't start anything...it woulda been impolite to not reply..." She defended herself, but her mother just shook her head.

When dinner was nearly over, Kaylee excused herself, and left to go to the room she shared with her brother. It was on one side of the kitchen, and her mother's was on the other, in hope of keeping the rooms warm in the winter by the fireplace.

Their room was simple, just two pallets laid out on the floor. Kaylee went to hers to lie down, and had fallen asleep by the time her brother came in.

She arose before dawn, and with a glance to her still sleeping brother, she got up and dressed, stealing a set of her brother's clothes. Feminine clothes were not what she needed today. She wore her own boots, and tied her hair up, quietly leaving through the door, and made her way into the carpenter's shop.

Freckle was already up, making small whittled adjustments on whatever he had been carving, and Kaylee barely noticed him, until he spoke. "Morning, what are you doing up so early? I thought I was the only one crazy enough to be up before dawn. His white hair shimmered in the firelight by which he worked. "Come here an' lookit this, tell me what you think." He beckoned her over.

Kaylee made her way around various cabinets and knickknacks, and shelves, to where he was, breathing in the sweet sawdust smell. He handed her what looked like the board that would go in front of a shelf on a fancy cabinet. It depicted a sun, with rays crossing the sky, and small low hills, with a horse in the middle. It was beautifully carved, and Kaylee could find no fault. "I love it, it's so perfect." She told him truthfully, running her hands along the curved edges.

"Why thank you. Here now, don't touch it too much; you'll smooth out my marks." He took it back, with a grin. "You get along, don't want to keep you." He bent back over the board, and began to make miniscule marks on it, completely forgetting about Kaylee.

She smiled, and slipped out the front door into the dawn light. There were many people out, setting up their shops, and moving products around the market, ready for the morning crowd. Kaylee smiled to a few people she had become acquainted with, one threw her a free apple. She took a bit, savoring the sweetness that dribbled out.

The stable was mainly quiet, and it didn't take Kaylee long to find what she was looking for: a large pair of shears, used usually on the horse's tails when they grew too long. She threw the apple core in a waste bin, and closed her eyes, taking a chunk of her hair, and chopped it off, above her ear. She heard the soft whispery noise as the hair fell on the flagstone, and she gulped, taking another chunk of hair.

The final result left her feeling light. The hair was mostly short, only a couple of inches long at the most. She grimaced, picking up a handful of dirt, ready for the next stage. She rubbed it gently into her cheek, turning her complexion a bit less feminine, a touch scratchier, and paler.

There. She put the shears back, and dusted her hands off on her pants, and pulled the note she had written earlier out of her pocket, and stuck it on Al-Siimhea's office door. It was the only office in the whole stable, so she doubted it would be missed.

The light was starting its journey over the sky, proving to be a hot day as Kaylee began her journey. The Palace was about an hour's walk away, and she wasn't sure of her way. She felt odd, with such loose clothes on as the men wore, their baggy, knee length breeches, cotton shirt and vest. She figured she could pass for a younger boy, as long as she didn’t keep her eyes open very wide, and her chest in. Thankfully, she hadn’t grown that much in those regions.

About an hour passed, but Kaylee still hadn’t caught sight of the Palace, and was growing worried. Stopping at a stall that sold fruits, she asked the well rounded man behind the counter, “In what direction would I take to get to the Palace?” She attempted to keep her voice low, and confident, like a male’s would be.

He stuck out a finger down the road. “Well, take this street till you pass a corner store, that sells only sweets, you’ll find it easy, only kids are there. Take a left, , then at the first street, take a right, it’ll wind around till you can see the Palace and find the rest of your way.” He said a bit gruffly. “Can’t interest you in some fruit could I, young sir?” He asked her hopefully.

“Ah…no, but thank you for the directions.” She turned before he could say anything else, and walked quickly down the street, bending her way around carts and donkeys and horses.

She could feel her face begin to sweat a little, when she found the candy store the man had talked of. It made even her mouth water, all that sweet food in one store, but she kept her mind firm on her destination, and turned left, as the man had told her. Mercifully, the buildings on one side of the small street shadowed over it, giving a little relief to the sun, as it neared late morning. She could see the street she was supposed to turn on a ways down the alley, when a gruff hand grabbed her from behind, and pushed her against the wall.

She tried to scream, but the man had pressed a wad of something nasty in her mouth, and try as she might, she could do little but gag, another hand had been pressed over her eyes. He held her in place by the force of his solid body, she could feel it as his hip jammed into her abdomen, and she gasped, there was no doubt she was going to get a bruise there.

The man was large, very tall, and built like a boulder, with wide shoulders, and thick legs. His face was mostly covered, and he kept it in the shadows as he spoke, “I know you ain’t no boy. Now, why don’t you come with me, like a good little girl, hmm?” His voice purred in her ear, and she shivered, breathing fast.

She shivered, trying to stay calm, and tried to break away, kicking her feet out, but kicks did little good against a rock. He smashed her up against the wall with his hip again, his voice evil, “A rough one, eh? I like ‘em rough...I think you need to come with me pretty thing.” She felt him trying to feel her up, and tried her best to squeeze sideways, but he only grabbed her, tying her hands with something, a rag or piece of cloth it felt like, and the gag was tied over her mouth securely, as he roughly shoved her forward, keeping his hand around her head and over her eyes, forcing her to go with him no matter how she twisted, ducked and turned. She felt the air change, and guessed they had entered some small, three foot wide alleyway, that smelt a bit like trash, or unclean people. It also got darker, and she tripped, falling forward as he pushed her up stairs, cursing as he picked her up, swatting her head unmercifully. “Listen to me wench, or I’ll do more’n beat you. I told you, stairs! Now, here’s four more.” He shoved her up those as well, and she tried not to stumble, or cry.

She was past panicking, she was a bit numb, in shock over what had happened to her, and she felt him lead her into a house, and lock the door, where she was shoved into a pile of something soft, that groaned with many voices. “Stay there. I’ll be back later, and you’re first.” He threatened her, and she heard the door shut again, and lock from the outside, before she dared to open her eyes.

The room was dark, with molding wooden walls reinforced with concrete from the outside. There were four windows, one in each wall. The windows were at the very top, a foot wide, and maybe five inches tall, and covered in broken glass. The only animal that could have possible survived in there were rats, or cockroaches, and the only thing they would be able to smell if they tried, was fear; total and insane fear. It emanated from the seven girls, huddled on the floor, all beautiful, thin, and afraid. Kaylee huddled in a corner away from them, staring at them, and they stared back, just as wide-eyed and suspicious. The gag was still stuffed in her mouth, and her hands tied, or she might have tried to move.

Finally, one girl, obviously a foreigner with her fair, barely tanned skin, and hair that flowed to her waist like honey, stood up, and eyed Kaylee with her big green eyes. Her voice was soft, and she didn’t move her mouth much as she spoke, in an almost whisper with a decidedly English accent. “I’m Mary, don’t worry, I won’t hurt you, I just want to take the rags off of you.” She moved over toward Kaylee, who held herself stiff as the girl untied the knots with a barely felt touch, and pulled the gag out of her mouth.

Kaylee retched, spitting out a piece that had got stuck, still tasting the feel of soiled rag in her mouth. Finally she sat back on her knees, and in a small voice said, “Thanks…I’m Kaylee… do you know where we are?” She asked cautiously, looking at the other girls.

Mary shook her head, and one of the other girls replied. “I’ve been here the longest…almost two weeks. Whoever that man is, who kidnapped us - I’m guessing you were kidnapped by the same man as all of us - he runs this place. It’s like a whorehouse… He takes girls off the streets, and keeps them here, and sells them to other men for a night. Then we’re blindfolded, and we stay blindfolded until we return here, and the man who buys us gets to do whatever he wishes…no matter if we want to or not. He doesn’t care what condition we’re returned in.” She shivered, wrapping her thin arms around herself, one arm revealed a bruise that looked much like a man’s hand prints. “Oh, and I’m Reyelle.” She had brown wavy hair and big brown eyes, with luminous pale skin.

Kaylee shuddered. That was exactly what her mom had warned her about, getting kidnapped by strange men on the streets. And she had thought that dressing as a boy would stop all that. “So have you ever been…paid for?” She asked the girl.

“Twice…” She replied softly, looking down as if ashamed at herself.

They sat in silence for a few moments, when there was a loud ruckus at the front door, and there’s was a man’s shout of, “You whore!” And their door was thrown open and a dark shadow bowled into the room, not even falling over, immediately, it was up, ramming into the quickly shut door with a loud crash, yelling incomprehensible dirty phrases at the man.

Nobody wanted to go near her, as she rammed her shoulder against the door, again and again, finally stopping and turning slowly around, breathing lightly, asked, “Who else is in here?” She sounded defensive, and despite the fact she had a blindfold on her eyes, and her hands tied behind her back, she looked very formidable.

It was Mary who answered her, “There are seven of us, including you. If you’ll let me, I’ll take all that off you, so you can see.” Mary said cautiously. They had all huddled in a corner at the arrival of the other.

“You do that.” The girl replied turning around and showing her hands. Mary’s soft footsteps weren’t heard, and the girl flinched when Mary touched her. The rags were soon off, and the girl turned around.

She was built along the lines of a blacksmith, thick waist, and legs, strong and stout. She hard rich, thick black hair that went halfway down her back after being tied in a band. Her skin was dark, like most Africans, and she had wide flashing eyes, that were full of anger and hate. There was no doubt about her beauty, as it was with most of them.

She wasn’t shy either, “Where am I? And what’re all you doin’ here?” She asked, looking them over.

“He kidnapped us, he sells us, for a night, to any man who wants us. Who’re you?” Reyelle said, and looked like she was going to say more, when the girl interrupted her again.

“Call me Zaer. So why don’t none of you escape? I ain’t planning’ on bein’ no man’s sex slave.” She said loudly, crossing her arms under ample bosom defiantly.

“I’ve tried, I’m not as strong as you though, and that man’s bigger than an ox, there’s no way I’d get past him.” Reyelle told her.

“Hmph,” Was the girl’s only reply. She took a step back, and leaned against the wall, sliding down so she could sit in silence. It was obvious that she was thinking about a way to get out of the place, since her dark eyes kept glancing at the windows and door.

The rest of them sat in silence, trying not to stare at her, but all their eyes kept flickering to her face, yet every time she looked at them, they would quickly look away, avoiding her dominant down-the-nose stare. Kaylee wondered if she would come up with a plan, or if they would be forced to be as what the girl called it, “sex slaves”. Kaylee rolled her legs out from under her, and pulled them to her chest.

Everyone jumped, as Zaer spoke up, her eyes looking to Reyelle for the answer. “So how often does he bring in new girls, or open the door? I bet we’d be able to push our way out.” She said confidently, there was no doubt she probably could too - provided there was only one person on the other side of the door.

Reyelle, who was sitting cross-legged with her elbows on her knees, and her chin in her hands, pushed a strand of her dark hair away from her face. “I don’t know, sometimes he will bring in four or five a day, and other days, he won’t bring any. And if a man wants to pay for us…he’ll open the door to bring us out, and there’s usually a guy wanting somebody every night.” She explained.

The girl rested her chin in her hand, thoughtfully. “So you’re saying there should be someone here tonight?”

“Yeah...unless he brings somebody in earlier.” Reyelle answered. “Did you think up a way to get out?”

“It’s really simple actually. I’m surprised none of you have escaped, or even thought about it-“

“Hey, I never said we hadn’t tried. We’re just not strong enough.” Reyelle defended the group sitting against the wall.

“Ok, ok, here’s what we’re going to do.” Zaer just took charge like it was the most natural thing in world to her - and it probably was - and like sheep, the obediently did as she told. “When he opens the door, I’m going to be the first one there, I’ll pull the door wide, and you all will run through. You’d better run fast too. Run out the exit, and find the most crowded street you can. I think if you go straight down the street, it runs next to the main street of this city - at least that’s what it sounded like when I was comin’ in here.” She paused, staring at the windows, where there was still bright daylight streaming through, it must have been around midday. “If he tries to stop you, kick, hit, punch, bite, do anything to make him let go. I’ll be the last one out, and I’ll try to knock him out, so he can’t follow. Find your house, a friend’s house, anywhere that you can stay until tomorrow as quick as possible, and stay there.”

Kaylee swallowed when she said that, she was going to the Palace, and certainly not back toward her house. She didn’t say anything though, she knew she would only be kept back.

Mary raised a hand partially, voicing a question with her accented voice.. “What about the other man that will be with? What if he tries to stop us?”

“Do the same thing, I don’t think he’ll be much of a problem though…He’ll be too scared.” She cracked a grin, “I bet if we came out yelling and screaming, he’d scare off like a cat.” She actually managed to laugh, and it echoed strangely in the small room, the thick walls quickly swallowing it up and returning it with an uncomfortable silence.

Zaer obviously moved fast, from getting in the room, to having a plan to get out within about a half hour. She sighed, and leaned back against the wall, closing her eyes. Leaning her head forward after about a minute, she said, “Can everyone do that?” She asked, finally allowing them to put in their opinions.

Kaylee and the other five nodded, seeing nothing else that they could do. The girl would probably defend her plan of action and make them follow it even if they didn’t want to.

Zaer lay down on the hard floor, flat on her back, stretching out her legs, and catching her feet in a small niche in the wall., not minding the fact that the dress she wore slid down to her knees, to reveal muscular legs. She put her hands behind her head, and said, “I don’t know about you all, but I’m going to sleep. Wake me up when it starts to get dark.” Then, to all appearances, fell asleep.

Kaylee locked eyes with Mary, who raised her eyebrows, and hid a smile behind a slim hand. The honey-haired girl slid over next to Kaylee, her fair skin making Kaylee’s look dark. She whispered, with a glance to see that she didn’t wake the sleeping girl, to Kaylee. “So what part of town are you going to?” She asked, green eyes looking to Kaylee’s dark coffee-brown ones.

Kaylee shook her head, “I’m not going home.” She said softly, looking down.

“You’re not - but then where are you going to go?” Mary asked, settling more comfortably down on the ground.

Kaylee clutched her arms tighter around her legs, looking up to meet the pale’s beauty’s stare. “The Palace.” She replied, even softer than before.

“Oh, my…why ever would you go there?” Mary continued to question, and Kaylee found herself confiding in Mary the whole story.

Mary smiled when she was done, sighing wistfully. “I wish I had a prince to want me like that. You’re so lucky!” She smiled again. “Only my sister is like that…she’s married to Prince Kahdar, I wonder if you saw her at the dance, she doesn’t look a bit like me, except for the green eyes.”

Kaylee gasped, “Did she do a dance, all alone?” She asked her eager to know.

“Yeah, it was a bit racy if you ask me. But then, she’s always been one to walk on the wild side.” She said as an afterthought. “Did you see her?”

“I did! I sat next to her at the table we ate at! She was a really good dancer.” Kaylee told her, “Every male at the dance wanted to talk to her after her performance. They wouldn’t stay away from her. You two don’t look much like sisters though.” Kaylee told her, wondering if she would explain that.

“Oh, we’re only half-sisters, but I’ve known her since I was born and we grew up together. Once she was married though, it seems like she completely forgot about our family.” Mary said almost bitterly. “She doesn’t even talk to us anymore.”

“I’m sorry…” Kaylee replied quietly. She knew how it felt to loose a family member, her father hadn’t been heard of since he left her mother, 16 years ago when Kaylee had been born. Kaylee looked down, unsure of what to say, but Mary filled the silent void

“I think I’m going to try and get some sleep then…I’m getting tired. It’s probably only about two hours until sundown anyway.” Mary told her, laying down on her side facing the wall, pillowing her head on her arms. Within five minutes, she was breathing deeply, and Kaylee was sure she had fallen asleep.

Kaylee had dozed off, in minutes, leaning her back against a wall. She arose to somebody shaking her shoulder, whispering for her not to shout out. She blinked the sleep from her eyes, realizing it had grown dark outside the windows, and the room was little more than shadows. Reyelle’s luminous skin shone in the half-light, and the Zaer was but a shadow, as she crouched near the door.

Mary’s pale face came next to Kaylee’s as she said, “They think he’ll come soon, Zaer said that she heard him talking about leaving or something. Some ‘”job”.” Mary told her. “Be ready to run.” She turned and went back to near where Reyelle was behind Zaer. There was a thump outside the door, and everyone twitched, growing tense, and Zaer’s voice whispered, “Don’t look back. Run as fast as you can.” And she set her hands on the side of the door.

Both the man’s surprise, all the girl’s yells, and Zaer’s strength contributed to the fact that the door was wrenched open, revealing the astonished man almost falling over as the seven of them streamed past him. He immediately recovered, and attempted to pull the door shut, yelling curses at them, but Zaer had managed to grab hold of his arm and wouldn’t let go.

“Go! Run!” She yelled to them, shoving the man into the room as best she could, her feet stepping on his, attempting to trip him, her other hand punching his face.

Kaylee took off, glad to be wearing the loose breeches, they were easy to run in. She was the last out besides Zaer, but stumbled as she left the door, apparently it was down a level, and there was a small step. It was Zaer’s dark arm that grabbed her own in a vice-like grip, hauled her to her feet, and pushed her back, telling her to run. Kaylee set her feet into motion, following the rest of the fleeing girls toward the doorway, leaping over flights of steps. Finally, they reached the door, Zaer was already hot on their heels, urging them to run faster as they broke into the night air outside.

There was a man right outside the doorway, obviously waiting for one of the girls, and he grabbed Mary’s arm as she shot out the doorway, making her slim form swing around into him. None of the other girls stopped, and Kaylee barely had time to see the man’s face, but it gave her chills - it was the fruit seller who had given her directions, and the smile on his face was far from pleasant. She grunted as Zaer bumped into her from behind, the dark girl’s voice still telling her to run, and Kaylee immediately turned, seeing Zaer go after the man who held Mary with two fists punching any part of him they could reach, finally making him drop unconscious to the ground. She grabbed Mary’s arm and Kaylee’s hand as she passed her, pulling them with her toward the open street. Her strong legs pounded against the ground, and Kaylee wondered how she could run so fast so far. Kaylee’s own legs were about to start burning, but Zaer propelled her along nonetheless, her breath coming in pants.

People shouted as the pushed past them, elbowing them out of their way, but Zaer’s momentum carried them most of the way through the crowd before they could stop. Zaer was breathing hard from the fighting and sprinting, and she leaned over with her hands on her knees as soon as they were in the middle of the crowded street. She looked up, her dark eyes filled with tired relief. “Go, find your homes, good fortune go with you, and next time, watch out in dark alleys,” She truly smiled at them this time, filling her beautiful face with gratitude and embraced them both briefly, before turned, and half jogging down the street, careful to stay out of shadows, her head turning this way and that watching out for herself.

Kaylee turned toward Mary, breathless with relief and weariness. “I guess I should say goodbye, I still have to find my way to the Palace.” Kaylee told her, turning to go, but Mary’s words stopped her.

“Come home with me, there’s no telling where those men are, they might find you again. My family will keep you for a night I’m sure.” Mary told her.

Kaylee could do little but give her a smile of gratitude, and follow her down the street.

Her house wasn’t that far away, only two blocks, and it was above a shop, as Kaylee’s house was, though Mary’s apartment was much more spacious.

Following her up the steps, all the European influences that had been added on the place overwhelmed her. A railing on the stairway, ornate handles on the doors, pictures on the walls, all were foreign to her, and made her feel a bit out of place. Mary opened the door, and Kaylee stood a bit back, as the perfectly English accented voices flowed out.

“Mary…? Oh, my darling! Mary!” A woman’s voice broke, and began to cry, while a man’s voice broke through.

“Mary! How - where…” He seemed at a loss of what to say, and Kaylee peered around the doorframe to watch.

A blonde woman was hugging Mary to her perfumed European clothes, attempting to blot her teary face with a handkerchief. The father, a dark haired, dark skinned man - quite the opposite of his wife - hugged her from the other side. It was Mary who finally broke the hug apart, pulling her mother to the door, motioning for Kaylee to step in the room.

“Mother, this is Kaylee…Kaylee, this is my mother, Elizabeth, and my father, Elijah. Mother, she was kidnapped with me. We escaped together. She had to go all the way to the Palace, and I told her to come here. She wouldn’t dare walk the distance in this dark.” Mary explained to her mother, who gave Kaylee a warm smile, and wrapped an arm over her shoulder. Kaylee shrunk in on herself, feeling uncomfortable, but the woman’s words were welcoming and kind.

“Indeed, please, welcome to our home. Kaylee, you said your name was?” The lady asked.

Kaylee nodded silently.

“Well, you two must be hungry, come, eat some food, and tell us what happened to you.” Mary’s father told them, ushering them all into the kitchen.

Kaylee floated through that night, not really a part of it, listening and nodding at the correct times, but not taking part in anything. The food was strange, and heavy to her, so she only at a little of what she was served, despite their urges for her to eat more. She listened to Mary recounting her adventure to her mother, and then followed Mary to her bedroom, where she was given an extra set of blankets, and nightgown to sleep in.

The next morning, she woke up quite early despite being dead tired from the day before. Nobody else in the house was awake, and Kaylee didn’t want to disturb them, so she silently rose from her pallet on the floor, and dressed, folding the nightgown and blankets properly and leaving them by the wall.

Soft motes of dust danced in the rays of sun that leaked though the window above Mary’s bed, catching her tawny hair spread out behind her, and turning it to gold. The room was small, with just a bed, beaureau, and wash stand, but they were all of good quality, and the place was clean. Kaylee was about to leave, when a thought occurred to her.

She glanced to Mary’s sleeping figure, curled up under the blankets on her bed, and rummaged around as quietly as she could in the small nightstand drawer. Finally, she found what she had been looking for - paper and something to write with - she quickly wrote a thank you to Mary, and her parents, and as she wrote the last line, she had the urge to scratch it out as she reread it. Don’t worry, I will try and talk to your sister. She swallowed, and folded the paper in half, and left it on the table.

She quickly stole out of the small house, and stepped out into the market street, which was already flooded in morning sunlight. Everything had been dipped in gold, since the street ran from east to west, and there was already a scramble of people out, trying to sell their wares, set up their stalls, and make their way through the street.

Kaylee pushed her way through, as fast as possible, going east, toward the Palace as best she could, trying to stay on main roads, and away from alleys and little-used streets. The incident from yesterday was still strong on her mind.

About an hour and half later, the tall golden spires of the Palace rose to dominate the sky, and Kaylee easily found her way from there. Soon, she was in front of the Palace, staring at the magnificent, pale walls, ornate decoration, and beauty beyond imagining of the place. Turned her head left and right, she looked for the stables. She saw men leading the horses toward the left, so she followed them, and found herself standing in the arched entrance to the stable yard, its gates wide open.

The stable yard was clean, and shimmering horses stood everywhere, each perfect and expensive. Men shouted and lead horses here and there, some coming back swaety from exercise and ready to be given baths, some led out to be ridden. Kaylee stepped in the yard, and was immediately confronted by a burly, slightly pudgy man who had a riding crop stuck in his boot. He had dark hair, and rough leather-like tan skin, where it wasn’t covered by coarse beard and mustache. His voice was gruff, and his small black eyes hard under their thick eyebrows. “What’dya want?” He looked her up and down not caring about politeness. He spat in dirt next to his boot.

“A job, sir. I’m a groom,” she told him, nervously folding her hands behind her back.

“A job?” He scoffed, laughing in her face. “Why, a horse’d soon as knock you over. Naw, go get your daddy to apprentice you to some quiet profession, pretty boy.” He turned away, still laughing.

Kaylee bristled. Throwing caution to the wind, she retorted, half-yelling. “I bet I can handle any horse in this place! Any!” She stood there; legs braced, fists at her side, eyes burning.

The hostler turned, surprise in his features, but then he grinned and chuckled again. “Alright then, pretty boy, I propose you this deal: I give you a horse, you be able to ride it easily within fifteen minutes. If you can, you can work; if you can’t, you leave. And if you get hurt, it’s not my problem.” His small dark eyes scrutinized her.

“Deal.” She said squarely, trying to keep her nerves down. The man clapped, and there was a scream.

A pounding was heard at the barn door, and a stallion’s high-pitched sound echoed through the yard. Kaylee gulped, wondering what she had gotten herself into.

Two men appeared, each holding a rope on either side of the beast’s halter, and in a clatter of hooves he appeared, head high and defiant. The ropes were quickly unclipped, and Kaylee found herself in a suddenly deserted stable yard, facing the unhappy stallion. The other grooms and men had taken their horses, and stood behind the walls, and fences watching.

By the looks of the stallion, they had attempted to work him, but had only succeeded in agitating him even more. He was big, and black, and somehow familiar. His delicate ears were back on his head, and when he rose on his hinds to slash at her with his hooves as Kaylee approached, she knew him - Prophecy. His lightly feathered ankles hit the ground with a dull thud, as Kaylee extended her hand palm up for him. He snorted, lifting a little on his hind legs, and backing up a step, before tentatively extending his neck to sniff at her palm, his wide, partially white eyes watching her face, ears flickering undecided back and forth.

Kaylee murmured incomprehensible words, and his ears pricked to listen. She slowly raised her hand to touch his forehead, barely feeling the soft hair between his wide-set eyes. Precious seconds ticked by, until she was able to step closer to him, and run a hand down his strong arched neck. He even had the nerve to bang into her arm with his muzzle, snorting softly, rolling his eyes back to watch her.

Ten minutes.

Kaylee’s hands went back to his face, and she gently tugged on his forelock, bringing him toward a fence. He mumbled at her, but went with her, standing still next to it as Kaylee stepped on the bottom rung, so she could reach his back. Steadying him with a hand, she wrapped her other hand in his mane, and slid over onto his back.

As soon as she made contact with it, he started and took off. Her hand caught in his mane as she slid sideways off him, making him drag her a few feet before her hand came loose where she skidded a few feet in the hard dirt. She tasted the grit, as she slowly got up, spitting it out. The males sitting on the fence were laughing and she could hear some of them placing bets to see what would happen to her.

She growled to herself, flushing, and went over to the stallion, who more readily accepted her this time. She once more led him by forelock to the fence.

Six minutes.

This time, when she got on the fence, she pressed her hands down on his back, and quickly released them when he shifted his weight, preparing to take off. She crooned to him, rubbing his neck with her hands to calm him and tried again, and again moving each time he shifted to run.

Three minutes.

She knew she had little time left, so she quickly slid one leg over his back, her leg muscles screaming with the effort to not lean on him completely. Finally, she gently let her weight fall onto him, leaning forward over his neck to help her balance as he took off at a rocky trot, swerving every so often. Clinging to him, she attempted not to slide off, and called soft words to him. Rubbing a hand along his neck, she finally got him to slow to a fast walk, and then stop.

The clock stopped ticking, and the hostler walked out of the barn, arms crossed over his chest. He didn’t look very happy at having just been proven wrong. “Ok, so you can have a job.” Were his curt words.

He jabbed a finger toward the stallion, who backed up a pace, ears flat on his head. “He’s your first subject. Groom and water him. Then go get a key, and clothes. You have the day to set up your room, and get the things you need from your house. You start tomorrow.” He turned, and left, his boots making loud clunking noises on the hard floor in the barn.

Kaylee, slid a leg over his back, and rubbed Prophecy’s neck, praising him for being good. The two men who had led the stallion out threw the halter to her, wordlessly, before leaving. Kaylee picked up the halter, and gently put it over the stallion’s head, and led him into the cool interior of the barn.

The barn was by no doubt the best in the city. Its walls were of the highest quality sandstone and wood and cement, all the metals touched with either gold or silver lacquer, and its sweet smell of hay and clean horses was almost pleasing to the nose. There must have been over a hundred stalls, a third of the barn dedicated to mares, another to stallions, and one to geldings, in the middle - and that was only part. There was a whole other corridor of the barn for boarding horses to stay in.

His stall was obvious, one of the best in the stallion third of the barn, with a plaque proclaiming his name to everybody and varnished with gold on the door. She rolled the door wide, and led him in, and removed the halter from his perfect head. He snorted when she shut the door and shook his head as if riding himself of the feeling of the confining straps. She smiled and opened the crate outside his stall, finding grooming utensils, and another halter, and other such extras that a horse would need.

Picking out the appropriate brush, she opened his stall back up, to see him standing in the back, eyes flashing as if saying, “Don’t you dare step in here.” His head lowered slightly on its muscular neck.

Kaylee paused, and shushed him, holding out the hand with the brush for him to see, not yet stepping in his stall. He snorted, and reached his nose out to touch the brush. Once his eyes were distracted by it, Kaylee took a silent step in the stall. His dark eyes went back to her face, and he allowed himself to relax a touch, and allow her close enough to begin running the brush over his silken black-opal hide. Soon enough, he was calm and Kaylee moved around him to brush his face. He mumbled in horse language to her, half closing his eyes. Obviously that was his weak point.

Suddenly, Prophecy jerked his head up, and gave a shrill neigh. Kaylee jumped back, expecting him to turn mean again, but surprisingly, the horse’s ears were pricked, and his features almost happy. Kaylee jumped again, when a voice forced it way into the stall. “Who is touching my horse? I do not know you, and only I assign the grooms for my horse.” The accented voice was strong and commanding, and Kaylee shrunk back against the wood paneled walls. The latch opened, the door rolled back, and a pair of hands - the color of warm brown sugar - took in the eager nose searching them, and caressed the nose with a gentle touch. The prince stepped fully into the stall - whose space had not yet become crowded - and turned to look at her.

He was the same, wearing rich clothes, no shoes, and no jewelry but managing to look important. His voice once more ordered her. “Who are you-” He stopped his words in mid-speech, blinking and looking harder at her. “Kaylee?” His voice went down a notch lower to a whisper. “What are you doing here? How in the heck did you get into the Palace? Why-“

She stopped him in mid-sentence with her soft voice. “You said to at least try. You’d not believe what I went through to get here, but I’m here. Now what?” She asked him, looking up at him. His eyes were wide, his mouth still partially open. She smiled, and reached up a hand to push his jaw together.

He grabbed her hand as she dropped it, looking down at it. “I don’t know…I’m scheduled to be married today! At sunset! There’s no possible way we could get away. What if we don’t find away out? Oh! I don’t know anymore…” He said miserably, looking down at the straw.

“We’ll figure something out, leave it to me…if that is, you still want to try?” She asked him, frowning. At the dance he had been so excited, so intrigued by the few lines that hooked their fates together, and now he was willing to drop it in a heartbeat. It just didn’t make sense to her. There was a sound of loud footsteps outside in the barn.

Kai glanced out through the bars topping the stalls, before quickly bending down below where the paneled wall was whispering fast. “Ok…Send me word of where in the Palace you are, and I’ll try and find you, if I haven’t sent you anything by two, come to my room. It’s-” He looked up and dropped her hand like it was a hot coal, as somebody cleared their throat outside, his eyes wide.

“Excuse me, did you need help?” It was the hostler.

Kai straightened up, and Kaylee suddenly felt his coldness, his air of authority over the other apparent. “I was instructing this groom how to care for my horse. And now we need to discuss how often his groom changes, apparently I am not involved…?” He stepped out of the stall, and began to step down the aisle, stopping when the man didn’t come with him. He looked back, as if impatient. “Master Jaahl?”

Jaahl’s eyes snaked toward Kaylee, who was looking toward Kai, before he turned back to the prince, and gave a short bow, hurrying after him, already spluttering out words in explanation.

“Whoa, whoa!” Kaylee said, holding out an arm to stop the stallion from exiting the stall to go after Kai. He snorted in rebuke, but backed up a pace. Kaylee herself gave him a last rub on the nose, and left the stall. She put the brush back away in the crate and checked to see if his water bucket was full. Lucky enough, it was, and she was free to find the way to the Palace from the stables. Bumping into a groom as she turned the corner, she was almost surprised when he let out a mumbled, “Excuse me.”

“It’s ok…” Kaylee replied, before she remembered to ask him. “Where do you get a key to you room? I’m new here…” She explained herself, looking up to see his face.

He had a long thin face, surrounded by ear-lobe length black hair, and dark eyes. He was lanky, and seemed about six and a half feet tall. There was an easy, no-hurry way about him as he replied. “Go t’ the laundry room, and th’ lady in charge there’ll find you a room.” He told her, with a simple smile, before hoisting the bucket more comfortably in his hand, and disappearing into the barn.

Kaylee half-smiled to herself, before continuing on through the courtyard to the Palace, wiping her brow. The sun was hot and it was just past midday, for the first time, she was almost glad her hair was gone. The barley felt breeze that usually just danced around her face now cooled her neck, and enshrouded her before leaving.

The servant’s entrance wasn’t very hard to find, and from her experiences at the Palace with her mother, once she got her bearings, she was able to find the laundry room with a little more ease. The laundry room was in a secluded hall, and as she went down the hall, it got hotter and hotter. Finally, she found the door marked “Laundry” and when she opened it, a wave of heat, and stream poured out the top. Kaylee coughed, blinking.

She could feel the sweat begin to bead on her forehead, and she wiped it away, searching for somebody. A woman walked by, and gave her a strange look, but paused when Kaylee raised her hand a bit, in question.

The lady was robust, and motherly, with sweaty olive skin, and thick dark hair tied in a bun. She had a mole on her cheek below the outside of her eye, and when she smiled, it stuck out as her cheek wrinkled. “What can I do for ya lad?” She asked, planting that overbearing smile on her face, and wiping her moist hands on her uniform, leaving darker streaks.

Kaylee backed into the door, as she lady spoke, a bit unnerved. The lady’s use of the word ‘lad’ confirmed her a boy, but she was at a loss of words for a moment, before she managed to stutter out, “I…I need a…a room…” She put her hands behind her and swallowed as the lady bent her head toward her, and clapped her on the shoulder.

“No need to be afraid lad, stand up straight now, I’ll go get the mistress, and she’ll give you your key.” The large lady clapped her once more on the shoulder, before disappearing in the thick steam.

Kaylee stood motionless by the door, waiting until she could escape back into the cooler hallway. It was about five minutes, before another large form came through the steam carrying a book under one arm. This lady was solid, probably couldn’t see her feet, and her eyes stared down anyone who came in her line of vision. Her voice was harsh when she spoke.

“Boy, you the one be wantin’ the key?” She peered at Kaylee, scrutinizing her.

Kaylee looked at the floor. “Yes’m.” She said to her feet.

“Boy! Lookit me when you talk! You kin read right?” The lady’s breath was overwhelming and Kaylee had the urge to gag. Swallowing, she looked into the lady’s face, and nodded. “Alright, here’s your book. Map, etiquette, it’s all in there. Read it. You’re key’s in the front.” She shoved the book in Kaylee’s chest, and grunted. “Guess you’ll be needin’ a uniform too. Wait here - gotta see if I kin find one small enough.” She disappeared laughing.

Kaylee frowned, watching her go.

“Excuse me!” A voice protruded through the back round, and Kaylee had barely jumped aside, when somebody pushed a wheeled cart through the door and left it by the doorway, bustling into the interior of the laundry room. Kaylee peered into the cart, and found it full unfolded servant’s uniforms. An idea popped into her head, and dug cart for the smallest uniform, which upon finding, stuffed under her shirt and smoothed it out as much as she could.

A cough behind her made her whirl around, but the solid lady was just standing there, holding out a pile of clothes. “Wear ‘em, don’t tear ‘em, bring ‘em back on Sunday for wash.” She abruptly turned, and left Kaylee standing there.

Kaylee sighed a breath of relief and hugged the clothes close to her, so the ones underneath her shirt wouldn’t fall out as she walked back to her room through the immaculate halls. Of course, the woman had put her in the men’s apartments, and Kaylee felt a bit out of place, as she walked down the hall, searching for number eighty-two. It was around a few corners, but when Kaylee unlocked the door, she found a serviceable room - not that she planned on staying there long.

It was empty of little decoration except a wooden bed, desk and bureau. She dumped the pile of clothes on the bed after closing the door, and took out the small servant’s manual the laundress had given her. She would have sent Kai her room number, but two thoughts entered her mind, which made her decide against. It was almost one thirty, and he wouldn’t be allowed in the servant’s hall anyway.

She found the proper dress, which for stables was very basic - Palace uniform and dark boots, and the etiquette, which was also basic for stable hands, be polite, and do as you’re told. The etiquette for Palace servants however, was a bit more involved, and Kaylee merely skimmed it before tossing the book down to change her clothes.

The uniform was stiff, pale gray, with ghostly white trim and fit none too comfortably at first. She washed her face and hands in the small washstand that she found in a corner of her room, and looked down at herself, with a raised eyebrow. She didn’t think she could ever work in the Palace, if they had to wear that everyday.

She found a common room, where males and females were allowed to congregate, and paused at a chair, as words caught her ears. Two women were talking.

“Oh, the dress is so beautiful! Have you seen it?” One voice said.

“I know! I can’t believe she’s finally getting married…I wonder what her family thinks.” A woman replied.

Kaylee turned, and was at the doorway, when another group of voices sparked into her ears.

“Are you going?”

“Yes. I wouldn’t miss it. I heard it was post-poned though…?” A voice questioned.

“I heard that too. It’s supposed to be around five now, instead of four. Did you hear that the prince wanted to leave on horses? I heard the soon-to-be princess was interested in that, but with the devil the prince rides, there’s no way.”

Kaylee left the room, finding refuge in a small corner for a moment to think. She had to stop the wedding or else get away with out anyone the wiser. Cramming her head in her hands, she closed her eyes to think better.

The first thing that popped into her mind was fire, but one glance around told her that the place would burn fast, with all the layers of materials everywhere. She didn’t want to be a murderer. Destroy the dress, all the clothes, and the room? She shook her head again, they would just have it anyway, there were enough rooms in the Palace that they could just shift it somewhere else, and nobody would know. She scowled to herself, and stood up. She wasn’t getting anywhere, and she needed to find the Kai.

Once she had stolen her way out into the hallway again, she found her way to the main hallway, and made her way to the guest quarters. It took almost fifteen minutes to get there, considering it was on the completely opposite end of the Palace. Finally though, she reached it. They only had about six guest apartments, and she wasn’t sure which one was Kai’s, so she started at the beginning, and softly knocked on the door, keeping her eyes down, as a servant should.

She heard the door open, but before she had a chance to say anything, a cool voice said, “Please, come in.” It faded away, to the interior of the room, and Kaylee stepped in, daring herself to look up.

“You!” She blurted out, not meaning to. “But…how?” She kept going.

The old woman smiled, ageless face serene. “Forgetting servant etiquette are we dear?” She asked, eyes twinkling.

Kaylee blushed, and immediately tore her eyes from the woman’s face and stared at the carpet. “Sorry ma’m, but how did you know?” She kept her voice low.

“I know many things.” The woman replied, her coffee skin glowing as the light shone on it. “Most things are dreams, and wants, but sometimes, a thing will come to me, and I know it is true, even though it is not my own thought. I know this because I look.” She motioned Kaylee over to a table, “When I look, ah, see? It reveals itself because it knows you.”

A pale, almost white leather book lay open on the table, settled magnificently on cloths of silk and velvet. It was the Book of Prophecy that Kai had read to her out of at the dance. The pages were open to his prophecy, which covered one page.

The woman spoke again, “Flip, to any page you wish, and you will see why this prophecy is true, why this one has held on, and is willing to wait for its tasks to be completed.” She said, her dark, unreadable eyes watching Kaylee.

Kaylee, unnerved by the stare, picked up a page and turned it, to find nothing, and the next page, nothing, and the next, and next. Finally, she skimmed through the whole back half of the book, and found nothing. Blank, pale, and smelling of oriental preserving scents, the pages ominously flipped. And the front as well, blank, not a thing written upon them.

“But…why?” Kaylee asked, “Why are they blank? Even I know there have been prophecies before this one.” She flipped back to the prophecy, its curled, perfect writing stark on the page.

“Because it is true.” The woman told Kaylee, her voice powerful, full of wisdom. “It will work, and it is true. Now, you must go. Three doors down.” She took Kaylee’s upper arm in a surprisingly strong grip, and ushered her to the door, pushing her into the hallway, she shut the door behind the astonished girl.

Kaylee stood a moment, dumbfounded, before what the woman had said sank in. Three down. Suddenly, the excitement that had filled Kai half a year ago, hit her, and why he had believed it so much. It was their prophecy, and it would be fulfilled. She hurried to his door, and didn’t even bother to knock, just pushed it open.

Kai jumped, pulling a blanket over whatever had been by his feet, and stepped in front of it, eyes at first hard, but then, seeing it was her, let out his breath, and almost fell onto the bed next to him.

His rooms were spacious, with a king-size feather bed, heaped with pillows and blankets of rich, silk material. Gilded mirrors, and picture frames were hung on the wall. The floor had the finest carpet, thick and plush, and Kaylee could feel her feet sink into as she walked across it, after shutting the door.

She looked over at him, eyebrows creasing. She sat down on the bed next to him, scooting back so she could cross her feet beside her. “What’s wrong?” She asked him, he looked upset.

He shook his head, “Nothing…what are you wearing?” His strong hand touched a sleeve of the servant’s outfit.

“Servant uniform…don’t you ever see them?” She replied, her eyes staring at the blanket beneath her.

“No…they don’t usually come out in the day, they’re confined to the servant’s halls during the day, and they clean at night.” He explained. “You’d better not get caught…” He cautioned her, his eyes staring at the top of her head. “I can’t believe you did that to your hair…” He added, fingering a lock of the almost black hair.

“I had too…they wouldn’t hire a girl here. Especially in the stables.” She said, looking up at him. “It’ll grow back anyway.” She shrugged; it wasn’t that much of a loss to her. She had didn’t hate her hair, but then, neither did she love it, especially during the hot months of summer. “I saw the lady again, the one who keeps the book…I accidentally walked into her room. I understand it now…” She said the last part of her words softly, looking over at him.

He leaned back on his hands, and his eyes found the ceiling, before he looked out of the corner of his eyes at her. “It’s unnerving isn’t it?” He said, shifting backwards on the bed.

She nodded silently, and her eyes found his, but his didn’t see her. Their dark almond depths were lost in thought, and it was only her voice that brought him back to reality. “So how are we going to get out of here?” She asked, she might as well get to the point; they didn’t have all the time in the world.

He shrugged, pushing the hair that dropped down over her forehead back, leaving it parted to each side of his face. “I don’t know…my parents told me, when the prophecy first appeared to the woman, that if I ever found her, before my seventeenth birthday, I would be allowed to marry her, regardless of race, age, or class. That’s why I was so excited when I found you, my parents control almost everything in my life, and I had the chance to prove to them I could do something worthwhile…But you turned me down, and nobody else ever showed up, and so they chose for me this girl. Her name is Leila, she’s nice, but she’s not somebody you can spend more than ten minutes with without wanting to tear your hair out.” He shook his head, causing his hair to fall down again, but he didn’t bother to move it this time. But anyway, we need to get out of here soon…or find a way to stop it. They moved the wedding back, but the servants will be here soon to help me get ready.” He told her.

“That’s an idea…leaving. What if we ran away?” Kaylee asked him thoughtfully.

“We’d have to go fast, the guards at the Palace have spies in the city and at the gates. They’d spy me in a minute.” He told her.

An idea came to her, and she spoke before she knew what she was saying. “The horses. You said you wanted to leave on horses, remember? You could go for a ride…to…get rid of pre-wedding nerves or something. Couldn’t you get outside the city walls that way?” She asked him, leaning on an arm.

He nodded thoughtfully. “I bet I could - but..dammit.” He frowned, biting his bottom lip. “They won’t let me out without an escort….” His eyes sought out hers. “Who can we trust enough that wouldn’t tell?”

Her lips curved up in a grin. “How about the only stable boy your horse will let near him?”

He did the most unexpected thing, taking her face in his hands and giving her a quick kiss on the lips. “You’re a genius! No wonder you’re the other half of the prophecy!” He stood up off the bed, “Come on, no better time than the present.” He bent down, and picked up what had been under the blanket - a small pack, and slung it over a shoulder. He held out a hand to Kaylee.

She took it, and stood up, straightening her uniform, before he opened the door, sticking his head into the hallway to make sure no one was coming. He motioned her out in front of him. She slipped out into the hall, and waited for him to shut the door, before following, just a step behind, eyes downcast, steps quiet, as a servant should. They had gotten out of the guest quarters, and were crossing a threshold, when a quiet voice stopped them.

“Excuse me?” The person stepped closer as they turned around. It was another serving woman, and on her breast was a small silver star, denoting her one of the overseers. She had her brown hair pulled tight into a bun, and severe makeup outlining her eyes. “Excuse me, but servants aren’t supposed to be here during the day.” She took Kaylee’s arm in an unbreakable grip hissing to her, “You should know that!”

The lady pulled Kaylee a pace away, ducking a bow to the prince, “We’ll just be going then…excuse us.”

Kaylee gave Kai a desperate look, attempting to jerk her arm away from the woman. Kai cleared his throat, and gathered himself, “Excuse me. I requested for her to help me. She cannot very well do that, if you don’t let her go.”

Kaylee closed her eyes. She wasn’t playing a boy for nothing! The woman hold her arm gave her a raised eyebrow, and tightened her grip on Kaylee’s arm, her nails beginning to dig in. “Her?” she questioned Kai, who blinked, looking between them, then recovered faster than Kaylee thought he would.

Kai raised his eye brows, becoming the dignified royal prince he really was. “I did not say such a thing.”

“You did sir, you said she, and her.” The woman persisted, taking a step back, and pulling Kaylee with her.

“You dare say I said otherwise? Excuse me, I requested a servant’s help. Whether you disgrace your position anymore or not is up to you, but I need that servant now, and you will let me have him.” Kai stared down his nose at the lady, who finally shrunk back, and shoved Kaylee over toward him, watching him.

“Here.” The prince shoved the pack into Kaylee, making her take a step back, and abruptly turned, stalking off. His stride was so long Kaylee had to trot to keep up with him.

They were finally past a few corners, and Kaylee was positive the lady hadn’t followed them, when she almost bumped into Kai. He had stopped, to lean his head back against a wall, and ran his hand through the thick hair, sighing. He glanced down at her, and rolled his eyes. “I hate doing that. It’s so stupid. Why should being a prince give me any reason to get away with lying?” He glanced at his hands, and then to the pack Kaylee carried. “I didn’t hurt you…did I? I didn’t mean to shove it that hard, I was just angry.”

Kaylee shook her head, “No…we should probably go, before someone else stops us though…” She suggested. “Oh. Wait. I have to talk to the princess…” She looked up at him, predicting his confused look.

“The princess? Since when do you ever know her?” Her asked, crossing his arms across his chest and raising an eyebrow.

She looked at the floor, “I don’t..” She admitted.

“Then why do you need to talk-”

“I know her sister.” Kaylee cut him off. “Her sister asked me to talk to her if I could. I need to, for her sake.” She tried to explain. “I’ll understand if I can’t, but it’s just something I need to do.”

He blew out his breath, “I’ll take you to their rooms…I can’t guarantee she’ll talk to you though.” He cautioned her. “And you’ll have to make it fast, you don’t even have twenty minutes to talk to her. Do you still want to go?” He asked her.

She nodded, a small thanks escaping her lips.

He turned, and came back the way they came, leading her through many hallways and corridors until Kaylee was lost and confused. They finally arrived at a pair of ordinary doors at the end of a long hallway. Kai knocked softly on them, and stood back, waiting for them to be opened. A minute later he turned to her, “I don’t think they’re in there…can we-” The door opened as he finished his sentence, and a woman stood there, the same one Kaylee had seen at the dance, except her green eyes were older, and a bit tired. She didn’t open the door all the way, but stood behind it, peering out. “Yes? Can I help you?” Her voice was soft, and an almost whisper.

Kaylee spoke up, surprising Kai. “I need to speak with you…” Kaylee wasn’t sure what to call her so she just trailed off, keeping her eyes respectfully to the floor.

“But I do not even know you?” It was a question that fell from her succulent lips. She stepped out from behind the door and shut it behind her. “He gets angry if you wake him during his nap.” She smiled behind her hand, and Kaylee looked up. The girl had stayed the same, except now there was a bulge in her stomach, obviously the heir to the kingdom. “What do you need to tell me?” Her green eyes penetrated Kaylee’s dark ones and made her look down.

“My name is Kaylee.” She saw the girl’s eyebrows crease in confusion, eyeing her clothing then her face. “I know your sister, Mary.”

The princess’s breath went in sharply, and she looked intently at Kaylee. “My sister? Oh, how is she? I’ve wanted to go see her so bad!” She sighed, putting a hand to her forehead.

“You have? Mary thinks you hate her, since you haven’t visited, or even written to her at all since you got married.” Kaylee tried not to sound too accusing, watching the other’s face.

The green eyes girl put her hands over her face, giving a soft moan. “Oh, I don’t hate her, I miss her so much! Once I became pregnant, they won’t let me leave the palace.” She explained. “I completely forgot about writing!” She clapped a hand to her forehead. “You must think me an idiot! Don’t worry though, I will write to her tonight, a very long letter.” She surprised Kaylee, by reaching foreward to give her a small hug. “You don’t know what a help you’ve been, thank you so much! I really must get back in now, farewell.” She smiled, and slipped her slim form back inside the doors and shut them softly.

He stood up from where he had been leaning against the wall, and blew out his breath, before looking to her, “Ok, let’s go to the stables before we run out of time.” He began walking again, this time at a normal rate. It wasn’t long before they reached the stables, and Kai stopped her again.

“I’ll wait here. They usually don’t let me ready my own horse.” He rolled his eyes, and she grinned at him.

“Another one of those ‘prince’ things, huh?” She joked, handing him the pack back, and walking into the stable yard.

She was halfway, through the cool barn interior, when somebody cleared their throat behind her. She turned her head, looking to see who it was, and saw Jaahl, giving her the oddest look. He looked about ready to say something, when she her hand flew to her mouth and she gasped out a small, “Oh!” She ran back down the aisle and the bewildered prince, straight to her small apartment. There was no point in trying to explain.

In her apartment, she ripped off her clothes, and picking out a groom’s uniform from the pile she had left earlier. The breeches were plain and serviceable grey material, but the cream colored linen shirt was emblazoned with the Palace seal. Grimacing, she put on her own shirt and that over top. The boots were her own, dusty leather ones, and her breeches she tucked under her arm.

She set the key in the middle of the bed, next to the clothes, and when she shut the door, left it opened a crack. They would find everything when they got curious enough. She dog-trotted back toward the stable, dropping her breeches with the prince’s pack at his feet as she went by, and entered the barn to be greeted by Jaahl’s unhappy face.

“What are you doing?” He whisper-yelled at her, “The prince is out there waiting for his horse! You’re the groom! Get in there!” He shoved her toward the stallion’s stall with final words, “At least you had the sense to dress decent this time!”

Kaylee shook her head to herself, opening the stallion’s stall. As usual, he was in the back, but with soft words and a gentle touch, he soon let her give him a quick grooming, and tack him up. She choose not the gilded and hand stitched saddle and bridle she had seen on him last time, but regular, dark leather ones used everyday by people. There was no use in standing out when you were trying to hide.

She led him out into the bright sunlit yard, feeling the soft breeze pick up her short tufts of hair. She stopped him at the prince’s side, and began to fasten the pack on the rear end of the saddle. She gave him a leg up, and stepped back a pace.

Kai gave her a formal, “Thank you.” She gave a small bow in return, as was required, and took another step back as Jaahl walked by, pausing to speak.

“Sir, it’s my orders not to let you out without an escort, you know that.” He sounded almost disappointed he had to remind him.

Kai turned in the saddle to look at him. “Why doesn’t my groom escort me then?” He suggested.

“Him?” Jaahl glared at Kaylee, “Sir, he’s lazy, you wouldn’t want him. Might I sug-“

The prince cut him off, “Sir, you would not hire a lazy groom for my horse, as I am well aware of, now, why don’t you go get him a good horse yourself. He will escort me.” He turned his head, his words final, and his eyes impatient as he waited for the horse for Kaylee.

Kaylee was just glad Kai had gotten the ‘him’ part right this time, but she didn’t miss the snide glare Jaahl placed in her direction. He gave the prince a curt bow and disappeared into the stall.

Minutes later, he came out leading a dainty chestnut mare. She was clean cut, and tossed her head when she stepped down the small step out of the barn with spirit. He handed Kaylee the reins, “Her name’s Spice.” Was all he told her, before leaving.

Kaylee smiled, turning to the mare and holding out hand for her to scent. The mare had a lopsided star splashed on her bright forehead, and Kaylee rubbed it, before mounting her. Kai was waiting by the stable yard exit, and surprisingly, Prophecy didn’t fight the mare, in fact, he gave a small neigh, before the prince turned him out to the city streets.

“My parents aren’t going to like this you know…” Kai turned to her after moments of silence, as they went down a random street headed in the general direction of the city gates.

Kaylee nodded a bit uneasily, she replied, “I know, I’m poor, we don’t even know each other…” She sighed, looking dejectedly down at her hands. She wasn’t sure about this whole thing anymore.

Kai frowned, glancing at her out of the corner of his eyes. “But that’s the excitement of it all, don’t you think? Don’t you dream anymore? You used to be so…bold.”

Kaylee blinked. “Bold? When I was kidnapped, and escaped, took the job, rode the beast you’re on, stole from the Palace, snuck to your room, and you just stood there?” Her voice had risen slightly. “Don’t tell me I don’t dream either. When you muck stalls ten hours a day, you have plenty of time to dream. Believe me, I even dreamed of you, and how we would ride off into the sunset to live happily ever after. But never, never did I dream it would be like this, stealing and lying, and cheating!” She half-yelled at him, making his stallion’s ears lay back, and her own mare’s stride to get jittery. She rubbed her hand down the mare’s mane, trying to calm herself as well as the horse. Kaylee was tired, and she knew it.

“I’m so-” Kai tried to speak.

“No, it’s my fault, I’m sorry. Forget I said anything. We need to find a place to hide or something. It’s getting too close to wedding time. They’re going to start looking for you.” Kaylee tried to keep her voice level.

Kai nodded, “You’re right, I know somewhere that we can go.” He moved his stallion into a trot, and Kaylee followed, winding her horse around people as they got in the way. Luckily the horses were surefooted, and not many people got bumped.

Kai stopped out side a modest looking stable, and was about to dismount, when Kaylee gave a disgusted sigh. “This won’t do. We can’t be recognized.” She turned her horse, giving him instructions to follow her.

She led him to her own apartment, leading the horses into the side yard beside the building. “Here, hold the horses while I go get a few things.”

She went through the carpenter’s shop, with nothing more than a wave to Freckle - obviously he thought she was Jahrahd. She went into her room, and took two plain cloaks, and a thick blanket from her bed. In the kitchen, she found a loaf of bread, and cheese. She took them, and wrapped them in a small case, and bundled it all together with the blanket. She took the Palace’s shirt off, and stuffed it into the bundle as well, leaving only her own linen shirt on. Once she got back out into the yard, she tied the pack to her saddle, and turned to Kai. “I hate to ask, but do you have any gold at all with you?”

He nodded silently, and handed her a small coin-filled pouch. She thanked him, and ran back inside with a two word explanation for him. “My mother.”

She set the bag down on the kitchen table, and pulled a charcoal out of the fire pit. Wiping away a tear that threatened the corner of her eye with wetness, she bent over to inscribe, “Love Kaylee” onto the wood of the table below the pouch. She threw the charcoal back in the pit, took a deep breath, and went outside.

One glance at the horses told her they would have to be changed. “We have to put dirt in them, burrs in their tails, they look to expensive.” She said, once she had explained to Kai why.

She herself bent to pick up sand from the yard, and began working it into her mare’s coat.

When they were done, she gave Kai one of the homely cloaks she had brought out, and told him to put it over his shoulders. They themselves had gotten sufficiently dirty just disguising the horses, and had no need to change.

Once more astride the horses, they left the yard, a dusty pair of people astride an older looking dun mare, and a grey touched stallion. She led him to the gates, and they were let through, proclaiming themselves just as travelers, and into the hot desert they went.

Kaylee pushed their horses into a trot, straight into the heart of the desert, following a randomly marked path only known by few. They rode for about an hour, until the horses were sweated, and they themselves cringed from the barest idea of walking. A small building came into view, and then a couple of palm trees, and then a spring.

It was a small oasis, with palm trees bent over the pond, and sparse grass shoots growing at its edges. A small shack-like building was next to it.

“This is it?” Kai asked her dismounting and looking around. “It’s not much.” He commented.

“Mm…” Kaylee said noncommittally, “But nobody’ll find us here.” She pulled the mare over and tied her to a tree, giving her slack to reach her head down to the grass. Kai did the same, and went to go look in the building while Kaylee untied the packs from the horses. She was bringing them into the building, when Kai reappeared with a deep pot, and a bucket.

They filled the bucket with water, and set it near the horses, and filled the pot to take back into the little hut. Inside, Kaylee found tinder, and flint and dried food that hadn’t spoiled yet. They brought the horse’s tack inside, so it wouldn’t rot in the sun, and then went back outside, and sat beneath the shade, companionable in their silence. Every so often, Kai’s hand would inch over, his fingers mingling with hers inch by inch, and he’s glance out of the corner of his eyes, and she couldn’t help but smile, flushing and looking down. Then he’d drop her hand, and a few minutes later, start it all over again.

The sun soon reached the Earth, and left its path marked boldly in the sky with red and oranges. Pinks and golds streaked near the horizon, magnificent in its beauty. A chill wind picked up, resettling sand where it lay, and pulling invitingly at their hair.

Kaylee shivered, and got up to go get the cloaks.

Too soon, they were forced inside the shack by the cold desert air. Kai managed to light a fire in the small fire pit, and Kaylee watched him from the corner of her eyes as she sat next to him. His large eyes were fathomless, dark spheres staring into nothing, his face sensitive and shadowed. He blinked only when small embers jumped near him.

Both were too tired to say much, and soon Kaylee found herself drifting to sleep. Kai shifted, so she could lean on his shoulder, and she mumbled incomprehensible thanks.

An hour of so later, she felt someone’s arm wrap around her, and a heavy woolen blanket enclose both of them with warmth. It had gotten dark, as the fire had gone out, and the moon could just be seen out the door. Kaylee turned in her sleep, pressing her face against his chest, scooting closer to his warmth, and sighing.

She was asleep, but somehow, the words punctured her dreams, and though she never repeated them to him, or he to her, they forever imprinted themselves on the two’s souls as they were spoken, and permanently bound their fated souls.

"And in the night you shall find her
Deep colors and exquisite metals her hue
One shall be the rich, while the one the poor
One a royal born and bred,
The other trying to escape her ways.
Find her, and she shall be yours
For it has been said."

Kai’s voice drifted into silence, the deep rumbling Kaylee felt in his chest soothed her shifting and she mumbled in her sleep, quieting as he held her closer, his words continuing.

“Find her and she shall be yours
For it has been said.
She will loose everything
And he even more,
But in the desert,
They won’t be known.”

Kai rested his head against hers, eyes closing in sleep, unconsciously pressing his lips softly against her smooth, short hair before falling asleep. Above the small hut, a crescent moon shone in the velvety sky, and stars danced alongside it pushing clouds away with the wind their dancing created. The air was hushed and silent, and the Earth still.

* * * * *

Somewhere, deep within the dark chambers of the Keeper of the Book in the Palace, a book’s pages became empty; the script so permanently engraved disappearing like a shooting star, to leave the page stark and blank. There was the soft whisper as pale pages flipped, and soft thump as the heavy leather cover closed, quite unaided. Ageless features turned into a smile, as if she knew what you could only wish to, her teeth bright against her black complexion. She stood, from where she had been sitting, and slowly began to ready herself for her own sleep, with a knowing glance at the Book. Tonight, dreams had come true, and tomorrow, a new dream would arise, ready to be believed in, and fulfilled.

* * * * *

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LaurenBlewett

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