Aleksandr raised his cup to Yago.“Royalprig.”
Sahar choked, coughed, and sputtered into hercup, as did several others at the table.The serving maid’s trayrattled and Feroz, the merchant’s son, laughed out loud and clappedAleksandr on the shoulder.Yago’s black eyes narrowed to slits andhis knuckles were white around the stem of his goblet.Aleksandrsat there with a lazy grin on his face, baiting the Wolf.
Yago was neither small nor softly muscled,but given Aleksandr’s height and breadth, Sahar thought it prudentthat Yago resist the taunt.She raised her cup to Yago with anencouraging smile and took a sip before glaring over the rim atAleksandr, whose grin faded as his jaw tightened.
Thankfully, the servants entered the salonwith trays laden with roasted lamb and savory carrots, onions, andturnips.The table of hungry men filled their trenchers tooverflowing and attacked the meat and vegetables, silent but fortheir chewing, and stopping only to lade their plates fuller fromthe bowls of seasoned rice and kamut.By the time the trays ofcheeses and honeyed dates and pears were brought out, conversationresumed, at least amongst everyone at the table except for Saharand Yago.Sahar because she was a woman and not invited toparticipate, and Yago because he sat silent and sullen and drinkingmore wine than was wise.Not that she blamed him.True, he hadinsulted Aleksandr first, but it was obvious that the others hadsided with Aleksandr, and Yago, alone and far from his home, had tofeel the slight.
Yago left the table as soon as was polite,and the mood there instantly lightened.Sahar glared herdispleasure at Aleksandr, who shrugged and then picked over histrencher, packing bits of juicy lamb and rice and soft cheese intoa square of linen.He folded it up and stuffed it into the pocketof his tunic, ignoring the curious glances of the other riders andgiving Sahar a quick grin.
“Once a stable boy scavenging for scraps,”Anastasia said from her position standing beyond the table wearinga snide smile on her deceptively fair face, “always a stable boyscrapping for royal leftovers.”
“Sister,” Aleksandr said through grittedteeth.“How kind of you to watch over your brother soattentively.”
“Half-brother,” she spat.
Sahar waited for Aleksandr to explain thatthe scraps were for the poor, starved kitten he had found, but hepicked up his goblet and drained it, pointedly ignoring Anastasia’spresence as he set the empty goblet down on the table with asatisfied, “Ahh.”
Anastasia tossed her flaxen hair and flouncedaway, settling at a table occupied by two older wealthy princes.Sahar excused herself to visit at her parents’ table, while two ofthe Scorpion’s daughters not so discreetly made their way over tothe riders’ table and held a lively conversation with Aleksandr andFeroz.The girlish giggles assailed Sahar’s ears.Pleading herself-imposed training regimen, she said her goodnights to herfamily and left the salon, but instead of going to her chambers,she took the long way around to the kitchens, where she asked Anyafor a small bowl of goat’s milk.
“Certainly, young miss,” Anya said as shewent to the cupboards for a bowl.She poured a ladleful into it andhanded it to Sahar.“May I ask you something?”
“Of course.”
“This Aleksandr and his sister, Anastasia.What are they like?”
“Why do you ask?”
“My husband and I, we came from the NorthernSteppes to settle here with our young son.I was curious.It’s beena long time since I have met anyone from our homeland.”
“I didn’t know that,” Sahar said.“Though nowI can hear the similarities in your accent to Aleks…them.”
Anya smiled sadly.
“You miss your homeland?”Sahar asked.
“I do,” Anya said.Then hastened to add, “ButKing Asad and Queen Oona, this city, have been good to us.We had,I have, a good life here, but yes, I do miss some parts of myhomeland.”
Sahar nodded, remembering that Anya had beenwidowed a few years ago now.“Would you like me to ask if you couldspeak with them?”she said.
“Oh yes, please,” Anya answered.“But,perhaps you could ask only the king’s son, Aleksandr.I think hewould be more agreeable.”
Sahar laughed, not at all surprised that Anyarealized the chance of Anastasia conversing with a servant for theservant’s pleasure was slim to none.Her parents always said if youwanted to know what was truly happening in a household, ask theservants, a piece of wisdom learned from her grandmother, QueenNoor.
“I will ask Aleksandr the next time I seehim.”
Which would likely be sometime late tomorrow,after he slept off the night’s festivities with the Scorpion’sdaughters.
“Come now, my little Kiska,” Aleksi coaxed.“You must try to eat a bit more of this rice.”The kitten had eatenwhat meat and cheese he had allowed her for the night withenthusiasm, but he had to keep a little set aside for the morningbefore he could bring her some egg and milk from his breakfast.“Ifonly we had some milk now, eh, to soak this rice in and make itmore to your liking.”
“Ahem.”
Aleksi snapped his head up.Sahar wasstanding at the open half door that separated his antechamber toZolotoy’s stall.She looked as surprised to see him as he was tosee her, though it was his room.
“How did you get in here?”he asked.“I didnot hear a sound.Not even a single blade of straw shift.”
“We cats can be quiet when we wish to.”Shethrust a small bowl at him, “I brought you, the kitten, milk fromthe kitchens.”
He stood, tucking Kiska into the crook of hisarm.“Thank you,” he said, taking the proffered bowl in his otherhand.He set it down on the chest at the foot of his cot.“Wouldyou like to come in?”
