Elemental Princesses: Fire.

Chapter 4.

''Ashara.'' he repeats the name. It slips from his mouth like molten gold. How would my real name sound coming from his mouth? I dare not think. ''It's a lovely name for a lovely girl.''

''You charm me.'' I laugh, and tug my headscarf a little farther over my forehead.

''Not at all. What are you doing here?''

'''I ran away from an arranged marriage, and I don't intend to go back.'' I tell him. That's the truth.

''Well, arranged marriages are dreadful things, apparently.''

''My proposed husband was awful!'' I exclaim.

He murmurs an old proverb originating in the Haeval Empire, ''Look behind what lies on the outside.''

''Well, I know what lies inside.'' I tell him. ''Nothing but meanness and cruelty.''

''Not all men are that way. The old Dak was not.'' He says, soft.

The old Dak, Murad Ishac. There was a good and brave man. My mother's first husband. She rarely spoke of hi, perhaps because she worried Father would hear. Out loud, I say, ''Did you know the old Dak?''

He looks down. ''My father knew him well.'' There is sadness in his voice.

''Do you miss your father?'' I ask.

''Very much. We were close when I was a child. I miss him so. We were the best of friends.'' Siran relates.

''What happened to him?''

Siran's face grows sad. ''He died when I was seven.''

''Oh, I'm sorry. My mother died when I was ten. I still miss her.'' I tell him.

He smiles. I remember something Laranis said. ''What's a street rat?''

Siran shrugs, gestures for me to follow him up an alleyway. ''I'm a street thief.''

Oh. I had heard of such things, but I had never met one. Till now. I suppose the death of Siran's father drove him to stealing. As the same sort of thing must have driven dozens of young boys and girls to do the same.

I doubted Father knew, even cared. ''Where are we going?'' I call after Siran.

''To my place. I want to show it to you, even though it isn't much.'' He calls back, a smile in his voice.

I follow him up a set of crumbling stone stairs, and he tells me to watch my footing.

His home is an old stone tower that is crumbling away from unuse, built at least fifty years ago.

''I used to come here with my father when I was younger.'' He says. ''It was so much fun when I was a child, and I loved the view. Especially from the top. Go on up and take a look, but be careful.''

I scramble up to the top while Siran brews a cup of tea, and he is right, it is so beautiful!

I have never seen my kingdom quite like this! It is lovely, like being on the back of a giant roc! I can see every building, every place of worship, and the sun shines so bright!

If only there were a sea! That would make the view all the more prettier, but it is lovely as it is.

''The tea's ready.'' Siran stands behind me. I give the view one last glance. ''It's lovely, isn't it?''

''Yes.'' I follow him down. ''Tell me, Siran, does everyone in this city live such horrible lives? All the peasantry?''

Siran nods. ''Some become street thieves, some leave the city in hopes of a better life, and some girls who had illegitimate children have to work in brothels to have money. There are no establishments to help them, help orphaned children.''

''That's terrible!'' I decide to see what this kind says about me, what these people think of me. ''Cannot the royal family do anything? I know the Dakna is dead, but she left a daughter.''

Siran pours tea into thin wooden cups. ''The usurper will never do anything for the people, Ashara. As for his daughter-we've never seen her. She's most likely grown up like her father. Cruel and unjust. Of course the good Dakna, Ellarys, raised her to be good and kind, but the Dakna is dead, and her father has raised her since. We've no hope for her. Perhaps we should invite Atlantis to conquer Kesseti. At least then we would have some just rulers.''

''But what if the Most High Dakna took after her mother?''

''I wish that were true.'' Siran says softly, and drinks his tea. After a while, he looks at me. ''Where are you going?''

''Anywhere.'' I say.