Splendid Fall

Ch. 5 Stained

Chapter 5

Birdie stood on her father's balcony at court and looked out over the gardens below. The enchanting oasis of palm trees and crystal clear springs greeted her from below as she leaned forward on the railing and sighed. She could hear Ali and Heyder's voice from inside, not paying any mind to her as she wandered off outside.

Birdie's eyes watched the jinns in long golden robs stroll the pathways of the rose garden with long pearl prayer beads in their hands. They paused to bow to the women sitting under the shades sipping afternoon tea in small crystal cups.

Amongst those women was Hafsa. She caught Birdie's eyes and held her gaze as she brought her tea cup to her plump full lips. Birdie didn't dare move as the woman took her time memorizing her face.

Seated beside Hafsa was her daughter, Sara. Birdie waited until Hafsa looked away to turn her eyes towards the strikingly gorgeous girl.

Sara was much like her mother. Tall, with eye-catching curves, delicate features and charming manners. Besides Hayden if anyone held the record for the most suitors at court, it would have been Sara. Everyone wanted her or they wanted to be her. She was beautiful to say the least and extremely gentle and well mannered. Sara was her mother's pride.

As Birdie stared from the balcony, Hafsa nudged her daughter and motioned towards the gate right below the balcony. Sara sat down her tea cup and rose to her feet with a sweet smile.

"Did the sun rise in the west today?" She laughed as Adan walked out into the garden towards her. "What are you doing at court?"

"I'm always here," Adan bowed. "Good afternoon, ladies."

"Good afternoon," the women all replied back.

"Care to take a walk with me?" Sara offered Adan her hand.

"It would be very rude of me to say no," Adan teased.

"Extremely rude," Sara winked.

Birdie sat quietly on the balcony as Adan offered Sara his arm and the girl happily slipped her hand through. They sat off towards the rose gardens where they knew they would be under the watchful eye of Sara's mother. Sara was a sensible girl....she wouldn't dare sneak off to the corners of court with Adan. And Adan knew that very well.

"Baby bird," Heyder called from inside.

"Yes?" Birdie straightened up and looked over her shoulder.

"Come over," Heyder called. "I want you to see something."

Giving Adan and Sara one last look, Birdie climbed down from her seat on the edge of the balcony and walked over to where her father stood looming over the table in front of him.

Thick fog rolled off the tabletop as Heyder drummed his fingers on the edge. His piercing eyes scanned the surface of the smoke as Birdie came to stand beside him.

"All this," Heyder waved his hand through the fog, revealing a miniature model of the court. "Will be yours someday."

Birdie pressed her lips into a thin line. She wasn't so sure his wish would be so easily granted.

"What's this?" Birdie asked, pointing to the mountains north of the court. "I haven't seen that before."

"The veil is forever changing," Ali said. "New lands, new territories appear and disappear every year."

"How big is the veil?" Birdie scanned the landforms in front of her.

"No one really knows," Ali shrugged.