Collaterals

Not Yet King

There was a sharp line on either of her forearms, demarcating just where the iron had been a mere month ago. Leila turned her arms around, now, watching them in the sunlight; they'd been so shriveled up, so pale when Ali had first called for the iron to be removed.

"Her Highness is to keep the iron on, by order of the Empire."

Leila winced in memory at the captain's words. Ali had been livid, she was told, when Haitham found her. Unconscious and alone in the tunnel, the flames of the torches having been snuffed out so she was shrouded in darkness. It was so lucky, they all insisted, so lucky that the Diviner was making his rounds. So lucky he'd found her, and so lucky Haitham had been so near, so ready to carry her out the tunnel. And Zarqa...she remembered none of it. And so Leila had been met with only the blinking eyes of her siblings, gathered by her bed, visibly somewhere between confusion and concern. She'd looked from one face to another, none meeting her eyes. None but Haitham, leaned on a far wall, hands in his pockets as they often were. His gaze was steely, serious, but he said nothing, lips set in a frown that seldom left his lips as a heavy silence knitted its way through the space between them.

That was until Ali, seated just by her side, grabbed her hand, turning it over with a sneer, "How'd this happen?"

Yes! Proof! Leila pushed herself forward with raised brows, "See! I'm telling you. This must be a burn, from when Zarqa—"

"Honestly, Liela!" Zarqa scoffed, crossing her arms.

Ali sighed, looking to a nearby servant and muttering, "fetch a diviner."

"I'm not sure what you think there is to gain from spewing such nonsense," Zarqa stood, angrily, walking to the window. "I would never, I mean— and what: I have no recollection, whatsoever?"

Leila's mouth fell ajar, "Zarqa—"

She turned, a hand gesturing to Haitham as her voice rose, "I was with Haitham almost all night!"

All eyes turned to their brother, who's brows had risen only slightly before settling back to that same nonchalance he'd perfected, "We did spend most the night together."

"Most?" Ali looked over his shoulder.

"I mean," he looked away. "I may have been pre-occupied, at times, before I crossed paths with that Diviner, but—"

Ali stoffed, "Pre-occupied, yes. Is that what they're calling it now?"

Haitham scowled, pushing off the wall, "It? And, pray tell, what exactly is 'it', brother?"

"You'd be the expert on that, no—"

"I have had it!" Zarqa shouted, hands flayed in front of her. "Always, bickering and belittling and insulting—"

Three strong knocks sounded and Leila frowned, having been silent throughout this entire exchange. Is this how her siblings were, usually? Is this...how siblings were? She cleared her throat, "enter."

Captain came in and bowed—holding the door open for the Diviner as he ushered in— before stepping by the door. Leila could feel his eyes on her, almost pleading for a look, a word. She'd given him neither.

The Diviner brought his hood down in respect before he gave his own bow. Always that same Divider, with sandy auburn hair and blue eyes, eyes that always skittered back to Haitham. Leila's mouth twisted as she looked between them, Haitham looking away as he slumped back on the wall.

Still, Liela could not help it as he moved toward her, malice dripping in her every word,  "Are you the only Diviner here?"

He looked up, wide-eyed, before he gulped. Ali frowned, looking him over. Zarqa had long since taken to looking out the window, shoulders tense. It was Haitham who'd spoken, even as he picked at the threads of a tapestry on the wall, "I cannot think what qualms you'd have with the one who found you in that hallway."