Collaterals

One Reason

Practice, Practice, Practice. That was all Leila had known this week. Sleep, however...she'd known very little of sleep, that was for sure. The dance required a reserve of energy she did not have time to build, not with her burning through any lick of fire every day, just to keep up with Ali. 

And Ali. 

He spoke little. Or, rather, he did not speak at all. He grunted when she made a mistake, then showed her how to correct it. Nodded when she got it right. Then looked forward, sweat dripping off his chin, and started the dance again. 

She couldn't leave. She tried, once, her limbs shaking as they made to carry her out the temple. Then a column of fire was hurtling towards her, Leila having ducked just in time to miss it and watch it slam into the barrier of the door, then watch the barrier glow a far gentler orange as it absorbed the fire's energy, stopped it from burning some terrified Diviners just past the blur. 

When she turned, dumbfounded, eyes wide in shock, Ali had simply nodded for her to join him once more. It must have been the tension lining his bare shoulders, the frantic rise and fall of his chest, or the edge to his eyes...for whatever reason, Leila did not object. She simply walked by his side and forced herself to start again. 

It was the eve of his naming, now, which meant they couldn't practice. Not if they wanted to be able to summon enough fire for true spectacle tomorrow. And so...today...Leila sighed, sinking deeper into her bed. It was evening, now, but Leila had spent the day in bed, relatively alone (save for the three Diviners watching her), having soaked for as long as she could before sitting, sore, immobile, and not having enough volition to stand. 

Distantly, a knock sounded: once. Again. Leila groaned, looking up while moving as little of her body as she could. The Princess raised her brows expectantly at the first Diviner. The mouth visibly below the hood only frowned, then looked to the side. Leila rested her head back on her pillow as feet sounded to the room. 

And then quickly back to her dwellings, "Highness!"

Leila frowned as a maidservant rushed in. She was moving into Leila's wardrobe, "Highness! It is the Young Lord. He wishes to see you."

"Khaled?!" Leila sat up, wincing against the ache of her muscles.

"Oh!" She tsked, helping Leila up. "How many other young lords have you been courting, highness?!"

Leila stretched, only for her limbs to drop uselessly by her side. However was she to perform tomorrow? Perhaps she'd have the maidservants draw another one of those heavenly hot baths after Khaled leaves. The Princess watched as another maidservant came in, the pair of them buzzing from one spot to another as she trudged to her vanity and sat. She looked at them from her mirror, "And he did not think to say why he visits?"

"No," the maidservant replied. "But he came bearing quite a few gifts. I have him in the waiting area. Zeina's gone to get him some refreshments. Perhaps he will be having dinner, should I send word to the kitchens, or, oh, ugh, I could ask Zein, he works with the Prince and they know what the Young Lord prefers—."

"Do calm," Leila held her brush out and waited till her maidservant took it. "If he is to come unannounced, then he can wait, no?" 

And wait he did. Till Leila was dressed and kempt and for the God Almighty's sake, whatever this was please, please, please let it be short and sweet and the kind of reprieve that deserved the effort to get out of bed. 

He stood quickly when she walked it. Far quicker than he ever had, eyes wide before he bowed low, "Your Highness."

Leila raised a brow as she brought her hand forward.