The Serpent's Veil

Gold

Everywhere she looked, there was something that startled. Huge grey domes, marble arches and pillars as thick as ten men, lush green courtyards with bubbling fountains and clean stone paths. Minarets reached for the sky, glazed iwans welcomed masses of people into various buildings. There was so much colour it hurt to look. Khaya didn't need her heightened sense of hearing to discern all the sounds that filled her ears – the far off water crashing against the banks of the Tigris, the chorus of rebabs accompanied by sweet singing voices, heavy drumbeats, the clip-clop of dozens of horses' hooves against the stone, bells ringing in the mosque.

Ayaan reached behind into one of the saddle bags, pressing Khaya into a precarious position. She grabbed at his collar to keep her balance, but didn't voice her annoyance.

"Put this on." He handed her a thick red bangle. Khaya frowned and turned it around in her hand. It was smooth and had an intricate, mesmerising marbled pattern.

"Where are we going?"

She had taken a moment to notice that the caravan had split up as soon as they reached the Kufa Gate. Some of the pilgrims had stayed behind, while the nobles had all veered off to the other side of the Inner City. The royal family has presumably gone straight ahead to the palace. Even from here Khaya could see its great green dome, rising above everything else like a watchful eye.

Will I be living there, now that I am to be Prince Rehan's whore?

She wanted to ask Ayaan, but the fact that he was barely older than Salsal dawned on her, and she kept her mouth shut.

Eventually a squat building of beige stone came into view. Two hulking guards stood at attention at the gate, armed with menacing spears. Khaya's shoulders immediately knotted.

"What is this place?"

"The harem." Ayaan loosened his reins, and added, "Don't worry, I'm going to hand you to the eunuchs. It's perfectly safe." His high voice cracked at the end of his sentence.

"Eunuchs? What are those?"

Ayaan's shoulders shook with laughter. "You really are precious... Khay... something, was your name wasn't it?"

"Khayzuran," she almost snapped.

"Well, Khayzuran sahiba, a eunuch is a man who has had his nethers removed, usually in the most gruesome way imaginable."

Khaya gaped, but not in horror, in pure fascination. "Is it a punishment?"

Ayaan raised an eyebrow.

Uncle Yahya was right, she is an interesting one...

"Sometimes it is, sometimes people volunteer."

Ayaan leaned back, and the horse halted smoothly. To Khaya's surprise the guards fell on one knee when he dismounted. Perhaps he was some noble's son, to command such respect.

"Do you want a hand?"

The gates opened and a plethora of men flooded out, each dressed identically in an olive green robe tied with a brown leather belt. One broke away from the rest of the group and approached Ayaan. He was tall and skinny, with a sharp chin and small, stern eyes, resembling a bird of prey. He wore a small black cap on his head, setting him apart from the rest.

Ayaan pointed over his shoulder with his thumb. "Take good care of her, Kalan."

Khaya stared down at the man, the eunuch, from the saddle. He appeared normal in every respect.

"Sahiba." he bowed in an exaggerated motion, folding an arm over his chest. "I am at your service."

Two more eunuchs approached, one took the horse's reins and the other helped Khaya dismount. All the while she eyed them with open awe and interest.