Empire of Dreams

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I loitered around the grand hall, guiding and observing the servants. It was strange to be back. Strange to have people greet me from the distance, servants who I'd grown up with now looked at me with new respect in their eyes. Sweet and gentle Asma, the new chief of the household, moved around trying to get everything in order.

"How's everything? How are you fitting in?" Sanaa asked after I'd inquired about Uncle Yaqoob's health, placing the set of spoons on the table.

I straightened the silk table mat and met her gaze, stalling. "What do you mean?"

"Your husband, the family. We haven't had much time to talk." She sat back on her heels, her face troubled. "The last we saw each other I was running for my life."

I raised an eyebrow. "Why was that exactly?"

"People were chasing me. And then your husband saw me running with your handmaidens in tow and came after us."

It wasn't Ali who was chasing her?

"Who was chasing you?"

Sanaa swallowed audibly. "A large, tall woman," Afet.

That woman was the source of all my problems at the moment. Advising Mehmet, leading a rebellion. Being stubborn.

"Huh. You might see her today," she looked at me, her eyes wide and questioning. "She's part of Mehmet's entourage."

Her eyes widened and I dragged her through the corridor and into my old room.

"I don't like this Laila." She muttered as I began.

"Neither do I. I need your advice."

I watched the expressions flit over face rapidly. "So you're telling me...?"

"He was tricked. He systematically killed the rebels until they fled to the Seljukian border. They refused to hand them over and now they've been involved in ransacking caravans, fighting traders, causing unrest, and whatnot."

"Do you believe him?" I nodded. "Oh my God. He's not a forgiving man is he?" I flinched at those words, not quite believing them anymore.

Now that I knew him and I'd seen him for what he truly was. I'd seen his mind for organization—his quiet intelligence and his compassion—in every aspect of life. In his troops. In the careful attention to detail. In dealing with the refugees. In caring for me.

He was everywhere.

Even if Mehmet didn't see this simple truth. Even if Sanaa didn't believe it. Even if the whole world didn't believe me.

"He's not like that."

"You know him better than I do, but you have to help him."

"What? Did you not hear about Mehmet and his crazy ideas? About Afet?"

"They've gone crazy. They're insane. They want you to sacrifice your life for a cause that hasn't fully materialized and has no merit." She said, sitting down beside me.

"I fear he's being used. To weaken the Caliphate. Where is he getting his funding from? The arms and supplies? Why are the rebels with him?"