Tales of the Jewel

She looks up from her drink, swallowing before tilting her head, "...I certainly did not know that. How complex!"

She looks down at the drink curiously, "So... making a good drink... it is like an art then?"

She chuckles soft and takes the honey, "You know, you're the third person to say that to me this week? That honey works better in drinks than sugar that is." Sora stirs a drop in and tastes it, the flavors indeed working together and she sighs happily. "This is one of the best drinks I've ever had. ...

"Oh, it certainly is that way with the Dahabi as well, yes. A man and a woman living under the same roof but not married... that was the reason I didn't simply move out with Qasim here and took up roost with Lady Majdala. I did not wish to ruin his reputation or start troubles between House Menjari ...

Sora looked over at Qasim, her eyebrow arching, "This is news to me. What have you been planning you sly fox?"

Sora tilted her head. "I... am always talking about you, Raya. I love you, and I can't stop myself. What you do for me, the way you bring light to my life. Not by how you treat me or how beautiful you are or that you're Ra'Shari, but because you're Raya." She took Raya's free hand not holding the le...

"I... was hoping I could move in with one of you two; If I stayed in the palace, there was no chance I could travel with either of you or properly show my affection. Lady Majdala was a gracious hostess... but I do not love her the same way I love you Miss Raya, Sidi Qasim. I... will miss her, but it...

"Just the incident. I told the coffee shop owner Bazir that I was staying at a friend's when this happened. So he had nothing else in that regard to tell the people he asked. I suppose it might have been possible that he would have found more information if I'd provided deeper details into the circu...

"Ah, I see, so you left her care. And where will you go next, sayyeda?" She raised her fan, and started fanning herself in thought. "I plan on traveling with the Ra'Shari named Raya, possibly Qasim al-Basiri if he can leave the city. I want to see my ancestors homelands, see the world... You and yo...

"I wish I knew more... I asked some questions, but this is all just possibilities. And I'm no scholar... I would need to ask around more. You didn't have any ideas about it, or anything you'd looked into since then, have you? If you don't want to tell me, I understand. Some things are best left unkn...

As Soraya put her marshmallow on her stick and stuck it out over the fire, she dropped a bombshell, "I asked Lady Majdala to leave the palace, by the way. And she said she would miss me and that the palace was open to me if I wished to return, but that she understood and I could go. So I will be mov...