Tales of the Jewel

Ali let out a heavy breath as Soraya revealed just what was under her robe. The will of an Ebonite was strong, but... wow. His gaze was definitely hot as it travelled up and down her revealed form. "If that's one of the outfits you wanted my opinion on, miss..." He cleared his throat, "-I can't remember seeing the like in beauty before."

He chuckled softly, amused, at her comment. "Perhaps you just didn't look closely enough." He teased, smirking, crossing his arms over his solid chest. "Or perhaps I just don't keep my secrets in my room."

"Does that mean you DO have a secret compartment somewhere, or are you just teasing me with the possibility?"

The princess crossed her arms and pouted a little as she looked at him, seemingly more focused on that part then the comments on her "around the house" robes.

Ali stepped a little closer. "I... may be teasing you a bit." His grin became impudent for a moment. "But more than that, I'd say my secrets are kept in here." Raising his hand, he crossed over his heart with his index finger. "Or perhaps... the things you found are like puzzle blocks. None of them are a secret in themselves, but the whole..."

He watched her a moment longer, and then jerked his head towards the staircase. "Besides, you haven't seen everything yet. The roof's the best part."

"Don't tease, please... that's my job..." she said quite softly before looking up at the roof.

"I would ask what's up there, but I suppose that would ruin the surprise. Do I need to put my robes on before I head up there with you then?"

She wasn't shy per say, but if it was visible from all over... probably not the best idea.

Ali blinked, and then he smirked playfully. "Is it, now?" He inclined his head to her. "In that case, may I say, you're doing an excellent job, princess."

Well. That changed things.

Still wearing a playful smirk, Ali shook his head. "You're fine to stay in that. I assure you, no one will be able to see what we do up there."

"Fine by me then. This is much easier to move around in then those heavy robes, so they'd be better for me to try things out in. As far as self-defense goes, of course."

Deciding she could go up at this point then the Dahabi woman walked up the stairs to the roof, shielding her eyes with one hand from any sudden change in lighting on the clear day, considering the house itself was somewhat on the dim side.

Ali followed close behind.

Indeed, it was noticeably brighter outside. The stairs opened out onto a semi-open roof, just above the other nearby houses, fencing blocking the view in, and lined with what greenery would grow in the climate. There was enough space to stride about, to wave ones arms, even to dance.

"I train up here." Ali said, coming to stand next to her, almost but not quite touching. He nodded to the corner, where there was layered cloth providing a mat of sorts, as well as a straw dummy. "But that's the highlight."

He pointed out over the wall. On the edge of the Maze, the view overlooked it. One couldn't watch and map it; at least, not quickly. But one could get a sense of it, a sense of the people, moving about, going about their lives. "I come up here just to watch, sometimes. To get the pulse of the city."

Sora wandered gracefully over to the fence and leaned on it with arms crossed, looking out over the view Ali had, a breeze touching her soft black hair and her legs crossing slightly as she balanced there.

"Mmm... the view is wonderful. And the breeze feels nice."

Of course, it probably helped that the wind, as usual, was blowing from the direction other than the maze. The Caliph's palace was upwind from such places for a reason, after all...

Ali nodded. "Yeah. It's really something." He took a deep breath. "Some people, they look out there, and they just see poverty. Perhaps lessers."

He looked at her, smiling gently. "I'm glad you see some beauty in it, Soraya."

And then, because of her comment earlier, he let his fingers brush gently along her back. He was an Ebonite... but he was only human.

She partially closed her eyes a little bit before turning around, leaning back against the railing, "...are you sure your mind is on this training, Mister Ali? This IS important to me, after all; I was almost kidnapped this morning, so it would be nice to know how to get out of someone's grip or subdue someone..."