
~ As Najiyah made to talk to their captive, Kaniel finally relented: clearly the woman was focused on the matter at hand rather than what
clearly had happened, no matter how much she tried to deny it.
Why was she denying it? She may have been coy from time to time, but this adamant adherence to ignorance was almost like ... Like Najiyah had
no recollection of her outburst.
Curiouser and Curiouser.
However, when the Vizier set herself to talking with Derafsh, even The Half-Orc saw his respect for her grow: whereas before she had been rather mercurial and extravagant in her mannerisms,
here Najiyah showed that she truly cared about the people of her wondrous city, be they friend or foe, and put her considerable talents of diplomacy to use.
Her attempt even seemed to cause Derafsh to lose his guard, opening up to the assembled without so much of the venomous edge he carried before. And, thanks to the attempts of the assembled, Kaniel Ibn Faruq al-Masafir felt ... pity, for this creature.
" Your liege betrayed you when you stayed faithful," he breathed softly, coming over to stand by Najiyah and lend credit to her diplomatic approach,
" Brave Hajama looks favorably upon such courage."
While Amina had a point, Kaniel had to disagree gently with her.
" Sadiqa," he addressed her as a companion,
" To serve sometimes means to do things that are ... less than noble. My hands, too, bear the stain of crimson. Would you judge my loyalty to The Grand Caliph based upon the nature of my work? Can any of us truly claim innocence in the deeds we have done?"
It was clear it was not an accusation against the Handmaiden, more something to ponder. To remind her that as a Slave Soldier, Kaniel did not even get a
choice in what his orders were.
" But, while what happened was a tragedy, Derafsh, it is as you've said: regime change is all too common within our lands. I find your conviction admirable, but it does not answer why you followed us, why this Map of yours is important. What does it hold?
His yellow eyes settled softly (for a Half-Orc) upon the man, trying to emulate the same sincerity that Najiyah had shown for the creature.
" On My Life, sadiq, while I may be unable to convince a Sheikh to forgive enemies of the past, if your intentions be noble, I will try to help you achieve them. If, that is, you may be able to help us."
He stroked at his beard, crossing one army over his chest to prop up the elbow of the other.
" We are investigating many dangers, not just to Tajar, but seemingly to Zakhara herself. If this Map will help your people, and if you and your kin mean no harm to the Sheikh, his Viziers, and Tajar, I would hope that we could come to an agreement. Aid for Aid in our own investigations. It is clear that you and your kin know this city well, and we could use your eyes and experience. We avoid bloodshed, and we both walk away with what we desire from this."
He sighed quietly, bowing his head and speaking more to the floor than to their captive or anyone else.
" I, too, know what it is like to have your life suddenly change, to find shackles where once there was only the freedom of The Sands. But the cowardice in my story is mine and mine alone, and so Hajama The Brave tests me for my crime to this very day. Perhaps Hajama has put us both here so that we may be reminded of what it means to espouse Honor and Courage once more, aywa?" ~