Everything had gone smoothly with the Portugese. Altayr could be devastatingly charming and personable to anyone when the mood suited or the situation called for it. He made much ado over the man's Damascus-forged scimitar and they sat and talked blades for a few drinks. When the Portugese broached the subject of his inquiry, Altayr said knew the man he was looking for - or thought he did. He offered to take him to the man. The Portugese trusted him because he'd never see him around before and Altayr had been very likeable. After nearly a month of getting nowhere, the Portugese was more than eager to follow him. It was the last time he would follow anyone anywhere. The Portugese was now feeding the jackals and hyenas and his 'big fat Damasc scimitar' was being melted down by Tariq's smith. Pity. It was a beautiful blade, but the smith - who was also a Damascus smith - would reforge it into two different blades with a different pattern and different shape. It had been a huge sword - ridiculously so - more a show-piece than anything useful. That done, to seal their partnership, Tariq 'gave' him Lila. He also offered him Ali's other wives for his own, but Altayr told Tariq he could have them. He had no real interest in having so many wives. It was good enough for his father to have one beautiful wife, and so it was good enough for him. After seeing that Tariq was informed and the blade taken care of it was near morning. Altayr went to the bath to wash away the evening. Not that it could be 'washed away' - only on the outside. He had been trained very thoroughly to leave such things behind him and go on. If one showed the least bit of remorse for having done such a thing, one was severely punished. It only took one time of being flogged with a cat-o-nine tails for him. Once again, he'd spent time doing something to fulfill an obligation to someone else. Not that he didn't owe Tariq, but an assassination wasn't exactly what he had planned to repay the pirate for rescuing him and what was left of his household. When would it end? In spite of nominally being Tariq's partner, he knew that Tariq would always want to call the shots when it came to the big things. He would listen to what Altayr had to say about anything and he might reconsider a thing or two, but the bulk of it would always go Tariq's way - right or wrong. If Altayr tried to enforce his way, Tariq would likely become angry with him. This was hardly the optimal situation for Altayr. His fleeting visions of being free of everyone's demands were just that - flitting away like butterflies in the garden. All he really wanted out of all of this was Lila, but he was paying this price to have her. To take her and go back to the mountains of his ancestors and disappear to live happily ever after was his desire. Ha! Tariq would chase him to the ends of the earth if he did that, if the Sapnish or Portugese navies didn't catch him first, and then Lila would suffer his same fate. That would not do. Going anywhere far away was impossible without a ship. He'd have to 'steal' it but then there would be no crew and no galley slaves. He sighed, his lungs full of steam. How was it he always managed to find himself in these situations? ***** I'm glad you all enjoyed the Muse :) Thank you for your comments and visiting my dear friends! Enjoy your day/evening!! Rayvn