Akila,
"So...??!!! Tell me all about it."
Heba said as she walked beside Akila, who gave her a confused side glance but kept on walking.
The two were heading to that small garden closer to her first quarters in the palace.
Heba had told Akila that they need to prepare for her next trial that will include a skill or hobby, something she is good at.
But Akila has never thought about it or considered that issue.
Her mind was still muddled with thoughts about the king and their stroll last night.
Akila walked into the garden and found the two girls from yesterday talking with hushed voices.
She smiled at them shyly and walked toward them with Heba following closely behind.
"Are you serious now, Akila? Where is your mind?"
Heba said under her breath as she held Akila's arm to stop her.
"Ha...what?"
She asked her friend in confusion, making the girl glare at her and slap her cheek lightly to wake her from her daydreaming.
"I have been talking to you and you had this look on your face. What is wrong? You didn't even notice that all the servants and nobles we met were looking at you to get your attention and even try to have a conversation."
Akila looked around her and found that it was the truth. The people who caught her eyes bowed their heads and gave her broad smiles.
"What is the meaning of this? I know no one here. I'm also no one."
She asked Heba, who just closed her eyes and pinched the bridge of her nose.
Akila bit her lip and cast her eyes down, feeling ashamed of something she had done and doesn't know about.
"Don't be harsh on the girl, Heba. She is new to all of that and you are distressing her further."
Akila smiled gratefully at Ebony, who stood with her hands on her hips and her eyes narrowed.
Heba slapped her own forehead, groaning in annoyance. Akila almost giggled.
She knows that her new sister has a short fuse, and it was easy to provoke her.
"EBONY, so you are a friend of my sister now! Are you trying to gain the king's favor that way because you know that he will never take you as a wife?"
Akila gasped and put her hand above her mouth when she saw Ebony advance on Heba and stand so close that their noses were almost touching.
"You know that was never the truth, Heba, and stop being such a bitch to me. This must end now."
Heba chuckled humorlessly and Akila frowned when she saw her grit her teeth and clench her fists after but say nothing.
"They are back at it again."
Eshe said as she stood beside Akila and tsked, watching the other two girls sneer at each other.
"Is this not a new occurrence?"
She asked Eshe, who shook her head, her eyes still focused on the girls.
"No, they have been like that ever since Ebony vowed herself to the general."
Akila looked at her sister with pity in her eyes and a heavy heart. Heba was in love with the general, but he chose Ebony instead.
"I'm certain that Heba will find someone else. I haven't seen that general yet, but there are other nice men that will cherish her."
Eshe gaped at her for a few heart beats but then the girl burst out laughing, she almost choked.
Heba and Ebony turned to glare at them, and Akila winced from the anger in their gaze.
But Eshe grinned at them after wiping a few stray tears.
"Akila thinks that you two girls are fighting over the general. That was hilarious. Thank you, girl, for the laugh."
Akila looked away with her cheeks darkening. She wasn't used to having all the attention in the room and she didn't know how to deal with it yet.
"I'm not fighting her over that bastard. She can have him all for herself. I don't fucking care anymore. Akila, let us go. We need to discuss this thing now. We have wasted a lot of time already."
Heba said as she walked away, dragging Akila behind her and going to sit in a faraway corner.
"NO, you won't escape me, Heba. We need to end this now. I won't tolerate these actions toward me."
Ebony shouted loudly as she followed them, and Akila bit her fingernails in agitation.
"Kiss already and end this nonsense. We all know that you two are dying to do it."
Eshe said then she sat beside Akila glaring at the other girls who looked away, embarrassed.
Akila gasped and put her hand above her mouth when Eshe's words registered in her mind.
So they weren't fighting over the general, they were fighting because they broke up!
"Heba, you know that I always loved you and still are. But I love him too. I want you both in my life, but you didn't accept that."
Heba chuckled coldly again and sat beside me on the other side. Her hands were still clutching her silk dress angrily.
"I told you that I don't share, Ebony. And my feelings for that man are over now. I don't even have a wheat grain of feelings toward him anymore."
Ebony's eyes watered as she crouched in front of Heba and held her hands and put them on her cheeks, making Heba look her in the eye.
"But we love you still. Please think this over. We have missed you these past few days, you know. Getting married doesn't mean that we will forget you or neglect you, but you know we had to be husband and wife."
Heba's hands shook as she watched Ebony cry pathetically. She pulled her up and hugged her tightly while she sobbed.
"Praise the gods. They have finally done it. These two have been driving me crazy."
Akila looked at Eshe and then at the two girls, who were kissing and laughing now.
It was a peculiar thing to witness, but Akila's heart felt warm with happiness, also some little envy.
Would she find such a great love or is she bound to be alone forever?
"Ok, enough with that. What your talent is going to be, Akila? What are you good at?"
Eshe asked suddenly and Akila nibbled on her lower lip thoughtfully, but then shook her head as she got nothing.
"I mean, there must be something you are really good at. For me, I'm good at playing the oboe. Ebony is a talented singer."
Akila looked at Heba, who was still hugging Ebony, and have her in her lap, her eyes wide with horror.
She doesn't own any skills unless you consider milking and feeding her goats is something special.
"I have given that much thought actually and when I figured that teaching you something new will be a waste of our time, I considered dancing."
Heba said absently as she looked far away, looking for something, and smiled when a group of people approached them.
"They are here, finally. Akila let me introduce you to Thebes' number one dancer and her band."
A beautiful woman who was ahead of four men bowed her head elegantly to them.
Akila looked in fascination at the beautiful woman who was wearing a diaphanous robe which was held in place by a cowrie shells belt girdle.
The woman's black curly hair was styled in so many braids that it reminded her of a lion's main.
The woman stood up and made a pose with her curvy body while the men started to play their instruments.
Akila's heart jumped the moment she saw the woman dance flawlessly and erotically.
She swung her hips left and right while her eyes were solely fixated on Akila.
The woman smiled at her seductively and licked her red lips. Her heavy kohl painted eyes winked at her.
Akila was entranced with all that she was seeing. She didn't even notice when her body began to sway with the woman's every move.
After the dance was finished, Akila's heart kept beating violently in her chest. It didn't stop.
"I see that you have enjoyed the performance. And from your flushed cheeks and moving body, it's safe to assume that you like dancing."
Akila turned to look at Heba, still feeling as if she was drunk.
"How did you know that I like dancing? I always do it in the privacy of my own room."
Heba hummed as she stood up after pulling Akila with her, then they stood in front of the dancer female.
"Then I did well. You will learn a few moves from her, and this will be your talent or skill. Whatever the fuck they call it."
Akila eyed the confident female, then eyed her clothes. They were sheer and revealing.
She looked away shyly when the dancer opened her arms and made a spin to show her the back.
"Ugh. Akila, don't tell me that you still have some qualms about nudity? I told you here this matter is nothing to any of us. You need to drop these reservations."
She nodded her head and looked away. She understands what Heba is saying, yet she can't make herself accept it.
"You are beautiful, my lady. Never be ashamed of your body."
The dancer said and Akila smiled at her gratefully. Maybe she needs to forsake all of her old self and try to act like all of these noble women.
"OK, now let us start with your lessons. I think it will be easier for you to learn a few dance moves, as you already have some experience."
Akila chuckled nervously as she let the dancer hold her hand and began to sway a little.
"I won't say what I have is experience, but I know any woman can dance."
The girls laughed along with the dancer, who let her hand go and addressed her.
"You have no idea how wrong you are, my lady."
Akila smiled as she followed the dancer's moves and began to mimic them.
She laughed to her heart's content and easily forgot her worries from the night before.