Mehregan's return was unexpected. Like a fury, she burst into the palace, expressing dissatisfaction with every little thing. And then she sat down in the corner of the hall and silently cried. Her servants and slaves were exhausted, Arian was nowhere to be seen.
"Where is Arian? Did anything happen to him by chance?" Irene winked at her friend trying to calm her down, not understanding what happened.86Please respect copyright.PENANAGiQmVkn4Ra
"Happened! He's been mobilized! You won't believe it he was also fined!" Outraged Mehregan waved her hands. "The vizier's assistant in the province ordered him to assemble a cavalry troop!"86Please respect copyright.PENANAdCfkkIVzYm
"What!? No way!" Irene exclaimed in surprise. "What's happened? Everything is so peaceful around, well, relatively speaking, of course."
"Not everyone has yet sworn allegiance to Ismail, especially here in the south. The clouds are gathering, from the west your lord, the Ottoman Sultan, is planning something. Instead of fighting the enemy of humanity..." Mehregan began to explain the current political situation.86Please respect copyright.PENANALxw8AOtuXt
"Do you mean Lucifer?" Irene asked innocently.86Please respect copyright.PENANAy370grER02
"I mean Christians! Only fools fight Lucifer!" Mehregan corrected.
The conversation turned to local affairs.
"Well, how are you doing? Did the servants and slaves behave well?" Mehregan asked.86Please respect copyright.PENANAtfduGrIasG
"Everything is fine with us, it's quiet, but hungry Portuguese are hanging around," Irene answered.86Please respect copyright.PENANAK70sxxn1qV
Irene spoke about her meeting with the Portuguese captain Enrique.
"Crap! Only these slackers were missing here! Instead of working and paying duties like everyone else, everyone is looking for ways to evade fair trade!" Mehregan exploded with righteous indignation.86Please respect copyright.PENANAjIjjZGHpKd
"Well, for some reason, King Manuel's plan for the southern route to India is very interesting," Irene objected.
"So, why are they walking around hungry?"86Please respect copyright.PENANAYClMUsMc2g
"So, there is no money!" Irene mimicked her friend.86Please respect copyright.PENANAbw888zrlfF
"Since financial instruments were invented... it's funny to listen to such excuses! That Portuguese captain, Enrique? Can he be trusted?" Mehregan inquired. "He could write a bill of exchange for example to Santander Totta. I have a lot of stale stuff lying around, I would push it to him."
***
Finally, dinner was served, and Mehregan and Irene dined alone. Then, remembering something, Mehregan clapped her hands and whispered something in the ear of the slave leaning towards her. The slave nodded and left the hall.86Please respect copyright.PENANAHEX7fqNYjG
Soon another one entered the hall, it was just a giant, very beautiful Afro-slave. Behind him the musicians squeezed through the doors. They were: ghaychak, davul, daf, ney.
"Come on, give us a blast!" Mehregan exclaimed and stamped her foot.86Please respect copyright.PENANAnvapsTQ7Bi
The music started, the Afro-slave dancer began to dance, and how! Irene tried not to look at him and diligently gnawed on a leg of lamb.86Please respect copyright.PENANAzdq1BSiRtd
"Why aren't you watching Abram dance?" Mehregan asked her friend.86Please respect copyright.PENANAES6KPMdmzk
"I don't like man's dance, I think only women are able to convey with their bodies all the beauty of dance," Irene objected.86Please respect copyright.PENANA0NrWWlABYg
"They say that once you dressed as a concubine and danced before the Sultan," Mehregan suddenly asked and smiled at her.86Please respect copyright.PENANAbd1G4YJupz
"Someone's sexual fantasies, why should I do this?" Irene answered without looking her in the eye. "Anyway, I don't even like to dance. My role is sword and mind."
The musicians continued to play leisurely, calm music, and Mehregan and Irene retreated to the big, wide balcony overlooking the Gulf, where a quiet, cool, starry evening reigned, where they were smoking hash, dancing, kissing and weeping.
***
Oh, this southern land, the land caressed by the Creator. The still cool sun slowly rose in the east.86Please respect copyright.PENANACKdK863AHW
Mehregan leisurely had breakfast on the balcony, and Irene was still luxuriated in bed.
"However! What Iblis! Some rascals are sailing a boat right here," Mehregan exclaimed.86Please respect copyright.PENANAtK03UBK0gY
Irene jumped out of bed and ran out onto the balcony with a spyglass.86Please respect copyright.PENANAzStFj0KodC
"Looks like this is my friend Enrique," Irene said looking through the spyglass, "and there is his сarrack in the distance."
Mehregan and Irene went to the beach in anticipation of the uninvited guests.86Please respect copyright.PENANAElWx041fL4
When the boat approached the shore, Enrique took off his hat and bowed to the ladies.86Please respect copyright.PENANAayfkhULqe6
"What the hell! Did someone call you?" Irene exclaimed angrily. "Mehregan - Enrique, Enrique - Mehregan." she introduced them.
"That’s right! May the honorable ladies forgive me, but I’m not empty-handed, I brought a port wine," Enrique pointed to the barrel.86Please respect copyright.PENANAaJngXLZcxR
"What?! Young man, you are out of your mind! This is dar al-Islam!" Mehregan exclaimed in fear. "If the governor of the province finds it out, my palace will be burned, and we will all be sold into slavery!"86Please respect copyright.PENANAMv3F4FjfHF
“Well, we haven’t gone ashore yet,” Enrique began to justify himself. “But if the highly respected ladies don’t mind, we can all sail together to my ship.”
Mehregan and Irene looked at each other.
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