Chapter 3 Part 2:
**************
In the palatial complex of El Idriss, the Seraglio wasn't situated in the same building as the king's and the royal family's aisles. However, it was the batiment that was the closest to them.
It actually was closer to the residence of the royal family than any ministry building!
Though Yuka hadn't seen most of the palatial complex, she suspected that the Seraglio was its most luxurious part. Well, maybe outside of the throne room...
There were precious carpets with complex arabesque or geometrical patterns. Richly adorned tapestries on the walls. Furnitures made of precious wood. Gorgeous potted plants. Precious mirrors. Everything was colourful thanks to these decorations.
And there was marble. Marble floors. Marble walls. Marble columns. Marble bas-reliefs. Marble sculptures. Gold-plated marble, silver-plated marble... White marble, grey marble, black marble, green marble, beige marble, pink marble... Marble everywhere.
Under the guise of Mira, a curvy young woman with long wavy black hair, deep brown eyes, a soft tanned skin, and a flat belly, Yuka was walking through the corridors of the Seraglio. She was wearing the young courtesan's gorgeous set of ocean blue clothes: ample baggy trousers and a matching tunic jacket. The trousers and tunic jackets were adorned with woven gold arabesque patterns, as well as dark blue beads made of stone. Under the tunic jacket, she was wearing a light blue blouse woven with white threads. A white sash was tied around her waist, and she was wearing a light translucent sky blue shawl on her shoulders. There were gold bracelets around her wrists and a gold necklace around her neck. She was wearing small gold earrings inlaid with a sapphire each.
Yuka couldn't help but notice how heavily-guarded the Seraglio was.
All the guards were women. Their uniforms consisted of green mantles and trousers, a white turban, a brown sash, and brown shoes. They were armed with daggers and scimitars. And indeed, they were everywhere.
Yuka was in fact lucky to have been given by Rashid servant clothes and a forged parchment allowing her to enter the Seraglio. And she was also lucky that, given Mira's low status, her bedroom was situated in an isolated part of the building.
However, given the fact that the building was filled to the brim with gorgeous-looking women wearing expensive outfits, Yuka easily understood why security was so tight.
Even though Mira's clothes were already pretty and luxurious, Yuka suspected from the beginning that higher-ranked courtesans would be wearing more impressive garbs. However, she didn't realize how right she was until she started to truly explore the Seraglio. The high-ranked courtesans' luxurious clothes were making Mira's garb look downright plain in comparison!
It wasn't even that these women's clothes were more over-ornate. They were simply made of more precious fabric and more precious material. And the way they were tailored made them look more gorgeous than Mira's garb.
Also, Mira's clothes were adorned with beads made of stone. They were pretty, but not precious. The high-ranked courtesans' garbs were adorned with pearls, or silver sequins, or gold sequins, or various other precious materials. A few of them even had precious stones adorning their outfit – rubies, emeralds or sapphires depending on the colour. They were the king's and the prince's favorites.
While searching the building, Yuka had a hard time hiding her awe. However, since she was impersonating a newly-arrived courtesan from outside of the capital city, her reaction didn't look out of place. Indeed, she and Rashid didn't choose her victim at random. In the complex hierarchy of the Seraglio, a newcomer such as Mira was at the bottom. In most of the courtesans' eyes, she was beneath their notice. Which was perfect the perfect cover for her mission.
Yuka snooped around. The other courtesans barely paid any attention to her, as if she was a servant or a guard. While Yuka suspected that she would probably have to aquire other clothes to have access to the more restricted parts of the Seraglio, for the time being she enjoyed her freedom of action.
Indeed, impersonating Mira was the perfect start to...
“Mira! You slacker! There you are!”
Yuka winced.
The woman who just called her was a courtesan in her late twenties, a few years older than Mira. She had green eyes and waist-long wavy brown hair that, like most courtesans, she was wearing down. Her tanned skin was flawless, and so was her face. Her pointy chin was actually adding to her charm, giving her a sharp look. Like most of the women of the Seraglio, she had a curvy body: her curves were big enough to be desirable, but not too big, therefore they weren't looking vulgar. She was wearing the same kind of make-up as Mira: red on her lips, black on her eyebrows.
Given her clothes, this specific courtesan was probably somewhere in the middle of the hierarchy of the Seraglio: her garb was a lot more luxurious than the one worn by low-ranked women like Mira herself, but she wasn't wearing the gold sequins or the precious stones of the highest-ranked courtesans. This woman was indeed wearing a finely tailored sunny yellow ankle-long sleeveless dress, and a matching light tunic jacket with long slightly ample sleeves. A belt was tied around her waist. This belt, as well as the collar and the sleeves' edges of her tunic, were silvery and adorned with white pearls. A sunny yellow headscarf adorned with white pearls was tied over her hair, and she was wearing a tranlucent yellow shawl over her shoulders. There were silver bracelets around her wrists and her earrings were made of silver as well.
Yuka paled slightly. Apparently, this woman knew Mira... and the two were supposed to meet up with each other today.
This is bad...
The shapeshifter was confronted with the downside of perfectly stealing someone's appearance and identity. As long as you didn't have to strike up a conversation, it was perfect to blend in. However, aquiring someone's appearance didn't give access to her memories. Therefore, it was easy to betray yourself in case you had to talk with someone who knew the victim.
Yuka and Rashid chose Mira because they thought she was an isolated woman with no contact yet. However, apparently, they underestimated her...
“Mira! You were supposed to meet up with me! I hope you didn't forget!” the senior courtesan exclaimed.
Shapeshifters were masters of deceit however. Yuka quickly overcame her surprise, and played along.
“I... Of course not.” she answered. Her attitude was meek and obedient, as she assumed that a newcomer such as Mira wouldn't dare talk back to a superior.
“Don't make me regret taking you under my wing. I think you have potential, but only if a more experienced courtesan taches you the ropes.”
“I wouldn't dare disappoint you...”
Yuka learned to speak Ghazanite with Rashid during her time under his service. Luckily, shapeshifters were naturally gifted when it came to learn other languages and she mastered it in record time. Taking Mira's appearance also changed her vocal cords, therefore she could flawlessly imitate the young courtesan's voice.
The older courtesan nodded, apparently satisfied by her submission.
“So tell me, Mira. Did you learn any interesting gossip today?”
Yuka suppressed a grimace.
The shapeshifter was in a tight spot. She didn't have anything juicy to report. After, her failure to come on time to their meeting, the senior courtesan was probably going to take offense if 'Mira' didn't have any interesting information to make amends. And if the woman made a scene, her entire infiltration could be ruined... However, Yuka couldn't just knock her out and be done with it. There were too many witnesses and guards. She had to find something to say that would satisfy the other woman.
Suddenly, Yuka got an idea. She remembered the incident with Rashid's older brother...
The shapeshifter approached the other courtesan, and whispered:
“I heard that prince Yusuf left his little brother's room humiliated yesterday...”
“What?”
Yuka was slightly altering the truth, but that story would definitively be deemed interesting by a courtesan. And it allowed her to speak ill of Yusuf, which was a plus!
“Yes. Have you seen prince Rashid's retinue? He brought with him a metis whose father came from the other side of the ocean... and a red-haired Charioteer as well!”
“That's impossible! Charioteers never travel by sea!”
“Well, this one did, just to stay with him. There's even a white-haired girl from the far north...”
“Say no more!” the older courtesan hurriedly whispered. “We've got to go somewhere more private, and you'll tell me everything. I believe that you and I are the only ones in the knowing. This will give us an advantage...”
Yuka smiled internally. “We could go in my bedroom... It's in an insolated part of the building. Nobody will hear us!”
“Good idea.”
Yuka led the way.
Yes, good idea... If only you knew how much!
“You've heard an important information today, Mira.” the senior courtesan whispered to her while they were on their way. “If what you say is true, then it means that Rashid may have decided to create a second Seraglio with foreign women to try to compete with us... The high-ranked courtesans will pay a high price for this information.”
The shapeshifter suppressed a chuckle. It was very satisfying to use the Seraglio's love for court intrigues and convoluted schemings against one of its member...
Yuka let the other courtesan enter the bedroom first. Then, she followed her and closed the door.
The shapeshifter's victim actually spotted her as she was about to attack her. Therefore, a short brawl broke out in the bedroom. Unfortunately for the courtesan, Yuka was right about the isolation of the room: Nobody heard the brief thrashing or the sound of the vase that fell on the floor. Before her victim could escape, the shapeshifter managed to immobilize her, and to send her to slumberland.
**************
Safiye ordered her team to lock all the prisoners in the basement of the residence. Nahid, her four bodyguards, her servant and the priestess were seated lined up against the wall. All the women were bound hand and foot, and gagged.
Their captors didn't bother with letting the ones who were stripped put some clothes on. Therefore, only the servant and the two guards who weren't stripped during the assault on the residence were still wearing their outer garments. For now at least.
Safiye took the time to interrogate them, as she and some members of her team were going to impersonate them.
The servant sobbed the entire time, therefore they were barely able to understand what she was saying. They didn't need her identity anyway, so Safiye didn't waste much time and quickly put the gag back on. At least, the sobs were now silent...
She didn't have much more luck with the priestess. The second she was ungagged, the auburn-haired woman started to make demands. She was outraged and ordered to be untied THIS INSTANT. She rambled that, as a minister of the Prophet, she couldn't be subjected to such an humiliating abduction. Safiye actually put the gag back on even quicker than with the servant. While one of them was going to play the part of Nahid's 'confessor' with the outfit of the priestess, they actually didn't need to know much about her life story anyway. Safiye was going to play that role, and she knew she just had to look stern and formal.
The two private bodyguards whom Nahid hired in the city itself didn't cause any trouble, and cooperated. Safiye and her accomplices didn't need to know much about them however. Aysun and Derya were going to continue impersonating them. They would simply need to stand in silence and look intimidating.
The other two bodyguards were defiant and refused to cooperate. Safiye couldn't care less. They didn't need to know about them. The green-eyed spy was looking forward to see their reaction when she was going to announce them that they were going to be divested of their clothes...
Nahid herself proved to be the most difficult to deal with. The noblewoman was maybe trussed up and wearing plain indoor clothes... But she was proud, and she wasn't showing any fear either. She was glaring at her captors with a mixture of scorn and defiance in the eyes.
Ultimately, Safiye broke her resolve by threatening to leave one of her two loyal bodyguards alone in a room with Tsuki.
Nahid had seen the shapeshifter use her unnatural powers to rip her own skin and melt it without losing her unhinged smile. It gave her an idea on what kind of madwoman Tsuki was, and on what she could do to a bound defenseless woman if left unchecked. To save the lives of her guards, Nahid agreed to cooperate.
Safiye asked her a lot of questions. She had studied Nahid's family tree and the history of her family and her tribe. However, she needed to know details about her personal life, about her travel, about the people of the palace with whom she had already corresponded with and what she thought of them. Tsuki was going to impersonate her, therefore they needed all the informations they could get.
The shapeshifter was listening carefully. Apparently, she didn't have any problem keeping up with the conversation. It took her only two weeks in Ghazan, the time of their travel and of their stay in El Idriss, to become fluent in its language. The shapeshifter claimed it was thanks to the Black Star.
Safiye didn't care to know more about her ability.
**************
Yuka laid the brown-haired senior courtesan on the bed. Since the still blissfully-asleep Mira was lying face-up with her waist tied to the bed, the shapeshifter put the older courtesan on her right. She positioned her so that her chin would rest on Mira's shoulder, and her nose was touching the younger courtesan's cheek.
The senior courtesan's mouth was already gagged with a few clean handkerchieves filling her mouth and a thick sturdy large ribbon tied over her mouth. Yuka found them in Mira's wardrobe. Another of Mira's translucent shawls, soaked with sleeping potion, was covering the senior courtesan's mouth and nose.
Divested of her headdress, tunic jacket, belt, and dress, Yuka's second victim was left wearing a light yellow sleeveless undershirt that was only covering the upper part or her body and not her belly as well as matching thigh-long underpants. The shapeshifter couldn't help but notice that little white pearls were also woven on the edge of the underwear. She didn't even dare imagine the price of these precious undergarments.
The shapeshifter cut a spare outfit in Mira's wardrobe and used the strips of cloth as makeshift bonds. The senior courtesan's hands were bound behind her back, and her ankles were tied together.
Since Yuka wanted to make sure that the sheets would hide both women, she didn't hesitate to push the senior courtesan's motionless body until her breasts were pressed against Mira's shoulder, and her knees were touching the young cortesan's legs. If it weren't for the ropes, it would have been like the two women were sharing a cute moment: sleeping together while cuddling.
Yuka completely covered the two women with the bed's sheet, to conceal their figures. “Master and student should have some bonding time...” she muttered. It was a classic line (the malicious tongues would have said that it was unoriginal), but she couldn't resist.
The shapeshifter had decided that she wasn't going to play Mira's part anymore: she reasoned that impersonating a middle-ranked courtesan was going to help her explore the Seraglio, as it gave her more authority. Also, since the brown-haired courtesan was supposed to meet up with Mira for a lesson, it meant that she had no planned meeting with someone else.
Yuka modified her appearance. The black hair she had adopted to impersonate Mira became brown, as well as slighly longer and more luscious. Her brown eyes turned green, her chin became more pointy, and her breasts and buttocks grew slightly bigger.
Yuka checked her new appearance in Mira's mirror. Perfect!
Mira's clothes were now slightly too tight. She dropped them on the floor, and slipped into the sunny yellow dress and tunic. She tied the belt around the waist and put on the headdress and the shawl.
With her new appearance, Yuka exited the bedroom. This time, she was adopting the confident demeanour of a senior courtesan.
**************
Once she had learned everything she wanted, Safiye shoved back the cloth into Nahid's mouth and gagged without further ado, without even giving her victim the time to defiantly exclaim a boring 'You'll never get away with this!'
Nahid groaned in anger and shot her a nasty glare, but the gag muffled her sentence.
Safiye slapped her in the back of the head. "You better learn to be polite and stop looking at me like that, princess. Or else your dear guards will suffer the consequences. Speaking of which..."
The green-eyed spy pointed at the two bodyguards wearing the dark blue robes.
“We're going to need these two's clothes. Maryam, Layah. Strip them.” she said.
The bodyguards' muffled indignant screams were music to her ears.
The two henchwomen Safiye called were eager to carry on her orders.
They needed to untie the guards in order to strip them. However, since Aysun was holding a knife against Nahid's throat, they had no choice but show no resistance. Without a word, they allowed Maryam and Layah to strip them of their dark blue long robes, headscarves and headbands, as well as her black cloth belt. They were left wearing faded blue sleeveless undershirts and matching knee-long underpants.
One of them, the one whose hand Safiye broke, rubbed her injured hand and glared furiously at her captors. They didn't remove her gag while they were stripping her, so they couldn't understand what she was mumbling, but it was clear that the muffled grunts she was making were insults.
Maryam slapped her twice, one time on each cheek. Then, she made sure to be rough with her when she bound her again. Wisely, the other bodyguard didn't try to show defiance, and therefore Layah was slightly more gentle with her when she tied up her wrists and ankles.
Safiye towered over the injured guard. "Some people simply never learn, don't they?" She moved her foot to kick the woman, and was satisfied to see her wince in fear and close her eyes. She stopped her movement.
"That's better. Good girl." she mockingly commented.
Safiye looked at Nahid defiantly, and smiled.
It felt good to humiliate a noble.
**************
Under her new guise, Yuka had more freedom of exploration. A senior courtesan such as the one she was impersonating was allowed in all the parts of the Seraglio except the private quarters of the other courtesans.
The shapeshifter used that advantage to search the building and to listen to the various conversations. She was however careful to not remain in someone's line of sight for too long: She didn't know the name of the woman she was impersonating, therefore she wanted to avoid an awkward situation if someone called her by name and she didn't react.
When they were among their peers, the courtesans didn't hesitate to talk politics and intrigues. Behind the walls of the Seraglio, with no palace guard within earsight, those who were hostile to Rashid didn't hesitate to freely voice their opinion.
It only took Yuka a brief tour to spot the factions and the courtesans that were the most vehement in their hostility and the most likely to take actions to undermine him. She mentally took note of the women's appearance and clothes, as she didn't know the names of many of them. It didn't matter. Rashid would recognize them, and then he would take actions to undermine the influence of these specific courtesans.
The gathering of informations was going well. Yuka managed to find out the main leaders of the factions that were a threat to Rashid's projects. He was going to be satisfied.
At the moment, the biggest topic of the conversations was Rashid's upcoming betrothal. The courtesans didn't have very positive things to say about his betrothed.
“She's from the desert tribes... I heard they barely clean themselves there!” one courtesan wearing an orange garb said.
“Did you know that she refused to be hosted in the palace before the official welcoming celebration? She's staying in a residence outside, in the capital city!” another woman, clad in deep blue clothes, said.
“And why is it important?” a third woman, dressed in a purple outfit, asked.
“Well, it means that she postponed meeting the prince and living in the palace for as long as she could, until she couldn't do it anymore without breaking the protocol...”
Wicked laugh.
“It says a lot about what she thinks of her future husband!”
“Also, I heard that she invited a priestess in the same room as belly dancers... It's like she's purposely trying to create a scandal!”
“She most likely is. If the Church of the One True God feels insulted, they might decide to cancel the betrothal...”
After a while, the shapeshifter felt disgusted and chose to stop listening to that kind of gossip.
Then, as she was walking across the Seraglio's main patio, Yuka saw her.
Istir bint Sara was the most influential courtesan of the Seraglio. While technically, she was 'only' prince Yusuf's favorite, and not the king's, she had actually been the older prince's favorite courtesan for a long time – while the king was known for being fickle. Therefore, Istir was considered the top of the food chain in the Seraglio. She was the head courtesan.
Istir was said to be one of the most beautiful women of Ghazan. Her face was heart-shaped, with sensual lips, a petite nose, and deep hazel eyes; as well as black make-up on her eyebrows and red on her lips. She was wearing her wavy waist-long light golden brown hair down. There wasn't any ornament or even haircut: she was just showing how perfect her luscious hair were naturally. Her body was fit and curvy, with a flat belly and soft hands. She was wearing a gorgeous set of clothes: black shoes, green trousers made of precious silk and a matching top with short sleeves that was only covering the upper-part of her body, leaving her bellybutton exposed. There was a silver piercing in her bellybutton. The collar and edges of the sleeves of her top as well as the waistline of her trousers were made in a golden fabric. Complex arabesques made of gold threads were adorning her clothes. Emeralds were woven in the golden waistline of her trousers and the golden collar of her top. There were gold bracelets wrapped around her wrists, and she was wearing platinium earrings. A golden headband inlaid with emeralds was tied around her forehead.
Istir was also Rashid's fiercest opponent in the Seraglio. Wether she was secretly in cahoots with the Mages or not, she was doing everything in her power to undermine him.
Not knowing that a partisan of her sworn enemy was observing her, Istir left her quarters, surrounded by a swarm of flatterers. The head courtesan was walking imperiously, as if she was the queen herself, and left the patio with her retinue.
I have to find a way to search her bedroom... I may find something of interest in it... Yuka told herself. This was a golden opportunity. While Rashid was already perfectly aware of Istir's hostility, he would be very interested to learn anything about her recent schemes.
However, a middle-ranked courtesan would never be allowed inside Istir's private quarters, and mugging a high-ranked courtesan was probably too risky.
Yuka thought for a moment.
Then she found a solution. She simply needed to get around the problem. Courtesans weren't the only category of women roaming the Seraglio. There were also the guards.
The guards whom nobody paid any attention to, but who commanded more authority than a servant.
I wish I had the idea sooner... Would have spared me a lot of trouble!
The guards in the Seraglio were numerous. However, they were often alone and rarely in group... which was very convenient for Yuka, therefore she wasn't going to complain.
The shapeshifter was looking for a young guard. She was reasoning that an inexperienced sentry would be more influenceable. As a senior courtesan, Yuka commanded some authority, and could use it to give orders to a guard.
After some time, in a corridor not too far from Mira's bedroom, the shapeshifter finally found a suitable candidate.
The young guard was in her late twenties. She was a fit woman of average size with red hair, though hers were darker than Coulter's. And contrary to Charioteers, the guard's skin was only tanned, not bronzed, and her eyes were hazel brown. The woman's neck-long hair were tied up into a small braid. Her slightly nervous posture showed that she was a new recruit.
She was wearing the standard uniform of the guards of the Seraglio: brown shoes, a green mantle, matching green trousers, a white turban adorned with a brown stone, a brown sash tied around the waist as well as a leather belt for the sheaths of her dagger and her scimitar. Officially, in Ghazanite language, the guards of the Seraglio were called with a word that translated into 'gardeners', since the courtesans were supposed to be the king's flowers. Hence the green and brown colour scheme of the uniform.
Yuka imperiously approached her victim.
“You.” she called her.
The young guard hesitated. “Me?”
“Yes, you. What's your name?”
“S... Seyma...”
“Well, Seyma, I require your services.”
“What do you want?”
“Mira is feeling unwell. I need your assistance to carry her.”
The young guard hesitated. “Shouldn't we ask...”
“I don't want people to gossip about her. She's my student, and I will protect her!”
“I... understand, of course.”
“There will be a reward in exchange of your cooperation, of course. Now follow me.”
The promise of a reward wiped away any hesitation, and Seyma obeyed her instructions.
On the way, Yuka realized that while Mira's appearance ultimately turned out to be not as useful as she thought it would, her bedroom was certainly coming in handy.
The fake senior courtesan asked the guard to enter first.
Not wanting to repeat the mistake she made with her previous victim, Yuka infused the power of her touch in the edge of her hand, which started to glow.
After closing the door, and before the guard could turn or even talk, she hit a precise spot between the woman's neck and her her shoulder that wasn't covered by her uniform. Her power did the rest.
“Ngh!” the guard grunted.
Yuka caught the falling unconscious body under the arms, dragged her next to Mira's bed, and laid her on the floor. She swiftly unclipped her belt, then pulled off her shoes and her uniform.
Under her outer garments, the guard was wearing standard Ghazanite soldier underwear: a light grey short-sleeved tunic and matching knee-long underpants tied with a string.
Well, at least you won't be too exposed...
Yuka grabbed a few other spare clothes in Mira's wardrobe and cut them into makeshift bonds and gags.
I'll ask Rashid to find a way to reimburse her... she thought to herself while looking at the young courtesan.
I'm starting to destroy all her wardrobe...
She used a few extra makeshift ropes to bind the guard's limbs compared to the amount she used for the courtesans, reasoning that Seyma was physically stronger. Then, she shoved a few strips into her mouth and tied a thick cloth gag to ensure the woman's silence. Finally, she wrapped her now discarded light yellow translucent veil, soaked with sleeping potion, over the woman's mouth and nose.
Her bottle of sleeping potion was empty now however. She'd have to be a little more careful if she had to mug someone else.
Yuka lifted the sleeping guard.
Mira's bed was getting quite crowded. There were already the young courtesan and the senior courtesan who was her mentor in the Seraglio. And, now, the young guard whom Yuka had just mugged was lying at Mira's left, her chin resting against the courtesan's shoulder, her nose touching her cheek, and her body bressed against Mira's side.
For the third time today, Yuka used the sheets of Mira's bed to conceal the figures of her victims.
A part of her wished she was a little mouse to be there to witness the three women's reactions when they would wake up... While it wasn't her intent, it really looked like they were sharing a cute tender moment.
Yuka removed with regret her courtesan garb to put on the uniform of a Seraglio guard, which was a lot more rough. She tied the weapon belt around her waist.
“Istir's room, here I come!”
**************
“I don't think I'll be able to put these clothes on, Safiye...” Layah commented. “They're too tall for me!”
Indeed, the thug was a rather small and thin woman, not as tall and muscular as the bodyguard she was supposed to impersonate.
“I can't give it to one of the men. A woman such as Nahid wouldn't have male bodyguards.” Safiye retorted. “Someone find me a sewing kit, I'll make alterations.”
“You can sew?” Tsuki asked.
“I was a courtesan, remember?”
Safiye turned to face the members of her team who weren't going to impersonate Nahid and her retinue with her.
“Alright. Yasmeen, you'll take the servant's clothes and play her part.” Safiye ignored the muffled shriek of the bound servant, who was probably thinking that she would slip through the cracks when it came to the stealing of clothes. “Dismiss all the people who would want to enter the residence.”
The woman, a brunette with chestnut eyes, nodded. Then she grabbed the servant under the shoulders, and dragged her a little further from the others. The woman was still sobbing.
“Stop whining! Be a woman!” Yasmeen barked.
“Dalia, Sabri, and Halil. You'll stay here and watch the prisoners. I want them unharmed for now. You can give them some water and some food, but untie only one at a time. Same thing if they want to relieve themselves. Only one can be free at a time. If she misbehaves, punish one of her companions. Don't listen to any whining about the fact that the bonds are too tight, I've taught you a bondage technique that doesn't cutt off the blood flow.”
“Yes.”
“The others will wait in the agreed location until we can make them enter the palace.”
Safiye turned to face Tsuki. “We'll take action tomorrow. The time for me to teach you everything you need to know about the basics of the court etiquette.”
“Boooooooring!” the shapeshifter complained. “Is this really necessary?”
“You're supposed to play the part of a noblewoman who lived all her life outside of the capital city. This will excuse and explain a lot of missteps you may make. However, you'll still play the part of a noblewoman. There are some basics that you CAN'T ignore if you don't want to blow your cover.”
“Ugh! Fine!”
Yasmeen had finished untying the ropes restraining the servant, which allowed her to remove her white outfit. Her victim was too afraid to try to resist, and remained motionless while the henchwoman was stripping her. She untied the cloth sash tied around the waist and pulled off the white long-sleeved tunic, then shimmied down the ankle-long skirt. Once the servant was down to a white undershirt and drawers, Yasmeen bound her wrists and ankles again. Then, she dragged her back next to the priestess.
Tsuki looked at the prisoners.
“You're going to keep them alive?” Tsuki asked. “Even the noblewoman?” She was sounding genuinely curious.
“For now, yes. I may still find a use for them later...”
**************
Under the guise of a guard, Yuka was a lot more beneath notice than when she was impersonating Mira's mentor, or even Mira herself.
Indeed. I should have thought of it sooner.
She took advantage of a moment when nobody was watching her, and approached the door leading to Istir's quarters. Obviously, it was locked.
However, Yuka had one trump card, given to her by Rashid and his scholars.
Ghazan's 'scholars' were practicioners of magic, but theirs was a lot different from the Mages'. Rather than casting spells themselves, they infused their powers in metal constructs or in crystals mined in Ghazan's mountains to give them powerful abilities. This specific crystal was shaped like a key, and was designed to open any lock that wasn't itself infused with the scholars' magic.
Istir's door didn't resist. Most of the scholars were supporting Rashid and his modernization reforms.
Yuka entered the room and carefully closed it behind her.
Istir's quarters were as luxurious as the shapeshifter expected, with plenty of decorations. Especially a lot of flowers. Istir probably spent a lot of time lovingly grooming her plants, and she seemed very talented when it came to botanic. Yuka ignored at first the bedroom and the bathroom, and searched the bookcase and the desk.
She found Istir's correspondance.
In the latest letters and documents, there were a lot of mentions of Rashid's upcoming betrothal ceremony and his future betrothed.
In fact, there were perhaps too much informations, including some that a courtesan didn't need for the Seraglio's usual schemings... For instance, informations about which road the woman was going to take. In which residence she was going to stay before she could be formally welcomed in the palace. How many bodyguards she was taking with her. How many bodyguards she did hire. Where she would reside in the palace. The rotations of the guards in this part of the building.
Yuka paled a little.
While of course these weren't prooves of any foul deed, these were the kind of informations one would gather if she wanted to plan an attack against someone.
Rashid's betrothal was supposed to be with the daughter of an influential amir of the desert tribes. If something happened to his betrothed, the relationships between the kind and the desert tribes could deteriorate, and the kingdom would be weakened.
Could it be... Could it be that Istir herself was in cahoots with the Mages?
Even if she wasn't, she definitively was planning to do something in link with Rashid's betrothal. Yuka needed to warn the others.
The shapeshifter quickly put every document back in its place.
I'll check the bedroom, then I'll warn Rashid as soon as possible...
Yuka's thoughts were however interrupted by the sound of a door being opened, then closed.
Istir had returned in her quarters.
The head courtesan with light golden brown hair walked imperiously inside her lounge, then froze when she saw the intruder, whom she mistook for a guard.
“Who are you? How dare you enter my quarters uninvited!” she exclaimed.
Istir blocked Yuka's path, her beautiful face twisting in anger.
Yuka paled slightly. Her mind was racing to find a convenient excuse.
Then she noticed that Istir was alone... and that the courtesan's belly wasn't covered by clothes...
Oh, to hells with subtelty!
“I demand an answer!” Istir imperiously barked. “Who are you?”
The shapeshifter infused her power in her fist instead of her palm. Her fist started to glow.
“Are you daft, you-”
Then, Yuka punched the courtesan in the stomach.
“OOOFFF!”
Istir opened big wide eyes and bended over. Clearly, she wasn't expecting physical violence. In the Seraglio, things weren't done that way. Since she was bending over, the courtesan's chin touched Yuka's shoulder, her hair were brushing against the shapeshifter's cheek, and the upper-half of her body was pressed against Yuka's.
“I'm usually not that rough...” the shapeshifter commented. “Sorry about that.”
The courtesan's eyelids flickered and her eyes rolled back.
“Guh... Aaaa...” she moaned.
Her eyelids closed and her body went limp, resting against Yuka's. The shapeshifter wrapped her arms around her waist, and patted the unconscious woman's back.
“Just take it easy... No need to make a fuss.”
Yuka laid her on the floor.
Then, the shapeshifter briefly hesitated.
A part of her wanted to quickly flee the Seraglio to report all the informations she aquired.
However, if someone had seen Istir enter her bedroom, they would find it suspicious to see another woman exit the room without her...
Well, therefore, there's only one solution.
Yuka had to assume a new identity.
The shapeshifter eyed the courtesan's flawless body and her luxurious clothes. She smiled to herself.
I think I can live with it...
She thoroughly stripped Istir.
Yuka started with the jewels, and it actually was the step that took her the most time: the golden headband inlaid with emeralds, the platinium earrings, the rings, and the gold bracelets. Then, she took off the translucent turquoise veil adorned with gold and silver sequins, and the black shoes. Next step, she slid the green trousers made of precious silk off Istir's legs. Underneath, Istir was wearing a luxurious lingerie made of silk, emerald green just like her outfit, and woven with gold threads.
Yuka ended by pulling off the emerald green top with short sleeves that was only covering the upper-part of the head courtesan's body.
Well, well, well...
Istir wasn't wearing undergarments to cover her chest; therefore her bare breasts were in full display once stripped of her outer garments.
I know that the weather can be hot in Ghazan, but honestly... A courtesan acting like a belly dancer? Such a shame! Yuka mockingly thought.
The shapeshifter briefly pondered about killing Istir. The woman was one of Rashid's biggest enemy in Ghazan, and there was a possibility that she was involved in a plot threatening Rashid's and/or Nahid's lives... Ultimately however, the shapeshifter decided against. Rashid had been clear: she couldn't kill anyone, not even Istir – especially not Istir: she was an influential woman. Her death would cause a huge strife. Besides, Yuka wasn't certain that the head courtesan was involved in a plot threatening Rashid's life – perhaps she was simply trying to undermine his influence, which admittedly was fair game in a royal court.
“You're lucky.” Yuka said to the unsconscious woman.
Yuka used the dagger of the guard she mugged to cut the bed sheets into strips. She twisted them to make them more sturdy, then bound Istir's legs and arms. To gag the courtesan's big mouth, Yuka filled it with numerous strips of sheets, then cleave-gagged her. She also blindfolded her with another strip.
Yuka noticed that the courtesan's wardrobe was huge. Even with all the clothes hung up inside, there was way enough room to stash an adult woman.
Therefore, that was what Yuka did.
She stashed Istir inside the wardrobe. She put her in a seated position, pushing her legs until her knees were pressed against her breasts. Then, she closed the door.
Well, that's one less problem to worry about... Given the way I knocked her out, she'll stay out of commission for about an hour. The time for me to leave the Seraglio.
The shapeshifter took a deep breath, and assumed Istir's appearance. She couldn't help but waste a few seconds carressing her new hair. They were even more fascinating than Coulter's...
Yuka then slipped into the head courtesan's garb. Gods! These were the most expensive clothes she had ever put on! The fabric was so soft and silky, she barely felt it at all... Not to mention the precious gold jewels... and the platinium earrings... and the gemstones...
Focus, Yuka. You have a mission.
The shapeshifter, under Istir's guise, exited the room. She perfectly imitated the imperious walk of the head courtesan. When some of her followers tried to approach her, she imperiously brushed them aside, claiming that she needed some alone time, and that she would crush the reputation of the first woman who would dare disturb her.
The following reaction was instantaneous.
The other courtesans all scattered to give her the peace she wanted.
Yuka smiled internally.
I could get used to that...
**************
However, the shapeshifter realized the problem of her new appearance when nearing the exit of the building. Istir was a very important woman. Everybody would notice her in the palace. She couldn't return to Rashid's room under her appearance...
Well, let's find something.
Yuka went looking for another prey.
The solution came in the form of a low-ranked courtesan. She was a brunette who looked slihtly older than Mira, with light green eyes, loose shoulder-long deep brown hair and a tawny skin. She was tall and thin, though less curvy than most of the other courtesans Yuka encountered today. She was dressed in red baggy trousers and a matching red sleeveless tunic. A red headscarf was tied over her head. Arabesques woven with black threads were adorning her clothes, and the waistline of her trousers and the collar of her tunic were inlaid with black stone beads. She was wearing a light orange translucent shawl over her shoulders. As jewels, she had bracelets and earrings made of a black metal that Yuka didn't know.
Why not...
The shapeshifter approached the tawny-skinned courtesan.
“You there. Follow me.” she ordered her, using Istir's authoritative tone.
No courtesan would dare question an order from Istir. The woman didn't even dare ask what the head courtesan wanted.
Yuka knew that there was an empty room in which furnitures for the Seraglio were stored nearby. She led the courtesan dressed in red inside.
Behind the closed door, Yuka neutralized and knocked out her fourth courtesan of the day. Then she divested her of her outer clothes, leaving her lying on the floor clad only in her light red knee-long drawers and matching sleevelss undershirt.
There were ropes in the furniture room. The shapeshifter put them to good use, and thoroughly trussed up her unconscious victim: ankles, legs, knees, thighs, upper-arms, shoulders, and wrists. The legs of Istir's trousers were turned into the world's most expensive cleave-gag and blindfold ever conceived. Then, the unfortunate tawny-skinned courtesan was abandoned in a corner of the room.
Yuka changed appearance and clothes. Compared to Istir's garments, this outfit seemed rough and unimpressive even though it was still more well-tailored and well-made than most of the clothes the shapeshifter ever had in her hands.
Funny how quickly you can get used to luxury... she thought to herself.
Still, she had no time to waste. She had to make her report.
**************
Taking back her default apperance, but still wearing the courtesan's clothes, Yuka stormed in the room in which her friends were hosted. They were all regrouped inside.
Given the holes in one wooden piece of furniture, Azeneth apparently once again practiced her knife throwing skills... at least until a servant asked her to stop. Currently, she was busy absent-mindedly juggling with two of her knives.
Jinora was teaching Yisüi how to read by using a manuscript telling her favorite story, The legend of Yl-Gamesh.
Coulter was sitting in an isolated sofa with her back turned on everyone and was sewing something. She was stitching one of her outfits.
“Where is Rashid?! I have urgent news!” Yuka exclaimed.
Everyone turned to face her.
Azeneth caught her two knives. “He's having an audience with his father and his brother.” she answered.
“An audience about what?”
Azeneth, Jinora, and Yisüi exchanged an embarassed look.
Coulter rolled her eyes. “The welcoming ceremony for his betrothed will take place tomorrow.” she intervened
“So soon?”
“Apparently, the king decided to initiate the process the moment he was informed that Rashid was coming back with the tome. They actually had the betrothed travel all the way from the Sea of Sands. She's the eldest daughter of the amir ruling over the most powerful desert tribe. She's called Nahid or something.”
“I know.” Yuka answered. “So... It means she's alright?”
“Of course. She sent a message not too long ago.” Jinora answered.
Yuka felt a little relieved.
If Istir truly wanted to make an attempt on Nahid's life, she hadn't done it yet. The shapeshifter could still warn Rashid and his betrothed in time!
******* The following day *******
“Please salute Prince Rashid's betrothed! Nahid bint Raha bint Ghazal bint Hudun al-Jamal, eldest daughter of the amir of Sayhad, Jawad ibn Asif ibn Lufti ibn Bushr al-Jamal.”
The welcoming ceremony happened the morning after Yuka's little escapade in the Seraglio. It was grandiose.
Yuka herself was witnessing it under the guise of a servant of Rashid's entourage. The prince paid the woman a hefty sum of money for her to take the day off, allowing Yuka to take her clothes and assume her appearance. The shapeshifter was here to protect Rashid in case something went wrong. She and the prince were aware that Istir was maybe up to something.
For the first time in her life, Yuka saw Mehmet III, king of Ghazan, in person. He was looking as stern and as overbearing as she had imagined, though not devoid of charisma. Yusuf, the eldest son, was standing at his father's right. Rashid was standing at his left. He tensed when his betrothed approached.
Nahid was a tall fit proud-looking young woman with an aquiline nose and sharp facial features. She had the typical physical features of the desert tribes: a tawny skin, black hair, and light green eyes.
So this is her. This is the woman who's engaged to Rashid. Yuka thought to herself, feeling a brusque twinge of jealousy.
However, she quickly brushed that feeling aside. She couldn't blame Nahid for the current situation: The latter also didn't have a choice in the matter, and her father basically sold her like a merchandise as part of a political alliance. According to Rashid, Nahid never even met the prince she was betrothed to, and she had been forced to make a long journey from her home to the capital city where she would be forced to stay all her life.
Nahid's retinue was very limited – though Yuka wasn't surprised. The people of the desert tribes were known to live frugal lives and to not care about luxury.
Walking next to Nahid, there was a priestess of the Church of the One True God with her inimitable beige hooded robe. She was probably the noblewoman's confessor. As a token of humility, the priestess was using her hood to cover most of her face, and Yuka could only see her tanned chin and her brown hair. She also couldn't help but notice that the priestess had nice-looking curves...
The two women were escorted by four female guards. The two guards walking ahead were armed with short swords and daggers, and were wearing traditional clothes of the desert tribes: similar-looking long dark blue robes covering all the body with a black cloth belt tied around the waist, as well as matching dark blue headscarves tied with a headband. An angular leather masks was covering their faces. In their customs, this was both a token of modesty and a way to protect themselves from the sand. Because of their garments, which were covering almost all of their bodies, Yuka couldn't discern their physical features. The two women walking behind were clad in the bright red mantles, trousers and hats, as well as the yellow sashes tied around the waist, that were showing their status as guild-approved private bodyguards. They were armed with a dagger and a scimitar each. Given their physical features, they clearly weren't from the desert tribes. They were probably hired by Nahid after her arrival, and only because she was told she needed to uphold at least some decorum.
While she was walking to meet with the king of Ghazan and his two sons, who were waiting for her at the top of the stairs, Nahid was observing the crowd of officials, courtiers, and courtesans.
Suddenly, her eyes met Yuka's. During one second, she stared at her.
She looks oddly familiar... Why do I have the feeling that I know her? the shapeshifter thought to herself.
However, the moment passed, and Nahid turned her head.
**************
The welcoming ceremony was sumptuous, but also very formal. Most of it consisted of a grand speech by the king, then a pompous banquet.
Rashid and his betrothed barely exchanged a word for their first meeting.
Tsuki was actually playing her role perfectly. Safiye had been worried that the shapeshifter's erratic personality would get in the way, but her fears proved to be unfounded. When in-character, Tsuki was a mistress of deceit.
She was flawlessly playing the part of 'Nahid', a proud woman who was betrothed against her will, didn't want to leave her homeland, and therefore was doing the bare minimum to not create a diplomatic incident while also making it clear that she didn't want to be here.
The long robes, headdresses and leather masks typical of the dersert tribes were a perfect way to hide the fact that Maryam and Layah were absolutely not from this part of the kingdoms.
Safiye wasn't worried about keeping up appearances the first day. She knew well how the palace worked.
Ghazan's etiquette was very formal and very strict. During her first day in the palace, Nahid was supposed to be left alone in her new quarters. Her betrothed was forbidden to see her until a second ceremony during which the betrothal would become official. This was giving them the perfect window of opportunity for their mission. Safiye actually banked on it when she devised her plan to infiltrate the palace by taking Nahid's and her retinue's place; this was actually the only reason why she chose such a convoluted skin.
It was risky and complex, but it would give them an access to the royal family's aisle.
Perfect, since they were supposed to get rid of the royal family.
And perhaps do something more... Safiye actually learned about the identity of one of Rashid's followers during the banquet.
'Nahid' was given a luxurious suite in the aisle of the palace reserved for the royal family in which she was going to stay with her retinue until the official ceremony of betrothal.
The guards and servants left them alone.
'Nahid' blinked.
“Suckers!” she suddenly exclaimed.
'Nahid', in reality Tsuki, burst out laughing and sat on a comfortable expansive sofa.
“What a bunch of suckers!”
Aysun, still wearing the red clothes of the bodyguard she mugged at the residence, smiled. “It's almost too easy. We'll be able to easily access the king and the princes now...”
Derya, Layah, and Maryam – also still disguised as bodyguards – nodded. They were all looking very satisfied.
Safiye smiled. “Yes indeed. However, there's going to be a slight change of plan.”
“What do you mean?” Derya, the second fake red-clothed bodyguard, asked.
“I've talked with a servant working for us during the banquet. The Moon Child is in the palace. She's part of Rashid's retinue.”
“The who?” Layah asked. Thanks to Safiye, her dark blue robe was now perfectly adjusted to her stature.
“The Moon Child.” Safiye repeated. “A red-haired shrew with an unnaturally strong magical power. Ungodly strong magical power, should I say. The Mages want her. Alive. They will offer a lot of money if we can deliver her to them. At least the same amount than what they're paying us for this mission.”
Aysun was looking a little unsure. “You want us to fight against a mage-woman?”
“It's the perfect opportunity. As long as she's in Ghazan, her powers are hampered by the obelisks. We just need to get our hands on one of the inhibitors the scholars have built to make sure she'll stay harmless once we smuggle her out of the kingdom. We'll split up into two teams. Istir will help us. She already gave us all the informations about the rotations of the guards, and...”
Safiye was interrupted by a knock on the door of the suite.
**************
Tsuki assumed Nahid's apprearance again. Safiye put her hood back on: some people in the palace probably remembered her, and being recognized was the last thing she wanted currently.
Aysun, playing the part of a bodyguard, opened the door and allowed a woman to enter.
Safiye didn't know her. She wasn't part of the king's usual entourage. She had short dark brown hair, hazel green eyes, a tanned skin, and an athletic-looking body. Her face was angular with a pointy chin and an aquiline nose.
Tsuki froze when she saw her.
Safiye frowned, surprised by the shapeshifter's reaction. She decided to do the talking.
“Greetings. I apologize on behalf of my mistress, but she's exhausted by the ceremony.” she said to explain her accomplice's lack of reaction. “Can you please state your business?”
The unknown woman bowed her head. She didn't seem offended to not be able to directly speak to 'Nahid'. In fact, strangely, she even seemed a little relieved to not talk to her directly.
“My name is Yuka. I am a friend of prince Rashid. I'm here on the prince's behalf to warn your mistress that she's in danger. The prince has found informations that let him think that someone could try to attempt on her life.”
Safiye remained impassible.
When they arrived at the palace, she had heard rumours that someone infiltrated the Seraglio. However, she didn't have yet a confirmation if they were true. The courtesans were very tight-lipped when it came to things that could harm the reputation of the Seraglio. Someone infiltrating their ranks would be seen as a huge humiliation, therefore they would do anything in their power to prevent the information from spreading. And Safiye didn't have the time to talk with Istir yet.
“If that's true, what would you advise us to do?” the fake priestess finally said.
“My prince advises you to remain very vigilant. He will send extra guards to protect the door of your room.”
Safiye was a master at faking gratitude. “We thank you for these news. You have done a great service to my mistress.”
The spy was pondering if she should ask her henchwomen to capture Yuka. She had to know what happened and how much Rashid knew.
However, she decided against it. The woman was a messenger. If she didn't return to her master, he would become suspicious.
“We will do as you say, and we will welcome your guards with the utmost pleasure. However, I think you will understand that my mistress requires all these guards to be women.” Safiye concluded.
In fact, maybe these guards were going to be a blessing in disguise. Safiye was actually trying to come up with a plan to aquire uniforms that would allow them to roam the palace unnoticed. A squad of guards would do the trick.
Yuka bowed her head and saluted. She was still avoiding Nahid's eyes. For some reason, she looked embarassed to be in her presence.
Which was a good thing, given Tsuki's lack of reaction.
Yuka left, closing the door behind her.
Then, Safiye finally understood Tsuki's shock.
Her accomplice mentioned the name of 'Yuka' several times. She was her sister of clan. Her best friend. The woman Tsuki was looking for. Could it be that this Yuka was the same person?
“It's her!” Tsuki suddenly exclaimed, finally snapping out of her transe. She giggled excitedly and started to dance in the room. “It's her! It's her! It's her! I knew it! I knew I'd find her here!”
Safiye had never seen her so extatic.
“Calm down! Calm down! This is supposed to be an assassination mission, not a reunion with old friends!” the emerald-green-eyed spy objected.
“Weren't you just about to do a little extra by abducting a woman for money?” Tsuki retorted.
“They key words being: for money.”
Tsuki suddenly stopped prancing around.
And, more importantly, for the first time ever since Safiye met her, she frowned.
“Do you want me to ruin the entire operation?” she coldly threatened.
It was as if the temperature in the room had suddenly dropped. Aysun's, Derya's, Layah's, and Maryam's bodies tensed reflexively.
Safiye realized that the shapeshifter's unhinged smile was maybe unnerving, but the absence of smile was a lot scarier. Because then only remained the spark of insanity in Tsuki's eyes...
Safiye realized that the shapeshifter would carry out her threat. Sure, they were five and she was alone, but the emerald-green-eyed spy had seen Tsuki in action. She had a hunch that they wouldn't make it through the fight unscathed. Perhaps they would even lose. Tsuki could knock out someone simply by touching them. And what if she could kill with her touch? No matter the outcome, the entire operation would be ruined.
Curse the Mages for hiring that lunatic!
“You needed me to enter the palace, but you won't need me during the assassination mission, won't you?” Tsuki added. “And if I'm not back before you flee, you can just abandon me. I don't care. I have to see Yuka.”
Safiye pondered briefly her options. This was probably the best. Or, well, the least worst...
“Fine, but on two conditions. First, you wait until we start our mission. Second, you make sure to not raise the alarm.”
Safiye wouldn't have thought that she would have been relieved to see Tsuki's smile return.
“Deal!” the shapeshifter said. She then giggled to herself. "Finally..." she whispered.
**************
Author's note: Looks like I got the same idea as Tirepanted and wanted to post something before the celebrations. 
A little gift for the end of the year. 
Things will probably be slower and less active the following days, at least until next year. I'll try to read the last part of Sisters in Arms before the fesitivites if I can and I'll maybe post another update next week if I have the time, if not I'll see you next year!
I genuinely felt anxiety and fear for this lovely lady, but this is not a bad thing, that's one of the things I love about your stories, you flip the tones regularly enough that it the viewer doesn't expect, it never feels forced and it's always done perfectly, seriously well done with this scene. 
