Chains and Ladders

Princess Twilight Sparkle paced nervously in the antechamber of the Canterlot palace while the two royal guards watched stoically. Twilight’s nervousness was due to being entrusted with a heavy responsibility by Princess Celestia; namely the welcoming of the new Saddle Arabian delegation. The last meeting had gone exceptionally well, but relations had apparently soured in recent times due to something Twilight wasn’t even aware of. She gritted her teeth as she remembered how Celestia had ignored her queries on the subject. It seemed that she still had work to do before she would be entrusted with such secrets.

Twilight closed her eyes and let out a deep breath. She knew she could do this; how hard could it possibly be? Opening her eyes, she faced toward the grand doors and awaited the delegation.

As if on cue, the doors burst open inward to reveal a covered litter being carried forward by a few white-cloaked Saddle Arabians. Laying the ornate golden litter down, the curtain parted slightly as an older mare emerged. She was middle-aged, and stood slightly taller than Twilight, and her brown coat was impeccably maintained. Her mane was covered by a white wrapping, while her blue eyes seemed to pierce into Twilight’s soul.

Twilight walked forward to greet the delegate, but before she could begin her opposite waved a hoof and a unicorn stallion walked forward. He kept his focus downwards, robbing Twilight of the opportunity to see his eye color, but his white coat was simple to spot. His mane and tail, on the other hand, did not appear to exist at all, much to Twilight’s surprise. She was also surprised to see an Equestrian species in the Arabian party; how had the unicorn ended up serving the Arabian royal family?

The unicorn bowed deeply before the Arabian delegate before turning to face Twilight. As he brought his muzzle up, Twilight noticed that he had dark green eyes; in addition, the left side of his face was covered in a black brand of some sort. Twilight didn’t recognize the pattern, but was able to distinguish a small section as bearing the name of the royal family. She wasn’t too sure what that meant, but decided she would ask Celestia.

Twilight smiled at the unicorn, who blushed slightly. He opened his mouth to speak but cried out in agony as the Arabian lashed him with a whip Twilight hadn’t even noticed she was carrying. Twilight was appalled; why had she whipped him?

“Impudent whelp! Bow before the Princess!” the Arabian mare snarled at her companion in Arabic. Twilight had cast a spell upon herself earlier that would allow her to understand the spoken language, but had decided not to inform her opposites so as to retain an advantage. Even so, it was difficult for her not to react as the stallion bowed deeply to her before returning to his previous position.

“Her majesty, the Sultana Valide” the unicorn began in only slightly accented Equestrian as Twilight surreptitiously inspected the welt on his back “wishes you good health. She desires to retire to her chambers immediately, as she is feeling tired.” Twilight was startled to hear the title of the delegate; she was not terribly familiar with Saddle Arabian nobility, having only studied for a few hours prior to this, but even she recognized the title as that of the mother of the reigning Sultan. The harem system, something that had been adopted from the older empires of the region (along with a fair bit of vocabulary) and was embraced by Arabian culture meant that the mother of the ruler would wield considerable power; for her to be in Equestria meant something important was happening.

“Of course. The guards will see her safely there.” Twilight responded gesturing to the two guards that flanked the grand entrance.. The unicorn translated the statement to the Sultana, who jabbered back in rapid fire Arabic that Twilight could barely manage to understand even with the spell. All she could make out was the words for “guards” and, disturbingly, “slave”. The unicorn bowed to his mistress, then turned back to Twilight.

“Her Highness wishes to inform you that your guards will not be necessary, as she has brought her own.” he explained. Twilight nodded; she had expected as much. “Directions to the room will suffice.” the unicorn finished.

“Quite.” Twilight spoke with a regal air. The Arabians, according to what she had read, respected strength and dignity. Rather than being reduced to a glorified map, she waved over one of the guards, who proceeded to give the directions to the unicorn.

“Her Majesty thanks you for your hospitality,” the stallion smiled slightly at Twilight “and will see you tomorrow.” With that, the Sultana returned to her litter and left, as the unicorn followed on foot. Before he could exit, however, Twilight stopped him with her magic. She noted the suddenly terrified expression in his eyes, and was surprised to see him cowering in fear before her.

“I’m sorry, your Highness! Please, mercy!” he cried as Twilight blinked several times.

“I just wanted to know your name.” she reassured the frightened stallion, who ceased trembling. He bowed to her again.

“I am the Sultana’s translator, Melek Kul.” he answered meekly, his eyes darting to the departing litter. “I really must be on my way.” he finished before dashing off after his departing Sultana. Twilight noticed that he didn’t use any magic; perhaps he was incapable?

Twilight watched as they turned the corner and disappeared from sight before she turned and walked up the stairs. Princess Celestia had some explaining to do.

Later that day, Princess Celestia received Twilight in her personal study. She served Twilight a cup of tea as they were seated.

The elder Princess regarded her former student with a warm smile. She was quite proud of her younger colleague, who had handled the Saddle Arabian delegation with the necessary tact. Celestia was glad to have Twilight available; she would have supposedly shown weakness had she immediately met with the delegates, so sending her supposedly lesser partner was a good workaround.

Celestia’s smile turned to a slight frown as she noticed the uneasy look on Twilight’s face. The solar diarch wondered what had her so upset.

“Is everything okay, Twilight?” she prodded gently, causing Twilight to look away nervously. “You handled the Saddle Arabian delegate well, especially considering who it turned out to be.” Celestia tried to encourage Twilight, but mention of the Saddle Arabians caused Twilight to visibly flinch.

“Thanks, I was just thinking about her servant. The translator.” Twilight clarified, as realization dawned on Celestia.

“Melek Kul, you called him.” Celestia sighed. “You are concerned about him.”

“All my research on Saddle Arabia didn’t turn up anything about this, this , servitude!” Twilight objected. Celestia bit her lip slightly.

“I purposefully keep details like that out of Equestria.” Celestia muttered. “Melek Kul is a slave.” she explained, as a look of horror appeared on Twilight’s face.

“Slavery is illegal in Equestria!” Twilight exploded “How could any civilized nation embrace it, much less bring one here!” Celestia cringed at the unspoken accusation; how could you let this happen?

“I’m sure that the Sultana’s presence was meant as an insult.” Celestia replied grimly “Slavery is a dying institution in Arabia, but the Sultana is one of its most ardent supporters.” she closed her eyes and sighed. “That was the real reason relations between us have gone cold; the previous sultan was an abolitionist, but his rat of a successor is still dominated by his mother and her ilk.” Celestia spat out the final few words.

“He’s in Equestria; doesn’t that make him free?” Twilight queried. “Furthermore, he’s a unicorn, not an Arabian, so he is our responsibility.” she argued while Celestia shook her head.

“It’s not that simple Twilight” Celestia sighed deeply “I can’t do anything without sparking a war. And Saddle Arabia is the primary source of oil for all of Equestria; we need good relations with them.”

“It doesn’t matter!” Twilight slammed her hoof on the table in indignation. “I will not stand by and allow this to continue!” she shouted aggressively, surprising Celestia with her resolve. Evidently, slavery was enough of an issue to overcome her reverence toward Celestia. The eldest princess wasn’t sure whether she ought to be proud or nervous.

“I agree, but we have to be careful and use tact.” Celestia was almost pleading with Twilight. Any move her former student made would be seen as an Equestrian action, and could result in the deaths of many of her subjects. “Luna and I are working on it.” she informed Twilight, who seemed to calm down slightly.

“I trust you Princess” Twilight replied softly “but I won’t stay silent forever.” With that, the young alicorn left the room, leaving Celestia with a rather nasty headache.

Twilight and Celestia met the Sultana the next day in the luxurious environs of the Royal Garden. The sun blazed proudly overhead, while the chattering of the various species inhabiting the garden could be heard over the sound of the Princesses sipping their tea. The covered litter bearing the Sultana Valide slowly made its way toward the stone table where the two sat, with the sun’s light bouncing off the elaborate gilded edges. Trailing a few feet behind, Twilight spotted Melek walking with a furtive expression on his face. His mane and tail had begun to regrow, as evidenced by the short golden hairs. Twilight had researched Saddle Arabian slave custom last night, despite the difficulty in finding a source that had evaded Celestia’s censorship (Twilight was perturbed to hear that her mentor was engaged in actively misinforming the population) and had realized that having his mane and tail cut was a minor punishment. For what, she had no idea, but Twilight had been furious to hear about the emasculation.

The Sultana herself emerged from the litter with a rather sour expression on her face. She muttered something nasty about the quality of Equestrian beds before she sat across from the two. Melek stood nearby, ready to translate.

Celestia smiled brightly and nodded to the guest. Twilight forced herself to do the same, but couldn’t stop from looking at Melek. The Sultana seemed to catch her gaze, and narrowed her eyes suspiciously. She shot a rapid fire phrase in Arabic toward Twilight, who couldn’t quite understand. Melek stepped forward, bowed, and began translating.

“Her Highness, the Sultana Valide, wishes to inform you that I am not for sale nor stud.” he spoke with a neutral expression on his face. Twilight struggled to keep a straight face at the statement. Before she could shoot back a reply, Celestia intervened.

“It’s a pleasure to meet you, Sultana Valide” she shot a warning glance at Twilight, who bit her tongue “shall we get to business?” Melek translated the statement to the Sultana, who grunted in reply.

“Her Majesty wishes to establish friendly relationships with Equestria, and hopes for an auspicious occasion today.” Melek bowed to Celestia as he spoke. The Sultana muttered something that Twilight couldn’t quite catch (evidently, her translation spell needed some tweaking). Melek replied deferentially in Arabic, which Twilight was able to interpret as “I hear and obey.” He then smiled toward Celestia.

“We also wish to continue our mutually beneficial relationship.” Celestia addressed the Sultana directly in impeccable Arabic. The Sultana and Twilight were briefly surprised, before the Sultana laughed.

“I didn’t even need to bring my translator!” she chortled in Arabic loudly enough for Twilight to understand. The Sultana then said something to Melek, causing him to bow and begin to scuttle away. Twilight stood up suddenly and began to walk after him, causing the Sultana to raise her eyebrows.

“Where is the lesser princess going?” she addressed Twilight with a mocking grin. Twilight pretended not to understand until Celestia translated. She shot the Sultana a grin of her own and asked Celestia to let her Highness know that she wished to speak with her servant. The Sultana chuckled slightly and waved her hoof dismissively. Celestia turned to Twilight.

“She says you are welcome to” Celestia spoke with a slightly aggressive edge “but reminds you that Melek Kul is her property, as confirmed by Saddle Arabian law and subject to extraterritoriality. He is not, as she made clear earlier, for sale or stud.” Celestia sighed as Twilight ran off without even a look back. She hoped her student would avoid a diplomatic incident; she had no desire to war against the resident demigod of Arabia, yet she couldn’t chase after her or chastise her in front of the Sultana. Turning back to face her guest, Celestia prepared for several hours of negotiations.

Twilight, meanwhile, caught up to Melek before he was able to beat a hasty retreat to the safety of the Sultana’s embassy. Stopping him with her magic, she spun him around to look him in the eyes.

Melek drew in a quick breath of air and bowed. His entire body was shaking slightly as Twilight smiled at him. He wasn’t sure why the Princess had followed him again; had he offended?

“Your Highness, how might I be of assistance?” he inquired, lowering his gaze.

“Please, call me Twilight.” she responded, trying to make him more comfortable. Melek appeared to be a few years older than her, and she hoped that he would be relaxed around someone younger than him. Saddle Arabian nobility, which was what he was probably used to dealing with, was noted for being quite elderly.

Instead, her request seemed to shock Melek. He bowed and muttered the phrase Twilight had heard earlier: “I hear and obey.” She sighed.

“What do you need Princess Twilight?” he stammered slightly, his accent becoming more noticeable as his nervousness rose.

“Are you from Equestria?” Twilight inquired “Tell me about yourself.”

“This is my first time in Equestria. I was born in one of Saddle Arabia’s outlying provinces, to unicorn slave parents.” he explained, igniting Twilight’s ire. He had always been a slave.

“Do you know your parents?” she managed to say as she choked down her rage. Melek shook his head.

“My father was a stud, belonging to the local Pasha, my first master’s neighbor,while my mother was a field worker for the master.. I was sold to the Sultana’s household when I was young, because of the rarity of unicorns in the region. At the time, she was the previous Sultan’s favorite, may Taus rest his soul.” Melek sighed slightly, but seemed to be at ease. The Princess listened intently.

“Do you ever… wish to be free?” Twilight prodded gently. Melek jerked back in shock.

“Never!” he protested vehemently “I am proud to serve her Majesty! She has even promised me a spot on the Sultan’s council as a Pasha!” Twilight knew that certain slaves could rise to high positions, but she was surprised to hear it from a slave that she had seen being mistreated.

“But she whipped you!” Twilight hissed back, surprising Melek with her venom “And cut your tail! Don’t you want to be free?”

Melek shook his head. “She only did that for your benefit, to show her strength.” he responded. “Normally, she is kind and just.” Twilight snorted.

“Keeping you in chains is not just” Twilight snarled “you were shaking with fear! How do you explain that?”

“I am naturally fearful.” Melek admitted ashamedly. “I have difficulty dealing with others.”

“Because you were a slave?” she asked. Melek shrugged. As far as he knew, he had always been socially awkward. The harem slaves always teased him about it. He was even allowed among them despite not being gelded because he struggled with talking to them, much less engaging in any lewd acts.

“I have a home, and all other needs.” he replied with a slight smile. Twilight gritted her teeth.

“So you don’t care about freedom.” she sighed.

“I would like to be free to travel,” Melek returned, pondering the possibilities in his mind “but even enslaved I have some degree of freedom.” In truth, he did often think of running off, but the brand on his face was impossible to remove, and forever marked him as property of the Royal family.

“I’m sorry to have bothered you.” Twilight turned to walk away, but was stopped a feeble attempt at magic. She could have simply broken through it, but instead she turned back to Melek.

“It was no bother, I uh, I like talking to you.” Melek blushed wildly. He knew he was overstepping his bounds, but he didn’t care.

“Oh, well I liked talking to you.” Twilight replied with a small blush of her own. They both stood there for several moments before Melek grinned sheepishly and took off. Twilight turned around and walked back toward the meeting.

When she arrived, the Sultana had vanished, leaving Celestia sitting alone. Seeing Twilight approach, she stood up and walked over.

“That was rather reckless.” she chastised Twilight, who hung her head slightly.

“I’m sorry,” she replied to her elder “I just wanted to talk to him a little.”

“And what did you learn?” Celestia inquired. Twilight looked up at her.

“He doesn’t even care if he’s a slave.” she responded sadly. Celestia sighed.

“He doesn’t know any different.” She gestured for Twilight to follow as she walked toward the entrance to the castle. “Anyway, the meeting went better than expected. The trade agreement has been extended for two more years, and a more permanent envoy will be coming to Canterlot before the end of the year. The Sultana will be leaving in a few days.” Twilight looked up at Celestia with a pained expression.

“And Melek?” she asked quietly. Celestia shook her head.

“I can’t.” She answered mournfully as she looked away “He’s very valuable to the Sultana, and my opposite number wouldn’t appreciate me taking him.”

“The Sultan?” Twilight asked.

“No.” Celestia sighed. “Somepony more powerful than him.”

With that, the pair entered the castle.

“Interesting.” the Sultana Valide, Gulbahar, replied as Melek finished his report. Unbeknownst to the Equestrians, Melek was far more than a mere translator. Anything he experienced was relayed directly to her, and his interactions with the lesser princess were proving to be fairly interesting.

The two were seated in her personal quarters, in the Arabian embassy. The vibrant green and gold colors of the Royal Family adorned nearly every surface, with her bed occupying the far corner of the room by the window. The cushions underneath them followed the same color scheme as the rest of the room, while the low table was covered in elaborate carvings that had been gilded in gold.

Melek smiled at her comment. He had done well, and now he would be rewarded.

“So this princess feels pity for you.” Gulbahar snorted in a rather unladylike fashion “The fool.” She picked up her teacup and took a long sip. Melek’s situation was far better than that of almost any other slave in Saddle Arabia, so she really had no reason to be concerned for him. The meddling little pony would soon learn not to play with the Sultana...

“She thinks me a simple translator” Melek replied, making sure to avoid looking her in the eyes “and does not suspect my extensive training.” Melek had been groomed for politics and military tactics from a young age. He was destined for a position as the Grand Vezir, the Sultan’s right hand, someday, after all. This trip would serve as another lesson for the youngster.

Even so, he was a slave and he knew it. He hadn’t lied outright to Twilight, but while the Sultana was rather kind, he had borne the brunt of her frustrations many times before. She was his master, he had to obey. Such principles had been drilled into him when he had trained for the Janissaries. To disobey was to die.

His time in the Janissaries had been brutal, but rewarding. He had been recognized for his ability, and promoted. The Sultana, the effective regent for her ailing lover, had been so proud as they pinned the medal on his chest.

Gulbahar looked at the slave with an odd glint in her eyes. Melek recognized it as the only sign of pride in him she would allow him to see. He felt his chest swell as he basked in her gratitude. It was a rare occasion.

“So she offers to free you, yes?” Gulbahar’s grin vanished as she regarded Melek with suddenly cold eyes. Melek swallowed at her query. The wrong answer here could end badly for him.

“I would never!” Melek responded with genuine horror. Freedom was attractive, but his future was plenty bright. He had no reason to throw away a life of relative luxury for living as a fugitive in a foreign country. Even if he never became Grand Vezir, he could make a fair living as one of the Pashas.

“I know, little Melek” Gulbahar’s voice sounded sweet, but Melek knew he was treading on thin ice “you would never leave your mistress.”

“Of course Master.” He replied, bowing before her as they stood up.

“My good little Melek” she purred “you’ll bring us the glory of Taus.” With that, she dismissed him. As he left, she smiled sadistically. Even her drunkard of a son didn’t know what game she was playing. No one else did.

By the time they realized, it would be far too late.

“Who is this mysterious power?” Twilight asked Celestia. The pair had retired to a quiet corner of the Royal Library, where they could speak in relative security. The guards had stopped several yards away, just out of earshot provided they kept their voices down.

“Are you familiar with Saddle Arabian religious tradition?” Celestia asked her student.

“They worship seven demiurges, representing the seven virtues.” Twilight responded, failing to see the significance of the history lesson.

“True and false at the same time” Celestia clarified “in truth, they worship seven emanations of one demigod, calling them demiurges. That being is known as Melek Taus, the Peacock Angel.”

“Melek?” Twilight was surprised to hear his name.

“Melek means angel” Celestia explained “the name is a blessed one in Saddle Arabia. As a pure unicorn, I imagine our Melek was seen as a good omen for the royal family.”

“So what does he, the demigod, have to do with it?” Twilight shook her head in irritation.

“Melek Taus is a fellow immortal, and easily as powerful as I am. Perhaps even more” Celestia locked her eyes on Twilight “given that he is linked to the seven virtues and seven vices. Each of his manifestations represent a pair, leading to his nickname as the ‘Two-Faced God’.”

“So if you moved against them…” Twilight began. She had never run across a reference to Melek Taus, but the name ‘Two-Faced God’ seemed familiar somehow.

“He would try to stop me.” Celestia finished with a grimace. “We couldn’t kill each other, but he could do an awful amount of damage. Mutually assured destruction, I suppose.”

“So we can’t do anything about slavery there. We’re completely impotent.” Twilight stamped her hoof. She remembered now the story about how the Two-Faced God could bestow either a boon or a curse upon any traveler who came across him. It was from an old text full of myths and legends. She supposed the god wasn’t as mythical as she had thought.

“Taus doesn’t actively interfere in politics like I do, at least not with a regularity,” Celestia told Twilight “so we have been trying to sway the nobles toward abolition. He doesn’t really care either way, but he’d be quick enough to defend his worshippers since they are a primary source of his power. Still, we are moving in the right direction.” Celestia had met Taus several times. Each time she wished she hadn’t. He was irritable and prone to violent mood swings. One moment he would be the virtue of compassion, the next he would embody wrath. Truly a difficult immortal to deal with.

“Not quickly enough.” Twilight grunted. Celestia nodded.

“Luna agrees with you. She’d have us face Melek Taus on the battlefield.” Celestia sighed heavily. Luna and Taus had never gotten along. The continuing situation had taken its toll on her sister; she may have been somewhat old fashioned, but slavery had been banned in Equestria long before they took charge. Many heated arguments between the two had stemmed from the topic.

“So Melek, the translator, will just continue to suffer.” Twilight stated flatly. Celestia grimaced. Twilight seemed to be stuck on the stallion, causing Celestia to ponder the reasons for her interest.

“I’m afraid I can’t do much” she returned softly “the Sultana isn’t willing to let him go. Why are you so interested in him?” Celestia was trying to ask gently, but her question caused Twilight to become quite nervous.

“I-I just think he deserves better.” Twilight stammered. She didn’t have a specific reason, other than a general hatred for slavery, but she wanted to free him. He was quite attractive too, even without his tail and mane…

Twilight smacked her face with her hoof to stop her thought train. She heard Celestia chuckle slightly, and she blushed “It’s not like that!” she protested.

“Of course, of course” Celestia smiled warmly “though he is a rather interesting stallion, don’t you think?” Twilight jerked back as if stung and muttered something under her breath as she stormed out of the room. Celestia watched with a wistful expression. Twilight barely knew the stallion, so she suspected her feelings were more of pity rather than a genuine crush. Still, Celestia needed to be careful, lest she do something irresponsible.

The solar diarch closed her eyes and sighed.

The next day brought auspicious news. While Twilight was preparing to return to Ponyville, Celestia received a letter from the Sultana, inviting the pair to lunch at the Arabian embassy. Curious as to why she would do so, Celestia elected to play along, and asked Twilight to come with her. Perhaps the Sultana was ready to sign the treaty immediately.

The alicorns were seated on cushions at a low table, awaiting the Sultana. Celestia took a sip of the drink in front of her before grimacing in disgust. She had never liked coffee. Twilight, on the other hoof, was enthusiastically downing her portion. Celestia looked around at the servants, all of the geldings wearing emotionless expressions, before turning her attention to the doorway to the rest of the embassy. They had been kept waiting for several minutes, but now the door swung open to admit the Sultana Valide and Melek.

The Sultana sauntered over to the table and sat down with an exaggerated movement. Melek stood a few hooves behind, regarding Twilight with a shine in his eyes. Celestia couldn’t help but crack a smile.

The servants brought another pot of coffee to the table and served the Sultana a fair portion. She smiled at Celestia and Twilight.

“Welcome,” she greeted the pair, keeping her smile bright “I hope my servants have met your every need.”

“Thank you for having us, Sultana.” Celestia replied. The Sultana chuckled.

“Please, call me Gulbahar.” she told Celestia, who was caught off guard. First the Sultana had not negotiated the terms of the treaty at all, and now she was telling Celestia to use her carefully guarded name? Warning bells went off in Celestia’s mind. Gulbahar was being too amicable, something Celestia never expected to think.

“How are you Melek?” Twilight directly addressed the servant, causing an audible gasp from the geldings arranged around the room. Not speaking to the Sultana, but rather to a servant, was a grave offense, and many of them cringed as they awaited her explosion.

Surprisingly, none was forthcoming. Instead, the Sultana continued to chat with Celestia about various frivolities, such as how nice it was to have pegasi controlling the weather. Twilight was seemingly ignored.

Melek’s eyes darted around, but he realized that his mistress was giving him the opportunity to continue with the plan. Flashing a forced smile, he bowed slightly toward Twilight.

“I am well” he spoke calmly to Twilight “how are you Princess?”

“Honestly, I miss my friends” Twilight replied “but I’ll get to see them soon.” Melek nodded.

“I am sure they miss you as well.” He responded. His orders had been to get the Princess on his side; he wasn’t sure why, or how the plan even worked, but apparently it was important. Besides, he was actually enjoying himself in spite of the duplicitous intentions. She was beautiful, and nice, and…

Melek mentally shook his head. He was doing a job.

“Do you like reading?” Twilight inquired. She wasn’t expecting him to do much reading since he was a slave, but he was a translator so maybe he did know a little.

“Oh yes!” Melek’s face lit up “I love poetry and classics! The Thousand and One Nights, any work of Rumi, or the Hadith Bayad wa Riyad! He blushed madly as he suddenly remembered that the Hadith was a love story about a foreigner and a noble lady. He hadn’t meant to imply anything, it really was one of his favorites. To his relief, Twilight didn’t seem too familiar with the story.

“Oh, I haven’t read those.” she replied with a tinge of disappointment.

“We have a few copies in the library here. Would you like to borrow them?” Melek shot a nervous glance over to the Sultana. She couldn’t speak Equestrian, but she understood it well enough to know what he was saying. Her nearly imperceptible nod confirmed that she approved of his query.

“If it’s okay.” Twilight looked to Celestia for guidance. The elder alicorn smiled at her, giving tacit approval. She relayed the conversation to the Sultana, who gave her blessing. With that, Melek led Twilight deeper into the embassy.

The library was a humble affair, with only a few rows of shelves stacked with some old books. Melek bounded over to the section against the far wall, and pulled out a pair of books with some rather weak magic.

“This is the Thousand and One Nights” he handed the books over to Twilight’s magic “and this is a collection of Rumi’s poems!” He smiled giddily; Twilight was reminded of a foal in a candy shop. Inspecting the books, she saw that they were written in Arabic. That wouldn’t be a problem; Twilight could easily use a spell to translate written words.

“Thank you Melek” She laid the books down on a nearby table “but what about the other one you mentioned? The hadeet?”

Melek blushed again. “I-It’s not that great, I mean, I like it but, those two are better…” he mumbled and looked down. Twilight walked over and lifted his head up with her hoof.

“I’d like to read it.” She told him, suddenly aware of their close proximity. With a cough, she stepped back as Melek levitated another tome off the shelf.

The book was simple, being bound between two brown pieces and seemed to be rather short. The title on the front was in Arabic, like the other two books. Twilight opened the book and skimmed through it, but was surprised to find that this book was written in Equestrian and not Arabic like the title implied.

“Why is this one written in Equestrian?” she asked Melek, who was watching her with a nervous look.

“That one is special, the Sultana got it for me when she learned that I liked it.” He smiled proudly as he remembered the day he received that book. The Sultana thought it would help him practice Equestrian. She was always the pragmatic sort, but it was still a kind gesture in Melek’s eyes.

“What’s it about?” Twilight reconsidered her position on the Sultana. Slavery was inexcusable, but at least she seemed to care for her servants. Twilight ended up deciding that she was not the worst pony in Arabia. She almost missed Melek’s explanation due to her thoughts.

“It’s, um, a romance story.” Melek looked away as his voice trailed off. Twilight looked at him with mild surprise.

“You like romance? It’s one of my guilty pleasures.” Twilight admitted with a sheepish expression. Melek looked back at her and grinned.

“I’m a hopeless romantic, I guess.” He chuckled, and Twilight nodded in agreement.

“I know what you mean.” She replied with a chuckle of her own. The two sat down at the table as Twilight began to read. Melek was content to watch her, and was impressed with her speed. It took him hours to read the Hadith, but Twilight looked like she could finish in just a few minutes.

Meanwhile, Celestia and Gulbahar had been diplomatically sparring. The Sultana had finally begun to act as Celestia expected, picking little details from the proposed treaty and trying to negotiate better terms. Still, she wasn’t pushing nearly as hard as she could, and seemed distracted. Every few minutes she would look toward the door Twilight and Melek had left through.