“Only one ring fits?” Suyo asked after they both sat silently, staring at the ring for several minutes.
“Only one ring fits,” Sheiji echoed.
Again they were silent, staring at the ring as if it were a dangerous weapon.
“It means…”
“I’m your betrothed,” Suyo finished.
Sheiji wanted to laugh and cry at the same time. He was almost relieved to know that Suyo was his betrothed. He had been hesitant to diagnose his feelings as love, and yet, he didn’t know how to explain them otherwise.
“You’ve always had this ring?” Sheiji asked.
“As long as I can remember,” Suyo replied. “Who…who am I?”
“Sahima Loromi. The eldest daughter of Emperor Vishou of Nakuchi. Princess of Princesses. Stolen from her home as an infant and thought to be dead these fifteen years. The bravest, smartest, noblest, self-sustaining, agile, wonderful girl who has ever lived. And—.”
“Kitu,” Sahima smiled and held up a hand to silence him. “I get the point. Do you love me, Kitu?”
“I don’t know,” Sheiji replied helplessly. “I…I think I must. Am I crazy, Suyo…I mean, Sahima?”
“No,” Sahima smiled bigger. “You see, I didn’t really leave because I thought you would be upset because I was a girl. I left because I couldn’t bear to be around you, knowing that you were a king and I was just a common thief and an orphan. I’ve loved you for a long time, Kitu. It was too hard to look at you and know that I could never marry you.”
“But now we can, if you like,” Sheiji promised. “Just as soon as I become king.”
“We should get out of here before the soldiers find you or you’ll never even get to see the inside of the palace,” Sahima said. “I have a plan. You must stay hidden. We can’t risk you being found. I’ll go for the Jiwut army. I’m sure I can find them fairly easily. I’ll bring them back here, we can force open the gates and while they’re doing that, I’ll slip back inside and get you so that you’re ready when the army breaks through. Then we go to the palace and make you king.”
“There’s only one thing,” Sheiji said. “You stay hidden until the palace is ours. I won’t have you getting killed.”
“I won’t get killed, Kitu,” Sahima argued. “I’ve lived longer on the streets than you have. I can take care of myself.”
“Sahima!”
“Just because I’m a girl doesn’t mean I’m a child,” Sahima scolded. “I’m not helpless, Kitu.”
“Please Sahima. Just stay hidden until we have the palace under our control. I promise I’ll come and get you as soon as it’s safe,” Sheiji begged. “Your father would never forgive me if something happened to you. I could never forgive myself.”
“You’re pathetic, Kitu,” Sahima sighed. “But I’ll do as you ask, if only because I know you won’t be able to fight knowing I may be in danger.”
Sheiji smiled tenderly at her and she kissed his cheek. Sheiji frowned, feeling his face go red with embarrassment. Sahima only laughed.
“Come on then,” Sahima took his arm. “I’ll take you to a place where you’ll be safe until I return.”
“How do you plan to get out of the city?” Sheiji asked.
“How do you think I got in?” Sahima smiled. “I have ways. Maybe I’ll show you sometime. I’m small and thin. I can fit places where no man could.”
“Sahima?” Sheiji began.
“Hush, let’s go,” Sahima stood. “And you’d better call me Suyo now. People might wonder why you’re calling a boy by a girl’s name. Especially a Nakuchian name.”
They were back at the silk merchant’s stall. Sahima motioned for Sheiji to wait and wove through the crowd. Sahima and Yoson talked for a minute and the merchant nodded.
“Follow me.” Sahima was back at Sheiji’s side. She took his arm to guide him through the through the maze of streets. She led him past other shops and stalls; past ancient beggars; past magnificent buildings. They neared the center of the city. The palace grew closer.
“We’re going to the palace?” Sheiji asked puzzled.
Sahima nodded, “The safest hiding place is often right under their noses. Who would guess that you would be hiding here?”
She continued to lead him around to the western entrance of the palace. Just before the gate, she turned away from the palace and ducked into a low doorway of a ramshackle house. When Sheiji’s eyes had adjusted to the darkness, he looked around. The house was nothing more than a run-down shack. A cold hearth on the right side of the room, an overturned table and light streaming into the room through the roof led Sheiji to believe that the house had not been occupied for many years.
“We aren’t safe yet, Kitu,” Sahima said and nudged him forward. She led him to the hearth, which was large enough for a full-grown man to sit in comfortably. Sahima pulled back the grating that covered the opening and stepped inside. She stepped to the side and was swallowed up by the hearth.
Sheiji followed cautiously. Where it appeared that the hearth should end, there was a hole just large enough for a man. It was through here that Sahima had disappeared. Sheiji crawled through and was blinded by a sudden brightness. He found himself looking directly into the bright light of a torch, yet it was not a torch. There were no flames, only a hot glow. Then Sheiji knew where he was.