“Archie, no,” Francis said, planting himself in Archie’s path.
“Absolutely not,” Gustav said. “This is not Stormburg, Archie. We are guests in a foreign court.”
“But he slighted Francis!” Archie declared, ruffled and annoyed.
“This is not the time nor the place for satisfaction,” Christian said calmly.
“Precisely,” Maddie hissed, looping her arm through Archie’s free one to secure him in place. “People are watching, Archie. Have some decorum,” she said under her breath, while putting on a smile for any bystanders observing them.
Archie stood down. “All right,” he relented. “But next time it’ll be a bowl of…whatever this is, in his smug face.”
“Well, Francis can get his own back in the competition,” Christian pointed out. “Right, Francis?”
Francis looked from his friends to the other patrons in the room, feeling the walls close in around him.
“Yes,” he heard himself agreeing, voice sounding very far away.
Thankfully they were somewhat saved by a portly official wearing fine green silks and matching turban, sporting a long, greying beard, and brandishing a gold-plated scroll. He bowedhis head as he approached, and began speaking in another language, presumably Turkish, very fast.
Gustav answered, gesturing at Francis and their party. A quick exchange and more head bowing, then Gustav explained to Francis that soon there would be a supper tonight for the guests presided over by King Omar, and there was only room for Francis and a plus one.
“There will be a separate supper for everyone else,” Gustav hastily added.
“Well, good, I’m hungry,” Archie declared.
Francis would’ve liked to take one of his friends to dinner as his plus one, but since none of them spoke Turkish nor knew the customs, he knew he should take Gustav.
He turned to his friends and said, “Why don’t the three of you dine and relax tonight? I’ll take Gustav with me and hopefully get a bit more information about what is expected.”
Archie frowned. “Are you quite sure, sir?”
“Yes, positive.” Francis mustered a smile. “I’m quite sure dinner will be peaceful.”
“I’m quite sure you’re wrong about that, sir,” Christian said wryly, “but good luck anyway.”
Chapter 5
Once Francis had said farewell to his friends, Gustav and the bearded fellow in green showed him to the lavish rooms he’d be staying in and offered him a change of clothes.
Since Francis was soaked through with rose water, he accepted the offer.
Behind an ornate screen, he undressed himself. Attendants had appeared to offer assistance, but Francis told Gustav to ask them to leave. He needed a moment to himself. There were various sets of clothes, Turkish in style, already laid out on a cushioned day bed, so Francis dressed himself.
He spoke to Gustav who was on the other side of the screen when he needed to double check anything, but these clothes appeared blissfully simple and far less fussy than what Francis was used to. He pulled on the customary wide legged trousers, slipping his feet through the ends, and buttoning up the waist. There was a choice of long or short sleeve shirts, more like a tunic in style, that buttoned up at the neck. A long sleeve would be wiser, he thought.
Francis chose neutral colours, as he had his eye on the pretty, patterned waistcoats in burgundy, gold, and blue. Selecting one of those and slipping it over his shoulders was the best part.
“Should I wear a hat? I mean, turban? Are they hats?” Francis asked.
Gustav’s silhouette was still in place, but he was bobbing from foot to foot nervously.
“I believe it is your choice, sir, as a foreigner,” he replied. “Since we are indoors and about to eat, I would say you could go without.”
“Oh, I don’t mind wearing one,” Francis said, and picked up a small, round red hat to try. “And the shoes? Do I wearstockings or not? I noticed everyone seems to go without here.”
“Without stockings, sir,” Gustav advised. “You would become hot.”
“Yes, these clothes are much airier,” Francis agreed. He found a pair of white and gold slippers in his size. They were easy enough to slip on, and for a moment Francis admired the turned-up toes. He felt rather special indeed in such fine clothing.
