Phantasy Star: Fringes of Algo

“Near a lake to the southeast.”

Layla’s words reverberated in Na’il’s head ran about the little chamber at the top of the tower, where he been living for the past several months. He gathered his belongings together and placed them neatly onto a small blanket before folding the ends together. Kneeling down beside the bed, the prince stuck his arm under it and groped around blindly before pulling out a long scimitar. He strapped the weapon to his back and headed for the door.

He slid it open effortlessly, finding himself in a smaller room where Mah, whom had been waiting on him since his confinement to the tower, slept on a small, uncomfortable pile of straw. Na’il placed his hand over her small mouth and called her by name.

She awoke with a startle, but the prince’s hands stifled any exclamation of surprise that might call attention to the guards.

“Shh! We’re leaving tonight,” said the boy resolutely. He removed his hand from the lady’s face.

“Uh…Wha--? Na’il?”

“I’m leaving Landan tonight,” he paused, “And you’re going with me.”

“But why?” asked the nurse, confused.

“Father would behead you if he found out that you allowed me to run away. I don’t want that to happen to you, so I’m taking you with me.”

Before Mah could protest further, Na’il was throwing a bunch of clothes of hers that she had kept in a basket in the corner of her room onto a blanket and tying it up much like he did with his own belongings. It wasn’t long before he was dragging her down the dizzyingly-high spiral staircase. Both prince and nurse made every effort to not make any noise and after a short eternity, had reached the door to the tower. Luckily fate was on their side, and both guards were sleeping at their posts.

Mah was about to open the door when Na’il gestured for her to wait. He pointed to the slumbering sentinels and ran his index finger across his throat. Mah understood that he meant to say that they’d be punished for sleeping on during their watch. The carmine beauty nodded and motioned for Na’il to stand still. She crept up to one of them and, covering his mouth, struck him on his shoulder. The man’s eyes opened for a moment and he left out a muffled yell, but soon his eyes rolled back and he was unconscious. She did likewise to the second guard and soon both had escaped into the night. Na’il thought of saying something, but figured that her actions were simply an application of her knowledge of the human body and thought nothing more of it.

Instead of heading directly southward in the direction of al-Yaata, Na’il suggested they stick close to the cliff wall to the east and follow it. By the early morning, the two fugitives had reached a narrow valley in between the cliff the wall and a ridge of rocky hills. The prince suggested they rest there and hide from any search party that might be sent in that direction.

“So where are we going, my prince?” asked Mah, as she made herself comfortable in the shade of a large granite boulder.

Na’il removed his turban and set his personal belongings on the ground. “There’s a lake to the southeast of here. Layla appeared to me in a dream last night and gave me a clear vision of it. She said that I needed to find someone there.”

Mah looked at her master thoughtfully. “You really believe these dreams have meaning to them, don’t you?”

Na’il simply nodded. He rummaged around his belongings and removed a small knife. He started cutting off his beard and mustache. Turning to Mah, he suggested, “You might want to do something about your clothing.” He pointed to her voluminous red robes. “People might be looking for a prince and a red-haired nurse.”

Mah went along with his suggestion and removed the dress, leaving her red undergarments exposed. Na’il turned away as she did so. “Well, I’ve seen you naked since you were a little boy,” she laughed. Rummaging through her clothes, she slipped into a burgundy silk sharreh skirt. Throwing a red satin vest over her bra, she removed her dupatta and placed it with her other clothes. Moreover, she removed a small tube of kohl from her belongings and applied some to her eyes. Coyly, she stepped in front of Na’il, swinging her hips from side to side while giving him a loving view of her navel.

“You look like a harlot,” jested Na’il, trying not to stare.

“Almeh would be more accurate, but okay,” Mah giggled. “Besides, they’re looking for a bearded prince and a nurse, not a beardless youth and a courtesan. Come my prince, you must rest. We’ll have a long night ahead of us soon.”