<div class="floatleft">(http://i279.photobucket.com/albums/kk137/HaibaneR/MuradAl-BehrAvatar.jpg)</div><span class="bbc_size" style="font-size: 18pt;"><span class="bbc_font" style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">MURAD AL-BEHR</span></span><br/><strong>Location:</strong>The harem courtyard<br/><strong>Tagged:</strong>Seeing Catherine Hawke briefly<br/><br/>Murad was clipping the small privet hedge of box that encircled the central fountain. He worked carefully and fastidiously but with speed. There were so many jobs that had to be done this morning. Beside him he carried a small basket with one side cut away and a soft broom of forest squirrel fur. With these he'd periodically stop and carefully sweep up the clippings before moving on. The palace had its gardeners of course and they took care of the main formal garden with its many walkways and hedges and fountains, the informal gardens with their vast lawns and rhododendron and acacia banks, and the acres of woodland and heath but inside the harem itself only those permitted specifically to come in contact with the noblewomen and princesses worked - the eunuchs, maids and harem kitchen and cleaning staff. Other than the eunuchs these were always all female; it would not do to have a male who had the ability to impregnate a harem lady come in contact with them. Even the grooms who prepared the horses had to do their work at certain hours when the harem women were not there.<br/><br/>Murad heard a wooden shutter opening and glanced up. Lady Catherine came out onto her small balcony and took in the cool morning air and watered the flowers in a pot that she kept there. They were plants native to her own land, she had confided this to the slave some time ago. The dark-skinned eunuch stopped what he was doing and bowed respectfully.<br/><br/>"Greetings my lady," he called up with suitably subservient tones. "The day promises to be warm. I trust you had a restful sleep?" He saw the gown she was wearing and smiled in delight. "The flowers are beautiful this morning but I fear they have competition in loveliness such that they may as well be common weeds in comparison. You look enchanting if I may say so."<br/><br/>Their conversation lasted only a short while before Lady Catherine went to take care of her own business and Murad had to continue his chores. After they had spoken he let his mind wander in recollection of the beautiful gown she had been wearing. If he knew Catherine Hawke well enough, he guessed she would have beneath it pretty underclothes of fine silk or lace. She was a princess of a powerful kingdom, intelligent and wise. She would make the prince a fine wife, but Murad knew she had a naughty and playful side. He had heard her make lusty sounds from that pretty pale throat that no-one else had. Yes, she'd be an excellent choice for queen, that frisky side of her he knew from her bedchamber would please His Majesty much.<br/><br/>The eunuch hummed a tune he knew Lady Catherine liked to play on her flute and continued his work.<br/><br/><br/>