It was hard for her to stand and she had no insight into the workings of this man's mind, unlike Aisha, who know him so well.  She had no basis of comparison other than what she perceived to be arrogance on his behalf from earlier in the day.  It took a moment of his coaxing words and for them to sink in for her to acknowledge his command and to do as he asked.  On trembling legs the sobbing female rose, her body quaking even as she wrapped her arms around herself, covering her breasts as much as she possibly could.<br/><br/>As he led her toward a destination unknown to her, her body exposed to his eyes through the changing light.  What scars she had would not be permanent as the guards were under strict command not to disfigure, though she didn't know that the reasons were because a tarnished gift would be seen as an insult by the same sultan that she'd respected her entire life.  She had no idea that she was still in the same land of her heritage, of her birth.  She thought that she was in a land that was ruled by someone she'd yet to hear of.<br/><br/>Layla didn't feel entirely safe with him though that was due to the violence that she bore witness to, the same strike that had damaged a column and not his hand.  Her mind was trying to adapt to things by playing down the situation. Maybe she'd imagined it?  Enough of the truth remained in her mind to make her wary.<br/><br/>When the lock turned with a click, truthfully she'd only been half paying attention to where she was going, so lost in thought and moving on auto-pilot, her attention snapped to her surroundings and she saw the room that he had led her to.  She didn't understand where she was, though she knew that it had to be important for the key to it was tied around his waist.<em>Odd, that</em>, she thought.<br/><br/>Once inside the room, she remained silent, looking around and taking it all in.  She took the offered sheets gratefully and wrapped them around her.  It might have seemed foolish for her to shed Aisha's clothing as she had but she'd done it on principle.<br/><br/>Begin anew.  The words that the prince's lips gave her ears were welcome indeed, lifting some of the darkness and worry from her heart.  It was one thing to have Aisha say them but another thing entirely to hear them from his mouth. A soft smile began to move over her lips, the blank and emotionless expression on her face turning pleasant.  She'd learned not to show her fear or hope; fear got her hit and hope got her disappointed.<br/><br/>"Thank you, Master," she said softly.  "Is there anything that I can do for you to repay you?" Pleasing him was her job, but Layla had always been a giving person, at least Merit had been regardless of her situation.  "I do have one more question if you're willing to answer it; why did you change my name?" She wasn't bothered by it any longer, though she really didn't like having to get used to it. She worried that she'd forget her name and not answer when she was called for, though she knew that she would grow accustomed to it.<br/>