Tarek waited beside Kara, and there was a group of grim-faced men who stood before Kara as well. These men wore blue jellaba and had curved swords at their waists. Each of them had a look of a professional warrior. Their features were similar to Tarek's, though most lacked his his handsomeness but none were ugly or displeasing. Tarek was simply singularly handsome. Some women looked on from nearby, dressed in woolen djellabas of muted earth tones.<br/><br/>"Come along now, princess. Please. The king is waiting." Tarek urged, and knelt beside Kara. He took hold of her upper arm with a soft, smooth-skinned hand and brought her to her feet with superhuman strength. The men in blue formed a line of equal numbers to either side of the pair, and Tarek dragged Kara along. He did not appear happy about her current state but kept his own counsel. But unlike Hallbjorn, Tarek either was incapable or disinclined to hide anything and the way he was forced to drag Kara along exasperated him.<br/><br/>The weather was very different from Louisiana. It was very warm, like the desert of Arizona, and Kara was drying rapidly just from being there. The road they walked along carried them past many stone buildings made of unadorned red bricks, and there was no hint of vegetation. The people all grew silent as the group walked by, and the djinn looked, however briefly, at Kara and Tarek before they averted their eyes and turned away.<br/><br/>Their ultimate destination was an impressive palace surrounded by high walls of smooth white stone. The walls were so well made that there was no visible seam between individual stone - it all appeared to have been made from one greater whole. And with the magical nature of the Lore, it all might have been created ex nihilo by some act of power and will innumerable years ago. The grand gate to the palace had many more guards like the men who escorted Kara and Tarek. These guards wore fearsome brass masks that concealed their faces and were designed to strike fear into enemies. The guards were armed with spears and shields, the latter of which were as tall as the men who wielded them, ready to be locked together to form a wall.<br/><br/>There was no challenge by these guards and the gate was opened to admit the small group further. There was a splendid fountain in the courtyard before the palace, but it was dry and devoid of water. The statue depicted several impossibly gorgeous women frolicking and carrying vases that would have poured water if any were available.<br/><br/>"This is Jamal's daughter?" A man asked in a deep voice. It belonged to a figure dressed in a golden jellaba. He had dark, straight hair that was slicked back with pommade and a mustache and beard slicked into fine points with the same. His eyes were rimmed with heavy kohl and he smelled of exotics oils.<br/><br/>"Yes, King Kaseem." Tarek said, dropping to one knee, and he relinquished his grip on Kara's arm. The guards did the same. Kaseem regarded Kara with the casual, affected detachment of a monarch. But the scrutiny was intense and that belied the affectation of detachment. The king stroked his beard as he regarded Kara.<br/><br/>"Welcome home, my dear. You should never have been left alone." Kaseem said with the sort of warmth that was entirely at odds with his severe attitude and appearance, and in strong contrast with the coldness of the Berserker who scorned Kara. He grasped Kara's shoulders and then hugged her closely and without reservation. "But you are home now, and I think that Janna's energies will have a good effect upon you. I will show you to the Eternal Flame when you are properly taken care of, dear. All will be well. You will see." Kaseem told her, smiling broadly and showing straight white teeth.<br/><br/>The warmth was gone when he regarded Tarek. It was then that Kaseem was again commanding and a king. "It is unfitting for a member of the royal family to wear Gaian clothing. Take her to be garbed as befits her station! Only the finest silks will suffice! I will meet with her in the red chamber." Kaseem said imperiously, and then walked away, followed by an entourage of a dozen other djinn. Some were guards, others were lesser nobles, some servants and flunkies of the sort no monarch could do without.<br/><br/>When Kaseem was an appropriate distance away Tarek rose. He pursed his lips and looked to Kara.