Yes

"Please, Adhara," you say to her. "I seek only the truth of the matter. If that truth must break my heart, I would still hear it, and I hold you blameless."

"I wanted to see the festival," Adhara says, "even if it was only from afar. I begged Hamal - he is the guard - to allow me outside for just a moment. It took some persuading, but he finally agreed.

"I left the tent through the secret flap behind where he stands," she continues. "I wore a cloak which covered me completely. I was able to see the firelights of the festival and hear the celebrations, and it was quite wonderful, but I knew I could not stay outside for long. When I was about to go back inside, I heard a quiet cursing. I should have gone back into the tent, but I was curious to see who it was; I had thought the camp to be empty save my companions and the guards.

"When I looked, I saw that it was Abdul Hai El-Anwar; I have seen him before, but never like this. His hair was unwrapped, his shirt was off, and he stumbled as though he were drunk. And... King Xavier, there was a woman with him."

You feel your heart drop. "Go on," you bid her.

"After Abdul regained his balance, he snatched up what looked like a fireplace poker, and turned upon the woman as if he meant to strike her - but she showed him something in her hand, and that stopped him in his tracks. She pointed toward his tent, and after a moment he dropped his weapon and turned to go that way. She entered the tent with him. I saw no more, for I was frightened and went back inside."

"You are sure it was a woman?" you ask.

"She wore a black cloak and her hood was raised, but I am sure."

Trina wore a black cloak that night, you think to yourself, and you must close your eyes for a moment to regain your composure. "The woman... would you say she was very beautiful to look upon?"

"She was," Adhara says. "I had only a glimpse of her face, but it was enough to see that much."

"Fair of skin, blue eyes, with hair the color of sunlight?"

"What? No, not at all," Adhara says. "Her hair was dark, and though I saw her eyes for only the barest moment, they were not blue. Such eyes are very rare among my people, and I would have noticed."

Your heart starts beating again! "It was not her," you whisper, more to yourself than to Adhara.

"No?" she says, and she smiles slightly. "I am happy to know this, King Xavier. The honor of the woman you love is safe, then?"

"Not yet, but you have helped me immensely," you tell her. "I don't suppose you know who it was that you saw?"

"It was no one who came with the Sultan," Adhara says, "and we know no one else here in Elyssia."

The eunuch stirs, moaning slightly and turning his head to the side so he can breathe more easily. Bwana had said that the darts would keep a man asleep for an hour or more, but the guard is a huge man.

"I must be away," you say. "My ladies, I cannot take the time to express my gratitude. I will say this, however: here in Elyssia, it is not permitted to keep men or women captive against their will when they have committed no crime. As long as you are in my Kingdom, it is within my power to grant you freedom. I will visit the Sultan here in his camp several more times before he departs for home, and if any of you wish to leave his service and live as citizens of Elyssia, you need only come out from this tent while I am here. For any of you who wish to leave his harem, I will insist to Subhi that you be allowed to go free, and I will bear his displeasure. It is the very least I can do in return for what you have done for me this day. The choice is yours."

You pull your hood back up over your crown, bow to the women, and then step over the eunuch to where Adhara said there was a hidden flap. It is easily seen from the inside, and once the sentry passes, you pull it open and dash for the edge of the camp as fast as you can. The Sun bursts over the horizon just as you leap the wall and tumble into the woods beyond.