The Stone Lions (16 page)

Suleiman looked up from polishing his
whiskers. “What?” he asked. His sharp black eyes alighted on the
tray of flat bread, fruit and olives. “Is that bread? I’m very
hungry.”

Tahirah rubbed her hand across her forehead,
and slowly her expression changed. “Suleiman, I say to you what I
say to others, ‘whithersoever ye turn, there is the Face of God.’
Once again, Allah shows me the folly of my ways. I accept and
learn. Food you may have and the support of my hand and heart, may
I ever be Allah’s vessel,
inshallah
.”

Ara leapt in. “He’s really little, and he
won’t hurt anyone. I’m sorry about your family, truly I am,
Tahirah.”

“Child, that was ages ago. I thought I had
put it far behind me. This has reminded me that goodness comes in
all shapes, not just the ones I like.” She took one last calming
breath. “Time for us to continue. Suleiman, please sup. You must be
hungry. Then you and I will teach the next symmetry pattern,” she
added firmly, pulling herself together.

The mouse leapt off Layla’s arm and scampered
over to the bread. Tahirah and the girls sat down to their tea. The
girls sipped from their cups, quieter than usual, afraid to disturb
their friend and teacher. Suleiman, after muttering a polite
bismillah
, ate some bread, then exclaimed
in delight upon finding a ripe fig. He devoured a large
mouse-mouthful and then several more.

“Tea is calming, is it not?” Tahirah said,
smiling at the girls. “I believe it is time, perhaps even past
time, for our next lesson. Suleiman, I hope you are now full and
ready.”

The mouse looked up, cheeks stuffed with
food. After what appeared some internal debate, he mumbled, “Uff
courshh,” and swallowing, joined the group.

Tahirah pointed behind her to a stack of
ceramic tiles on the floor. “I searched out some tiles for our
lesson. This will make it easier to explain and not use expensive
paper. As you remember, your last symmetry was a horizontal
reflection. And the one before that was a vertical reflection.” She
paused. Suleiman scurried over to the tiles and ran around each
one. “I instructed you to find the horizontal symmetry, making
absolutely sure that it did not also have a vertical symmetry.”

“Yes, we were very careful about that. You
said it was important,” Ara recalled. Layla nodded.

“This third symmetry has
both
a vertical and a horizontal reflection. Both
symmetries exist in one design. That’s why it was important not to
find a vertical symmetry with the horizontal one last time. Let us
put together some of the tiles to make this pattern.”

Suleiman, who had been carefully examining
the tiles, placed a paw on some. “Here, this is the first example I
showed you, a triangle,” he squeaked. “Take these four tiles and
make a design that has both vertical and horizontal
reflections.”

Ara and Layla sat down near the tiles. This
didn’t look too hard. Layla reached to pick up a tile and then
looked at Ara, who nodded encouragement.

Layla left the first tile alone and slid the
second directly below it and turned it until the blue was on the
bottom. The next two tiles she placed on the right side. One she
placed white edges matching with the top one, and the other she
slid under to match.

She looked up at Tahirah when finished. “Is
this correct?” she sounded, uncertain.

“Perfect, though there are other answers. Now
explain why it is correct,” Tahirah encouraged, obviously pleased
that shy Layla solved the problem.

The girl lay on her stomach, studying the
tiles. “Well, the two on the top are the flips of each other…and
the tiles below look exactly like a mirror reflection of the ones
above.” She hesitated then, less confident. “But mathematics isn’t
really this easy, is it? It’s always been hard for me. Ara is the
one who likes math.”

Tahirah thought before responding. “It can be
simple. Mathematics is a human way of explaining the world. It
gives us some insight into the wonders that Allah created. Part of
the world is very simple, and part is more complex.

“The basics of mathematics are very easy.
Complex mathematics is only the basics added together, step by
step. Each step is not complex, though the whole may seem that
way.

“It’s as dance is for you, Layla, or playing
the lute for Ara. Placing your finger on a string and plucking a
note is not hard, but playing a tune takes much practice. Playing
many tunes well takes again more practice. Mathematics also takes
practice. You are learning to think in different ways and, as you
do, it becomes easier.” She smiled down at the girls. Suleiman
climbed upon Layla’s back and surveyed the scene with the air of a
miniature ruler.

Tahirah, though still appearing uncomfortable
with the mouse, pressed on and, from another small, stack set a new
tile on the floor. “Here is a more complex example of the double
reflection we are studying.”

Ara touched the tile. “I’ve seen this. It’s
in the Hall of the Two Sisters. I never noticed the symmetry of it
before.”

“Yes, it’s a copy of the one on the far left
wall as you enter. It is very lovely, is it not?” Tahirah said,
admiring the tile maker’s work. “One more point I need to make with
this symmetry is that it looks the same right-side up or upside
down.”

Layla screwed up her nose. Ara also looked
unsure. “You mean if you turn the tile upside down, it still looks
the same?” Ara said, turning the piece around. “Oh. It
is
the same. How odd.”

“That’s it?” Layla’s smile was hesitant.
“Just if it’s the same when it’s upside down as right side up?”

“Yes.” Tahirah agreed, smiling, as she took
out more tiles. “Now make this pattern into a band or row.”

Ara took two more identical tiles and lined
them up edge to edge with the first.

“Good. If you look you can see that the
reflections in the row are a bit different from the single tile.
The row has only one horizontal flip but there are multiple places
within the row where there is a vertical flip. You could put a
mirror between each tile and it would reflect, or you could put a
mirror straight down the exact center of a tile and it would also
reflect.”

“Yes,” Ara exclaimed, understanding. “There
are many places where it could be folded in half and match
exactly.”

“I have said that you two almost teach
yourselves, and it is very true,” Tahirah said looking very
pleased. “You remind me of your mother.”

Ara straightened. “You remember my
mother?”

“Certainly. I was fortunate to have her in my
classes. She was such a bright light. As are both of you. I am
Allah blessed to have served two generations of clever girls.”

They stood, grinning at the praise, and
prepared to leave, Suleiman hidden again in the folds of Layla’s
sleeve.

Ara suddenly leaned forward and said in a
near whisper. “The wazir. We heard the wazir talking. He knows his
evil spells are unraveling, and he searches for Suleiman.”

“We heard he still believes that Suleiman is
a lizard,” Layla said, “but he thinks Suleiman is somehow undoing
his magic.”

Tahirah frowned. “We have been fortunate,
have we not? The wazir searches for the one who thwarts him in his
magic. He is arrogant and blind and hasn’t yet turned his eye
toward the harem. I have placed spells about the palace to avert
his interest from us. How long they will last, I cannot say.” There
was silence in the room except for Suleiman’s anxious breathing.
“Allah forbid that he learn of your involvement.

“Every day that he is unaware of your
connection to the magic is a day we rejoice. I count each as a
blessing from Allah.” She bowed her head. Many heartbeats passed
while Tahirah regained her composure.

“You have less time yet again, only five and
one-quarter days, and much of this day has vanished with our
Christian guests. But all is not lost. The People of the Book are
gone, and no more beet juice must be cleaned from the lion
fountain.” She smiled wryly.

Ara shook herself out of her fear. “Wait,
before we leave. Can we use this same symmetry? The one from the
Hall of the Two Sisters? Does it count?”

“The magic works as long as you see a broken
symmetry, one that in your heart you are seeking. Be very careful
who you ask for help. A secret is no longer a secret when two
people know,” she warned. “This lesson is over, so off with you.
Remember, courage outweighs fear.” Opening the door, she waved them
out of the room.

Chapter 23

The sun was low in the sky when the girls,
accompanied by four guards, left Tahirah’s rooms. Worried about
finding the newest symmetry soon enough, they searched the walls as
they entered the Palace of the Myrtles and headed for their
chambers.

Zoriah, surrounded by seven servants, called
to them from the top of the stairs, “Are you girls done with your
lesson?”

“Yes, but we have assignments to
complete.”

Zoriah turned away from them to one servant,
who hovered attentively. “No, it can’t be done tomorrow,” she told
her. “I want the rugs cleaned now.” She turned back to the girls.
“And I want you to go and make sure that the Mirador de Lindaraja
is completely cleaned.”

“Now?” Ara said, surprise in her voice.
“Us?”

“Yes, now and definitely you.” Zoriah’s voice
sounded exasperated. “How do you expect to learn the running of a
castle if you don’t start while you’re young? You can’t tell
servants and slaves how to do something if you haven’t done it
yourself. Now, go with the servants and help them get the rooms in
order.”

Ara and Layla looked at each. They were
tired, and Suleiman still hid in Layla’s sleeve. Each hour they
didn’t find the symmetry was an hour lost forever. The wazir knew
something was wrong—what if he looked to those who were close to
Suleiman? He might guess they were involved.