Abdul had it all figured out. The busy markets and common halls of near every town he visited had been the temporary settling place of one he would consider a rival in terms of entertainment and artistry. A musician by trade, one who wanted solely to survive with his talent, Abdul had seen small success, though enough to at least eat once per day and find lower-than-adequate lodgings every night. His ambitions were high, his own skills moderate, though he could scarcely rival with the one they named Hakim, whose approach to the same craft was rather intricate to say the least. Hakim was no more talented than he when it came to melodies, to the soothing and springing airs he shared with the crowds. Were it only in terms of such comparison, Abdul might have actually won given that he sensed himself a bit more comely in appearance, yet Hakim had an incomparable edge upon him: a dancer. The sexy sway of a performer, swinging to music and seducing passerbys could definitely be a clear