There had not been any but the traders, Rigel, and himself that had made frequent trips to Mahgrib in the years of Rigel’s teaching. It was frowned upon to be born in one kingdom and move to the other back in those days. Patriotism, perhaps - but mostly because of the differences of opinion between Mirans and Mahgribians. Aldebaran had done plenty of trips to and fro, bringing royal messages to Rigel as he spent time in the bustling center of Mahgrib with the Husband of dangerously-close-to-insult nobility.

Aldebaran had been witness to Rigel’s wandering eye, in so far that it wandered from pupil to love interest. He knew the mealy bay mare had more than a little hold on his brother’s heart - if not loins, considering his lack of interest in constantly chasing a relief for those loins. The little Marwari mare had been pretty, though ill treated. It had prickled even at Aldebaran, but for Rigel it was something of a perpetual inner torment. He wanted this woman. It had almost been enough to convince Aldebaran of the fallacy of twins lore among his people.

But Rigel had been able to leave her, whatever self-flagellation had followed. He knows that he could not bear the absence of even the revolt-prone Zazu. He had known it since he’d pulled her beside him during that festival of Shu. His very core would not let him stand for it. She might have even had the power to lead him away from his brothers and back to Mira if she had put a thought into it and not wanted this freedom so badly.

When he sees Dhaniyā, he knows that there will be much upheaval in his elder brother. He knows it but he rushes to the mare’s side anyway. "Dhaniyā, your Allah has brought you so far from home!" he laments, looking her over with the same speed and franticness that his steps had shown in him already. "Where is your husband? Do I need to call my brothers to come defend you? Do you need me to fetch our Healer?" He is desperate to understand her familiar face in these foreign places, half-panicked that something had befell their homelands and she’d been sent to warn of War.