Arslan

Arslan was one of the humans that Nahri scams in Cairo in the beginning of The City of Brass. He is the basha's younger brother and was aggressively skeptical of Nahri's words and his brother's belief in it. However unlike his brother whose health was fine, Nahri sensed Arslan had a diseased lung.

## History

### Events during City of Brass

Cemal and Arslan visit Nahri's stall in Cairo early in the morning for a health reading, having paid handsomely for the discrete meeting. Nahri served Cemal a bitter tea and then took her time "reading" the dregs while she secretly observed the brothers. Arslan told Cemal this was foolish, but he wouldn't hear it. After dropping the cup "in shock," Nahri tried to return Cemal's money as part of her scam, pretending that he was too sick for her skills. Secretly, she could sense that he was healthy. As Cemal grew more hysterical and Arslan more irritated, Nahri finally suggested a possible solution. Claiming it was evil eye from the envy of someone near him (and glancing at Arslan as the source), Nahri suggested Cemal needed to "clear [his] home of any darkness the envy brought in." Telling them a list of items to buy from Yaqub's apothecary, she instructed Cemal on how he needed to completely empty his home of all living souls for seven days, and take his family to the oasis in Faiyum for further cleansing. Arslan continually tried to talk sense into his brother who wholeheartedly believed Nahri's words, but was consistently told to be quiet. After Cemal paid Nahri and left, Arslan stayed behind to scold her for committing witchcraft, a crime under Ottoman law. When Nahri spoke back about how it's a good thing then that the French are in charge, he motioned to hit her but spat at her feet instead. Threatening that "filth like her" will be the next to go after they clear out the French, Arslan then left her shop to argue with his brother. From his shouting, Nahri could sense that he had a diseased lung and while there were no outward signs of it yet, there would be soon.

## Characteristics

### Appearance

Arslan and Cemal are described as being rich Turkish men with light features and expensively cut coats. Arslan is younger than Cemal, but otherwise he is not physically described outside of blushing when mad. He also has a diseased lung, consumption or a cancerous mass, though there are no outward signs of it yet.

### Personality

Arslan was skeptical and argumentative of Cemal's need to have his health checked, and of Nahri's abilities. He grew increasingly irritated with his brother's gullibility. After the reading he stayed behind to threaten Nahri, calling her a witch and filth, and that people like her will be the next to go after the Ottoman take control of Egypt again. He also raised his hand as if to hit her when she antagonized him, but spat at her feet instead.

## Quotes

* "This is foolish, brother. The doctor said there's nothing wrong with you."
* [Nahri] "It will be very difficult."

[Arslan] "And expensive, I bet."

* "Faiyum? My God, girl, even you must know there's a war on. Do you imagine Napoleon eager to let any of us leave Cairo for some useless desert trek?"
* [Arslan] "A crime, you fool. Witchcraft is a crime under Ottoman law."

[Nahri] "Well, then I suppose I'm lucky the Franks are in charge now."

* "By God as my witness, you thieving witch... when we clear the French out of Egypt, filth like you will be the next to go."

## References

1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 The City of Brass, ch. 1, pg. 1
2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 The City of Brass, ch. 1, pg. 2
3. ↑ The City of Brass, ch. 1, pg. 3
4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 The City of Brass, ch. 1, pg. 4
5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 The City of Brass, ch. 1, pg. 5
6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 The City of Brass, ch. 1, pg. 6
7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 7.3 The City of Brass, ch. 1, pg. 7