Thursday, March 5, 2015

Black Keys Chapter 32



Chapter 32
Isabella Marie

I turned on the couch, touching my feet to the floor, with my hand still clutching the dress to my chest, my mouth agape and my eyes wide and mind confused – I stared at the closed bathroom door. For ages.

What on earth was that? We were– … And he was … And I was just so … What's his problem?!

When I felt like I'd wondered enough and there was no point in wondering even more because everything led to a dead end when I searched for an answer or an explanation for his actions – I got up, adjusting my bra back into place and standing up only to have my dress fall to form a pile around my feet, leaving me wearing only my bra and panties.

I was too pissed to care, to be honest, and just kicked the dress away and walked over to the bed, hiding under the covers and getting lost in my thoughts and feelings.

I felt rejected, and I had no freaking clue why he’d just stopped that way, feeling all guilty and then apologizing before disappearing into the bathroom and taking his sweet time inside – it felt like it had been hours since he went in there.

I lay on my side and stared ahead at the window. The night was dark, and the slight wind was ruffling the light curtains slowly.
I kept thinking of all of the might-be-the-reason-why he’d acted that way, and coming up with one scenario after another to answer the questions in my head.

I thought that maybe he’d thought I wasn't okay with it? But how could he think that way – I was the one who’d started it, I was the one who’d straddled his lap, and I was the one who gave him her 'Yes' when he asked for permission – how could he think that I didn't want it and he needed to apologize for it? No, that couldn't be it.

My mind tried to think that maybe he hadn't liked doing that with me, maybe I felt wrong to him? Maybe he wanted someone else? Something else? But, no, I felt it. I felt how much he desired me and how much he wanted me.

Just thinking of the possibility that he might really still be engaged to that looks-like-an-angel-and-speaks-like-the-devil girl turned my stomach in knots, because that guilt in his eyes had no other explanation than he felt as if he was cheating on her with me or something. The thought of how good he was and how it was very clear that it wasn't the first time he’d touched a girl that way – his hands and tongue were ones that belonged to an expert – or the fact that he knew of a zipper in my dress that I didn't know anything about, and how he might have dealt with something like that before, made my chest tighten and swell at the same time. It wasn't a nice feeling, at all.

I hated that I might not be good enough for him. I hated that he might not be able to trust me after what I’d done even though he’d said he understood my reasons. I thought maybe he needed someone of his race and beliefs, even if he was very open-minded about our different cultures and religions. Maybe he needed someone who spoke his language, someone who addressed him with 'Your highness' and 'Your majesty' while meaning it and not actually mocking him like I once had.

Maybe it was just that – he loved her.

My stomach twisted even more and I swore I could feel my heart as it clenched in my chest. I started biting the inside of my cheeks, a nasty habit that I'd always done when feeling really, really nervous about something I couldn't control. After what felt like two years and three months, the prince came out of the bathroom. I didn't move.

I heard him as he opened the door to the closet, and then he went in there, staying for longer than anyone would take to dress, and I realized he must be praying – though he wasn't praying in there that much anymore, or ever took so much time – or maybe he was just avoiding me.

I hated the idea. I hated that what had happened, which I thought to be so sweet and lovely, had turned us all awkward around each other, or worse – caused me to deal with his silent treatment or whatever. I hated it.

Sometime later, I heard knocking on the door. Surely it was Mona, and I had no doubt that she was here to take the unfinished dinner dishes away, but I was too frustrated, pissed and confused to even find the heart to reply to her. I thought maybe the prince would do it. But he didn't. Mona knocked two more times before she gave up and I didn't hear anymore knocking after that.

Later, the prince finally came out, going to the couch where he had slept more than one night and where we were just making out, lying there while I pretended to be sleeping.

It upset me. A lot.

Somehow, somewhere in the back of my mind, I wished he would sleep in the bed with me. After all, it was a King sized bed, too big for only me, and was made for the two of us. But I figured that after the first time I’d woken up here to find him in bed with me and how I’d reacted to that was enough to scare him away from ever sleeping on that bed again.

I sighed softly and hoped for sleep to come soon, so my mind would stop going everywhere just for a few hours.

~BK~

"Princess?" I heard the quiet voice calling. "Princess, please wake up."

"Hmm?" I replied with closed eyes. Sleeping felt so good, I missed it and wanted to go back to it right away.

"Princess?" the voice tried again. "I have to go in a minute."

That woke me up.

"What?" I asked sleepily, my voice harsh from sleep. "You have to go?" I saw that the prince was dressed the same as he had been when he first met me, the same as the wedding night – all in white with the white-in-red thing he wore above his head.

"Morning, Princess," he smiled tenderly. "Yes, it's Friday and I have to go to pray."

I sat up, ignoring how his eyes drifted away when my only-covered-in-a-bra chest was on full display when the covers dropped down when I moved. 

"What? Why can't you do it here?" I asked, holding the covers to my chest so he would look at me again, trying my hardest not to feel so bad about the fact that he didn't even want to look at me that way, as if I were a stranger to him, feeling the panic as it started to make its way to my heart at the thought of him leaving the wing.

"It's a must, Princess. We go to pray and listen to a lecture every Friday," he explained, his eyes looking into mine again.

"What about the seven days rule?" It was only the sixth day.

"No rule comes before God's laws," he said quietly.

I swallowed, frowning, wanting him to stay but not knowing how to tell him that I was scared of him leaving me alone. I only felt safe with him close by. 

I just looked at him with longing, begging him with my eyes to stay, to understand what I wanted without me telling him so.

"It'll only take two hours maximum, Princess," he said, assuring and promising, as if he was able to read my mind and what I wanted to tell him. 

"There are guards all around the outside of the wing, it's completely secure and safe. Don't worry, okay?"

I nodded slowly, still not liking him to be away.

"If you need anything, just tell Mona," he said and got up, my eyes never leaving him. He then bent down and kissed my hair, not even my forehead, not even touching me with his hands. He smelled so good, I wanted to hug him and beg him to stay, just like a little kid. "I'll be back before you know it." His smile was soft, sweet, but the big elephant in the room was too huge not to make him all awkward around me as he was now.

I nodded again, still too upset to talk, and watching him leave the bedroom almost brought me to tears. It was silly. Sure, I could go two hours without him. Or at least, I would try.

"Mona!" I called, moving my hand down my hair and rubbing the back of my neck.

"Yes, Princess," she smiled brightly once she stepped into the room. "Can I get you anything?" She brought me a fluffy flip-flop slipper from underneath the bed and put it beside the bed on the floor, near where I would put my feet once I got out of bed.

"What time is it?" I asked, stretching, not caring about my nudeness in front of her.

"Eleven-thirty."

"Ah! I overslept," I said, getting out of bed. Mona hurriedly brought me a silky blue robe that was on the hanger beside the window. As she helped me put it on, I noticed that her eyes were on the bed, looking closely as if she was searching for something.

I shrugged it off and asked her, "Prepare me the bath, please."

"Of course," she said and started making her way to the bathroom before she stopped and turned. "Um, do you wish me to put some herbs in the tub, Princess?" she asked, a soft smile on her lips and pink blush on her face.

I frowned. Why would I want herbs in th– … Oh!

"No, Mona, that won't be necessary," I replied, realizing that she thought I’d had sex with the prince last night, and that was why she’d been eyeing the sheets a minute ago – maybe because of how I was dressed, or because I’d ignored her knocks last night, or because of whatever.

Nothing happened! Was what I told her between my words, and I knew she heard it well because her smile fell before nodding and going to make me the bath.

.
.
.

"Is the masjed far from the palace?" I asked Mona as I sipped on my coffee. It had only been half an hour since he left and I already wanted him back.

"No, Princess, it's not far, you can see it from the sunroom, if you wish," she told me as she finished making the bed.

I nodded as I chewed my food hurriedly so I could reply to her. "Please!" I said eagerly.

Inside the sunroom, I stood beside Mona in front of one of the glass walls on the side, watching as she pointed out the huge building that was the masjed. It was nearby, standing at the corner of the garden that surrounded the palace. We watched as a large number of men entered from the main door. It looked like our church on a Sunday, and it made me smile, disliking the fact that I had missed it last week because it was the wedding day. I had no idea if there were any churches here, but doubted I could've understood anything anyway even if I'd managed to go to one.

I had to ask, "Is it only men who are allowed there?" because I couldn't see any women entering.

"No, Princess, we are. It's just – it's a must for men, but it's women's choice if they want to go or not."

"Oh! I see," was my reply.

"Ah! Finally!" Mona said, making me frown and look at where she was looking at.

"Finally what?"

"The princesses are leaving the palace," she pointed at the other side, and I could see a few women covered from head to toe in black.

I giggled. "How could you even tell they are princesses?"

"Oh, trust me, Princess," she said, and then pointed, "Do you see this one in the front who's just about to get into the car?"

"Aha …?"

"That is Princess Talia, always showing a part of what she's wearing underneath the cloak as she walks. Nobody does that except her, and she always has her younger cousins following her like sheep," she said, seemingly not fond of her, which I liked a lot.

Talia! That was the devil's name, I remembered.

"Uh, the prince's fiancée, huh?" I asked, my heart in my throat as I waited for her answer, because God knows if the prince had lied to me about that ….

Mona looked at me as if I’d grown two heads. "Fiancée? Of course not! She wishes!" was Mona's reply that cause me to start breathing again. "Who told you that she was?"

"Um, when I was in the King's wing waiting for the prince, I told Prince Emmad I didn't want to stay alone, and he said he'd bring one of the princesses to keep me company, an–"

"And of course Princess Talia volunteered so she could bother you," Mona interrupted, finishing my words for me while assuming just right.

I nodded, twisting my lips to the side, then shrugged.

Mona shook her head. "She's not his fianc̩e. Yes, it's an unspoken rule that they should marry since her father is the next in line if РGod Forbid Рthe King passes away without his sons having an heir. It would offer the two princes a role at ruling a state or region instead of nothing if they didn't marry his daughters, but it didn't happen Рand thank God for that!"

"Yeah, the prince explained some of it to me, but – why didn't Prince Emmad marry one of his daughters then?" I wondered. If it was so important like Mona and the prince before her had explained to me, why wouldn't at least the younger prince marry his cousin from that uncle?

"Oh, he did. She's younger than Princess Talia – it’s frowned upon here for a younger sister to marry before her older one, but with Prince Mazen having to delay his marriage for college and so on, Prince Emmad had to marry earlier than him, and their uncle didn't mind at all."

"Princess Rosanna is Princess Talia's sister?" I asked with shock.

"Yes, Princess."

"That means that Princess Talia is–"

"The Queen's niece," Mona said, nodding.

"Wow! I had no idea." No wonder the Queen hated me so much.

"And she's still waiting," Mona said, I assumed speaking of Talia. "And after she told you that – I guess she's still hoping."

"Oh, you can't imagine."

"Did she say anything else?" Mona asked, but didn't wait for a reply. "Because whatever she said, she's a liar – just like her brother."

"Brother?"

"Prince Jasem, God rest his soul."

"Oh, God! When did he die?" I gasped.

"He didn't, just wishful thinking, Princess," Mona grinned, and I smiled, shaking my head.

"So, Jasem and Talia are Rosanna's siblings," I thought out loud.

"Yes, but Princess Rosanna is their half-sister, and you'd think she came from a different father as well, given how pure and tender she is."

"Good to hear she's different. Prince Emmad seems like a great guy; he doesn't deserve an unkind wife," I said.

"He is, and he’s loved her since they were little kids, but it's a given that those kids grow up with the idea of loving each other, as they are promised together since birth by the unspoken rule."

Did that mean that the prince was also … no, I wouldn't think that way. It hurt.

"There must be huge pressure on Princess Rosanna to carry on with this pregnancy," I said.

"True. But the Queen is not pressuring Prince Emmad to marry another, since if the King passes away with only Prince Emmad having an heir and Prince Mazen not – it'd be him who would take the title."

Oh! God! Too much to think about!

Mona frowned and titled her head to the side as if she was listening to something.

"What?" I asked her.

"I think I heard the bill ringing." Her frown deepened. "It's too early for lunch."

"I didn't hear anything," I told her.

"I'll go check, Princess, excuse me."

I nodded and then went to the bedroom. It was only a minute after that I heard knocking on the door, but before I could reply, Mona entered, which was unlike her to just come inside without asking permission first when she wasn't expected.

"Forgive me, Princess, but–" She was interrupted by the door opening further, and when I looked, it was wheels that were pushing the door open.

I smiled big when I realized that it was the Mother Queen on her wheelchair making her way inside the room, blushing slightly at the fact that I was in a tank top and sweatpants – no elegant dress or twenty pounds of diamonds on me – and I wondered how indecent I looked in her eyes with the way I was dressed.

My smile dropped when I saw that the one wheeling her inside was the Queen, her face as hard as ever and her eyes looking at me as if I was something disgusting, like rotten rubbish.

Tailing the queen was a line of women that I didn't know, two of them carrying white cloths in their hands.

I swallowed thickly, fear consuming me all of a sudden.

"Hello, Princess Marie," the Queen said, "How was your night?"
Seriously? She was asking about my night?

I tried to smile, but I couldn't. "I-it was fine, thank you,” I replied, watching as she pointed with her pointer finger to the women and then to the bed.

"Well, that's good to hear," she said. I was too confused to dwell on the sarcasm in her voice as I watched the women as they went to change the lavender sheets and replace them with white ones.

"Uh, w-what's going on?" Fear laced my voice.

Mona had just changed those sheets.

"Don't worry, you just have something to prove, is all," the Queen replied.

I looked at Mona with questioning eyes, but hers were as confused as mine. Even the Mother Queen was the same as us, though I wasn't sure if it was because we spoke in a language that was foreign to her, or because just like us she didn't know what was going on.

"What t-thing?" My lips started to tremble as a disgusting thought came to my mind, terror filling me just thinking about the possibility of it being what the Queen was talking about.

The Queen didn't reply. She offered her hand to a woman who was still standing beside her and that woman gave her a small piece of white cloth, and my eyes widened. She gave it to the Mother Queen and she frowned at the material in her hand, asking the Queen a question that she replied to with an answer that made Mona gasp and the Mother Queen's mouth drop, and a tear fall from my eyes even before hearing her response.

"Your virginity."

~BK~


40 comments:

  1. Oh dear... I hope that Mazen explains his self what happend yesterday night and hope he doesnt marry or love Talia and stays with Marie and loves her instead. I hate Talia.... Please continue and update faster please!!!!

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  2. Omg does she have to orove that she's still a virgin or if they already consummated their marriage? I hope he comes soon so they aren't discovered and to see them talk about the "big elephant"

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  3. Oh my! In laws ... can't live with them, can't kill them. The dear prince needs to make an appearance. Mazen, you got some 'splain' to do! I also wonder what he will think of this 'development'. Great chapter, as always!

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  4. wow! so they are presuming she had sex and that she wasn't a virgin... that queen, she' one hell of a lady... just wow. Love the developing relationship between Mona and Maria... very sweet.

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  5. I hope she doesn't have to let them examine her. Can't she refuse or at least wait till Mazen is with her. If only he wouldn't have stopped last night everything would have been alright. Thanks for writing. I can't wait for the next update.
    Lisa...Gail Cullen

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  6. What is the queen going to do?!? OMG I'm actually scared for Maria. Please update today if possibly!!

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  7. I hope someone stops this invasion of privacy. So couisns are promised to marry each other? Talia is edwards couisn right?

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  8. wow...marie definitely needs to refuse, and mazen needs to get back there

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  9. My God! Marie must be so scared! I hope Mazen will come and save the day! Update please!!)))

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  10. Oh my Lord....... no way I'd let that witch near me before Mazen returned........!!

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  11. Not sure is they are more interested if she is still a virgin or whether they have consummated their marriage. Very sneaky that they waited until the prince is away. I'm worried for Marie!

    Glad that Mona told Marie the truth about that bitch, Talia!

    I'm on the edge of my seat! PLEASE update soon!

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  12. GAH! What are they doing?!?!?!?!?! I hope she can prove that she is no longer a "Virgin". Most single, 20 something year old girls in the US (Catholic or not) have a toy in their night stand. Lol! Hopefully that would have taken care of the whole virginity thing!
    CM

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  13. Of course, the Queen waited until Mazen would be busy. I hope she allowed to tell them to leave.

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  14. Omg another amazing update. Can't wait to see what happens next. Altho I am worried about Marie.

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  15. I sure hope the prince returns before they all leave.

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  16. EVIL! EVIL QUEEN!!! So this is the reason for that pic tease! Is it really right for the Queen to prove the virginity of her daughter in law if her son can't do the act? It's against human rights! Bella can refuse this right? Oh I hope the Mother Queen refuse this! She's the Mother Queen afterall. And I hope Prince Mazen makes an appearance before the Queen can do her evil plan! Poor Bella, I'm sure she's helpless... feeling so helpless, abused and deprived of her rights!

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  18. Holy hell!! Queen biatch at work!!

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  19. It seems that the biggest threats to Marie are coming from within the castle walls, not on the outside of it, as the Prince mentions how guarded the castle is from the outside world. It is members of the Prince's OWN family, who have disrespected Marie repeatedly, not outsiders. It is members of the Prince's own family who had their grand plan ruined by Alicia marrying Jasper and Marie entering into the picture. It is no wonder Marie does not want the Prince to leave her alone in the castle. I am surprised the Prince hasn't been able to put the pieces together yet. (to find the black key) I hope Rosanna doesn't lose the baby. For all we know, the family (talia, Jasem) could be causing her to miscarry so Emmad can't become King.. I am not surprised at all that Talia was lying, by the way.

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  20. Angelik Angel
    Well, I am speechless ..... I can only wish that the Prince Mazen come now or Marie to lock the bathroom to not let them examine anything.

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  21. Prince Mazen is gonna be PISSED! They waited until he was a Prayer and confronted her?? I hope Mona can run fast!! :D Cause Marie is going to need her to save her ass-sets!

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  22. I don't understand what the queen wants to prove? So what if she didn't found her a virigin? Doesn't this mean that she probably had sex with mazen?

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  23. Well he make promises that she is not a prisoner, that her life is not in danger and that she is safe but it's simply not true.
    He is like the master that is kind to his salve but has no recourse when the laws of the land are force up her in his absence.
    That certainly isn't being free.

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  24. I hope the Mother Queen will not agree to this. I feel she'll save Bella...

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  25. like Hell, take her and her white cloth and Skeedattle. She will not get between her legs for any reason

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  26. oh my god please mind your own business,evil queen!! I wonder how Mazen will react to this. update soon please.. :) great chapter,by the way.

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  27. God! That disgusting witch! HOW DARE SHE??? >_< Of course she waited until Marie was alone. Ugh! I hate her and Talia.. >_< Make them disappear somehow Rose. Kill them, drown them.. Do whatever. Just make these bitches disappear from the story..
    LOVED THE CHAPTER! Thank you for sharing it with us! Can't wait for the next one!

    Xoxo
    M

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  28. Horrible country, stupid laws. Go home too many people wish you harm.

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  29. I hope Prince Mazen hurries back!

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  30. So did Mazen know that was coming and he had to be sure she still was, or will he be upset? I mean, this is incredible. Six months of cramming could not prepare someone for this life
    Reb

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  31. Ha! I love it. Suspense! Can't wait to read what happens next. Good job and awesome story.

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  32. I hope that she can get through this before something bad happens or Mazen comes back before his mom does something stupid. shes a hateful person if she is treating bella this way. keep up the good work

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  33. Talk about a mother in law from he**. That woman is evil. I saw the FB post on common deflowering. That is a horrible traumatic thing for a woman to have to go through. It's wonder that you're bringing these practices to the forefront, so many of us are naive to this type of thing. I'm hoping Mazen gets back in time or the Mother Queen steps up to save Marie from this. After everything else that's happened this practice maybe too much for her to handle. That said I'm looking forward to the next update. This is a beautiful story and I hate to see it end soon.

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  34. Wow Rose my heart is actually beating out of my chest! That was a crazy intense update. I'm praying that Marie can escape through the secret passage to safety till Mazen returns. I'm guessing Mazen will be gone for a while still?
    He has voued to protect her, no way that evil queen will get away with that. Please don't let her do that to Marie. You've done an excellent job with this chapter. I'm terrified of what's to come next. I love angst so much but..... Intense isn't the word.
    I can't wait to see what happens next. Praying Marie will be safe. Xoxoxoxo

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  35. Al Salam Alaykom :D
    The Queen has no right what so ever to do such a thing, who does she think she is!

    I do not really get why did she bring Mother Queen; she wants Mazen's grandmother to hate Marie?

    And that was really evil, to do such a thing while knowing that Mazen wont be there :/

    I think that Mazen has already prepared everything for Marie to go back to the US [When he talked about letting Salma leave]

    Ohhh, did I ever point out the fact that I really like how you came up with Arabic names that are similar to the characters' original ones (I did tell you that you are smart :D)

    Until next time In Sh'Allah :)
    ~Nouran

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  36. WTF she wants to inspect the coochie? Lol I can't with this chapter Rosa. She's a queen Mary in the making it seems.
    Off to read next chapter because lord knows Marie should have dropped kicked her ass!

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  37. oh wow the queen is crazy and mazen is going to shit him self when he finds out

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