Black Keys Chapter 18

 (SM) owns Twilight.

(CozItRunsInMyBlood) owns the plot.

(RobzBeanie) is a lifesaver and she beta this.

Chapter 18

Isabella Mary

The prince left Salma and came closer to where I was standing beside the door. "When Mona mentioned her name, I couldn't believe it. I just had to see her with my own eyes to truly believe she really was here, that she came back to me," he said. "I didn't think of anything else at all, and I'm sorry for doing so. I hope you now understand, Princess."

I nodded, smiling a little. "I understand, I really do. It's okay, I would've done the same if I were you."

He smiled, tucking my hair behind my ear, a gesture I had grown to like a little too much. "One more thing," he said. "I don't have a Harem." I stared at him, waiting for him to continue, searching his eyes for the evidence of honesty in his words. "As a matter of fact, there are no 'Harem' at all – not since hundreds of years ago."

Huh?!

The prince nodded at my disbelieving eyes. "Islam forbids any sexual act outside of marriage. Harems were common before Islam came. Women left from wars with other countries were treated as belongings of the king, and whomever he might gift them to, but they wouldn't be shared – they were just for one man, so as not to mix the fathering of any children. Islam made releasing those women and giving them their freedom a good deed, a very good deed to become closer to God and earn his forgiveness. With time there were almost none, and with Islam forbidding slavery, they became non-existent."

Oh!

"Sleeping with any other woman other than your wife is called 'Adultery' and is a grave sin – something I wouldn't ever do," he said sincerely. "Do you understand me, Princess?" His thumb brushed my jawline softly.

Despite my efforts, I couldn't help my grin. I could only manage to bite both of my lips to keep from smiling too big and breaking my face, but I wasn't able to hide the tightening in my eyes as they did their own smiling. I nodded. And his own smile showed on those stupidly-beautiful lips.

"Come. Salma needs to rest, and there is someone else I want you to meet."

~BK~

"Jesus!" I gushed when I heard loud neighing coming from one of the rooms. It was very strong, as if the horse was right beside my ear.

The prince chuckled lightly. "He knows the sound of my footsteps, and he's really happy to hear it," he explained.

"What's his name?" I asked as we approached the horse-in-question’s room.

"Ra'ad."

"Rad?"

"No, Princess, it's Ra'ad," he said a bit slower, but he was pronouncing a letter that I couldn't pronounce no matter what and I gave up after a few tries.

"What does it mean, anyway?" I asked, defeated. Maybe I could call him by that if I ever had to?

"Thunder."

"Whoa! Strong name."

"It is. It fits him very well," the prince said as he pushed his door open.

I looked inside the room, immediately taking a step back before I even got to take one inside of it. "Jesus Christ!" I gasped when I saw the horse, my hand automatically going to my chest to hold my cross, only to remember it was around my wrist. Nonetheless, I still managed to hold it in my hand and to my chest, all freaked-out and wide-eyed from the sight of the horse in front of me.

I heard the prince's light laugh as he walked closer to the horse. How he wasn't scared of that huge creature was beyond me.

Rad – Thunder was a very big horse, much bigger than Salma – there was no comparing the two. I think he was even taller than the prince, and the prince was very tall, so you could imagine just how big Thunder was. His coat was pitch black, just like his tail and the hair on his head, and his eyes weren't any less dark. His look was scary, and the noises he was making frightened me; blinking my wide-with-fear eyes was out of the question.

"Be careful!" I screamed at the prince, taking only a moment to frown at the concern in my voice and the worry in my heart that I was feeling for my perfect stranger when the horse stood on his back legs, raising his front ones in the air and letting out more of his loud neighing.

It was only when the horse settled down and the prince's hands caught his neck, touching and rubbing it up and down that he finally looked back at me, a knowing look in his tightened eyes. "He's just greeting me, Princess. Don't worry." And the smirk was back on his stupidly-beautiful features.

Oh, the smugness!

I bit on my bottom lip and looked down, saying nothing. The prince's voice was what made me look up again. "It's the first time I’ve spent so long away from him; I haven't seen him since the day before the wedding. We’ve spent some time together almost every day since the day he was born."

His caresses to Thunder's coat were obviously much stronger than the way he was caressing Salma's. And from the horse's reaction to it – the noises and the grinding he was doing into the prince's shoulder with his head – I could tell that Salma wasn't that comfortable with the prince yet. Because unlike her, Thunder's responses to him were faster, with no hesitation at all.

"Ra'ad was born on my fifth birthday. My grandfather – God rest his soul – gifted him to me. I love him the most," he smiled big and patted his back strongly.

"He's twenty?" I asked.

"No, he's eighteen."

I frowned. "But you're twenty-five."

"Nope, I'm twenty-three."

"But you said your stepmother died seventeen years ago, and you were eight when it happened."

"I know what I said," he smiled smugly. "I was just trying to prove something to myself, sorry about that."

I looked at him with confusion. "Prove what?"

"That you had asked about the date of my stepmother's death so you would be able to calculate my age without asking me," he paused. "Because you care."

I narrowed my eyes. "You lied."

"A little white lie, no harm done."

"That's lame."

"So was the way you wanted to learn about my age. You could've asked me – you know I would've replied – but you didn't want me to know you were curious about something related to me, so we're even."

"Whatever." I turned my face away, crossing my arms in front of my chest and blushing hard, embarrassed that he was able to tell the reason behind my question earlier today – or should I say yesterday since it was long after midnight.

He must be really smart to finish medical school at such a young age … or the school system was different in the UK? Whatever …

The prince chuckled at my attitude and when I turned to look at him he was shaking his head, pissing me off with all of his smugness.

"Come here, Princess, I want to introduce you to Ra'ad." He raised his hand in invitation.

"Uh, I'm fine right here. Hey, Thunder … Rad," I said lamely.

"Come on, Princess. Are you scared of him?"

I nodded slowly, pursing my lips to one side.

"He won't hurt you, he's a good boy. Come on."

I hesitantly took a step inside, then two steps back when Thunder made some noises and moved around a bit.

The prince left him and came beside me, then held my right hand with his. His other hand was on the small of my back, putting me in front of him and urging me to move. "Don't be scared, Princess. I've got you," he whispered close to my ear.

I swallowed audibly and nodded, taking a deep breath in then one step forward, followed by other hesitant steps until I was right in front of the huge horse.

"I know he looks scary, but I swear to you – he has the most tender heart you could ever find in a horse," the prince said in a low voice as if he was trying not to disturb Thunder as he drank from some kind of a water tank nearby.

I took another deep breath and let it out, the prince's words easing my anxiety somewhat.

"Even if he wasn't, do you think I'd ever let him hurt you? That I'd ever let you near him if I knew he would even think about it?"

I turned my head to the side and looked into his green heaven of eyes, seeing nothing but honesty and sincerity. Our eyes stayed locked for a few moments. He was so close, our noses were almost touching, and the tingle in my chest rose again at his nearness.

"Do you want to touch him?" the prince whispered.

"I'm not sure if I should," I whispered back.

"What does your heart say?"

"To go for it," I replied. "But my mind knows it's not right, I could get hurt, real bad. I always follow my mind."

"It's mostly the right way to do things," he whispered. "But then you would never find out how much fun it could be, proving to your mind how wrong it is, and that your heart is a better judge sometimes."

I gulped.

The prince's right hand squeezed the back of mine as he tangled our fingers together then pushed me gently towards Thunder, following right behind me. Our joined hands rose up with the prince’s guidance and slowly my fingers were touching Thunder's thick coat. I gasped once my fingertips made contact with his body, turning to look at the prince once again. He was smiling softly then he nodded encouragingly.

"He's so soft," I said to myself. He truly was, and I just adored the sight of our fingers laced together as they moved all over Thunder's back and his black coat. The prince's hand guided mine for a minute, teaching me silently about the kind of pressure I should use over his body. When I raised my left hand to do the same as my right one, the prince's hand left mine and settled on my hip – then both of his hands were on my hips, keeping close enough that our bodies were almost touching. Like, really, really almost.

The feeling of Thunder's body shuddering the slightest bit under my fingers was something I couldn't put in words. It was really magnificent, to touch this strong, powerful creature and find it so soft that way … I was speechless.

The prince started telling me about Thunder's race – his father was an original Arabian horse and his mother was English – and his own race to be called Thoroughbred, one of the most expensive horses in the whole world, for it has the genes of the two races, making it the strongest, fastest and the most beautiful. I was really enjoying the informative facts he was telling me, and it didn't take a genius to figure out that horses were the prince's passion. I kind of – liked it.

"He won three international races in a row in Derby, in Great Britain," the prince said, and I turned my head to look at him in amazement. "I was on his back," he winked.

Gah! Not again with the winking! Not while you're so close …

"Impressive," I said, and when the smug look was back on his stupidly-beautiful face I turned my head to look at the horse again. "Good boy, Thunder."

"Uh, I was on his back, you know?"

"So?" I asked innocently, not looking at him.

"Um, nothing," he sighed, and I smiled to myself, happy that I was able to stop him in his attempt to make me stroke his ego.

Men!

When I touched the hair on Thunder's head, he leaned down and rubbed the top of his head on my chest, earning a squeal from my mouth and a continuous stroking from my hand to his head.

"I think he likes me," I said, flashing the prince a wide grin.

"How could he not, Beautiful Princess?" He smiled, his hands tightening on my hips and his eyes telling me things I didn't want to hear, because it was more than scary to believe them. I looked away, busying myself with Thunder once again.

"Isn't it fun?" the prince asked a minute later.

"What?"

"To prove your mind wrong and your heart right?"

I refused to reply. And he didn't ask again. He sighed, then offered, "Would you like a ride?"

"I can?" Disbelief at the possibility and the excitement I felt for the idea filled my voice.

"Of course," he smiled softly.

"Oh, my God!" I said excitedly. "Yes, please!"

His smile grew and he nodded. "Give me a minute to prepare him."

I squealed and clapped my hands in delight.

The prince took a few minutes to put the things I would be sitting on on Thunder's back. He then untied him, securing the ropes around the leather seat and those things dangling from it where I was supposed to put my feet.

"Come on, Princess. He's all yours," the prince smiled, offering me his hand.

I squealed again and took his hand, my other hand fisting the long robe I was wearing in my hand, then put my foot where I knew I should put it. I stumbled on my clothes and if it weren't for the prince's strong hands catching me, I would've fallen. I tried three more times, the last time sending the feeling of lost hope to my heart. I wasn't going to be able to ride after all.

"Forget it," I said in disappointment. "It's not going to happen, not in these clothes."

The prince pressed his lips in a tight line and stayed quiet for a minute before he spoke again. "Take them off."

"Excuse me?"

"Take the Abaya off, Princess."

"You mean this?" I pointed to the robe.

"Yes."

"Do you realize what I'm wearing underneath this?" I wasn't going to wander around the royal stable wearing a little nightgown!

He grinned. "I think I have a pretty good idea."

I rolled my eyes at him but couldn't help my smile. "I can't walk around wearing that," I shook my head.

"Who said you would?" he asked. He dropped the rope that was in his hand and the next thing I knew, he was taking off his shirt. "Here, wear this," he offered it to me and I just eyed it. "It's clean, I promise. I took a shower while you were sleeping." A grin. "I know you're desperate to wear it – you were trying to take it off me all the while I was carrying you here."

"I was not!" I gasped. "I am not!"

"It's fine, Princess," he said. "I know you could get on top of Thunder if you tried harder while still wearing the Abaya, but you just want to see me half naked."

"What on earth?" I gasped again, trying to hide my laughs. "You're not funny."

"Of course, that's why you're laughing."

I shook my head and grabbed the shirt from his hand. "Okay, turn around," I told him, making a circle with my pointer finger.

"What?" he protested. "I've already seen you in it!"

"Yeah, and you were NOT a gentleman about it. Not at all."

"Not true! I never said anything impolite!"

"Your eyes did, and your head as well. You had thoughts about me."

"It's my head!"

"Turn. Around."

The prince huffed, "Fine." Then he grinned but didn't turn around. "I can close my eyes and see everything I want. Huh!"

I crossed my arms in front of my chest and glared half-heartedly at him. He closed his eyes, still facing me. "Oh! I can see that you’ve already taken off the Abaya but mistakenly took the gown with it." He paused, nodding with his eyes still closed. "Nice!"

"Ugh! Unbelievable!" I took a step farther and put my hand on his shoulders, turning him around myself while smiling wide and big at his playful nature – a side of him that I had just discovered less than two hours ago – wondering how many other sides of him I'd yet to see, and wondering if I'd ever get to see them all or if I'd like them like I secretly liked this one.

Wait … I like this one?

Ah! Shoot me now, I'm going insane.

"Alright, alright," he chuckled, and I was about to take the Abaya off when he stopped me with a, "Wait."

I frowned as I saw him take a step closer to the door while looking up. I looked at what he was gazing at to see that there was a small camera – with a very tiny red lamp – on the top of the door frame that I hadn't noticed at all. The prince raised his right hand, motioned with it to the side, then closed his fingertips to each other and left them like that for a moment. I didn't understand what he was doing until after I saw the camera's lens as it moved to the side, before the red light disappeared, announcing that the camera was turned off.

He was talking to the man behind the camera … Huh!

"Go on, Princess," he said with his back turned to me. His back that I stared at a little bit longer than I was supposed to, or at all, while I smiled widely as I took the Abaya off, then – and out of nowhere – brought the shirt to my face and inhaled deeply.

I smelled protection and safety.

~BK~

"My God! This is amazing!" I said, raising my hands to the sky. Enjoying my ride so much. More than I ever thought I would. "Can he go faster?" I asked the prince who was walking beside Thunder with his rope in his hand as we walked around the garden we’d seen 

when we first came out of the tunnel.

He gave me a look that translated 'Duh!' and then smiled when I

 rolled my eyes. "I meant, could you get him to go faster than this? I wanna see how it would feel."

The prince shook his head. "It's risky, you could fall."

"Oh, please?!" I whined. "I'm going to be fine."

"No, you won't. I wouldn't be able to catch you or stop it if he goes faster."

I actually pouted like a little kid, then a thought crossed my mind. "Can't you, like, ride with me or something?" I suggested.

His eyes shot to mine. "What?" he asked. "I mean, yeah, I can, but … are you sure? It won't bother you or make you uncomfortable?"

I frowned. Why would it bother me? I shook my head in reply.

I was able to see his Adam’s apple as it bobbed up and down as he swallowed, his gaze locked with mine for a second before he nodded.

"Yes!"

It was only when I moved a little forward and the prince settled himself behind me that I knew what he’d meant by his question about if it would bother me or not. He was close. Really close. My back was pressed firmly to his naked chest and his head was right beside mine. I could almost feel his heartbeat.

Oh, dear God …

"Hold on to this," he said after a minute, moving my right hand to some sort of a metal round hook in front of me that was attached to the leather seat, my left hand following next. His tone held something thick in it, but I couldn't tell what it was.

The prince then held the rope tightly with his right hand, positioning it in the middle and not on the side. His elbow pressed tightly to my stomach as he pushed me back even more into his body, causing my heartbeats to race against each other even faster. His left hand touched my hair that was over my shoulders and back, and he moved it all to my left shoulder, tucking some behind my ear while I sat still, fighting with my heart to settle down a bit – I didn't want it to burst out of my chest, yet.

The same hand that had gathered my hair and put it to the side moved down and around my body, holding me as firmly as he was holding the rope if not even more. His elbow was now pressed to the back of his left hand that was above my stomach.

I think it was then that my breaths started to hitch, especially when I felt his own breath fanning over my skin, right on that soft spot behind my ear as he whispered,

"Hold on tight, Pretty Princess."

~BK~