Black Keys Chapter 26

Chapter 26

Isabella Marie

When I think of that day my brother entered my office and announced his plans for marriage, I see a changing point in my life. A major one.

You'd think my changing point would be my wedding day, the night my brother put a gun to my head – but no, it was when my brother told me it was an Arab Muslim he was going to marry. Because that day, I swallowed everything I wanted to say. Kept it in. And stayed silent. Maybe I told him a thing or two to show my objection, but I still accepted it. Eventually.

It had been the same since then. Only gotten worse. My old self was dying one day at a time.

The old me always stood strong, spoke up and took no garbage from anyone. My old self used to scare people with a raised eyebrow, make fully grown men's legs shake with a long stare if they did something I didn't like, or if something wasn't as I had asked. My old self would order and things would get done the next minute. But now … I was far from that.

Never in my wildest dreams would I have thought I'd be treated this way – forced to sign papers I didn't want to sign, ordered to obey traditions I'd never believed in, always scared for my life, pushed around and humiliated, and then teased and burn with jealousy for someone I didn't even love.

It wasn't me.

It was like a nightmare that seemed to be endless. I was becoming someone I didn't know, someone I wouldn't even like to be friends with. Someone weak and scared all the time to the point it was pathetic. It disgusted me.

And being my new me, I replied to the prince with nothing. Stayed silent because it had become what I did best.

The prince didn't like it; it showed on his face when I looked in his eyes with my filled-with-tears ones. I wanted to reply; there was nothing left to hide. But I couldn't – maybe he didn't know about Alice helping me? Maybe I could still save her from being punished? Maybe she had already found her way out of the palace? But, no. It couldn't be that he didn't know she’d helped. It was for sure that Mona had told him what Alice had ordered her to do. He knew, there was no question. But – what more was there to tell, why would he need details?

I heard the prince inhaling deeply then letting go of his breath slowly, his eyes not as soft as I remembered them to always be. They looked very similar to the time he’d told me I was a filthy American. Just hard and unkind, unlike him.

"You must be aware that your life is in danger," he said through clenched teeth. "I need to know what happened," he repeated, emphasizing the word 'need.'

I swallowed audibly, still not knowing what I should say, but then thought that nothing could ever put me in a deeper mess than I was already in, so I talked. I told him. Everything, just like he’d asked.

Just a few words in, he turned his back to me, gazing away, at what I didn't know. I didn't stop talking, though I was completely devastated by the fact that I couldn't see his face and study his reaction to my words. But then I thought that I'd already seen him hurt enough;  seeing him even more hurt than now wouldn't be such a great sight to behold. And since I couldn't see his face, I stared deeply at what I could see. Closely.

His tensed shoulders told me of upset, and his clenched fists told me of anger. But the movement of his fingers through his hair when I was finished told me that he was really frustrated. It didn't surprise me. I would be frustrated with me if I were him. Heck, I was frustrated with me.

The prince stayed silent for a minute or two after I finished talking, seeming like he was thinking deeply, and I would've paid anything to know what was inside of his head.

"Alright," it came out of him in a swoosh of breath, "Now we’ll go to my parents' room. Follow me, please," he said without looking in my direction and simply did as he’d said he was going to do.

That was it? He wouldn't show me how angry he was with me? He wouldn't ask me 'why' and demand answers? He wouldn't curse? He wouldn't yell? Why wouldn't he? I was really confused, and didn't even know if I was grateful for it or not.

I reached for my head scarf and put it over my head, not really aware of what I was doing until I actually did it, then frowning a bit at why I did it without being asked to do so. Thinking that maybe I’d started to pick up on their traditions.

Huh! Just when it’s gotten worse do I start to get along …

I followed him, going back the same way I’d come from with his brother quite a while ago. Only the two of us were in the lobby that lead to the King's bedroom, and when we made it to the door, the prince knocked then ushered me in, following right behind me.

Inside, only the Queen and the King were there, and right before I could breathe a sigh of relief at not finding Jasem there, he spoke to bring our attention to him, sitting in a corner a bit far from where we were standing.

He said something in Arabic and I flinched back just hearing his voice, my back hitting the prince's chest. I turned my head and looked back at him. 

His eyes held a lot of emotions that I couldn't even begin to understand.

They weren't looking at me, but at the monster. When his hand was dropped over my shoulder and then pulled me the slightest protectively against him, I couldn't help but close my eyes as a wave of security washed over me and filled my insides, just at the feel of him being so close to me and holding me to him that way.

The prince didn't reply, and all I could see when I opened my eyes again was him sneering at Jasem before he turned his gaze to his parents and then squeezed my shoulder slightly before going to them, kissing his father's hand then his shoulder. He then turned to kiss his mother's hand, then her head, and returned to his spot beside me again.

"Now, what seems to be the problem that I was brought here for, your majesty?"

"Prince Jasem found your bride a little far from where she should be, Prince Mazen," the King spoke. His tone sounded strong, truly belonging to a king, but his voice was weak, telling of how bad his health really was – though it was obvious he was trying his hardest not show it, despite everything.

"And what is the problem in that, your majesty?" the prince replied.

"What do you mean what is the problem, Ameer?" the Queen asked with a held-in rage I could sense in her voice. "What would make a bride leave her wing and her husband just four days after the wedding? Break all the rules and not only that – she was on her way to the airport!"

God! I couldn't even think of all of the things they would do to me now that they knew what I was really doing – that I was escaping.

"Princess Alica received your permission to take Princess Marie to meet Princess Rosanna, and that was what my bride was doing," the prince replied, his expression blank and his eyes hard.

Huh?

"I believe Princess Rosanna's wing is right on the same floor as yours, not fifteen minutes away from the palace!" the Queen said sarcastically.

"True. But my wife didn't want to go to her empty handed. She saw something at the airport when she arrived and she wanted to gift it to her; that is why she was heading to the airport, nothing more."

Oh!

I looked with shock in my eyes at the prince when I heard his reply to his mother. He was covering up the truth. For what? For me? To protect me? It couldn't be. I’d hurt him. Why would he want to do that?

Unless he wants to keep your punishment for himself … a voice in my head suggested.

"Huh!" Jasem let out a sound that told of him calling what the prince said nothing but lies, and then spoke in Arabic until the King silenced him with just a warning with his eyes that made him shut up right on the spot.

"Prince Mazen, I believe your bride could've gotten anything she wanted without having to go anywhere," the King said.

"True, your majesty, but my wife wanted to do that for herself. The gift at the airport that she wanted to get had her country's spirit in it, like a souvenir. That was the only place she could get it from, and none of the servants would know what she meant, so she had to get it herself," the prince replied. 

"And she had my permission to leave; I can't see what's wrong in that. Alica had already gotten the Queen's permission for her to leave the wing, and no one would’ve known about it if Jasem hadn't brought her back the way he did." His last words were spoken with more venom in them than I'd ever heard him speaking with before.

Jasem shouted something in Arabic and the King shouted back at him with a "Silence!" forcing him to shut up once more. The shouted word from the King caused him to cough hard for a few moments before settling down again.

"Prince Jasem said that she told him she'd pay him not to bring her back to the palace – how do you explain that?" the King asked with a breathless voice.

No way was I getting out of this. Just no freaking way!

The prince was silent for a moment before he replied, "May I bring something to your attention, your majesty?"

"You may."

"Jasem is a liar, a fact the kingdom has known about him since before I was born," he said, "And the fact that he's disrespectful to my wife at this very minute for not speaking in her language and also disrespectful of my orders to do so, tells of his disrespect to the entire kingdom – and to you yourself, you majesty. Someone this disrespectful and with lying running in his blood would say anything to trouble us, and we're already aware of his games."

"Not true," Jasem shouted, now finally speaking in English.

"Your majesty, he dragged my wife here like you would a criminal, and this is insulting on so many levels, something I won't tolerate. You can ask the guards about the way he brought her here and how he treated her." The disgust and anger in his tone was voicing clearly of the fire that was inside of him.

"Your word is a law, Prince Mazen," the King said, and the prince held his head high, satisfaction showing on his face. "I won't ask guards to confirm your words!"

"Thank you, your majesty." The prince nodded his head once, and I fought a smile at the possibility that I was truly getting out of this.

"Prince Jasem," the King called.

"Yes, your majesty," Jasem replied in a low voice.

"Apologize to your future Queen for your behavior," the King ordered.

"But–"

"Now!" the King's shouted word caused him a new round of coughs.

Jasem walked to stand in front of me and I flinched back once again. Like before, the prince put his hand over my shoulder again, as if he knew what his hand and his touch did to me, sending me the feelings of security and safety that I needed so much. Jasem then bowed his head and kept it down as he did as he was told, "I apologize for the misunderstanding and the way I behaved towards you, Princess Marie." The evidence of hate toward what he was doing wasn't lost on his voice – not to mention he said the word 'Princess' as if he was mocking me.

When he looked up at me, the same hate I heard in his voice was clear in his eyes. It sent chills down my spine, but I was able to keep my head held high, probably finding the power from the prince's closeness and his touch.

"Apology is accepted." I was surprised at how strong and believable my words sounded, even though I never truly accepted his apology. I thought it would be disrespectful of me to not accept it after the King had ordered for it to be done.

"Now, if you'll allow us, your majesty, we'll be heading back to our wing," the Prince said. My heart started thumping fast all over again at the reminder that there were still a lot of things to deal with – the Prince for a start.

"Of course, son," the King replied, but then motioned for me with his hand to come closer, "Come here, Princess Marie."

I looked up at the prince and he sent me an reassuring look, nodding his head for me to go to him, and I did. I sat on the spot he patted beside him on his bed, and when I did he reached with his hand towards my head and patted it, speaking to me with a kind voice, "May God make of you the best mother for my grandchildren, and the greatest Queen for my people."

I smiled a genuine smile at his words, a smile that I didn't have to fake whatsoever, for I had truly liked the sound of his words, though the reason why I liked it was unknown to me.

"Thank you, your majesty," I replied softly.

He smiled back and then motioned with his head to the Queen. She nodded with tight lips and went to bring something from a room she entered for a minute, coming back with a box in her hand. 

"This is for you," he said as his wife handed me the box. "It's the contract for a beach mansion I’ve signed under your name, Benty. Forgive me for not attending the wedding or giving you your wedding gift in a more decent setting."

"A mansion?" I whispered my question, not really asking him but rather surprised at the generous gift.

"I hope my son takes you there before the winter approaches."

I offered him another smile. "Thank you so much, your majesty, it's very kind of you."

"You're most welcome, Princess Marie."

I got up with the box in my hand and found Jasem sneering even more than before. I ignored him and went to the door that Prince Mazen held open for me, finding Jasem rushing to it to get out before me, which was seriously rude to the both the prince and myself.

"Jasem, we haven't finish talking yet," the King's words were the last thing I heard in that room, and the stare of the Queen's unconvinced eyes were the last I saw before I stepped out of it.

Outside the room stood Prince Emmad, and next to him was someone I never thought I'd feel the amount of relief when I saw her as I felt at that moment. Mona.

Oh, thank you, God.

I smiled big when I saw her, but she replied to me with a very small smile that was barely there and then looked down after she took the box from my hands.

Oh! Guess I upset her as well.

"Prince Emmad, bring me the guard that drove the Princess to the airport. Mona, bring me a scarf and meet us outside of the wing at the main entrance."

"Yes, Prince Mazen," Mona said, and Prince Emmad nodded, both going in separate directions while we continued our way through the very long lobby.

The walk was silent minus the sound of my heels on the marble floor, and my mind was busy trying to figure out what the prince would want a scarf for. Was the one I had over my hair not enough or what?

Eventually, we made it to the great wooden door and the prince held it open for me. When we stepped outside, he pulled me closer to him and left his hand at the small of my back as he looked at the guards with his head held high and his broad shoulders seeming even wider than the norm, like he always did when he was about to command something. Then we just stood there doing nothing other than looking around at the guards that were surrounding the area with their gazes lowered to the floor.

A minute or two later, Emmad entered from a door that was on the side of the room, followed by the very same guard that drove the limousine.

"The guard you asked for, Prince Mazen," Prince Emmad said.

The prince sneered at the guy, and for a moment I was scared of what would happen to him. The look in his eyes somehow mirrored the very same look I’d had when Jasem brought me here and I didn't know what was about to happen to me.

"Do you speak English?" the prince asked the guard.

"Yes, your highness," the guard replied with a heavy accent, shaky voice and lowered eyes.

"Good," the prince said. "Were you the one to drive my wife to the airport?"

"I didn't know she was your wi–"

"I asked you a question!" the prince shouted, interrupting him and causing both of us to flinch.

"Yes, your highness."

"What's your name?"

"Bassel, your highness," the guard replied, to which the prince snorted and shook his head.

"Do you know the meaning of your name, Bassel?"

"Yes, your highness. Courageous."

"You sure are not. Stand in the center of the room for everyone to see you," the prince ordered. I had to hug my arms to myself once again, so afraid of what would happen to the guard and believing that I would be witnessing his execution with my own eyes very soon.

"All eyes on me!" the prince commanded, and all of the guards looked at him as he stood in front of the guard and then spoke to him. "You weren't aware the one in the car was my wife. For a reason someone like you should not know – it was her. Not knowing who was with you doesn't give you the excuse of not protecting her. You were ordered to guard her and drive her safely to the airport – be it a royal or even a servant, you do as you are told!"

The guard was trying really hard to contain himself, but I could swear I was able to hear the thumping of his heartbeats.

"Yes, your highness."

The prince took a step closer to him, then reached for the badge over his left shoulder and ripped it, then did the same to the one on his right shoulder.

"If you are not trusted with our women, you are not trusted with our land," the prince said.

"Your highness, Prince Jasem ordered me to–"

"Prince Jasem has no power over you," the prince yelled. "You get your orders from me – your future King, or my brother, Prince Emmad, if not from our father, the King of this kingdom, do you understand?"

"Yes, your highness."

"Mona!" the prince called the woman that I wouldn't have known to be Mona, for she’d had her face cover down when she entered the room a few minutes ago. "Hand me the scarf."

Mona walked up to him and gave him the black scarf that was in her hand, and I wondered if he would strangle him with it or what. It was a really scary and troubling thing to watch and wait for.

The prince reached with his hand again, but this time it was for the hat above the now ex-guard's head. He shrugged it off of his head and let it drop to the floor, then offered him the scarf.

"Put it on," the prince ordered, to which Bassel's eyes widened at his words.

"Your highness?" I could hear the terror on his voice.

God!

"If you can't protect our women, then you won't be treated as a man. Do as you're told."

From the tears that sparkled in his eyes as he obeyed, I knew this to be the most humiliating thing for him to do. Still, he did it. And it was a really saddening thing to see.

"Go home, you're discharged from the army. You won't be working in anything related to the security of the kingdom or its people whatsoever from now on," he said. "You," he pointed to one of the guards, who ran to stand in front of him. "Follow him. He's not allowed to get any ride to his house, and make sure he keeps the scarf on until he arrives there."

"Yes, your highness."

The guard walked out with Bassel, his scarfed head hung down in humiliation and I felt so bad for him, but then thought it was better than him being killed or punished with something else. Or maybe not …

"All of you, listen to me – this is my wife, your future Queen. If anyone touches a hair on her head in your presence, I won't order you to cover your heads, I will CUT IT OFF. Am I understood?"

"Yes, your highness," they said in unison, and I thought my eyes couldn't get any wider.

"I will repeat it in the language you understand better so I'm sure that my order is clear, because I won't take any excuses ever again in regards my wife's safety and her honor," he said and did speak in Arabic, to which they replied again with something I understood to be confirmation to what they’d heard.

Right when they said the words, I heard clapping coming from behind me. I frowned, turning my head to look at the source of the sound, only to find it was the monster standing by the main door we’d come from. The stupid and silly look on his face made him look even more ridiculous than he already was.

"Bravo," the monster commented.

"Oh, Jasem, how nice of you to join us, I was just about to call for you," the prince said with a fake smile that told of disgust rather than anger. The next thing I knew, the prince was moving in fast and wide steps in Jasem's direction so that I had to step away, and then had him by the collar and started punching him in the face over and over again until I lost count of the fists thrown at his face.

"How dare you put your disgusting hand on my wife? How dare you touch her?!" the prince said through clenched teeth as he kept punching Jasem under his jaw and in the nose while the weak monster struggled to block the punches the prince was showering him with.

"How dare you call her a name?!" Another punch to his stomach and then another to his side.

"Enough!" to my surprise I heard Mona saying, but the prince didn't stop. 

"Mazen! That's enough!" The commanding tone in her voice was more than shocking, let alone the fact that she hadn't used a title before his name or the fact that he did stop when he heard her.

What kind of power does this woman have over him? She is just a servant, I wondered.

The prince then took Jasem by his collar and dragged him until he was right in front of me, pulling him to stand on his knees, his face all puffed up and bloodied so that he was now even more disgusting to look at than before.

"Now you can apologize decently and beg for her forgiveness – if she really accepts it; only then will I let you go, you jerk," the prince shouted.

Jasem shouted back with something in Arabic and was met by a shove of the prince's leg to the middle of his back while continuing to hold him still by the back of his collar, causing him to scream in agony, a very disturbing noise to hear.

"I–uh, I'm sorry, Princess. I b-beg you forgiveness."

I nodded frantically. "Accepted, you're forgiven," and said the words in a hurry, turning my face to the side, I just couldn't stand seeing him kneeling in front of me like that, and I just wanted him gone.

Only then did the prince let go of him. "I swear by Allah if you ever step a foot inside my father's wing again without my permission, I will make you regret it, Jasem," he threatened. "Take him out of my sight."

The guards helped Jasem up on his feet, and once settled, he shoved them away and walked himself out of our sight, barely able to walk at all, words that sounded like curses dripping out of his mouth.

Prince Emmad came and patted his brother's shoulder with delight shining in his eyes. "Couldn't have done it better." The prince shrugged his hand away, not forcibly, but powerfully enough to show how mad he still was. And then headed to an elevator after saying, "Let's go."

I followed him, not knowing how it would be between the two of us from now on.

~BK~