The Things I Lost In The Desert

Chapter 7 - All Roads Lead To Rome

[Raheem]

"Come in!" I called out after the incessant knocking did not stop. One of the heavy mahogany doors slid open and my scowl softened.

"My Prince." Sarika greeted me with a soft smile. "Working hard or hardly working?"

The jewels in her royal blue sari reflect the light streaming into my office. She flicked her curtain of hair over her shoulder before closing the door.

"Hardly working, my Queen," I stressed the importance of her title as she had mine. It was a running joke between the two of us since we enjoyed our royal titles the least due to its demands. She, of course, was under a different kind of pressure.

As my brother's wife, the future king's wife, her sole duty was to produce an heir but five years into their marriage they had yet to bear children. The pressure she was getting from my mother and the press was tremendous, so whenever I saw her smiling, I did my best to preserve that.

"That sounds great, little brother." She giggled and collapsed into the chair across my desk. Sarika was a classically trained dancer so all her movements were graceful. Since she was seventeen she was groomed to be Tahir's perfect wife. "I am looking for someone to spend my wedding anniversary with. Maybe we could get ice cream?"

"Should you not be spending this important day with your husband?" As soon as I voiced my thought, I instantly regretted it. For months now I had suspected things were not great for Sarika and Tarik but I had never said anything out loud.

She frowned, disguising the sad look on her face. "Bold of you to assume I know where he is."

I suspected things in her marriage got rocky after the deterioration of my father's health. Naturally, Tarik had to take on more responsibilities which ultimately resulted in him neglecting his wife.

"You know he loves you, Sarika..." I assured her because he did but being married to a future king was hard.

She gave me a tight smile. "That's what everyone keeps telling me."

I felt the need to defend my brother. "The king has not been well and Tarik is only serving the crown. Surely you of all-" 

Sarika lifted a hand, indicating she didn't want to hear anything more about the matter. "I am fully aware of what it means to be married to a future king, Raheem. I understand he has his hands full, I was just hoping I could find some companionship so I wouldn't feel so alone on this day but if you are going to act like a marriage counsellor, I will leave."

"No, please stay. I could use the company myself." It had been a while since I last had a day off simply because I was trying to work the memory of Rome off my mind. I knew I had done the right thing by distancing myself, even if he did not feel great.

Had I stayed that morning with Rome, the search party that was put out for me would have found us both in a compromising position. That would have opened her up to a world of scrutiny. No, I could not punish her with a life in the public eye and that was going to be the result had I chosen to stay. So as hard as it was, I left to protect her and her identity.

I sent my cousin's wife and a few of my men to discreetly ensure she was taken care of.

At that moment my phone began to ring, and an American number flashed across the screen catching Sarika's attention.

"That's an area code you should not have any business with." She said, squinting her eyes in suspicion. I held one finger up, halting her line of inquiry so I could answer the important call.

"Gary."

"His Royal Highness, Amir Ali Raheem Al-Jabir." Gary greeted me on the other line. No matter how many times I told him not to be so formal, he always used my full royal name and title.