The Sleepover

Ｃｈａｐｔｅｒ １０

Rayyana hadn't been to the stables ever since Tariq left her hot and bothered. She had woken up a little past 10am, energized and feeling way better than before.

She had thought about doing this before sleeping but sleep had sounded better then doing any more work. She had made her hair into an elegant braid, putting it on the side of her shoulder. She had gotten a purple dress with long hangy sleeves trying to fit in with the aesthetic in this god forsaken town.

Rayyana walked in stopping to put the horses "Tariq are you here?" She called out hoping that Tariq really was here. Was he in trouble for sticking up to Alejandro for her? She sure hoped not. Rayyana froze hearing a weird sound. "Tariq?" She called out now genuinely hoping it was him.

Rayyana gasped as Tariq limped towards her, his foot bandaged with linen. His nose was broken and at an odd angle, and his lips were busted up.

Rayyana speed walking towards him, panic rising in her. "Tariq oh my god, what happened?" Tariq leaned into her, smiling in a way that made Rayyana's brain itch in the right place. Even in such bad shape he was handsome.

"Oh nothing I haven't experienced before." He said casually as if he hadn't just been beaten up badly. "Did Alejandro do this?" Rayyana helped him sit down, he winced and held on to his leg. "Yeah him and that..long hair dude."

Rayyana thought about his words, long hair man? "Valen?" She asked not believing that Valen would do something like that. Well, no matter how nice he was towards Marium he was still working for Alejandro.

"Yeah..do you know him?" Rayyana didn't like the tone he asked that question in, but she ignored it "yeah he's the one who found us when we first arrived here." Tariq hummed as if he didn't believe her.

"Why? What are you insinuating?" Tariq rubbed a nervous hand on his neck as if he knew what he was insinuating was wrong "it's just that Valen is good looking for girls and he's a guard so you know, girls would jump at the chance to get in bed with him."

Rayyana gritted her teeth "yeah, not me." She felt more angry now, thank goodness he got beaten up. She thought without a hint of remorse for him. She hesitated deciding if she should go away or she should ask him for the help she needed from him.

Rayyana decided the latter and muttered a "have a good day." God why did she feel like crying? Marium had called a whore millions of times..but then again she had been joking.

Rayyana hadn't made it far when she felt a hand clamp on top of hers, she was turned around by Tariq who looked down at her from his tall frame. Rayyana looked up at him "I'm sorry. I should have known you were different than the rest." He said it in such a serious tone that Rayyana couldn't help bursting out laughing.

Tariq stared at her as she laughed harder remembering his words, holding onto her stomach with every passing second. "S-sorry." She said in-between laughs. "Just the way you said it.. I'm different!" She started laughing again.

Tariq stood there watching her laugh like a dying donkey. He winced at her scratchy laugh but still managed to sit down and watch her laugh for another 2 minutes.

When Rayyana stopped she took a deep breath and said "Right uh anyway, I came here to ask for something." She wiped away the tears she had shed looking at Tariq who seemed anything but amused.

Shit, she forgot that guys liked girls who didn't laugh so loudly. Oh well, fuck him. "What do you need?"

"I need you to send a letter to Princess Sunflower and her sister." Tariq's eyes widened "you want to sent a letter to the women who kidnapped you?" Rayyana nodded "It's urgent..please?"