HOUSE OF HAYDAR - LION OF HAYDAR - Completed

Chapter Eleven

 The moment they arrived in Paris, Bella was whisked away to an awaiting designer to fit her out in a whole new wardrobe and not a sleazily dress in sight. All old worldly styles, modernized. Then to the top end of a dress shop to buy basics to be laden down to finally arrive back at their hotel and taken straight to the Royal suite with her bodyguards while Assad had attended crisis meetings.

The rest of the day went slowly, waiting until Assad's return that she went on a walk with Abdul. Not too far from the hotel, just to take in the sights, though still wasn't moved by the city. To her it was just another city with some amazing sites. Now give her the streets of Haydar and she felt enriched. What she missed most was having Assad at her side to turn around and head back to the hotel. She went to the courtyard in the back of the hotel hidden from sight to share a coffee with Abdul, insisting he joined her.

Suddenly Abdul leaped to his feet. "Sire." Lowering his eyes obviously upset being caught out at her side drinking coffee.

"Relax my friend," Assad smiled taking a seat next to Bella who smiled at him. "It's a great honour to be asked to join Bella," he noted.

"Yes sire it is a great honour indeed."

"Then finish your coffee," he offered graciously. Abdul did, however as quickly as he could, to leave them alone to be in the background, always watchful, always alert. Assad claimed her hand to place on his lap as he waited on his ordered coffee. "Darling you must remember rules of conduct," he suggested softly.

"It was only coffee Assad," she pointed out rubbing his leg leaning against his arm.

"I know that Bella, however, it's really not acceptable."

"Then it should be Abdul works so hard looking after me."

"And how can he protect you while drinking coffee, may I ask?" She looked up with sadden eyes, she didn't want anyone to get in trouble because of her and she did enjoy his company. They talked and he was teaching her their ways. There was so much she had to learn it seemed.

"Sorry it won't happen again," she promised.

He sighed running a hand over her hair. "No, I am, just make sure it is in places like this, not in the open."

"Abdul would never do that in the open," she stated. "He is good company when you're not around and teaches me so much about your country and culture."

Assad smiled shaking his head. "Now you are making me out to be the bad guy," his tone denying such a thing.

"You could never be the bad guy Assad, you're my knight in shinning armour," she sighed, resting her head against his shoulder.

"I thought I was your Sheikh?" he teased, knowing no such thing.

She looked up at him. "That too," she grinned to be kissed. He turned to remove his coffee as it arrived to savour, then he was gone again far too soon.

Bella spent the rest of the afternoon alone and dined alone.

Assad didn't return to very late to slip under the covers and rolled onto his side falling instantly asleep. Bella stirred to shift into his back sliding her arm around his waist snuggling in going back to sleep that set the pattern of the next couple of days.

In the end she spent her time looking for a wedding dress going back to the designer to spend many hours having one specially made for her with a pattern of a lion's head, using the ring as its inspiration. In the train of lace that went over white satin. A simple cut yet so stylish of Grace Kelly days. Heart-shaped front, long laced sleeves, tight bodice to fall from the waist in a full skirt over a hooped petticoat to make it flare out to its fullest. She loved it and went back happy sure so would Assad to arrive back to find he had returned.