Layla

Chapter 9

Layla

I was walking back inside the palace when I ran into the king. We both just stared and said nothing for a while until I pushed past him and continued to move away.

Before I could, I was stopped by a man standing beside the royal. "I'm glad to see that you are in good health your Majesty."

I watched his unfamiliar face, who is this man? "I'm sorry, I'm afraid I don't recognize you. And please call me Layla." I smiled gently.

"How come you don't smile at me like that?" The king comments, but I simply ignore his existence.

"I'm am- oh well that..." He cleared his throat. "I'm the person who found you that day in the desert." He rushed out. "Please your majesty, I'm sorr-"

I cut him off by grasping his hands in mine, I watched in shock, tears welling up in my eyes, this is the man who saved me from that disgusting fate. I slowly lowered myself on to the ground and bowed my head. "Thank you. I am forever indebted to you."

"No! Your majesty!" He attempted to pull me up before I was yanked up off the ground.

"What do you think you're doing?" The king pulled me to face him. "Are you trying to dishonor me?!"

As usual the men started to file out into the courtyard except for two, one being my savior and the other was some random man. "I don't know what you are speaking of."

"You just bowed down to another man besides me, forget the king part, you are mine! You are my future wife and queen, the only person you should bow to is me!" He exclaimed.

I scoffed. " How dare you! Firstly I am not your future wife we still have three months to go before I make that decision, remember? Secondly, I am not queen so stop making people call me majesty. And thirdly, how can I not bow to him! He saved me from the worst experience I have ever had to endure. Had it not been for him, I wouldn't even be here as a candidate for queen! I owe that man everything."

"You don't owe him a thing, it's his job to protect you! It was my order that saved you. You are to be queen, he should have protected my future wife. Why won't you show me such gratitude? " He attempted at an argument.

"Are you absolutely mad? I am not queen now and I most certainly wasn't then. He didn't have to save me, if he really wanted to, he could have joined those pigs and taken advantage of me. He chose to save me. In reality, he should be making demands for me to marry him, not you. I already said this once and I'll say it a billion times over; I owe him everything." I huffed and pushed the king's arms off of me.

"You are the mad one. How dare you speak of marrying him while I stand right in front of you." He ran a hand through his hair. "I have made it clear that I intend to marry you and no one else. Nothing will stop me from making it happen, Layla, not even you. I also chose to be polite and give you a chance to love me or leave. If I had really wanted it, I could have you right now." He growled and stepped towards me, only inches of space dividing us.

I only gaped at him for, this man is an idiot. "You are impossible!" I shrieked, pushing him away from me and storming off.

"Wait Layla!" He called out but as usual I ignored him and continued to walk.

After a couple of minutes I heard footsteps running behind me. "I want to be left alone King."

"King? Hah! Only in my dreams." The person said.

I turned only to find the man from earlier. "What are you doing here?" I questioned.

"Oh well his majesty asked me to be your royal guard. Although I normally lead the troops for our missions and wars. So I guess you can phrase it as a down grade."

"Well thank you! That makes me feel much better, you couldn't possibly even begin to understand." I sarcastically remarked.

He chuckled, he was attractive too. Actually he was very attractive, what's with all these good looking men lately? Goodness I need to watch myself and my thoughts. "Anyways, my name is Sharif. And about earlier, it's a part of my job to save the innocent. You don't owe me anything. We are good."

"Thank you Sharif for what you have done for me. Honestly I have lands and money, or even a horse? I mean I love my horse he is very loyal to me but I would be more than willing to give him to my savior."

"Look you are my queen I can't accept anything from you."

I sighed becoming annoyed. "If you want to stay as my guard you must call me Layla! I am tired of hearing 'your majesty' and 'my queen'. Especially since I haven't received the title, plus the older queen already has a hatred towards me."

"Well hatred or not, you are what the King desires and you are what he will get." He chuckled. "I have known him for many years now, and I have never seen him act this way about anything. Especially not a woman. He really has a strong liking towards you. You are lucky."

I scoffed. "Lucky? I just wish to go home, but his highness doesn't want me to. I'm being entrapped in this castle against my own will and I can't even see my family. My four brothers are literally all I have left in this world."

He looked shocked,"You have four brothers? If you don't mind my asking, how did you end up in the hands of those bastards if you have four men to protect you?"

"I wasn't with all of them, only one, and he too was stabbed. I was told that he is still living, I just need to see for myself if that is true."

"I don't understand, you said that you have four brothers and that you are wealthy, there is no chance that I haven't met even one of them yet. I would remember if I've seen them. I mean with your golden hair you'd all stand out."

"I do have four brothers but we don't share blood. I am an orphan as are the rest of them we have been together since childhood."

He nodded his head in understanding. "You are bound to see them eventually, if you own a large area of land or if you're wealthy some of that profit goes to the king. That's how he obtains his wealth. Next month, they will all be coming here to give the King's share of money. I can help you meet them."

"That would be fantastic! Thank you!" I exclaimed in excitement. Seeing my brothers is something I must do.