The Sultan's Daughter (Princesses Uncovered #5)

Chapter 6: Guest

Imaran sighed. Rubbing his forehead, he contemplated what exactly he was going to do about his daughter. Yazmina had nothing but glowing reports of this young man from the streets. What was his name again? Shah? Yes, that was it.

She was besotted with him. She would go off into her daydreaming zone again, and Imaran knew she was thinking of the boy again. The girl loved anyone who would help her to escape the palace walls and guards. She was so foolish, and yet… somehow he had the feeling she was wiser than he thought.

Perhaps she was right and he was being overprotective. He just didn’t want her hurt. And who had ever heard of a princess falling for a commoner? That was exactly what he was trying to prevent.

Gafar walked into the throne room. He noticed Imaran’s brooding expression right away. “Sire, may I ask what is bothering you? You have been like this for weeks. Ever since your daughter last tried to go outside the walls.”

Imaran shrugged. “I don’t know, Gafar.” He banged his fist against his throne’s arm. “Yazmina is becoming more and more unruly and wild as the days go by. I feel as though I am losing her, but I do not know what to do. And now she comes back from her escapade into the city talking of nothing but this boy she met. Shah, I think his name was.”

Gafar stiffened frowning.

Imaran noticed and gave his advisor a searching glance. “You know him?”

Gafar shrugged. “I might.”

Imaran perked up. “Who is he?”

“If he is who I believe he is, Sire, he is a commoner of the lowest rank. His mother is a washerwoman, and his father ran out on them years ago. They’re barely able to get by.”

Imaran stroked his beard, considering this news. “And how do you know of this… Shah… Gafar? If that’s even his real name. The name meant nothing to any of the people my guards questioned.”

Gafar sighed. “His full name is Fath Shah. I went to school with him about four years ago. He’s known as Fath now, I believe.”

Imaran nodded. “Very well… I want you to find this Fath, and bring him to me. I would like to meet the young man my daughter speaks of ceaselessly.”

“Yazmina speaks of him?” A strange spark lit in Gafar’s eye.

Imaran considered it for a moment. Was the young man actually jealous of this Fath for capturing Yazmina’s imagination and heart? “Gafar… What was your relationship with Fath?” Imaran inquired slowly.

Gafar shrugged. “We had little to do with each other, Sire.”

His advisor’s body was tense, and his eyes shifted to the ground as he spoke. Imaran knew that Gafar was lying, but he couldn’t decide why. What was Gafar hiding? “Well… Dismissed then, Gafar. Have one of the guards go and tell this Fath that I wish to speak with him. They can give him fifteen minutes to prepare once they fetch him, but he must come see me.”

“Why not give him a day’s forewarning, Sire?”

“Hmm… A day’s forewarning? No… Gafar, he’s a commoner, and he helped my daughter in her escape from the guard. The guard says that he took her arm to lead her as well…” The Sultan paused. “And if that’s so, he’ll probably be frightened that I wish to harm him or kill him for that breach of the law. I would truly like to speak with him, so I don’t want him to decide to run.”

Gafar bowed. “Of course, Sire. But why would you wish to speak to him?” Again, when Gafar looked up, that spark lit.

Imaran was almost certain it was jealousy. But why? Why, indeed. “Because I am intrigued by my daughter’s accounts of this young man. I want to meet him.” Imaran waved a hand. “Dismissed now, Gafar. I wish to be alone to think. Send the guard to tell him to come and dine with me tonight. Remember, only twenty minutes before dinner. That will give him time to get ready and travel here. Send one of my palanquins to fetch him along with the guard.”

Gafar gave a respectful nod. “It shall be as you command, Sire.” He gave another bow and disappeared.

Imaran sat, brooding over Gafar’s strange behavior. Could it be that Gafar was after Yazmina’s hand along with the many other princes in the surrounding kingdoms and the nobles in Imaran’s kingdom? Gafar had to know that Imaran wouldn’t give his daughter’s hand to anyone without her consent. And Yazmina had been quite clear that Gafar disgusted her.

She seemed to see something repulsive in the man that no one else saw. Gafar seemed nice enough, so Yazmina’s reaction to him made little sense to Imaran. He sighed. If only this mystery weren’t so complicated. Then perhaps he would have an easier time discovering the truth of the matter. For now, however, solving the mystery would have to wait until he had more information.