My heart and yours

chapter 5

I stand staring at him dumbstruck. I feel like I'm in shock. He stands staring at me too.

"Are you okay?" he asks with a concerned look.

I suddenly feel weak. I quickly put on my flipflops and I leave the library as soon as I can. I run as fast as my legs can carry me on the hallway. What if he tells her ladyship I was rude? That a common housekeeper was rude to him.

I open my room and slide in quickly. I turn off all the lights, turn on the airconditioner and slip under my duvet. I don't know for how long I stay there. The light outside is dark and the wind rattles the windows.

Suddenly, the bedside alarm beeps followed by a knock on the door. I get up from the bed, I literarily jump up from the bed. I smoothen down my clothes and quickly run a hand through my hair. I hastily look for something to put on my head, I find a small towel which I prop on. I am really hoping it's not him.

I open the door to find a man standing there.

"Her ladyship has asked that you attend dinner which will begin in five minutes. Do not be late"

As soon as he leaves, I freshen up. I run into the bathroom to wash my face then I quickly slip on my flip flops. By the time I find the dining hall, I am seven minutes late and everybody is seated, staring at me.

...................

"So sultana, where are you from?" says his highness. He's a really tall smart looking man. He's very lively and funny unlike her ladyship, who is reserved and stern looking.

"I'm from a small city in akbar, your highness" I say after drinking water.

"Really? Do you have siblings?"

"No, I'm an only child, your highness"

"Your parents?"

"Their dead" I say looking down at my plate, and then I add after a few seconds "your highness."

"I'm your parent now. I'm sorry." He says dropping his fork. His forehead creases into a frown as he stares down at his plate. He gets up and leaves followed by her ladyship who hardly touched anything on her plate except for the salad.

I like that he didn't ask what happened or feigned sympathy like most people do. I like that he was honest and frank about it.

For the first time since I got to the table, I look around and I'm surprised to find there aren't much people round it as I thought when I entered. There's a girl probably two years younger than me and there's a little boy. No sign of Ahmad.

The girl is beautiful and looks a lot like his highness. The boy only has her ladyship's full lips. I wonder if he is her son too. I watch the girl eating carefully from her plate. She has long fingers. When she looks up, her eyes are very big. Almost too big for her face.

"Hi" I say enthusiastically.

"Hi" she says shyly looking down at her plate.

"So....... do you go to school?" I blurt.

She looks at me strangely "yes, I do."

"Is he your brother, the little boy?"

"No, he's my sister's son."

"Oh. Well I can't wait to meet her. Is she like you?"

She doesn't say anything. She just looks slightly annoyed and miserable. The sadness on her face is very deep. She gets up and leaves the table mumbling 'sorry'. The little boy gets up to leave too.

I don't think anybody really likes me much.

Except for his highness and Aisha.