Prince of Knights (An Arabic Love Story)✓

Prince of Knights Chp40

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~* "I am yours. Don't give myself back to me."~* Rumi

Raghad gaped at the man who stood by the door then back at Faris bewildered. He had questioned his friend about the guest chambers just as soon as they had reached the tribe. The man standing before her did not eliminate Khalid. Faris had a prisoner but not blood on his hands. As thoughts floated in her mind the bride felt her breathing to quicken and pulse to whirl. Badr notified her that Khalid was alive, he assured her that Faris had taken a nobleman as his prisoner. He cannot possibly do that, could he? Her airpipe felt as if a drought had befallen these lands. They halted by the door and Faris gave the keeper by the door a nod and the man commenced to saunter away leaving her with the man who wrenched her mind with his ploys.

Knights of knights stopped in front of her and waited until his knight disappeared from eyesight. She observed as he looked down at her, his expressions a riddle, his actions yet to be uncovered. Gradually the groom lifted his hand and his lean fingers skimmed the veil that concealed her face. Raghad sucked in a breath and blinked a few times to prevent the dots that appeared before her eyes from overpowering her senses. Faris merely gazed at her then with a simple, leisurely tug of his fingers, the veil slipped, revealing her prepossessing face. Her lips parted, and the whizz of breath that sounded from her parched lips crammed needles into her heart.

"What are you doing, Faris?" She whispered aghast.

"You would not want to greet him with your face eclipsed."

"Who?"

He smirked and leaned down so now they stood face-to-face. That moment the wind that swayed had a hard time assessing who was more striking, the beast or his beauty. "You already know, bint-ash-Sheikh." He stood straight. "Come." With that Faris unlatched the door and pushed it open.

Raghad stood there not discerning what to do. Why was this man, her unwanted spouse doing this? What was the reason behind his inexplicable benevolence? With heart in throat, she took a step forward, then another. As soon as she entered the chamber she blinked a few times so that her eyes could adjust to the dim light. Before Faris could utter another word, before the hunched man in the corner of the room could fully raise his head Raghad darted up to the man and encased her quivering arms around him.

"Khalid. Ya Allah!" Her vulnerable voice sounded frantic, fragile to her ears. Her insides rendered when her brother, Khalid enveloped her in his steady arms and sighed.

"Raghad. Is this really you my sister?" Khalid questioned already aware of the answer. "I apologize Raghad. Forgive me for my wrongdoing. I was blinded by rage." He murmured into her ear and Raghad shook her head, her tears soaking his kandoora.

"I understand. Oh, Khalid, I am joyous to see you alive. I thought I thought_" Unable to complete she hugged him even closer.

Khalid lifted his gaze to look at the man who stood by the door with his arms crossed over his chest and eyes on them. He frowned as realization descended upon him. Faris was not the man who would hurt a woman. Raghad was given to him against her will and it was something he had not desired as well. Khalid knew that Badr and the man by the door were paving a path for something honorable than anyone in their tribes has ever accomplished. Foolish of him to kneel to his ferocity, foolish of him to give in to his rage.