Adventures of Sinbad and Layla

Arranged (Part V)

Layla's eyes nearly popped out of their sockets as she stopped walking. The man who had saved her was the crown prince of the Kou Empire. He also stopped and was amused by her reaction.

"Oh, my goodness..." she gasped quietly. "Prince Kouen?"
"How many Kouen's do you know?" he asked rhetorically.
She was lost for words. "I... But what are you-... Why are you-"
"Perhaps we should sit down and talk."
"I guess... Um, we can talk at the house."
He nodded once. "Very well."

It didn't take them long to reach the house she had escaped from only a couple of hours earlier. Once they got in, Layla took him to the lounge.

"Please take a seat. Would you like some tea?" she asked.
He sat down. "No, thank you. Please rest."
She reluctantly took a seat as well. "I wanted to get out of here the entire day. It seems silly to be back here again."
"At least you aren't trapped."
She smiled lightly. "This day has been completely crazy. I find out my husband is crazy and then you of all people save me. Not that I'm not grateful for it but why are you here?"
"I was here to broker a trade deal between this nation and my own," he explained. "I was actually scheduled to leave this morning but I decided to stay until tomorrow."
"Wow... I should consider myself lucky that you changed your mind."
"I wouldn't call it luck," he said. "Perhaps fate?"
"Perhaps," she shrugged. "I don't know anymore. I thought it was fate meeting Amir."
He shook his head. "If you didn't meet Amir, then I never would have met you."
She smiled a little more. "I suppose you're right."

She still couldn't quite believe she was speaking to the Kouen Ren. Of course she had heard all about the Kou Empire and the infamous Prince Kouen. His red hair and stoic expression truly lived up to the rumours. Even his handsome looks. Still, she was grateful that he had been there.

Both of them were similar in age. He was only a couple of years older than her and he didn't want to admit to her that someone had once recommended that he marry her. It had been a joke at the time due to rumours of her beauty, however, she truly lived up to it.

After a few seconds of silence, Layla suddenly gasped. "Won't your people be looking for you? You've been gone a long time."
"No. I'm a big boy. I can take care of myself."
"Even so, I don't want to keep you for too long. Besides, I need to gather my things and make arrangements for a ship to take me back to Si-"
He held his hand up to stop her. "No need. My crew and I will take you."
She blinked twice. "You will? I mean, that's truly very kind of you but I don't want you to go out of your way for me."
"It's no trouble. Sindria is our next stop. I have an appointment with Sinbad. I'm certain that it will make a lovely surprise for him."
She breathed out, feeling extremely relaxed. "Thank you. I don't know how I will ever be able to repay you."
He shook his head. "There is no need."
"Please, Kouen. You're doing so much for me."
"I'm sure we will think of something. For now, gather your things and rest tonight. I will personally come to collect you in the morning. Will you be okay?"
She nodded. "Yes."
"Very well." He stood up. "I will take my leave."

She was about to get up to show him out but he stopped her. After bidding her a good night, he left.

***

That night, she found it difficult to sleep. She had packed her things and left them near the front door so she was ready to go in the morning. But as she was about to go to bed, she couldn't get into it. The bed she had shared with Amir for only a week held too many memories. Their first night together as husband and wife, the night she lost her virginity, the laughs and the dreams she had for her future with him. She loved him.

She did love him...

She hoped that it was some terrible nightmare or that he would recover from whatever illness he was suffering from. She wanted the man she married to return.