The Desert Falcon

Chapter 14, Mistress of the Starry Night

Just as Sheikh Rashid attempted to reach out to me once more to haul me towards him furiously, the sound of the large bronze hearth clattering violently to the floor, interrupted the tense air between us. I jumped, shaken by the noise, as I turned around to locate its true source, my heart hammering in my ears in fright. The sound of the object falling, reverberated within the chambers loudly, but it was not the shock of the noise that pierced the room that had my heart beating loudly against my chest.

It was the utterly threatening presence of the intruder within the room.

Fleeting confusion gave way to terror, as I took a step back by the sight of the assassin. He was dressed in black, a shawl wrapped around his face to protect his identity. The two of us spotted the unknown assailant, as I quickly realized his intent to kill.

I cried out immediately, realizing the assassin's intent, as he pulled out two short knives and flung them in our direction without a moment's hesitation. Unthinkingly, I launched my body towards the sultan, as we both fell upon the ground, the daggers sailing by our heads, my body landing against his hard one, as he grasped on to me, taking the brunt of the fall. I did not have time to scramble up, however, as the sultan quickly rolled us over, just in time to avoid the attacker's scimitar slicing through my back and the sultan's chest, as he hit the hard ground instead. Blood rushed to my ears as my muscles tensed with readiness. I needed to move, before he took the opportunity of our vulnerable state to strike the end of his blade against our yielding flesh.

The assassin changed course and attempted to strike the sultan in a second strike, before I cried out in surprise. Sheikh Rashid anticipated his movements and threw one solid, powerful kick towards him, landing it squarely on his ribs, as he was flung back away from us, giving Rashid time to gather himself and locate a weapon. The sultan moved quicker than I had anticipated, as the attacker attempted to engage him in combat. I watched in terror, as the sultan grabbed his own sword, lying nearby and began to battle against him. His overpowering strength, forced the assassin to go on the defensive, as he backed away from the tremendous power of the sultan's assault against him, pulling him away from me.

I scooted away from the conflict, crawling backwards on my hands and feet, practically forgotten by the attacker, as he honed his attention on the sultan. I looked for something to fight back with. I would prove useless without a weapon. The clashing of steel against steel unnerved me, amplifying my fear as it echoed in the chamber. Discomforting anxiety wracked my being at the thought of the attacker slicing through Sheikh Rashid in a deadly, finishing blow, before I had a chance to come to his aid. The attacker was a gifted swordsman and I feared for the sultan's life. However, with his much larger size and strength, he appeared to hold his own well.

I quickly scampered about looking for a weapon of some sort, my frantic pulse beating in my chest. A glint of the knife that had been thrown at us caught my attention, as I reached for it. It had lodged itself into the heavy, wooden trunk, decorated with hints of gold hardware and as I pulled it out, I turned quickly to see if I could launch it back at the assailant.

I watched in horror as the sultan and his assailant continued to clash, the sultan strategically pulling back defensively, luring the attacker away from me, as I was presented with the enticing target of his back. He attacked with a ferocity that made clear he was not here to maim but to kill. A sense of urgency prevailed, as adrenaline poured through me. My heart began to race uncontrollably, as fear took hold.

Think, Zeynab!

I moved then, as the attacker continued to strike him, intending to land a devastating blow to him. His back was turned to me and as I took a few steps forward I realized throwing the dagger would prove futile. Firstly, I did not know how, and secondly, I was not entirely sure, even if I did attempt it, that it would land precisely with the blunt end protruding from the assassin. With my luck, it would land on Sheikh Rashid himself.