Empire of Dreams

۶

"Baba!" Four voices cried out in unison and I drank the Karkade, savoring its sweetened tang.

"Why didn't you tell me?"

"He didn't know? That's his wife, Baba"

"A Turk!" Amina howled, sending the bread on her plate flying into the water. I winced at the wastage of food.

"An Seljuk Princess, wow," Zainab breathed out and I gulped in the liquid, watching a cacophony of emotions flow over the Caliph's face.

Prince Alizayd turned his gaze towards me and something in me lit up. How dare he look at me like that? I hadn't chosen my lineage!

My mother had escaped from the dungeons of Istanbul, to find a new life here in the city. My grandparents had been friends with my father's family and had arranged a marriage for her safety.

He had no right to look at me that way. I was not a spy sent to seduce him. I did not choose to give up my freedom.

He raised an eyebrow, the muscles around his jaw tight. I knew what he saw. He was surprised. I gave him a curt nod, feeling the dynamics of our brief relationship shift.

Well, bad luck for him. I turned my gaze towards my father in law, watching him look at me, a curious light in his eyes.

"She's your equal by lineage boys. Her mother's side has pure royal blood," he answered, taking a swig of his drink.

"That's just one half. And lineage is passed through the father," Amina mumbled and I choked on a laugh.

"You mean the Emir of this city? Great-grandson to the Great Caliph? Descended from Salahuddin Ayubi? That father?" I pressed my lips together, watching her come to terms with my family.

If I were a better person, I would have felt sorry for her, but I could not forget the look of pure hatred in her eyes.

"Apologies Baba. As always, you are wise in your decisions," Prince Khalid said, his voice pacifying. The Caliph waved away his apology.

"I think you should be apologizing to my wife" my head whipped to the side, my mouth open in shock. Zaynab squeaked, her hand over her heart.

The Caliph nodded and Prince Khalid cleared his throat. "Yes, of course. My humblest apologies Laila. May I call you Laila, Princess?" I nodded, still in a daze. "We're very sorry. We did not intend to make you feel unwelcome. The situation nowadays demands that we be... cautious"

"Whatever the situation demands Khalid, it doesn't allow you or your wife to be rude to the Princess." I glanced at him, silently urging for him to let this go.

"Yes, I wonder if you'll let the fact that Baba didn't tell you all of this, go, Ali," Amina threw a baleful look my way. "Your husband is not a forgiving man."

I stiffened. Your husband is not a forgiving man. What did that mean? Was she threatening me?

"What nonsense Amina," Princess Zainab snapped, her face hard. "Enough with this. Let's have our lunch in peace," Everyone nodded, their eyes on their plates.

I shifted my gaze to my husband. Prince Alizayd seemed to have been stretched taut like a bowstring. So there must be some credence to the statement and his reputation.

Heart sinking to my knees, my fingers worked quickly, finishing the rest of my meal in small quick bites.

I ignored the meaningless conversation flowing between Prince Khalid, Princess Zainab, and the Caliph, the thoughts in my mind flowing like the Nile.

"Laila" I raised my eyes. "Your father wished to visit today. I told him to give you a few days to settle in"

I gulped and fought the sudden tears in my eyes. "Is he... well?" The Caliph nodded, his hand moving in a lazy arc.