Empire of Dreams

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Ali was asleep beneath me.

I was on my stomach, strewn across him, our limbs an unwieldy tangle. The sight of him appearing in a state beyond his control was...intriguing, to say the least.

He looked like a beautiful disaster.

His dark hair was in complete disarray. Wrinkles from the pillow had gathered in the creases formed by the scar on his face. He was barechested, the silk sheet ending on his waist. I stared at Ali's sleeping form in watchful silence. The steady rise and fall of his chest beneath me could almost lull me back into sleep, if I would but let it.

Instead I set my chin on my stacked palms and continued my careful study.

Ali at rest was a fascinating prospect to behold. At rest, everything was softened. Molded as if from the finest clay. His lips were slightly parted. Begging to be touched. His eyebrows—usually set low and severe on his forehead—were smooth and without the looming threat of his judgment.

I stared at the ceiling, my heart going around in circles. I was in love with him and he was in love with me. Biting my lip, I let out a carefree laugh. Even in the midst of all this chaos and sadness, Allah had given me a sliver of happiness. With Ali by my side, I had no doubt that we would be able to solve this whole mess. Today, the ruler of Tunis was going to come and meet with us. Hopefully, he'll have a better idea of how to proceed from here.

I got up and swung my hair to the side, grabbing my discarded robe, moving towards the antechamber.

"Princess?" Haleema hissed from near the door. I jumped at her sudden appearance.

"Haleema!" She looked at me, panic painted over her features.

"Hamza's health is detroriating. He seems to have a fever."

"Did Ayesha give him the tonic?"

"She did but it's not helping..."

"I..." I wrapped a shawl around me, and looked back towards my bed, where Ali lay asleep. He must have been really tired to not have noticed my absence or Haleema's arrival.

"I'll let the Prince know." She answered, her breathing uneven, her features pale.

"Okay, let's go."

Haleema led me through the confusing maze of columns and small corridors. "This isn't the way to the physicians room," I muttered at the third turn, my neck prickling.

"They shifted him into one of the rooms overnight," Haleema didn't stop, her feet moving quickly. We eventually ended near the outer rooms, connected to the stables, on the other side of the courtyard.

"In here," she gestured. I stopped outside the room, my expression still dubious. Haleema then reached for my arm, her touch light, but nevertheless not to be ignored. Reluctantly, I made my way inside, looking for my patient.

Then, from the edges of my vision, I caught sight of a hulking figure looming by the entrance.

Seif.

He came for me in a blur of grey streaking through the dark.

I spun back toward the entrance, a scream barreling from my lips. I looked to Haleema for help.

To my friend.

To my handmaiden.

She watched, idly as Seif grabbed me by the throat. A calm lethality about her gaze. A nauseating sweetness clouded my senses.

And everything went black.

My eyes fluttered open, the warm air whipping across my face. Cold fear stole through me even as a hot breeze rushed across my skin. Where was I? Even the faintly scented breeze around me conveyed nothing about my position. My dazed consciousness tried to make sense of my whereabouts, my heart in my throat.