Chapter 8

An hour later, Mila stood in the middle of a beautiful suite done in soft colors of green and blue, still shocked and angry, but relieved that she had a plan as well as the support of Altair’s queen and princess. She desperately wanted to go home, to lose herself in the familiarity of her bed. Perhaps hide under the pillows for a week. But she couldn’t go home. It would be a slap in the face to her new “fiancé”. So until she’d extricated herself from her engagement to Prince Jaffri, she’d have to stay here and go through the motions. News of the engagement had hit the world like a lightning bolt and the citizens of Sidoon and Altair were thrilled. If she left right now, they’d be confused and…well, the press would ask questions.

A servant arrived and curtsied. “I will be your personal servant while you are here, Your Highness,” the woman announced.

Mila eyed the younger woman carefully, wondering if the servant grasped everything that had happened this morning. By the blank look in her eyes, Mila ascertained that yes, the servant was aware. And she blamed Mila for the entire debacle.

Mila rubbed the back of her neck, trying to release the tension that was starting to build into a painful headache. “Um…I don’t need anything at the moment. I just need to make some calls.”

The servant curtsied again and turned. “Very good, Your Highness.”

The woman was almost to the doorway when Mila called out, “Wait!” The servant turned and Mila braced herself for more blankness. “I need to speak with my father. Do you know where he is?”

“Of course, Your Highness. This way,” and she turned, stiffly leading Mila out of the beautiful suite and down a long hallway. Mila was starting to recognize the décor and knew that the servant was leading her back towards the administrative offices. That was fine with her, since it was business she had with her father.

They were back in the office that she’d left earlier. But inside, she found her father and his aide still arguing with four other people. They weren’t shouting any longer, but nor were they happy about anything. Oddly enough, they weren’t arguing about the engagement.

But as soon as she stepped into the office, everyone went silent and Mila had the odd sensation that they’d been arguing about her, or about something they didn’t want her to know about.

The pounding in her head increased right along with her worry over whatever the next bombshell might be.

“I’m sorry to interrupt,” she lied, but smoothed her features into something akin to what she hoped was a pleasant expression. Turning to her father, she mentally dismissed the others in the office. “Father, I think we need to…”

“Mila, this is…”

“Forgive me, Father,” she interrupted, unwilling to listen to him introduce a group of men that she didn’t want to meet. She had other priorities on her mind. “But this is important.”

Lifting dark eyebrows in his direction, she was relieved to note that he looked a bit chagrinned, although Mila wasn’t sure if he was taken aback by her interruption or because he knew that she wasn’t pleased with him.

Her father puffed up a bit, pulling his jacket closed. At first, Mila thought he might refuse her request for a private conversation, but in the end, he nodded briefly. “Of course.”

Mila then turned to face another man who looked to be more officious than the others. “Is there a conference room or salon in which we might have some privacy?” she asked, smiling to soften her request. She didn’t want to make enemies, but she also didn’t want others to think she was weak either.

“Of course, Your Highness,” the man bowed, but it was a stiff gesture, made only out of respect for her title and position versus out of respect for her. Mila knew that the man meant for the gesture to be insulting, but she was far beyond caring at this point. There were too many other emotions that were more important than being insulted by someone who didn’t have all the facts.

Mila almost laughed at that. She wasn’t sure she had all the facts! And she was one of the primary players in this insane drama!

Taking a deep breath, she followed the man as he stiffly led her and her father out of the office, down a long hallway, and into an elegantly appointed sitting room. There was royal blue furniture and yellow accents, soothing her temper even more. When she and her father were inside the room, the man bowed himself out, pulling the door closed behind them.

Mila waited for the door to close, then took a deep breath, trying to calm down before she finally turned to face her father.

When she looked at him, she was shocked by the smug, self-satisfied expression in his eyes. “Okay, Father. Please explain what your little bombshell accomplished.”

He chuckled and Mila knew that she wasn’t going to like whatever he said next.

“You need to be married,” he stated, crossing his arms over his chest. He smiled triumphantly, unaware or unconcerned about how he’d wreaked havoc on not only two people’s lives, but a whole government.

Mila waited, trying to hide the anger that caused her whole body to tremble with fury. When he simply stood there, staring back at her as if that’s all he needed to say, as if he thought of an issue and his commands were put into action and damn the consequences. That was true most of the time, but when it came to her life, she didn’t believe that he had that right.

“I see,” she said and bowed her head, trying to hide her fury from him. She knew that the best way to handle her father was to reason with him. At least, that was true most of the time. “Were there any discussions about your choice of grooms before you joined my hand with Prince Jaffri’s? Perhaps with Prince Jaffri’s father?” she asked, bracing herself for his answer. Please, she prayed, don’t let him have already conversed with Sheik Talal! Oh, please don’t let this betrothal be more official than she’d thought!

Thankfully, her father simply shrugged, dismissing the idea of “discussions” before making a decision. “Why would he care? His son is in his mid-thirties! I’m sure that Talal is just as thrilled with the engagement as I am.”

Mila’s mouth fell open in shock. “That’s it? You think Jaffri and I are too old and should have been married so you took it upon yourself to announce, to the world, that we will be married to each other?” she asked, emphasizing the last three words, “You’ve decided we are going to marry each other and you didn’t bother to get the consent of the parties involved? What does Sheik Talal have to say about this? Have you even consulted him?”

Her father crossed his arms over his chest, which only emphasized his protruding stomach and sallow expression. “I have not. But I’m sure that he is sick of his son’s philandering ways and would like to see his son settle down.”

She shook her head, still trying to absorb it all. Was he really that obtuse? “Father! That wasn’t your decision to make! And besides, marriage won’t stop the philandering! Would you really link me to a man who doesn’t love me?”

His entire expression changed, shifted to something dire and threatening. “You will never stray from your wedding vows!” he growled. “No daughter of mine will embarrass her husband!”

Mila refrained from rolling her eyes. “Father, you know me better than that. When I marry a man, it will be forever. I would never sully my wedding vows by cheating on my husband.” She let those words sink in and saw his shoulders relax slightly. “By the same token, I won’t marry a man I don’t love.”

The stiffening of his body preluded his next outburst. “You will marry Prince Jaffri, Mila! That is an order,” he commanded, a chubby finger pointing at her like a club.

It was Mila’s turn to cross her arms over her chest, belligerently glaring at her father. “I don’t even know the man. So no. I’m not going to marry a stranger. Nor do I think that he has any desire to marry me. And why should he? We have a trade agreement in place. What’s the benefit to his country? Or to ours, for that matter?”

He huffed up a bit, his neck and cheeks turning red as fury enveloped him. Mila used to cringe when he got like this. But after years of learning to deal with his intimidation tactics, she wasn’t overly concerned now.

He poked the air with his finger, emphasizing his decree. “You will marry him and you will be the best wife imaginable. I want grandchildren and you will be happier married. I’ve told you this in the past, but you’ve refused to listen to me. So, this is your fault! You forced me to take matters into my own hands!”

Mila considered various ways to counter his command, but in the end, she went for the direct approach. “No, I won’t marry a man I don’t know.” And don’t love, she silently added on. Nor was she going to tell him that she was in love with another man. Goodness, she couldn’t imagine his fury if she revealed that bit of treason!

Her father’s face turned red with fury. “You will!”

Mila wasn’t backing down. “No, I won’t.”

With her contradiction of his command and her outright defiance of his authority, he looked like his head might explode. Mila knew that he was overweight and rarely exercised, ate a fat laden diet…but this…this was terrifying. She might not agree with her father’s policies and rules, but he was still her father and she loved him.

Moving forward, she lifted her hands out, palms forward. “Father, just calm down. I’m sure there’s a way to deal with this that won’t….”

“Don’t you dare defy me!” he snapped. “You…!” His finger shook now as he moved a step closer. Even the fat on his jowls jiggled as his fury intensified. “You will marry that man or I’ll…”

She waited, wondering what dire threat he’d issue now. “You’ll what? You’ll ground me? Lock me in my room?” she demanded. “Father, I’m a grown woman. If I don’t want to marry a man, there isn’t anything you can do to make me.”

He glared at her and she could see the wheels in his mind working. Thinking she’d won this round, she walked over to the door, laying a hand on the knob before turning around. “Face it father, this wasn’t something that was ever going to happen. Perhaps if I’d met Jaffri a few months ago…” she thought about that for a moment, then shook her head. Even thinking about being with a man other than Tavon made her cringe. She couldn’t think about him with another woman, so she wouldn’t contemplate life with another man.

Besides, if she’d met Jaffri before, she would have eventually run into Tavon and she’d still be in the same position. Tavon was just…he was her world! Goodness, after being with him for just a short time, she realized how much she truly loved the man. He made her laugh, made her scream, made her desire something she’d never even thought possible. How could she marry someone else? How could she marry Tavon’s brother? The idea was just…obscene!

Suddenly, a scary calm descended on her father’s features. He looked at her and the triumph in his eyes made her whole body cringe with horrible anticipation.

“If you don’t marry this man, if you embarrass me or your country in any way, then I will roll back every piece of legislation that gave women more rights over the past five years.” He waited, watching her face drain of color. “I see that we understand each other,” he commented, nodding in satisfaction.

With a clap of his hands, he moved to the door, brushing her out of the way. “Go find your fiancé, Mila. Tell him you are eager to get to know him and marry him. Otherwise, all the momentum you’ve gained since your silly little movement started will be obliterated.”

With that, he walked out the door, leaving her behind as she tried to comprehend what he’d just threatened.

He wouldn’t! He couldn’t!

But Mila knew that he would and he could. He had the authority to do just about anything he wanted in Sidoon. As ruler, he had a startling amount of control. There were very few restrictions to his power. The same was true here in Altair, but this country had a benevolent leader. Mila had always thought her father was one of those benevolent rulers, a man who considered the will of his people, someone who looked out for the welfare of the citizens of Sidoon, but his threat made that belief seem impossible.

A man who would eliminate basic human rights for fifty percent of the population simply to coerce his daughter into a marriage she didn’t want?

No, that wasn’t a good man.

She stared at his back, seeing him become smaller and smaller. In that moment, she lost all respect for her father. It had been precious thin to begin with, but now, seeing him drift away, triumphant in his threat to reduce the women of Sidoon back to the stone age, she knew that she’d never truly respected him. She’d wanted to respect him, because she needed a father she could look up to. A role model she could believe in.

Mila sank down onto the beautiful sofa, unaware of the comfort it offered as her heart squeezed with the pain of her realization. Her father didn’t really love her. Not a real love, the way a father should love his daughter. No, the man only wanted to manipulate her, to use her to his benefit. A connection, a relationship to the rulers of Altair would benefit Sidoon immensely and her father would revel in his newly achieved power among world leaders. A marriage between his daughter and Altair would allow him to gain power and prestige in the region, something that had been severely lacking in the past.

Because he couldn’t create his own power. Because he was a weak man.

Yes, he was weak and sniveling and couldn’t earn power for Sidoon in the way most rulers achieved it, through hard work and economic strength. Through bettering his people’s plight and ensuring that they had good jobs that paid taxes, allowing him to put more money towards infrastructure and defense. Sidoon wasn’t small, but they’d always been on the poor side. Not that her father would care. He spent money lavishly. He never went out into the streets and spoke to the people, understood what they needed. He was bad. He was a bad man, a horrible father, and a despot!

Mila wasn’t sure how long she sat there, but it must have been a while. When she looked up, the personal assistant Queen Katherine had assigned to help her over the next few days was knocking on the door, peering inside when Mila didn’t answer.

“I apologize for interrupting, Your Highness, but I was wondering if you’d like to change for dinner?”

Mila looked up, then swiveled her head to peer out the window. Sure enough, the sun had vanished and the dark sky taunted her more than the sunshine had earlier. “Dinner,” she muttered.

“Yes, Your Highness. It is in one hour.”

Mila shook her head. Standing up, she pressed shaking fingers against her pounding head. “I’ll just go back to my suite. Please extend my apologies to Sheik Talal. I don’t think I could eat tonight.”

The servant curtsied, then stepped out of the salon, leaving Mila to ponder her dilemma alone. Slowly, she made her way back to the suite and, thankfully, didn’t encounter any of the other family members along her way. She wasn’t sure she could handle yet another confrontation today.

When she was finally alone in her room, she showered and pulled on a nightgown. But tonight, the silk didn’t soothe her the way it normally did. She wanted a glass of wine, but didn’t feel like calling for a servant this late, although she wasn’t exactly sure what time it was. Looking around, she wasn’t sure where her purse was. Her luggage had been unpacked but her purse…it was yet another mystery.

It was all too much, she thought. Lying down on the bed, she thought to just close her eyes for a few moments. She still needed to call her personal assistant back in Sidoon and ask her to get started on making arrangements. Princess Sada’s ideas were perfect, but…they were the opposite of what her father had threatened.

Closing her eyes, she tried to push the problems away. At least for the night.

Tavon stared at Mila, his body aching to hold her. She was sound asleep, wearing something beautiful and sexy. But then, Mila could be wearing a sack and he’d think she was beautiful.

And yes, he loved her. He knew that now. After watching her become engaged to Jaffri and experiencing the fury that ate at him, the jealousy gnawing at his gut, he knew that his feelings were stronger than anything he’d ever felt. And it was love. Deep, complete, amazing love. Something he’d never thought to experience.

Yes, he’d always known that he would marry eventually. But Tavon had also accepted that he wouldn’t be in love with his wife. She would be just another royal obligation to him.

But with Mila, he knew that his marriage would be more than just satisfying. He would be…was…enthralled by her.

Wishing he could just push her away, push her out of his heart and his mind, he rubbed a hand over his face and turned away. He was almost to the door of her suite when he muttered a curse and turned back. With efficient movements, he grabbed the blanket at the end of her bed, flipped it open and draped it over her body.

Immediately, she curled up into the fluffy warmth of the blanket with a soft sigh. He watched her for another long moment, then turned off the lights, and left the suite.