CHAPTER NINETEEN
The following morning, Kadeem was up bright and early. He got dressed and made his way downstairs, expecting to get some time to himself before Eliana came down for breakfast. It would be their first breakfast in the palace and he wanted to be focused.
As he reached the foot of the staircase, Eliana's father emerged from the sitting room. "Sheikh Al Kharif," Azem said in a steady polite tone of voice. "Good morning."
Kadeem eyed Azem carefully. There was a surprising brightness about Azem's expression. "Good morning," Kadeem replied.
"I expect you're waiting on my daughter," Azem said.
Kadeem nodded. "I thought we'd have breakfast together."
Azem gestured toward the sitting room's open door. "May I have a word with you?" he asked.
Instantly, Kadeem felt his guard rise. "Is it about anything in particular."
Azem shrugged. "Just a quiet word about last night."
Kadeem felt tension twist in his middle. Obviously, Azem thought to get at Kadeem before Eliana came down. Maybe he wanted to take the opportunity to put Kadeem in his place after last night's interruption.
Kadeem was determined not to reveal how he felt about the invitation to speak with Azem. "Sure," he said curtly and walked past Azem and into the sitting room.
Azem pointed toward a sofa. Kadeem took his seat and Azem sat next to him. On the table in front of the sofa, Kadeem saw a large brown envelope. He glanced at Azem, seeking some indication about the envelope's significance, but got not the slightest hint from Azem's blank stare.
"About last night, Azem," Kadeem started to say, but Azem lifted a hand and cut Kadeem short.
"That is why I asked you to come in here. So that I can address something very important regarding that, Sheikh Al Kharif."
"Really?" Kadeem asked.
Azem sighed and nodded sternly. He lifted the brown envelope and opened the flap, sliding out from within the envelope what looked like a copy of an old document.
Azem passed it to Kadeem. "Are you familiar with this?"
Kadeem peered at the copy and felt something heavy sink in his stomach. It was a copy of the document he'd looked at when his arranged marriage had been originally proposed. Kadeem examined the cursive handwriting that filled the page. It was the same as the ancient document which was housed in the archives of the Qazhar government.
Kadeem looked up at Azem. "This is a copy of the original scroll. The one that sets down the rule about the marriage every four generations between our two nations."
Azem smiled. "Indeed, it is," he said. He looked too happy about this, Kadeem told himself. There was something going on, and he suddenly felt that it wasn't going to mean good news.
Kadeem squinted at Azem. "Why are you showing me this?"
Azem lifted his chin and peered down his nose at Kadeem. "Because of what happened last night."
Kadeem frowned. "What has that got to do with this?" he asked lifting up the single page copy.
"Everything," Azem said with a strangely victorious tone.
Azem took the page from Kadeem and held it. He pointed to a line at the bottom of the page. "I assume you can read this handwriting," Azem said.
"Of course," Kadeem said irritably. He leaned closer and scanned the line Azem had indicated. As he did so, Kadeem felt his breath halt in his chest; he sensed the heaviness in the pit of his stomach become as hard as a rock. Kadeem knew his face had changed color. That all the blood had just drained from his features.
This could not be real, he told himself. He reread the lines which had triggered the reaction. But that just confirmed what he'd read the first time.
Kadeem glanced up at Azem and saw the horrible triumph on the man's face. Azem's gaze was steady and resolute.
For a moment, an unspoken exchange passed between the two men. Two expressions. One of victory. Another of defeat. And, with the world tumbling around him now, Kadeem knew who had seized victory from the jaws of defeat.
Azem.
"Do I have to read you what it says?" Azem asked, his voice shaking with positive emotion.
Kadeem leaned back against the back of the sofa and sighed heavily. He nodded and waved a hand dismissively. "You can, if you like," he said, feeling a sudden weariness settling upon him.
Azem lifted the sheet of paper up and read from the ancient text which was written there. "If during the course of a courtship between the two representatives of Qazhar and Zahram, there occurs any of the following incidents which serve to bring shame upon a ruler of either nation, then the proposal will become null and void," Azem announced.
Azem glanced at Kadeem and then returned his attention to the sheet of paper. "In particular, if a proposed bridegroom publicly shames a ruler of either nation in such a way as to bring his reputation into ill repute, then the ruler has the right to declare the courtship at an end."
Azem laid the paper down into the table and turned to Kadeem. "Do you fully understand the importance of what I have just read out?"
For a few long moments, Kadeem was utterly lost for words. Of course, he understood what Eliana's father had discovered. How he'd done that wasn't at all important to Kadeem. All that mattered was that Azem had found a way to stop the marriage from going ahead.
And Kadeem had handed Azem an excuse on a plate. Last night hadn't only been about the beginning of Kadeem and Eliana. It had also been the end of their life together.
Kadeem felt sick to his stomach. He'd walked straight into a trap. And now everything was falling apart.
"I think I get the meaning quite clearly, Azem. You must be pleased," Kadeem said sharply.
"It is simple justice, Sheikh Al Kharif."
Kadeem scowled at Azem. "How is it justice to deprive your daughter of her happiness?" Kadeem demanded.
Azem frowned. "She understands her duties. What is expected of her."
"Duties? Is that all you can think of?"
"There is nothing more important than honor," Azem announced. "You, of all people, must understand that."
Kadeem gestured toward the piece of paper on the table. "How did you dig that clause up?"
Azem drew himself stiffly. "After last night, I thought deeply. It was then that I realized that your foolish, impulsive conduct may well have transgressed a very important rule in this whole charade."
"Charade?" Kadeem exclaimed.
Azem leaned closer, and his gaze became suddenly dark and dangerous. "We both know it started out as a charade. Neither you nor my daughter had any intention of honoring this ancient tradition. You did everything you could to make it seem that you and my daughter were incompatible."
"All that has changed, Azem," Kadeem ejaculated. "Completely. I love your daughter."
Azem's eye widened and his jaw tightened, as if Kadeem's declaration had somehow offended him. "That is irrelevant now," Azem stated stiffly. He pointed to the paper. "This is of more significance than mere passing sentiment."
"Passing sentiment? Is that how you'd describe how your daughter and I feel for one another."
Azem shook his head. "Do not speak to me of feelings, Sheikh Al Kharif." Azem gazed around the room, as if taking in the whole of the palace. "What you see around you, what you have enjoyed since you arrived, is so much more important than sentiments which will pass with the seasons."
Kadeem wanted to object, needed to stand up and defend what he'd claimed during these last few weeks. He felt a burning need to fight for Eliana. To maintain his claim upon her.
He glanced down at the treacherous truth on the paper.
Kadeem knew that what was written on the paper, as well as what he himself had done, trumped any objections he might have. But, he told himself he might be able to reason with Azem. They were talking about his daughter's happiness, Kadeem told himself. Didn't that matter to the stubborn old man who sat gloating at him?
"Why am I not suitable as a husband to your daughter?" Kadeem asked.
Azem's mouth turned downwards. "I told you. There is no common ground between our two families. You have your tribe and the allegiances which come with it. I have my kingdom to consider."
Kadeem sighed. "I'm not good enough? Is that what you're saying?"
Azem shrugged. "I suppose that is exactly what I'm saying, Sheikh," he said. That last word had been spoken with barely disguised contempt.
There passed a long silence between the two men. Kadeem stared at Azem, seeing the bright glint of triumph in the man's eyes.
Kadeem stood and peered down at Azem. "I'll have to explain what's happened to Ellie."
Azem stood up quickly. "I'm afraid that won't be possible."
"What!" Kadeem exclaimed.
"The princess has been called away for this morning. She was told it was to prepare for a meeting with you later this morning."
"You lied to her?"
Azem shrugged. "Sometimes one has to bend the truth, in order to prevent greater distress."
Kadeem tightened his fists into balls and advanced on Azem. Fury flared inside him. "What do you think you're doing?" Kadeem demanded.
Azem stood his ground, peering steadily at Kadeem. "I am doing what I think is right in order that my daughter be spared an unfortunate future with an outsider who has no place in this kingdom."
Kadeem felt the full blow of the words. They hit him with a physical force.
Outsider! Was that how Azem viewed Kadeem? An unwanted interloper. Someone who had no right to be here.
Kadeem peered at Azem. There was determination in Azem's eyes. Kadeem could see that there was no way Azem was going to back down.
Kadeem thought about Eliana. Thought about last night. A burning ache welled up in his heart. This couldn't be happening! He'd been a fool. He should have remained sitting last night at the banquet. Then none of this would have happened. But how could he possibly have known about that condition? It was his own fault for not reading it carefully enough back in Qazhar. Buried in the smallest scribblings of the very document which had made all of this possible in the first place was the clause to end all hope of a life with Eliana.
Kadeem felt his shoulders sink. "What now?" he asked simply.
Azem tilted his head. "You leave."
The words were like the crash of a heavy object in the room.
Indignation flamed in Kadeem. "Without seeing Eliana? Surely you're joking!" he exclaimed.
"I am being perfectly serious, Sheikh Al Kharif. I have already arranged to have your things transferred to the waiting jet out on the runway." Azem turned to the window. "In fact, I am sure they are waiting for you, even as we speak."
"You're throwing me out like some unwanted lout?" Kadeem snapped.
Azem shook his head. "I believe you've been treated most civilly since you arrived." And then Azem narrowed his eyes in a threatening and very knowing way. "And you've certainly enjoyed the attentions of my daughter. Of that I have been well informed."
Kadeem had to summon up every ounce of strength in his body to stop himself from leaping for Azem's throat. He'd arranged for Kadeem and Eliana to be spied upon while he'd been with her. Eliana had been right. There were eyes everywhere in the palace. Kadeem wondered if Azem understood just how much of Eliana's attentions Kadeem had enjoyed.
The door opened behind Kadeem. He looked and saw two bulky male servants waiting at the door. Kadeem turned to face Azem, who looked imperiously at Kadeem. "Goodbye, Sheikh Al Kharif," Azem said. "You'll forgive me if I do not shake hands with you."
Kadeem smiled sardonically at Azem. "I wouldn't want you to get your hands dirty," he said acidly.
Azem gazed at Kadeem, unaffected by that remark.
Then, Kadeem turned and started toward the door. It was going to be an impossible journey back to Qazhar.