CHAPTER TWENTY
"Father asked me to come and see you, mother," Eliana said as she walked into her parents suite of rooms on the west-facing wing of the palace.
Gretchen was on the sofa, reading a magazine. She looked up at Eliana. "Come in, Eliana."
Eliana nodded. "He told me you had something to tell me about today. I hope it's about me and Kadeem doing something nice together. We need something to take our minds off what happened at the banquet."
Gretchen put the magazine down and patted the sofa. "Sit down, Eliana," she instructed.
Eliana sat down by her mother's side. There was some concern in her mother's eyes. Eliana knew that look all too well. "What's wrong, mother?"
Gretchen frowned. "Your father has been thinking about what Kadeem did, last night. And he's come to the conclusion that it was very troubling."
Eliana pouted. "Surely father wasn't offended by it. I think everyone else thought that Kadeem spoke very well."
Gretchen smiled. "Of course, Kadeem behaved impeccably. I know that," Gretchen said. "But, your father doesn't see it in the same way." She shook her head and sighed. "Not at all."
Eliana shrugged. "So what. There's nothing he can do, is there?"
Gretchen turned and faced Eliana. "There's where you're wrong, Eliana." Gretchen frowned. "Quite wrong."
Eliana felt something heavy sink into the pit of her stomach. She hadn't seen her mother look this worried. Ever.
"What are you talking about?" Eliana said.
Gretchen was thoughtful for a few long moments, and then seemed satisfied that she'd found just the right words to say to Eliana. Whatever it was, it had to be serious. And it had to be about Eliana and Kadeem.
"You know you're father doesn't approve of this engagement," Gretchen said evenly. "And that he has been trying to find a way to prevent it ever since Kadeem announced the engagement back in Qazhar."
"But, there's nothing he can do, is there?" Eliana said. "The tradition states it very clearly. Every four generations this marriage has to take place. It's laid down in the agreement between our two countries. There's nothing that can change that."
Gretchen's brows furrowed. She peered into Eliana's eyes. There was deep sympathy in that look. Eliana had the sudden suspicion that her mother was about to say something truly awful. Something that would hurt her as much as it would hurt Eliana.
Eliana reached across and laid a hand on her mother's arm. "What is it, mother?" she asked, her voice shaking with emotion she could nothing to control.
Gretchen settled her hand upon Eliana's. "I have to tell you something, Eliana. And, perhaps, you're not going to like it."
"Is it about Kadeem?" Eliana asked sharply.
Gretchen nodded. "It is."
Eliana scowled. "What has father been doing?" she snapped.
"What he always does when he wants to prevent something he doesn't like. Looking into it in detail."
"What do you mean?" Eliana asked.
Gretchen sighed. "There is a copy of the scroll which outlines the details of the agreement. It is in the archive. Your father instructed someone to find it and bring it to him."
"Why?"
Gretchen shook her head. "Because he wouldn't let this go. He wants to stop your marriage to Kadeem from going ahead."
"But, he can't," Eliana said. She peered at her mother. "Can he?"
Gretchen's expression tightened into a mask which displayed her inner sadness. "I'm afraid he can, Eliana," she said.
Eliana felt her body weaken instantly. She gasped. "How?"
Gretchen tightened her grasp on Eliana's arm. "He's found a clause in the contract. One that allows him to refuse Kadeem permission to marry you."
The weakening sensation in her body suddenly became an intolerable heaviness. Eliana felt her breath being drawn out of her. She sensed the color draining from her face.
"Mother!" Eliana exclaimed. "Tell me it isn't true."
Gretchen smiled weakly. "I'm afraid it is, Eliana."
"How?" Eliana demanded.
"It has to do with what Kadeem did last night," Gretchen said.
Confusing what had happened at the banquet with what had occurred in Kadeem's bedroom, and fearing she had been discovered, Eliana felt shock course through her system. But, moments later, she regained her composure, realizing that her mother was talking about Kadeem's intervention at the banquet.
"Just because Kadeem spoke up for himself?" Eliana gasped. "That's why father is going to refuse him?"
"He's already done so," Gretchen explained.
"What are you talking about?" Eliana demanded.
"Your father has probably already spoken with Kadeem. He made sure that Kadeem came to see him first, this morning."
"What!" Eliana snapped. "Why did no-one tell me about this?"
"It was for the best, Eliana," Gretchen said, although, judging by her mother's expression, it was clear to Eliana that her mother didn't think that for a moment.
"The best? For whom? Me? Or just for father." Eliana groaned. She stood quickly. "I have to go and see Kadeem."
Gretchen stood and faced Eliana. "I'm afraid it's too late for that, Eliana," her mother said.
"Why?" Eliana demanded. The sinking sensation was as heavy as a stone now. And a terrible ache was building in her heart. She felt her throat tighten and desperately wanted to cry out. Do anything that would stop this terrible thing from happening. Because it was more than terrible. It was the worst thing that could possibly happen. For an awful moment, she knew just what her father had already done. And, she'd been fool enough to let it happen. If she had been with Kadeem, this morning, none of this would have happened.
"What has he done?" Eliana demanded. Her voice echoed in the high, vaulted room.
From behind her, Eliana heard a deep voice. "I have done what was best, Eliana."
She whirled around and stared at her father, who was standing at the open door.
Eliana advanced to her father. "And what is that?" she demanded.
Her father looked sternly at Eliana. "I have sent him back to where he belongs," he stated. For a moment, she thought he looked terribly pleased with himself. And so assured, as if what he had done had made complete sense. As if it had been inevitable.
"To Qazhar?" Eliana shrieked. "No! You can't have done that."
Eliana stretched out her hands and seized her father by the shoulders. "Tell me you have not done this."
Azem gazed down sternly at Eliana. "I did what was right and proper," he said. "And what was best for you, Eliana."
"No. You did this because your own personal pride was offended. That's the truth, isn't it?" Eliana snapped.
Emotion swirled throughout her body. She glared at her father. Momentarily, and for the first time in her entire life, she told herself he was the most hateful man in the world. Determined to have his way, he had thrown away her only hope of happiness. Did he have any idea of what he had just done.
Eliana made a move for the open door, but Azem reached out an arm, barring her way. "There is no point in going to him, Eliana. He has gone."
"When?" she gasped.
"I sent him away by plane a short while ago. His plane will already be in the air and heading for Qazhar, even as we speak."
Eliana froze, almost unable to believe what her father was telling her. What he had done. She turned and gazed at her mother. She saw astonishment written on her mother's features. Gretchen was peering at Azem, and Eliana could see disbelief on her mother's face.
"Did you know he was going to do this?" Eliana asked.
Gretchen walked slowly to them, her gaze fixed on her husband's face. There was a very long pause. Eliana gazed at her mother, wondering at the reaction she was witnessing.
Finally, her mother spoke to Azem. "You have gone too far, this time, Azem."
Azem's brows lifted incredulously, but he said nothing.
Gretchen sighed heavily and glanced at Eliana. Her mother's gaze was suddenly thoughtful as she turned to face Azem. "You told me you would work this out. With Kadeem," she said.
Azem lifted his head proudly. "And I have."
"You did not tell me you were going to send him away," Gretchen accused.
"There was no need. It wasn't my intention to begin with. But his reaction was such that I had no choice but to do so."
Gretchen narrowed her eyes. "No choice?"
Azem shook his head and glanced at Eliana. For the first time since he'd entered the room, he looked unsure of himself.
Gretchen looked at Eliana. "I'm sorry, Eliana," her mother said softly. "This was not how it was supposed to be."
Azem took a step toward Gretchen, but one sharp look from her made him halt in his tracks. His face became an impassive mask as he stared at his wife. Eliana had never seen her parents like this before. She had hardly ever witnessed any kind of disagreement. She could hardly shift her gaze from the both of them.
"What do you mean, mother?" Eliana asked.
Gretchen looked at Azem. "Why don't you tell Eliana," she said to Azem. "Why you did all of this because of me."
Eliana heard her mother's words, but could hardly fathom what she meant by them. "Because of you, mother? What are you talking about."
Gretchen looked at Eliana. "This has always been more complicated than you realized, Eliana. Maybe it is time your father explained to you the real reason why he didn't want you to marry Sheikh Kadeem of Qazhar."
Eliana peered at her father and saw his obvious discomfort. He glanced tentatively from Gretchen to Eliana. Then he sighed heavily. "You deserve the truth, my daughter," he said peering at Eliana.
"What truth?" Eliana asked.
Azem's shoulders slumped. "The true reason why I wanted to protect you from the Sheikh."
"I didn't need protecting," Eliana declared. "Kadeem has always treated me perfectly."
"That is not what I mean," Azem said. "He is an outsider. He is not a native born of Zahram. That is what I was trying to protect you from. The pain which can come from taking an outsider as your companion for life."
As he said those words, Azem looked straight at Gretchen.
"What he means is that it can be difficult for someone from outside to fit into life here in Zahram," Gretchen said. "I should know. When I came here from America, things were very difficult. I did not immediately win the approval of many of the royal house. Nor of the upper echelons of Zahram society."
Eliana peered at her mother. "You? Rejected? How can that be? You were the royal wife."
Gretchen smiled patiently. "It seemed many people felt I had no place in Zahram society. So they decided to make my life very difficult." Gretchen smiled at Azem. "Of course, your father would have none of it. He fought very hard to ensure that I was accepted. And, eventually, I was. But, it was a long hard struggle to win everyone's approval."
Eliana moved toward her mother. "Just because you were an outsider? Like Kadeem?"
Gretchen nodded and looked at Azem. "Isn't that right, husband?" she asked.
Azem nodded slowly. "What your mother said is true. I saw the pain she suffered, and I also felt much pain on her behalf. They were difficult times," he said. Then, inexplicably, he smiled at Eliana. "Until you came along, Eliana. And then everything changed. The fact that there was a royal heir improved matters immeasurably. And it helped your mother to be accepted."
Eliana had never heard any of this before. She gazed incredulously at her parents. Had they experienced this secret suffering just because her father had fallen in love with a beautiful American woman? Had he transgressed some unwritten law by deciding to bring Eliana's mother into his life? How much pain had they both suffered because of that simple, life-changing decision?
Eliana squinted at her father. "You're telling me all of this was because you wanted to spare me the same kind of pain and rejection you and mother felt when she came to Zahram?"
Azem's gaze was suddenly moist with emotion. "I know how your mother suffered," he said in an even voice.
"And you wanted to spare me that? You believed that was what would happen if Kadeem and I married and he came to Zahram?" Eliana asked.
Azem moved toward Eliana. When he spoke, there was an imploring tone to his voice. "You must understand, Eliana. I did not want to take the chance that Kadeem's rejection would cause you pain."
"How can you be sure he would have been rejected?" Eliana asked.
Azem shook his head. "You saw them last night. There was such judgment in their eyes as they watched him speaking."
"You're wrong, father," Eliana declared. "There was respect in those people's eyes when he stood up. They recognized what he was doing and why he had to do it."
"To humiliate me?" Azem said sternly.
"Is that how you saw it?" Eliana replied. She shook her head and glanced at her mother, whose expression was one of patience and humility. She knew what Eliana was trying to say to her father. Gretchen understood that Azem had been mistaken in his assessment of last night's events. And that he had let his fears of the past being repeated cloud his judgment.
Eliana rested her hand on her father's arm. "No-one saw you being humiliated, father. They saw a prospective son-in-law bravely speaking for his future bride and her family. And he spoke with complete respect," Eliana said. "Surely you can see that."
Azem's gaze darkened suddenly. He looked sharply and imploringly toward Gretchen. There was a deep and painful understanding in his eyes. "What have I done?" he asked, emotion cracking his voice.
Gretchen went to her husband. "Only what you thought was best, Azem."
Her father looked at Eliana. "Daughter. How can you forgive me?"
Eliana gazed affectionately at her father. "I understand you were trying to stop the past from being repeated, father," Eliana said. "But, all that matters is the here and now. This is a different time. So much has changed."
Azem looked at Gretchen, who went to her husband and hugged him gently. "Perhaps it isn't too late to undo what has been done with the best of intentions," she said.
Azem curled his arm around Gretchen's waist and looked at Eliana. "Do you truly love him?" Azem asked.
Eliana felt no embarrassment about her father's question. She smiled. "Can't you tell what the answer is to that question, father? I've been trying to tell you for days, but you wouldn't listen."
"She loves him," Gretchen told Azem, laying a gentle hand upon his chest. "And Kadeem has already proven that he is more than capable of fitting in with the life here," she said. She gazed up into her husband's still troubled eyes. "Don't you agree?" she asked him.
After a long pause, Azem nodded. "Your wisdom, as always, finds me wanting," he admitted.
Gretchen smiled at Azem. "Some things never change, my dear husband," she stated.
"I have to go to Kadeem," Eliana announced.
She kissed both her parents on the cheek. "I hope it's not too late to convince Kadeem that he belongs here in Zahram," Eliana said.
"And with you, Eliana," her mother added with a smile. "Go."
And with that, Eliana raced out of the room.