The Sultan's Daughter (Princesses Uncovered #5)

Chapter 28: Akila

Fath stared out the window at the sand dunes, set aglow with red light from the sun. Leaning on the colonnaded window of his balcony in his bedroom, he sighed.

Akila stood behind him, reveling in her freedom from the little oil pot. Soon she walked up behind him, startling him as she set her hands on his shoulders and began massaging the tension out of them. “What is the matter, Fath?” She murmured, finally having conceded to his pleas that she didn’t call him master.

He sighed again, feeling the tension seep out of him as her deft fingers worked on his shoulders, unknotting the kinks and tension-filled knots in his muscles.

“I went to ask for permission to court Yaz a few days ago…” He began, then trailed off.

“What happened?” Akila murmured, a frown covering her face.

Fath stared down at the white windowsill before him, complete with curling vines and grapes carved into the painted wood. Then he shrugged Akila’s hands off, moving to sit down on the large, circular bed in the midst of the room.

The bed dipped as he sat down, and he slid his hands along the white silk comforter, staring at the silver stars embroidered into the blanket instead of looking at the window. His gaze drifted down to the dark, cherry wood floor, so polished he could see the reflection of his slippers in it.

The Aramaic carpets on the floor caught his attention then, with their swirling, dull reds and yellows mixing in with the browns and greens. Anything. Anything but meeting Akila’s concerned gaze.

He folded his arms, shivering and wishing the fireplace was lit.

Akila smiled down at him, then snapped her fingers, causing a fire to roar to life in his fireplace, the flames flickering on the uncarpeted floor before it and casting dark shadows of the fire grate onto the wood.

Then she sat on the bed next to him, scooting over so that her hip rested against his. “Fath…”

He put his head in his hands, staring down at the curled toes of his blue silk slippers, tears dripping down his cheeks. “She… Her father told me she had the choice…”

“And?” Akila whispered, going back to massaging his shoulders.

“She…said no.” Fath murmured.

“I…I am sorry, Fath. Did you know her well?”

He shook his head. “Not really. But… I had hoped so much, and from what I had seen of her… She had me so enthralled.”

“Why the tears then? You were not emotionally attached to her, were you?”

He sighed, wiping away his tears, uncertain what he felt anymore. “I don’t know, Akila. I just… I don’t know…”

She wrapped her arms around him, pulling him into an embrace. “It’s alright, Fath. You’ll find someone someday. She just wasn’t the one…” She consoled.

Fath nodded into her shoulder, taking a deep breath.

Akila always made him feel better.

In the last week or so, she had been there to offer support to him whenever he feared he couldn’t do it. She had been a moral and emotional stanchion for him since the beginning. He hadn’t realized it until now, but she was a good friend, and a very kind soul. He really didn’t deserve someone like her, and yet, she was there for him through it all – even when she didn’t have to be, since he rarely asked for her help, even when he needed it.

She continued rubbing his back and murmuring soothing nothings into his ear.

When he finally leaned away, he was feeling much better.