Arabia: spring 1814
The Arabian beauty sat quietly by herself on a huge rock about a mile away from the palace. Her raven black hair fell like a curtain over her beautiful face, as she lowered her head in grief, and shielded her face from the scorching sun, and hid her tears from the ten giant body guards that surrounded her. Her heart was breaking in two, tonight she was to meet the man whom her father chose for her to wed, and she wanted to die a thousand deaths. Her lips trembled slightly as a sob escaped her throat. She wiped the trail of tears from her face, and lifted herself to her feet.
Her body guards would not come to her rescue. They feared her father just as much as she did. He was a Sultan, an Arabic King who ruled ruthlessly, and without mercy. He had married off sixteen of his twenty daughters to wealthy men who ranked high in Arabia, and were much older than them, and now he wanted to do the same with her.
She was to go to the ball tonight that was thrown in her honor, to meet the man she was to marry. Her father spared no expense, this event would be the talk for years to come. Amira was the most beautiful of all his daughters, and he wanted to wed her to a man that would bring more power and wealth to his family. The sultan did not care that his daughter was only twenty one years of age, and the man he has chosen for her to marry was middle aged. Who cares if he was much too old for her, he was the Prince of Persia, her father told her, and besides she was a spinster and should be grateful that the Prince wanted to marry her! Everyone knew that she should have married while still in her teens, just like her sisters had, but Amira avoided marriage like the plague, until her father yelled at her last week, and told her that the match would secure and double his riches, making him the richest, most powerful man in the world!
Walking back to the palace with the ten guards trailing behind her, Amira started to cry even more. Her tears formed a river, and her sobs echoed throughout the palace walls as she climbed the stairs to her room. The guards all looked at each other not caring for the spoiled brats tears. She must do what is expected to secure Arabia's position as a strong and powerful country, and not cry like a silly ungrateful child. She's marrying the Prince of Persia for heavens sake!
Amira closed the door to her room, threw herself on the bed, and cried her heart out, but her cries were not all in vain. Through the thin veils throughout the universe, across many dimensions, and stars, she caught the attention of Aphrodites, the Greek Goddess of beauty and love.
Aphrodites saw the beautiful girl crying her heart out and felt sorry for her. Shouldn't everyone have a man of their choice whom they can love and adore and be loved in return? Shouldn't this beautiful child be in the arms of a handsome lad, and not be forced to marry a man double her age? Aphrodites quickly circled around the young girl and tried to think of who would make a good mate for her.
It didn't take long for her beautiful eyes to gleam with excitement. A few years ago she was in the arms of a handsome warrior who had her trembling with lust. He was so handsome she almost lost herself to him, but quickly recovered knowing that he was not the one. Her heart knew that her soulmate was yet to come, and regretfully she let the warrior go. He was a gentleman, who gave her three days of love without asking anything in return, and for that she was greatful. Aphrodites knew that Amira would be perfect for Stephan. In fact, they would connect as soulmate's and fall deeply in love because she would make sure of it. She smiled, and disappeared back to her world, she had many plans to make quickly before it was to late, for Amira must be a virgin in order for the connection to be made.
The door to Amira's room crashed open and her father stood in the door way seething with anger. He watched his selfish daughter cry her heart out and his gut twisted with hate. Ungrateful bitch! He thought with disgust, and he walked up to bed where she lay, grabbed her by the hair, and pulled her to her to her feet.
