Kingdom in The Sand

From Marriage to Death (9)

"And you should be ashamed of yourself for not knowing such a thing already," Marie-Fey replied simply, reaching across the table to collect her glass again, taking a sip.

Zahir watched her for a moment, then looked back at the servants. "Stand outside until our meal arrives for you the serve," he ordered, and the servants vanished with a whisper. Zahir returned his attention to Marie-Fey, then picked up his own drink. "I was quite content to ignore you forever as a way to spite my mother, but I see you could have been some entertainment."

"The past tense that you use is hardly going to make me comfortable," Marie-Fey pointed out and Zahir smiled. A carbon copy of his young brother, without the warmth.

"Let's see what we know about each other," he said instead, his voice low and soft. "A fact for a fact?"

"By all means, after you."

"Well let's see. You are the middle daughter of the illustrious Leigh Family; world-renowned, beloved, formidable and confounding."

"Common knowledge," Marie-Fey said, waving it away, "You are the eldest child of the Rais Family, relations of The Sultan on your mother's side and one of the wealthiest and most influential families in the empire. You have a younger brother. You were mostly raised in The Sultan's court alongside your father while your brother was raised within the ladies' palace back home alongside your mother. You assumed the responsibilities of your state young due to your father's untimely death – a successful assassination, I believe." She glanced at him before tilting her glass to him. "Did you kill your father to rid an obstacle from your path?"

Zahir smiled, leaning back. "Well informed and astute," he said, "That has a way of leading to trouble. Why would you choose to ask that upon first meeting?"

"It gives me more of an impression of you. Your turn."

He leant forwards, folding his arms on the table. "You're a Leigh Lady which makes you impossibly difficult to be married to in my position."

"Why?"

"Your turn."

"You did not wish to me married to me but were forced by your mother. I'm an inconvenience because of my relation to my family, you cannot afford anything to happen to me due to the trade war that my father could bring to your door. Your turn."

"I cannot afford anything to happen to you due to the war your younger brother could bring to my door."

"You're concerned because my brother is in the army."

"I'm concerned because your brother has some very powerful companions."

Marie-Fey opened her mouth and Zahir pointed towards her throat.

"It's still my turn. You are in love with my brother."

"I am not in love with your brother," Marie-Fey replied simply, her hand drifting to the necklace he was pointing at.

Zahir smirked. "But you are fond of him."

"He is one of the few people I trust above all else in the country."

"Hmm," Zahir mused absently, resting his cheek on his knuckles. "My last wife was completely in love with him," he said and Marie-Fey raised an eyebrow. He smiled. "I understand, he's gentle and sweet, the opposite to me. He can make almost any lady fall in love with him if he tries. And he tried. My last wife was half-way obsessed with him... and then the one lady he loves doesn't love him back. That is a lovely bit of irony that I cannot help but delight in."

"What happened to your last wife?" Marie-Fey said, her voice hard.

Zahir smiled. "She drowned. Where did you find that old key?"