Malika

28 Agreement

He nods at the man with him, gesturing for him to leave, and he excuses himself. Sulaiman turns his attention back to her once they're left alone.

"Does the matter you want to discuss allow for a stroll through the gardens?" he asks with a faint smile.

"I suppose the courtroom will be a better place to discuss the topic, my Ameer," she declines politely.

"If privacy is what you desire, sayidati." He motions down the corridor. "After you."

She looks away and walks ahead, feeling his looming presence behind her as he follows behind her. Navigating her way towards their destination, they arrive at the courtroom where a guard steps forward to open the door for them and they get inside. The door closes after them.

The room is unlit but not dark, the curtains pulled apart to let the morning light in. She walks towards one of the windows and Sulaiman doesn't follow after her this time.

The window offers her a view of the back of the palace. The blue expanse of the sky is peppered by small blurry clouds, spread over the horses lined underneath it by the stables. She drags her eyes over them before she blinks and turns towards Sulaiman.

"A few days ago I heard you and your sister arguing here," she tells him. "About Eskander."

"Did you?"

Sulaiman ties his hands behind his back and stalks towards her. His face remains a mask of wood that gives away nothing, but Noura keeps her eyes on him, studying him, the blue and brown of his orbs changing colors as they come under the sunlight.

"Do I call it spying?" he says, and she catches a hint of amusement in his tone.

"I was passing by when I heard Eskander's name being mentioned. I know of the Amira's fancy for him. That's why I stopped to listen."

He looks away from her to outside the window, his gaze fixing into nothingness. "What do you wish to speak about?"

"I think you've already gathered, sayidi," Noura replies carefully, now noticing the amusement gone, but she stays clear in delivering her message. "Eskander is already married. And the Amira's assumptions that he's forced into it or that he reciprocates her feelings but held back because of you are untrue. I only request that you refrain from forcing him into anything because of your sister."

His eyes snap back to her, now dark even against the light. "Do you take me for a fool or a bastard?"

She bites her tongue, thinking of not responding, but then cannot keep silent. "Why, you forgave her despite her many attempts on my life, one of which you yourself are a witness to when she sent her men after me to the bazar." Noura lifts her chin, boldly paralleling his stare. "You tell me, who do I take you for?"

This makes him smirk, unoffended, appearing roguish, as he tilts his head. "Take me for a bastard if you must, Noura. But I'm not foolish. Maysoon might be blinded by him, I'm not. He had a choice and he made one. I won't force him to change that, so rest your heart."

She searches those unalike orbs, as if to confirm a truth his words are trying to offer. He allows her to do so and a moment later she blinks away.

"I appreciate it." She fidgets with her sleeve, another question spiraling in her head, driving her to the edge until she decides to pose it to him as well, gaze flicking back to him. "Can I ask you something?"

His features tint with interest and he nods, the same faint smile splayed across his lips once more.

"Do you have a betrothed?"

One of his eyebrows arches up. "Why do you ask?"

"Merely out of curiosity."

"Did your curiosity earn you the knowledge?"