Badriya as-Sahra is sick of piling up camel dung and picking people's pockets for a living. Her world discriminates against women and orphans, and it is only her damned luck that she happens to be both. She yearns for more but can't do anything else...
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A series of knocks awoke Badriya from her light slumber. Sleep had barely gotten hold of her last night, not when the way Ayaz looked at her kept playing in her head.
He had looked so afraid when he shouldn't have, and for a moment there she almost felt... guilty. Regretful even. Try as she might, she couldn't shake the feeling away. Did he actually think she was actually going to kill him?
More knocking. Badriya grumbled a curse and rolled from her bed in a manner that would've been deemed unroyal. Clutching the nearest robe she could find to conceal her night dress, Badriya made her way to the door. Who could be knocking at this ungodly hour?
All her thoughts involving maiming the intruder were wiped clean at the sight of the prince. Her knuckles turned white from holding onto the door's edge, almost to the point that it might break and splinter. How she wished she could slam the door right at his face, which revealed nothing to her.
"Sabah al-khayr," Ayaz greeted.
"Sabah al-noor," Badriya managed to get out. "What are you doing-I mean, what brings you in this hour?"
"I... I wanted to apologize for leaving you in a hurry yesterday," he said. "I don't know what got into me."
He looked down at his feet, his limbs doing anything but keeping still. Badriya raised a brow. This was a far outcry from the Ayaz she first met back in the desert. He looked like a nervous little boy twiddling his thumbs. Sands, ever since she had his memories erased, he had been acting as though he were spineless every time she was around.
Badriya waited for him to continue anyway. When a few beats passed and he still didn't say anything, she cleared her throat. Ayaz then met her eyes.
"You were saying?" she said, mustering a sleepy-and slightly bored-expression.
"I have been putting off some of my duties in the city since I've been so... busy, and it was about time I resumed them." For some reason he looked embarrassed. "I was wondering if you would be interested in accompanying me."
"Are you... asking me out?" Badriya didn't mean to sound so surprised. She cleared her throat again. "I mean, what would people think? The crown prince, the pride of the country, going out with a mysterious, no-name like me? I'm sure you've got other prettier girls you can invite."
"Contrary to one might think, not a lot of girls want to attract my attention," Ayaz muttered. "You and I have my father to thank for that."
Badriya fumbled for some excuse. "Well... I'm busy. I've got a party to organize, among other rich people things I have to do. You can have a friend or-I don't know, someone except meyou can bring along."
"But I want you."
A warm sensation tingled Badriya's insides. She was stunned. Much to her chagrin, he was too.
