Stay

four.

Aaliyah, distracted with her qualms over a night with Warith, forgot a very simple, but important fact.

Sleeping.

She'd always been a terrible person to have to share a bed with. She could fall asleep in a fetal position on the left side, yet wake up the following morning on the right side with her arms and legs spread wide.

Last night was no different.

After his comment, Warith said nothing else to her. Not one word. He only disappeared into the bathroom for another twenty minutes, came out, blew out the candles, and left her in the dark.

She stood by the sofa for a good ten minutes, the room so silent she could hear the crickets outside and movement from the outside his chambers. Since they would not be having sex, she wondered if he wanted her to leave. But she then realized he would have sent for her guard so that idea was shot down.

She also remembered seeing him pull back the covers on both sides. She gulped and realized while intercourse had been avoided, she still had to share a bed with him. Hands trembling, she untied her robe and slid it off, placing it on the sofa. Remembering the pins in her hair, she pulled them out as well and dropped them in the pocket of her black robe.

She stared at the bed, sending up a prayer before crawling in. She pushed herself toward the edge so much so that she almost fell over. He had his back toward her so she returned the favor. She pulled the fitted blanket up to her neck and forced her eyes shut, praying she woke up in the same position she fell asleep in.

She didn't.

Not only was she in the middle of the bed, she was alone.

Sprawled on her stomach, she had her face pressed into that pillow and her arms clutching said pillow. She lifted her head and glanced around, squinting as the sunlight that beamed in through the doors was blinding.

She was also looking for Warith and was relieved when she didn't spot him. Mostly because she could only imagine what a miserable night he had. She paled as she mentally pictured forcing a man like Warith Al Ghul out of his own bed.

Groaning, she kicked off what little blankets still covered her and dragged herself into his bathroom.

It was surprisingly clean and neat for a man. The dark marble stone predictable. She gently took her veil off and used a hair tie to pull the curls up.

There were two sinks so she moved to the unused side and pulled open the top drawer. She grabbed the packaged toothbrush, toothpaste, and wash cloth Samirah informed would be there for her.

She used the bar soap to wash her face after she brushed her teeth. She waited to do her face last as she always did, but also because the bar soap always left her scar burning for a good hour after. She knew this because it was the same one she had in her bathroom. She wanted to mention something to Samirah, but didn't want to overstep her boundaries.