Prince of Knights (An Arabic Love Story)✓

Prince of Knights Chp51

The bride took a step her eyes taking in Faris's hair that now; touched his wide collarbone. She had never encountered anyone quite like him. Faris was a rarity on his own, Raghad exhaled at the thought that he had belonged to her, yet she had failed to see it.

The bride halted in front of Faris, and here the man lifted his head to gaze at her. When his inky eyes met hers, the wind picked up its speed dangerously, tearing leaves from the trees. "Your thobe," Raghad mumbled.

She observed as he sat straight, took the garment from her hands. "Do you wish for me to bind your wound?"

Faris frowned. "Stop being so benevolent with me, Raghad. I might not be capable to depart."

"If this is the least, I can do for all the kindness you bestowed upon my family. I must." With that, she brought the end of her scarf to her mouth and tore the end off. Disregarding Faris's slight raise in his brow, she knelt and encircled the torn piece of her scarf around his wound. Raghad attempted to ignore how Faris's chest moved up and down with every breath he took. "This will prevent it from bleeding."

"We always seem to tend our wounds," Faris remarked. He did not raise his voice due to their proximity.

"Wounds that are gifted to us by each other," Raghad looked in his eyes.

"You are not the culprit behind this injury, Raghad," He nodded towards his wrapped shoulder.

"But I am the reason,"

"Must you always locate a way to impute yourself?" The groom leaned in. The light from the lantern illuminated his features making the wind lower its gaze.

"I merely pronounce the truth." She gulped when his breath fanned her face imprinting her naive soul.

"Then I am your sinner shall remain true as well." He stroked her cheek with his thumb.

"I have already put it in the past, Faris." Raghad closed her eyes.

"Then what makes you the ground behind my injury? Put it in the past as well." None of them vocalized a word for a few seconds. Then, Raghad nodded.

Satisfied, the man dressed in his kandoora, stood up, then bent down so that he was face-to-face with his spouse. "This is where I bid my farewell, Raghad."

As soon as those words left his mouth, Raghad's bottom lip commenced wobbling. Gradually she rose to her feet and licked her chapped lips. "Very well. I understand."

"Do not look so despondent, woman. One would believe you have taken a liking to your enemy." Faris jested his lips in a tight line.

"Then let them believe so, for, by Allah, it is not a lie." She responded moving to grab his helmet from the cot. Raghad lifted on her tiptoes, then gently placed the helmet on Faris.

"Your words have allowed me to breathe again, Raghad." Faris touched his forehead with hers.

Raghad smiled. "Come back to us. You must come back to us."

"In sha Allah," His voice was taught as he pulled back. "I must depart now. My knights await me." A single drop of tear broke free from her traitorous eyes, the rest followed in a broken stream. Raghad bent forward from the intensity of her sobs, but then strong arms encased her quivering form. Faris felt her fists clench; he could hear her wordlessly screaming, suffocating with every breath that she took.

"Is this how you wish for me to depart?" Faris rested his chin on her head, looking at the ceiling.

"No." She hissed.

"Then wipe your tears and be the wife of a sheikh." He pulled her back gently. "You have to face this tribe as my spouse, and take my place."

"How can I stop when my sibling and my spouse are leaving me alone to confront death?" Up ahead, the sun endeavoured to push aside the murky, violent clouds so that it could provide warmth to the bride. The wind touched Raghad's cheeks in an attempt to dry her tears from her pale skin. 

"Then understand that it is the verdict of our Lord," Faris held her hand. "And remember this Raghad, you are sending off two ferocious warriors." 

Raghad wiped her tears harshly and swallowed. "May you be under His protection now and forever. Fi amanAllah."

"Fi aman al Kareem." Faris gave a single nod of his head, grabbed his sword, stepped back, and moved towards the door, leaving a petrified Raghad behind. Just as his sight vanished from the door the bride bit her lip and sat on the cot. She rocked her body back and forth in a desperate attempt to not shatter because if she did, Raghad knew she would never be able to collect her ashes again. 

_________________________________________________

The next chapter will be immensely intense. I will not make any promises. People will die, blood will be shed. I hope you guys liked this chapter. I hope it was not that rusty. I tried hard to make it romantic and I sort of suck at this stuff.  Faris isn't much of a romantic guy so .....