Why do I see you on everything? As if on earth you are all the humans. As if you were a never-ending path and I was created for this trip. If I was running from you, to you. By your God, tell me, where is the escape?
— Farouq Jwaydeh
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Him
"Do you have a crown?"
"No."
"Then how are you a prince?"
"Umi says I'll get a crown once I grow up a little."
She nods, as if understanding the logic, and looks him up and down. "Yes, you're tiny. The crown will be big for your head. Maybe they don't make it in your size."
He kicks the dirt at his feet, feeling embarrassed, and she studies him curiously. He waves his wooden sword at her.
"I'm not tiny. I've a sword," he argues, though knowing this girl who's probably younger than him is more fierce than him and of the same height. He might be a shy and a small child but he doesn't like being called out on it.
"Don't worry, Joojoo." Noura pats his back in consolidation. "You will grow tall, like magic prince and Esh-kander. Maman says we grow tall with time. So don't be upset. You have me. I still like you." She grins at him and her eyes gleam in the sun.
"You do?" he asks her hopefully.
"Yes. So if you don't grow tall with time and remain tiny, and no girl wants to marry you, I will."
He stares at her with wide eyes. "You will?"
She nods enthusiastically. "Only if you promise to get me a crown."
Her
"The bazar is lively."
"Don't get lost."
"I'm not a child."
"I remember the last time."
"What time?"
"When you ran away from me and I half died, half went crazy looking for you."
Noura scoffs under her veil as they bicker and dodge bodies with him trying to keep her close to his side.
"Wistful memories."
"Aren't they? You've always loved to torture me."
"Is that why you're making me pay back?" she fires and he puts his arm around her, pulling her to himself before she could bump into a passerby.
"Only if I was half as cruel as you."
"You're proving to be more."
"I shall change that perception."
"How come?"
"You will see."
She rolls her eyes. "From sweet talker to big talker. All I see is the transition."
"I would have shown you if we were in our chamber."
"Shown me what?"
"How sweet I can be."
Noura glares up at him, although she feels her cheeks burning and can imagine him smirking under his mask.
"Shameless man," she scolds, nudging him away.
"My shamelessness is making you blush?"
"It's making me angry."
He tugs her to himself once more, his tall frame guarding her, avoiding another bump into a stranger.
"Careful lest you want to pick up a fight here, my feisty queen."
"That can only be with you."
"I already surrender to you."
She steps to his side and his arm circles around her waist. Noura let him lead her through the shops and sellers as she watches the bazar unfold before her eyes. There's a dance of colors and the smell of spices meeting her. They slow down as they near the fruit stalls.
"Would you like some figs?" he asks her.
She nods in reply and they stop in front of a seller. Here, in the middle of nowhere, dressed as commoners, her husband is not a prince but like any other man. Here, with him like this, she feels to be living a different life. Despite the few guards following behind them keeping a good distance, she feels to be alone with him. And she like it that way.
"How much for these?" Adam questions the seller, inspecting the fruits as he does so. The shopkeeper tells him the price and he pays him, taking a bag of figs as they continue through the bazar.
"You still haven't told me where we're going," Noura says as his arm once more comes around her.
"There's a jeweler. He's the best in Qahira. I wanted to take you there." He looks down at her. "You still wear jewelry so often, so I assume you still like it?"
"Yes, but you already gifted me so much, all the gifts you had gotten for me while I was away and refused to keep."
"This has to be special."
"Why so?"
This time, she notices the tinting of his skin, as if blushing beneath that mask, and steals away his gaze. His arm drops from her waist.
"We're here."
Noura looks from him to the shop. Unlike the open stalls they've been through, this one looks fancy. It's a small closed space with a fine wooden door and windows. Adam opens the door for her and they get inside.
"Marhaba," the shopkeeper greets them.
"Marhaba," they greet back.
Noura begins to take in her surroundings. The racks lined with jewelry of every kind. The perfumes on display at the opposite side. The hand mirrors with elegant looking combs. The glitters and scent in the air enchant her momentarily. She knows she has found her favorite shop.
"Go on," Adam tells her quietly. "Choose whatever you like for yourself."
She takes a slow walk through the shop, studying the different set of jewelry, checking the different perfumes, suddenly wanting to own everything but reining in her desire. She picks two bottles of perfumes and turns to her husband.
"Roses or jasmines?"
"Roses," his answer is simple, predictable, yet full of meaning-- something hidden threading it to an old tale. She can read the smile in his eyes.
Noura puts away the jasmine perfume and then continues her inspection of the other items. In the end, she chooses for herself a pair of gold upper arm cuffs and a ruby ring.
Adam pays the shopkeeper and then asks for his order. The man hands him a packed box besides the jewelry they've bought and Noura gives him a questioning look.
"What is in this box?" she asks him once they're out of the shop.
"A gift," he replies, lowering his voice to a whisper. "A promise."
She frowns up at him. "What do you mean?"
"You will know."
He doesn't say more. She doesn't inquire either. They make their way to their horses and ride back to the palace.
It's still a few hours before dusk and the sun hasn't set yet. Though the clouds in the sky make it appear later than it is. Adam walks her through the hallways to their chamber and then stops at the intersection. Noura turns to him.
"You're not coming?"
"I've some matters to attend to. But I'll be back shortly." He nods in the other direction. "I'll be in the courtroom with Zahir."
"Don't be late," she requests softly, "and don't keep me worrying. I'll wait for you at the dinner table."
This makes him smile and he has to bite it back. With the mask gone from his face, he can no longer hide what those handsome features portray. Adam steps dangerously closer into her proximity and Noura feels as if suddenly breathing requires effort. She peeks carefully around, finding themselves to be alone, and then meets his gaze.
"Noura." He swallows, and she doesn't miss his own effort at breathing, as if wanting to tell her something both holy and forbidden. "I... There's something I was meaning to speak to you about."
She searches his eyes in puzzlement, as if her answers lie there-- as if those eyes were ever so easy to decipher. "Yes?"
"This is something for you." He holds out the box to her. "But don't open it yet. Not until I tell you."
She proceeds to take it from him. "I'm curious now as to what it is."
"Patience, habibti." He smiles again, this time nervously, and licks his lips. "It's for tonight."
"What is special about tonight?"
"Nothing so far. But there can be, only if you want."
"How so?"
He purses his lips, his jaw working, before he opens his mouth to speak again. "We've been married for some time now. For long actually, but we've only gotten together recently. I was just thinking..." he trails off, as if expecting her to understand what's going on in his head, but she only lifts both eyebrows inquisitively.
"Thinking what?"
This time she sees his face flushing without the mask, once more stealing away his eyes from her. Noura blinks, utterly perplexed. She cannot understand what has the man before her mortified, until he explains.
"We got married but you chose to stay at your home, and then the early days of our marriage were spent in journey from Isfahan to Qahira. Then I was busy with court affairs. We didn't get to spend time together."
"Oh." She fidgets with her sleeve button. "Yes."
"Like proper husband and wife," he adds.
Her own face begins to heat up. "Yes," she agrees meekly, her voice suddenly croaky.
"And I couldn't give you anything on our wedding night either. Not that we had one though." He clears his throat, pausing for a moment, suddenly appearing unsettled to her. "So I thought maybe tonight could be... different. However you want it to be. Of course only if you want it to be. I just... I, well... I thought I'd mention it," he rambles a little, coughing at the end.
Her skin goes from warm to burning to seething. She looks away from him to anywhere else. He does the same. They awkwardly stand before each other, none of them moving or speaking anymore. Her pulse is jumping insanely and her heart has decided to beat down her ribcage. She doesn't know how long can she stay still before her legs give up on her. So she gingerly steps away from him.
"I'll go the chamber," she say quietly.
He nods. She turns around but before she could leave, his fingers lightly brushes her wrist.
"Noura?"
She looks back at him.
"I apologize if I've come off as pushing--"
"You haven't," she cuts him off gently, smiling assuringly. "I'll wait for you at dinner?"
He smiles back and nods again. "I'll be with you soon."
They part ways and she returns to their chamber. When the doors closes behind her, she leans her back against it and her scattered thoughts begin to assemble. Her heart is still in a frenzy from the words she has heard. He wants tonight to be different. He wants something special. Noura releases her breath and pushes herself off the door, walking towards the table to put the box on it before slumping on the bed.
She has loved him for a long time. Despite the distance created between them, her love for him never lessened. Rather it only grew. Despite the secrets he has kept from her, she's learning it's a fear of him to protect her from a hidden threat. She has come not to blame him for his attempts at keeping her out of the harm's way, for she too can go miles for him and cross any limits. Though she's not the one to back down, and despite Adam wanting to do things his way, he can no more keep her out of the picture. And she can no longer fault him or deny him her love.
Lately things have been changing between them. From straying touches to lingering kisses, every time their desires have pushed them past into new territories. Yet none of them so far had dared to go beyond the line. She has been too shy of him despite her raging need for him, and he has been too hesitant due to her previous refusals to him. It was becoming infuriating with how slow they both were progressing in their relationship. But not anymore. Noura cannot help the grin splitting her face.
When Tamara comes to set up the dinner table with Roya, she decides to ask for her assistance. After all, he did give her a choice. And she has made one-- she really wants tonight to be different.
"Tamara?"
She looks up from the table to her. "Yes, sayidati?"
"Bring out my best garments. I want to dress up beautiful tonight."
"You always dress up beautiful, sayidati," Tamara compliments and Noura smiles at her in gratitude.
"Thank you. But let tonight be special. I want to look my most beautiful for my husband."
Tamara and Roya share a look. Noura blushes as an understanding pass between them and Roya's lips pull back, a knowing glint in her eyes. She tries to keep her expression sober as she asks Noura.
"Do you want my help, khanum?"
"I would appreciate it, Roya. Thank you."
"I'll bring you the dresses," Tamara says, and Noura nods at her. She excuses herself and returns moments later with two dresses, one red and the other deep blue. "There are more, sayidati, but I thought these two would fit the most for... the occasion." Tamara holds up the dresses to her, both of them exquisite and stunning, making it difficult for her to choose one. "Which one would you like to wear?"
"The red one," Roya suggests. "You wore red on your nikkah. It suits you."
"What do you think, Tamara?" Noura asks about her opinion now that Roya has given hers.
Tamara ponders over it, gaze flicking between the dresses, before answering, "Blue? I think the Ameer likes darker colors."
Noura hums in agreement. "You're right. He does seem to like darker shades."
She decides to wear the blue dress. After going through the bathhouse and changing into the dress, Roya helps her with her hair which she has let down, and Tamara helps her with the jewelry. She has put on the perfume she has gotten today and is putting kohl in her eyes when the door to their chamber opens. Noura inhales deeply, composing herself, before turning towards it, finding him standing at the threshold.
She doesn't know when her handmaidens have left the room. She doesn't know when she's left alone with him. The moment has frozen in time or it has melted away, she cannot discern. When has he moved from the door towards her? When did their eyes connect and locked firm? What is this feeling in her chest and this tightness in her belly? What is this trepidation she feels within herself? Noura feels the world around them falling apart into nothingness and all that remains of meaning is only his name when she says it.
"Adam."
Her palms feel moist and she subtly wipes them against her dress, fisting the fabric thereafter. She inhales another shaky breath, drawing in his musky scent. He has changed from his tunic into a plain white thobe and his hair appears slightly wet probably from the bath. She lowers her gaze from his face to his shoulders and then looks away.
"Hadha alqalb majnun (this heart is crazy)," he says, tipping up her chin so their gazes keep battling. "Khayin li (a traitor to me)." He leans forward to kiss her forehead, his lips keep lingering on the spot as he continues, his breath tingling her skin. "It doesn't know whether to live for you or die on me." He pulls back to stare into her eyes. "Majnun bihubk (crazy in love with you)."
She bites her cheeks to keep herself from smiling. "One cannot blame a crazy heart, now can we?"
He chuckles and shakes his head. "Never."
She lifts on her toes and pecks his cheek. "Then don't blame mine either."
All the light leaves his orbs. They turn dark, reflecting a bottomless ocean, an abyss too deep to have a bottom. She's sucked into them, getting lost, until his arms capture her and pulls her to himself.
"You dressed up to kill me." His voice is a growl, devoid of accusations and full of yearning, teasing her. "How are you blameless?"
She puts her hands on his shoulders for support as she tilts her face towards him. "As are you with your ways of torture, sayidi."
"Am I?"
"Absolutely, ruthlessly."
He smirks, his nose grazing hers. "You only needed to ask me to end this torture for you."
She clicks her tongue. "I don't beg, my Ameer."
He lets out a sinful laugh, releasing her and moving away, walking towards the dinner table and gesturing for her to join him. She watches him take a seat in front of the fireplace, the glow of the flames illuminating his side profile, bringing out the man in him both a seduction and destruction. He extends a hand towards her.
Noura steps closer and takes his hand. He gently tugs her down to sit beside him. Adam feather kisses her knuckles before letting go of her, tucking a strand of her hair behind her ear as he edges forward and his thumb comes to stroke her lower lip. Her lips part instinctively and he grins, his tongue darting out to lick the corner of his mouth deviously.
"The night is long, farasha. Let us see if your patience can compete your claims."
✵
What is coming up next? Say, shall we continue this in Adam's pov?
I might surprise you as I surprise myself.
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