If your love destroys me, consider my destruction glorious.

— Jonny Ox

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Him

"Things have been happening a little unexpectedly lately."

"Do you find yourself unprepared?"

"Am I ever?" He peers up at his vizier from where he's leaning over the table with a map stretched on it. "Only a bit more concerned over certain affairs, that's all."

"What precisely?"

He draws crosses on the map. "The prince after the throne, the general of Baghdad, the queen of the kingdom." He smirks, running his tongue over his upper lip. "And the mayhem in my heart."

His viziers walks over to him, studying the markings on the map as he traces his finger over them. "The situation with the prince is of win or loss. The general of Baghdad is the best we have. The queen of this kingdom holds the heir to this throne." He pauses and looks up, straight into his eyes, dropping his voice a notch meaningfully as he finishes, "And the mayhem in your heart can bring you to your knees."

"Pray tell, why would you say so?"

"Be wary of the woman you desire, for rumors go that she desires another one. Her marriage is nothing but a ploy, I thought that was apparent."

He clenches his jaw as the fury makes the veins in his head pop. The thought never fails to trigger him. His gaze flicks down to the map and he draws another cross on it. "Very apparent," he agrees quietly to himself. "Now, what could be the least brutal solution to this problem?"

Her

"There's a celebration coming in joy of her ladyship, Arwa bint Atta, expecting a child. Here's an invitation for you too, my grace. She hopes you'll join her on this auspicious occasion."

Maysoon dismisses the guard with a wave of her hand. Her maid steps forward to take the invitation from him and the guard leaves with a tip of his head. Noura watches the strained expression on the princess's face as her eyes stare blankly into space. The maid places the invitation in front of her on the table before filling her cup with tea. Noura takes a sip from her own cup.

"Did you receive an invitation too?" Maysoon finally asks without looking at her.

"Yes," she replies.

"Would you go?"

Noura moves aside on the cushions as the afternoon sun shines directly over her, warming her up. The curtains hung from the pergola provides shades from rays where they're pulled apart slightly. The princess pats the spot next to her and she scoots closer.

"I'm not really sure if I should. Malika and I aren't really friends. If anything, we only had a few exchange of words during all my stay here."

"Well you should go since this will be your first celebration here. They're fun, but when coming from the right people." Maysoon turns to her. "Although maybe it'll put you in Arwa's good graces if you join her, so no harm in trying."

"Does it really matter?"

"For all the gossip in the harem that could come at your advantage, yes I suppose."

"Then will you be joining too?"

Maysoon heaves a heavy sigh before reaching for her tea cup. "I don't think Arwa and I can ever be in each other's good graces, darling, no matter what we do."

"Then what do I do at the celebration? I don't know anyone at the harem-- I've no friends."

She takes a sip of her tea. "Manizheh can join you," she refers to her maid who respectfully tips her head at the suggestion.

The idea of sending her maid to the queen instead of joining the event herself appears like frank mockery and a call for rivalry to her from the princess. But Noura doesn't dare coming between the two women whose powers are beyond what she holds.

"I don't understand though," Maysoon adds, "why is no one questioning whose child it is?" Another sip of her tea and she furrows her brows, thinking. "Strange, I thought Al Shafay wasn't interested in taking a queen and so Arwa is still holding the title. But looks like behind closed doors foul things have been cooking. Although there hasn't been any rumor, let alone a news, of them getting married."

"You think it's not the caliph's?" Noura asks with a hammering heart, her conversation with Adam turning her understanding of the situation into complexity rather than any simplicity.

"I don't care whose child it is, as long as Arwa doesn't start another riot over putting them in line for the throne," Maysoon replies, and Noura already registers another riot over the matter. "I'd still rather not have it Al Shafay's though. Not that I expected her to mourn my brother forever, but at least not develop a relationship with someone from her late husband's family."

Noura doesn't say anything to it, and Maysoon directs to her maid. "Manizheh?"

"Yes, my amira?"

"You'll join the celebration. I want you to dig as deep as you can and find what is Arwa up to. What is going on at the court and what the women in harem are talking about. Everything happening at the palace, you'll tell me." Maysoon places her cup on the table and reaches underneath her waistband to pull out a pouch. "Distribute the coins among the servants. Buy what information you can buy from them."

Manizheh takes the pouch and disappears immediately. Maysoon relaxes back against the cushions, her terse features easing a little.

"She'll do the job?" Noura questions.

The princess smirks as if it's an innocent query to her. "You know who is more powerful than a mighty man, Nour?"

Noura arches a curious eyebrow.

"A clever woman." Maysoon nods in the direction in which Manizheh left. "Don't underestimate her. I told you before, she's more capable than many men at the palace. She never disappoints me. Besides," she smiles satisfactorily, "she's a loyal one. And loyalty in this place is a treasure. It's way rare compared to the number of snakes here ready to betray."

"She has been with you for long?"

Maysoon hums in agreement. "Since the time I was living with Sulaiman. He appointed both her and Eskander at my service. Then later on, Eskander left, but she stayed."

The way she makes her last statement unsettles her. A spark goes off in her head, a gut instinct telling her to be heedful of the secrets the princess carries. It alarms her, and suddenly, Maysoon isn't a ray of sunshine as she gazes at her, the savage and predatory glint in her orbs a hailstorm amidst all calm, ready to unleash destruction.

"Eskander was promoted to Ar Raqqa," Noura comments gingerly and Maysoon gives her a crooked smile.

"Oh, sweetie, your brother craves authority more than a man lusts a woman. Such a dominating man he is, isn't he?" She chuckles humorlessly. "Skills and wit can be such a dangerous combination. He's certainly one of a kind."

Noura cannot gather whether she's being ironic or genuinely in awe of Eskander. But neither of the thoughts sit well with her. She cannot hold her tongue from speaking out, "You seem to admire him a lot, amira."

Another smile, naive this time, as she leans closer to her and lowers her voice suggestively. "Don't you?"

"Me?" she utters in slight panic and Maysoon grins, patting her hand.

"Yes. We can admire a lot of people, but each in a different way. Like for you it's special towards your childhood friend with no name."

Noura shakes her head in firm refusal. "I don't admire him in any way. I don't even know him."

Maysoon pulls back with a disappointed expression. "Too bad you've been meeting him as a stranger so long."

"I didn't--"

"Ask for his name," she insists. "He could create trouble for you otherwise. It's better you know him as he knows you."

Noura blinks in puzzlement, her worry only amplifying. "Why would you say that?"

Maysoon glances around, as if making sure they aren't heard, before speaking in hushed tone once more, "I heard the stable keeper mentioning to Eskander something about you running into a man at the bazar. Did he see you both together?"

Noura feels her chest being torn and her heart being ripped out of it. She tries to say something but goes tongue-tied, mouth too dry and parched at once to form any words. All coherent thoughts leave her.

"He told Eskander?"

"I don't know what exactly he told him. I didn't hear much and they stopped talking as soon as they saw me," Maysoon tells her before asking softly, "You don't want your brother to know?"

"There's nothing significant to know, amira. I don't want him to get any false impressions."

"Is there any way I can help?"

"Thank you, but I'll definitely ask you if there's anything I need help with."

Maysoon nods with a comforting smile that does nothing to lull her. She doesn't know Hadi, but she does know he's Eskander's friend. The thought of any misunderstanding between them that can plant doubts in Eskander's heart for her claws at every fiber of her being. She must act and resolve the matter before it escalates, that too without letting anyone know.

Later that day she arrives at the stables to confront Annas and go to meet Hadi before he shows up again at the palace and wreck havoc for her. She takes Hafez with her and doesn't bother asking Eskander to send a royal guard with her. Any additional security is only a threat to her cover being blown.

She finds Annas feeding one of the horses and goes to him. "Annas?"

He turns to look at her. "Sayidati? Marhaba."

Noura nods in acknowledgement to his greeting. "Can we talk? There's something I need to ask you."

Annas gives her a perplexed look. "Of course, sayidati. Is everything alright?"

He places the bucket of hay on the ground and dusts his hands before coming towards her.

Noura clears her throat, asking discreetly, "Annas, did you mention something about me to Eskander?"

He blinks. "What about, sayidati?"

"You tell me."

"Pardon me, but I don't know what you're talking about."

"Everything's good here?"

Noura grinds her teeth so hard that they nearly snap out of their sockets. She glares in the direction of the voice.

"Everything's fine."

Adam strolls towards her, hands tied behind his back. She turns away from him.

"Annas, get a horse for me and Hafez."

"Where are you going? You cannot go anywhere without a royal guard," Adam protests.

"Hell," she hisses at him. "You want to come with me?"

"Lead the way," he replies with amusement.

"I'll just drop you there and leave. Devils like you belong there to rot."

Hafez behind them cough awkwardly. Noura and Adam both turn to him.

"You stay behind," Adam says. "I'll escort the lady."

"I don't take orders from you," Hafez refuses sternly.

"Then you better start working on taking them from me," Adam retorts before directing to her. "You cannot leave the palace without me at your side, Ameer Zakariya's orders."

Noura fumes at him. "I thought you're the queen's guard."

"I can be whoever I want to be. So for now, I'm your guard."

"You manipulated the vizier into giving the order, didn't you?"

He looks at Annas. "Get me and the lady our horses."

"I'm not leaving her side," Hafez interjects. "And especially not leaving her alone with you."

Adam smirks, wicked and sly like his usual self. "The general's orders? Well, you've already disobeyed those orders multiple times now. Want me to go and tell him?"

Noura murders him with her eyes but to no avail. He stubbornly stares back at her and she eventually gives up against him.

"Hafez," she nods at him, "stay behind. I'll leave with Adam."

"But sayidati--"

"I'll speak to Eskander myself, don't worry," she tries to assure but Hafez looks unconvinced. Noura gives him a pleading look. "I'll be back soon."

She leaves with Adam for the bazar, all the while plotting in her head how to dodge him and find a way to meet Hadi. Taking the risk with Hafez was one thing, he would keep her secrets, but Adam won't be so kind if he discovers her plans. She must be prudent around him.

"Stay by my side," he commands as they make their way through the crowd in the bazar.

"As if I've an option."

"You know of the situation at the kingdom. For your own sake, don't stray away from me."

She doesn't reply and he puts an arm around her waist, his touch light, but enough to keep her close by.

"What do you need to buy?" he asks.

"Poison," she huffs. "Would you taste to find the best for me?"

"So desperate to get rid of me?"

"For very apparent reasons."

"You're still upset with me about Arwa?"

"No." She stops in front of a jewelry shop and he does so too. "I'm proud of you. How about we get your queen a congratulations gift?"

He scowls but doesn't respond to her jeering. Noura shifts her attention to the jewelry and the seller starts showing her pieces, bragging, trying his best to sell her something.

She picks up a head chain, elegantly crafted out of gold, simple but beautiful. Noura eyes it a moment, thinking of buying it, momentarily forgetting she was to get a gift for Arwa.

Adam's voice breaks her trance when he asks, "Do you like it?"

"It's pretty."

"Let's buy it then."

"You think the queen would like it?" she asks quietly only for him to hear. "I haven't seen wearing something like this."

"I meant that we should get it for you, habibti, since you like it for yourself."

Noura shakes her head. "I can only afford one piece."

"I didn't ask you to pay for it. I'll buy it for you."

She frowns. "Why would you?"

"Why can't I? I'm your husband."

She rolls her eyes. "Don't remind me."

Adam gives her a look of disapproval. "Don't start here."

The shopkeeper clears his throat. "You want something for your zawja (wife), sayidi? I've more pieces here. Choose something from these. They're the best you'll find."

Noura watches as he presents to them more jewelry, studded with gemstones, stunning, striking, glittering like midnight stars, from earrings to necklaces, one more magnificent than the next. She nearly melts at the sight of them.

"Would you want something from these?" Adam asks.

She tears away her gaze from the pieces before her resolve would shatter. "No." Noura turns away from the shop. "Buy something you find worthy of your mashooqa (lover). You know her better than me. I'll just look for perfumes in this other shop."

She leaves him behind, ignoring his calls after her, and pulls the hood of her cloak forward, coming to stand in the shop besides the jewelry stall. Adam keeps his eyes on her and she pretends to be engrossed looking for perfumes, watching him from her peripheral vision, waiting until he shifts his attention away from her. And when he's busy paying for whatever pieces he has bought, Noura quickly blends into the crowd and flees in the opposite direction.

She knows he'll go crazy when he finds her gone. She knows he'll stop at nothing until he finds her again. She only has a limited time to meet Hadi and literally beg to stop making things difficult and miserable for her.

Noura makes her way to where he would usually be sitting at the plank but he's not there. She looks for the beggar she met last time who knew Hadi, but she cannot find him either. She recalls the way he had shown her to his home and decides to take the chance.

As she leaves the bazar to cross the street down towards the town, the feeling that she's being followed makes the hair on her body stand in alarm. She throws a quick glance behind her but finds no one. Quickening her pace, she unsheaths her dagger and hold it tightly underneath her cloak.

When she arrives at his house, the same small building clustered among others and covered in vines and jasmines, she finds a lock at his door. Her heart drops in dismay at the sight.

"Where do I find you now?" she mumbles to herself.

"Can I help you?" someone asks.

She looks to her side and finds a man walking towards her. From the cloth over his face masking it and a sword outlined under his cloak she gets enough warning she needs and begins to move away.

"I'm good, thank you."

"Are you looking for someone? I might know him."

"My husband. He's here with me," she excuses and turns back in the direction of the street she came from, only to find another man blocking it.

"What's his name?" the man closes in on her and she backs away in another direction.

"Don't come near me." Her eyes flick between both the men as her fingers tighten around her dagger. She keeps it hidden for her defense.

"I'll only ask a few questions, beautiful, don't be afraid."

He reaches for her arm and she flies the dagger at him. The man clearly doesn't see it coming as his eyes widen in shock, too late to react before she buries it right below his shoulder. He growls and curses out loudly at her. Noura twists the dagger and pulls it out in time as the other man blocking the street dashes towards them. She sprints down another street, barely missing as her offender tries to grasp her cloak. She slashes his fingers in her frenzy and runs away, leaving him hollering behind her in agony.

The other man charges after her like a wild beast as they chase through the streets. She holds up her dress with one hand and the bloodied dagger in another. Her heart screams from within her ribcage. Her ears ring from the echoes of the boots behind her. Blood rushes through her body with such ferocity she cannot even register anything anymore but to escape her stalker somehow.

And then he grabs her cloak from behind and jerks her back. She loses her footing and falls into him. Noura doesn't waste a second swinging the dagger at him, but unlike his partner he judges her action and dodges the attack before holding her arm and twisting it.

"Ah!" she cries out in pain and the dagger falls from her hand. He kicks it away and she back kicks him in the shin.

He tugs her from her hood and sneers at her. "Your attempts are wasted on me. Game over, little one."

Someone appears behind the man and grabs him by the jaw. He jerks back his head and swiftly slits his throat with a dagger. The blood spurts out from his neck and hits her in the face. Everything happens so fast that she forgets to breathe. Noura watches in horror as his eyes roll back in his skull. Thud. And he falls lifeless to her feet.

"Game over," her savior declares.

✵

Who sent the men?

Who saved the day?

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