Free Sweet Obsession by Theodora Koulouris Page B

with the young guard. Behind me Abdul’s mother stifled a cry, to which the prince called out, “Silence, woman! I will not have any more tears! Do you hear me?” he barked.
    In the distance, I heard Abdul and his mother beg for mercy, and I winced, knowing I had put them in this predicament. Anger set in my heart. Nidal was not being fair. I never knew this side of him. Is this what I have to look forward to if I become his bride? But then I realized that he might not want to make me his bride anymore. Hadn’t he told me that dreaded day that he regretted asking me to marry him? He even called me a tramp! How dare he!
    The guard pulled me next to his horse and motioned for me to get on it. With his help, I climbed the horse. He joined me, and we headed toward the palace. I never looked behind me, but I heard the other horses with the guards traveling behind us. In an hour’s time, we reached the palace. I sighed, knowing that everyone would see my tied hands and know the reason behind it. I was helped off the horse and walked with the guards like a prisoner guilty of treason. Such I was to the eyes of this kingdom. But they judged me unfairly. They knew not what lay in my heart.
    Everyone at court, including all the servants of the palace, was lined up outside. They were going to make an example of me. I was paraded in front of all the people like a dog. They all stared at me wide-eyed, and I saw pity in their eyes. At the end of the line that stopped in front of the huge palace doors were the king and queen. I dropped my head in shame, unable to look them in the eyes.
    “Release her this instant!” cried the queen in a voice full of agony.
    “But my queen, we have orders from the prince to treat her like a prisoner. She is to be locked up in her rooms.” He bowed in front of her majesty.
    “I demand you release her immediately before I throw you in the dungeon. Do you hear me, lad?” the queen roared.
    The young guard scrambled to do as he was told. He untied my hands and released me to the queen. The king raised his eyebrows and looked at me with disdain as I walked up to the royals and bowed. Tears flowed down my cheeks, and the queen reached out and pulled me into her arms, giving me a warm hug. I heard the king sigh disgustedly as he witnessed this. In the background, I heard the rest of the horses and the men approach the grounds. Within seconds, I heard Nidal’s voice.
    “Mother, you dare to go against my wishes!” he barked, more of a statement than a question. “You know by law she has to be punished for what she did! She stole our black stallion. She is a thief! I will not have you breaking the law for the likes of her!” He walked up to us, grabbed my arm in a tight hold, and pulled me away from the queen.
    I saw the king’s smirk before he turned and walked inside the palace. The queen stood frozen, staring at her son in disbelief.
    “No one is exempt from punishment if he or she commits a crime. Not even Loula!” he said arrogantly.
    The queen opened her mouth to give him a piece of her mind, but her son silenced her by putting his hand up in the air. “Enough, Mother!” he warned.
    And the queen heeded the warning and clamped her mouth shut.
    The prince pulled me through the palace doors as the guards stepped aside, and he marched me down the corridor to our chamber. He threw the door open and pushed me inside, closing the door behind us. Standing in front of me, Nidal gave me the meanest, cold look I had ever witnessed on his beautiful face.
    “If you ever do that again, Madam, you will not be so lucky. I will personally see to it that you end up in the dungeon,” he growled.
    “And if you ever humiliate me again, I will personally see to it that you will never see me again!” I was quick to yell back without thinking.
    Nidal threw his head back and laughed aloud. “If I were you, I would check my manners because my patience is running thin with you, my dear. You have overstepped your