Chapter 6: Prince of Knights Chp 5
**Because my love for you is beyond words, I decided to shut up** Nizar Qabbani.
"I can always escape and hide," she shook her head forcefully. "No, that repulsive act will only cause great dismay to mother to father and my dearest brother, Badr," Raghad mumbled, eyes fixed on a fish that danced in the creek.
"Perhaps I shall demand Badr's aid. He has always been generous. I am certain he will help me." she tusked at her own words, well aware Badr would never wish blood over her happiness.
It was then the massive stallion hit its hoofs in the tiny stones that the sound wrenched Raghad from her state. Her heart thundered as she turned her head right, and her heavenly eyes met another pair of stony, dark ones. She gasped and impetuously slid from the rock in the process, the velvety skin of her hand dragged on the harsh surface of the stone.
The intruder observed her every move. Promptly she wrapped her shawl tight around her head and dropped her gaze. After a while, she mustered enough audacity to look up, only to find the man had crouched to his knees and drank water from his cupped palms. His hair that had slipped from his red headdress swayed in the wind. The man wore a black thobe that fell on his knees. She trailed her eyes to the horse; the beast had mirrored its master's action and drank water to kill its drought.
The horse! She had seen it somewhere before Raghad could blink, her mind recalled the memory, and a cry sounded from her mouth. He was the man she had glared at; he was the fiend Raghad believed to be an angel. He belonged to Al Borkan. Severe trepidation cloaked her form, and on instinct, Raghad took a step back, prepared to flee.
Lamentably she was not silent enough. When her feet crunched pebbles, the man heard it right away. He rose to his mighty height, and Raghad felt her palms moist, her throat constricted, and water swam in her big eyes anew.
Ya, Allah, help me.
Raghad cursed her unintelligent acts; this was certainly not what she had planned. She was well aware Knights usually stopped at the creek to drink cool water and allow their horses to rest. She had never been unescorted, never so immersed in her world to not hear them approach. Her chest heaved as she gazed under her long, thick lashes. Raghad hissed under her breath when her eyes collided with dark ones yet once again.
The man gazed at her for a while, Raghad took another frantic step back. His eyebrows knit and what he committed next robbed her breath away. The brute of a man sauntered towards her with long strides. A gasp escaped her lips, and the brute halted. She could have sworn his lips twitched into a vicious smile, but there was a great distance between them, and her vision was not clear enough for her to be sure.
Then an ominous grimace emerged on the man's face; she watched as he rotated and mounted the beast so gracefully it baffled her. The man tugged at the reins of his horse then left without so much as a glance back. Once he was out of sight, Raghad sighed and endeavored to tame her breathing and her shoulders that quivered uncontrollably in anger.
Suddenly, a twig snapped near her. Raghad spun around, heartbeat drummed in her ears, in her head as she waited for the man to materialize like a devil. She nibbled on her bottom lip to her relief; it was only Noof with Maha who tagged along. "Ya Noof, you terrified me," she squeaked.
Noof tilted her head and peered at something, and Maha giggled. Raghad followed her gaze, which ceased at her wrist. Instantly she cried in agony as devastated tears ignited her eyes. "Did I not tell you to be heedful when you slide from that rock. Ya, Rabi, Raghad, now your mother will lose her confidence in me, ya Allah," the girl threw her hands in the air, exasperated, and both sisters gaped at her. "You got injured in my keep," then Noof glared at Raghad.
Raghad exhaled, beckoned her little sister towards her. She surveyed as Maha blinked her brown eyes and darted towards her. Together they ambled up to the creek, sat on their knees, so the water that gushed in front of them was mere inches away.
"Come now, mother already is aware how well you take care of me, right Maha?" the little girl gave a sharp nod. "We have been visiting this place from uncountable summers," and yet never has any man from the Borkan tribe intruded this place. "I apologize to have caused you distress," Raghad vocalized in a soft voice.
When she gently placed her hand in the water, Raghad yelped, both Maha and Noof laughed at her. With a sigh, she pushed her hand into the water again; it was cool and stung at her torn skin as it rinsed the blood away with it, her eyes followed her blood that swam away from them until it disappeared on the place the man that drank water from, and she swallowed the lump in her throat.
When the skin was numb, Raghad pulled her wrist out and tenderly encased it with the piece of fabric Noof had torn from her shawl. "Let us go back home," she told her companions, who acceded right away. Raghad took hold of her sister's tiny hand with her injured one, clutched her empty water pot with her other hand.
When they reached their tribe, the girls parted. However, Raghad had no intentions to walk into her tent. She stood there and scrutinized the large tent as the wind swirled around her in a hushed symphony. With an inhale and reluctant steps, she walked in. Her eyes fell upon her family, but a giggle caught her eye.
Salem and Maha played on a corner of the tent.
"As-salaam Alaykum," she murmured and advanced towards her quarter.
"Wa-Alaikum-Salaam," they greeted in silent voices.
"Raghad, my daughter, join us," Umm Badr's soft voice called out.
She sunk her teeth hard on her lip and obeyed like an amenable child. Raghad sat next to her mother and avoided their gazes. She raised her head only to look at Badr; his eyes held apprehension so much despair that it brought tears to her eyes; she looked at Khalid, who stared at her with great love, so much affection kindled her heart.
"How is my daughter?" Sheikh Faisal queried calmly.
Raghad looked straight in his eyes, "You wish to know, father?" her inaudible voice held extreme fury.
Sheikh Faisal sighed and directed his gaze elsewhere. He was tired, tired from the interrogating looks his tribe provided him, exhausted from the activities that took place earlier. Salem looked at her then grinned; the sight of him caused tears to rush in her eyes and play with her lashes.
Khalid decided to end the silence that hung on them like a woolen cloak, "You are aware why they came here today and_" before he could complete his sentence, his mother glared at her son and spoke.
"Raghad binty, you are now his spouse," the mother looked at her daughter. Raghad's beauty blossomed every day; her eyes softened as she gazed at her daughter, but her heart wailed at what they had committed to her.
She could not breathe. The air in the tent clawed at her gullet. Raghad gave a short nod, rose to her violently trembling feet. She walked to her quarters when they could not see her; Raghad permitted tears to flow down her cheeks. Once in her quarter, she sank on the mattress, covered her face with her palm, and grit her teeth.
Her heart compressed in her chest. She felt it roar so hard, by, Allah she believed, it will leap out of her bosom and flee. "Why me?" the desperate hoarse voice questioned; as she rocked back and forth. "What have I done to deserve such a punishment? Oh, Allah helps me, I seek your guidance," tears were her companion for a long time.
That night Raghad denied tasting food even when Badr took her wrist. She merely turned away from him and disagreed to speak. Late at night, when the moon rose high and observed the girl weep and welcome darkness in a deep slumber did her heartbeat steadily. However, soon a voice called out to her and shook her slender shoulder.
She did not sit up but drew her quilt so high on her face; so that only her eyes were visible. Raghad opened her eyes and glared at Badr, who astonishingly chuckled at her. "What is it?" she demanded.
"Hush, remain silent. You have slept late, and your husband's mother and her daughter are here to see you," he appraised her. Raghad closed her eyes as her heart thrashed against her bust; she could not think. Indeed this was not a dream. Oh! How she hoped for this to be a dream.
Ya, Allah!
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