The Desert Prince and The Dreamer

Chapter 2

Lailah's heart increased it's tempo as she drove the Airport hire Jeep cherokee crazily towards the Palace ignoring the sand her tyres were raising. She had a grin on her face and just couldn't wait to see Sapphire. Four years, s**t, that was quite a long time. Four years ago the King had offered to pay for her college and had sent her to study International Relations at the University of Salamanca in Spain. It had been a very sad moment for her and Sapphire and the two girls had clang to eachother and cried until Ms. Latiffah had taken her in one of the cars that was going to drive to the Airport. Ms Latiffah was allowed to escort her daughter to the Airport but Sapphire wasn't, She had remained behind crying. The two had always been inseparable for the eighteen years they had known eachother, they did all the mischieve together and finally the Queen had had enough of it and had talked to the King to send the girl and her Mother away. The King having had a soft spot for his late Chief guard, Mustafah, he had always wanted to see his family safe and looked out for them, so he had opted to send the girl away to Spain under the care of his longterm friend King Guilliamo Santos. The girls though never knew all that had happened, all they knew was that the King had wanted Lailah to go to a good college while his daughter was to attend the Royal college in Oman.

Lailah had never returned, she had done part time jobs to get some more money in her purse. She only communicated with her Mother and Sapphire everyday over the phone. They would talk for hours when they both didn't have to study.

Lailah smiled as She thought back on their conversations. They talked about her new place and the parents, and once in a while She could ask Sapphire about her brothers, Lailah knew Shaffik had had an interest in her although he was always teasing her but her heart had always longed for the standoffish Prince Zayn, She knew he never liked her even one bit. He was always a serious boy growing up and Lailah was always amazed how Sapphire was never scared of him. He always brushed her off each time she had gotten the chance to speak to him, She even wondered if he actually knew how he looked because he always squinted at her then dismissed her like shee was a no body. Lailah would feel hurt and talk to her Mother who always advised her to leave the Prince alone.

Now She was a grown independent woman, She wanted to stay a while then take her Mother and they return to Spain. She had a job as one of the consultants of King Guilliamo. After graduation, King Guilliamo who had always stayed away from her had approached her and invited her to his home. There She had seen the inside of a real Palace for the first time. It was as beautiful as ever can be, a bit different in description from the Oman Palace where her mother worked. She had been surprised at how King Guilliamo's Palace was so open to a lot of people. She had her own apartment near the Palace and travelled a lot with the King and other advicers. Queen Minerva was also an amazing woman. Lailah was so free with both of them and they always treated her like their child that's why she really wanted her Mother to come live with her and stop working as a maid. Maybe also Sapphire would come with them, since She was now a grown woman too and could do whatever She wanted.

All She wanted to see when She reached the Palace was her Mother and Sapphire. Then She would maybe see the King and Thank him for everything. She had a few gifts for a few people. She planned to stay for one month but King Guilliamo had convinced her to stay the whole summer. She and Sapphire would do a lot of things together. Being to Spain had taught her to Stand up for herself and be confident in her decisions. The first year alone in the foreign country had been hard, the people were not friendly to strangers and they only spoke Spanish. Lailah had always loved learning languages but she was still in shock of leaving behind the people She loved. As the years flew by, slow in the beginning then faster after the third year, She was always looking forward to returning home but even then, Spain had now become her home, everyone loved her unlike in Oman where some people just tolerated her while others straight out hated her. She was just sure of two people who cared for her.

The gates of the Palace opened as a guard recognised her and waved her in with a smile. Her heart swelled as she parked in the maids quarters. She hadn't announced her arrival date and had wanted to surprise them, She had only told Sapphire but hadn't told her the time. It was past lunchtime so probably everyone was resting. She got out of the car and went towards her Mother's quarters and knocked. No one answered, 'She's probably still in the Palace.' She thought and got out her phone then shook her head and put it back in her bag. She tapped her six inch Fendi heels as she waited impatiently. That is a bad habbit she had learnt, She loved to do everything on time and if a thing delayed she would become so irritated. She crossed her arms over her long sleeved colourful silk blouse that was tucked into white pants. She removed her hijab and her fingers went through her silk honey hair in irritation. She counted backwards from twenty then gave up and decided to go to the Palace. Everyone was probably there, She put back her hijab neatly and walked slowly acknowledging the guards who smiled back at her in pleasure. She was a sweetheart of most guards as She was always mischievious. She took her time and headed to the garden, She wouldn't dare enter the Palace, who knew what monsters time had created! She slowed down as She reached the garden and heard voices then the smell of coffee. She almost groaned, It's as if Sapphire knew the time She was coming that she prepared her favorite coffee for her. She never stopped drinking her Aramaic coffee, it was the first thing She did every morning after her Morning prayers. She sneaked closer to the wall not realising that the voices were actually male, probably the guards. She counted to five then jumped out in a move She had copied on some action movie and screeched, "Boo...," then her eyes registered the people and "Oh." She added. She was cut off midway as She realised that She wasn't actually scaring her friend Sapphire but was making a fool of herself infront of the King who was kind of trying to hold in his laughter and some angry guy who didn't seem amused even for a second. Infact he looked absolutely over the top mad. He stood up so quickly forcing Lailah to almost cower under his height. He looked so big as he stood over her at six feet tall and unsmiling, that was totally scary.

"Who are you and how dare you interrupt us?" The man growled at her. She looked straight at him in his eyes, deep grey, cold steel round orbs and her heart even went crazier. 'what the hell? No stop.' She pleaded with her heart but She was betrayed.

"Hi Prince Zayn." She managed to squeak out.