Chapter: Prologue, 1
Fandom: Miraculous Ladybug
AU: Arabian Past Life
Rating: T (for language and some sensitive material)
Word Count: 8,226
Summary: "Well," Plagg started as he began to think of a devious idea. "This princess you're supposed to be meeting is technically a guest, right?"
A/N: Sorry it's been so long. After I posted the prologue I had finals and then surgery after that and then recovery put me in all kinds of moods…. ANYWAY! Here's an update! Hopefully the next one won't take so long. And sorry if there's some errors or confusion in this….. I didn't use a beta reader this time….
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"I can't do this." Myasin spoke out, her voice shaking a bit as she stood in front of the small hidden door in her room.
"Yes you can. You've been doing this for two years now so you can do it!" Tikki supported as she floated in front or the girl's face, trying to encourage her the best she could.
"But Tikki, I don't think you understand. It was easy at first; he corroborated then and was nice. Now, he's scary and stubborn and I really don't like doing this every morning." Myasin countered, trying her hardest not to show how nervous and scared she was.
"But it's your job to do wake Firnas up each morning." Tikki reminded her. "Yes, he's gotten a bit more stubborn recently, but you know he won't do anything to you except complain about getting up." Tikki gave Myasin a smile to help cheer her up. "Now. Take a deep breath and repeat after me."
Myasin took a deep breath with Tikki.
"I can do this."
"I can do this." Myasin repeated.
"I am not scared."
"I am not scared."
"I do this every morning."
"I do this every morning."
"This is nothing new."
"This is nothing new."
"I can do this!" Tikki said with a bit more enthusiasm.
"I can do this!" Myasin repeated, with a little less enthusiasm than Tikki.
"Great!" Tikki cheered as she flew in to hug her friend's honey colored cheek. "Now get in there and show him whose boss." She cheered before flying into her honey yellow shayla to hide inside it. "Just keep reminding yourself that you can do this." Tikki reminded as she peeked out from over Myasin's shoulder.
Myasin nodded her head and then faced the plain door in front of her and took in a deep breath as she went to push the door open. I can do this. I can do this. I can do this.
She walked into the massive, dark room and quietly closed the door behind her and covered it with the red curtain that hung from the ceiling. Myasin looked around the room. Throughout the two years she had been employed as the Prince's personal assistant, the room had not changed much. Half of it was still bare, with only a lounge chair and a table with a matching chair filling up with the area, and the other half was covered in an array of colorful pillows thrown about in the sunken lounge area and on the floor near the bed that looked too big for the single person sleeping in it. Myasin zeroed in on the sleeping form in the bed and wasn't surprised to see him in the same position he was always in each morning; sleeping on his stomach with his head turned away from the room and his face covered with a pillow so absolutely no light could hit his eyes. His sleeping position used to be more tamed in the past, but it's become more wild and relaxed as his responsibilities grew.
"Come on, you can do this." Tikki whispered from over Myasin's shoulder after noticing that she wasn't moving.
Myasin looked down at the red kwami and nodded her head as a signal that she understood. She then took a deep breath and took the steps needed to cross over to the half of the room that still made her uncomfortable even after two years. She stood by the bed, not really liking this chore of hers and would rather do something more tedious, but she knew it had to be done.
"Um, Firnas." Myasin said hesitantly as she shook the Prince's shoulder. "It's time to wake up."
Firnas responded by stubbornly groaning into his pillow as he buried his face in it.
"Look, I know you're tired, but you have to get up. You have your morning lessons today and you need to be on time for them this time or else we'll both get yelled at." Myasin pressed on as she shook his shoulder again.
"Ok, ok! I'm getting up!" Firnas snapped as he tried to swat her hand away. "Why can't I have just one morning to sleep in?" He mumbled to himself as he rolled over and sat up.
"Because you're a prince and have duties to fulfil and lessons to learn before you take the throne." Myasin answered a bit hesitantly as she quickly walked off to gather Firnas's clothing for the day, putting space between the two of them.
"Yeah, I wasn't really looking for an answer." Firnas responded with a yawn as he scratched the back of his head, making his chocolate brown bedhead hair even messier.
"Sorry." Myasin mumbled as she set the Prince's clothing down at the foot of the large bed. "But you do have to do it, that's what happens when you're born in your position. Also, you are getting to that age when your father and others expect more of you, especially when you're the only son of the royal family."
Firnas looked at her with dead, tired eyes. "Myasin, it is way too early to be lectured."
"For you maybe." Myasin said as she walked off to open the balcony curtains, hinting that she had been up a lot longer than he has.
Firnas continued to stay sitting in his spot on the bed, fighting the urge to go back to sleep and half listening to Myasin recite his schedule for the day. He just wanted to go back to sleep, and the sudden light flooding into his room made him do just that. After Myasin pulled the balcony curtain open, Firnas quickly pulled the covers back over his head to block out the light and to try to get in a few more moments of sleep before she spotted him.
But that didn't last long.
"Will you please get up? I'm tired of fighting with your bad mood every morning." Myasin said as she pulled the covers off and far away from him.
Firnas glared up at her after his emerald eyes adjusted to the light. Do it Firnas. You can easily take her down. Just do it. He thought to himself as a plan to take down and make his assistant/friend stop waking him up.
Myasin held her own as she glared back him, really showing that she meant what she said and was ready to fight back if she needed to.
I can't do it. Firnas thought to himself as he sighed and forgot his attack plan. "Fine, I'm getting up." He said as he swung his leg to the edge of the bed. "So what am I supposed to do for today?"
"Well, you have your first lesson of the day after breakfast. Today you're supposed to go over the kingdom's foreign affairs, which means you're going to learn about your father's friends and how to keep them happy." Myasin started as she went to prepare Firnas's wash basin.
Firnas went back to half listening to what Myasin said as he stood up from the bed and stretched out his back and arms; giving her vague responses to make her think he was fully listening. He walked over to the clothes that were neatly folded at the foot of the bed and instantly unfolded them and threw them out to get a better look at them. He wasn't planning on meeting anyone outside the kingdom that day, so today's outfit was a simple white tunic top with gold embroidery around the lining and matching white pants.
"Oh, and Samarah told me to make sure you keep the end of your day free so she can speak with you." Myasin spoke out as she moved the filled water basin to the small desk on the bare half of the room.
"Samarah?" Firnas said with obvious venom in his voice as he reached behind his back to take off the top he slept in. "What the hell does she want?"
"I don't know, she wouldn't tell me and just kept saying that it was none of my business." Myasin responded, her sentence trailing off once she turned around and was greeted to the sight of Firnas's bare dark almond colored back.
"You're my assistant and she knows that if she wants to talk to me about something, she has to tell you first no matter what the topic is." Firnas says a bit annoyed with the woman in question's actions. "I know she can be stubborn on that pedestal of hers, but did you at least remind her of that?" Firnas asked as he turned and looked back at Myasin. "Uh Mais, are you ok?" He asked as he arched an eyebrow in confusion.
Myasin's face was completely red and her eyes wide open in shock, or maybe amazement. Once Firnas's question reached her ear, she was slightly shaken out of her trance for a moment and shifted her gaze to Firnas's eyes. "Uh, yeah. I'm fine." Myasin responded, turning her head away as her face deepened in color.
She was lying and Firnas knew it. And easily took the bait. "Are you sure?" Firnas asked as he propped his hand on his hip. "I mean your face is blood red and it's been unusually hot lately. I really don't need you passing out on me like you did last time." He had a sort of smug air to him when saying this, which isn't surprising since he knew what he was doing and knew how it would effect Myasin.
She could feel her cheek burn. Firnas was obviously having too much fun with the teasing and it wasn't helping her at all. "I'm fine, really!" Myasin said nervously as she tried to think of a way out. "I'm going to go get your backfast – I mean breakfast now. Excuse me." She said quickly she rushed over to the main door of the room and quickly let herself out.
Firnas's cocky smile grew into a grin as he watched her rush out, feeling a bit triumphant with how everything played out.
"Do you have to do that every morning?" Plagg yelled out as he crawled out from under one of the pillows on Firnas's bed. After freeing himself, the kwami let out a big yawn before floating over to where Firnas stood.
"Oh be quiet. You get to have your fun during the night, and I get to have mine during the day." Firnas said as he brushed off the kwami's criticizing. "Besides, she's really cute whenever her face is red."
The little black kwami sat on Firnas's bare shoulder, rubbing his eyes so he could wake up a bit more. "Have you ever thought that maybe she gets that way because she's uncomfortable with you undressing in front of her?" Plagg asked as he scratched at one of his ears. "I mean," he said with a yawn, "she was bought to be a mistress to begin with."
All of Firnas's confidence instantly came crumbling down like shattered class.
While on the other side of the door, Myasin's emotions were more like a thousand bees buzzing in a closed jar. She didn't know what to do. Her face was hot to the touch and she knew that she couldn't go anywhere without people noticing. All she wanted to do was to do disappear right then and there.
Tikki peeked out from over Myasin's shoulder and looked up at her. "Are you ok?"
"Do I look ok?" Myasin asked as she looked down at the little red kwami, her cheeks still beat red. "Why does he always have to do that every morning? It's embarrassing. Does he not understand that we're not kids anymore? That he's not a kid anymore?"
"Maybe he just doesn't think about it because he's comfortable with you." Tikki offered as a suggestion. "You are the only one he seems to open up to around here."
"Ok, but still, just once, I wish he wouldn't do that." Myasin said as she slumped against the door, already tired even though the day was just beginning. "I know it harmless, but it just… I don't know."
"Myasin, you know what's going on. You just need to hurry and accept it." Tikki said as she shook her head at her friend in slight disappointment.
"You know I can't Tikki. There's not point if I do." Myasin responded as she hugged herself, feeling a bit guilty over her own thoughts and ashamed that Tikki knew about them. The little kwami has always put Myasin's happiness before her own, so refusing to take Tikki's advice really hurt her.
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The day was bright and promising. With clear blue skies and birds chirping, doing chores in the palace garden was peaceful. At least it would be if the heat wasn't so harsh. Myasin hated the heat when working in the garden with Kaela, but at least it was a chore she only had to do once a week. Albeit she was Firnas's personal assistant, Myasin had to do other chores while he was in his lessons since it was thought to be pointless to have her just stand around and not work during those times. So now, among her other small task chores during the Prince's lesson, she was to help Kaela with tending to the palace garden at the beginning of every week.
"So, how did it go?" Kaela asked as her and Myasin walked down the paths that went through the garden. Both girls were carrying watering jugs and stopping now and then to water some of the browning plants.
"How did what go?" Myasin asked as she stopped to water a flowering shrub.
"Waking the beast this morning?" Kaela clarified as she motioned toward a plant that needed to be watered.
Myasin made her way to the browning shrub. "The same as usual. Stubborn and absentminded."
"He undressed in front of you again?" Kaela asked, trying her best to hold back a laugh.
"Yes!" Myasin answered as if the answer was as obvious as the sun in the sky. "Good thing it was just his shirt this time, but I just don't understand why he does it every morning. I mean, I'm walking around the room, I am telling him his schedule for the day, and I'm pulling things out and setting them out for him. I am obviously there, so I don't understand why he acts as if I'm not. There is no way he was always like this in the morning. At first he got up with no trouble and would listen to me and not change clothes till after I left. But now, it's like he's not even thinking anymore." Myasin looked over a Kaela. "What?" She asked once she saw an expression she wasn't expecting.
Kaela was smiling, obviously enjoying their morning story time. "Nothing. I'm just so happy how close you two have gotten over the years. I swear I thought it would have taken a lot longer."
"What are you talking about?"
Kaela walked over to a browning plant. "Well, I thought it would take you and Prince Firnas a lot longer to get used to each other. I mean when you first got here, you would barely say two words to anyone and always looked at people as if they were going to rob you right on the spot. Also, Firnas has always been against receiving gifts from his father for as long as I can remember so I'm surprised he didn't keep trying to send you somewhere else in the palace after the first night."
"And you're point is?" Myasin asked, interrupting Kaela so that she could hurry with her analysis.
"My point is," Kaela started again, "that you and Prince Firnas both had very high walls built around yourself when you first met. But now, those walls seem to be gone and you two are really close. You two are always together whether you're doing your job or not, he actually listens to and only really talks to you, and you two have become so comfortable around each other that he's started to act without hesitation around you. Have you not noticed besides the your 'morning terror'?"
"Not really. I mean, I have to stay near him since I'm his assistant so I never really notice how much time we spend together. Besides, most of it is spent with me telling him to stop complaining about the Sultan's mistresses and that if he wants to be left alone to just leave them alone."
"Well, I see more than that." Kaela added, hoping to open Myasin's eyes a bit more. "You two just seem a bit more relaxed when you're together and it makes me happy that Naima and I picked you over some other girl. It was a good pick for both you and Prince Firnas."
Myasin looked at her a bit confused, not really understanding what Kaela was saying but also not really wanting to go into the conversation anymore. "Whatever you say." She said as she continued her chore of watering the plants.
"I'm serious!" Kaela exclaimed and she hurried to walk next to Myasin. "You two have just seem to be the best thing to happen to each other. Also, something in me is saying that you've grown on Prince Firnas in more ways than just him simply trusting you."
Myasin stopped in her tracks. Knowing what she's learned about how Kaela thinks over the years, she knew exactly what she meant. "We haven't done anything." She spoke out, now rethinking about how she felt about Kaela and their friendship.
Kaela looked back at her, realizing how her words affected Myasin once she saw her face. "I didn't mean it like that. Sorry." Myasin didn't say a word and just went back to work. "What I meant was that, he just does more on his own when you're around. He's more patient and doesn't speak out against his father in public that much anymore. Also, he's super protective of you. He won't even let you out of his sight no matter what since your first night here."
"That's because I'm supposed to say in his sight. I'm his assistant remember?" Myasin countered.
"And in your situation, he keeps an eye on you more than you do on him. Like he is now." Kaela retorted, smirking a bit as she looked over at the small tent that housed the Prince's morning lessons, catching him in the act before he could turn away.
Myasin opened her mouth to speak, but nothing came to mind so instead she let out a frustrated sigh and rolled her brown eyes as she went back to work. She thought of looking over to make sure, but knew if she did Kaela would win and never let her forget it.
Across the courtyard, in an orange and gold colored cabana, Firnas's morning lesson was well under way with his instructor droning on about the neighboring empires and further allied territories that he needed to know before taking the throne. Firnas on the other hand, was busy focusing his thoughts on other things.
Maybe Plagg was right. She was tense all morning and looked irritated when talking to Kaela. And Kaela looked over here so they were definitely talking about me. Then again, she probably did that because she caught me staring at them.
Firnas scratched the back of his head, happy that he didn't have to wear his usual turban that day and have a certain kwami whisper crazy thoughts into his ear.
I need to apologize, but I can't do that being stuck here.
Firnas looked up at his teacher that was sitting across from him, still talking about the different empires near and far while pointing at their locations on a map. His instructor looked young, but the greying hair gave his age away. He was serious about his job since the Sultan himself appointed him to teach the Prince about foreign affairs, so there was no way Firnas could just walk out of the lesson or end it early like he could with his other instructors.
Maybe I should apologize tonight when we're alone? Or maybe the sooner the better?
Getting frustrated with his own thoughts, Firnas gave up on when to execute his plan for a moment and looked out at the garden again. Unintentionally, he scanned the garden for Myasin, hoping to see that her mood had changed for the better a bit, but she was nowhere to be found. Firnas's anxiety buzzed. He didn't like not knowing where his assistant was, no less not being able to see her and what she was doing or who she was talking to. Myasin was pretty and everyone in the palace knew what she was originally bought for, so that made the Prince nervous about her being alone. She was a walking target to all the old perverts whenever Firnas wasn't next to her.
"Your highness." Firnas's instructor spoke out, snapping him momentarily away from his frantic search. "Please pay attention. You need to know this before taking the throne."
"Yeah, yeah, I know." Firnas responded, his mind still 1,000 miles away. "Uh, how about we just take break for a moment? I really need to stretch my legs." Firnas pushed himself out of his seat and started to walk out of the small cabana.
"You're highness, we don't have time for breaks." The instructor spoke out.
"It'll be just for a moment, I just want to walk around." Firnas retorted in a rush, ignoring his instructor's protest as he continued out toward the garden.
Firnas walked out toward the middle of the garden, the last place where he saw Myasin with Kaela. He looked around for a moment, soon spotting Kaela at the side of the garden busy arranging a pot of exotic flowers. While doing a final look around the garden he made his way over to the servant, hoping for some answers.
"Kaela!" Firnas spoke out once he was close.
The woman looked over at him, a bit surprised. "Your highness? Is your lesson over already?"
"No, I asked for a break. Where's Myasin?" Firnas asked, wanting to get right to the root of his search.
Kaela smirked. "I needed another pot, so I sent her to get it for me." She responded as she went back to work.
"She's supposed to be helping you, not be ordered around by you." The idea of his assistant taking orders from someone other than him was something Firnas hated the most. She was his assistant, no one else's.
Kaela chuckled over Firnas's annoyed expression. She had always loved the tease the Prince just to see what expression he would make ever since he was little. "Calm down. I didn't order her to get it. I just mentioned that I needed to get one when this project was done and she offered to go get it to save time. You really need to loosen the leash on her a bit. Myasin isn't a timid, quiet girl like she was when she first arrived. She can hold her own now."
"I know." Firnas admitted stubbornly. "It's just," he looked around the garden again, "I just don't like it when she's out of my sight."
"I think this is the first time I've ever seen you so attached to one of your father's gifts." Kaela laughed, really enjoying seeing the Prince being anxious over being apart from his assistant. "If only Naima was here to see you now. She never believes me when I tell her how possessive you are with Myasin."
"I'm not possessive with her." Firnas protested, getting more annoyed with Kaela's teasing.
"Firnas, you are. You never let her out of your sight, you demand for her to be next to you all day, you practically pitched a fit when she was made to help others with chores during your lessons, and once you notice she's gone you instantly go looking for her like you are now. You're possessive of Myasin, and you don't like sharing her with anyone. Just hurry and accept it."
Firnas crossed his arms in defeat. "I'm just worried about her being alone."
"And I don't blame you, Myasin's a pretty girl, and small too, so that makes her an easy target. But like I said earlier, she can hold her own now." Kaela said as she went back to her work. She looked back over at Firnas, feeling a bit concerned over his worried look now as he continued to look around the garden. "Stop it."
"Stop what?" Firnas asked as he looked at the older woman.
"Stop looking around for her. She'll be back. Besides, if you don't, your anxiety will only worsen."
"You don't know that."
Kaela looked Firnas straight in the eyes, her expression completely serious, something that was unusual for her. "I've known you since you were eight. So yes, I do."
Firnas then completely gave up, dropping his arms and refusing to look around the garden again.
From one of the nearby archways leading out to the garden, Myasin walked out carrying a vase that practically covered the entire top half of her body. Firnas quickly noticed her and took a step in the direction she was coming from, but soon became aware that Kaela was still watching him and refused to give her another chance to pick on him.
"Oh just go." Kaela spoke out without looking over.
Right on cue Firnas hurried over in Myasin's direction, quickly closing the gap between them and taking the vase away from her.
"Where did you go?" Firnas demanded as he looked down at his assistant.
Myasin looked up at him confused, still processed what just had happened. "Why aren't you with your instructor?" She asked seriously, knowing that if someone saw him out and about she would be the one in trouble.
"Uh, well, you disappeared!" Firnas responded, first on the defensive then turning the blame around on Myasin.
"I was helping Kaela. You know, my chore for right now." Myasin responded as he reached out to take the vase back from Firnas.
"I got it." Firnas said as he turned away. "It's too big for you to be carrying anyway."
"If I get in trouble again, you better take the blame." Myasin said a bit annoyed as she gave up and started to walk back toward Kaela.
"I do that already." Firnas responded as he caught up with her.
"But no one listens and I still get in trouble."
She had him there. With the realization that Myasin usually was punished for his action and what he puts her through most days, the guilt Firnas was feeling earlier grew.
"I'm sorry." Firnas mumbled, his tone softening.
Myasin raised an eyebrow and looked at the Prince. "For what?"
"For a lot. Your days are already hard enough without me causing trouble. But mostly for what happened this morning. I wasn't thinking and now realize that that must be really uncomfortable for you."
Myasin was a bit touched that he was actually apologizing. She naturally just thought he wasn't aware of his morning behavior as much as she was. Even though Firnas was someone who wanted nothing to do with his title or lifestyle and just wanted to do what he wanted, he was still very considerate of others and would never hesitate to admit he was wrong.
"Thank you." She smiled at him, but soon noticed his worried look and knew he was still beating himself up mentally. "But, don't let it worry you so much."
"What?"
"Don't worry about it too much." Myasin repeated. "I mean, we've basically been glued together since day one so naturally we'll end up doing or saying things without thinking about it. Just try not to do it again, ok?"
Firnas smiled, relieved that she didn't hate him. "Ok!"
"Your highness," Firnas's instructor shouted from across the courtyard, "your break has lasted long enough."
Firnas looked back at the instructor, visibly annoyed with the man.
"Go back before things get worse." Myasin said as she took the vase out of Firnas's hands.
"Ok." Firnas responded, sounding defeated as he dropped his shoulders. He turned around to start back toward the cabana, but stopped for a moment. "Don't forget our plans for tonight." He said quickly as he looked back at Myasin before continuing on back to his lesson.
Myasin rolled her eyes at him as she turned to carry the vase over to Kaela.
"So what are these plans you two have?" Kaela asked as she finished her flower arrangement.
"It's nothing. Mind your own business." Myasin responded as she set the vase down, obviously annoyed with Kaela's unhealthy interest about what she and Firnas do throughout the day.
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"Firnas, I'm hungry." Plagg said as he sprawled across the piles of papyrus papers that Firnas was reading. "Feed me."
"Not know Plagg," Firnas said as he shooed the kwami off his papers, "I need to read these."
Plagg floated up and away from the papers and then flew over to sit on Firnas's shoulder. "Why are you reading these? You never study after your lessons."
"I was distracted today so I didn't really learn anything. I need to make up for it."
Plagg fell back on Firnas's shoulder. "In other words, you were distracted by a certain brown haired girl and now you're neglecting me to make it up to her."
What Plagg said was partially true, but not entirely. Throughout the day, Firnas went from lesson to lesson with the occasional distraction from either Myasin disappearing or from some his little sister's appearing and demanding he spend time with them. The strain of being pulled between duty and leisure really took a toll on him and made the day seem to last forever.
"I'm not neglecting you." Firnas said, sounding a bit insulted as he looked at his shoulder.
Plagg quickly sat up. "Then feed me! I'm wasting away here!"
"No you're not. I gave you some cheese when I got back and you can wait till Myasin comes back with more."
Plagg sighed as he pushed up from Firnas's shoulder and floated over the table. "Poor, poor Firnas. At first all you wanted to do was have fun and ruin people's day with me, but now you're all serious just because some girl told you to be. It won't be long till you become a boring adult like all my past chosens."
Firnas looked up at Plagg unamused, knowing exactly where he was going with the conversation. "I'm not turning into a boring adult. My father is just pushing me more so that I'm prepared to take over after him and Myasin is trying to keep me and her out of trouble. But all that doesn't mean I'll suddenly stop causing bad luck with you. We're still, and will always be, partners."
Plagg flew closer and narrowed his big green eyes as he stared Firnas down. "Yeah, but I bet if you keep letting that Deasuqa girl hand your ass to you, then all that fun will end soon."
Firnas let out a frustrated sigh as he sat back in his seat and rubbed his face. "Don't remind me about her! She's so annoying!"
Over the years, the simple mention of the masked girl that has been interrupting Firnas's fun as Sinaor Jaon has irritated him more and more. Most nights when he would go out to either disturb the guest in the palace that night or go venture into the city, Deasuqa would always appear and try to stop him under the assumption that he was stealing something. Even when trying to state his innocence most nights, the girl wouldn't believe him and would end up chasing him around the palace complex till Firnas is able to escape.
"She just keeps coming out nowhere and instantly assumes I did something wrong!"
"Well, most of the time she catches you, you have done something wrong." Plagg admitted with a shrug.
Firnas narrowed his emerald eyes at the little black kwami. "And I wonder who talks me into doing it most of the time."
"Well excuse me for trying to put some excitement into your privileged, boring life." Plagg said defensively as he turned away from Firnas.
"Why are you being such a-!"
Out of the corner of Firnas's eye, the door to his room began to open and he quickly grabbed the kwami and hurried over to the lounge chair behind him to stuff Plagg behind one of the pillows. Squeezing through the opening, Myasin quickly walked into the room while balancing a platter loaded with a jug, a bowl full of fruit, and a side dish of cheese. Her attired had changed to something more formal that what she had worn that morning in the garden. Instead of the bulky golden honey colored abaya and lighter colored shayla, Myasin was now dressed in one of her more formal work attires – a rose colored abaya with matching colored jewelry and a cream colored shear veil.
The formal appearance took Firnas back a bit. He found the light rose color of the abaya to really complement Myasin's brown skin and eye color, and also wondered why she was dressed so formally on what was to be just a normal day.
"Your father is right behind me and she is with him." Myasin said in a rush once she cleared the doorway.
She made her way to the table that Firnas was studying at – her anklets clinking against the polished floor – and pushed the papers aside so she could set the platter down. After watching her, Myasin's warning finally reached the Prince's ears and quickly brought him back to Earth.
"Wait, what?!" Firnas looked at the door in a slight panic. "Can't you hurry out and tell them to go away? Say I'm busy! Or asleep! Something, anything!"
Instantly, one of the doors to Firnas's room flew open as it usually does whenever the Sultan walked in. Both Hadar and his mistress Samarah walk into the room, instantly taking command with their presence.
"Be nice." Myasin commented under her breath as to remind Firnas of his manners whenever Samarah was in the same room with him.
"Firnas my boy, I'm glad to see that you're keeping up with your studies." Hadar commented with one of his enormous smiles.
Firnas gave a hesitant smile to his father and then let it fall when he looked at the woman that followed him. "Father what are you doing here? I thought you would be too busy attending to Jamila to visit me." He said, mentioning his father's most recent pregnant mistress as means to insult Samarah.
"Jamila is fine right now. Samarah and I were just walking around the palace and I decided to stop by and talk. You know, father to son." Hadar smiled. Even though the Sultan had a slew of children and a demanding harem to tend to, it was very clear that he loved Firnas very much for more reasons than the fact that he was his only son.
"Hadar." Samarah spoke out as she stepped closer and placed a hand on the Sultan's arm, squeezing it a bit. "You said you would tell him?"
Firnas's confusion rose. "Tell me what? Are you going somewhere?"
Hadar looked down at Samarah, trying to find some strength in the woman's gray eyes. "Well, you see son, I need to tell you something, but, um-." It was clear that even though the Sultan was a very big man, he was not a fan of giving news that would be pleasant to the receiving party.
Samarah rolled her eyes and signed impatiently. "There is a guest in the palace and they will be joining us for dinner. So, for tonight, we would like for you to join us and meet them."
"Why would I do that? I didn't hear about them and the usual preparations weren't done today, so obviously they're not so important to have everyone at dinner for." Firnas said bluntly, his kind nature thrown out the window when talking to the one person who didn't deserve it.
"We're not having everyone at dinner for this guest. We just need you there." Samarah replied just as bluntly, completely different from Hadar's cautious nature.
"I don't care. Besides, as you can see," Firnas said as he motioned toward the pile of papers on his desk, "I'm busy with something else at the moment."
"Firnas, please don't fight and just come to dinner." Hadar said as he stepped forward and placed a hand on his son's shoulder. "I'm proud that you're serious about your studies, but your absence lately has made me a bit upset. Just come this one time, that's all I'm asking."
"Why is it so important that I'm come to dinner? It's just one guest. One that no one seemed to care to inform me about. My absence shouldn't be that much of a disturbance."
"It will be if you don't come since the guest is a suitor we picked out for you." Samarah spoke out, frustration coating her voice.
Firnas's thoughts shatter, as well as a small vase that Myasin was carrying. Everyone's eyes shift in the direction of the sound, both Firnas and Hadar a bit worried and Samarah more annoyed over the girl's clumsiness. Myasin quickly apologized and began to pick up the pieces of the broken pottery and fallen plants, hoping to be ignored once again.
"Anyway, the young Princess has spent weeks of travel to come and meet you, so the least you can do is come and introduce yourself to her." Samarah continued, commanding the room on her own this time. "And I would advise you to come alone since arriving with a female servant might give her the wrong impression."
Firnas's mind returned to the conversation once Samarah finished speaking. "What?" He then noticed that his father was still gripping his shoulder and pushed it off. "When was all this decided? I thought I was allowed to pick my own bride. Why am I being treated like one of my sisters?" He then looked straight at his father. "And why is she having a say on this matter?" Firnas asked harshly as he pointed at Samarah. "She is not my mother! Hell, I don't even consider her a close comparison to what a mother should be!"
"Firnas, we're sorry." Hadar spoke, visibly hurt about the deceit. "I agree that you are at the age when you should make these decisions, but you haven't showed any interest in any of the girls you've met before and I just want what's best for you." The comments about Samarah hurt him as well, but Hadar knew well enough to not push the matter on her relationship with his son any further for both their sake.
"Then why you didn't tell me this at the beginning instead of blindsiding me!"
"Samarah suggested it. After some talking, we agreed that if you knew from the start you would try to stop it." The Sultan explained, giving his son a brief, comforting squeeze on his shoulder.
Firnas looked over at the women, the slight delight in her eyes enraging him enough to not want to speak.
"Yes, so with that all said," Samarah spoke up, taking control and showing off that this was her plan all along, "come to dinner. Alone. No servants with you, and that includes Samira." She concluded, using the name Myasin had while she was owned by a slave trader as a means to remind her of her place.
"That's not her name." Firnas said angrily as he clenched his fist. His father's grip on his shoulder tightened some as a means to hold him back. "Also, Myasin is my assistant. Wherever I go, she goes."
"Not this time Firnas." Samarah responded, not backing down from the Prince's mental threats. "You two are unusually close. If she joins you, the Princess might get the wrong idea and end the courtship before it can even begin."
"And you would hate that, wouldn't you?" Firnas asked rhetorically with venom in his voice.
The plan was now clear to Firnas. Samarah wants him out of the palace and her life – she's wanted that she he was born – so she found a princess from an empire that needed a male heir and only had the option of marriage to achieve it. And if the marriage was achieved, then that would mean that he would be sent to live in the foreign territory and wouldn't be able to come back unless his father passes away without another male heir to leave the throne to.
Samarah stared at him, making it feel as if they were the only people in the room. "Samira, please stay in your room tonight during dinner so that it goes smoothly and Firnas won't be tempted to make up excuses to leave." She ordered, revealing that she knew of the Prince's habits of disappearing from where he should be so he could to go search for his assistant.
"She's not yours to order around." Firnas stated. "If father's assistant can join, then so can she."
"Samira, it would really be beneficial to all of us if you stay in your room tonight."
Samarah then turned away and headed to the door. Hadar looked down at his son with sad eyes and apologized once again before following the woman out.
After the massive door closed Firnas's control quickly snapped as he kicked over the small chair that was next to him. Myasin jumped at the sound of the wood hitting the stone floor and paused for a moment before returning to her nightly chores.
"I can't believe that woman!" Firnas shouted as he began to pace, his concealed rage now boiling over verbally. "Doing something like to me and getting my father involved! And then telling you what to do and calling you that awful name like she owns you! You're mine not hers! I bet she's only being this way because she's finally realized that she's too old to serve her purpose. She does something like this each time father finds out that someone in the harem is expecting and it's not her. But never something this frustrating!"
Myasin calmly listened to Firnas's tirade about Samarah. Ever since her first day in the palace, she knew that Firnas didn't like the woman and that she didn't like Firnas. Eventually after three years of occasionally dealing with Samarah's power-hungry personality, Myasin didn't like her either. Whenever Samarah gave her an order, she would always debate on whether to ignore it or not. And whenever she would call her 'Samira,' Myasin would want to puke. Samarah was a prudish woman to begin with, but whenever the Sultan showed her some attention, she became much worse and everyone knew to try to steer clear of her as best they could.
While Myasin was pulling the curtains to Firnas's balcony in, he was now to a familiar part of his rant that she knew too well. A part about how he didn't understand how such sweet girls could have a mother like her. Also how he believes that Samarah has hated him since his birth just because he wasn't her son. And then on to the part on how he knew she hated him because his mother received all of his father's attention and still is through him.
"You know, I'm really amazed by you." Myasin interrupted as she walked over to the table, using it as a buffer between her and Firnas, knowing all too well not to get close whenever he was worked up.
Firnas paused for a moment and looked at her. He was visibly angered, but he seemed to also be relieved now that he got his anger out. "What are you talking about?"
"I'm amazed at how well you kept yourself together. I mean, I would have kept quiet as well, but you were really struggling. You're not used to behaving."
Firnas looked away from her and then down at him hands, remembering how tightly he had his fist earlier. "She just takes a lot out of me. I don't understand why father keeps her around. She hasn't given him a child in years."
"Maybe she just makes him happy in ways you don't know about. Having children isn't the only thing your father cares about. Especially since he's getting older."
Firnas then looked back at Myasin with tired, emerald eyes. "Are you ok?"
"I'm fine." Myasin answered with a small, reassuring smile.
"Good thing one of us is."
Firnas walked over to his lounge chair and fell down across it and buried his face in one of the embroidered pillows, keeping in mind not to crush the small kwami he had hidden underneath once he felt him against his hand. After excreting so much energy at once, all Firnas wanted to do was decompress and sleep.
"So are you picking out your outfit for the dinner or am I?" Myasin asked after she straightened the papers on Firnas's desk table.
"I'm not going." Firnas proclaimed in the pillow. Going to a dinner he was basically being forced to go to was the last thing he would ever want to do.
"Firnas." Myasin said with a sigh as she crossed her arms.
"No."
"Firnas, I know you're upset, but you need to go."
"No I don't and you can't make me." The young Prince argued back into the pillow. "I rather stay here like we planned."
Myasin dropped her arms. "Are you really sulking right now just because this dinner interferes with our usual study session?"
"Yes." Firnas confessed bluntly.
Myasin rolled her eyes and began to gather up some of the dishes she had brought in earlier on to the small table. "One missed night is nothing to brood about Firnas, really. Besides, I keep telling you, I don't really need to know how to read and write for my job so these lessons aren't really that important to me."
"But I like teaching you, so they're important to me." Firnas confessed, revealing more of the truth.
Myasin let out a defeated sigh before walking over to Firnas's wardrobe that was to the side of the massive room. She pulled out a simple, but still formal tunic top that Firnas could wear with his white pants. As she walked by, Myasin grabbed Firnas's turban off its usual spot on the table and walked over to lay it and the top out on his bed.
"Well, I'm sure you can survive not teaching me for one night." Myasin said as she went over to pick up the collected dishes. "There's still tomorrow night. Also, this dinner is not going to kill you, so go and humor your father. Doing that will make it seem more bearable."
Firnas looked over at Myasin, still looking drained from his earlier rant. "I really hate it when you make a horrible situation make sense."
"That's my job." Myasin smiled as she started for the door. "In return, please don't fight me tomorrow morning."
Firnas quietly watched as Myasin left the room, making opening a massive door with full hands look easy as she did. He turned his head back into the pillow, enjoying what few minute he had left before the dreaded dinner.
"Hey, you ok kid?" Plagg asked after he struggled to crawl out from under the pillow. After popping free, he flew up to sit on the arm of the lounge chair and looking at Firnas.
Firnas looked up at him. "Yeah. Samarah just really gets to me, you know?"
"Yeah well she's not the only woman who gets to you too." Plagg responded, poking fun at Firnas's disappointment of not getting to spend time with a certain brunette.
"Don't Plagg." Firnas warned, not wanting a repeat of their earlier conversation.
"Ok, I won't." Plagg flew over to the small plate of cheese that Myasin had left behind with the other food that was brought in. "But you know," Plagg paused so he could stuff a piece of cheese in his mouth. "If you want to get back at Samarah for blindsiding you like that, a little bad luck can easily help you with it."
"No Plagg, you know I can't do that." Firnas sat up in his seat and looked at the kwami. "You know I promised myself that I wouldn't mess with people that lived in the palace, no matter how much they might annoy me. Just the guest."
"Well," Plagg started as he began to think of a devious idea. "This princess you're supposed to be meeting is technically a guest, right?"
Firnas instantly caught on to the kwami's plan. "Yeah, she is." Firnas's mind began to run with the idea, creating all kinds of outcomes that seemed to work in his favor. "You in the mood to cause some bad luck now?"
Plagg threw a piece of cheese in the air and caught it in his mouth. "As long as I get to eat afterwards."
"Deal." Firnas stood up from his seat. "Plagg, claws out."