The Legend of a Saracen Princess

Chapter 6: Your Sweet Voice Echoes in My Mind

()….()

Much looked in the direction of Marian and Robin's sleeping forms as he picked up a basket and started going through the berries they were to eat for breakfast. Of course, he was about to prepare some rabbit meat, but he wanted to be sure of the berries first.

Allan had picked them yesterday and Much never trusted Allan when it came to knowledge of herbs and berries. He was good at lying, though, he gave him that, and that gave him purpose here in the group.

Well, according to Much.

"One can never be too careful." Much chanced another glance at Allan. "Well, at least he's himself again." True that Allan was not quite back to his sarcastic, teasing self, but he has slowly started making snarky comments to Much again. That, Much decided, were definite signs of improvement.

Much jumped when he heard rustling from somewhere behind him. Little John's spot.

"Good morning, fancy some rabbit meat and berries for breakfast?" Much greeted him, only to receive a grunt in reply. Much turned around to face the now sitting Little John. "I know you aren't much of a morning person, but the least you can do is tell me good morning in return." Little John proceeded to give him a dead-panned look that clearly told Much to shut up. "Surely it isn't that difficult, Little John."

Heaving a tired sigh, Little John forced out, "Good morning," and then looked back at Much, snapping, "Better?"

"Better," Much agreed, and returned to sorting berries. "What do you make of Will? Do you think he's dead?"

Little John, who'd woken up quite a bit during Much's question, had made his way to sit beside Much and was helping with the berries. "Him? No."

Leaving the berry-sorting to Little John; Much started preparing the rabbit. "I miss them. Will and Djaq. The camp's not the same without them." He glanced in Little John's direction to see a silent agreement plastered on his face. "How far do you think Will is? It's been almost a week, so I'd say he's getting pretty close."

"I suppose so."

"I hope he finds Djaq and brings her back. We need them both."

"They need each other."

Much looked at Little John, "Yes, you're right."

()….()

Her calm, cool posture was the only thing that was calm and cool about her. Inside it was all she could do not to bounce in her seat at the excitement of seeing an old friend.

She had to remain mature and poised, for the purpose of formalities.

Her back straightened as soon as the door opened, with Haissam leading Malik in, both bowing at the waist as Safiya stood up.

"Malik Ayyubi-n-Shaadi," Haissam announced before leaving the two of them alone. Sitting back down, Safiya gestured to Am'an's traveling throne, beckoning him to sit down.

"I prefer to stand, Princess, thank you," Malik paused, thinking, "You were found in the forests of England?"

Safiya nodded, dreading the line of thought that was being followed.

"But your brother, I saw your brother. He told me not to treat him as if he were a prince from Palestine." Safiya reddened underneath her veil at the memory of that day. She sent a meaningful look to Malik and watched as realization dawned on him. "Prince Djaq was truly Princess Safiya. You cut your hair and dressed as a boy!" Safiya nodded, "Then your brother… is he…"

"Dead. Baba kamman."

"Why did you not tell those forest men that you were a princess?"

"How could I? They would have treated me more delicately, as if I were glass."

"My old friend Djaq, then, is gone?"

"Yes." She watched as Malik contemplated this new information.

"They knew that you are—"

"Yes."

"Truly virtuous. Fighting for good, believing in peace, and treating a woman with respect. Now, answer me this, Princess Safiya, why did you not accompany me back here to take your place on this throne?"

"I was afraid," she told him after some time, "I had left on such a bad note that I felt that I could never return." Malik nodded in understanding, moving to the large window to her left that overlooked the palace gardens. Safiya followed after a short time. "But that is not why you are here, I can tell."

She watched Malik as he continued looking out over the gardens, looking troubled before opening his mouth and speaking, "There is another regiment of English soldiers arriving in two days. They will be headed to Acre to aid their king. When are Prince Am'an's fighters coming?"

"Have they not reached you?" Her eyes followed Malik's as he shook his head. Pursing her lips, Safiya turned to the doors and called for Haissam. Upon his entry, she told him, trying to control the livid expression in her voice, to fetch Am'an and bring him to her.

She turned back to the window and rigidly looked out, trying to calm herself before she exploded.

"Ahhh… my princess, did you miss my glorious presence already?"

"Have you ordered your soldiers to move to Prince Malik's camp like you promised?"

"I never made such a promise, Princess," he answered in just as cold a manner as she.

She kept her eyes on the flowers, trying to keep the intense inferno inside her at bay, "Do you realize another regiment of Englishmen are about to set foot on our soil and that, without your fighters, we will not have anymore soil to our name?"

"I will send one regiment to counter act the Englishmen then, but that is all."

Her hand moved to her pocket and tightened around her only memory of Will and the forest. "And what of the rest of your army?"

"Until our wedding night, they will remain under my command, not yours, Princess."

That undid any control that she had over her anger as she whirled around and fixed him with a look of absolute hatred. "We do not have time to play such games! My men and countless others are losing their lives for land that was meant for everyone and not just our people! Your selfishness is costing us a chance at resolving this conflict so that we can go back to living out our lives as they should!"

"Princess," Malik began, in English, "perhaps you should go calm yourself. I can see you are beginning to feel the strain of being a ruler."

"I hate him, Malik, I hate him more than I hate anything else," she choked out in English before storming out of the room.

()….()

"Safiya, let us in. We want to see that you are alright."

"You can hear that I am alright. I think that is enough, Haissam, go away." Layla heard Safiya shout through the door to her father's lab.

She was with Haissam in the entry hall to the lab. Safiya had locked herself in after storming out of the Grand Throne Room from her meeting with Malik. Layla only knew from Haissam that Safiya was angry with Am'an and not Malik. That Malik had always been a good friend since their childhood.

"Please, Safiya, Layla and I want to see that you have not done anything rash," and she listened in confused silence as he shouted something else in English about Am'an.

Whatever it was had worked because they heard the lock click open and Haissam waited before opening the door to the sight of Safiya seated on the windowsill, her hand clutching, what Layla assumed to be, that toy to her heart. It was as if she were a statue, sitting straight and still. To Layla, it showed the pain and stress that Safiya tried to control, slowly taking over her.

"Your toy… from that man in the forest," Haissam started, "I have always wanted to look at his handiwork. May I?" he inquired, taking tentative steps toward her as if she were going to explode any moment.

Safiya turned her head from the window to glance in Haissam's direction, her eyes completely void of any emotion, before turning back to what she was watching. Her hand extended out, presenting the small purse that held Safiya's treasure to Haissam.

Gently, he took the purse and opened it, drawing out the trinket Layla had seen only days before. She watched as his large hands carefully turned over the wooden toy, his eyes running over its carefully carved surface. "He certainly has talent—" he stopped as he observed on side of it intently. "Safiya have you actually looked at this?"

"No."

"You should, you have waited long enough, I think," he told her, handing back the trinket without the purse. Giving him a confused look, she plucked it from his hands and turned it to the same side Haissam was staring at.

Layla watched as Safiya's eyebrows, once furrowed in confusion, knitted together in the tell tale sign of anguish. Her eyes watered and she clutched the toy back to her chest as a sob escaped her. Layla watched as Safiya turned from a rigid, stone-like body to a body convulsing and shaking uncontrollably with sobs, occasionally crying out in emotional pain.

"What is it, Safiya, what is wrong?" Layla asked, worry consuming her voice.

"Now… I can… n-never… forget the forest," Safiya told her, her voice wet with tears as they spilled out of her eyes. The sobs interrupted her speech making it difficult to understand, but Layla understood. She understood her pain. "I can never forget… what I left. What I… I could have had. Oh, Will, you… will never know… my feelings!" Layla moved to comfort Safiya but she turned toward the window, curling up against the corner. "Leave me," she told them barely above a whisper.

Layla looked at Haissam, not knowing what to do, but was instead met with an intense caramel gaze trained directly on her. She could not help but turn away, feeling discomfited.

"Come, Layla, let us leave," Haissam murmured, moving to stand next to her. She could feel a type of resolve settle over him as he followed her out of the lab.

Upon closing the door, Layla found herself pushed into the corner of the entry hall by Haissam. She spun around to face him, her eyes wide with shock at his suddenly harsh action. Looking around her, she was out of view of anyone who might be passing by, seeing as the hallway was completely out of sight.

She looked back up at the burly man with dark olive skin and unruly hair that curled only slightly. His big caramel eyes were focused on her in such a way that made her cheeks burn. Such intensity she had never seen anyone look at her with. Only him. This time, however, as she looked into his eyes, she saw something different, kind of like the resolve she had felt emanating from him earlier and she found she couldn't look away.

"Haissam?" she murmured, unsure of what was going on.

"Do not ever take your veil off in front of anyone, even in our little circle of friends."

"Why? It is just us, it is not anyone else but close friends."

"I do not want anyone to see your face."

"You cannot be serious, Haissam, what exactly do you mean ordering me around like—"

"I want to be the only one." Layla stopped mid-sentence and stared at him with wide eyes.

"What?"

"I want to be the only one to know the definition of your cheekbones, your skin tone and its texture. I want to be the only man to know how soft and kissable your lips look, how beautiful you are and I want to be the only man distracted by that beauty."

Layla continued staring at him in shock as Haissam slowly brought down the part of the veil covering the lower portion of her face. His hand cupped her cheek and softly rubbed his thumb against it. "Soft, just as I'd imagined, but what of your lips?" he whispered, almost breathlessly.

"Do you wish to find out?" Layla whispered back, feeling just as breathless as he sounded.

"Are you inviting me?" Haissam murmured, leaning in closer until their lips were inches apart.

Layla could only nod her head as she felt Haissam's lips press gently against hers, sending her world completely out of control.

()….()

The finishing touches were difficult to apply on a boat sailing on the open sea, but they were done. As Will surveyed his finished product, he couldn't help but see a resemblance to Djaq in his tiny figurine.

"Wow, tha' is some carvin' ye got there, Will." Will looked up at Eric and offered a small smile in thanks. No' bein' funny, but ye got some real talen'."

Nodding, Will stood up, handed the toy to Eric and made his way below deck, "Don't wake me until land is spotted."

Eric gave him a confused look, "Why?"

"I don't want to be bothered by the need to sleep when I'm searching for Djaq."

()….()

Translations:
Kamman-- as well, also, too
Baba-- Father, Daddy

AN: Finals are done! I did well! Woo! Hope you guys liked this. It's really short, but the next chapter's going to be pretty exciting. Well, as well as the next few chapters, so I thought I'd keep this one a bit short because I didn't want any cliffhangers just yet. Feel free to point out any typoes, grammar mistakes, anything of the sort, or if you just have something to say in general. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have to go to the bank! Toodle-oo!