Author's note: I am so sorry this took so long. The Sultan's Favorite has me busy in the editing process and life in general lately has been very hectic. But I finally took some time to continue this story...

Chapter 21

"What do you mean you are leaving?" asked Hamid as Mara was packing a few of her things. It was early morning now and he felt his gut tighten as he looked over at the sultan's daughter. She had regained consciousness during the night but she now remained still on the bed, silently staring at the ceiling.

"It is too dangerous for her," explained Raoul. "If we go much further she may be recognized. What do you think the sultan would do to the slave woman that assisted in the kidnapping of his daughter?"

"But…where will you go?"

Mara smiled. "I am traveling back to meet Manuel."

"Alone?"

"Do not worry," she said in a reassuring voice. She covered her head with a veil. "Everything will be fine, you will see. Erik will be rejoining with you soon. Raoul will be with you until then."

"But we do not understand a word this girl says!"

"As if it matters?" asked Raoul.

"But what if we can convince her…," Manuel's voice trailed off as he knew nothing would probably work. They only needed to keep the girl alive, that was all.

"There is no convincing her," said Mara softly. "You do not understand the women of these lands Hamid. What you and Rashida think are barbaric customs are accepted by the women here. It is an honor to be married to a high ranking man, even if he has more than one wife. There is no need to read as the men take care of them. Women are providers who support their men. We have taken her from the only home she has known."

"Yes, the thinking is all left up to the man," said Hamid in a condescending tone. "No wonder the Ottomans have not advanced further in civilization!"

Mara shook her head. "Religion and deep rooted customs are important here. You must accept that."

"If I am ruler of Phocaea, that will be the first thing to change."

A worried look appeared on Mara's face. "Then they will not accept you as their true ruler. Erik needs you. And that means you must become a strong ruler in whatever way the people wish."

"Erik will help you," added Raoul.

Hamid laughed for a moment. "Ah yes, apparently he knows much more about cruelty than me."

"You may remember more than you think," said Mara. She stopped packing for a moment. "In fact, you may even remember the language."

"I was a child! I barely remember anything!"

"Really?" she asked. Mara switched to speaking in her native tongue.

Hamid frowned. "I do not understand a word you just said."

Mara tried again, speaking at a slower rate.

Wait. Something did register in his mind.

"Did you say the word 'toy'?"

Mara beamed and spoke again. Hamid concentrated on the words until suddenly memories flooded his mind.

His real father beating him…women surrounding him, bathing him, dressing him. He remembered walking through huge rooms that seemed endless. And his father speaking.

"He is weak!"

"My lord, he is just a boy and will grow with time."

"He better grow strong. If Alexandria has a girl, he will marry and make an example of what could happen to the Ottomans women if they do not follow our rule!"

"Hamid?"

He blinked and found Mara standing in front of him.

"You remember do you not?"

Hamid frowned. "Yes…some things. But…I am uncertain if I want to remember."

Mara came forward and embraced him. For a moment he let her warmth surround him, soothe him, as if he were trying to ease the memories of a terrified boy. He sighed and pulled away.

"I do not know who I am," he said softly.

Mara touched his face, her fingertips gently caressing his cheek. "Look at this journey not to only help your sister, but also to find yourself."

"But…," Hamid hesitated, swallowing hard. "What if I cannot be what they expect?"

"All Erik is asking is that you try. Even if you find that you do not want any part of your past, then at least you will know where you belong. Play the part that you must and return home."

He nodded slowly and she hugged him once more. Mara released him with a smile and turned to gather her small bag. "Be safe," whispered Hamid.

"I will walk with you to the outskirts of this city," said Raoul.

"Oh great, leave me alone with her again," muttered Hamid.

Raoul looked at the girl. "She seems calm at the moment."

"Until you leave."

Raoul gave a slight laugh. "You seem to handle her just fine. Trust in yourself Hamid."

"Why? So I can beat a defenseless girl?"

"I would not say she is that defenseless, would you?"

Hamid frowned. "Well, do not be gone long or God knows how you will find her when your return."

Raoul nodded while Mara bowed her head in farewell.

After both had left, he sat down on a chair and looked at the girl on the bed. She heard the door shut and looked over at him.

Damn, here we go again. No sooner was he alone with her for a minute and she was already thinking about what she could do to escape.

She sat up, her black hair now in tangles. Her face was pale, no doubt because she was becoming weak from lack of food and water. Hamid sighed at this thought. When Raoul returned, they would have to force her to eat.

"You think to break me, but I will still win in the end!" she snarled at him.

What the hell? Hamid tilted his head. Did he just understand what she said?

She raised her head high. "You are nothing but an infidel!"

Christ! He could understand her!

"Stop staring at me!" she spat.

"Why? So you can look for another means to escape?"

Her eyes grew wide and Hamid inhaled sharply. He absently spoke right back to her in another language! He opened his mouth to say more but the words escaped him.

Goddamn it! What were the words? When he tried to think, his head hurt.

"So you pretend this whole time not to understand me?" she suddenly spoke in a sharp voice. "How dare you!"

"Be quiet!" he snapped back. Hamid froze as once more he spoke in her language. He shook his head, turned off his brain, and focused on what she had said. "You talk so much it would be hard for anyone to get a word in!"

Stunned, the girl's mouth dropped open. But she quickly recovered. "Where are you taking me? I demand to know!"

"What does it matter? You will starve yourself to death before we get there!"

She laughed. "Yes! And then you will fail in whatever plan you have against the sultan!"

"As if I know what the hell the entire plan is," muttered Hamid.

Erik had not told him everything in detail. He only knew that he had to travel back to his father's lands where hopefully the people would accept him. How Erik planned to prove that he was the son of Titus he had no idea. And Hamid assumed an uprising from the people would be used to somehow gain Rashida's freedom. But he did not understand enough to know exactly how this would happen.

"Who are you?" she demanded.

"I wish I knew."

"What kind of answer is that?"

"The only answer I have," he said in a low voice. "Which reminds me, what is your name?"

"You do not know?"

Hamid shrugged. "I never bothered to ask Mara."

"Do not speak to me about that worthless slave woman! I trusted her and she betrayed me!"

"Your father is the cause of all this, not Mara."

She crossed her arms. "I find that hard to believe. My future was to be with one of our most prominent allies!"

"What does the sultan have to do with that?"

"He promised me to another ruler!"

"What?"

"You heard me. I am to be married."

"How old are you?"

"I just turned seventeen. It took the sultan many years to negotiate before peace was finally agreed upon with this particular ruler. And now you have ruined everything! I should have been married years ago!"

Hamid looked at her incredulously. While girls still married quite young in Paris, he was still amazed at how much younger they were here in becoming a wife. "I cannot believe my own sister was promised at the young age of fifteen," he muttered.

The girl responded with exasperation. "I should have been married at ten!"

Hamid did not even try to hide his horror. "That is sick!"

"Excuse me?"

"To marry a child? How old is the man?"

She shrugged. "My husband is around sixty years of age."

"Sixty?"

"Yes…although we do not actually mate with our husband until we have our first sign of blood. Why are you so shocked? It is very common."

"Not where I come from!"

"And where do you come from?"

"Paris."

She raised her eyebrows. "Where is that?"

"You have never heard of Paris? You were there briefly….well, I guess you would not have known since you were…,"

"Bound and gagged?"

Hamid winced. "If you think I like doing that to you…,"

"Why am I here?" she demanded again.

"We could start over you know. My name is Hamid."

"Yes, I heard them say your name," she replied shortly.

"So what is your name?"

She pursed her lips and said nothing.

He sighed. "Stop being so stubborn. I might as well know what your name is since we are going to be stuck together for a while."

"Not if I can help it."

"You cannot escape," he said quietly.

"I can in death."

"You would rather die than be taken away from a sixty year old man who was going to be your husband?"

"Yes!" she hissed. "He is experienced and wealthy! And it is what I do for the good of my people!"

"Yes, God forbid you would do something for yourself."

"What do you mean?"

"Do you love this man?"

She gave him a look of disbelief. "I will grow to love him."

"How do you know?"

The girl looked away.

"Christ! You have not even met him have you?" asked Hamid.

She glared at him. "Of course not!"

And he was going to rule people like her? How was he going to come to terms with this? Some men in this world would be ecstatic that women were held so low. But Hamid was brought up differently. His adopted sister was an intelligent creature that deserved so much more, not only for her heart but also her mind.

"I do not understand your world," he said softly. "I do not know who I am because I am so…lost." For a moment, he held his head with his hands and both of them were quiet.

"Sevdi."

"What?" asked Hamid raising his head. She must have suddenly felt sorry for him. "Did you say the word 'love'?"

She actually looked embarrassed for a moment. "That is my name."

"Your name means 'love'?"

Her eyes looked down. "Or passion."

Hamid smiled. "Why were you named that?"

"I am told…that my father was very attracted to my mother. They were not married at the time. I was the result of their…passion."

"How old was she?"

"Sixteen. She is still today the youngest of his wives."

"Well I am glad that there is some love among these lands. It is good that he married her…your mother."

Sevdi's face filled with anger. "She should never have married him!"

"But why? I thought you were proud to be the sultan's daughter."

"I am proud of my position, there is a difference."

"You do not like him?"

"He murdered my mother's cousin. He was the last ruler of their land."

"I am sorry," said Hamid softly. "Did you know him well?"

"No…he was killed a few years after I was born. The sultan felt he should marry my mother out of obligation. I have been told it also soothed him as she replaced his third wife, a woman who betrayed the Ottomans."

Something in his gut twisted. He stood and looked down at her. "Where was your mother from?"

"What?"

"Where?"

"Um…Phocaea."

Oh God.

"What is wrong?" she asked.

"Your mother's cousin was…Titus."

"How did you-,"

"He was her first cousin?"

"Yes…," she looked at him in confusion. "Well, technically he was her first cousin once removed. Why is this important to you?"

"And do you know what happened to his son?"

Her eyes narrowed. "It is well known that his only child's skull now sits on a fortress by the sea as a warning to anyone who may think of becoming an enemy to the sultan."

"No…I am that child."

Sevdi's hand flew to her mouth in shock. "You…you are the son of Titus?"

"And you are my second cousin," he replied in a rough voice.

xxx

Suleiman cursed as he made his way to Rashida's home in the early morning hours. He was taking a dangerous risk being out alone with no protection when it was still dark. But Suleiman could not get Rashida out of his mind. All night he tormented himself with his thoughts. And it all came down to the fact that he still wanted her. He was completely insane, the thought of giving up everything for this one woman had made him obsessed. Or was it love?

His brother knew nothing of his plans. Yet Ahmed sensed something was wrong. At first he was thrilled to have the gift of a French woman and he forced her to return with them to the flat. When Suleiman did not object, Ahmed was pleased that his brother was finally showing an interest in other women once more. But nothing Ahmed said would convince his brother to return to their lands. Suleiman cited that he would not fail his father and he had to plan on capturing Rashida. His brother argued that their father would understand that it could not be done with the few soldiers they had left.

Suleiman remained firm and overruled him.

How little his brother knew he did not want to take Rashida by force. Instead, he wanted to capture her heart. She admitted she loved him! Somehow he had to convince her to be with him; he needed to tell her the truth so she would understand how much he…

Loved her.

He climbed the hill overlooking her house cautiously, wary that her father could be watching. But as he peered over the hill, Suleiman's eyes widened as the dawn began to appear. The house was boarded shut, its windows and doors covered. Suleiman hurried down the hill, searching for any sign of her. He managed to pry a board loose on one of the windows. Looking inside he found the furniture covered with sheets. Suleiman slowly backed away, his chest feeling so tight that he could not breathe.

Rashida was gone.