Contretemps

A bright light penetrated Nasir's eyelids. As he opened his eyes he was struck by the full power of the morning sun. Above him, nothing interrupted the blueness of the sky. Suddenly he became aware of a weight upon him. He couldn't move his head but adjusted his eyes to see what the weight was. It was Fazia. She had straddled his midsection and was looking down at him with her luminous green eyes. Her black hair had been freed from the wrap and it cascaded down her over her shoulders.

"You are not dead then?" Fazia asked as she moved her face closer to his. Nasir looked at her in surprise. He felt trapped, claustrophobic almost. What is she going to do to me? He started to breathe faster and his eyes grew wild. But then she caressed his face with her hand. He caught her scent, sweet, alluring.

"Is this what you do to every man before you kill him? Lure him into your feminine trap and then slash his throat when he's nearly mad with desire?" Nasir muttered softly.

"Shhhh!" she soothed.

Suddenly her lips were upon his. Nasir's eyes were wide with amazement. But her lips were soft and supple and moist. They moved over his with ease. Her hair touched his cheek. His thoughts became muddled. Well, if I am to die now, I could think of worse ways of going. He closed his eyes and succumbed to her advances.

As he placed his hands on her hips, she lowered her body so it was lying on his. I am going mad. This could not be the same beastly woman who was determined to kill me not moments ago! Perhaps I'm in paradise.

"I love you, Imad ad-Din." She said softly.

This was too much for Nasir. He rolled Fazia onto her back. Still holding her in his arms, he looked down at her.

"What?" he asked indignantly.

She looked up at him with softness in her features he had never seen before. She repeated, "I love you."

Nasir's head was throbbing and he was completely baffled.

"You, who, in recent memory, wanted to kill me? You love me? You have a strange way of showing your affections!"

"I loved you the first time I saw you, in my village. I wanted to leave with you. But you laughed in my face." A tear rolled down her cheek.

Everything became clear to Nasir at that moment. He had left her heartbroken and insulted by his callousness. Now he was humbled.

"I never said I wanted to kill you, Imad." She whispered.

Nasir raised an eyebrow as he looked down into her beautiful face. "No, you never did." He smiled.

Fazia grabbed his neck and gently pulled him closer to her. "Imad." She sighed.

"Fazia Habib, you're a dangerous woman." Nasir couldn't help but sound impressed. He pressed his lips to hers and held her tightly. She responded in kind, her whole body spoke of a long, deep-seeded desire.

--

To an onlooker it would have appeared as though Nasir and Fazia were wrestling. The two rolled passionately on the ground. The prison guards, who had noticed Fazia was missing and had gone to find her, took one look and decided that Nasir was being attacked again. As they approached, Fazia was on top of Nasir looking down at him again. The surrounding area looked like a battleground, blood mixed with sand. Nasir's wounds had bloodied his clothing and he looked extremely worse for wear. Neither Fazia nor Nasir had noticed the guards.

One of the guards put his sword to Fazia's neck and she froze. "Bedouin! Rise!" shouted the guard. Fazia slowly stood up. Her robes had been loosened and one of her shoulders was bare. Her long hair glistened in the sun.

"What do you think you were doing, whore?" the other guard grabbed her arm aggressively. Fazia sneered at him.

"No!" Shouted Nasir trying to rise but stumbling due to both of his injuries.

"Sir, are you alright?" The guard holding the sword on Fazia sounded concerned.

"I'm fine. Release her." Nasir said quietly as he stood.

"But sir!" the guards protested together.

Nasir looked at Fazia as he spoke to the guard. "Do it now! And send a message to the Bedouin leader that his fighter is ready to return."

"But…"

"Now." Nasir was firm.

The guard hesitantly turned to go and left Nasir and Fazia alone again. Fazia straightened her robes, retrieved her head wrap and quickly covered her hair and her face except for her eyes. As she looked at Nasir, her eyes sparkled.

Nasir knew that he could not ask her to stay. He wasn't really sure he wanted to either. She would never be a woman to sit waiting for him to return from battle and to provide him with a warm meal upon his return. She was a wild spirit that needed to be freed.

"Come with me." Nasir smiled and waited for her to walk beside him and the two returned to the camp.

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