Author's Note: Sorry for not having updated for quite sometime. Life does get in the way and I've been trying to gather up inspiration to continue the stories, but can't seem to quite get it. Anyway, I know I said this would be the last chapter, but well... it isn't.
Warning: This chapter has a time skip. The next chapter will explain what happened before and after this scene. :)
His golden crown glinted against the firelight as Prince Xerxes sat slumped on the large, golden throne in the middle of the room. His elbow was laid over the arm of the emerald-studded seat, and he had an expression of complete and utter boredom in his handsome face. He eventually caught sight of one of the ladies-in-waiting – a lovely red-headed maiden – and he winked at her, a snide smirk forming on his full lips. She blushed.
Alek wanted to snap both their necks in two. She wasn't the first woman he caught the prince making eyes with in the little time that the Egyptian warrior spent standing in the prince's court. Alek was standing amongst the cluster of onlookers who were important enough to stand witness to the prince and princess' first meeting. Had he been given a choice, he would've preferred to be with Chloe, guarding her like he should. However, the prince explicitly commanded that no man be around his bride-to-be before she is presented to him. Thus, he was standing in the lavish hall supported by giant bejewelled pillars, forced to watch as the woman he loved was brought before the brat that was seated on the throne.
Having noticed the look on the soldier's face, Zahan stepped beside Alek. "Surely you understand that his highness has a harem of his own. The princess will be his queen, but she will not be the only woman who would share his bed."
Alek's jaw tightened. The idea made him feel sick. She deserves better than this. Heaven knows I've had my own trysts with women – most of which I deeply regret – but that this philanderer of a prince would so blatantly flirt with women on the day he is to meet his princess… His gut clenched. She's my princess. Despite his misgivings, in a feat of diplomacy, he still managed to nod and respond to the diplomat with considerable grace, "I understand, my lord."
"Do you really?" Zahan raised a brow, pushing the matter, testing the young warrior.
Alek turned his head to the side to meet the emissary's questioning look. "Yes, my lord. I do understand. However, suffice it to say that I am not very happy about it."
A calculating smile crossed Zahan's face. "You're but a soldier. What does it matter what you are happy and unhappy about?"
His ego – wounded by the words – was beginning to give way to his anger. Alek's left hand formed into a tight fist while his right hand gripped at the hilt of his sword. He breathed a few short sighs – an attempt to calm himself down. "You're correct, my lord. I'm but a soldier, which is why I find it strange that you would find the need to explain to me the prince's actions. Surely a mere soldier like me doesn't warrant such an explanation." This time, it was Alek's turn to cast Zahan a calculating smile. "Besides, I would think that you of all people, sire, ought not to look down on soldiers like me."
The muscles on Zahan's jaw tensed. "What are you implying, soldier?"
Alek faced forward, averting his gaze from the nobleman, his lips curling up in a sideward grin, before opening to once again respond. "I've seen the way you look at Jasmine, my lord. It does not take a scholar to realize you think the world of a mere soldier like her."
Despite his station, Zahan's cheeks momentarily flushed a light pink. "I know not what you're talking about."
Alek smirked as he cast a sideward glance at the emissary. "Sure you don't."
Zahan's mouth opened to respond, but was interrupted when the sturdy large doors that led to the throne room swung open and a courtier announced in a loud, booming voice, "Her majesty, Princess Chloe… Daughter of Pharaoh… Princess of Egypt… Bride of his majesty, Xerxes, prince of Persia..."
All eyes moved toward the entrance and a chilling silence swept across the throne room. Three women stood at the entrance. Jasmine and Merte both looked magnificent in their own right, wearing blue linen dresses handpicked for them to wear by Chloe herself. However, neither could take away the attention from the princess, who was standing a pace ahead of them, head held high, emanating regal composure.
Chloe was a vision to behold. Pearls studded her long, blonde hair, falling in waves down to her waist. A sapphire-studded golden band was over her forehead, the sapphires' hue complementing her bright blue eyes. The red silk dress she had on clung to her curves perfectly, flowing with her every graceful stride. There was a glowing radiance about her that left every person present in that room completely breathless, but none more breath-taken than her warrior.
Alek was lost amidst an ocean of heart ache and wonderment upon seeing her. She looked stunningly beautiful and the idea that she was dressed this way for the prince's pleasure made his gut turn within him. He had been curious to see the prince's reaction to seeing Chloe, but the moment she entered the room, he could not pry his eyes away from her.
That Alek would have eyes only for his princess served its purpose, because had he seen the stare the prince was giving Chloe, he would've been unable to keep himself from doing something he would deeply regret. Prince Xerxes, then sitting straight and practically on the edge of the throne, was eyeing the princess like a predator would stare at its prey. He shamelessly raked his eyes up and down Chloe's complete profile as the princess made her way closer to the throne.
Upon entering the hall, Chloe's first instinct was to search for Alek in as subtle a way as she could manage. She was able to lock eyes with him for a moment. She smiled at him in hopes of letting him know that she remained his before she was forced to look at the man she was about to marry. Upon seeing the way the prince was leering at her, Chloe trembled so profusely she was certain her knees would buckle beneath her. She could sense the blood drain from her face even as she halted at the bottom end of the steps that led to the throne. The courtier's pronouncement about who the prince was and succeeding announcement of the list of his royal titles and stations was lost on Chloe in a blurry rush as she bowed before her future husband.
She swallowed hard as she sensed the prince stand up from his seat and walk down the steps from his throne. He stopped on the last step. Chloe could feel his eyes on her and the emotions whirling inside her young soul was beyond anything she'd experienced before.
"Rise," the prince ordered.
Chloe, and both maidens behind her, quickly complied. Jasmine and Merte exchanged anxious glances as they stood up. Neither of them failed to notice the way the princess, who they knew to be a strong and courageous young woman, was shaking.
Chloe struggled to get up, considering how badly her knees were trembling, but she eventually managed to obey. She lifted her gaze to look at the man she was to marry for the first time. Her gut clenched. There was not a tinge of affection, much less love, in his gray eyes as he continued to openly leer at her. She tried to concentrate enough to study the features of his face, hopefully to get to know him, but in her anxiety, she could not look beyond his cold eyes.
He lifted his right hand below her chin and slightly raised her face for him to get a better look at her. "Princess Chloe."
"Prince Xerxes," she acknowledged him, relieved that she managed to remember his name.
"You truly are a beauty."
"Thank you, your majesty," she responded, relieved that her voice did not tremble along with her body.
He brushed his other hand over her arm and it took all of her willpower not to flinch at his touch. Used to Alek's sword-callused hands on her skin, she was surprised by how soft the prince's hands were, yet for some reason, Alek's touch felt so much gentler.
"You tremble, my lady." His eyes dropped to her chest. "Why so?"
It was easy to see that to reply would be of no use, because he was already too preoccupied studying her breasts. Chloe wanted to slap him, deeply disconcerted that he would not even bother to hide the way he was staring at her like he was just about ready to devour her. No man had ever treated her with such disrespect and she was no longer trembling out of anxiety, but pure anger.
From the audience, Alek was just as infuriated as she was at the way she was being treated. Anyone who looked at him could tell that he was more than ready to attack the prince and come to the defense of the princess he had sworn his life to protect.
Zahan held him by the arm. "Don't do anything you'll regret, soldier. She is his bride. He has every right to do with her as he pleases."
Raging brown eyes glared at the emissary and Zahan could immediately deduce that the warrior was not about to back down and accept the explanation he was throwing his way.
"She is a princess of Egypt, not some common harlot," Alek hissed. "Had he been here, our lord, Pharaoh, would not stand by and allow such treatment toward his daughter. It matters not that he is a prince. He does not have the right to treat her this way." Alek's chest was heaving up and down so heavily, his breaths were coming in controlled gasps.
Even Zahan found himself intimidated by the fire blazing in Alek's eyes. "It may well cause a war between our kingdoms if you do not reel your anger in, soldier."
"Lord Zahan," the prince spoke up and both Alek and the emissary looked the prince's way. "Is there something wrong?"
Chloe turned from facing the prince to look at the men the prince was addressing. She bit her lip when she saw that it was Alek and Zahan that the prince had his eyes on. At that moment, her heart went out to Alek, knowing how all this must be affecting him, but more than that, she was trying to keep herself from running to him, seeking safety in his arms.
"No, your highness." Zahan shook his head. "All is well."
Alek swore a million curses under his breath. All is well? Your prince is practically undressing our beloved princess with his eyes. All is far from well. He stepped forward, muscles flexed, a lion ready to pounce. His eyes roamed the hall, falling mainly on Chloe then to Jasmine's pleading brown eyes.
"Alek, don't," Jasmine mouthed at him. It was the concerned, desperate look on her eyes that proved enough to give him a sense of reality and cause him to back down.
The prince gave him a strange, lingering look before he returned his focus on Chloe. Finding that her eyes were still on the soldier who caused the commotion, he grabbed her jaw and made her face him. "Let me look at you," he said. He gazed at her face for a moment before smiling. "Breath-taking. I look forward to having you in our marriage bed, my lovely bride."
The wave of anger returned to Chloe in one mighty rush and she found herself unable to take it anymore. Maintaining womanly calm, she said in a low tone, "You offend me, your majesty."
Prince Xerxes raised a brow. "Oh? How so?"
"The audacity by which you look at me… Your brazenness even as you speak of our marriage bed in front of a court full of our most noble subjects… I cannot and will not stand for it, Prince Xerxes." Chloe, mustering all the courage she had in her, climbed one step forward so that she was on even ground with the prince. "You forget, sire, that I am the Princess of Egypt. If you want me for your bride, you will treat me with the respect that I deserve."
To her surprise, the prince backed down. Expecting a confrontation, Chloe was almost disappointed that the prince did not meet her head-to-head. Instead he stepped away from her and raised a brow at her, a grim look on his face. "Very well then, princess. I shall give you the respect that you demand." He then looked at one of the palace eunuchs and snapped his fingers.
The eunuch approached. "Your highness?"
"The wedding will proceed as planned," Prince Xerxes announced. He then looked at Chloe, "but not before the princess satisfies one condition."
Chloe simply glared at the prince, too infuriated to come up with a response.
The prince looked at the eunuch. "Take her to the royal midwife."
Chloe's face contorted with shock. "The royal midwife? What for?"
Prince Xerxes moved back up the steps that led to his throne. He sat on the throne before responding to her. "I want to make sure that my bride is the lady she claims to be."
Chloe could only tighten her jaw as she fought to maintain her composure despite the implication behind what the prince was saying.
The prince once again addressed the eunuch. "Make certain that no man has touched her before me."
Trained to always maintain her royal poise, outwardly, Chloe looked unfazed. Inside, however, her senses were whirling. Had she been able to look behind her, she would've seen the horrified looks on the faces of Merte and Jasmine.
Alek, on the other hand, was far from horrified. He was simply enraged. Enough of this, he determined. At that moment, no patronizing words from Zahan or pleading looks from Jasmine could've kept him from doing what he set his mind to do. The warrior was about to fight for his princess.