Farid held Meggie's hand as they walked back into the palace.
"So what would you like to do now?" He asked.
"I want to go back to our room and relax for a little bit." She replied.
"That's fine with me," He said.
"Farid, father wants to talk to you immediately." Gregory said as he appeared from a room.
"What is it about?" Farid asked.
"I don't know, but he sounds urgent." Gregory sighed. "I'd be more than glad to take Meggie back to the room if you'd like."
Farid looked suspiciously at Gregory, but he agreed despite the warnings in his head.
"I hope everything's okay." Meggie murmured as Gregory led her to the room.
"It should be, but I believe Farid wouldn't want to take any chances." Gregory replied.
"Well at least we could get to know each other a little bit better; I haven't had much of a chance to talk to you." She pointed out.
"True, very true." He chuckled.
"So are you and Farid biological brothers?" She asked.
"Yes, we grew up here together when we younger. Our mother died when we were both young, so we didn't know here that well. Our father hired a private tutor to teach us the proper way to rule the kingdom. While I studied everything there was to learn, Farid was off playing with the local merchant children. Father would discipline him severely whenever he did and I sometimes couldn't bear to watch. Farid suddenly left one night without even saying so much as a goodbye. When he did, our father made sure to have the officials watch him from a safe distance. I stopped my studies and helped our father get through the catastrophe. The years passed and Farid had ended up serving a group of thieves. I was the only one that knew, though, and I didn't have the heart to tell father. Then he arrived with you and our father couldn't be happier." He explained.
"Wow, that's a lot of history." She laughed.
"It is, but I feel better if you knew the story for yourself." He sighed.
"Well thank you for telling me, Gregory." She thanked as he opened the door to her room.
"My pleasure, Princess Meggie." He murmured. "Now wait here until Farid can return."
He closed the door behind her and she plopped herself onto the bed. A few minutes later, Farid walked in with a scowl on his face.
"So what did your dad want?" She asked curiously.
"He didn't want anything." He muttered. "Gregory just wanted to have some alone time with you."
"Well he seems sweet, but not as sweet as you." She added the last part to make him smile, which he did. He sat down beside her on the bed and put his arm around her waist, pulling her close.
"Just make sure he doesn't try to lead you into a dark room or anything like that." He chuckled.
"Do you think he would try and marry me?" She asked.
"More than likely, but I won't let that happen." He reassured.
A small bell rang above them and Farid stood up, holding out his hand for Meggie to take.
"It's dinner time." He said.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Meggie was dumbfound at the beautiful dining room that Farid led her to. There was a long table in the center that stretched out for a good fifteen feet. There were four seats around the table; three on one side and another on the other side. Farid sat her in the seat that was part of the three. He sat beside her and Gregory walked in, also taking a seat beside Meggie. Farid glared at his brother as their father sat on the seat across from them.
"So I hear Farid took you to see the garden, Meggie." The king spoke up as a servant placed handed plates of food to each of them.
"Yes, and it was amazing." Meggie sighed happily. "After that, Gregory helped me to my room."
"It seems you've grown quit comfortable here," The king pointed out. "So I wish to offer you a permanent stay here."
"That would be an honor, your highness." Meggie said respectfully.
"But there is a law that states an outsider cannot stay unless married to a man of this town." The king added.
"Good thing you have us, father." Gregory smirked. Meggie could sense Farid stiffen beside her.
"It is a very good thing. Now one of my sons can finally be married off, and we can have a bigger family." The king agreed.
"I volunteer myself as her husband." Both Farid and Gregory said in unison. They looked at each other angrily and stood up, leaving poor Meggie to sit between them with a worried expression.
"Both of you would like to marry her?" The king asked, surprised.
"It appears so, father." Farid growled and balled his hands into fists.
"I'm the better husband in this family; I can rule the kingdom sufficiently and make Meggie as happy as she can be."
"And you think Farid cannot?" The king questioned.
"He has no education whatsoever and cannot provide for her to the fullest, unlike myself." Gregory sneered.
"I can give her anything you can provide and then some." Farid snapped. "I can give her the kind of love she needs!"
"As if you know what love is!" Gregory hissed.
"Well it appears that you have two suitors, Princess Meggie." The king sighed. "This means we must have a tournament."
"A tournament?" The three gasped from across the table.
"Yes, and the winner shall be honored of calling Meggie their wife." The king added.
"This will be easier than I thought." Gregory said triumphantly. Meggie looked at Farid with a frightened glance and he could only squeeze her hand tightly.
"Now get some rest, all of you. Tomorrow the events shall begin." The king dismissed them and Farid quickly led Meggie back to their room. Once they were inside, he locked the door and turned to her.
"This can't be happening. This just can't be happening." Meggie groaned as she buried her face in her hands. Farid wrapped his arms around her as he sat down beside her on the bed.
"I won't let him win the tournament, I swear." He reassured.
"But what if he finds a way to cheat?" She asked. "I can't marry him, Farid, I just can't!"
"Don't worry; I'll figure this out." He sighed.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Resa sat impatiently beside Dustfinger and Elinor as Mo paced back and forth in front of them. The book Tales From a Hundred and One Arabian Nights sat on a bed in front of them; they were back at Elinor's house and Mo hadn't tried to read Meggie out yet.
"Will you pick up the damned book already? Your daughter could be close to death right now in that thing. Besides, I won't be able to get any sleep knowing she's in there." Dustfinger snapped.
"So you've grown feelings for the girl?" Elinor sneered. "I didn't know you had a heart."
Resa could only roll her eyes as the two began to bicker yet again. Mo slammed his foot on the ground and the two went silent.
"Stop it, both of you! Fighting isn't helping!" Mo shouted.
"Then please just try and read Meggie out of the book." Elinor groaned.
"I don't want to read anyone else in and what if…what if I can't read Meggie out?" Mo sighed.
"Well at least try; there's always a chance that you could read Dustfinger in." Elinor snickered.
"That isn't such a bad idea." Mo muttered.
"Why are you taking here side?" Dustfinger snarled.
"It's about time he finally had some common sense." Elinor boasted.
"Dustfinger could look for Meggie and when he finds her he can keep her safe until I can read them out." Mo explained.
"That's so crazy it might just work," Dustfinger grumbled.
"So will you do it?" Mo asked.
"Why not?" Dustfinger sighed. "I'm bored to death here anyways."
"Then I'll try to write something later on tonight." Mo concluded.