Ugly Americans
The next day, he came to their suite after a long, restful sleep. He'd showered and dressed more regally than normal in deference to his parents. When the bodyguards opened the doors for him, he frowned, aware of the freedom that Alandra would be giving up to be with him. His parents and sister were dining more leisurely than he was used to after years of New York living. The timid waif his father would have him marry was nowhere to be found.
"Good morning, my family," he said with a bow to his parents. Helping himself to bacon and eggs, he sat down and went through Alandra's and his shared schedule. If he'd been smart, he would have done it yesterday before his hurt pride cost her the trust of her client. He smiled that a good portion of the weekend was dedicated to his family and that she now had next Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday off work. His woman worked fast.
"Is that your girlfriend's schedule?" Jubilee asked while looking over his shoulder. "Wow! She is a busy woman."
"She's booked some time off to visit with us during your visit."
"How nice to hear," Barbarossa said sourly.
"It is nice of her," Tyr said forcefully. "My Landi is a highly respected and successful prosecutor. Her skills are highly sought after. She's giving up her whole inner week simply to make sure that we are comfortable in New York. That's the kind of person she is."
"Good morning," Ellura announced her presence. Tyr noticed that she seemed to be a little more solid than last night. Her speech and manners as she greeted his parents and siblings were more sure and less ethereal. Rather than be pleased by the change, he found himself miffed. This was why he'd left Africa in the first place. Women shaped themselves to be pleasing to men there; at first it was exciting to wield that much power over a woman. But now, he found it bothersome.
"What shall we do today?" Jubilee asked after emptying her plate.
"Perhaps a tour?" Ellura suggested. "You've been here so long that you are practically a native, my prince. Why don't you show us your favorite spots in the city?" She fluttered her lashes at him and he scoffed.
"We should all go," he said. "I know of this clothing place on 112th that Mother would love."
"Nonsense," Barbarossa told the group indulgently. "You three should go. Get to know each other better; it's been years since you've been home, Tyr. Take Bilal with you along with your normal bodyguards. Go. We have meetings with dignitaries all day, so we shall expect you back in the evening." Tyr barely stifled a groan. Bilal was one of his father's most loyal guards. He would double as a spy for his father. That also meant that Omar and Hazma would be on a short leash today. Where to go…
"Get dressed, sis. Today's going to be a blast." Jubilee ran out of the room with a grin and Tyr nodded. He and his sister could make this work. It was rare that they were able to hang out together. He took the ladies shopping, pointing out the sights and ignoring Ellura whenever possible. Jubilee dominated the conversation with her usual flair, switching topics with the speed and randomness of a demented hummingbird. Seeing that today Alandra got off work at seven, he aimed to be there to pick her up. Bilal followed the group of royals into the office building.
"Tyr, welcome back," Whitmore said in a voice that implied the exact opposite, partially blocking the elevators. "I see you have guests."
"Hello, Mr. Myers. My family is in town and I wanted them to see where my woman works."
"Couldn't you wait for one of her days off?" he asked sweetly. The two men shared a fake laugh that made everyone uncomfortable.
"It's my fault. I insisted on meeting up with my future sister. We only got to meet briefly last night." The elevator dinged just then, opening to reveal Ms. Scryer.
"Ah, Tyr! You're just in time. I was unable to dislodge my employer from her desk. Perhaps you and… your family is it? Perhaps you and the ladies can convince her to act like a young person on a Friday night. Mr. Myers," she acknowledged the owner of the firm as she left. Tyr grinned at Whitmore and herded his entourage into the elevator. When they reached her floor, he brought them to her office. Landi once again looked exhausted. She was filling out paperwork in a hurried, distracted fashion and had obviously lost track of the time.
"Alhamia?" he called softly from across the room, not wanting to startle her. (Protectress)
"Huh?" The woman said, not looking up from her work. "I will be with you in just one… second… There!" She finished her work for the night. "What can I- Tyr!" she exclaimed as her work brain caught up with her, jumping up out of her seat and running into his arms like a guided missile. Tyr laughed at her antics, more relaxed than he had been all day. He wrapped his arms around her, breathing in her scent.
"How's your day been?"
"Busy. There are just too many consultations in one day. There were mine and then my bosses insisted on some of theirs… I have to be in court on Monday and Friday next week. This is going to be a mess." She shook her head free of these dark thoughts and focused on the others in the room, most of which looked shocked at her familiarity with the crown prince. "Good evening, your Majesties. You are new to me; might I know your name?"
"Bilal, Madam," he said politely, more politely than he was meant to according to his liege.
"Pleased to meet you, sir. My name is Alandra, but most people just call me Landi. Will you be joining us for our evening revelry?"
"We should head out, your Majesties. Your father will expect us soon."
"Answer my woman," Tyr said sternly, still holding his woman in his arms.
"Yes, madam," he said shortly.
"You will answer my woman when she speaks to you, Bilal, understood?"
"But sire!"
"I don't care what my father says. I will not have you being rude to your future queen!"
"Yes, your Majesty," the bodyguard said belligerently.
"He's right, though. It's getting late for you royals to be out on the streets. We should-" Tyr stopped her flow of words with his lips.
"If we were alone; if it were just you and I… What would we be doing on a Friday night?" She opened her mouth to answer and he kissed her passionately. As she recovered, he lifted her chin so that she had to look him in the eye. "The truth, Alhamia." (Protectress)
"You usually have Omar and Hazma drive us to my apartment. You guys wait for me to get out of my suit so that I can dry clean it and the rest of them. Then we either go clubbing, out to a restaurant, or hang out with Moneybags and his people." He caressed her cheek and pulled her close for another long, drugging kiss.
"Shall we head back to your place to get you out of those clothes?"
"I'm not going to-"
"I know, baby. I know," he chuckled in amusement. "Let's go, Sweetling." The woman snuggled against him before backing away to grab her things and lock the door.
"I can't stand how adorable you two are," Jubilee squealed. Landi blushed and smiled at the girl. The drive to her apartment was full of Jubilee's observations about the city so far. Alandra asked questions where appropriate and enjoyed the answers. Tyr watched the interaction with amusement. Ellura looked bitter as the two talked. The prince had to work not to laugh at the look on her face. The poor little princess obviously didn't know much about female relationships. She and Landi were now friends for life.
"I won't be long," Landi grinned as she got out of the limousine. "I just need a shower and a change of clothes."
"Wait! I'm coming with you," Jubilee smiled as she unfastened her seat belt. This caught the attention of the bodyguards.
"Please, your Majesty. You don't need to go into a commoner's home," Bilal said as if her home might be contagious.
"She'll be back soon, Majesty," Omar said respectfully.
"Guys, relax! I got this," she grinned mischievously at the bodyguards. "Sorry, Jubes, but my place is a mess. Let me clean it up for company and I'll be happy to have you over tomorrow. Right now I just want to get in and out."
"I never get to have any fun," the girl pouted. Landi lifted her head and smiled at her fondly.
"Your time will come, little one. Besides, you're holding my boyfriend hostage, so you know I'm coming back. Be patient." She left quickly after that. The silence left in her wake was intense. Jubilee was never that agreeable. Then…
"Did you guys hear that? She called me 'Jubes'! I have a nickname!"
"I'm happy for you, Jubilee," Tyr told her with a warm smile. The smile faded when Ellura scoffed. "You have something against nicknames, your Majesty?"
"Shall we call you 'T'?" she asked snidely.
"No. Landi says that one-syllable names are too short to shorten and I agree with her. She calls me Jaguar."
"Why not 'tiger'? That is just as trite."
"It's in reference to my fighting style when we spar, your Majesty."
"You spar with a woman? You don't find that… Limiting?"
"If I did, I wouldn't do it. You should come with us some morning. Her gym is very nice. We lift and then we spar."
"She lifts weights? Ugh. You're not exactly endearing her to me, my prince."
"I'm not trying to endear her to you. As long as she is dear to me, that's all that matters. And call me 'Highness' or 'Majesty'. I'm not comfortable with you calling me your prince."
"Why is that, your highness?"
"It's too easily misinterpreted. Image is everything here. That's why I don't go up to her apartment without a chaperone. Wouldn't want anyone getting the impression that we're sleeping together."
"Of course, your Majesty," she settled back in her seat dejectedly. Jubilee was smiling and bouncing in her seat. It was clear who the college student would prefer as a sister-in-law. Everyone lapsed back into silence until Landi returned, decked out in a floor-length floral sundress that complimented her skin tone. She was wearing those wedge-style sandals that gave her some height. Her cross and a pair of star earrings were her only ornaments. Tyr got out to kiss her and help her into the limo.
"I felt like I should dress up a little, this being a big, fancy ride and all."
Your father drives limousines for a living," Tyr laughed.
"It's not like I was in the limo with him," she protested. "He wanted me to be in awe of them. He gave me and my friends a great discount at senior prom. Split six ways, it was a steal. Although, Christian Hayes still owes me his share," she grumbled before shaking her head.
"Your father charged you for renting a limousine?" Ellura asked in horror.
"Daddy believes that if you buy it yourself, you will appreciate it more. No handouts in my family." She smiled happily, smoothing the fluttery material of her dress down her legs.
"That sounds monstrous," the princess said primly. "Fathers are supposed to provide for their families."
"It's a matter of perspective, your Majesty. He owns the company, so he could have afforded to give us a lot more than he did. But making us pay out of pocket forced us to prioritize our desires and wants. It made us kids decide what was truly important. It's better than having a house full of useless junk that we didn't really want in the first place. I plan to implement the same policy with my own kids some day." Ellura's eyes were the size of saucers, so Tyr decided to change the subject.
"What are you ladies interested in doing tonight?"
"Clubbing," Jubilee and Alandra said at the same time. They turned to each other and giggled. Ellura looked at them disapprovingly and he knew that she was going to be the contrary one.
"But your dress is so pretty, Alandra. Do you really want to ruin it by dancing in a club?" Alandra looked at her strangely.
"I don't know what happens in African clubs, but I plan to dance a few dances, have a few drinks, and go back to the hotel to meet up with his folks. I-"
"Do not be so disrespectful toward the royal parents," Bilal shouted suddenly, scaring Jubilee into dropping her drink. Everyone froze, but it was Landi who spoke.
"Relax, dude! They're not my royals. Besides, if they are going to be my parents, I don't have to be formal with them all the time. I mean, you aren't all formal and stiff with your own Mom and Dad, are you Tyr?" The man looked at her guiltily. "Really? Even in the privacy of your Royal suites or whatever?" Both of the royal children of Alibhai were nodding by now. "Wow. I stand corrected. I will be sure to be more respectful when speaking of the king and queen. Thanks for the heads up, Bilal." The bodyguard looked shocked that he'd been helpful to the commoner, then angry. But he held his peace at the sharp look from Tyr.
"You know, there are a lot of behaviors and turns of phrase that you will have to change to be successful royalty, Alandra. It's not all pretty dresses and carefully coiffed hair."
"Yes, your Highness. I suspect it'll also have something to do with assessing the political atmosphere and knowing the rivalries and scandals of the upper crust."
"No," Ellura said belligerently. "It's more than even that! Being royal isn't the same as being famous. There is a dignity to it, an art. A woman trains exclusively for years to learn how to adequately stand by her king. I was deemed exceptional." She turned to the prince indignantly. "It's ridiculous that I should have to compete with a low-born for the honor of being your wife, your Highness. The choice should be obvious."
"It is," he told the princess, squeezing his woman and kissing the side of her head. The woman looked seconds from throwing a fit, but seemed to remember herself and her 'training' at the last minute.
"But… she isn't trained!"
"My mother and sister are perfectly willing to train her."
"She's a commoner. She's not of noble blood!"
"So you've mentioned," he said calmly as the limo started for his favorite club. "Are you going with us to the club, or do we need to drop you off at the hotel? Or you could just remain in the car while we dance." Ellura glared daggers at Alandra as she pondered her options. The source of her ire eyed her evenly, unconcerned about her wrath. It was something that she was not accustomed to.
"I'll, I will come with you, your Majesty," Ellura said in the end. Tyr nodded, his attention on the chatting women beside him. They were discussing dance moves and couldn't be more delighted to be going dancing tonight. They arrived at the club as if the confrontation in the limo never happened. Everyone was in high spirits. Bilal insisted on coming with them into the club, something that Omar and Hazma never felt the need to do. Landi immediately pulled him and his sister to the dance floor. They did a few dances as a group, then Ellura took over dancing with the princess, leaving Tyr free to seduce his woman. They moved against one another sensually to the fast music, sweating profusely in the hot room. A tap on her shoulder disrupted their fun.
"May I cut in?" The princess of Lesotho asked smugly.
"No, you may not," Landi said before he could. The woman looked taken aback by this response.
"You've been monopolizing him all night! Give someone else a turn with the best dancer on the floor."
"Of course I've been hogging him, your Majesty. He's my boyfriend! Do you know how many women want a turn with my- Where is Jubilee?" His woman suddenly cut herself off.
"She was-"
"You were just dancing with her! It's not safe here. Where is she?" Landi sounded a little bit panicked, alerting him to look for his sister. The two spotted her being led away by a group of men. There was a cup in her hand, something that hadn't been there before, and her movements weren't quite in time with the music anymore. The couple immediately moved toward her, but Landi was faster thanks to her reduced height, even with the heels on.
Tyr fought his way through the crowd as Landi confronted the man leading his sister away. The man punched her in the eye after a few terse words and Landi making a grab for his sister. Landi then stepped up, punched him in the mouth, punched him in the gut, and kneed him in the groin. The man went down and his companions scattered, leaving him to face the woman on his own. Bilal grabbed Jubilee just as Landi finished standing up from where she'd been crouching over her downed opponent. She had his wallet in her hands. She rooted through it and pulled out his driver's license, taking a picture of it with her phone.
"I have you now, you sick son of a bitch! And unless you want to end up in court over this, I'd better not ever hear of you putting roofies in anyone else's drinks!" She walked away toward Jubilee, who was raising the cup to her lips.
"How about I take this one, Jubes?" she said, gently prying the cup out of her hand. She turned to the bodyguard with a stern look on her face. "Take her to the limousine immediately. She's been drugged and is not herself, so do not take orders from her at present. Am I understood?
"Yes, your Majesty," he said quickly, leading the woman away from the forming crowd. Two bouncers appeared as if by magic to break up the crowd and find out what had happened. The potential rapist was hauled to his feet. He tried to attack Landi, but the bouncers wouldn't let him after hearing her accusations against the man. By now Ellura had joined him.
"Go wait in the limo, your Majesty. Tyr and I have to make a statement for the cops so that this scum can never do this to another innocent woman." Ellura looked combative at the authority in her voice, but Tyr simply glared at her until she complied. The group was led off the dance floor and to an office in the back where the police were waiting. Landi, fully in lawyer mode, gave a statement, including handing over Jubilee's cup. Because she could not definitively prove that he gave it to her, the man was accused of taking advantage of a patron and assault. The man was taken away and Landi and Tyr were free to go.
Landi made a beeline for Jubilee and they were off for the hotel as soon as they were in the limo.
"How you feeling, Jubes?" Landi asked, checking her eyes while kneeling in front of her.
"I lost my drink," she complained, swaying in her seat.
"We'll get you another one," the older woman said soothingly, smoothing a hand over her face. "Anything else? Are you feeling nauseous? Sick to your stomach? Do you feel like you're going to faint?" Jubilee gave an exaggerated shake of her head to each question, giggling drunkenly.
"Is your sister a lightweight when it comes to liquor?" She asked Tyr, who looked at her blankly. "I need to know, Tyr! I only saw her with the one poisoned drink and it was only half empty. But we need to know if this is the drugs or the alcohol. I mean, was she drinking when you were with her, your Majesty?"
"No," Ellura said in a small voice. Tyr glared at her, she obviously felt responsible for what had happened. As she should. If she hadn't left her alone, Jubilee would not have been targeted. They arrived at the Ritz-Carlton in record time. Landi led her up to the suite urgently.
"What kind of time do you call- What is the matter with my daughter?"
"It's okay. I believe it's the roofies making her act like this."
"Roofies?" Victoria asked in shock. Landi ignored her.
"She wasn't out of contact with us long enough to get smashed otherwise. She says that she's not feeling nauseous or anything, though you might want to have a doctor look her over before she goes to bed tonight."
"'Out of contact'? Tyr, what the hell is going on?" Tyr gave a guilty start.
"Jubilee was roofied tonight by some random patrons at the club we were at."
"You took your sister to a club? And where the hell were the guards?" the king roared. The guilty look on the three guards' faces set his teeth on edge. He could hear his wife calling for a doctor while Landi and Jubilee's handmaidens attempted to rein the enthusiastic girl in. Ellura crept into the suite, broadcasting guilt on a whole new level. The king rubbed his eyes tiredly. Instead of bellowing for answers, he demanded that his son start from the beginning. By the time Tyr was to the part about Jubilee's almost rape, the in-house doctor was at the door. He examined the young woman and pronounced her drugged but otherwise healthy.
"Have her drink at least four cups of water tonight before she goes to bed. Do not try to induce vomiting. She'll sleep it off and be all the wiser for it in the morning. Now, let me take a look at that eye, young lady."
"Oh! I'd forgotten that he punched me when I took her away from him. I just- Ouch!"
"There, there, young lady. It's all over social media what you did for that little girl in there." Tyr blinked and whipped out his phone to see several amateur videos of his woman's confrontation with Jubilee's would-be rapist. "You were very brave, confronting that man, but I'm afraid you're going to have a black eye for the next two weeks at least. Ice it - twenty minutes on, twenty minutes off - when you can. It's going to look worse before it gets better. And don't press on it when you're icing it. That'll only-"
"I've had black eyes before, doctor," she said forcefully.
"Really?" The older man said, looking at Tyr thoughtfully.
"Not him," she said in annoyance. "Roughhousing with my brothers as a kid. We went all out on each other. I would never stay with a coward that had to beat women to feel strong."
"Ah," the doctor said, reevaluating his temporary opinion of the prince of Alibhai. "If anything else comes up, you can reach me through the front desk. Good evening." He let himself out of the suite. The only sounds were those of the drugged princess arguing with her handmaids while they tried to get her to drink water.
"It seems I owe you a debt for my daughter's virtue, Ms. Shaveed. I would have sworn that one of my guards or my son would have saved her in this unfortunate situation."
"Don't sweat it, your Majesty. We were all zeroing in on her, I just happened to get there faster. We all arrived at the club together, there was no way I was going to allow her to leave with a stranger. Especially under those circumstances." Jubilee crashed into her savior just then, giggling and grinning fit to burst.
"'Aeattni laqab, ya rabi 'abi! Landi yahtamu bi haqaa!" Landi shook her head fondly and went with her to her room. Now that the danger was passed, everyone could admit that Jubilee was adorable when intoxicated. (She gave me a nickname, Lord Daddy! Landi really does care about me!)
"Yes, Jubes, I gave you a nickname. How about we drink some water now? It'll help." Victoria came in with a cup of cold water for her to drink. The commoner nodded her thanks before pressing the cup into Jubilee's hand. "Drink up, Jubes! You heard the doctor. This is one of four. Let's get 'em in ya!" Jubilee grinned and downed the cup, holding her cup out for a refill afterward.
"Someone get some ice for the Lady's eye," Barbarossa barked at his staff. After some scrambling, an ice pack made up of one of the expensive towels in the bathroom was pressed into the injured woman's hand. Landi pressed it to her eye with a grateful sigh, returning to her task of getting the young princess to drink her water before bed. It took all of the handmaidens, the Queen, and Landi to make it happen. Jubilee was pretty wild. But eventually, she finished the last cup and let Alandra put her to bed. Once the girl was down, the real talks began.
"Suar, 'asheur bikhaybat 'amal fik. kunt taelam 'ana 'ukhtak lam takun mustaeidatan liltaeamul mae hadha alnawe min altahfiz aladhi yuafiruh malhaa layliun fi hadhih almadinati. Kan yajib 'an turaqibaha bieinayat 'akbar 'iidha kunt satakhudhuha 'iilaa makan khatir kahadha. 'Lilwra, laqad tawaqaet mink 'akthar min altakhaliy ean aibnati limuhawalat 'iighwa' abni. wa'amaa alhuraas .. Wahid faqat? Min 'asl thalathati? Kan hadha tkhtytan syyan min janibihimu. 'Alandra, 'ashkuruk min 'aemaq qalbi li'iinqadh aibnati alsaghirat, lakina mithl hadha al'iinqadh lam yakun drwryan. Kanat kulu maswuwliaatik 'an turaqibaha fi mithl hadha almawqif almutawatiri. 'Atawaqae 'afdal minkum jmyean fi almustaqbal," the King of Alibhai said sternly. (Tyr, I'm disappointed in you. You knew that your sister wasn't ready to handle the kind of stimulation a nightclub in this city provides. You should have been watching her more carefully if you were going to take her to such a dangerous place. Ellura, I expected more from you than to abandon my daughter to try and seduce my son. And as for the guards… only one? Out of three? That was poor planning on their part. Alandra, I thank you from the bottom of my heart for saving my little girl, but such a rescue should not have been necessary. It was all of your responsibilities to watch over her in such a tense situation. I expect better of all of you in the future.)
"Naeam ya sahib aljalala." Everyone he was addressing in the room bowed low. The man left for his private chambers after that, wife in tow. (Yes, your Majesty)
"Well, that was uncomfortable," Landi said awkwardly as she removed the ice after twenty minutes. Instead of responding, Tyr kissed her thoroughly. He wrapped his arms around her and possessed her mouth in a way that had her moaning like a freighter. Ellura had disappeared into her room after such a dressing down, but Tyr didn't care. All that mattered was her sweet, plump lips against his. He kissed her until oxygen became an issue, then breathed deep as he kissed her more. When he finally released her from the spell, Landi was reeling. He caressed her cheek, as she was still wrapped tightly in his arms, and laid her head on his chest.
"Thank you." She looked up at him in a daze and he smiled down at her. "I mean it, Landi. Thank you for saving my sister from more than a bad memory."
"Tyr! You were right behind me and so was Bilal. If that bastard had managed to get past the three of us, Omar and Hazma were right outside the club. No way was he getting away with his prize." The prince shook his head and kissed her again.
"It doesn't matter. You went after my sister, even knowing what it might cost you. Most girls would have left it to the men to sort out and wait on the results. You are an amazing woman." Landi blushed at the high praise.
"Yeah, well… I bet that's not something the Princess of Lesotho learned at her little 'King's Are Us' school." she giggled, still firmly in his arms.
"There's a thought. Would you have tried so hard if it had been Ellura?" the woman looked up at him strangely.
"I may not like the princess, but every woman has the right to choose. So yes, I would have gone after Ellura the same way I went after Jubilee. You are already my man. I don't have to resort to such games to prove it."
Beyond words for this wonderful woman, Tyr caressed her lips with his once again. They kept at it until she yawned between kisses.
"Come, my love. It's time to take you home so you can sleep. It's been a long day for you." Landi snuggled against him, letting him lead her downstairs to the car. Someone freshened up her ice and handed her the towel to use. Alandra accepted the ice pack, grateful that only one eye was damaged and not both. She needed to be able to see during her court case Monday. Pressing the ice to her eye with a sigh, the couple boarded the elevator with Omar and Hazma in tow. Hazma ran to get the car as the couple walked across the lobby. Once outside the hotel, they were accosted by tons of influencers, online journalists, and newscasters.
"Ms. Shaveed, is it true that you-"
"Ms. Shaveed, are you going to-"
"Ms. Shaveed! Ms. Shaveed!"
"Ms. Shaveed, are you admitting to being bi-sexual?" Ariel screamed over the hyped-up crowd. Everyone stopped to hear the answer to that one. Landi removed the ice-pack from her face in shock, giving people their first look at her attacker's handiwork.
"What? Bi-sexual? Why would you-"
"You were seen dancing with the woman that you later rescued from Mr. Davies. Are you-"
"I was dancing with Tyr's sister. Dancing is not a declaration. And since when does one need to declare sexual orientation to rescue someone in need? Mr. Davies is a pig. He and his buddies were about to take advantage of an innocent girl. And that's all I will say on the matter." More questions followed, but Landi refused to answer, stepping into the car that Hazma had parked at the curb. Tyr got her into the car and then came around the car to get in himself. They drove away in silence, the media still shouting questions and comments at the car.
"Are you alright, Alhamia?" Tyr asked, hugging her around their seat belts. (Protestress)
"I'm fine. I just- hold on." she fished her phone out of her purse and opened it. "Hello?"
"Oh my God, Landi! Are you okay? I've been trying to reach you all night!"
"I'm fine, Mom. I was just-"
"What if that man had had a gun? You could have been killed. What were you thinking, going after that girl like that?"
"The man was looking for an easy conquest. It's highly unlikely he would have had a gun, Mom. And I was thinking that I wasn't going to let Tyr's sister be raped her first night in the city." Tyr could hear the panic in Delilah's voice even if he couldn't hear exactly what she was saying.
"You need to stop being so brave, Alandra. Someday it's going to get you seriously hurt or killed!"
"If I die, I will die doing what's right, Mother. I'm not going to hide from my responsibility to my fellow human beings. I'm fine."
"You're fine this time, daughter. Next time you might not be so lucky."
"No, I might not. But you and I both know luck has nothing to do with it. I am protected. And that's not why I take risks. But that is why I am confident when I am doing what's right."
"Where are you? I heard that you were hurt during the confrontation."
"I have a black eye. That's all."
"A black eye? You haven't had a black eye since you were a child. You're better than that!"
"He caught me by surprise, that's all. "
"Put Tyr on the phone. I can't even talk to you right now."
"Mother! I'm not going to put him on the phone."
"Put him on the phone, Landi."
"No, I'm not going to-"
"Alandra Glory Shaveed!"
"Fine! Okay. Here he is." she held the phone out to Tyr. "Tyr, my mother wants to talk to you." He took the phone in surprise.
"Hello?"
"My daughter was hurt on your watch, Mr. Anasazi. I don't appreciate your notion of security. My daughter may be a simple commoner and therefore expendable to you, but she is our world."
"Alandra is important to me as well, Ms. Delilah. I won't be leading her into dangerous situations."
"See that you don't, Mr. Anasazi. I will not be pleased should I find you have lied to me." The phone clicked off. Tyr marveled that her family's broken trust hurt him more than his father's disappointment. Tonight could have been a real disaster. There was no excuse for his decisions. He'd somehow expect his sister to be aware of the predators in her midst, predators who didn't know of her royal status or might target her for it. His father was right; he needed to be more careful. His love had already paid the price for his arrogance. The prince caressed the unmarked side of her face, guilt consuming him.
"Sahl hunak, jakwar. hunak alkathir min alshueur bialdhanb wallawm liltaghalub ealayh allaylata. Tasil 'iilaa watashmal 'ukhtaka. Kan yajib 'an taeraf bishakl 'afdal baed siti sanawat fi alkuliyati. La 'ahad minaa kan yajib 'an yatrukaha wahdaha. kan yanbaghi 'an yuhadhiraha shakhs ma min alkhatari. La tujad tariqat liaistieadat almadi. La yumkinuna almudiu qdman 'iilaa 'iidha ealimna 'ana alhadhr matlubu. Sawf natajawaz hadha ya habibti." (Easy there, Jaguar. There is plenty of guilt and blame to go around for tonight. Up to and including your sister. She should have known better after six years in college. None of us should have left her alone. Someone should have warned her about the danger. There's no way to get back the past. We can only move forward knowing that caution is warranted. We'll get through this, my love.)
"Aikhtart almakana," he yelled angrily. "Kan yajib 'an 'aerif 'afdal min aikhtiar hadha alnaadi ealaa wajh alkhususi." (I picked the place! I should have known better than to pick that club in particular.)
"Laqad akhtartuha li'anana kunaa hunak min qabl, eidat marati. aietaqadna 'anaha satakun tajribatan jayidatan laha. Tabayan 'anah kan, lays bialtariqat alati tawaqaenaha. Hawal 'alaa tadghat ealaa nafsik bisabab hadha. Kanat ghaltat ghayr maqsudatin." She grinned mischievously around a yawn. "Wa'iidha kunt 'atadhakar, faqad 'aetayatna alkhiarat watarakatha eind hadha alhad. Akhtarna 'ana w Jubes "alnawadi allayliati" kanashat alliyl." Tyr thought about that while hugging his woman tight. (You picked it because we've been there before, many times. We thought it would be a good experience for her. Turns out it was, just not in the way we expected. Try not to beat yourself up over this. It was an honest mistake. And if I recall, you gave us the options and left it at that. Jubes and I picked 'clubbing' as the activity of the night.)
"You soothe the beast in me, Alandra. I love you." She went stiff in his arms. "What's the matter, Alhamia?" (Protectress)
"You've never… You've never said that to me before," she said, sounding misty.
"I've never said it?" he teased her to lighten the mood. "Well, I would think that my actions proved it. I've defied the monarchy of my country for you. I don't know what more I can do to prove it to you."
"You don't have to do anything, Jaguar. Just say it every once in a while. It helps, you know," she said ruefully, snuggling against her man happily. Things were calm the rest of the trip to her apartment. Tyr stopped her when she got out of the car.
"You know, you're not the only one who's been waiting for a declaration, love," he told her, trying not to sound too eager. His woman leaned back in the car and kissed him soundly.
"I love you with all my heart and soul, Tyr Anasazi. You are my friend and you are my love. I wouldn't be dealing with your pompous father if I didn't love you. The fact that I haven't knocked a few of his teeth out should be proof enough of my love. Especially after that 'bed the bitch' fiasco."
"That's my girl," he said flirtatiously, capturing her lips in a deep kiss. He followed her as she backed up out of the car and she giggled.
"Tyr! I've had a full day of work on top of tonight. I need sleep!" The man stopped trying to kiss the mouth off of her at that laughing request. He slid over as if to exit the car and she put a hand on his firm chest. "We've talked about this before. I'm not going to sleep with you." He couldn't help his pout. They'd been committed and exclusive for months now! Didn't he deserve-
There was an uncertainty in her eyes that ended his internal monologue. The woman looked worried, something that she should never look when it came to them. He shook his head fondly and kissed her knuckles softly.
"Good night, my princess," he said softly, his eyes conveying his love and respect for her.
"Good night, my handsome prince," she answered shyly. The woman walked away without looking back and he could only grin goofily at his luck. Once he was sure that she was in for the night, he slid across the seat and fastened in.
"That was so sweet, I have cavities," Ariel came out of the alleyway to confront her old lover. "Who knew that all I had to do was not put out and I would have been the princess of Alibhai." Tyr sighed and got out of the car. At least she'd gotten rid of the cameras for their confrontation.
"What do you want, Ariel? You and I were over three years ago. Why are you bothering me now?"
"I always thought that you would come back to me," she admitted sadly. "What we had was special. At least, I thought it was. I figured after you finished playing around, you would come back to me. I was all ready for your return; I never even dated again so I'd be ready."
"What we had was less than a week of casual sex three years ago, Ariel. That's all it was. We never even went out on a proper date! It's insane that you would call that a relationship and 'wait' for me. We had fun and when we parted, I was satisfied to close that chapter in my life." He looked the woman over compassionately, knowing that he was hurting her but not able to say it any other way. "It was never going to be you, Ariel. Even if Landi hadn't come into my life, you were never an option. You need to stop this pursuit of me. It's only going to hurt you in the long run." He ignored the tears running down her face and climbed back into the car. "Find someone to make you forget all about me. You deserve that. And you're not going to get it from me."
"Tyr, you've ruined me for other men. You are a superlative lover, and I can be anything you want me to be! You want 'shy and demure', I can be that! Just say the word! Just because I don't make as much as she does doesn't mean-" Her words died in her throat when his pitying look turned cold.
"It's never been about the money, Ariel. I'm rich already, I don't need more. No, it's about dignity and class. And if you had either, you'd know that. Drive on."
"Wait! Tyr, I-"
"I said, 'drive on'," the man said over her protests. "I've indulged this nonsense for long enough."
"Yes your Majesty," his chauffeurs/bodyguards said, pulling into traffic. The desperate woman actually chased the car for a block before giving up. Part of him felt sorry for her, but mostly he was outraged that she would insult him like that. It was Landi's passion for life that drew him to her. Honestly, had he ever felt moved by anything in his life before meeting her?
"You're growling, you're Highness," Hazma said, holding back a smile.
"That delusional woman just called me a gold-digger."
"I noticed that too," Omar laughed.
"I felt sorry for her up until that point," Hazma agreed. The three laughed all the way back to the hotel.