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Before you read this, some of you missed Chapter 24. It was published the same day as Chapter 25.

Chapter 26: The Fight

The next morning, Jasmine found the letter and frowned. Without saying a word, she picked up another one of my letters on guild law and compared the two. Then she picked up yet another letter.

The princess's eyes narrowed.

I waited as she continued to scan through a series of letters and notes I had written.

Finally, she said, "Rajah, I need to talk to Prince Ali."

Jasmine swept out of the study and I padded after her.

Here we go.

We found Prince Ali laying in the gardens, basking in the sun. He stood up when he saw us coming.

"Jasmine," he said, "you're-"

The princess didn't let him finish. "What is this," she demanded, thrusting the letter in his face.

"A piece of paper?" he said dumbly.

Jasmine looked like she was about to set him and the letter on fire. "This…" she said in an angry hiss, "is a letter from SA telling me that he is not, in fact, you."

"It's a forgery," the prince said quickly. "It has to be."

I snorted. More lies at a time like this? Really?

This was it. I sat back and watched.

"Ali," Jasmine's voice rose, "Don't you dare lie to me like that."

"I'm not-"

"I thought it seemed unlikely you were SA, but I believed you. I trusted you, but all of yesterday you were lying through your teeth."

"Jasmine, I-"

"You must think I'm pretty gullible, to believe such a tall tale."

"And why is it so unbelievable!" he shot back, suddenly angry. "I'm a prince, aren't I? I'm smart. You have no idea what I'm capable of."

"You're right," she sneered. "I had no idea you were capable of such dishonesty."

"Oh please," he said derisively. "You're not exactly honest yourself. You're the one lying to the kingdom about our wedding. Compare to that, this is nothing."

Nothing?

"Nothing!" Jasmine cried. "Ali, there's a huge difference between political maneuvering and lying to your betrothed."

"Really?" he asked indignantly. "Does your 'secret admirer' know that?"

"What?" She took a step back. "Secret admirer?"

I glared at him. What was he getting at?

"Your precious SA," Ali pressed, "does he know you're betrothed? Because he doesn't act like you're a betrothed woman. He's been getting way too friendly with you recently."

"I don't know what you're talking about," Jasmine said in my defense. "SA has always been professional."

"He's suspicious, Jasmine. You say he's an 'innocent colleague', but he's not. You don't know where he came from or who he is. You can't trust a guy like that. Honestly, I did you a favor by-"

"You did me a favor?" Jasmine said, her anger flaring up again. "Ali, are you even listening to yourself? SA isn't the untrustworthy one. He didn't lie to my face."

"And how would you know?" he shouted. "You don't even know what his face looks like. You don't know anything about him."

"SA might be secretive, but at least he's not claiming to be someone he's not. Unlike you!" Jasmine shouted back. In a brittle voice, she continued, "You were supposed to be different. You were supposed to be the one. I was supposed to be able to trust you, but I can't." Her voice broke and she turned away from him. "You're just like every other prince I've met."

Finally!

As Jasmine and Prince Ali stood there, all I could feel was elation. She finally understood what I'd seen weeks ago. Prince Ali was a liar and a fool.

Jasmine started to walk away. I was ready to follow her out of the garden, when Ali said, "Jasmine, Wait." His voice had changed. It was tender.

To my surprise, she turned back.

He came closer.

I growled in warning. He was too close for my liking.

The prince ignored me and said, "I'm sorry. I've just been so worried about us."

I snorted. More lies. Did he think that was the solution to everything?

"Of course, you can trust me," he claimed. Then he said, "I love you."

Ali made his move. It was so quick. I didn't have time to react immediately. One moment they were standing apart from each other and in the next, Ali had pulled Jasmine close and was kissing her.

A roar escaped my throat. I don't know where it came from. All I could see was red for a moment. I reared up and shoved the prince back. The force of it sent him flying away from her. He cried out as he landed on his back a few meters away. Instead of laying still and submitting, the fool scrambled back like he could get away.

"Your tiger is crazy, Jasmine."

There was no response. All I could hear was my growling.

I sculked towards him. He was not getting away. I was going to kill this worthless lying lech. It was my right. I'd saved his life and now I was going to end it.

Something pressed down hard on the top of my head.

It was Jasmine. It had to be Jasmine's hand.

She probably wanted me to calm down. I had been calm. I had sat quietly through their fight as he insulted me and her, but I was done. I was a tiger. He was a prince and he had assaulted my princess. He had sullied her with his filthy mouth. It was my job to protect her. It was my job to dismiss him, to end him.

He was standing up now, but he would not get away. If he ran, I would chase him. I would pin him down. He would scream and beg. And just when he thought that I would relent, that's when I'd do it. With just one bite, I would-

"Rajah…" It was like a whisper. "Don't. Please..."

Jasmine. She still had a hand on my head. Was that her voice that sounded so frail and frightened? Was she hurt? I had forgotten to check.

I managed to look away from the prince and glance up at her. The princess's face was flushed which made me angry all over again, but there was a look in her eyes.

"Please," she repeated, her voice stronger.

Jasmine. She was trying to hold it together because she was a princess. And I was a prince. I was a prince, not a tiger. Princes did not viciously murder people in front of ladies. It simply wasn't done. I had to get a hold of myself.

I forced myself to sit down. I forced myself to stop growling so loudly. I would not attack him until she ordered it. I knew how to behave. When I manage some semblance of control, I nodded at her. I was ready.

Jasmine gave me a hint of a smile, before she faced him. I kept my focus on her. I told myself that he was beneath my notice.

She spoke and her smile vanished. "Why did you do that?" she demanded, "We were arguing and you just…anyone could have seen."

"I did it because I love you," he said.

I dug my claws into the ground, but I could not stop myself from growling.

Jasmine's hand squeezed my head in warning.

"And you love me," he added quickly. "That's all that matters. We're better than this Jasmine. I know we are. Things have been complicated lately and we keep fighting. But I believe we can overcome all that if we just go back to the basics. Let's put aside all the lies, court intrigue, and your secret advisor, and let's focus on us again. You and me." He held out his hand and then the fool had the gall to smile at her.

I began to stand up despite the firm pressure on my head. This was ridiculous. Let's put aside all the lies? Did he really think she'd buy that? Did he think I would allow it? And how dare this piece of filth leer at her after what he just did.

It was not too late, I told myself. I could pounce from here easily. I could have him on the ground. I could-

In a measured voice, the princess said, "I think we should leave, Rajah."

Leave? Yes, I decided. Yes. Leaving was good. It was easier than standing and listening to this lech, less bloody too.

"But, Jasmine," the prince began. He took a step forward, still reaching for her.

Too close.

I snapped at him and he pulled back. As he should. I could bite off his hand. It would be a mercy compared to my earlier thoughts.

"I need to be alone right now," she announced in a tone that brooked no arguments.

The princess left Prince Ali in the garden. I gave him one last warning snarl and followed after her.

We went to her rooms. She closed the door and dismissed her servants who were cleaning in here. Then she faced me.

"You too, Rajah."

What?

"Like I said, I need to be alone."

I stared at her. The princess was still holding on to that expression of calm superiority, but I could tell she was at her limit. She was stiff and her smile was thin as parchment.

Some of my anger gave way to worry. I managed to whine in protest.

"I'll be alright," she insisted. Her voice almost sounded steady.

I didn't believe her. After what just happened, she deserved to be upset. I was certainly upset.

"You can go, Rajah. I'll see you tomorrow."

I gave her a long look, but she didn't say anything else. She stood there waiting for me to leave so she could cry. My princess could be so proud sometimes. How could I stay angry when she was so close to the edge? I nuzzled her.

"Thanks," she said petting my head.

A tear fell onto my fur. She sniffled. "Rajah, please...go."

I nuzzled her one more time and then I left her rooms. As the door closed, I heard Jasmine say in a broken voice, "Allah above what am I going to do?"

I did not have to be in the room to know she was now crying her eyes out and yet here I was, outside. She had never sent me away like this before.

My fury resurfaced. Ali had done this. He had broken Jasmine. He had disappointed her like I knew he would, like every other prince. I was glad she realized it before it was too late, but...

If I thought it would make her happy, I would have finished what I started in the garden. But now that I was calmer, I knew murder was probably not the answer. Jasmine would never forgive me and I wasn't sure I'd forgive myself if I killed someone solely from anger. Though it was hard to tell in my current state. I still felt more like a beast than a rational man.

I went to my own rooms and paced. I needed to exercise out some of this blood rage and get a hold of myself. She would need me tomorrow. My heart broke thinking about her being alone in her rooms. I would be there for her tomorrow. No matter what.