CHAPTER 1

KING NAHAN

        She continues to cry, without making boasts, quiet and placid like a sheep going to be sacrificed.

         It troubles me this frail girl, she does not quarrel, not curse me, she still doesn’t believe in the end that is waiting for her. And I strangely also look closely at those deep, vivid blue eyes and I find it difficult to believe that I will be able to end her life.

         But my plans must follow their course, Sheikh Karim did not have a second thought, pity on my wife and daughter.

         He knew that in that damn car were the only people who made my life have any sense and yet blew them to pieces.

         Since that day my life has been shattered too, in small and miserable little pieces of self-pity, anger, desire for revenge.

        Collecting my shards became a futile task, so I simply did what I do best: to govern my country towards progress, with a strong pulse, and exemplarily punishing the insurgents. In my government, there is no room for chaos, this I reserve for my personal life. To my people, only the best.

         I am awakened from my thoughts by the low, trembling voice of Queen Antonia.

        -How much do you want for the ransom? I have friends, I could talk to them.

        I interrupt your attempt to beg for your life, it will only make me feel worse than I already am.

        -It's not about money, an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth.

        - But ...

        -Shhh, silence, I'll let you sleep, feel at ease, for as long as I want to keep you alive, make this palace your humble home.

        When I'm at the door I still feel drawn to hearing her soft voice a little more.

       -And don’t even think about running away, do you understand?

       - Yes sir.

       These words hit my sex like a shock, the low, light-bodied tone in which she called me sir, made me fantasize with her lying on my bed, asking me, "Sir, please, fuck me!", I am ready and wet to welcome you, my lord ... "," stronger, I need you to penetrate me stronger, sir! ".

       ALLAH! Please! I don’t need those thoughts, I definitely, do not need to fantasize about a woman I barely know and, besides, wife of my biggest enemy.

      No, I don’t want this! Enough.

       I locked the door and went to meet Jafar, at the office. He is standing up and down like a prey, something wrong is happening.

       I close the door behind me and Jafar leaps in panic.

       I walk quietly to my table of meetings, I sit rolling my mother's rosary in my fingers, I point out a chair in front of me and I get right to the point.

      -What did you want to talk to me about, that is so important?

       Jafar is my government's right-hand man, the head of my guards, one of the few people I trust, he is my cousin and a deep connoisseur of the mischief, and of the affairs of the kingdom of Bahrain.

       -My King, the matter is serious. You know how much I have always been faithful to you, how much our friendship ...

         Even though he's my cousin and my best friend, I don’t have time to waste on dodges. I am not a man of bended words, I like righteousness, the right shot, precision is a quality and a virtue that I seek relentlessly in my life.

        -Jafar, go on! Without sweet words, I have a revenge to plan and a sleepless night ahead.

         -This young lady was in an official Qatari Government vehicle, accompanied by security, all of which led them to believe that she was a member of the royal family, made my men think she was the queen. They followed her and brought her here, but she is a friend of Queen Antonia.

       - What, Jafar? The summary of this burlesque opera is that you kidnapped the wrong woman, is that what I hear?

       -Yes, my King, I have learned a little while ago, they have mixed her up with Queen Antonia, and now I don’t know what to do.

       -Well, I'll tell you what to do, preferably take a very thick rope.

Jafar widens his eyes and from where I stand, I see his hands shake, if he was not my cousin I was sure to hang him by his balls in the middle of the ballroom.

      - My king.

      -Not a peep, if I treated you like your king, you would not be alive here in front of me. I cannot talk to you right now, you're lucky to be my cousin and my friend, I'm furious, Jafar, furious!

       Jafar got up and came towards me.

      -Sir, I will voluntarily lock myself in the basement for seven days.

       I walk from side to side, panting, this turn of the game really caught me off guard!

      Good Heaven! They got the wrong woman, hell, what to do now? Jafar looks away from me, he is devastated and I am too, I suddenly remember the two of us, still children, still boys running through this palace, I look at his expression of embarrassment and rebate:

       -Five Jafar.

       He lowers his head and still refuses to face me.

       -Six, sir, my fault was most grievous.

       I lift my chin and challenge, I've always been a great negotiator.

      - Three.

      -My King, please forgive me.

     -My last bid. It is either down or down!!!

     -Two days and a horse race. Of course, I'm a winner, take it or leave it!

     Even dead ashamed, with his honour scratched, I could see the subtle shadow of a smile on Jafar's face.

      Killing my friend will not solve my problem, apparently, death is something that will not be part of the menu for the next few days.

      I go to my prisoner's room, or involuntary guest, and she's asleep. The curvy, soft body in the pale light of the lamp.

      I notice she found the nightgown that I bought and looking at it now, I do not know if I have ever seen anything more beautiful in my life.

       Her pale skin contrasted with the dark blue satin, the delicate lace failing to cover her breasts, a soft piece of meat on display, which incites me to salivate even more.

The soft fabric hugging her hips and her tiny feet push me to get closer. When I wake up from the spell she threw in, I'm sitting on the edge of her bed and her startled eyes open to me.

      She hesitates:

      -You meant to suffocate me asleep?

       I smile and respond without hesitation:

      - Not today. I'm tired, maybe another day.

      -Okay, so can I sleep?

      -Yes, I'm going to sleep, too, before I go, what's your name, girl?

       She leans over her elbow and looks at me annoyed.

      -Stop calling me girl, my name is Bianca.

      -Looks like we started with the left foot, I'm going to introduce myself again, I'm Nahan, Bianca.

      She was silent, then turned her back to me, mumbling softly,

       -You want to kill me, and now you are nearly shaking my hand, this guy is crazy.

        I pretended not to hear, just as I pretended to go back to my room. When she finally fell asleep, I went back to her room and laid down on the couch, facing her bed.

       My insomnia today is stronger than other days. I watched the daylight dawn, looking at the fabric of her nightgown curl around her pale thighs, a pink nipple leaping from her cleavage, and the images of her deeply feminine body hammering in my mind in the early hours of the morning.

        I can’t go ahead with my plans since this girl is not the queen. Which brings me to the next two questions: after all, who is this woman? And what am I going to do with her now?

Let her go? I don’t think I'm so benevolent. I want to keep her for my eyes view. And who knows until one day, when I get some courage, for my lips and for my hands.