More Precious than a Crown

Trinity tugged her arm away. She wanted to talk to him, to speak with Zahid, to tell the only person on this earth she could, just how deep her pain went, but for what? At a time of Zahid or the king’s choosing she’d be gone. She was scared too to tell him that she was starting to worry about her absent period. She doubted either of them would go unnoticed if they bought a pregnancy test!

‘What am I doing here, Zahid?’ It was like waking up from a dream. This morning she had been at her brother’s funeral, this afternoon she had found herself safe in his arms, and now she was walking deep in the night on a beach in Ishla. Trinity honestly didn’t know what part of the day had hurt the most—losing her brother, losing her heart or losing to this strange land. ‘Why did you bring me here?’

‘Because, given what you told me, I could not leave you with them.’

‘I can’t hide here for ever.’

‘I’m not asking you to hide.’

The beach was as white as powder and the sea the colour of her bridesmaid’s dress but with more depth, and Trinity battled the urge to run along the beach and leave footprints or write their names in the sand and watch the ocean take them away.

‘It’s like paradise,’ Trinity sighed, ‘but with separate bedrooms.’

They faced each other and it was simply wrong not to be in the other’s arms.

‘What do you want?’ Zahid asked.

‘To wake up and not fancy you any more,’ Trinity said. ‘For even the sound of your voice to annoy me.’

‘I hope for the same,’ Zahid said. They both smiled reluctantly. ‘Nag me.’ He smiled again.

‘Take up fishing and talk to me endlessly about it.’

They both wanted a kiss, even a touch would do, but it could not happen here.

Ever.

CHAPTER TEN

TRINITY WAS THE perfect guest.

Well, not perfect, for the palace was a little less ordered when she was around.

Zahid woke on the morning of his birthday to a folded piece of paper under his door and he was at first cross when he opened the makeshift card from Trinity, for she should not be wandering at night near his room.

Her words wished him a happy birthday but there was the notable absence of kisses under her name, just a smiley face and two words.

Better not!

And there was a stick figure, Zahid with a fishing rod.

He was no longer cross.

Once he was dressed in full military regalia, Zahid glanced to his bedside where the paper card lay.

Zahid did not keep mementos and he did not know what to do with this, for if he left it in his room, the maids would no doubt think it rubbish. If he put it in his drawer, perhaps it became more than it was.

A memento.

He pulled on long leather boots with a head that was pounding, for even dressed as heir to the throne, even about to greet his people, Zahid’s mind was full of her.

He would decide what to do with the makeshift card later, Zahid decided, folding it and putting it in his pocket for now.

As he walked briskly to his father’s study he met Trinity on the way.

‘Happy birthday, Captain.’ She smiled and though they stood a suitable distance apart as she teased him lightly about his uniform they were back on the dance floor and the dirty dance started again, when it must not.

‘Thank you for the card,’ Zahid said, ‘but it was unwise to come up to my room.’

‘Oh, well.’ Trinity shrugged.

Zahid gave her a small nod and then walked off but his stride was temporarily broken when she wolf-whistled.

Possibly he blushed.

Possibly not, Zahid quickly decided. Most likely he was cross.

‘Where is Layla?’ Zahid asked, as he joined his father in his study.

‘She is late again,’ came the king’s curt response.

They did not do ‘happy birthdays’.

Layla was happily late. Besotted with Trinity and when she should be meeting with her father and brother, she smiled widely when Trinity knocked and Jamila, Layla’s handmaiden let Trinity into her room.

‘I got a message that you wanted to speak with me,’ Trinity said.

‘I want you to join me when I take one of my English classes.’

‘I’d be happy to.’ Trinity smiled.

‘Tomorrow,’ Layla said, Jamila finished doing her hair and make-up.

‘That would be lovely,’ Trinity said, for tomorrow Zahid dined with Princess Sameena and her family and it would be nice to have her mind on other things.

‘Walk with me,’ Layla said, and Trinity suppressed a smile, for she could not be offended by the way Layla ordered people around, she was completely used to getting anything she asked for. ‘We can talk on the way.’

Layla told her about the students she taught and how much she enjoyed the contact, even if it was online. ‘It is by video call,’ she explained, ‘which means I can get to most of the schools. We have a lot of fun and they will be so excited to meet a real English girl.’

‘I’m excited to meet them too.’

‘They ask so many questions,’ Layla sighed. ‘Difficult ones.’

‘Such as?’

‘You’ll see,’ Layla said. ‘I had better hurry. I am already terribly late and my father will be cross that I am not already there.’

He was, especially when a maid informed him that Layla was chatting with Trinity.

‘Just how long is your guest here for?’ Abdul checked as they went through the briefing for in a few moments they would walk onto the balcony.

‘I am not sure,’ Zahid said, ignoring Abdul’s slight eye rise, but the king spoke on.

‘Today there is much celebration in Ishla. Not only does the future king celebrate his birthday but work is to commence on the second palace.’ He looked at his son. ‘Soon the people will find out who their prince is to marry.’

This time it was Zahid who asked Abdul if he could excuse them.

‘I would like the dinners to be postponed,’ Zahid said.

‘It is far too late for that. Princess Sameena and her family are joining us tomorrow,’ the king said. ‘And why would you want them postponed?’ He dared his son with his eyes to answer him.

Zahid accepted the dare.

‘I would like to spend more time with Trinity.’

‘Before you make a commitment to marry a suitable bride?’ the king checked, and when Zahid did not answer he continued speaking. ‘Because you know that Trinity Foster would be a most unsuitable bride and one that the people would never accept.’

‘My answer to your question was the correct one. I would like to spend more time with Trinity.’ That was all Zahid wanted. Time for Trinity to get used to Ishla and perhaps see its beauty. Time in England as a couple to see if they could work things out.

Time even to find out that they were not suited for each other, Zahid thought, recalling their conversation last night and the card in his pocket with the stick-figure picture on. He did his best not to smile.

Yes, all he wanted was time, and he looked at his father. ‘You know I have never made a decision lightly.’

‘You understand the offence that would be caused if these dinners were postponed.’

Zahid swallowed, for he did not want to make problems for his country. ‘I do.’

‘And you know that I want a wedding, so if I postpone these dinners then I shall invite the Fayeds for dinner next Sunday?’

‘Father.’ Zahid was not interrupting the king for his own benefit. Layla had just walked in unseen by the king and her eyes widened in horror as she heard what was being discussed. ‘Hassain too,’ the king continued. ‘I would like to speak first hand with the man who will soon marry my daughter.’

‘No!’ Layla screamed, and the king turned as she ran from the room.

‘Layla,’ Zahid roared as he went to chase his sister, but she had flown straight into a shocked Trinity’s arms.

‘What’s happening?’

‘Layla is overreacting,’ Zahid said. ‘Layla, what you heard was the end of a very difficult conversation...’ But Layla would not be consoled. ‘You need to calm down so we can go out to the balcony, and then I will explain properly.’

‘I’m not going out there,’ Layla sobbed.

Abdul approached and told them that the king was making his way to the balcony and it was time for Zahid and Layla to join him.

‘No!’ Layla wept. ‘You can’t make me.’

‘Layla.’ Zahid was stern, for he was used to dealing with his sister’s dramas and all too often it fell to him to calm her down, but the reproach in his voice made Trinity shiver. ‘First you will do what is right then we will talk.’

He ignored Trinity’s raised brows and the purse of her lips as Layla joined her brother, but he could not ignore the disquiet of standing, smiling at his people, as his sister stood, not scowling for the camera, as Trinity once had, but meek and fearful for her future, by his side.

‘You said I did not have to worry for a while...’ Layla said once they were back inside, but her voice trailed off as her father entered the room.

The world, Zahid thought wearily, was far less complicated when it was faced without emotion.

‘I need an answer from you, Zahid,’ the king warned.

‘And I told you I do not make decisions lightly.’

It was an impossibly long day. A formal lunch and then he inspected the army and later a semi-formal dinner that Trinity did attend, but she sat next to a red-eyed Layla. For once it was easy for Trinity to sit quietly, for she had a horrible taste in her mouth. A familiar, horrible taste in her mouth, and she took a sip of the fragrant tea at the end of the meal. It tasted like neat perfume.