Mikael watched her cheeks burn as she drank it down. She swallowed the drink and then looked to him, and she had never been more grateful for a person who understood her—a person she could be herself with and a wedding night that she did not fear now.
I feel guilty, her eyes told him.
It’s fine, said his small smile.
As they went to leave and say their goodbyes again Layla’s smile wavered as she embraced Jamila, and both women started crying.
‘Thank you.’ Mikael said it in Arabic to the old lady, and wished he could say more, but still Layla did not know that there had been a time when Jamila’s love had been all she had had. ‘Thank you for taking such good care of her.’
‘Father, please!’ The emotion of the day was catching up with her now, and at the thought of leaving Jamila behind Layla was crying. ‘Why won’t you let Jamila come to Australia with me…?’
For the last time the King stepped in.
‘Layla, Jamila is staying here. You do not have to worry—she will be kept in splendour…’
‘But I want her with me!’
‘Well, you can’t have her,’ Fahid said. ‘For Jamila has agreed to be my bride.’
There was a very stunned silence, followed by a shocked gasp from Layla.
Mikael dared not look at Demyan, for he knew his lips would be twitching—as were Mikael’s.
Trinity smothered a laugh and Zahid closed his eyes as Fahid broke with tradition and in view of everyone kissed his future bride.
‘Congratulations!’ Alina beamed, delighted to see the couple looking so very happy and not comprehending what an incredible shock this was.
‘We were going to wait till after the wedding,’ Fahid explained. ‘But you all have what you want, so why not us?’
‘Congratulations.’ Zahid spoke next, and even if his voice was a touch strained he was always polite, and he followed tradition and kissed Jamila’s hand.
‘Congratulations!’ Trinity was more effusive, and she kissed not just Jamila’s hand but the King’s cheek too, for she had told him herself once that she hoped he would again find love.
‘Congratulations,’ Mikael offered, and Jamila raised her hand to him and he did as he had promised he would when in Ishla and followed tradition.
It was the Princess to his right, though, who was struggling with the news.
Layla felt Mikael’s hand nudge the small of her back and she looked at Jamila, who gave her a nervous smile which she did not return.
As more congratulations were offered there were tears filling Jamila’s eyes as still Layla stood rigid.
‘This is not Planet Layla,’ Mikael said in a very low voice, and his hand nudged the small of her back again.
‘Congratulations,’ Layla forced out through very tense lips, and then kissed Jamila’s hand.
Fahid gave a small nod of gratitude to Mikael.
‘I don’t want to talk about it,’ Layla said as she and Mikael headed to a helicopter, and she shook her head, as if to clear it from the unwelcome images dancing before her eyes. ‘I don’t even want to think about it.’
She let rip, though, when they were in the desert, in their tent and alone.
Mikael opened champagne as Layla stood swaying in stunned fury. ‘He’s marrying Jamila!’
‘Layla…’ Mikael warned.
‘Has he lost his mind?’ Layla said.
‘Layla, he loves her.’
‘My handmaiden—a queen!’
Mikael had heard enough.
‘Layla, you will walk back into that palace happy for them,’ he told her. ‘Your father has done everything to ensure his children are happy—everything…’
He pointed his finger at her, and when she didn’t smile, when she didn’t make the biting noise she had on the day they had met, Mikael knew she was hurting inside.