THE DESERT ROSE | ONGOING

The Familiar Stranger

Inara's body stiffened like a corpse, the color of her face fading away at the mention of her father. It will the first time I'd be facing my father after I reincarnated, at the same time it would be four years since he sold me to that bastard husband of mine. So much time had passed, still, his terror is fresh in my mind. A subconscious shiver passed down her spine. 

The princess immediately snatched the jade crested bracelet from Alina's hand and wrapped it tightly around her bruised wrist before the king's hawk eyes could see through her lies. Alina, on the other hand, cowered behind the princess's settee, hanging her head down as the king entered inside the chamber.

"His imperial majesty, the Shahanshah of Hatami." Inara bowed down to greet her father.

The Emperor's eyes glanced down sharply at the princess, "Why was the pride of Hatami court absent during today's feast? Your lack of presence greatly affected the merriments, Shahzadi."

Inara raised from her position to peer at the king who stood dangerously close to her. She noticed that his hands were free on his sides unlike his usual posture when he binds both hands on his back in a stern manner, to display his authority. His free hands reminded her of how he could choke her neck anytime he wanted with those hands.

She slowly took in his familiar face. That same greying thick eyebrows, sharp beard... those piercing agate eyes, the special trait of royal blood, the only thing that I inherited from him, his eyes.... I hate them the most.

She dared to stare back at his agate eyes, "as I already informed, I was a bit under the weather, your majesty. I sincerely apologize for the inconvenience I've caused you, father."

Inara didn't fail to notice the ever so slight twitch in his eyebrows as he analyzed her answer for a moment. His hand came to rest upon the princess's cheek, the gesture which in other's eyes would have looked just a mere fatherly affection was nothing but a malicious threat.

"You... are the eldest Shahzadi of Hatami empire. The pride of the Persian desert. I hope you haven't forgotten about the duties and responsibilities associated with such a significant title. The absence of the Shahzadi in front of the officials and other guests is a shame to the imperial court,"

He only sees me as his prized possession...

The princess was startled when her father took hold of her bruised wrist. Did he... did he see my bruise through the bracelet? She tried to maintain her composure as the emperor surveyed the bracelet with a burning intensity. "it reminds me of the epic battle commander Ascian won for us. The greatest, most precious trophy, this jade crested bracelet that the commander won us from the dead sultan's beloved queen..."

His grip tightened on her wrist, making Inara almost hiss with pain. She bit her tongue hard, not to give herself out in front of her father. "... I bestowed such a great honor to you, daughter. Not the crown prince, not the empress but you... my beloved, most beautiful... Shahzadi," the razor-sharp tone made Inara flinch at his harshness.

"I don't want to see such display of negligence again from you or it won't be just mere warnings next time." He let go of her wrist to stroke her hair, "I'm afraid that my fatherly instincts will be overpowered by the tyrant Emperor everyone knows."

"Yes, father." She looked everywhere but his face, loathing the control he had on her.

He scanned her face once more, lips stretched into a thin line, before pressing a kiss at her forehead, "Take care, daughter."

Inara waited for the emperor and his bodyguards to depart from her chamber and as soon as she felt the silence falling back in the surrounding, she let her body sag against the settee. She realized that despite all the information she knew about the future... despite her survival back to this life... despite so many years... The emperor is still the person she feared the most.