🌞Chapter 22🌻

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The jeep came to a stop. Gulf climbed out of the jeep and stood before a white wall that ran far off in both directions. He had no way of telling from outside just how big the grounds inside were.

This was the royal palace of Madina. Mew's father was the current ruler, but some day, Mew would inherit it all.

They walked the few dozen meters to the gate. The hour being what it was, Gulf grew nervous and sweat gathered in the palms of his hands. Mew had chosen to bring him here now in order to avoid being seen. The man didn't want anyone to know that Gulf was there.

The automatic gate was big enough for one car, but no one was stationed in front of it.

"Aisha," Mew called, and an elderly woman in an abaya appeared on the other side of the barely open gate. The tiny woman lowered her eyes respectfully to the prince. She didn't even glance at Gulf.

Aisha motioned Mew inside the gate. They had obviously planned this meeting.

Gulf noticed a guard on the other side of the gate standing at attention, and he nervously hunched his shoulders to hide his face. But his caution was unnecessary.

"This person is to be treated with the utmost discretion," Aisha ordered. "Do not speak of this to anyone."

The guard's back grew even more rigid in response, not so much at Aisha's command as at Mew's presence. Perhaps the old woman had told the guard that the prince would be bringing a woman from an unfavorable background with him.

At last, Gulf understood why he had to wear women's clothing. No matter what the guards might imagine was going on, they wouldn't be able to pry into the business of a woman.

He looked up at the building in front of them. A fretwork doorway arched between two marble columns. The palace enclosed its garden in a U-shape, giving the building an understated beauty. A pond stretched out like a canal from the center of the garden to the palace entrance and every few meters, fountains threw up brilliants arcs of water against the sky.

There must have been 200 meters between the gate and the palace entrance. He hurried after the other two, who were walking at a sharp pace in complete silence.

They slipped inside through an imposing wooden doorway.

A sophisticated collection of sculptures was arrayed along the walls, overshadowed by the jewel-studded ceiling that curved overhead. If the palace looked this beautiful in the dim obscurity of the night, it must be breathtaking by the light of day. A sigh of admiration escaped Gulf.

"This way," Aisha said, opening a door.

Mew and Gulf proceeded inside. The room looked like a private salon, and Gulf relaxed. It had conventional Middle Eastern decoration, with a carpet spread on the floor and patterned tiles on the walls.

"Prince Mew," Aisha said.

She and Mew turned to face each other. The two embraced and kissed each other on the cheek.

"I'm sorry to put you to all this trouble without offering any explanation," Mew said.

The old woman smiled and shook her head. "Not at all. I would gladly give my life to carry out my duties for you."

"Aisha..."

Gulf sensed the deep trust between them. But since Mew hadn't given him any explanation either, he wasn't sure what he should do. So he simply stood there, waiting.

"This is the one?" Aisha turned her jet-black eyes on him.

"Gulf Kanawut," Mew introduced him. Gulf greeted Aisha, still completely confused. She asked him to remove the nicab covering his face.

He looked to Mew, who nodded, and so, steeling himself, he obeyed. He concluded from the lack of surprise that Aisha showed at seeing his face that she had already been told that he was a man. He wondered how Mew had explained their relationship, but he didn't have the courage to ask.

"I am Aisha, Prince Mew's nurse."

"Sana is Aisha's daughter," Mew added.

Now he knew why Mew trusted Sana so much. She was a loyal servant, of course, but much more importantly, she was Aisha's daughter.

The old nurse must have been like a mother to Mew, since he had lost his own very early on. Mew's confidence in Aisha was obvious also in the fact that he was entrusting Gulf to her.

"Is Sana behaving?" Aisha asked, and Mew nodded emphatically.

"These are the women's quarters of my father's palace," Mew explained.

Gulf couldn't believe his ears. Mew himself had admitted that he was asking a lot of Aisha, but this was unbelievable. It was a complete mess.

TBC

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