THE CROWNED SHE

TWENTY-SIX

[BOISTEROUS CHATTER AND LAUGHTER]

"Evening your grace." A lady opened the door for Charles to come in. The interior of the house speaks lower than the exterior part of the house. The house lacked modern maintenance, there were different bowls that caught the roof leaking. The floor covering, soaked with the water leaked from the roof, and empty liquor bottles lay about around the room. The room paintings peeled like it has been like that for over decades.  Charles walked into a room, welcomed by the same lady that had opened the door to him earlier. He decided not to seat on the cushions, not wanting dirt or dust to stain his coat. Indeed, this place was a den, will the king want his daughter to live in a suffocating place and marry this discourteous man? If so then the king cared not for his daughter's health or life at all.

"Aye! Your grace, what do I owe this unwelcomed visit?" Zosar said with a smile, walking into the room in a red robe, showing off his hairy chest.

"The king and his family will be here any minute from now, and your home looks way from perfect, is that how you want the Sultans to be welcomed? I believe that's a no." Charles said through teeth.

"Prince, thank you for your concern but the King and his family are to visit next week, not tonight." Zosar laughed.

[FOOTSTEPS APPROACHING]

"Master, the king's carriage just pulled up outside." The lady said. Zosar's eyes grew wide, roaming round till they finally landed on Charles's own.

"How dare you inform them about this." He roared. Charles chuckled.

"I had no business in informing them but rather, you invited them for tea, last week before you stomped out of our diner. So why blame this on me?" 

"Harriet! Clear up the drawing room, and welcome the king and his family with food and drinks." He ordered the lady. Her face turned white at his words.

"What?" He asked.

"Your drawing room is occupied... Your paperwork is dispersed around the whole room." She said terrifyingly.

"Just go do something to make them welcome." He growled. She runs out quickly.

"What a way to treat a lady, lieutenant." Charles shook his head in disappointment.

The sultans walked into the house staring at the ill appearance of the house. Kleopatra was disappointed with the whole situation, her evening was totally spoiled. A lady walked to them and welcomed them into a room, the room had some paper scrap on the floor squeezed and thrown behind the cushions. The room smelled like freshly smoke.  Had the lieutenant thrown a party not long ago, she thought. 

[FOOTSTEPS APPROACHING]

"Evening, my king, my queen and my princesses" He bowed his head before standing straight.

He was in a red robe, and the hair on his chest poked out, which irritated Kleopatra. He smiled at her but she removed her face not enjoying the view of the tattered house.

"Do you care for anything to eat or drink?" He asked.

"Just tea..." Both the King and the Queen said in unison.

"What about you my princess?" He looked at  Rashida. 

"Tea and biscuits, that should be fine." She smiled. He chuckled at her boldness. His gaze turned to Kleopatra.

"Dearest, what would you like to take?" 

"Water!" She whispered.

"Just, water...?" He asked. She nodded and he smiled.

"Harriet! Get the biscuits, tea and water for our king and his family." He ordered.

[FOOTSTEPS RETRIEVING]

Zosar took his seat opposite Kleopatra, examining her from the top of her head to her feet. Charles walked into the room, and a smile crawled up her face. She was happy that Charles had kept his promise, to protect her and be there when she felt uncomfortable.

"Evening your grace!" He bowed to the sultans before standing by the corner near the window.

"Oh how splendid to see you here, My prince.." The king said.

"My pleasure my king." Charles smiled.

"Zosar, do you have spare rooms for us to lay our weary heads tonight... The storm outside is raging and I do not think we will be able to head back to Thebes in the storm." Charles said smiling as his thoughts only knew his reason for the request.

"Uh, My prince, I do not think we will stay here tonight, we will stay in an inn tonight then journey back to Thebes by sunrise," Kleopatra said, her heart beating at a fast rate. She wouldn't want to stay in these surroundings for more than a minute, it's treating to their health. What was Charles thinking when he requested such a futile offer?

"Nonsense, Kleopatra! We will be delighted to stay for the night." Her mother said, smiling.

Was she the only one who had seen the ill look of the house, no, not at all? Why does the universe have to be against her tonight?

"Be my guest!" Zosar clapped.

************************************************

The sound of rain pattering on the window and leakage of the rain in the room disturbed Kleopatra from sleeping peacefully. She tossed to the right and then to the left on her bed. She looked at the other bed by the closet occupied by her sister. Her sister was fast asleep not caring about her surroundings. Staying for the night at the lieutenant's house was indeed a terrible idea.  Hadn't her parents thought that marrying this man was a grave choice?  She shut her eyes tightly and used her two hands to close her ears from hearing the sounds. After a minute or two she got up irritatingly from the bed and walked out the door. This night, definitely wasn't the best at all. 
  She walked through the dark hall, following the dim light from the moon through the windows. The was a room with light down the hall, Kleopatra, curious to see what the end could bring, walked quietly and peeped through the door. 

"Tell me you are not going to marry the princess and leave me with our unborn child" The lady from earlier, Harriet, said.

"I have to, dear, I will marry her just to get my share of the wealth and divorce her. I will never leave our child, Harriet." Zosar said.

[KLEOPATRA SILENCE GASP]

"I love you so much, I know the money will be used to build a good-looking house for our children and generations to stay." She said.

"Yes, of course, and also to own our farm and refineries," He said smiling.

[BOTH CHUCKLED] 

"The princess is beautiful and rare, indeed just as the rumours had said." Harriet combed Zosar's hair with her small fingers.

"She is, the rumours spoke the truth but her beauty doesn't stand the love I have for you." He pulled her to his lap, kissing her lips and then to her neck.

Kleopatra watched them quietly, as tears fell from her eyes. The lieutenant has a wife and also a child, yet to be born but still wishes to marry her. She wasn't in tears because he was going to use her but the thought of leaving his wife and child for a deal. She ran back to her room with tears flooding her eyes and the words of the Youseef's running through her mind.