When would you be mine? - Completed

Chapter Eight

Helena felt more concerned over meeting his mother than the one she had with his father and knowing she was an English Lady didn't ease her nerves. It was his mother, the first woman, who loved him and brought him up to be the man he was, and she hated the idea of lying to her over such matters.

Ditching the mint kaftan, she chose the more natural colours of a soft fawn with beading from the shoulder down to the belted waist that matched the ends of the long, full see through sleeves. The dress fell softly to the floor, covering her sandal feet, changing the mint coloured earrings for long diamond shaped, diamond ones. Once finished, she left her room and joined Malik. Once more in robes, leaving off the bisht and headdress again.

"Don't look so worried, habibti, she is going to love you," he smiled, raising his hand, caressing her cheek with the back of it.

"Last famous words. I feel such a fraud Malik," she whispered, her voice shaky.

"You're not a fraud Helena. We are married, so there no lying is there?"

"Only on paper. Even your father refuses to acknowledge our marriage."

He smiled, stepping closer, pressing his lips onto her forehead. "Father is just being difficult. You look so beautiful. These clothes really suit you."

"Thank you for providing them for me." She closed her eyes, absorbing his touch. A whole wardrobe had been waiting for her, when she had arrived.

"That I want you to keep, and take back with us. I can see you lounging around at home in them." She sighed. Home. How wonderful that sounded, but it wasn't real, was it? She stepped back, forcing a smile.

"We better not keep your mother waiting."

"No, we can't have that, can we?" He offered his hand that she took and they once more headed across the palace towards his parent's private rooms.

"I'd be super fit when we get back," she mumbled. "Have you ever thought of getting a golf cart to zoom around on?"

"I'd bring it up on our next board meeting," he noted, amused

"Board meeting? You have board meetings?" She asked, surprised.

"Of course, this is also a business, not just a palace. We have to keep it going and look after the people. I see to the financial side of things, leaving my brothers to look after the rest." She never thought about what he did. She really only saw to his social life, and schedules, so he was where he was supposed to be at a particular time and place.

"So, you're pretty important, keeping everything afloat," she smiled, filling with pride. Her prince, the financial whiz, and he was. Pausing in front of huge double carved doors, she took a deep breath and claimed Malik's arm as they entered, where they were greeted by Fida and shown towards the master bedroom.

Her fingers curled tighter around Malik's arm as they entered the bedroom, taken aback by the frail looking woman against the pillows surrounded by dark hair with soft grey eyes. Now she knew where Malik got his eyes, a mixture of his father's dark eyes and his mother's grey eyes. Her skin almost porcelain in colour, with a splash of red on her lips.

"An English rose," she breathed.

"Believe me, sometimes mother is more Arabic than father." Malik smiled, leaving Helena and crossed over to his mother, leaned in, kissing a pale cheek. She cradled his beloved face in her hands.

"My dear beloved Malik, how I have missed you." He sat down on the edge of the bed, clasping her hands and removed, holding in his. Helena hovered behind him, waiting. Her own heart ached, because she missed her own mother so much. They were very close that was very clear to her.