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"I DON'T WANT TO LEAVE YOU." Ehsan tightened her hug on her. The two woman sat in front of the bedroom window, in a tight embrace as the sun drowned against the hilltops.
"I've survived this long."
"But it'll be different this time won't it?" She asked, a tear dancing on the edge of her eye. Azade desperately wanted to tell her 'no' or 'do not worry' but it felt wrong. It would feel like a lie.
"Perhaps we can leave the castle—"
She shook her head firmly. "No, if I leave he'll just kill more." Her thoughts wandered to the dead maid she had put to rest. "I can't let that happen."
Ehsan said nothing. Both of them sat silently; gripping the others hand as if it were a lifeline. Eyes gazing at the sunset and a feeling of dread as they watched the beloved sun fall.
"You should go."
Ehsan gave her a long look, her dark eyes having a sense of regret as she looked upon the girl. Her lips turned to make out words, but nothing came out.
She left.
Azade flopped back down on the pillows of the windowsill, the night now shining upon the glass and the moon taunting its arrival. 'He will come, he will come.' She reminded herself. She waited for what seemed like hours.
She waited until she could feel herself become impatient. Why was he taking so long? 'Less time for a tale.' Azade thought as she watched the night outside of her window. Decidedly she got up; reaching under the cushions to reveal the book she had acquired that morning.
داستان (THE TALE OF) SCHEHERAZADE
She had figured that the words above her name were 'the tale of' in Farsi by a simple guess. But other than that when she opened the pages all she saw were scribbles of writing, with words that were useless to her.
A curiosity burned inside of her, eating away at her mind. She needed to be able to read this book.
"Milady?"
Azade whipped her head back to see the trembling body of a maid, a fresh scar blood written on her cheek. "He awaits you in the North Wing."
The maid kept shaking as two brutal looking guards stepped out from behind her. Azade immediately recognized them as the two who had carried her away on the night she discovered the painting.
She said nothing and only looked at the maid. Her body was convulsing under pressure as she held her hand to her cheek to keep from blood dripping on the floor. 'He did this.' Azade thought, watching as the maid shattered in front of her.
"Come. He's waiting." One of the guards roughly jeered, the maid in front of him jerking forward as he spoke. Azade obeyed by taking her steps towards them, walking past the girl with pity. "It's okay." She whispered as she brushed passed the shaking maid, she could feel the fear rolling off her.
