In the winding streets of the Persian Empire, a poor girl is chosen to become the third prince's concubine.
Aliya Farhad has no interest in the lofty ideas of the palace, the staff, or her lover. Prince Cairo has all the interest in his blue-eyed A...
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ALTHOUGH THE MAID HAD used the word 'humbly,' I knew that the invite would leave me no choice, much less with her coming to escort me — it was either I went down myself, or humiliated myself by being dragged tooth and nail down the stairs and into the outing.
Somehow, the latter was looking increasingly more tempting; at least that way, I could show my unwillingness.
Oblivious to my internal struggle, Maria clapped her hands together, her face positively beaming. "Please give us a few minutes while I get the Miss ready for the outing."
The other maid nodded, smiling back at Maria. Clearly, she didn't understand how I felt, either. "Please be quick; the prince seemed slightly anxious."
"Of course, of course," Maria said, practically bouncing on the balls of her feet, before she closed the door and ran over to me.
I stared at her delighted face with remorse.
Was this Karma? Did Khuda hear Maria mocking the girls in the outing and decided to take me along with her, even though her words had nothing to do with me?
Thinking of the way the prince had looked last night, what with his crazed eyes and laughter, I felt my stomach turn.
Whether that be from nausea, fear, trauma or all three, I didn't know.
"Miss, come with me, let me put a little bit of perfume on you," Maria said, briskly pulling on my hand with so much force, I almost fell out of the bed.
For a tiny adolescent, her strength had certainly built up.
"Thank goodness I've already finished doing your hair," Maria said, still oblivious.
"Maria, don't you think I should change?" I said, my voice so quiet I could have almost mistook it for Maria's on the first day we met. "I mean, not to say that I want the prince to wait, but don't you think that I'm not dressed appropriately?"
That was a lie. I definitely wanted Prince Cairo to wait, wait so long that he'd lose all his patience and tear out his own hair.
Maybe then I won't have to go.
Unfortunately, Maria was either extremely smart or extremely dense, because no matter how I pleaded, stared or begged, she continued smiling — like a fool.
"Of course not," Maria said. "If Miss had the intention of pursuing the other two princes, then you'd most likely have to change, but because Miss' intentions lie with Prince Cairo, then there's no need. He's not the type to pay attention to clothes."
"Ah," I said, for lack of a better response, as Maria rubbed oil onto my neck. "And... how do you know that, exactly? He might actually do, and I'll end up humiliating myself downstairs."
"I heard it from Ismal, of course, and his information is never wrong," she answered, capping the bottle of perfume oil and taking a step back to admire her miserable, rose-scented creation. "Besides, this sort of casual clothing will show your status in the Prince's eyes above the other ladies — when they have to dress up to get attention, Miss can show up as she is and enrapture the Prince."
