by Jones, Sarah
Everyone agreed, especially Louise, who, even under her father's protests, took Said to her room.
***
- I can touch it? Sheik asked, staring at Louise's belly.
She took his hands and carried them to her belly, watching him smile as he touched her.
"We'll have a baby, Said. In three months, he will be in our arms" the lady said, touching his face.
"I wish I'd been by your side from the beginning," he said, suddenly sad.
"But now you're here, my prince" she said, pulling him into a kiss."And I need to alert you to do something important."
- What it is? Said asked as he placed kisses on Louise's neck, sliding his fingers into her cleavage.
With a gasp, the lady held him by the hair, so that he would look at her.
"As soon as we get married, you'll belong to me." You will be just mine.
The Sheik smirked, pulling her dress over her shoulders.
"I'm beginning to find great advantage in our marriage, gazelle." When do you want to get married? He whispered, licking a hardened nipple. He was surprised to find the fullest breasts after removing the various layers of clothing.
"As fast as possible" she moaned, feeling the effect of his caresses.
- Did I hear that? He asked, raising his head.
"It is likely that my father is trying to find a good story to tell the judge or, perhaps, trying to break into our door" she said, laughing.
***
They were married a month later, near the Manor of Lord Neville, in the little chapel, which for the occasion was all decorated with yellow flowers harvested in the field. Very few witnessed the union of the lady and the Sheikh, only the servants of the house and Louise's father, who, sitting on the first bench, was moved by the priest's words. He had to rush the ceremony, on orders from the Sheik, who was in a hurry.
The lady's dress needed to be redone three times because of her weight gain, which made her complain and cry several times, saying that her circumference resembled of a dromedary female about to give birth, something that certainly had not yet seen. The father had protested, saying that they could wait until the baby was born, but changed his mind when the daughter again wept in front of him.
Said had worn horrible English clothing, which did not suit him at all. For Louise, he had made the effort. But when they returned to the desert, he himself would arrange to marry according to their traditions, so that all would see the lady as his wife.
"I do not know how we'll do this" Louise said as Said removed her dress later, when they'd left the party and followed her into the bedroom.
There must be a way. We can try other positions" he said, pulling at the ties, trying to untie them. When he managed to release them, Louise took a deep breath, releasing the air from her lungs.
"I guess maybe for now, we should just lie down" she suggested, tired. "Can you wait until the baby is born?"
The Sheik made up the bed and came back to help her lie down, her huge belly making any position uncomfortable. He stood beside her, hugging her as he could.
"I can wait as long as it takes, my love. He kissed her lips and sighed. - Until then, I think of doing some things.
Epilogue
Louise could say, with all the conviction, that she had never, in her entire life, felt so much love as when she first held that little ball of dark hair that cried terribly in her arms. It was dawn, and the doctor, after almost being threatened with death by a powerful Sheik, allowed the man to enter the room and meet his daughter.
The first touch, the first touch on sensitive skin, made the robust-looking, serious-looking man thrill as a child. For the wife, who never ceased to behold her daughter feeding on her breast, even exhausted, was probably a scene that would never leave her mind. When her husband delicately kissed her daughter's head, she could not bear the tears and allowed herself to cry.
"She's so beautiful" Said said, leaning on the edge of the bed, afraid to hurt both. "Did you choose the name, gazelle?"
Louise thought for a moment and smiled, knowing exactly what name to put on her daughter.
"Zara," she said, looking for her husband's gaze, waiting for his reaction.
Said smiled, kissing the face of his wife, turning his attention back to his daughter. He simply could not look away from that little being, part of him.
"Princess," he whispered. "Zara means princess in our language."
"I could not think of a more perfect name," Louise said, taking Zara's hand.
"Thank you, my love" Said said, kissing Louise again.
The two of them stayed together for just a few more minutes until the door was opened and the doctor came in, telling Sheikh he had to leave so Louise could rest. Said annoyed, said goodbye to both of them and left the room, eager to talk to Louise's father, who was waiting in the library.
He found the old gentleman sitting with a dark drink in his hand, staring at the fire with important thought. Seeing her daughter's husband, Lord Neville merely gestured him to sit in the chair next to him.
- It's a girl. Zara - Said told, using the Port, a drink he had learned to enjoy in those months he had spent in England. Surely he would bring some bottles to Hamed.
"I remember when Louise was born," said the Lord, still looking at the flames. "I thought I'd go crazy with all those screams, and when it was over, I just wanted to open a bottle of drink and relax." But of course all the work had been done by my wife and I, like the gentleman I was, stood beside her, watching her sleep all night.
The Sheikh had begun to appreciate his father-in-law's conversations, even if he still feared what had happened to Christopher, the blackmail against Neville, threatening to hurt Louise if the Lord would not agree to hand over his daughter's hand. So had Louise, who had been forced to leave, to save her father's life.
Besides, as if all the wickedness of the world were not enough for Christopher, the man still planned the attack on Louise's team. But the plan eventually came out of its control, since the agreement with the robbers was that the assault happened only after the city and the artifacts were found. When she heard the conversation, when her father had told her what Christopher had revealed, the lady was moved, because at last she knew that nothing of what had happened was her fault.
Said decided not to respond to the old man, aware that he was only remembering moments and that what was needed at that moment was just silence. He liked it in England, the quiet of the country, though his experience in London weeks before had been extremely unpleasant.
At Louise's insistence and also by her own decision, using the help of an investigator, Said had learned more about her mother. Encouraged, he had traveled a few miles, until he came to an imposing house in the country, where, to his complete surprise, he had been greeted by a gentle lady, who, as soon as she had seen him, had noticed the familiarity of his blue eyes. On that pleasant evening with his wife, whom he had found to be his aunt, Said had had access to an album with some portraits of a young woman with long hair, who smiled enchantedly at the portraitist.
"It's your mother," the old woman had said, touched.
At the end of the small meeting, her aunt had explained how her sister had fallen in love with the Sheik she had met in London, and about the passion that made her abandon everything to follow him into a distant desert. According to the old lady, it was such a strong love that she was able to make Said's mother abdicate her perfect life, for the man she wanted at her side.
When he left that house, carrying the portrait of his mother in his pocket, the Sheikh was satisfied. It seemed that to placate his hatred of England and its origins it had been necessary to travel there, to know more about the blood that flowed in his veins, and the color of his beautiful eyes, something he would certainly be proud of now.
"It's time, sir" It was one of the guards calling Said.
The sheikh nodded to the man, who withdrew from the cistern. He looked again at the portrait of his mother and, smiling, put it in the p
ocket of his white pants. It was easy to get lost in thought, remembering everything that had happened in England. During the return voyage, he had made the ship a real hell, realizing that he had lost his mother's portrait. He had put a dozen sailors to help search, claiming it was a greater good. Hours later he found it under the bed, lying next to a wife's book. Despite the embarrassing moment, he had felt relieved.
Said adjusted the turban on his head again and the buttons on the shirt he wore. Especially that day, he had to dress himself as best he could.
Satisfied, he left the bathroom and walked to the bedroom, where he found Louise with his daughter in her arms, sitting on her knees. He leaned against the doorframe to watch the two of them, especially his daughter, who seemed enchanted by what her mother was saying, even though she still did not understand.
"And then, with their stories, Sherazade managed to get King Shariar for a thousand and one nights, long enough for him to cherish her, telling her every night a different story that always ended at an important moment" said Louise. Holding the daughter's arms "I think I've heard this story" said Said, making himself visible in the bedroom, going to the two of them.
Louise smiled, knowing that her husband was talking about her and her ruse to try to seduce him, so that he would spare her life. Unfortunately she had not succeeded in her plan, but she had found, just like Sherazade, true love. She only missed his father. The Lord had promised to visit her soon after discovering new, possibly true, information about the lost city of Al-Delhi, which he himself wanted to investigate. The lady hoped he really was right; would be wonderful.
"Can you hold it for me?" She asked her husband, raising Zara.
He took her in his arms, swinging her from side to side, going to the window.
The lady took advantage of the moment to fasten the strip of the dress, which descended to the feet, a tone of dark purple, still chosen in England. It was of a light fabric, adorned with small stones and threads of gold.
- Are you ready? Said asked as he walked back to her, Zara calmer in his arms.
"I am," Louise assured, smiling.
Said offered her his arm, and the three of them left the room.
***
As they reached the outside of the palace, Louise and her daughter were led by the women from the camp to a more distant tent, where they all waited anxiously for the situation to unfold. She left her daughter in the arms of Karida, who smiled widely.
- He is coming! - a younger girl announced, entering the tent, the red cheeks of shame. All the women ran out of the tent, leaving the lady alone, as tradition had it.
Louise hastened to stand in the center of the tent, and when Said entered, she tried to appear calm.
The Shaykh appeared to her and, clearing his throat, began to sing an Arabic poem, which spoke of the heat of the desert and how much a man had traveled to find his beloved. When no one saw them, Said surrounded Louise, reciting something about the woman's warm skin and touching her face. She held her breath, affected by all those words.
In the end Said stood at his knees and offered her his hand in a gesture that, even without words, meant a lot. Smiling, she put her hand over his, and then he stood and took her in his arms. Before he could kiss her, however, the tent was invaded by the women, who laughed and talked all at the same time.
Said stole a kiss from his wife and left, going to prepare for the ceremony.
In England, Louise and Said were married a few weeks before Zara's birth, certainly a scandalous marriage in the eyes of society, but exciting as it was celebrated in the family chapel on the estate. The little church was decorated with flowers, and only the servants, besides Lord Neville, attended the union of the lady and the Sheikh.
Louise was walking out of the tent, the veil covering her face. Together with the women, she went to the center of the camp, where the whole tribe was gathered, even more certain of her love for the man. He was waiting for her near the fire, dressed in his white, gold clothing, his scimitar at his waist, his blue eyes glinting in her direction.
The healer of the tribe, also responsible for the unions, began the ceremony by reading some parts of the Koran. Louise was staring at her husband, who did not even look away for a second. She had her face covered, her eyes exposed like a typical Arab woman, and she really felt that way.
Said took her hands in hers and startled her by saying:
- Everything that I am happens to be yours, my body, my soul, my love. Every piece of me belongs to you, Louise.
When she thought of saying anything, Said broke all the rules, pulling her into his arms and kissing her.
The two hardly noticed when the man announced that they were married, and everyone around him shouted and applauded.
At that moment all the old fears of Louise were lost. The people of Said had accepted her, she was at the side of the man she loved and her daughter.
Zara was placed in her arms, and the two were surrounded by Said, who kissed each one, truly excited.
"I am complete, gazelle" he announced amid the celebrations, which would follow for two more days in the kingdom. "I love you more than I thought possible.
She smiled, discovering her face, revealing herself to him.
"Now I am one of your people, my love. Here is my place, our place.
He kissed her again, while Zara grunted holding onto her clothes. Said walked away and took her in his arms, looking with interest at his daughter.
Yes, it certainly was complete.
There was nothing else he could want. He had everything he wanted.
Bathed in the sunshine, which was set afloat in the sand dunes, Hamed's mighty Sheik, Prince of the Desert, embraced his wife, the stranger of a difficult temper, who had made him find love and redemption.
And they lived happily ever after.