King of Durabia

by Naleighna Kai

  Eighteen black SUVs pulled up to the hotel that morning to take Ellena, Kamran, and her classmates to the sand dunes and for a night at the oasis. Not at midnight like Minnie Ripperton sang about, but close enough. The rest of the classmates where shuttled into traditional all-terrain Jeeps that did not have any covering overhead and nothing along the sides to protect them from the outside elements.

  “Fair warning,” Kamran said to their group. “Use the bathroom before we leave the hotel. Trust me on that.”

  Only a few took him up on that directive, including Ellena, who had learned when Kamran said something, he wasn’t making small talk.

  Now they were at a storefront and two men were working on the SUVs.

  “What are they doing?”

  “Taking the air out of the tires,” Kamran answered.

  “Why?”

  “Because we cannot ride the sand on full ones.”

  “You’re saying all of us are going into the Sand dunes in luxury SUVs?”

  “That is about the size of it,” Kamran said, glancing down at her.

  “But wouldn’t Jeeps be a better way to go?”

  “Not if you want to be comfortable.” Kamran leaned against the truck. “I did not want that kind of experience for you. You will have to trust me on that.”

  “I have to use the bathroom,” Patrice squeaked.

  Kamran sighed, and placed a hand on his forehead. “Did I not tell you to—”

  “Yes, but my kidneys are screaming something different,” Patrice snapped, shrugging. “That cough and sneeze hits different after forty. So, like I said, I have to go.”

  He gestured past the throng of aggressive salesmen touting head coverings and other items people might need for the trip. Kamran and Ellena’s group were already properly prepared. That other group, not so much. Those salesmen made a killing off them.

  Several minutes later, Patrice and a few others returned, clearly shaken by their experience. He tossed them some hand sanitizers and held up his hands for them not to come any closer. “Use that first, thank you.”

  Patrice used damn near the whole bottle.

  Dolly and Damaris turned toward each other, clearly trying not to burst out laughing.

  “Kamran, why didn’t you tell us that they didn’t have a real bathroom?” Patrice screeched. “That was literally a hole in the ground!” She shuddered and looked ready to pass out.

  “I did warn you,” he said, trying to hold back a laugh.

  Ellena looked at him until he fell silent, then he burst out laughing at the same time Dolly and Damaris did. “The oasis has portable ones,” he said after he recovered his composure. “But here, not so much. Dolly and Damaris, cut it out,” he warned, trying not to laugh again—and failing. “You all are such a bad influence.”

  “I’ve heard of hole in the walls, but hole in the ground?” Patrice griped as Dolly fell into Damaris’ arms, bodies shaking so hard because they could not contain their humor.

  “And if anyone has a heart condition or back troubles, you will not wish to take this route,” he said to the group. “Two of the trucks will take the road that leads to the oasis. You will want to be in one of those.”

  “How do you know where to go?” Ellena asked, scanning the area with mountains of sand that stretched in every direction as far as the eye could see.

  “The GPS is set to an actual range of geographic coordinates,” Kamran answered, opening the door for her and the rest of the women riding with them. “And there is a lead car who keeps everyone on point.”

  Kamran started slow, getting them accustomed to the ebb and flow of ambling up sand mountains, then angling on the side to make it to a lower level point. The feel was that of a roller coaster, as each uphill climb was steep. Screams and squeals of terror reigned supreme and echoed in the SUV. Kamran’s intense concentration remained on handling the vehicle through the undulating terrain.

  “Has anyone ever—”

  Kamran’s eyebrows shot up, but he did not take his eyes off the sand.

  “You know.”

  “Yes,” he admitted, catching on to the fact that Ellena didn’t want to frighten anyone by voicing her concern out loud. “Those who do not take this seriously.”

  “All right,” she whispered and put a tighter grip on that “hold onto your ass” bar above the passenger window. “Soooo, how much more of this?”

  “Twenty minutes.”

  “All right.”

  Kamran sighed as he grimaced. “Did I not warn you that—”

  “Yes, yes you did. But you didn’t say we could lose our lives.”

  “And I am going slow,” he protested, angling the SUV up another steep climb. “If I had my nephew Kamal, with me, he would be asking me what the hell is wrong with me.”

  “Did you say lose a life?” Dolly asked in a breathy whisper.

  Kamran briefly looked at her in the rearview mirror. “She’s being dramatic.”

  “No, I’m not,” Ellena protested. “This whole man against machine against nature thing is giving me—”

  “Mr. Kamran.”

  “Yes, Sheree.”

  “I have a heart murmur,” she whined, placing a hand over her chest. “I can’t take any more of this.”

  His head whipped up and he slowed the vehicle to a halt. “You are serious?” He sighed, closed his eyes for a second as his lips twitched. “Did I not—”

  “Yes, yes, yes. I know you did,” she cried and her voice wavered. “And I’m so sorry. But please get me out of here. Please, please.”

  Kamran closed his eyes for a moment, then called the lead driver to let him know of the new developments. Shortly after, another SUV, an empty one, pulled to the top of a sand hill. Kamran left the driver’s side, opened the back door and asked, “Do the rest of you wish to go forward or want to go back?”

  Dolly and Damaris said, “We’d like to finish the trip.”

  “Kamran?” Ellena hedged.

  “Stay put, I will be right back.”

  He gently guided the more adventurous of his current group on the trek up the hill and situated them into another SUV.

  Sheree watched the entire exchange and said a tearful, “I’m sorry.”

  “I’m not,” Ellena shot back. “I don’t have a heart condition, but the fear that this truck could tip over is real.”

  “He looked so upset.”

  “No, just irritated,” Ellena said, trying to reassure the petite red-haired woman. “I think he likes driving these.”

  Kamran slid back into the driver’s seat and said, “Now, I will go very slow until we make it to the entrance, all right? We will have to go back the way we came, though, there is no getting around that. We are in the middle of the sand dune and there is no other way.”

  “How long to our destination?” Ellena asked.

  “Sixteen minutes ahead. Thirteen to go back.”

  Ellena addressed her classmate. “Three minutes, Sheree?”

  “I want to go back,” she squeaked, putting a grip on the leather seats. “I swear it felt like I was dying.”

  “How often do you get to drive the dunes?” Ellena asked as Kamran slowly inched the SUV in the opposite direction.

  “Rarely. As Royal Advisor, it is not a pleasure I can indulge in often.”

  “I’m sorry, Kamran.”

  He looked at her in the rear view mirror, his voice was patient and kind as he said, “It is fine, do not worry.”

  Unfortunately, in the long drive around, they hit a major traffic snarl, and they missed the camel rides, some of the entertainment, and getting henna tattoos. They were only able to snag a plate of food because their group was situated in the VIP area with special, more comfortable seating.

  “I’m so sorry,” Sheree said.

  “No worries,” Kamran said, then whispered to Ellena, “I will make this up to you some other time.”

  Chapter Ten

  “I have shown you most of the sites that Durabia has to offer,�
� Kamran said on the evening of day eight, taking a seat across from her at the dining room table of the suite. “Now I must give you more of the truth, yes?”

  The guards and assistants had already retired to their accommodations down the hall.

  Ellena laid her fork on the edge of the plate, sobered by his ominous tone. She pondered his words for a moment. The last few days, the group had experienced a river boat cruise, a visit to the museum, the reunion dinner where more classmates had flown in, and the magnificent Grand Mosque in Abu Dhabi, a city that was part of the United Emirates. An interesting visit, one where four of her classmates failed to heed Kamran’s warning and were turned back to buy clothes in the shopping center that would cover them properly. “I’m covered enough,” one of them complained. “What they want us to do, die? It’s hot out here.” Well, they wanted to see the place and had not choice but to comply—heat and all.

  “Yes, I want the truth,” she answered Kamran.

  “There is a public face of Durabia for tourists and a private one for Nationals.”

  She waved that thought away. “What do you mean? Everything you’ve shown me has been amazing.”

  “Yes, this is the side that only expatriates and tourists see,” he said over the rim of his glass. “That is all that they are allowed to see. You, my love, have had the honor of a visit to the Royal Palace. Many have never set foot anywhere close to where you have been.” Kamran took her hands in his. “If you made a decision based on what you have seen, your answer would be …”

  “Yes. Definitely yes.”

  “And that would not be fair,” Kamran countered. She didn’t miss the uncharacteristic anxiety in his tone. “And it would be selfish of me not to give you everything to consider. Even when it might not work in my favor.”

  “I’m listening.”

  Kamran sighed, gathering his thoughts. “Are you familiar with Sharia Law? “

  She filtered through her memories to every bit of news, video clips, or articles that she’d come across that referenced that term. “I’ve heard of it. Nothing good. Seems restrictive, especially for women. A more extreme form of Islam.”

  “There is some truth to your observation,” he said, and his voice sounded solemn and grave. “Durabia is under Sharia Law.”

  Ellena laughed and it took her a minute to realize he was dead serious. “No, not possible. Women were walking around without head coverings and some even had short dresses. Not too short, but still their shoulders and arms were bare. People drink spirits and party and all of that.”

  “Yes, that is true,” he said in measured tones. “Now, I would like you to close your eyes.

  She moved her plate of East Indian delicacies aside and complied.

  “Describe what you saw in the palace, in and around the palace grounds.”

  Her eyes were moving behind those lids as she sifted through her second day in Durabia. Her lips parted slightly and he resisted the urge to kiss her because the moment was too serious for distractions. She didn’t speak, but her body became tense. Her eyes flew open and the alarm within those dark-brown orbs was not hard to miss. The Free Zone and the Royal palace were two different worlds. Now she knew why.

  “You understand the point I am making?”

  She nodded.

  “It will be like that every day, all day. Fully covered, except for your face and in certain areas where having your hair exposed is allowed. Prayer, five times a day whether you are a believer or not. Separate facilities for women and men and—”

  “There’s more?”

  “Because you are …” He grimaced, trying to find politically correct terms.

  “What?”

  “American. Not a national. You may experience some … mistreatment, even. Verbally. Perhaps, physically. Punishments are absolute.”

  She pondered that for several moments and let her gaze travel around the room then settle on him. “Could I live in unrestricted Durabia? The Free Zone?”

  Kamran’s shoulders pulled back. “You desire to become my wife?”

  “I would be honored.”

  The relief that flooded his being was pure magic. A lot had transpired in his life and his path was set in a predictable journey. Having Ellena in his life would make for exciting times. “I will talk to my father and see about a residence in the Free Zone. Are you sure?”

  “I’m sure,” she said as he took her hands into his across the table.

  “You still will be held to the constraints of Sharia Law.”

  “Even though I’m not Muslim?”

  “Yes,” he admitted. “You are still aligned with the Royal family and will be held to the standards of conducting your person.” He went silent and his heart sank. “Since we have been together, I have never witnessed you in prayer or seen any outward sign that you believe in God.”

  “My God does not require an outward show of anything,” she countered. “The relationship is personal and one on one.”

  “You are completely Christian, yes?”

  She hesitated a moment. “I can’t claim that so much either. It’s hard to believe in a God that would allow so much evil to permeate this world. And I realize that our true religion and culture was taken and a new one was forced upon us, but that isn’t the reason I haven’t embraced the religion. I do think that God knows exactly what and who we mean when we worship, even if the medium might be different.”

  Some of her words were disheartening to hear. He thought for sure that this aspect would be something that might be navigated with a bit of finesse, but having her shut things down completely blew that idea out of the water. His gaze came back to her from the view of the river when she spoke again.

  “But even though I don’t wholeheartedly embrace Christianity, I can’t see myself embracing Islam, either. At the core, the treatment of Black people and women is about the same.”

  “It is no different than American men, who treat their women—as possessions.”

  “Not all men do, and it isn’t the law. How would Islam be better?” she shot back. “If I’m going to put myself into a situation like that, at least there should be some advantages.”

  “How about if that situation came with a husband like me?” He wiggled his eyebrows.

  “Well there is that,” she said, smiling for the first time in the last moments. “I won’t lie to you. I’m falling for you hard—but I can’t stay here. Someone like me would constantly be in harm’s way and feel threatened under this kind of restrictive laws,” she confessed. “I’m afraid.”

  “I will not lie to you either. So am I.”

  “Why are you afraid?” she asked, narrowing her eyes on him. “You have everything.”

  Kamran locked a heated gaze on her. “I do not have you.”

  Chapter Eleven

  Ellena’s heart constricted when Kamran bid her farewell, then escorted her from the dining room table to the door to the master bedroom.

  “Stay with me,” she whispered, looking up at him, her heart pounding a river of heated blood through her veins. As much as she tried to talk herself into forgoing her way of life to be with him, fear shut those thoughts down. “This one last night, stay with me.”

  Kamran lowered to the bed by her side, he stroked her face with his fingertips. “I cannot do that. It is hard enough to say farewell and send you on your way. But to know that it is my religion that separates us is a bitter pill to swallow. And there is nothing I can do, nothing at all.”

  “It is not the religion; it is the interpretation of it that can get me killed, Kamran.” She cupped his face in her hands. “I don’t know how it happened. I don’t know when it happened. But this place right here”—she placed his hand over her heart—“hasn’t felt anything for anyone in a very long time. And it never was this strong. Ever. I’m already missing you and I’m not even gone. Please stay with me until tomorrow.”

  “I cannot, and—”

  “Why?”

  Kamran ran a hand through his hair, exha
ling his frustration. “Woman, I have needs. Strong ones. And they have been dormant for a long while.” His gaze was so intense she thought she would melt right then and there. “I want to be inside you so badly that I ache, beloved. But I am afraid if I have one taste, one touch, it will not be enough. And I want to be good about keeping my promise to let you go.” He lowered his gaze to their hands. “I understand your decision. I do not like it, but I understand and I would not have you do anything that puts such fear in your heart. My kingdom is not going to change any time soon. No matter what I would prefer.”

  She simply looked at him and in her eyes he saw such sadness. This truly affected her more than he believed possible.

  “Please, my love,” he said, kissing her temple. “I need to sleep alone tonight in the other bedroom. I need to reflect on why Allah would give me such a beautiful gift, then take it in the next breath. Another cruelness played upon my life.”

  Kamran released her and swept from the room leaving an echo of sadness in his wake.

  A tear came and then another, but all thought of giving in and staying in the palace of Durabia faded when voices inside the suite signaled that he wasn’t simply going to the other bedroom. He was leaving her … for good.

  “Kamran, where are you going?” she asked, rushing to the foyer.

  “I will see you in the morning,” he said, from his place near the doorway. “At the palace. This is best.”

  She nodded, unable to speak her piece. She couldn’t trust her voice to say anything that mattered. Her heart was breaking when she hadn’t realized it could be filled enough to break. Kamran had. In nine days, this man had done exactly what he said he would do—make her fall in love with him. The best parts of him. The sincere parts of him.

  So much so, that he loved her enough to be honest and give her the choice, when he could have easily allowed things to move forward and she would have had to deal with this part of things after it was too late. He loved her enough to let her go. He loved her enough to know that if they made love even just one time, that he wouldn’t be able to keep his promise because she would become his and he would fight like hell to keep her with him.