Chapter 6 - Singing Bird

Raina

I was glad Jasmine had become my handmaid. I would miss her when she would leave. Could I ask my grandfather to make her stay longer? I rolled my eyes at the thought. That would be selfish.

"You should try and put the needs of other before your own." I heard Benjamin say in thought. Benjamin, what was he doing now? I pondered going to his palace wing. Would he be asleep already? I sighed. I wondered if he could sing me a song before I went to bed, and decided to go and see him.

I stood in front of my cousins room and his guard stared at me. "Your grace, considering the hour, do you have an appointment with your highness?" He asked trying to make a point, I wasn't grasping.

I wasn't going to wait for permission to go inside, so I yanked the door open and stormed in. "BENJAMIN EL-RAJI SAUD." I yelled when I saw a naked woman laying in his bed.

She quickly covered herself with his top sheets and stood up. She seemed to be uncertain if she should curtsy or not.

"Why are you still standing?!" I barked at her. As the woman began to bow down, Benjamin came out of his bathroom door. "I thought I heard commotion." He said casually pouring whiskey in a crystal glass. "Nadia, you can leave now." Benjamin calmly said to the woman. She opened her mouth as to say something and then closed it again.

Then she seemed to try again. "My name is Nadine, your highness." She said. "Oh, right." Benjamin said and half smiled at her. His smile didn't reach his eyes, so I knew he feigned it.

"What can I do for you my sweet cousin?" He said with more warmth in his voice. "I can't sleep." I said sulky. "My dear Raina, is there any way I can fix that problem?" He asked probably knowing the answer. He chuckled. "Fine." He said endearingly, while slowly rotating his glass.

"Come, I'll take you back to your chambers." Benjamin said as he led the way. "Who is she?" I asked noticing that Benjamin seemed to be distracted again. "That was no one in particular." He said refiring to the naked lady.

"No Ben, I mean, you have been so off lately. What is going on with you?" I asked concerned. Benjamin shrugged. "I don't know. Right now I feel utterly guilty though." He muttered under his breath. "I had been spending so much time with-" He trailed of his sentence. "Woman." He said frowning. "That I forgot to spend time with my favorite cousin." He flashed a smile.

"I'll forgive you." I said thoughtfully. "On one condition though." Cupping his chin with his right hand he waited for me to make my demands. "You should start singing already!" I snickered.

He sat down on the far edge of my bed and started singing my favorite song.

Jasmine

Today I was going to have breakfast with the rest of the palaces help. Raina said that I certainly didn't have to, meaning she did not want me to. I just didn't like the idea that people thought ill of me. As a token of good will, I woke up early and helped the cooks.

And if I was truly honest with myself, I hoped that he would be there at breakfast as well.

When I entered the kitchen, only Rabia was there. She wore grey work-clothes. I seemed overdressed in my beautiful red satin Hijab. I coughed out of nervousness and Rabia looked up at me.

She slightly smiled. "Rabia, I'm sorry for what happened at the library." I said embarrassed by the memory of grabbing Benjamins blouse and pulling him close to me. "You should think of your families honor next time." She simply said.

"I'm sorry it's just. He-"

"I know." She said. "Listen. He is a man, he can do whatever he wants and no one will condemn him for it. What would your mother say?" My mother… "I have never met my mother, she died when I was born."

Rabia was silent for a while. "I'm sorry to hear that. If you ever need a mother, you can come to me." Rabia said as she squeezed me. "Benjamin said he knew you since birth, does his family work at the palace as well?" Rabia didn't answer.

We were sitting at a large table filled with woman. At the other side of the room, there was a table where the men sat. I looked around, but I didn't see him. I sighed.

"Are you okay?" A beautiful woman named Nadia asked me. "You look tired." She said. I thought of that stupid letter. "I'm fine." I lied. "It's the first time I've seen you down here." She noted. "Raina likes the company and in my spare time I read, or I get lessons from-"

Before I could finish my sentence Rabia bumped into me. Maybe I imagined it, but it kind of seemed on purpose. I looked at her and she narrowed her eyes at me. I raised my shoulders, not knowing why she acted that way.

"Who is teaching you?" Nadia whispered, after she looked to see if Rabia wasn't watching. "Benjamin, he is a servant of the sultan." I whispered back. Nadia's eyes seemed to pop out of its sockets. "Benjamin huh." She said in a strange tone. "The servant." She said almost inaudible.

"You are Raina's handmaid right?" Nadia said, raising her voice, gaining the attention of the rest of the table. "Yes." I smiled. "She is wonderful, I like serving her." I said meaning it truly.

"She doesn't like me much, or at least not anymore." She said laughing loudly. Some of the young woman at the table joint her.

"Of course she doesn't like you, now knowing you are the one keeping the prince busy." Jada said.

While some of the young woman joined in on the conversation about all the sinful things Nadia had done with the prince, the elderly quickly left the table.

"Aren't you afraid that you won't find a good husband without your virtue?" I asked Nadia. Some of the woman burst out in laughter. "That ship has long sailed." She said. "I'm happy with serving the prince in every way I can." She said meaningfully.

I couldn't understand. I always heard that woman bleed the first time they would lay with their husband. It didn't sound all that pleasant. Why would she want to serve the prince in that way?

"Speaking of which." She smiled at me in a way that made me cringe a little.. "When are you meeting that teacher of yours again? I would love to come." She said flashing a huge smile