Page 109 of Shâhzâdeh

Xerxes laid back against the custom-built love seat that was the only piece of furniture back here. Shoaib and Quentin had picked it up from the furniture builder today and we’d celebrated by enjoying a night outside. His face was tight and the tight press of his lips let me know he was angry at the memory.

“I can remember zhe first night I stayed in the palace. My grandfather insisted zhat I go and join a party that all of my cousins were a part of.”

“Doesn’t sound bad.”

He huffed a laugh and shook his head. “Mmmm. It wasn’t a party, it was an orgy. Women flown in from all parts of zhe world to engage in acts zhat would be consideredharam, but here were my cousins and uncles lining up to take part. A group of men wiz too much money and not enough duty to occupy zheir minds so they came up with depraved ways to humiliate women from all over zhe world.”

I felt sick to my stomach because I couldn’t imagine how disgusting that scene would be to someone not wanting to participate. “Well, that is all kinds of messed up.”

“No, zhe messed up part was how zhey seemed to act more cruelly to a woman who favored my mother. Blatantly giving her the worst treatment as though it were a point zhey were trying to make.” He worked his jaw back and forth and I knew he was fighting to maintain control.

“The hell?”

“I found out everything I could about zhat girl. She’d been taken off of zhe street. She was zhe impetus for me shutting down the shit zhey did in the palace. I wasn’t blind to zhe fact zhat zheir many trips to other countries specifically the UAE were to engage in the same acts. I have no control zhere. I got it out of zhe palace and out of zhe country. But of course my cousin had to test my boundaries and now I’m teaching him a lesson.” He skipped over the heroic thing he’d done like it was an everyday occurrence.

“That’s why you work yourself to death isn’t it?”

He rest his head against mine and I loved how his weight felt on me. Xerxes’ presence radiated safety and I craved that. “I never want to be like them. To be so idle in the brain that it turns to being depraved against innocent people. I feel the need to constantly check on them. To keep them in line and it is wearing me thin.”

“So make a change.” I kissed the side of his neck and he kissed me softly on the lips.

“I’m figuring out how. Having zhat country destabilized means zhe OG colonizers can gain a foothold zhere. I can’t allow zhat to happen wizout zhe entire place devolving into war.”

“Really not trying to have a genocide on the Consortium’s hands.”

He looked mildly less tense but I knew he still felt the weight of all of this on his shoulders. “Exactly. It is difficult to pay respect and to help zhose who don’t deserve it. But he family zhat is innocent of all of zhis don’t yet have zhe power to step to zhe front.”

“I feel as though you’re lending a bit of a hand with zhat.”

“Zhe projects zhat are funded by zhe Mahdavi family have been spearheaded by my cousin. I like to joke I’m forty-sevenz in line to the zhrone but it’s not zhat far back. My grandfazer is still fazering children wiz his innumerable wives. My fatzr has long since been put out of the running, but zhe restoration of wealz restored me to zhe line of succession. Women are typically not given zhe position of being rulers on zheir own despite zhe way countries zhrive when a woman is at zhe helm, so all of my aunts will be bypassed solely on zheir gender.”

“Barely any part of the world is ready for that.” I felt slighted that women were still being seen as inferior when if it wasn’t for us there would be no them.

“Many parts of zhe world have already benefited from zhat. But zhat’s a lesson for a different day. I have many aunts wiz ambitious husbands who wanted to gain favor from zhe family and had no issue wiz providing assests to marry a princess. Zhere is zhe heir who is my uncle wiz his abundance of kids. Many aunts zhat fall in line behind him. My fazer, and zhen my uncle who is more like a cousin zhan an uncle.”

“He’s younger than you?” The late spring breeze was slightly chilly at night and I wrapped myself even tighter around him.

“Older by four years. My fazer and grandfazer had a huge fight about his hatred of my mother. He could not understand his fazer’s hate of her since zhe king had an African wife himself. Since my uncle’s mother was not a first wife, zhey see her as little more than a glorified concubine. She had no royal title but my grandfather had to give him one. If he didn’t he would’ve looked weak breaking his own law. My mother however is my father’s first and only wife. Zhat comes with all the rights and privileges you would expect.”

“And that made them angry.”

His hands were now rubbing my scalp, his fingers making circles on my scalp that seemed to soothe us both. “Furious. Zhey tried just about everyzing zhey could but fazer didn’t budge. He wasn’t going to make my mozer a second wife. He didn’t want anyone else but her even to appease his family.”

“So what happened?”

Xerxes smile radiated love and I could see and feel the pride he felt for his family.

“Babette Cannon happened. She told my fazer zhat if he was really with her, she had his back. And zhat was something my father hadn’t ever experienced before. Zhat level of love and dedication zhat doesn’t come without restrictions. I mean, of course my mozer expected fidelity and love and honesty, but zhose are zhings my fazer gave freely. Zhe idea zhat she would help him keep his own, independent of her or the Consortium was vhat showed him vhat love really vas.”

“That’s beautiful.”

“It is. Zhat is vhy I overlook when zhey get more amorous vith one another. I understand zhat zhey have overcome hell togezer. I’m sure zhere are moments vhen my fazer’s people tried to come for her but and she was more zhan able to handle it.” Xerxes looked so settled and happy at the thought of his parents’ love.

“But why does he do anything for your family if that’s how they treat his wife? I think my heart would be broken if I had done so much to help a man and he was still helping those who wanted to hurt me.”

“Because all of zhis is a game of chess, ziba. Just as zhe UCCA united zhe continent of Africa, zhe hope is zhat zhe resources zhat have been found within zhe sands will also be able to turn every country of the Middle East into one zhat is prosperous where people are not willing to be radicalized for zhe sake of ensuring zhey have food on the table. Besides, my mother is the one who wanted to continue to help his family. Bâbâ would’ve had zhem all murdered years ago, stability be damned.”

“So you’re doing this for world peace.” I shifted and pat my lap so that he knew I wanted him to rest on me for a while. He’d talked about these heavy things and he needed someone to lean on right now. When Xerxes realized what I meant, the softest, most grateful smile came across his face. He twisted his big six foot three plus body around and let his legs hang over the side of the seat. When he was comfortable it was my turn to stroke his hair and he closed his eyes briefly before he continued to speak. I loosened the tie he’d just put in his hair and scratched his scalp as I massaged his strands.

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