The Sheikh's Secret Princess

by Leslie North

  “No.”

  Zara looked at the ground. It was extremely awkward for her. “Why did you not send for one of the maids to come to you?”

  “There is nothing wrong with me coming here myself.” The King put the shirt on the table. “Which shirt should I wear?”

  “Whichever you please, your Majesty.”

  “I am asking, which you think would be better.”

  Zara looked at the shirts once more and picked out a burgundy shirt for him. She told him that she thought it would be a nice colour on him. She bowed her head and handed him the shirt. The King took it from her as he looked at her in amusement. He could see that she was very shy around him. After he was dressed, he reminded her to wash and bring his shirt to his quarters this evening. She nodded in agreement.

  The laundry maids gaped at the King as he left the laundry. After he left, they swarmed around Zara and asked her if he spoke much to her. They all wished it were them he had asked to prepare his shirt.

  Chapter 7

  Rachael pulled Zara to the side to question her about the King. She made sure that all the other maids had returned to their stations before she questioned her friend. “Why did the King pick you?” Rachael whispered.

  “I don't know,” Zara whispered back. She earnestly did not know why he picked her or why he came to the laundry himself.

  “Lies!” it came out louder than she had anticipated. Rachael cleared her throat and returned to whispering. “The King would not pick you at random like that. What aren't you telling me?”

  Zara was silent for a moment. She had an idea of why he would pick her. Maybe it had something to do with their recent acquaintance. She took Rachael's hand and led her outside where the other maids would not hear them. She had not told Rachael about the King and she was dying to tell her. The only person who knew was her little sister. Zara took a deep breath.

  “You have to promise me you won't say anything to anyone.”

  “Come on, Zara, you know I would not tell. This palace may be large but news travels fast and maids are malicious.”

  Zara nodded. Indeed the maids were malicious. She told Rachael everything from the first time she spoke to the King to that afternoon's events. Rachael stared at Zara with her mouth wide open. She could not believe her ears. How could her friend not have told her all this? She whacked Zara's arm and complained for not being told sooner.

  Rachael made Zara promise to keep her updated in the future. This was a big deal. She could not simply keep it to herself. Zara nodded and promised to tell. Rachael was excited for Zara; the girl needed something good in her life. Since she quit school, she still had to pay back her school loans and look after her mother and sister. Her mother had been too sick to work. Life in the palace laundry had not been so kind to her either. The other maids were not friendly. It was about time her luck turned around. Zara did not know what to think or what the King wanted from her. Perhaps she was an amusement for the time being. Either way, she was not going to take it for more than it was for she wanted nothing from the King.

  Later that evening, Zara had a difficult time finding the King's quarters. Since coming to work at the palace, she’d kept to the laundry facilities and palace gardens. Everywhere else had felt off limits to her. She had toured parts of the palace when she first arrived, but it wasn’t as if there were maps posted on the walls and she was too embarrassed to ask for assistance. Finally, after she felt as if she had walked the entire palace twice, she found her way to his private wing. After she gave her name to one of the guards, she walked into his suite. She turned around slowly as she took in her surroundings. The floors were tiled in the most exquisite and elaborate cream-coloured marble with onyx trim. The vaulted ceilings curved like barrels as chandeliers cast twinkling diamond patterns on the walls. As Zara looked around what seemed to be the living room, she took in the plush furnishings done up in gold and cream. Zara noticed that there was not one thing out of place, as she thought of her own well-lived home filled with the daily activities of her little sister.

  “Zara,” the King said as he entered the room. She turned around and bowed her head to him.

  “Good evening, your Majesty.”

  “And how are you this evening?”

  “I am well, thank you. I've brought your shirt,” she said as she handed it to him. He took it with half a smile on his face. She was so innocent. She thought that he really wanted her to clean his shirt. She had not entertained the thought that it was an excuse to see her. He put the neatly ironed and folded shirt on the sofa.

  “Join me for dinner,” the King said.

  “Oh, I could not possibly.”

  “It was not a request,” he stated as he gestured for Zara to follow. He led her to the dining room where the food was already laid out on the table. His staff bowed as he walked in. He pulled out a chair and asked Zara to sit. She did as she was told. Like a gentleman, he tucked her in before sitting down opposite her. She was not prepared to dine with the King or entertain him. She was still in her work uniform and her hair was untidy.

  Alma poured them drinks. Zara tucked a hair strand behind her ear as she felt the King's gaze resting on her face as he studied her. “Why are we back to the awkwardness?” he asked her. She looked at him with confusion.

  “I do not understand.”

  “You are so uncomfortable right now, just relax. I will not eat you.”

  Zara smiled. It was natural for her to be uncomfortable. She was in the King's quarters dining with him. Yet she was a lowly palace maid. She picked up her glass and took a sip. She showed the King her multi-coloured bracelet. “My sister made this for me,” she said. Her sister was her go to whenever she was stuck on what to talk about or if she was feeling low. She figured it was a great place to start, since the King always asked her about herself.

  “It is beautiful,” he said with a warm smile.

  “She is very creative.”

  “Are you?”

  “I am not, are you?” Admittedly, she was bad at starting conversations with members of the opposite sex. It was even harder when that male was a royal.

  “I paint on occasion.” The King suddenly had the thought of painting her. She had an intriguing face and lovely hair.

  “That is wonderful. I can barely draw a circle.”

  The King laughed softly. He picked up his cutlery and started eating. “How was your day?” he asked her.

  “Uneventful, oh except when the King randomly showed up in the laundry room. That was the talk of the day. How was your day?”

  The King detected a little bit of cheek in her tone, it was good to see her finally let loose. “My day was very eventful,” he replied. “I had lunch with a friend of mine this afternoon. It seems that he too finds aspects of my life to be amusing.”

  “I find that hard to believe, your Majesty. Your life is filled with such…pomp and circumstance, what could he possibly be amused about?” Zara asked as she wrinkled her nose attempting not to laugh.

  As the King gave Zara his best stare down, Zara couldn’t help but see his eyes alight in amusement. “You DARE mock me, young lady?”

  “Oh no, your Majesty, I would not deign to mock you,” Zara replied, attempting to look contrite. “I am, however, enjoying teasing you.”

  Although the staff was supposed to be in the room but invisible, Alma could not help but listen to their conversation. It all made sense now, why the King took a trip to the laundry.

  Zara asked about the situation with Amira and Tiana. From the King’s grunt, she could tell that he did not want to speak about it. She smiled and changed the subject. The King was happy to oblige on a different topic. By the time dessert was served, Zara was more talkative and comfortable. The King felt that he had learnt a little bit more about her. He quizzed her on different matters and enjoyed her responses.

  As they enjoyed their dessert, Zara noticed that his face became pale and he seemed to sweat. Since they had very little to drink, she didn’t think
it had anything to do with alcohol.

  “Are you all right, your Majesty?”

  As the King started to answer, his head suddenly felt incredibly heavy. Attempting to rise, he clutched at his chest and tumbled to the floor. Leaping up, Zara ran to his side. “He’s turning blue,” she cried out. “He can’t breathe. Alma get the doctor.” As Alma ran to notify the guards, Zara quickly analysed the situation. His pulse was rapid, his skin was rapidly becoming paler and he was turning blue around the lips. Opening his mouth, she checked for blockages. As Alma returned to her, she quickly asked, “Is the King allergic to anything.” At Alma’s blank look, she barked at her, “Think Alma, is there ANYTHING that he might be allergic to?”

  As Alma wrung her hands, she managed to blurt out, “Not food, no.”

  “Then what?”

  “Opiates.”

  “Ok, that’s something. Does he have an EpiPen?”

  “A what?”

  “Alma, a first aid kit. Is there one here?” At Alma’s nod, “Good, go get it. Quickly!” Alma jumped up and she ran into the King’s bedroom returning moments later with a large red case. Setting it down, Zara quickly opened it and began riffling through it. Finding what she needed, she grabbed the tube, put the blue cap in her teeth pulling it off and then stabbed the pen into the King’s thigh, holding it there. “Oh, I do hope I’m right on this,” Zara mumbled as she watched the King for signs of change.

  Within moments, the King’s colour began to return to normal and he took a full breath. Laughing in relief, the women hugged each other as the doctor ran in followed by James.

  “What is the meaning of this?” demanded James as he saw the King lying on the floor. As both women went to jump up, the King stretched out his hand to stop Zara.

  “Thank you,” he told her. Squeezing his hand, Zara got up to make room for the doctor.

  “What happened?” the doctor questioned as he quickly checked the King’s vitals.

  “We were having dinner and then he turned pale and collapsed,” replied Zara. “He started turning blue and since he didn’t appear to be choking and we ate the same thing, I assumed it was some sort of allergic reaction. I was lucky to find an EpiPen in the first aid kit.”

  “And how would a maid know to use this?” questioned the doctor.

  “Uni,” Zara replied, doing her best to keep her temper under control. “I was a year away from completing my master’s degree in nursing.”

  “Well, we’ll see,” the doctor replied as he motioned for James and one of the guards to move the King to his bedroom. “You can go now,” he ordered, but the King stopped him as he spoke quietly. Nodding his head, the doctor looked at her. “Wait here.”

  Zara nervously paced the room while the doctor examined the King. Alma had been shooed out of the King’s bedroom and when she found Zara, she offered her something to drink. Zara laughed as she declined, still unsure what happened to the King, and sat down. What seemed like hours later, even though it had only been less than one, James came out with several plastic bags. Motioning to Zara, he asked her to point out what the King ate and drank as he carefully collected samples.

  A commotion was heard outside as one of the guards opened the door to tell James that both the queen and Lady Tiana were demanding entrance. Shaking his head no, James told the guards to see that both women were escorted back to their rooms and to remain there under guard until the threat was determined.

  Oo00oO

  Amira paced her room in anger and frustration. As the queen, it was her right to be with her husband. She still wasn’t sure what happened and no one was speaking up. And what was that maid doing in there? She was not one of his regular maids. What was going on?

  Tiana was blazing a similar path in her room as she paced the floor. She was surprised to find Amira outside the King’s quarters when she arrived. She was supposed to be dining with him this evening. As she wrung her hands in agitation, she continued to pace while they waited for news, as to what happened.

  Oo00oO

  As James finished collecting samples, the doctor called him back to the King’s bedroom. When he arrived, the King was sitting up in bed and looking much better.

  “Zara, how is she?” the King asked as soon as he walked in.

  “Who? The maid?” James questioned.

  “Yes, did she become ill?”

  “No, she seems well, although concerned about you. That was quick thinking on her part,” James replied.

  “Yes, she said that she had been going to nursing school.” Before James could question why the King knew so much about a palace maid, the doctor interrupted.

  “It looks as if it was an allergic reaction, your Highness. Do you have any other allergies other than to opiates?” At the King’s shake of his head, “Then who knows about this allergy?”

  “Family, Amira, James, Alma, you of course,” the King replied. “I presume that it’s in my medical file.” At the doctor’s nod, “That’s about it.”

  As the doctor gathered up the samples and prepared to leave, he looked to James. “See that he’s not alone tonight. If there are no further complications, he should be fine tomorrow, but I would recommend complete bed rest for at least one full day. In the meantime, I will have the food tested. If opiates are found, well, then it appears that this was deliberate.”

  As James walked the doctor to the door, he instructed Alma to remain with the King until he returned. Beckoning to Zara, he motioned to one of the guards. “It’s late. Please see that Zara is provided with transportation home.” Turning to Zara, “You will report for your regular duties as if nothing has happened. And I don’t need to remind you not to speak of this until we know all the facts.” Zara was still too shocked to speak and only nodded her head before following the guard out.

  Oo00oO

  The next morning, the King paced his quarters. The doctor wanted him to remain in bed, but he felt fine. They still didn’t have the test results back yet and he was worried about Zara. Both Amira and Tiana were still restricted to their quarters despite their constant demands to see him. He had to admit that he was relieved not to be bombarded by them at the moment.

  Zara. He couldn’t stop thinking about her. It was her quick thinking and response that saved his life. He hadn’t had an allergic reaction since he was a boy and accidently played in the poppy fields near his cousin’s house. When they found him, he was near death. Ever since then, he’d been careful to avoid contact and his medical file clearly stated allergies to all opiate drugs. If it wasn’t for Zara, he wouldn’t be here.

  Dinner last night had been enjoyable up until he collapsed. She was a great distraction from Amira and Tiana. With her, it was not about politics and power. She was compassionate and charming in her shyness. He loved the sound of her laughter and made a point of finding ways to make her laugh. And he loved when she would break out of her shell and be herself. Other than his brother and occasionally James, most people were too uncomfortable with his status and position to relax around him. Even Amira and Tiana behaved with a certain level of formality around him, except when they were going at each other, then it was as if he didn’t exist. As he looked out the window, he thought about painting Zara. Perhaps it could be an enjoyable activity for the both of them. He had not painted in a while as he had lost all inspiration to paint nor had he the time. But given that he was supposed to be resting, what could be more relaxing than painting?

  Chapter 8

  Zara and Rachael were huddled together talking when Alma walked into the laundry. Everyone knew she was the King's head maid and they greeted her with respect when she walked in. While there was much talk that something had happened to the King the night before, no other information had been released other than he was doing well and other than a few people, no one knew that Zara had been present when it happened or there would have been no end to the questions. She approached Rachael and Zara.

  “I am here to escort Miss Zara on the King's orders,” Alma said. Zara
and Rachael looked at each other.

  “She will come right away,” Rachael said and pushed Zara along.

  Zara left the laundry with Alma. She had been concerned about the King’s welfare and had spent a sleepless night worrying about him. Alma escorted Zara to the King's quarters. They walked down the hallway and took a turn into a large studio filled with painting supplies. Alma told Zara to sit down and await the King's arrival. She nodded and did as she was told as Alma left the room.

  The King entered the room moments later. Zara got to her feet and bowed to the King. He was wearing a t-shirt and loose fitting slacks. “Hello, Zara,” he greeted her as he walked over to a stool.

  Zara couldn’t resist eyeing him. “You look well, your Majesty.”