Fire in the Heart : The Princess and the Bandit (9781629020112) (3 page)

Nizar glanced up. “What now, Master Elijah?”

“I am going to try the rooftops. Who’s coming with me?” But Elijah quickly turned his back on him and evaluated the crowd. It became clear that there was no real way he could get to the princess from the street level.

Bayan replied first, “I don’t want to climb anymore. I’m tired.”

Firas didn’t hesitate to state his position either. “I am sure if we wait here, we can get a pretty good look at her.”

Elijah didn’t appreciate either response and the thought that all of his friends would join him in realizing his dream, especially since he had done so much for them. “Pretty good isn’t good enough. I am going up the top.” He quickly glanced around at the others and then back toward the rooftops.

Karim still stood by his side. “I’ll go with you.”

“Me too!” Isabelle smiled.

Nizar’s cold, hard voice broke through the shouting crowds. “Suit yourself. I am staying here.”

Rasha shook her head side to side as she looked at Elijah. “Me too.”

Elijah quickly took one last glimpse of his friends. “Right. We will meet back at the hideout. Come on, you two!” Before long, he, Karim, and Isabelle started to climb up the side of a nearby building and were soon on the roof. That’s all it took before they jumped across several in hopes of finding the best vantage point of all.

Karim grabbed Elijah’s arm and pointed to his left. “Let’s try that building over there…by the guard tower!”

Elijah nodded and took off in that direction. “You’re right! The parade leads right to it! We will get a clear view of her!” Isabelle silently followed.

Elijah waved his companions along. “Come on!” They made their way to the taller building, but it wasn’t easy. They had to wait until several posted sentries changed their position and looked out the other way. The place where they had to cross was right in line of their destination. Elijah’s mind raced as he waited. He tried to be patient, but with the princess so close and his dream so near, he couldn’t quit thinking about how wonderful it would be to meet her one day. Isabelle silently observed her crouching friends. Karim raised himself up, with his right hand still down against the roof and was ready to leap to safety when the guards turned away. Finally, they lunged across the open area and scaled the last tall wall. Just as they came over the roof’s edge, they were greeted by the images of three more men.

“Well, well. If it isn’t Elijah.”

Elijah’s mouth dropped. “Karam!” The image of this man forced Elijah’s thoughts away from the princess and back to how he earned his keep. Karam and his men controlled another part of the city and were known for their stealing and malicious deeds. Everyone knew that Karam and Elijah were equal in almost every way, but had never really gotten along. Karam’s two men, both looking skinny and underfed, had their blades holstered to their sides. For the moment, no one moved!

Karam didn’t hesitate to counter Elijah’s surprise. “What are you doing here? Wanting to get a good look at the princess?” His taunts hit home in a surprisingly quick way.

“You know it! What about you?” Elijah tried to make light of the man’s words, but felt his heart race at the possibility of missing the princess.

“Yes. This is my spot though. Sorry. There is only room for three.” Karam stood firm with his hand on his sword handle.

With his eyebrows raised, Elijah glanced around at all the free space. “Sorry, Karam. I am afraid we need to be here as well.”

That’s all it took for one of the skinny accomplices to thrust his blade directly at Elijah’s throat.

Karim, now a few steps away from Elijah, pulled out his blade as well. “Tell him to put away the sword, Karam.”

“No. I don’t think so.” Karam’s and his men’s knuckles quickly turned white as they gripped their blade handles.

But Karim just shrugged. “You’re just going to get yourself hurt, Karam.”

Elijah clenched his jaws. “Look, I just want to see the princess, Karam, nothing else. We don’t have to fight.”

“Oh, but we do. This is my city, Elijah. I don’t like you taking over.” Karam’s face turned a deep red as he lifted his blade and pointed it at Elijah.

Still looking for a peaceful way out, Elijah tried to talk to the bitter man once again. “Look. We are on the same side here, Karam. We are both being hunted by the guards. Why not work together?”

He stood there, gazing into the man’s eyes, but he wouldn’t budge. “I don’t work with a rat thief.”

“Oh, come on, Karam! You’re the same!” The two continued to exchange their heated words.

Karam abruptly raised his closed fist into the air. “Don’t you ever pull me down to your level! I am an idealist! I do what I do for a reason! You do it just to fill your stomach.”

“Whatever you say, Karam.”

But Karam wouldn’t stop. “We are starting a rebellion! Soon, the city will be ours!”

Eyes wide, Elijah retorted, “And how is that?”

“Blanco!”

The other skinny man picked up two bows and handed one over to Karam. Karam resheathed his sword and both outfitted their arrows.

Karam continued his rant with what seemed reckless abandon. “We are going to kill the princess and the sultan when they come our way.”

Elijah noticed a strange gleam in the crazed man’s eyes. “What?! You can’t be serious?!”

Behind the two men, Isabelle didn’t say a word.

Karim jumped in. “Have you lost your mind? What do you plan to accomplish?”

“With the head of the snake cut off, I then can move into the palace. And I will be sultan!”

Elijah stepped forward toward his opponent and glared at him. “I knew you were crazy, Karam, but you are taking this too far.”

Karam glanced out into the parade. Just then, the sultan, a heavyset man with his white and red flowing silk clothes and long blue feathered hat, along with the princess, quickly approached. Her beautiful, red hair blew about in the wind from underneath her silk hood, even though she was somewhat protected by the chariot sides and back. Still, her physical beauty was apparent as she sat gracefully for all to see. Her teal silk, flowing garments were open across her midsection and showed just how fit and attractive she really was. Both father and daughter eagerly waved at the crowds and thrilled everyone. Some fell to their knees and others bowed down, but everyone waved vigorously as the procession continued along the now-packed street.

Elijah forgot about Karam and his henchmen during this brief interlude. He stared at the princess and became completely lost in his own dream world of infatuation and desire. He suddenly felt enslaved by her beauty as he tried to absorb the sweet image travelling slowly down the way. He watched her tender arm gently rise and reach out toward the people and then toward him. Oh, how he wanted that arm, its touch, its smell, its tenderness, its embrace. He wanted it around him, even if only for a second in time. Just then, the wind blew again and drove her hood away. Her hair lifted from her shoulders and just enough to expose her graceful neckline. If it hadn’t been for another blast of wind, he would have been happy to only stare at her neck. But the change caused her hair to drop back down just as she lifted her hood to cover her beauty. He moved his eyes to hers and saw a dreaminess he hadn’t expected. He was now convinced that her rich, green eyes were the most beautiful he had ever seen. His heart skipped beat after beat as he fell deeper and deeper into her grasp. Never before had he felt such strong desire, such violent passion. Everything within him yearned to reach out, scream out, and demand her presence. He now knew that his soul would know no peace until their bodies were intertwined in their own heated embrace. Suddenly, he was jolted back to reality by Karam’s next move.

The estranged man lifted up his bow and pointed it directly at the unsuspecting princess. The scraggly man with matted hair, Blanco, had his raised as well. His arrow was aimed at the sultan.

Shocked back to reality, the present danger forced Elijah’s hand. “Wait! Karam! Don’t!”

“This is madness!” Karim pointed his sword at the third man behind Blanco.

Isabelle shouted out in desperation, “Elijah! Stop them!” She powered her body into position as she awaited Elijah’s next move.

Elijah glanced at the princess once more and then charged the evil Karam.

Anxious to fend for his own life, Karam was forced to change his plan. He quickly pulled back and then released his arrow straight toward Elijah. But his target was far too fast for the man’s ill-placed efforts. Elijah summed up his well-developed agility and easily jumped out of the way. The arrow clattered off the nearby wall.

Blanco prepared his arrow, but wasn’t quick enough. The awaiting Isabelle launched her blade. Everyone fixed their gaze on it as it smashed into Blanco’s shoulder. The pain-wracked man tumbled backward, screaming out in complete agony. He dropped to the rooftop.

Elijah slammed his body hard into Karam. This close, they had no choice but to begin beating each other with their fists. Elijah saw a chance to move in on Karam and threw his arms around him in an effort to throw him to the ground. But Karam jumped out of Elijah’s hold and onto his feet. The other unwounded henchman viciously attacked Elijah, but Karim stood in his way and sliced through the man’s arm. He too dropped out and screamed in pain.

Elijah moved against his opponent again and slammed up against Karam. The unprepared man could not maintain his footing and fell back toward his other bleeding men. Karim and Isabelle both then came up from behind, swords drawn.

“I won’t forget this, rat!” Karam shouted.

Elijah yelled back, “Get out of here!” He picked up his sword and now pointed it right at Karam’s neck. The defeated three quickly turned tail and ran.

With a smug smile, Karim looked at his two friends. “Think we will get anything for saving the sultan’s life?”

Elijah didn’t say a word as he walked over to the edge of the roof.

“No one will ever know that we saved the sultan and princess. That is the life of a rat thief.”

Isabelle nodded and continued to silently observe.

Elijah, still utterly smitten by an overwhelming desire to love, once again looked down at the Princess Natalia. He watched as her wave continued to cast its tender spell on everyone within its reach. His dream state of mind almost prevented him from seeing what happened next as her eyes travelled up to his. Then, out of nowhere, they met and snapped him even further away from his friends. He found himself flying into yet another dream, this one far stronger than the one before. He felt his heart stop and then start again, alive with new desire and energy created only for her. This most beautiful woman now entered his soul. He was completely captured by her gaze. He had never before seen such beauty and he now claimed it for himself. His heart rate sped along, but time seemed to slow down to a crawl. Nothing or no one else mattered as he felt himself drift away into her awaiting dreams. Then, as quickly as it came, the moment vanished as her chariot driver snapped his whip and jolted the steeds into action. The princess turned away as she continued her gentle greeting to the crowds and slowly rolled on down the street.

Chapter 3

B
ayan sat at
the rough-hewn table and dug through the last scraps of food from the night before. His hunger was getting the best of him, but for now, there was nothing else he could do. No one volunteered to search for food. The sun had just set. News had reached them that more guards had been put on patrol due to a rumor of illegal rooftop activity close to the palace. The group decided to lay low.

A huge moon sat on the horizon, directly behind the palace view. It was a beautiful sight, especially with the twinkle of lights from the houses below.

The group had just heard the story of Karam and saving the royal couple. Firas seemed the most excited. “I can’t believe you saved the sultan and the princess! That is incredible! You have to tell them!”

Karim’s laughter quickly filled the quiet room. “You think they would believe us, Firas?”

Firas paused for a second. “Oh, yeah. I forgot. We are thieves. Who would listen to us, right?”

“I would listen to you.” Bayan had a way of lifting everyone’s spirits, even when no one wanted to be happy.

Firas looked over, frustrated. “That doesn’t help at all, Bayan, not even a little bit.”

Bayan turned away.

The bright moon radiated over the palace as Elijah dreamed by the window.

Firas continued, “I knew I should have gone on the rooftops with you all. Stupid, stupid, stupid!”

After a long pause, Rasha’s quiet voice broke the silence. “Why did Karam want to hurt the sultan and the princess?”

Karim ventured an answer. “He is just a lost soul, Rasha. He has lost all reasonable logic and has unfortunately come up with his own.”

She replied, “Oh.”

Nizar bitterly said, “You should have let him kill them, Elijah.”

But Elijah didn’t say a word. He just leaned against the wall with arms crossed and continued dreaming.

Firas shouted, “Nizar!”

“What? Think about it! If it weren’t for those two royal pigs, we wouldn’t be in this dump!” Nizar pounded his fist on the table.

Karim moved back from the angry man. “Easy, Nizar. Killing them is not the answer.”

“We wouldn’t. We would let Karam do it. He is crazy enough.”

Elijah turned his back to the window. “Letting him do it would make us no better than he, Nizar.”

“Oh, really? I forgot, Elijah, the wise one! Ha! Despicable!” Nizar glared. “Think about it! If we get rid of the sultan and the princess, that only opens doors for us! Can anybody see this opportunity? Or has Elijah blinded you from reason?”

Firas and Bayan didn’t say a word. Karim rolled his cup in his hands. Elijah slowly turned back toward the city.

But Nizar kept yelling. “Come on, people! This may be our opportunity! We can’t pass this up! Firas? What do you think?”

Firas stuttered, “I…I…”

Nizar worked on Rasha. “Oh, come on! Rasha? Can’t you see it?”

She said, “I…I…think…it would…be…wrong…” Her voice faltered as she spoke, obviously strained under this new ordeal.