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“I went to university a year early,” Saja said. The King smiled and nodded. He was really impressed by her.
After a while, Saja dismissed herself. “It was nice to meet you, your majesty. I shall leave you to catch up with your brother. I say brother but the two of you are so different,” she said.
“How so?” the King asked.
“Goodbye, Saja,” Basil said. He could not wait for her to disappear.
“You are much nicer and more polite,” Saja said. The King raised his eyebrows slightly. She bowed her head to him and left. Basil narrowed his gaze and looked to the side.
“What have you done to her?” The King asked his brother as soon as she left.
“I have done nothing,” Basil replied defensively. He stood up and asked his brother to join him for a ride before dinner.
Chapter 9
“I am surprised that went well,” Mona said to Saja when they reached her quarters. Saja threw herself on the sofa.
“What do you mean?” she asked Mona.
“You meeting King Al-Qadir.”
Saja started laughing. “Okay, I know I am a bit hot-headed but in the presence of the King, I'd be on my best behaviour,” she said. Mona sighed with relief.
“I am relieved; he is the king after all. You have to respect him and be modest.”
Saja smiled and nodded. Maybe if she b
ehaved around him, he might help her leave? That was never going to happen. If Basil angered her as he usually did, she would probably lose her temper. Good thing she had Mona to keep her in line and fill her in on stuff. Saja was mostly clueless about everything, since she was from a different country.
***
The King joined Badir and Basil at the stables for a short, late-afternoon ride. The ranch hand had their horses saddled up and ready. The three of them mounted up and left the stables. As they were trotting, the King brought up Saja.
“Saja seems like a nice girl,” he said, testing the waters. Knowing his brother, he was going to dispute that statement instantly.
“You don't know her,” Basil said.
“Badir, what do you think?”
“She is a character alright,” Badir replied.
“Elaborate.” The King was interested.
“She and Basil do not get along. Whenever they meet, it's not pretty.”
“Can we not talk about her and simply enjoy the ride?” Basil interjected. Seeing her infuriated him, talking about her did the same. He simply wanted to escape that for a moment.
“They fight hard.”
The King laughed. “I cannot believe that,” he said.
“Well believe it,” Basil said. He was starting to get annoyed.
“She has a bit of a temper,” Badir said. He laughed a little as he remembered seeing them argue. On one afternoon, he had been walking with Basil when they bumped into Saja. They argued over the same issue again. Saja wanted to go home and Basil would not let her. He threatened to sell her off if she did not behave and she took it badly. Badir stayed silent and watched them argue.
“That woman needs to be tamed,” Basil said.
“Tame! Wow, how can you use that word about a woman? And exactly how are you going to achieve that?” the King asked. Basil grunted. He held the reigns tighter and slightly yanked them.
