Fire in the Heart : The Princess and the Bandit (9781629020112) Read online

  Isabelle fidgeted again and asked, “Who wants to see a tramp dressed in fancy clothing anyways?”

  He’d heard her talk like this before and knew when to quit, so he turned to the closest one to her. “Firas?”

  With his usual logic, Firas’s reply put a slight smile on everyone’s faces. “Well, we can’t go to the parade! The guards will be swarming! And unfortunately, you gave them your name, remember? It wouldn’t be a smartest idea if you went.”

  Elijah shrugged his shoulders, but wouldn’t concede. “Fair enough. Bayan?”

  Bayan grabbed another piece of dry bread and started to break it apart. “I forgot.”

  Almost forced to smile, Elijah turned to Rasha. “I actually believe that. Rasha?”

  She quickly shook her head and looked toward the floor. “Uh….same thing the guys said.”

  He slowly rubbed his temple with his fingertips before he turned to Karim. “Of course. I wouldn’t expect anything less.” Rasha sighed. “Karim?”

  His good friend nodded. “You really want to go and see the sultan and princess, to see how other people have been blessed with wealth and prosperity, while we look on in our ragged clothes with empty stomachs? No thanks.” Silence blanketed the room.

  Elijah nodded back. “We are blessed, friend. Ever since we were too old to live in the children’s home, we have had each other, remember?” Then Elijah slowly looked around the room. “I want to see this princess for myself.”

  Bayan stopped eating. Isabelle asked, “Elijah. But why?”

  With shoulders held back, Elijah continued, “It’s not every day you get to see a princess. Who is coming?”

  Veins still protruding, Nizar responded, “Count me out.”

  Shrugging it off with a laugh, Elijah looked at the others. “Okay. Anyone else?”

  Isabelle’s eyes sparkled for a second as she said, “I will go with you.”

  Nizar threw his hands up in disgust. “Of course, she would!”

  “Silence, Nizar!” Elijah clenched his jaws.

  Karim looked at Elijah and, after a few seconds pause, replied. “I am in.” He and Elijah smiled warmly at each other before the leader turned to Bayan. “Sorry. I don’t feel so well.”

  But Firas countered in support of Elijah. “Oh, come on, Bayan. Don’t be such a stick in the mud. Count us both in, Elijah!

  “Rasha?” Elijah relaxed as he waited for her response.

  “Okay,” she said.

  Elijah seemed pleased enough now, but was still concerned about Nizar. “Well, Nizar. Are you sure? Everyone else is coming.”

  Finally, Nizar’s attitude changed. “Of course.” Through gritted teeth, he replied, “Fine!”

  Elijah’s face beamed. “Well, let’s get plenty of rest, we need to look our best. We are going to see a princess tomorrow!” He turned and walked out to view the palace one last time.

  Chapter 2

  Except for the gusty winds and blowing sand, the weather was nearly perfect for today’s regal affair. The last several days had been met with challenging sandstorms, but they seemed to have died down in anticipation of today’s historic event. The sultan had commanded a full garrison of stoic soldiers on majestic horses to line the parade route, setting up a border between the growing mass of town folks and the street. Three hundred men on horseback were the result of this, with another nearly four hundred men on foot. No one dared challenge the long spears or bows and arrows carried by each formidable guard.

  The palace proper was the largest in this part of the world and certainly in the country. It graciously rose above the cityscape, but wasn’t overdone in its height. A new architecture bedecked its towers, that of onion-shaped domes. They were truly sights to behold, especially those covered in thin layers of hand-beaten gold. At its zenith, the sun made them completely brilliant because of the fantastic glint produced. Not all of the domes were gold. Some were painted a beautiful teal color, and set against the stark white and off-white colors of the walls, they looked spectacular. The palace entrance, an enormous gate structure bordered by two tall towers complete with teal-colored domes, was a fortress in and of itself. There were two actual entrances, one right after the other, for maximum protection. Both had served their purposes well and had prevented any breach their entire existence—nearly a hundred years.

  Elijah and his gang were milling about in the huge crowd, completely surrounded by all sorts of people. Children were running around, yelling, and playing. Their parents let them run freely except for one mother. She could be heard above the crowd as she yelled at two little boys with mischievous looks in their eyes. She stopped for a second, turned her head when a soldier passed close by her, and the two children were gone. She was a fairly large lady, and it seemed that the children didn’t want to fall under her wrath, even for a second.

  Elijah looked over at Isabelle. “When is she coming out?”

  “Why are you so curious about the princess?” Isabelle pouted her bottom lip as she replied as she watched her life-long friend focus intently on the princess.

  A quick smirk tried to cover up his true feelings. “No reason. I just want to see her.” But it didn’t work. Isabelle rolled her eyes and looked the other way.

  Nizar watched her closely and seized the opportunity to voice his opinion. “Because he probably thinks he will have some romantic fling with her and then become prince over all of us!”

  Bayan quickly wrinkled his nose. “Does that mean we get to eat the royal food?”

  “Oh, not this again.” Firas seemed quite accustomed to the man’s constant fixation on food, but he quickly lost his frown just as two strutting horses passed by and forced him back into the crowd.

  Elijah glared. “Settle down, Nizar. I just want to see her. That’s all.”

  Rasha stood by Firas and listened in on Nizar and Elijah. She kept changing her stance, especially when the horses came close. Firas finally asked, “You okay?”

  His kind question brought about a quick rash of emotion as Rasha shuddered. “I just don’t like being around large crowds.” She gave him a half-hearted smile and then looked toward the palace entrance.

  Just then, Karim broke through the crowd. When he saw Elijah, he quickly waved. Elijah saw him immediately and waved him over. “Karim! You did decide to come.”

  “Well. It was getting boring being at the hideout all by myself.”

  They smiled at each other and seemed to relax a little bit as they turned to watch the activities in the street. The two shared a special camaraderie and friendship that had developed over nearly two decades.

  Firas started pacing back and forth, ever so slowly. “Is this smart to be right where all the guards can see us?”

  Elijah nodded. “Of course it is. We’re right under their noses! That’s the best place to hide.”

  “They must have large noses.” Bayan chuckled and then quickly looked down toward the ground.

  Firas shook his head. “It’s a figure of speech, Bayan.”

  After a pause, Firas continued, “ Well, if you say so, Elijah.”

  Elijah turned again to Firas. “Don’t worry. Everything will be fine.”

  But the tension showed up again in Nizar’s jawline. “Oh! Don’t worry you all! Elijah said it’s going to be fine!”

  “When we get home, you can take your nap, Nizar.” Elijah did his best to ignore the mounting tension caused by Nizar’s crass comments, but he was growing tired of the banter. It seemed, to him, that Nizar now had it out for him, and he wasn’t sure just how he was going to handle it. He noticed that the others became quite uncomfortable when Nizar made his sarcastic comments. He felt worse for them than for himself. He really wanted him to stop being so abusive and looked for an opportunity to do something about it, but he didn’t want him to ruin today. This was the day he wa
s going to get to see the princess.

  Nizar grimaced just as the crowd erupted in excitement.

  Isabelle excitedly shouted, “That must be the princess!”

  Elijah turned away from Nizar and, with squinted eyes, focused in on the palace entrance. “Where? I can’t see her.” There were so many people now pushing their way to get a better look at the princess too. It was impossible to get a good look from this position. “Oh, come on! Why are these people getting in my way?” Elijah slammed his clenched fist into his open hand as he stood on his tiptoes.

  Suddenly, the large woman with the two boys pushed Firas. She kept trying to stretch up higher to get a better look, but it didn’t work. In the process, she teetered and then stepped on Firas’s foot. He pulled it back and tried to move away from the threesome. “Well, this is fun.”

  Bayan stood quietly in the growing excitement. The nearby large woman moved directly in front of him, and he didn’t even move. “Who is hungry?” But no one answered.

  Karim grabbed onto Elijah’s arm. “There has to be a better way to get a view of her.”

  The crowd opened up for a brief moment and Elijah was able to see through to the street. He then caught a glimpse of several chariots with two figures on one of them, but he still couldn’t get the view that he wanted. “This is ridiculous.” He thought to himself how important it was for him to see the mysterious princess, and that nothing was going to get in the way of that. Then, he quickly turned around and looked up at the rooftops.

  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 rea
lly 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.