Chapter 16

"You should go, Laila," said Aaliyah with a pained expression.

"Do you need anything, before I go?"

"No, thank you," Aaliyah said sighing.

"Then," Laila nodded respectfully, "I will take my leave."

Ahmed couldn't raise his head, his eyes were looking at the ground, mirroring his heart shattering slowly.

"Let's go, you should change," said Aaliyah to her man.

She raised his arm and made him stand up, walking him slowly.

Laila watched this quietly, her heart ached.

She was suddenly left alone in front of the prince's door.

She didn't know what took her to place her hand on the handle.

She didn't know why she entered the room until she was there.

There were no candles or torches, only but the light of the moonlight

Laila looked in the direction where the prince was sleeping.

She pondered why she was here, what she was doing.

Her heart kept beating faster and faster, she could almost feel the pulse in her ears.

"You are loud," a deep and oppressive voice resonated in the room.

Laila turned pale and froze in her place.

She slowly raised her right leg to take a step back.

"I will kill you if you leave," spoke the voice again.

She stood straight and didn't dare move.

I woke him up.

Will he really kill me?

What was I thinking?!

Will I die?! She thought nervously.

"Can you sing?" He asked.

Her eyes widened, "W-what?"

He remained quiet.

"Y-yes, I can, sing," she answered nervously.

"Come closer," he said.

With each step she took, a torch lit up showing her the way.

She stood in the middle of the room.

Her eyes could catch a bit of the prince's figure in the shadows, laying his back on his couch.

"I am, not really proud of my singing," she said embarrassedly.

"Sing," he didn't seem to care.

She nodded, shakingly raising her hand as if she was auditioning.

"Ehem," she cleared her throat.

Crunch.

She raised her head scared by the sound, seeing that the prince had only just adjusted himself she shook her head, taking a deep breath trying to calm herself down.

"Lamou-"

"Something else," he interrupted her.

"None of the songs that were sung before?"

"Something else," he said again.

"O-okay," she thought for a moment. "What kind of song?"

He didn't answer.

She felt that she was stupid acting like this. Just as she decided on the song she suddenly heard him stand up.

Am I going to die? She asked herself.

Her eyes followed him closely until his figure came to light.

He was wearing hardly anything this time.

His white thawb didn't hide his perfectly fit, honey-toned body.

With the fire torches lightening the room his muscles had a beautiful bronze glow to them.

He stood before her.

She raised her head in fear, but soon that expression left her when her eyes fell on his dark circles, showing he had no sleep for the past few days.

His eyes looked so tired and red that they made her freeze in thought.

They were staring at her coldly, yet this was the first time she wasn't afraid.

This was the first time, she wasn't afraid of his terrifying gaze.

It wasn't because he was tired.

He still looked like the monster he is.

Then why? Why was Laila, not scared of standing before him?

Why, did her heart pain her, the more she looked at him?

The more, she looked at this amazing man, suffering in silence, the more her heart throbbed uncomfortably for him.

This powerful man, who had no time to rest in this life was trying to meet his end...

How did such a man sleep back then, when many people surrounded him?

Was it because of the woman's voice?

Was it because he could finally, feel at peace with the sad and shaking voice of the singer?

"You are not afraid," he said after looking at her for a while.

She smiled at him lightly. "Why would I be?"

Kaysan didn't say a word anymore.

"You can go back and sit, I will entertain you with my voice, your highness," she spoke with a gentle and tender voice.

He looked at her for a moment before turning around. Taking a few steps his eyes suddenly stinged him, making him stagger.

A hand wrapped around his arm helping him.

Kaysan paused, slowly looking to his right, where Laila was hugging his arm, trying to help him with her frail strength.

He stood straight, but Laila kept holding him, afraid he might fall again.

Noticing he was looking at her she only smiled at him and looked ahead.

She walked him quietly to his couch.

Kaysan sat down slowly.

Laila was still clinging to him, and with his full weight falling on the cough she almost fell on top of him, stopping herself by placing her hand on his chest.

His face was so close to hers.

She wasn't shy or embarrassed.

Her eyes were stuck on his, looking at his face quietly.

She raised her hand from his chest to push his hair from his eyes with her pretty fingers.

Kaysan's eyes were cold, watching her eyes as she touched him.

Her thumb ran on his cheek, gently caressing it back and forth.

Laila seemed to be in her own mind, her eyes looked sad.

She let go slowly as if what she had done was completely normal.

Kaysan didn't react, he was only listening to her heart as she touched him. He could hear her heartbeat slowing down as if she was getting depressed. He didn't say a word.

She stood up and left him on the couch.

"I wish you can sleep to my voice."

Kaysan didn't answer and laid back.

Laila was deep in thought as she stood there, reminiscing everything that happened with the prince ever since she met him.

From the eyes that held the respect, his people had for him to the smiles and laughs, they had whenever they spoke of him.

From his tall stature and imposing figure, to his charisma and leadership that showed them the way.

From the laughter of the children playing as him slaying the beast, to the men that knew they could never have his strong will.

The man who stood as their prince.

The man, they followed with their life, and the one who laid their life for them.

Their prince.

Their prince, who was dying slowly, was in front of her.

Their powerful prince, who wished for a quick death.

Their perfect prince, looked lonely, in front of her.

He was at the end, alone, fighting alone.

Laila's eyes gently teared up as she started singing.

Her voice ached as much as her heart, as if it was crying to his story.