*9*
Prince Hansen's company was most enjoyable. Not only was he cute, but he also knew exactly how to make her laugh... And the evening passed quickly. And it was only when the Sheikh should make his speech that the young woman saw midnight appear on the big clock of the palace. As he saw the Sheikh who looked strangely familiar to him, he decided that it was time to take action...
- I must leave you. Alas, my prince, but I must leave at all costs.
- But it is only midnight! Stay for one more dance.
- I would be delighted but I must urgently do it.
He smiled resignedly and made a curtsy to which Alicia answered with a smile of joy...
- Good night my Cinderella...
Alicia blushed and turned on her heels and took a corridor. She didn't know where she was going and she didn't know how she was going to get back to the museum but she was determined to get that picture. She began to take in the hallways and luckily on each door was marked what was inside... She had a first library, a second library, a first dining room, a first dance room, a first ballroom, a second dining room... It was a real palace, this place. She had passed ballroom #2 twice. As she entered another hallway, she saw a woman in a maid's dress and she thought it must be a maid because all the maids were wearing the same dress.
- Miss...
The maid turned to her and curtsied.
- Good evening, Madam. Are you having a nice evening?
- Yes, yes, thank you, it's great... I have a question to ask you?
- Yes, yes, yes... I'm listening ma'am.
- My friend... uh... my friend asked me to find him near the great hall of the royal museum and I've been looking for more than half an hour but in vain. I can't find it, can you please locate me?
- It is the easiest piece to find in the palace and it even comes with a riddle:
"It is where the twins of knowledge meet, a blue flower with a mysterious and delicious smell will lead you to your goal".
- A riddle! I love riddles. I love riddles. Thank you!
She watched the young woman walk away as she watched her leave. She hated riddles and thought they were a bit crazy, she preferred maps a thousand times over... She sighed and walked on, repeating the riddle in her head while trying to find someone else who could easily give her the exact location and even lead her there if possible. But no one... So she decided to solve the riddle.
- If this is the easiest room to find then it can't be that hard.
But she thought wrong. She couldn't even put a picture to a word. She decided to sit down and think.
- Think Alicia... The knowledge twins... The twins of knowledge. Twins is two and knowledge is knowledge, reading, books, documents...
She stopped short.
- Two libraries...
She got up hurriedly and went to the corridor where she had seen the two libraries and once there she finally understood. Between two corridors: the first bookcase was the last room of the first corridor and the second bookcase was the first room of the second corridor and right in the middle in the corner of the corridor a thin and high door with a blue flower design in appearance separated at least united the two bookcases. She hadn't even paid attention to it. She smiled and breathed a sigh of relief. Then she looked around and pushed open the door, which by some miracle was open...
On his side, half an hour before, Habdoul had noticed the young half-breed on the beach in the arms of his little cousin. Habdoul and Hansen had hated each other since childhood. Hansen was jealous of Habdoul because he was going to be Sheikh and not him. Habdoul had always had the best grades, the best women, the best gifts, and this made his cousin jealous. Habdoul also noticed the young woman leaving the party when he had barely started his speech. After the speech, Habdoul exchanged a few words with his officials and family as well as some friends before retiring to the royal museum, his favorite place in the palace. His mother often came here with him to show him the exploits of her ancestors. And if she needed a place to think about an important decision that concerned her kingdom, he would come here because he felt all the positive energy of his ancestors within its walls. Today more than ever, he needed this positive energy. He would have to make a difficult choice between his people and his people. It was strange but it was a reality he would have to choose at all costs between razing an entire village to the ground to build a hospital and letting the people walk hundreds of miles to find a health center. How to ask them nicely to find a new home? It was impossible... These lands are the lands of the state but as it never used with the time the inhabitants ended up appropriating them. And now to ask them to pack up and leave was like declaring war on them because this land has been in their families for generations so it's hard work and almost difficult. He didn't want to provoke a demonstration by using force to make them leave. He sighed and took another sip of wine before he heard the door open and saw a curly-haired mane slowly enter the room. Then the Sheikh had a good idea to jump out of his chair and hide behind a huge statute. He scratched his side because he had hit himself in his haste. Frankly, I hope no one will see me like this, I have to check the security cameras again. From where he was, he watched the young woman enter the large room with eyes filled with admiration. She spun around and whistled from the corner of her mouth at the magnificence of the place. Habdoul admitted that this room was the best room in the palace, but she found it even more beautiful with the young woman in it. She was beautiful and seemed to glow under the chandeliers that lit up the room. She was wearing a beautiful dress and she was staggering on the weight of her heels. He pulled himself together...
he didn't understand what the young woman was doing in the museum. Had she come to steal? No! It was impossible, she had clearly lectured him! It would be insane so he just frowned and followed her every move. She had visualized everything without touching anything. Then after having thoroughly looked at everything, she looked at her hand before saying:
- Oh Shit! The camera... Damn! In Sarah's handbag! Bad luck!
She seemed to think before pulling out her cell phone from a small pocket in her dress and smiling.
- I hope that the Sheikh will understand. Alicia hurry up!
She stood in front of Jaipour's first gun and took a picture of him:
- How could he guess that I am here? He is probably enjoying his birthday party.
She smiled, ruffled her hair and opened the camera of her phone before filming herself while shooting the room object after object... Personally, the Sheikh didn't mind, but this was a break-in and any break-in should be punished... He looked at the young woman again and watched her put away her phone and look around one last time and then he knew he should show her that he was there.
- This is the best museum I have ever seen in my life. The story it tells is fascinating.
As she turned to leave the room. The Sheikh came out of hiding first and answered her with his deep, husky voice:
- You are right I admit, every object in this room tells a definite story with traces of bravery and courage. A story that cannot be violated by acts of smugness. Don't you agree with me?