Prince Ezra
"Mama," I groaned as she pressed kisses to my cheek before she moved onto Thea.
"Your ring is so beautiful! Oh, when Ezra told me he was planning to propose I was so happy. You're good for him. Look how much weight he has gained," she gushed before she gave me a look, "he still needs to gain more. His cheeks are far too hollow. I prepared a feast for you so you'll be sorted out quickly."
"Where's your husband?" I sighed as we climbed the stairs whilst she had both mine and Thea's hand as she practically dragged us along.
"In his office. He asked for you to go see him so you two can share a drink over your engagement," she beamed.
"Let me go quickly. The sooner I can get this done the better," I ran my fingers through my hair and luckily both my mother and Thea disappeared in the channel of hallways of the palace.
Something in the past few years within Ma's brain must have snapped because she had been a mother more to me these past six years than she had been my entire life.
It was almost eerie how happy she was. As well as attentive and calm. She supported me before but also kept me at an arms length when things became too tough. She knew when to say no when it felt like I was losing sight of the goal.
Maybe it was the fact Tarek took that weight off her shoulders for her that she was so calm. I wasn't sure but either way I was glad. Anything that worked for her was good. The less pessimistic she was the better. It was funny however how she and I had switched roles.
Never being the greatest at navigation, I got lost once or twice as I searched for Tarek's office. If it wasn't for a helper showing me which was the right direction to go I would have been wandering about for hours without any hope of finding my way out.
I knocked on the white French door and waited for his reply for me to enter. The moment I did I found Tarek, dressed in his beige thobe as he sat by his large dark wooden desk that weighed the same as an elephant. He was in his late sixties with peppercorn hair, a short beard and an angular nose that would have looked imposing on anyone else.
He had the aura to him that spoke of a sheikh and he was decently fit for someone his age. He loves horse riding and we would play polo for hours once there was enough money placed on a table.
Despite all my yapping I had found myself to be quite fond of Tarek. Baba had been taken away from me years ago but I always had that void within me. Tarek helped it feel smaller. Yes he wasn't my father but without his guidance these past six years I felt I would have spiraled into something that I barely recognized in the end.
When he saw me enter his smile stretched from ear to ear as he stood up and immediately stretched out his arms to me, "Ezra, if that is not the face of exhaustion I do not know what is."
I let out a chuckle as I met him halfway and we shared a hug before he ruffled my hair. "If it wasn't for you I wouldn't be in this mess."
"Hey you're the one who came to me and told me you thought marriage was a good idea," he loudly laughed, "did she like the ring?"
"She detested it," I snickered.
"As expected," he grinned, "as long as everyone else believes it is true, who are we to point out the flaws." He went to his drink bar. He had the most expensive collection of gin, whiskey and wines that were all non-alcoholic. He had never had a drop of alcohol in his life besides that from a cough syrup and I idolized him. "You smell like a bar."
"Cloud and Thea were on my case," I sighed as he came over with nonalcoholic gin and poured it for us in our respective glasses. Even though I knew it wouldn't do much I took a long sip and felt relieved to have something go down my throat.
"I'm sure they only meant well."
"Thea is trying to convince me not to go to Turkey."
"She means ill," he frowned. "Turkey is extremely important. I had to pull a lot of connections to get you to have a meeting with Ebrahiem. He's a difficult man to get a hold of but if we can get Morocco on our side, all the men involved will be hunted down within a few months."
"I find it hard to tell her what we're planning," I ran my hand down my face. "Thea has already become too involved in this. I can't risk pulling her further in
"Thea is a strong woman. At the end of the day she is the one who presented us with the information. We just took it to another level. You must trust in her. She might pick up something we are both missing. She was an excellent spy. A great guardian for the royal family and she kept you safe for years after the turmoil the country has been through. Don't treat her like a damsel in distress."
"I'm not undermining her. I just can't risk worrying about someone else on the field. I've been through it before and I can't do it again."
Tarek pressed his lips together as he thought for some time before he nodded. "What is so important that she is keeping you from Turkey?"
"She wishes for me to attend some family holiday."
He hummed and slowly nodded. "Family is everything Ezra. Never work hard enough that you have to push that away. However for the first time in my life I fear I may have to agree with you. Turkey is far too important for you to miss."