“I think so.”
Zarina laughed. “I recognize that smile. You are pleased with As’ad.”
“He’s wonderful.”
“What every bride should think about her groom.”
She led Kayleen toward a group of women and introduced her. Kayleen recognized a few of them from her last visit and greeted them in their native language. There were looks of surprise, then two of them started talking to her, speaking so quickly she caught about every tenth word.
“I have no idea what you’re saying,” she admitted in English. “I’m still learning.”
“But you are trying,” Zarina said, sounding pleased. “You honor us with your effort.”
“I was hoping we could be friends,” Kayleen told her.
Zarina smiled. “We are. But we will have to remember our places. Once you are a princess, things will change.”
“Not for me.” Kayleen wasn’t interested in position or money. She wanted more important things.
“Then we will be good friends,” Zarina told her. “Come. We are fixing dinner. You can keep us company. We will teach you new words. Perhaps words of love to impress your future husband.”
“I’d like that.”
Kayleen settled in the open cooking area. The women gathered there, talking and laughing. She couldn’t follow many of the conversations, but that was all right. She would get more fluent with time.
She liked the way the women all worked together, with no obvious hierarchy. How the children came and went, dashing to a parent when they felt the need for attention. How easily they were picked up and hugged, how quick the smiles.
The tribe was an extended family-in some ways similar to her experiences in the orphanage. The group pulled together for the greater good. The difference was one would always belong to the tribe.
Roots, she thought enviously. Roots that traveled along. What would that be like?
She thought about her mother, back at the palace. They were supposed to be family, but Darlene was a stranger to her. Kayleen only had vague memories of her aunts and her grandmother, but then she’d forgotten on purpose. What was the point of remembering long days of being left alone, of being hungry and frightened?
She heard giggles and saw Zarina whispering to one of the young women. There were gestures and the next thing Kayleen knew, she was being pulled into a tent.
“We don’t do this very much,” Zarina told her. “It is only to be used on special occasions. With power comes responsibility.”
“I have no idea what you’re talking about.”
Zarina opened a trunk and dug around, then pulled out several lengths of sheer veil.
“The trick is to maintain the mystery,” Zarina told her as she passed over the fabric. “It’s about confidence, not talent. No man can resist a woman who dances for him. So you can’t feel self-conscious or worry about how you look. You must know in your heart that he wants you with a desperation that leaves him weak. You are in charge. You decide. He begs and you give in.”
Kayleen took a step back. “If you’re saying what I think you’re saying…”
“After dinner, we will send As’ad to a private tent. You will be there. You will dance for him.” Zarina smiled. “It’s a memory he’ll hold on to for the rest of his life.”
As much as Kayleen wanted to be accepted by the women of the tribe, she was terrified at the thought of trying to seduce As’ad.
“I don’t know how to dance. I’m not good at this.”
“You are the woman he wishes to marry. You know all you need to. As for the dancing…it is easy. Come, I will show you.”
Zarina tossed the fabric onto a pile of pillows, then shrugged out of her robes. Underneath she wore a sleeveless tank top and cropped pants. A simple, modern outfit that would work perfectly in the desert.
“Lower your center of gravity while keeping your back straight. Rock your hips until you feel the movement, then begin to rotate them.”
Zarina demonstrated, making it look easy. Kayleen tried to do as she said, but felt awkward.
But she didn’t give up and after a few minutes, she had the hip movement down. Next she learned to hold her arms out to the side, moving them gracefully.
“Very good,” Zarina told her. “Now turn slowly. You want to dance for a minute or two, turn, then remove one of the veils.”
Kayleen skidded to a stop. “I can’t dance naked.”
“You won’t have to. No man can resist the dance of the veils. You will remove two, maybe three, then he will remove the rest.”
“What if he thinks I look stupid?”
“He won’t. He’ll think he’s the luckiest man alive. Now let us prepare you for the evening.”
Unsure she was really going to be able to do this, Kayleen followed Zarina to another tent where there were several women waiting. She was stripped down to her underwear and sat patiently as henna was applied to her hands and feet.
“It’s the temporary kind,” Zarina told her. “A sugar-based dye that will wash off in a week or so.”
Kayleen stared at the intricate design and knew she wouldn’t mind if it lasted longer.
Next she was “dressed” in layers of veils. They were wound around her, woven together until they appeared to be a seamless garment. They were sheer, but in enough volume to only hint at what was below.
Zarina applied makeup, using a dark pencil to outline Kayleen’s eyes and a red stain on her lips.
“Better than lipstick,” the other woman told her. “It won’t come off.”
Her hair was pulled back and up through a beaded headpiece. Dozens of bracelets fit on each wrist. The final touch was a pair of dangling earrings that nearly touched her shoulders.
When they were finished, Zarina led her to a mirror. Kayleen stared at the image, knowing it couldn’t possibly be her. She looked
“I will leave you here for a few minutes to practice, then come for you,” Zarina told her. “Believe in yourself. With this dance, you can snare As’ad’s heart so that he can never be free again. What wife doesn’t want that?”
Good question, Kayleen thought when she was alone. Nerves writhed in her stomach, but she ignored them. Having As’ad respect her wasn’t enough. She wanted more-she wanted him to love her.
He had to see she was more than just someone to take care of the girls or an innocent he’d slept with. Their engagement might have begun due to circumstances other than love, but it didn’t have to stay that way.
She’d already given him her heart-now she had to claim his. Which meant being equal to a prince.
Could she? Kayleen had spent her whole life in the shadows, lurking in the background, not making waves, desperate for what she wanted, but afraid to step up and take it. It was time to be different. If she wanted to love a prince, she would have to claim him. She would have to show him she was so much more than he imagined. Her upbringing had given her an inner strength. She would use that power to achieve her heart’s desire.
With a last look at herself, she walked to the front of the tent to wait for Zarina. She wasn’t afraid. She was going to bring As’ad to his knees and make him beg. And that was just for starters.
While As’ad enjoyed the company of Sharif, he was disappointed in the evening. He’d brought Kayleen to the desert so they could share the experience. But she had been whisked away and a polite guest did not ask why.
As the strong coffee was served at the end of the meal, he glanced at his watch and calculated how long he would have to wait until they could politely take their leave. Perhaps he and Kayleen could go into town for a couple of hours. There were a few nightclubs that were intimate and had small, crowded dance floors. He liked the idea of holding her close.
Zarina approached and bowed. “Prince As’ad, would you please come with me?”
As’ad looked at his host. “Do I trust your daughter?”
Sharif laughed. “As if I know her plans. Zarina, what do you want with the prince?”
“Nothing that will displease him.”
As’ad excused himself and followed her. Night had fallen and the stars hung low in the sky. He thought briefly of his brother Kateb, and wondered when he would next return to the palace. If he came in time, he could attend
