The ministers and leaders of the Islamic State were furious when they heard the words of their drunken Caliph.
They could not believe that their ruler would accept such a ridiculous and outrageous proposal.
One of the leaders said with a voice trembling with anger.
"Your Majesty... This is absolutely unacceptable. How can you even think of marrying the princess to a Christian king?"
The drunk Caliph simply ignored his generals' concerns with a wave of his hand, and the liquid splashed into his bottle.
He said in a low voice.
"What's the problem? This girl has been a nuisance to us since birth. She is stubborn and difficult to deal with. She has been nothing but a burden to us. If the Tsar, the most powerful man in the world, wants to marry her, let him take her. Getting rid of her will be a relief for us."
The courtiers and generals could not believe what they heard.
Despite her stubbornness, the princess was a precious jewel to them and a symbol of their pride. Simply handing her over to an infidel Christian king was unimaginable!
"Your Majesty…"
Another minister protested with a voice trembling with anger
"You can't be serious, the princess is not just something to be given away, she is the daughter of the Caliph and a symbol of our status and honor"
The Caliph, who was still holding his wine bottle, mocked the minister's words
He said sarcastically
"Status and honor? What's the point of that when we have a difficult girl causing us trouble? Leave her to the Tsar, she will be one less headache for us to deal with"
The entire court was in shock and anger at their ruler's indifference and disregard for the princess's status
"Your Majesty, Princess Haya is your sister, by God's will, will you marry her to a Christian king?!!! This is not permissible according to Islamic law or Christianity. What you are committing is a sin against yourself and against the princess. The people will revolt against you if they learn of your marriage of the princess of the Islamic state to a Christian king"
The drunken Caliph looked at his generals and ministers with an indifferent face
"You say sin? You tell me this while I hold a bottle of wine in my hand. This is really fun. Anyway, if the Tsar wants it, let him take it. As for the people, we have enough military power to suppress them. So rebel."
The generals and ministers could not believe what they heard.
"Your Majesty, you are talking like a madman! You cannot ignore the religious and social implications so easily. Marriage between a Muslim and a Christian is completely forbidden, and people will never accept this. You are mocking the Islamic faith and the honor of the princess!"
The drunken caliph was swaying slightly as he held his bottle of wine, simply ignoring the concerns of the generals and ministers.
"Forbidden, forbidden, forbidden..."
He muttered.
"What does it matter? In my drunken state, all the rules and laws are meaningless. I say let the Tsar take the princess. It's not like he's going to treat her badly. You all have nothing to worry about."
The more the Caliph spoke, the more frustrated and hopeless the leaders and ministers became.
"But Your Majesty, it's not about how the Tsar will treat her. It's about the religious and social consequences. This marriage is forbidden not only in Islam, but in Christianity as well. It's considered a grave sin and a violation of the sanctity of both religions."
One of the leaders protested.
The Caliph gestured with his hand, his eyes slightly unfocused, and he stumbled a little at the general's concerns again.
"Sin, sanctity, laws, rules... all of this means nothing to me when I'm drunk. I'm the Caliph, the ruler of this country, and I can do whatever I want."
He said with a reckless laugh.
"What the Muslims and Christians think doesn't matter. I have the power to complete this marriage, so I'll marry the princess to the Tsar. That's all."
The generals and ministers exchanged terrified glances. Fear was drawn on their faces. Another minister said:
"Your Majesty, you don't know what you're doing. Not only are you violating the laws of Islam and Christianity, but you're also risking a huge political backlash. Christians and Muslims will view this marriage as heresy and abomination."
The Caliph became even more drunk and threw his empty bottle on the table.
"Heresy, abomination, reaction... Who cares about all this? I'm the Caliph and I do what I want! And if Christians and Muslims don't like it, they can kiss my ass!"
He shouted angrily, his words were slurred and incoherent.
This bastard was officially insane!!!
The man who is supposed to be the Caliph of Muslims says who cares about the opinion of Muslims???!!!
How could such obscene language also come out of the mouth of a man who is supposed to be the Caliph?
The generals and ministers could not believe what they heard
"Your Majesty, this is crazy! You can't simply ignore the opinions of all Muslims as if they don't mean anything. You are the leader of the Islamic State, and you must respect and defend the values and beliefs of your people."
One of the generals protested in a voice strained with frustration.
"The youngest ruling Kaiser in all of Europe with a vast and large empire, then wouldn't the dowry he would pay be respectable?"
The Caliph thought out loud.
Since assuming the Caliphate, the economic situation of the state had naturally deteriorated. The corrupt Caliph was dissatisfied with the state's empty treasury.
How would he spend the money on his pleasures if the treasury was empty of money?!!
The ministers and leaders exchanged glances, realizing the Caliph's true motives.
"Your Majesty, are you only interested in marrying for the sake of the dowry?!"
One of the leaders asked in a voice tinged with disbelief.
"Yes, this useless little girl has been pampered for nineteen years. Isn't it time for her to return some of the favor to me?"
The person who pampered the princess was the former Caliph, her father Abdul Rahman III, not the current Caliph who is her brother.
The ministers and generals were speechless.....
The discussions lasted for a whole month.
These discussions were taking place without the knowledge of the princess who was supposed to be the one who would marry the Caesar.
In the Alhambra Palace, specifically in the Golden Pavilion, the wing of the only princess of the Arab Caliphate, the oud was playing in the corridors of the palace.
Inside a large, luxurious room, the sounds of the oud were rising in the air, and its melody was sad and charming.
In the middle of the room, a beautiful Arab woman was sitting with her long, flowing black hair, her attractive brown eyes, and her hourglass-like figure. She was playing the oud smoothly and effortlessly. It was as if the instrument was an extension of her, and an expression of her inner feelings and thoughts.
Her features were extremely captivating in an amazing way.
The soft golden light of the room seemed to touch her flawless face, illuminating her soft cheekbones and lips. The plump ones, her slender fingers moved effortlessly on the strings of the oud, harmonizing the music with a graceful, captivating flow.
The doors of the room opened quietly and the woman's nanny, Hajar, entered the room.
The woman said as she looked up from her instrument, and her brown eyes met those of the older woman.
"Hajar…"
Hajar, an elderly woman with a gentle and clear expression on her face, smiled a small smile upon seeing the young princess.
She said tenderly.
"I see you're playing the oud again."
The princess nodded and her slender fingers continued to play the oud.
"Yes, I needed to calm my thoughts."
She replied in her soft, melodious voice.
"This music helps me focus a little."
Her long, silky, black hair was draped over the large, purple silk pillow on which the princess was lying lazily.
Looking at her old nanny, Laila asked curiously while putting the oud aside.
"I heard that another man proposed to me. Can you tell me his identity?"
Hajar's eyes widened a little in surprise at the princess's question, but she quickly calmed down.
"Oh, my dear, it's true that a man has proposed to you, but your brother, the Caliph, hasn't revealed his identity yet. He wants to keep it a surprise for a little longer."
The nanny's reaction seemed exaggerated to Laila.
Since when does his drunken brother hide the identity of someone who proposed to her?
"Is there something you don't want to tell me, Hajar?"
"Indeed, Your Highness, a delegation from a neighboring kingdom will come to pay tribute to the Caliph, so His Majesty has ordered us to prepare you well because the delegation is of great importance."
The old nanny changed the subject in a professional manner.
Laila, with her sharp intelligence, noticed the change in the subject, but she let it pass.
"A delegation from a neighboring kingdom, you say?? And you plan to dress me up well so that I don't embarrass the great Caliph."
Laila mocked in a soft feminine voice while getting up from her silk pillow.
"Yes, Your Highness, the delegation is on its way. There is no time left."
Hajar said hastily while pointing with her hands to the maids who began to enter the princess's room quickly, carrying in their hands Arab cosmetics, a box of jewelry, gold, silk, and fabrics that the princess was supposed to wear.
"Ah, so the delegation is coming soon, right?"
"What is it about this delegation that makes them want me to look my best?" Laila said, her lips curved into a wry smile that held a hint of sarcasm.
The servants had already begun changing her into a red Arabian-style dress as they began combing her hair.
Hajar quickly replied, her voice a little worried
"My dear, this delegation is very important, and your brother the Caliph expects us to receive it in the best way possible. That's why he wants to introduce you as the most beautiful and wonderful princess of the delegation."
Laila's sarcastic smile widened a little when she heard the old woman's response
"You're introducing me as the most beautiful princess, right? It seems that my brother is trying to sell me as a valuable horse in the market."
Laila replied with a touch of sarcasm and mockery
As soon as she said these words, the hands of the servants who were decorating her froze while the expressions of the nanny froze in astonishment
"..."
Laila's gaze moved between the frozen servants and Hajar, and she noticed the uncomfortable atmosphere that prevailed in the place. Her sarcastic smile faded, and her expression softened a little when she realized that her words clearly affected those around her
"Forgive me"
She said after a moment in a calmer voice now
"I seem to have spoken out of line… but please continue with your work."
The servants who had been frozen in surprise slowly began to move again and resumed their tasks with their hands, albeit somewhat slowly now.
Hajar the nanny gathered her strength and smiled a small, hesitant smile.
"It's okay, my dear."
She said, though there was a hint of tension in her voice
"We understand your feelings but you must remember your role and duty as the princess of the Caliphate. The delegation's visit is a matter of great importance, and your presence will be crucial."
"..."
The room remained quiet for a while and no one could hear except the soft sounds of makeup brushes and hair styling
Layla sat still and her expression was now calm and composed while the servants continued to work on her appearance. However, her mind was far from calm. She could not shake the feeling that this delegation's visit was more than what her brother the Caliph had revealed.
After placing the beautiful golden bowl on her hair and after wearing a set of gold earrings and a beautiful gold necklace and anklet on her leg.
She was covered in gold from head to toe.
After that, the servants placed the white Arab-style cloak on her hair and body.
The black kohl that the servants had applied to her eyes had greatly increased her attractiveness and charm.
After finishing her makeup, she left her room accompanied by her nanny while walking The group of servants behind her respectfully
"You have to ride the carriage to reach the Emerald Palace. It is said that the Caliph ordered the reception of the delegation there."
Hajar said in a hurry
When they left the Alhambra Palace to stand in the beautiful garden of the palace, the princess and the nanny headed to the palace gate where there was a strange European-style carriage, completely black and somewhat shabby, standing there, pulled by only one very large black horse with a frightening appearance. Given Laila's little knowledge of horses, she was able to guess that the breed of this horse must be German.
The carriage driver looked foreign.
The black carriage looked ominous for some reason.
Laila exchanged a look with Hajar, and her eyes betrayed a hint of caution.
"Are you sure this is the carriage they want me to use to reach the Emerald Palace?"
Hajar nodded her head, her face now showing some tension
"Yes, my dear, your brother the Caliph ordered this carriage to be used on your journey to the Emerald Palace"
Layla's anxiety increased as she looked at the ominous black carriage, its foreign style and the strange horse that gave her a strange feeling but she knew that she had no choice but to obey her brother's orders
She walked with measured steps towards the carriage
When she opened the door and was about to raise her head to see inside the carriage, someone pushed her from her back forcefully to enter the carriage and the door was closed on her
"For God's sake, what is this!!!"
Laila screamed angrily as she looked at the door that was forcefully closed.
Just at that moment, a sharp and majestic male voice echoed in the somewhat narrow carriage.
"It's been a long time, Laila."
The huge man with broad, muscular shoulders sitting in the carriage was dressed like a European king while wearing a shiny crown with a small cross on his head.
He was wearing a luxurious red coat on his shoulders while jewelry decorated his black clothes.
Those fierce and sharp turquoise eyes looked at the woman wearing the white Arab abaya.
His shiny silver-gray hair fluttered while his pale white skin and sharp masculine features stood out exaggeratedly due to the gloomy color of the carriage as the man's face shone with a strange light.
Laila raised her head to look towards the voice with wide, astonished eyes.
"You...you-it's impossible!!!"
"....."
Seeing those captivating brown eyes, Gabriel smiled a masculine sideways smile as he glanced at her with his turquoise eyes in amusement
Layla's eyes widened even more as the man's smile widened, revealing a hint of masculine amusement in his sharp gaze. There was something in his expression that made her heart beat faster and her breath catch in her throat.
"You... you can't be who I think you are..."
She whispered in a trembling voice
The air in the small car seemed to be shimmering with tension and confusion. Laila tried to make sense of the situation, her mind racing against time.
"....."
Looking at the silver cross necklace that adorned his neck, Laila swallowed her saliva and put her hand on her head in an attempt to suppress the headache that was starting to overtake her.
She sat on the seat of the car because her legs were starting to become weak from the horror of the situation.
It is impossible that what she was thinking was true...
It is impossible that her brother would do something so important. He was crazy, drunk, and despicable.
It is impossible!!
She muttered in a weak feminine voice
"Impossible...Impossible that you are the buyer"
The man's smile widened slightly and a hint of satisfaction flashed in his turquoise eyes
"It's been a long time my little princess"
He leaned forward slightly and his voice softened as if he was talking to a delicate creature
"Yes, I am the one who bought you"
He said slowly, pronouncing each word as if it had great importance
"You!!! You! Could that bastard have married me to you!!!!"
Layla screamed in excitement, unable to hold herself back any longer
"Language, my princess! Language! Pay attention to the language"
Gabriel scolded her in a firm, masculine tone
"Let's not forget who the man is here, okay?"
He leaned back in his seat, crossed his arms over his chest and looked at her with a slight smile
"I officially married you with your brother's approval and I also paid the dowry he asked for in full"
He explained in a calm tone
Layla's anger flared in response to his arrogant tone and she almost screamed again, but his words about the dowry he paid stopped her in her tracks
She stared at him, her eyes filled with astonishment
"You paid the dowry in full?"
She repeated in a trembling voice
"And my brother the Caliph agreed to this? How is that possible?"
Gabriel found her shocked expression funny in a funny way which prompted him to explain to her patiently
"I proposed to you about a month ago and your brother finally agreed to marry me and he asked me for a very large dowry saying that the woman I will marry is the noblest woman in the world so naturally I emptied my pockets"
"How could my brother do this... How could he agree..."
She muttered in disbelief, her voice almost a whisper
That crazy bastard married her to a Christian king!!!!
The daughter of the great Arab Muslim Caliph Abd al-Rahman III marries a European Christian king!!!!
Layla felt her dizziness begin to increase as she felt that the carriage had already moved
While Layla was trying to process the shocking situation her brother had put her in, Gabriel was casting gentle glances at her from afar
He hadn't seen her in five years!!
Seeing the woman he had longed for for five years, here she was sitting in front of him in full adornment, Gabriel was suppressing himself with the strength to pounce on her to embrace her inside his chest and smell her familiar intoxicating scent
Every atom of his body was longing for her
But using every ounce of self-control he possessed, Gabriel brutally suppressed his desires
"My dear, it's been a really long time, haven't you missed me?"
Laila raised her eyes to look at the man in front of her with extreme anger
"You...you're a vile bastard, what makes you do all this crazy nonsense??? Why do you even want to go through the trouble of marrying a Muslim woman? Have you just lost your mind!!"
Gabriel laughed at her stubborn response, a small smile appeared on the corner of his lips, then he leaned back in his seat, crossing his legs slowly
He said in a sarcastic tone
"Oh, my little princess is stubborn as usual, but you and I know the answer to your question"
He paused for a moment, letting his words sink into his mind before he continued his speech
"I can give you a thousand reasons why I chose you, but the simplest and most honest answer is...I want you, I wanted you since the day I saw you"
Hearing his answer, Laila became very angry
"What you are committing is a sin for God's sake, you monk prince!!"
Hearing her utter the familiar title of "Prince Monk", Gabriel's smile widened even more as he said in a soft tone as he approached her with amusement.
"I am no longer the Prince Monk, my dear. My name is Kaiser, Kaiser Gabriel von de Deutschleide, first of his name, ruler of the German Empire, its dependencies and colony."
"You…didn't you plan to remain a monk all your life?"
"Plans change."
Gabriel stopped a few centimeters in front of Laila, and looked at her with a small, mocking smile. He studied her features with interest, and began to contemplate every detail of her face and body. He could count the thick, long black eyelashes in her attractive brown eyes, and he could smell the familiar scent of musk and jasmine emanating from them.
He reached out his hand towards her and gently placed a strand of her rebellious hair behind her ear.
"Do you really think that I will remain a chaste, celibate monk and not rebel to take you as my king?"
"Don't touch me"
Layla slapped his big, rough hand angrily
Oh, how fierce...
Gabriel laughed as she slapped him, his face showing amusement
He said, his voice still holding a hint of mockery
"You're still defiant, aren't you?"
He reached out again, ignoring her protest, and grabbed her chin between his thumb and index finger, lifting her face to look at him
"Get away from me!!"
She tried to pry his hand away from her chin but his grip was surprisingly hard and strong.
His turquoise eyes stared into hers and studied her expression intently. He leaned closer to her, his face just inches from hers.
He mumbled, his warm breath on her skin.
"You're still the most beautiful and stubborn woman I've ever met. I've missed you, my princess."
"You've gone... crazy... what you're doing is a sin."
Layla muttered as she tried to pry his strong hand away from her chin with his sighs.
"Sin..."
Gabriel echoed her words with a slight sneer, his fingers tightening on her chin, stopping her from moving away.
His gaze darkened as he leaned closer to her, his lips hovering over hers
"And do you think that God sits there counting our sins? And judging us based on who we choose to love and marry?"
"What you're doing is a sin. Marrying me is a sin. Taking advantage of my vile brother's stupidity and greed is another sin as well."
Layla slapped his shoulder with a smirk as she looked at him with her kohl-brown eyes defiantly.
Gabriel couldn't help but find her defiance endearing, even if it annoyed him at times. He laughed again, his eyes sparkling with delight.
He said in a voice still mocking.
"I don't know anyone who thinks about sin as much as you do, my little princess. But let's put sin and religion aside for a moment…"
He leaned closer, his lips now hovering over her ear.
"Does it really matter what is and isn't a sin, if I want you this badly?"
"How could such words come out of the mouth of a man who was supposedly raised as a monk?"
Layla said in disbelief as she tried to push him away from her.
Gabriel laughed softly and did not move an inch as she tried to push him away from her. He tightened his grip on her chin, and held her tighter.
He said sarcastically.
"Ah, you always had a knack for catching me in my contradictions, didn't you?"
His free hand found its way to her hip, pulling her closer to him until her body was pressed against his.
At that moment, Laila pulled a dagger out of her pocket and aimed it at Gabriel's neck.
"Stay away, or I'll kill you with this dagger."
Gabriel let out an amused laugh and his facial expression changed from amusement to mild surprise when she pulled a dagger on him. He stared at her with a sarcastic smile, never taking his eyes off her.
"How moody," he said in a tone that was half amused and half sarcastic.
"She's moody."
He didn't move an inch from his place, still holding her chin tightly. He tilted his head slightly to the side, so that the tip of the dagger now rested gently on his neck.
"Go on then, my princess. Do it. Cut my throat."
Laila's eyes widened in anger upon hearing his sarcastic tone and the challenge in his words. She swallowed her saliva with difficulty, and her hand trembled slightly as she held the dagger on His neck
"I'm warning you… I'll do it"
She threatened, her voice trembling slightly
"Then do it"
Gabriel said calmly, his gaze still fixed on her eyes
He raised his chin, pressing the tip of the dagger a little deeper into his throat. A small bead of blood began to form where the blade touched his skin
"Go on"
His voice repeated, now almost a whisper
"Be a princess and cut the throat of the man who married you"
When Laila felt her hand tremble at the sight of the blood coming from the superficial wound on his neck, she pointed the dagger at her neck to threaten him with a challenge.
"I will kill myself and the dowry I paid for him will be in vain."
Seeing the dagger pointed at her neck, Gabriel's face completely disappeared for a moment.
His gaze darkened and his fingers loosened their grip on her chin as he quickly grabbed her wrist, moving the dagger away from her neck.
He said firmly, his voice sharp with a touch of panic.
"No, you won't do that."
"If you come near me again, I will do it, so get away and sit away from me."
She said sharply with eyes brimming with anger when she felt that he was able to take the dagger from her hand easily.
"Damn you."
Gabriel cursed under his breath, released her other wrist and took a few steps back.
He ran his hand anxiously through his hair, frustration and anxiety clear on his face as he Staring at Layla
He took a deep breath to calm himself, but it did little to calm the conflicting emotions that were raging inside him
"Why do you always have to be so stubborn?"
He asked, his voice filled with a mixture of annoyance and emotion
"Shut up, your voice just disgusts me."
Layla said coldly as she covered her face with her white Arabian cloak. His appearance was just a marriage of those captivating brown eyes.
She looked out the window of the carriage coldly.
That stab had made a deeper impact than he wanted to admit. Gabriel clenched his jaw tightly, his annoyance with her growing with each passing moment.
He moved to sit on the other side of the carriage, never taking his eyes off her, despite his desire to look away. Her cold, dismissive demeanor was more painful than he would ever admit.
A tense silence fell over the carriage as it continued its journey.
"....."
The silence was like an unbearable weight on Gabriel's shoulders. He watched Layla as she sat silently in front of him, her face hidden behind her cloak, and that only increased his annoyance.
But there was something else too, something he couldn't quite name. He found himself drawn to her even in this state. He wanted to reach out to her, to break through the wall she had built around her.
Impatiently, he tapped his fingers on the seat, the sound echoing in the quiet space.
"You are my lawful wife. This is just a reminder. I have concluded our marriage contract, you and I, in the Christian and Islamic way, with the Caliph. Despite your absence, I still carry our marriage certificate in my pocket."
Gabriel said coldly, breaking the silence that had been between them.
Layla turned her head slightly in his direction, revealing more of her face. It was clear that she was listening to him, but she did not respond.
Her eyes moved to his pocket, where he said he held their marriage certificate. He saw something flash on her face, but it quickly disappeared. Her expression remained cold and indifferent.
Gabriel's frustration and annoyance grew, and the way she ignored him and refused to engage in conversation was driving him crazy. He clenched his hands into fists, struggling to maintain his composure.
"As your husband… I expect you to behave "As a wife"
He continued, his voice dropping to a low, harsh tone
Then he leaned forward and focused his eyes on hers
"You will behave respectfully with me and will not pull your dagger on me every five minutes and will not threaten to commit suicide in order to win an argument"
"..."
The silence was like a punch to the stomach. He hated this. He needed a reaction. He needed her reaction. His anger had reached its peak and he couldn't stay still any longer.
Gabriel suddenly stood up and closed the distance between them with two quick steps. He was standing right in front of her now, his eyes dark with a mixture of anger and frustration.
"Damn say something."
He growled as he looked at her.
"Anything."
Looking at the man who could barely stand in the cramped carriage and seeing his back hit the roof of the black carriage, Layla snorted in disdain and said one word in her soft feminine voice.
"This is an invalid, illegitimate marriage. A Muslim woman is not allowed to marry a Christian man."
Hearing her say those words… Gabriel's annoyance turned to rising anger that made his blood boil. He clenched his jaw tightly, his fists clenching at his sides.
He said sarcastically.
"Ah, back at it again, aren't we? You always know how to hold your heels when it comes to this."
He approached He took a step from her, his body almost touching hers. He leaned down until his face was only inches from hers.
"What makes it permissible then? What do I have to do to make it 'valid' and 'permissible' in your eyes?"
"Get away from me, don't come near me"
Layla said angrily when she felt that he had approached her while covering her face with the white cloak insistently
"Get away? Really?"
Gabriel said with a hoarse voice of anger and disbelief, his eyes darkening even more as she continued to hide her face from him
"We're in a damned carriage! There's no place for me to get away"
He said sharply, pointing to the tight space they were in
He took another step closer and stood right in front of her now, kneeling on his knees, his face hovering over her face again
"I know you're trying to hide, damn it, stop hiding from me"
The thing Gabriel knew very well about Islam was that Muslim women cover their bodies and faces in front of all men except their husbands, so Layla's actions only caused his anger to flare up
This woman was covering her face from him as if he was a strange man and not her legal husband!!!
He reached out and with a quick, frustrated movement grabbed the cloak she was using as a cover, pulling it away from her face and exposing it to him.
He said in a harsh, demanding voice:
"Don't you dare hide from me. I am your husband and I will not allow you to treat me like a stranger."
When he pulled the cloak forcefully from her face, revealing her face and hair, the cloak fell, revealing her long, silky black hair that was decorated with traditional Arab gold.
It was only then that Gabriel noticed that this woman was adorned with gold from head to toe while wearing a beautiful red dress.
Her beautiful face and her large, light brown eyes lined with Arab kohl appeared, while her beautiful body appeared, which had changed over the years to become more attractive and feminine.
A red dress in this era in Europe symbolized marriage.
Gabriel's breath caught in his throat as the cloak fell, revealing her face and body. His heart pounded madly at the sight of her exposed beauty, and he froze for a moment, losing the ability to speak at the sight of her.
He enjoyed the sight of her, his eyes following the lines of her body, admiring the way the red dress embraced her curves.
Those beautiful, light brown eyes lined with kohl... His hands yearned to touch them and feel the softness of her hair. To...
Gabriel shook his head, trying to push away the inappropriate thoughts that were running through his mind
"Crazy have you lost your mind? How dare you pull my cloak from me?!"
Layla screamed angrily as she put the cloak back on her hair and body but this time she was clinging to the cloak tightly
"How dare you?"
Gabriel was almost annoyed by her reaction, his eyes darkened as he approached her, his face inches away from hers
"I am your husband for Christ's sake I have the right to see your face, your hair and every part of you I will not allow you to hide from me like we are strangers"
He reached out and tried again to snatch the cloak from her grip
The dagger she used earlier was lying on the floor of the carriage so Layla quickly took it and waved it around her neck
"Get away or I'll kill myself here"
Her voice was sharp and full of anger
A flash of panic crossed Gabriel's face when he saw her grab the dagger and wave it at her throat. His heart clenched in fear and a wave of panic washed over him when he saw her holding a blade on her skin
He said urgently and his voice was full of worry
"No, Layla stop!"
He reached out to grab her wrist trying to pull the dagger away from her
"What are you doing? Put the damn blade away!!"
"I'll put it away if you get away from me"
She said with a clear threat
His eyes were red with annoyance and anger but fear for her safety overcame everything else Gabriel clenched his jaw, his hands still gripping her wrists
"Jesus Christ my savior"
He muttered under his breath
Reluctantly, he released her wrists and stepped back, creating a small distance between them but his eyes remained fixed on her, his expression tight with a mixture of anger and concern
"There"
He said gruffly, gesturing with his hands as he stood a few feet away
"I'll stay away now, put the damn knife down"
Layla put the dagger aside to look at him as he sat back in the carriage seat sharply
"What is the real destination of this carriage??"
She asked as she looked out the window at the road with insight.
"My army is stationed near the border of Greenveer Forest. When we get there, we will immediately head to the Empire."
The Greenveer Forest was outside the borders of the Jurhum Caliphate.
Which meant that when she got there, she would no longer be under the protection of the Caliphate...
Layla just felt lost at this point.
Her damned brother sold her as a wife for her dowry, of course.
That was what her intuition was telling her, especially since the Caliphate was going through an economic crisis due to the Caliph's wasteful spending of state funds.
He must have sold her as a wife to a Christian king just for money.
That damned son of a b*tch...
Layla muttered under her breath as she thought of her brother's cheerful appearance as he counted the money he got from selling her.
Looking at the savage and strong gray-haired man in front of her, Layla bit her inner lip as she carefully gripped the hilt of the dagger in her hand.