Banou spend her days without Aylin with fear. Ahmet's eye sight never leave Banou. His watch her like a hawk in a distance. Banou try not to be alone anywhere she goes. She engaged conversations with anyone she meet. She doesn't want him to know Li Xing's existence therefore she stop going to the school. She stay far away and write a note to Li Xing that she is busy with the wedding hence she is not likely to see him for awhile, she knows that her son will be annoyed and probably sulking somewhere in the mansion.
At night, every time she is preparing to go to bed. She will bot her door but leave the window open. Since this is not the ground floor, she feel that she can have the window open for the breeze. She close her eyes and drift off to sleep.
Banou hear the sound of horses. Why are there sound of horses when she is in her own bedroom. Banou force herself to wake up, in her goggly state of mind, her eyes try to open up. She feel weak and tired. Somehow the room is spinning around and she feel sick. Her sight is blurry and nothing is make sense to her now. She feels a hand is soothing her hair however she can't make up who it is. After someone kiss her forehead, she drift off to sleep.
It is dark in the room when Banou awakes. She hear laughter outside and there is smell of barbecue meat. It seems like she is in a carriage, outside the window, she can see the dark sky. She realised that that moment, she is probably been kidnapped. Her mouth is stuff with a towel and both her hands and feet are tied together. There is not way for her to escape. She struggle to get the ropes untie. Her sweat beads are rolling down her face. She want to cry at that moment but she tell herself to find somewhere safe and cry later. Now she have to get herself untie. She struggle a long time till she gear footsteps. She quickly close her eyes and pretend to be asleep. The sound of the footsteps come closer. She smell cook meat in this room. She try to hold her hunger and breath as normal. The person touch her cheek and leave the food on the table. Again she hear the footsteps walking away. She open her eyes after waiting a long time to make sure that her kidnapper is not waiting and watching her. She hears no one. She try to untie the ropes again.
"There is no use trying Banou."
Banou stop, she knows that voice. Her heart beats wildly. Her breath is rather fast.
"I thought that we will never meet again but we still have to meet again. You should just die along with those people in the wedding!"
Banou's tears drop and watch the dark figure move towards her. He sit beside her and lean on her shoulder.
"Dearest sister Banou, you should die. If you are dead long ago. We would be in this situation. I will still be a prince. With richness and privileges that i should have. I don't want to be the crown prince. I just want to be a prince that does nothing but to spend money and enjoy life. That isn't much to ask for am i right? But no, father have to pick on me. He removed my title, my harem, all my properties and all my rights! Just because of you!"
He straighten up and move in front of Banou. His deep set of eyes stare at her.
"If you aren't my sister, life will be sweet isn't it?!"
He yank off the towel that is tie on her mouth. She spat on the floor and look at him. "I did not ask to be your sister too. I only ask ..."
"I never ask you what you want! I want to tell you what i want! You should have obey me when i ask for it! Now you become a slave and sleep with men! Is that satisfying? You could only just serve me but no you run whenever you see me. Why am i that bad?"
Banou at this point can't take it anymore she tremble and cry. Bardiya wipe her face with his hand. "Banou, i never meant to hurt you. When i change the wedding decree, i force myself to do so because my blood sister is going to marry that bastard. She beg me. She cried. She is afraid..."
"I am too your sister!"
"You... you are never my sister. I never think of that way. You are the beautiful sunlight that i see from far. The moment i saw you getting married, I regret what i did and went off to collect my soldiers to get you but when i return, they told me the wedding is off. It's chaos and you are in jail. My Azedeh hurry me to push her wedding ahead. As her brother i have to help her first. However i did not expect your case to escalate so fast. Before i can do anything, you are gone."
Banou cry harder than before. Her tears flow and he keep wiping them.
"You will replace Azedeh. We will not go back to Persian. I have friends in Egypt. We will built a family there. As long as you obey me, i will do anything for you."
Banou cry till she is tired. Bardiya watch her as she sleep. He knows all the while what he did was wrong but now he wants to choose to take Banou. His sister will be safe forever in her room. Their father will not harm her. While Banou here is force to marry another man. Bardiya want to keep her by his side even if she doesn't like him. One day, she will have to accept him. He watch her till the sun raises. The sunlight slowly creep on her face. It shows him that her face is smooth. Her eyelashes are long and it curl up. Unlike his blood sister, there is softness and gentleness from Banou. To prevent his other sisters from hurting Banou, most of the brothers pretend they hated her. Isolating Banou is a way to keep her safe from the anger of other sisters. Bardiya look at her fondly like a rag doll that he once have now it's back in his arms again.