Her Protective Prince (A Sheikh Breaks My Heart)

Once Upon A Time

THERE WAS A STRONG and handsome sheikh who was betrothed since birth.

The girl he was promised to marry was alluring and exotic, passionate and intelligent.

She was a woman certainly fit to be the sheikh’s bride and a queen in the future.

The sheikh thought so, too, until the day his betrothed’s family came to his kingdom, and he met her.

His betrothed’s sister.

****

“YOUR HIGHNESS, THEY are here.” Aretha touched his back, and Mik’hail turned immediately, curling an arm around her waist so they could present a united front.

The day had arrived that his betrothed’s family was to come live with them in his palace, and the sheikh was genuinely looking forward to welcoming Aretha’s kin.

Her parents were the first ones he saw, a distinguished-looking couple he had heard only good things about. Lord Richard had known the late king, Mik’hail’s father, during their years in Eton, and it was because of the two men’s friendship that their children’s betrothal had come to be.

“Please.” The sheikh shook his head when Lord Richard was about to bow, and Lady Elizabeth had already raised her skirts to curtsy.

“Formalities are not needed.” Instead, Mik’hail stepped down from the dais to shake hands with Aretha’s father and bowed in greeting to his future mother-in-law. “We are to be a family, after all.”

The words put the older couple at ease, and with a smile, Lady Elizabeth said, “May I present my younger daughter, Lady Aurora?” She stepped back and drew a girl forward—

And in that second, the sheikh’s life was turned upside down.

The girl was tall where her sister was dainty, and slender where her sister was buxom. Her hair was the shade of the sun, her eyes blue gray like stormy skies.

Dipping into a curtsy, the girl said sweetly, “Thank you for the welcome, akh.” She was clearly teasing him, the twinkle in her eyes unmistakable.

It had his lips twitching, but the rest of her family was horrified.

“Aurora!” Aretha’s tone was sharp with disapproval while their father sighed and their mother gasped.

Straightening, the girl said with cheeky innocence, “What?” She glanced at the sheikh. “You don’t mind, do you, Your Highness?” Her voice, even mischievous, was low and husky, and the sound of it did something strange to his chest.

Mik’hail slowly shook his head.

No, he did not mind.

In fact, he had a feeling that whatever this girl did, he would not mind at all, and that, the sheikh thought grimly, was the problem.

****

THE SHEIKH WAS ENCHANTED. He strove to hide it, even denying the truth to himself.

But each day, the feelings became deeper, and it did not help that Aretha and he had begun to quarrel as well.

Although they had never spoken about it, the sheikh suspected that Aretha was aware of his interest and considered it a personal slight.

He saw it in the way she so jealously guarded him whenever Aurora was around, saw it with the way she would take out her anger and insecurities on her sister. ..like now.

Aurora had just entered the dining hall when Aretha started shrieking.

“What do you think you’re doing?”

The younger girl froze.

“Did I not teach you how to walk? To do it like a lady instead of galloping and stomping like a horse?” Aretha gestured to the sheikh furiously.

“Do you want everyone to think that the sheikh is marrying into a family of Thoroughbreds?” She wanted to say more but was forced to swallow the rest of her words when she saw the sheikh turning her way with cold, dark eyes.

“Enough of that, milady.” The words, albeit softly spoken, were clearly a command. “You know it doesn’t matter to me. I do not insist on formalities with your family.”

Aretha’s lips tightened. “Don’t spoil her, Your Highness. You’re only making it worse. She needs to remember these things so she won’t mess up at our wedding.”

When the sheikh was about to retort, Aurora said hastily, “She’s right, Your Highness.

Let me try it again.” Hurrying back to the doors, Aurora took care not to let her usual exuberance show as she retraced her steps, and she walked with such grace this time that she was unaware of how elegant she appeared, more so than Aretha could have ever aspired.

Aurora turned to her sister upon reaching her chair. “Is that okay, Aretha?” There was no note of sarcasm in her tone. It was clear in her hopeful expression that she only yearned for the older woman’s approval.

“It’s passable.” Aretha’s voice was clipped, but the envious resentment in her gaze betrayed her true feelings.

Aurora, however, appeared oblivious to her sister’s animosity and simply shrugged as she took her seat, saying cheerfully, “I’ll be sure to improve in time.”

Mayhap so, the sheikh thought, but unfortunately the same could not be said for the rest of the evening.

Aretha, used to being wooed out of her anger, was furious at the way the sheikh ignored her petulant replies and instead engaged her father in conversation about business. This method had always worked for her, but now...

Incensed at the way Mik’hail continued to ignore her, the sheikh’s betrothed stood up and stalked out of the room without a word.

The sheikh, seeing the entreating look in Elizabeth’s eyes, shook his head and said in a gentle but firm voice, “I’m sorry, milady, but I will not go after her. It is essential my intended learns that I am not the type to reward tantrums with wooing and apologies.”

The older woman was visibly embarrassed, but she sought to defend Aretha’s actions nonetheless, saying anxiously, “Surely you see she only did that because she was concerned about your reputation?”

Richard was frowning at his younger daughter. “This is your fault, Aurora. You know how your sister is.”

Shooting the sheikh a pleading look when she saw that Mik’hail was about to contradict this, Aurora instead bowed her head to her father. “I’m sorry, sir.”

Richard and Elizabeth excused themselves as soon as plates from the last course were cleared from the table, and Aurora, seeing that this also angered the sheikh, quickly rose from her seat to take the one on the sheikh’s right.

She touched the sheikh’s arm gingerly. “Do not let yourself be troubled by this, akh.”

“It’s not right that your parents treat you in such a manner,” Mik’hail said grimly. And it was not right as well that, despite the innocence of her touch, his entire body had become acutely aware the moment her fingers grazed his skin.

“They only want me to do better.”

“Why do they treat you so?”

Aurora didn’t answer.

“And why are you letting them?”

She retrieved her hand, and although the loss of her touch left him feeling strangely hollow, the sheikh was more disturbed by the way she suddenly couldn’t seem to meet his eyes.

“Look at me, Aurora.”

When she shook her head, he cupped her chin and left her no choice but to do as he bid.

What he saw made him curse. “You’re crying.”

She wrenched her face out of his hold. “I’m not—”

“I will not stand for this.”

Aghast at the realization that the sheikh intended to have a word with her family, Aurora quickly stood up and hurried after him.

Mik’hail was about to reach the door when he felt slim arms wrapping around his waist from behind.

“No, akh, please!”

Her body pressed against his back, soft and warm and trembling, and he could feel the dampness of her tears soaking through his shirt.

The sheikh expelled his breath in an angry hiss. “Let go of me.”

But this only made Aurora tighten her arms around him, and every part of her seemed to mold against him in a way that made it impossible to think.

“Please, akh. Please. It’s as Mother said. My sister only wants to make sure that I do not accidentally shame you. Please do not be mad at any of them.” Her voice shook as she whispered, “Please, Your Highness, I’m begging you.”

When she begged him like that, he found himself unable to resist her.

He gently took hold of her hands and unclasped them so he could turn around to face her.

“It will be as you wished...for now.” He intended to tell her as well that she shouldn’t expect to always get her way, but before he could speak again, Aurora had already tiptoed to place a gentle kiss on his cheek.

The sheikh froze.

The kiss didn’t last for more than a second, but ah, the feel of those soft lips against his skin. His body stirred, something hot and restless awakening inside of him even though he knew it was forbidden.

“Thank you, akh.” Her voice wove a spell around him. “You really are the best brother I could ever wish for.”

The sheikh could only smile tightly, thinking that Aurora, on the other hand, was the worst sister-in-law he could ever have.

Aurora smiled up at him. “Walk me to my room?”

“Of course.”

The two walked out of the dining hall, hands clasped behind their backs, and heads bent towards each other as they spoke of how their respective days had gone.

It was a beautiful moment, marred only by a pair of eyes that followed them with jealous fury.

*Traitors,* the unnoticed woman screamed silently at the two. *You will pay! I will make you all pay for your treachery!*

****

THE RIFT BETWEEN THE sheikh and his intended only worsened with the passage of time.

As it had become increasingly harder for Mik’hail to hold his tongue and not defend Aurora as he wished, he had taken to spending most of his days working either in his study or performing manual labor in the conservatory, personally tending to the roses that had been the late queen’s legacy.

And it was on such a day, when Mik’hail had just entered the conservatory, that he heard an unexpected sound.

“Welcome back, Mik’hail.”

The sheikh was startled at the husky voice that floated towards him. “Aurora?” That was her voice, wasn’t it? What was she doing here and why was she calling him that?

“Over here,” she sang.