Darkness overtook Fayrouz once again. It seemed as though light would never enter this prison of a castle. She felt something grip her tightly around her neck as her lungs struggled to breathe. Her kohl smeared across her cheeks as a result of the tears that poured out of her eyes. 

Let go of me. Let me breathe. Let me live.

She struggled to say those words. She mouthed those words to the king as best as she could, but he was not looking at her. He refused to look her in her eyes. She watched the king as he tied her wrists together. She noticed that he seemed a bit hesitant. His hands slightly trembled as he walked to the door and quietly closed it. After doing this, the king came towards the bed that he laid Fayrouz on. 

"What are you doing?" Fayrouz asked him. She did not want any harm to befall her.

Fayrouz thought that the king had ignored her when in reality, he was lost in his thoughts. He could not stop thinking about the message, regarding his mother, that his brother had relayed to him. If his mother was on her way, she would destroy everything in her way so that she could kill the king, her eldest son.

When the king began to take off his silky thobe, he saw the pained expression that Fayrouz had on her face. He took a deep breath, as his thobe fell onto his shoulders. Once his garment fell onto the floor, he walked to Fayrouz's side and untied her wrists. "Calm down, Fayrouz. There is no reason to be afraid," He instructed her. He had no idea as to why she was crying. No clue whatsoever. 

"Listen carefully, Fayrouz. There will be a guest that will be coming soon. I do not want to worry you, but this is an unwelcomed guest. She will be on her way to do some evil in this castle. You will be safe as long as you are beside me. I have read some enchanting words onto the rope that I had tied onto your wrists. Those words will provide you some protection if you are ever on your own."

Fayrouz could not believe any of the words that the king had uttered. She thought that he would do to her what he had done to every girl that he brought into the castle. Rumor had it that he would strip girls of their dignity and bed them against their will. Apparently, he had either changed or deemed Fayrouz to be too ugly to bed. Either way, Fayrouz was delighted that she would not be tormented tonight. 

"It is for your protection why you will be sleeping in my chamber tonight," the king uttered as he lay a tender kiss at the base of Fayrouz's neck. "Sweet dreams, My Love." The king pulled his blanket over him and Fayrouz, as he began to lay down on his king-sized bed.

He may be a king, but he is a fool if he thinks that I am going to lay with him in his bed. Fayrouz thought to herself as she planned her escape out of the king's chamber.

"I can hear what you are thinking of, Fayrouz. Try not to awaken a sleeping tiger next time, My Love." The king's sudden voice caused hairs to stick up on Fayrouz's arms. He wrapped his left arm around Fayrouz as he inhaled into Fayrouz's hair.

How strange, He thought to himself, I always thought that the smell of girls' hairs resembled that of cinnamon or strawberry.

The closeness of the king had caused Fayrouz to feel uncomfortable as she tried to fall asleep. Seconds after slumber overtook Fayrouz, the king found himself falling asleep beside his bride. It appeared as though Fayrouz would live to see the sunlight of tomorrow.