The boy scrambled to his feet and, after swiping his dirty hands on the back of his shorts, stood straight and extended one hand. ‘Hello. I’m Tarek ibn Abbas of Assara. It’s a pleasure to meet you.’
Karim closed his palm around the tiny hand and gave it a gentle shake. He stared into the small, serious face regarding him so intently, as if looking for signs of disapproval.
With an audible whoosh of sound in his ears Karim found himself back in time, learning from a courtier the precise grades of greeting and which was suitable for royalty, for members of court, foreign dignitaries and ordinary citizens. He must have been about Tarek’s age and he’d mastered the lesson quickly, since the alternative—disappointing his irritable father—hadn’t been an option.
‘The pleasure is mine, Prince Tarek.’ Karim inclined his head over the boy’s hand before releasing it.
The child nodded in acknowledgement but his eyes were already flicking back to the puppy chewing at his shoe. Tarek might be a prince but he was above all a little boy. And in that instant Karim was swamped by a determination to achieve at least one thing. To allow Tarek to have a childhood despite being royal.
Something Karim had never had.
He’d grown up with no time for idle play or cuddles. Instead there’d been constricting rules and a strict regimen devised to ensure he became a miniature copy of his father.
Seeing the yearning look on the boy’s face as his royal training battled his inclination for fun, Karim smiled and squatted down. ‘He’s a fine-looking dog.’
In fact the boisterous pup was anything but beautiful. It had the long, silky tail and soft ears of a hunting dog but those short legs and nuggety body belonged to some other breed entirely.
Karim recalled the pure-bred hounds his father had kept, whose pedigree was as important as any other quality. Karim felt a surge of empathy with the mongrel pup and reached out to pat it—only to have it gnaw experimentally on his fingers.
‘He likes you!’ The last of Prince Tarek’s gravity disintegrated as he threw himself down on the ground with his pet. ‘He doesn’t mean to hurt you,’ he added earnestly. ‘He bites people he likes.’
‘I know. It’s what puppies do.’
Karim was rewarded with a wide smile and responded with a grin.
‘Doyouhave a dog?’ the boy enquired.
Karim shook his head. ‘I’m afraid not.’
‘You could play with us if you like.’
He was surprised to find himself moved by the child’s generosity. How long since he’d done something as simple as play with a dog? Or talk to a child?
‘I’d like that, thank you.’ He scratched the dog’s spotted belly. ‘What’s his name?’
‘Blackie. I picked it.’
Karim nodded. ‘You picked well. Is he yours?’
‘Yes. But he doesn’t sleep with me.’ The boy pouted, using rounded cheeks and outthrust lip to full advantage as his gaze slid reproachfully towards his mother. ‘Heshouldsleep in my bed. So I can look after him if he gets lonely in the night. Don’t you think?’
Karim sensed Safiyah standing behind him, yet she said nothing. Was she waiting to see how he responded?
‘Dogs need space, just like people do. I’m sure Blackie has a cosy bed of his own.’
‘He certainly does,’ Safiyah chimed in. ‘Just down the hall. He sleeps so well that Tarek has to wake him up to play sometimes. Now, it’s time to say goodnight. Tarek and Blackie need to go to bed.’
Karim watched the little boy struggle with the urge to argue. But eventually he got to his feet.
His eyes were on the same level as Karim’s as he said, ‘I like you. Come and play again.’ Then, with a flickering look at his mother he smiled and added, ‘Please.’
Tarek’s mixture of royal imperiousness and friendliness appealed. Far more than the cautious, almost obsequious approaches Karim usually got from those eager to impress.
‘I’d like that. Thank you,’ Karim said again. He returned the smile with one of his own.
He’d enjoy spending time with little Tarek. For one thing, it would be a pleasant change. For as long as he could recall he’d been unable to trust that the people who tried to get close to him did so out of affection instead of for personal gain.
Safiyah bent to scoop the tired pup into her arms and take Tarek by the hand. Karim felt that all too familiar clench in his groin as her dress pulled over ripe curves.