The ride back to the palace was accomplished quickly and silently. Erin felt her anger rising the closer they came to the palace, and she pressed her lips together in an effort to stop the tirade that was threatening to spew forth.
It’s not Talib who needs to hear it. It’s Kamal!
Talib ushered her from the vehicle with a stern warning. “Do not leave the palace grounds again without me.” After issuing that dictate, he turned on his heel and disappeared, leaving her standing in front of the palace steps.
Erin entered the palace fuming. Was this how it was going to be? Even a gilded cage was still nothing more than a prison. And she was to accept all this amicably? When she arrived back to her room, a meal was brought to her, and she picked at her food, still trying to understand why Kam had basically made her a prisoner of his palace.
After her lunch, fatigue overtook her, and she took a nap. When she awoke, she wandered through the palace once again. Coming to a staircase that went up, she climbed it until she reached a parapet that looked out over the city. The sun was beginning to set, and she was amazed to see that beyond the city walls, there was nothing but a vast desert.
When she turned the other direction, she could just make out what appeared to be white peaks sticking up along the sand. She heard the door to the rooftop open and looked over her shoulder to see Talib standing there. Pointing in the direction she had been looking, she asked him, “What is over there?”
Talib joined her. “A refugee camp.”
“Refugees? From where?” Erin’s curiosity was piqued.
“From the neighboring country. Civil war broke out several weeks ago, and many of the citizens fled into Jawhara. The sheikh is trying to negotiate their safe return now that a new government has taken over and the people are becoming more settled.”
“Is that where Kamal is now?”
“You should not refer to him in such a familiar way,” Talib corrected her with a frown.
“He said it was okay unless we were in public. So, is that where he is?”
Talib looked at her for a long moment before answering. “He is meeting with the new government. Hopefully, when he returns, the people will be free to return to their homes.”
Erin looked at the tops of the tents in the distance. “How far away are they?”
“Five miles or so.”
“Who’s caring for them? Are there children out there?”
“They care for themselves. The people of Jawhara have provided them with some assistance, but we did not ask for them to come here, so we are not responsible for them.”
“But they are in need?” Erin said, the humanitarian in her pushing to the front.
“I do not believe so.”
“But you don’t know?” Erin pushed.
Talib sighed. “I have not been out there. So, no, I do not have firsthand knowledge of their living conditions.”
Erin looked at the refugee camp one more time. “I wish to go there tomorrow. I’ll be ready to go by nine o’clock.”
Talib shook his head. “Absolutely not. The sheikh would have my head.”
“You said yourself that I am not a prisoner of the palace. That is where I wish to go, and I want you to take me there tomorrow so that I can see the living conditions for myself.”
“It is impossible. His Majesty would never allow it.”
“Ask him.”
“I already know his answer.”
Erin stared him down, sure that he was correct in his estimation that Kamal would not give his blessing to such an adventure. “Fine. I will wait until Kamal returns and ask him to take me.”
Talib seemed relieved and nodded in agreement.
But Erin had no intention of waiting for Kamal to return and take her to the refugee camp.