XXXIV

                                    

                                          
Stealthily arriving at her private garden, Prem made a light footed way to her window and quietly climbed in. The chambers were silent. Noor appeared to be fast asleep.
Walking over to her bedside, he stood smitten as his eyes landed on her stunning face reflecting off the gold from the fire torch burning just outside her window. Taking a cautious seat on the bed next to her, he stared at her utterly entranced. Losing track of both time and space, he sat frozen and spell-bound. Noor was capable of captivating him to that extent, asleep. Of course he stood no chance before her when she was awake and working her charm on him. Somewhere along the moments lazily ticking away, he had stopped breathing. Somehow, he subconsciously decided the involuntary process was not worth diversion in his concentration. He wished to be uninterrupted in this quest carried out by his eyes. Several moments passed in his meditative stillness before his body finally caught up with him and he was forced to both blink and release the exhale he had been holding. He could have sworn he was moments away from enlightenment had he not been interrupted.
Eyeing the bulge of her abdomen under the blanket, Prem smiled noticing the outline of both of her hands resting on her belly. Even in her sleep she was in protection mode. His smile only widened when his eyes moved upwards and he noticed the top of his khaki shawl sticking out from underneath the blanket. She had asked for him to leave behind his shawl during one of his visits before their marriage. "I will sleep in this on the nights I don't have you. It'll make me feel like you're right here with me." She had told him. He had forgotten all about it but greeted a sensation of pleasant surprise at the sight of her wrapped up in one.
Coming back to his senses, he looked around the chambers for any signs of healing potions and bandages. The news about the attack on her left him so paranoid that he couldn't help but make his second trip to Basher within one week. He simply had to see her for his peace of mind. There were no signs of any injury on her body as far as he could tell. Her chambers were also clear of any tonics one would consume during recovery. He was glad that she was fine, at least physically. Mentally, he knew she would not go easy on herself especially since one of her bodyguards had lost his life. As far as he knew her, she would blame herself for the guard's death.
Knowing the difficulty she must have experienced in falling asleep in the first place that night, he was unwilling to disturb her precious time of rest. Gently scooting backwards until he was leaned up against the wooden pillar on the opposite side of the bed, he sat next to her feet watching her quietly. In what felt like just a few moments, an hour had passed. She still laid in the same position. Breathing softly, her chest steadily moved up and down. Prem could have gladly spent a few more hours simply looking at her. She didn't even have to be awake to inspire life into him.
In the moments that followed, her sleep cycle seemed to come to an end and she moved. With one arm still supporting her belly, she used the other to turn onto her side. In the process, however, her foot kicked Prem's knee. It was unsurprising then that her warrior instinct immediately jerked her out of sleep and she had grabbed the dagger from her bedside before her eyes were fully open. Shooting up into a sitting position, she waited for her eyes to settle into the scarce light before racing them from one end of her chambers to the other in an attempt find what had awakened her. Her eyes sprinted past Prem and then came to sudden halt. Had she seen...Prem? Rushing them back to the pillar of her bed, she found the familiar face that instantly invited an unspeakable warmth in her chest. Prem. It was Prem. He sat next to her feet leaned up against the pillar watching her serenely.
Taking a deep breath, Noor placed the dagger back on her bedside and shifted to lean up against the head rest. Placing her head against the risen pillow, she eyed him intently. Of course, he had come. There was no way he wouldn't have. Eyes glued to one another, they sat on the opposite ends of the bed exuding their relentless longing.