4

It seems like something out of a movie, her security scheme is one of the most surreal things I've ever seen in my life.

As our cars approached the mansion, I could see the black corvettes parked in the driveway, escorting not only her into the house, but us for being her guests. The sun was so hot when I got out of the car, looking confused at the wide green lawn that led to the entrance of what looked more like a palace in the form of a mansion.

The Arabic decoration, so beautiful and ostentatious, white walls with these dark brown details, balconies with flowers and decorated vases, grass so well manicured to be so exposed to the sun. It felt hospitable, even if I felt more than I suspected.

I looked over the row of Land Rovers parked one behind the other and our group of historians descended with a twinkle in their eyes to enjoy that so beautiful view of the pyramids so close to this princess's mansion, in the background, it would take 10 minutes by car and nothing more.

She is a privileged woman to live in such sophisticated isolation.

“Our hostess must expect us for lunch. - Ursel spoke low, next to me. I was really getting used to Ursel being my partner in this long journey, although Gold was close to me, I felt more confident with her.

"Do you think it's fitting that I stay?" – I asked fearfully, waiting for his point of view.

— It's no big deal, you're with us... Nothing can happen to you. – She seemed pretty sure of that. I just followed her, watching the security guards in black clothes watching us walk towards the stairs where four women with hijab over their hair were waiting for us, their faces uncovered, smiles full and friendly for us.

— Aistarabaw is indisposed at the moment, but we are serving lunch. - One of them, who had a blue hijab over her hair spoke in sympathy. I felt my stomach lurch. Unwell? It's surreal to put me as a crucial factor in his indisposition, thinking that it was my fault right away made me feel anxious and strange.

— I don't think I really want to eat. – I felt so sickly green saying that close to Ursel's face, that upon realizing my state, he simply nodded speaking to one of the four girls, asking him to take me where I was assigned to be accommodated.

— Follow me, I'll introduce you to your enclosure.

I followed her into the mansion, clutching my purse in hand, the main room ajar to the right, while I assumed the way to the dining room was to the left, where the large group of historians went with the other three women. The interior decoration is the complete opposite of everything I saw outside, so much warm color tending to gold, mosaics, arabesques, Arabic calligraphy drawn on the walls.

As we walked along the central corridor, I stopped when I saw that the room opened onto a courtyard with a central garden, looking at how wide the corridors that surrounded that courtyard were, full of huge vases so well decorated, the long pilasters gave an intimidating height. .

My eyes were immediately drawn to the courtyard's central fountain in sunlight, with unlit candles all around it, the ventilation and lighting from that natural opening giving an intense contrast to the corridors. The girl decided that we would go to the right, going around the courtyard until the end of it where we climbed on wide stairs, with colorful tiles under our feet.

It was a single open side that led to that staircase as it circled the courtyard on either side, climbing two sets of stairs to reach the bedrooms. The girl seemed intent on her mission to guide me to my room, but I got lost in the length of the entire corridor to its end, looking over the doorway and facing the fountain and the courtyard below, it was a beautiful view for appreciate yourself.

The decorative pieces in the hallway, be it the small tables, the old-fashioned paintings, or even more of those huge vases, remind me a lot of complex and thoughtful craftsmanship, a lot of gold being exposed around as if it were commonplace. The painting of Goddesses in frames with a gilded frame and decorated with long curved strokes, made the back of my neck shiver when the girl called me softly, his voice echoing down the hall.

I hurried to catch up, stopping short as I saw the unique form of the woman in her shimmering gold fabrics, with no security surrounding her, she came from the side hall, looked over her shoulder directly menacingly at me clutching her scarf to her face. , and entered the last room in the corridor, slamming the door in a dry and singular way.

The girl who was on top of helping me looked embarrassed, me even more for all this misunderstanding.

“Your room is the second to last. Ma'am, I'm not allowed to go down this hallway. - She spoke awkwardly. I frowned, afraid of what I might overhear.

“Sorry if this is weird, but why can't you? – I asked immediately, looking at the length of the corridor immediately suspicious. The girl was anxious.

“Only the Lady who assists the dear highness can walk through it.

I think we have a mistake here.

"Why is my room here?" Will the others also come to this hall and floor?

The girl denied. I froze, looking back at the last closed door.

She will kill me.

I feel, this woman wants to kill me.

I must apologize again, I must give up on this, it's foolish... My mother would be right if I decided to give up and return to the States, it is obvious that Yale will not want to hire and keep me, making the efforts of the my last nine years are all in vain.

But this woman does not look good.

— Which rooms are occupied? – I asked trying to sound calm. The girl seemed very anxious, wanting to get out of there soon.

- Madam, this corridor belongs entirely to her highness, no one is authorized to disturb her here, just Normani your personal helper who should arrive in a few hours. I'm just following orders, you're in the penultimate room. – She spoke fast, too fast for me to consider it a good thing.

I was going to ask him again, but the echo of shoes in the hall made me shake my head and look over my shoulder. One of the security guards was coming towards us.

"Problems, Tawaba?" he asked loud and clear.

It wasn't for me.

How hostile...

— I'm coming, any further questions, ma'am? – She asked looking at me. I could see the fearful glint in her eyes. I shook my head, lowering my gaze to the hallway rug. I took an initial dubious step, feeling the security guard's eyes on me.

"I'll be at the end of this hall all day, if you dare bother the princess or I notice suspicious behavior involving you, consider yourself with many problems.

I didn't even look back upon hearing that man's deadly threat. I was too nauseous to face him, I just walked quickly to the penultimate door and went inside, slamming it shut behind me, squinting my eyes as I leaned against the door.

I need to tell this to Ursel.

Will they realize this isn't right, like bringing me to the side of their room and putting security down the hall for me? It's like a death strategy, I felt suffocated with so many clear threats.

All because of a damn handkerchief.

I set my bag aside on a chair, and walked through the sprawling room, looking ruefully at the huge bed with the gold sheets, the high gold canopy, so drawn in surrounding contours that it reminded me of the curve of beetles one over the other, the fabrics that flow through the canopy, designed with geometric outlines, gold and red. So splendorous is the display that it shelters for itself, it makes me sad to think that I couldn't take advantage of such a wealth of details because of a stupid handkerchief that aroused my reflection.

To the right of the room, I could see decorated mirrors on the wall above the table with a single chair and a Moroccan lamp so beautiful in the corner... I touched on every detail appreciating how beautiful it was, from the sophisticated and plush rug on the floor, to the ceiling golden, with arabesques and small lights fused to it. The cushions in the far left corner, with a small low table, the golden tray below tall glasses and the back of a space that served to lie down among cushions, to read and enjoy a good cup of tea.

It's beautiful.

That this princess hates me I don't doubt, but she seemed to make a great deal of exception by putting me in such a sophisticated room next to hers is breathtaking. In the center of the large room, an empty bathtub, its wooden material felt heavy, I looked at it wondering if this was how I would have to take a bath.

But my answer came from analyzing two doors near a kind of terrace. One opened into a medium-sized bathroom, with a full-size shower surrounded by glass walls, a toilet, the large sink, and various bath products placed in gold containers.

Gold and more gold, the dark tiles on the ceiling gave a sense of depth.

Three red robes hung on hooks, even that detail was not lost on me as I touched the golden hook and felt the relief and design of a snake against my thumb.

Try not to be intimidated, fail miserably.

He left, opening the other door and looking into some kind of dressing room, the hangers empty, the drawers closed, the mirrors on all sides. And it was there that I saw a drawing on a small board over one of the cupboards.

The woman had her mouth covered with a handkerchief, and her eyes reminded me of theirs.

It was about her.

She held a snake between her hands sitting on a chair surrounded by flowers. It wasn't more than I could see, it didn't reveal anything about her appearance, but it left a good message. It's impossible not to notice how powerful she is.

I closed the door behind me, walking aimlessly to push through the curtains and open the terrace doors, stepping stiffly into the sprawling room. shared with her room. I pressed my lips together thinking about turning back, but the doors to her terrace were closed, the curtains covering the glass.

If she wanted to, she could just open it, walk right across the terrace and knock down my terrace doors to kill me.

Perfect, no one can suspect.

I walked along the terrace, feeling the wind flow better up here, moving my hair as I walked between the beanbags in the corners, the unlit candles, more Moroccan lamps, low tables and rugs, a good outdoor space to think. I wonder if she has a habit of staying here.

I approached the edge, bracing my hands on the balcony. Breathtaking as you perfectly see the pyramids in the distance and the immense city of Cairo. The wind blowing the sand away, making the view even more magical.

I will never get another opportunity like this.

I took a deep breath, feeling the breeze touch my skin, I took the scarf off my neck and opened two buttons of my shirt, feeling the wind touch my skin in relief from so much heat before. Maybe that had become my favorite spot, I sat down on the cushions in the corner, letting my head rest comfortably against the wall.

I took the sneakers off my feet and closed my eyes, stepping below the covered part of the terrace. At some point I opened another button on my shirt, leaving it half open so that the wind in my loneliness could cool me, not thinking about anything but some lull that came over me, not remembering for a while that I was just there, in that room, for bad reasons.