#dariya

A Re-Introduction to Fury’s Reign | Characters of Kasim’s POV

Princess Dariya Ja’ Haddad of Nitheria

[Extract from Kasim II]

The guard shook his head but fought it no longer. He turned to Kasim.

“Return the Princess to her chambers if you will, Sir. She must dress for her brother’s coronation, and peasant’s clothes will not do.”

Kasim nodded. The Princess looked less than impressed.

“I’m sorry, I didn’t realise I’ve never once stepped foot in this palace before and couldn’t possibly know the way to my own rooms,” she argued, her arms folded across her chest.

The guard wasn’t biting. “Your brother’s orders,” he said curtly, “Sir Kasim here is to be your escort from today on. He’ll be here to keep you safe.”

Princess Dariya scoffed.

“And to warm my bed as well, is that it?”

Colour flushed to Kasim’s cheeks and his stomach dropped. That wasn’t the agreement at all. His nerves jumped at the prospect of having to court the Princess. Then he reminded himself that he was a man of common blood; no princess of any sane mind would have him.

“Your Grace, I assure you,” he said carefully, speaking for the first time since he’d removed her hood, “I am not here for anything other than your protection. You need not fear—”

“Fear?” the Princess interrupted him. “I do not fear you of anything. If you ever sought to put a hand on me, I’d kill you myself.”

Kasim was almost taken aback.

“Well, then it is a good thing for me that I do not ever intend to do so.”

The Princess regarded him for a moment, then sighed.

“Fine then,” she huffed, “you may accompany me. Though try not to fall behind, I will not stop for you.”

Kasim fell into step behind her as she walked back into the palace. He thought it’d be an easy task. He thought wrong.

Princess Dariya seemed determined to make his job as difficult as possible. She walked fast, and every now and again would suddenly disappear down a new hallway or vanish into a room and shut the door in his face. It wasn’t long before he felt his temper begin to fray. He bit his tongue and opened the latest door she’d shut herself behind, this time leading into an expansive library. Dariya smirked when he found her, and returned back into the corridor with a heavy tome in her arms. Kasim held the door open until she’d passed through, then let it shut. She immediately pressed the book into his chest.

“Carry this for me, good Sir. It is far too heavy for my weak and womanly arms,” she said, exaggerating her point by holding up her left arm and letting her wrist flop. Then she took off with a skip and forced Kasim to hold his complaints and hurry after her.

Eventually, they climbed a staircase that led to her chamber. Kasim could barely suppress a sigh of relief as she pulled a key from her cloak and unlocked the door. His arms ached from the weight of the book, and sweat rolled down his forehead. The Princess, on the other hand, looked far more put together—as though she’d simply been for a leisurely walk rather than a ceaseless pursuit throughout the entire palace.

“Thank you.” She took the book from his arms. “I must change. You can wait here.”

Then she shut the door in his face. Again.

@mynameisanakin