Chapter Forty-Three

I spent the four days at sea watching my watcher. She fell in love rather quickly, and I knew I had to find a way for her to be free of her obligations to the Guild. They no longer affected only the assassins. I never realized how much the watchers gave up to do what they do. I felt for her. I knew once all was said and done, she would sacrifice her happiness to be with me, even though I was not the person she wanted to be with anymore. Angeline had found someone worthy enough to fall in love with. She deserved to finally be happy.

"Angeline?" I asked.

"Yes, Joselyn?"

"When we finish with finding Belle, would you like to stay with Captain Featherstone?"

"It doesn't matter what I want, silly girl. All that matters is my duty to the Guild and to you."

"It does matter though. You should be free to make your own decisions, not blindly obey the decisions of the Guild."

"Joselyn, when I was chosen for this, I understood I was giving up my freedoms. I wanted to help the world and through you I am," she replied, placing a hand on my arm.

"Don't you want to experience love? Have children? Have a home of your own? Not be someone's pretend handmaiden?"

"Joselyn, there is no place else in the world I'd rather be than with you."

"No place?" I asked, arching my brows at her.

"Okay. So maybe one place."

"And you should be free to be with him. He loves you as much as you love him."

"I've only known him for a week."

"Love at first sight."

She shook her head and walked away from me. She disappeared in the dark abyss of the ship's hull.

Poor Angeline.

"Land ho!" someone from the crow's nest above me shouted.

I spun on my heels, searching the horizon for any sign of wondrous land. Far in the distance, a tiny speck appeared. I could barely see it on the horizon. I almost thought it to be an illusion.

"Where is land?" I asked, placing my hands on either side of the rail at the bow of the ship.

"Yonder. In the distance. That small brown blob, which be land."

"That?"

"Aye, lass," the man tugging on a rope near me said.

"It'll take forever get there."

"You would be surprised at how fast it comes," he replied, tying the thick rope into an intricate knot.

"I suppose."

"Full sails!" Charles shouted from the ship's wheel.

I braced myself as the last sail was dropped and billowed out, catching in the wind. The ship sliced through the water heading for the brown speck which grew larger and large must faster than I thought it would.

As we drew nearer, I could make out a spire of one white-stone building jutting high into the sky. The blue domes of others grew from the beautiful sand. Palm trees dotted the cliffs and shoreline, their branches waving softly in the sea air. People bustled about with baskets of goods. The faint scent of spices and fish mixed in with the salty sea air once in the port. Camels strolled down the streets beside their handlers, large baskets of good hanging from their backs.

I couldn't believe everything I saw. I'd been to so many places around the world, yet none of them came close in comparison to the beauty of Constantinople.

Standing the end of the dock, a large processional waited. There were carriages, men, women, and one tall important-looking man. My gaze diverted from the enormous welcoming party to a small house that stood near a cliff overlooking the port town and sea. A small boy stood near a tree, holding tightly to the bark, watching as we came in. A woman I assumed to be his mother stood near the entrance to their small home, watching with a smile on her face. Her olive skin shone in the sunlight while a gust of wind blew away the scarf surrounding her face. Her wild, brown curls swirled up in the wind. She turned to chase the scarf as it blew across the plateau, the boy giving up his spot at the tree to help his mother. I could see him laugh and giggle as the chased the fabric across the sandy ground.

"That is King Suleiman," Cassius said, bringing me back to the procession in front of us.

"The ruler of the Turks?" I whispered.

Cassius nodded. There were so many women and children surrounded him.

"Who are all those people?" I asked.

"His wives and harem."

"Wives? How many does he have?" I asked.

"I don't even know anymore."

"That many?"

"Yeah."

"Wow."

The ship pulled up to the dock and the sailors lowered the gangplank.

Cassius climbed the few steps up and held out his hand for me. "Are you ready to be introduced?"

"Yeah, I think so."

We walked arm in arm toward the other king.

"Welcome! King Cassius of England!"

"Thank you, Suleiman, the Magnificent." He held out my hand for the man to kiss. "This is the Lady Joselyn of Suffolk. She joined me on my travels."

"Oh. Is she more than just Lady Joselyn?"

"Not quite." Cassius smiled over at me, kissing my cheek. He put on the good king show. Now I had to play the proper lady who was madly in love. Which wouldn't be hard.

Behind Suleiman stood a fair-skinned woman with piercing green eyes. Silky, smooth hair poked out from beneath the veil she wore. Her caftan was a beautiful shade of blue with the most remarkable jewels on it. Her veil a slightly lighter shade of blue covered part of her face but there was no mistaking her identity.

I stared at Belle.

My mouth hung open slightly as tears suddenly welled in eyes. I moved faster down the gangplank, but Cassius held onto my hand, holding me back from her.

"Not yet. She's obviously part of his harem. He is the one who her," he whispered, leaning into my hair.

"She's right there!"

I glanced over at Robert, his jaw clenched, and his fists balled near his hips. His lips were a tight, thin line. Robert saw Belle. As we got nearer to her I could see tears in her eyes. She recognized us!

"We couldn't be happier to be here."

"Let us return to my palace and celebrate your arrival!"

The men walked ahead of the rest of us. I slowed as the other women passed me.

"Belle!" I whispered as loudly as I dared.

She walked in silence, her eyes downcast.

"Answer me! Please!"

"Do not speak to her," a commanding voice behind me said.

I turned to see an older woman wearing a purple caftan and veil quickly approaching.

"I do as I wish."

"Do you know who I am?" she asked.

"No, and I don't care much. If you knew who I was you would hold your tongue," I snapped.

She huffed and breezed past me.

"Stop. You're causing trouble for me."

"Trouble? What are you talking about, Belle? I'm here to save you."

"Nobody can save me. I'm stuck here. He bought me. I belong here now."

"Wh..." I shook my head and walked away from her.

"What's wrong with her?" Robert asked.

"I can't even begin to imagine the horrors she's faced. She believes that she belongs here, and he owns her," I spat out, staring at the Turkish king.

"What?" Robert asked.

"Yes. I don't know what to do."

"We'll figure something out. The important thing is we know where she is. She won't be going anywhere," he said, glancing behind us.

"I suppose not. I still don't like her acting like this. It's not very Belle like. Her happiness is gone."

"For now. She'll be much better once we're back in England."

"If we can get her back." I leftRobert's side and returned to Cassius. I held tight to his arm as we approacheda beautiful golden coach pulled by a team of white horses.