I spent the night tossing and turning, afraid he might go and report me to my family, because it was clear he had no shame in reporting matters, since he had already reported me to Aunty.
When morning came safely, I took my bath and dressed up. I wore a long gown with double layers, something you could call Saudi‑style or even Dubai style. I left the house without even covering my head and headed to the rock area where I usually relaxed, and I stood there.
The time was just around eight in the morning, so I decided to forgive Mansura and the others who usually accompanied me. I didn’t even stop to eat breakfast. As I stood there, lost in thoughts about things I knew I would never get—thinking that Yarima must be angry about yesterday’s discussion and had decided to free me to go and marry Anwar—I raised my head toward the balcony of his room and saw him sitting on a chair with his legs placed on the table in front of him.
I turned away and climbed up the rock. After about fifteen minutes, I felt the urge to go into the small stream. I carefully stepped on the stones arranged in a line, inside the little forest where the water flowed. Those stones were safe to step on as long as you placed your feet firmly on them.
I immediately removed my shoes and slipped into the water, stepping gently from stone to stone. I stood there looking around until I spotted Faysal’s balcony. Just as I turned away with a click of my tongue, I saw a large snake heading toward where I stood, its head raised and hissing loudly in the water. I don’t even know when I stepped back in panic, screaming. In a short moment, it blocked my path, leaving me unable to move as I watched it hissing.
I closed my eyes and screamed repeatedly until my cries turned into calling Yarima’s name. It struck my leg, though I only felt numbness. I let out a sharp scream and opened my eyes to see Yarima Faysal running toward me with others behind him.
I kept shouting, “Snake! Snake!” I don’t remember him stepping on the stones; I only saw him running through the water. After that, everything became blurry, and I only heard people’s voices faintly. Then I felt myself being shaken as they called my name.
I felt myself being turned over on the ground, and I faintly heard Yarima shouting at them. I think he picked me up and ran, but after that, I knew nothing else.
Regaining Consciousness and Gentle Care
Slowly, I began to move my eyes as if trying to open them. While in that state, I heard Yarima calling my name, “Yasmin! Yasmin!” and I felt his hand on my forehead.
“She’s moving?” I heard someone ask.
“Yes, she’s moving her eyes.”
I stayed like that for about five minutes, unable to open my eyes, but I could hear everything. Then I felt something cold on my forehead, which helped ease the heaviness in my eyelids. When my eyes finally opened, the first person I saw was Faysal sitting beside the bed, placing that cold object on my forehead. He quickly dropped it, lifted my head, and hugged me tightly to his chest, letting out a deep sigh of relief.
“She’s awake,” he said. He laid me back down properly, adjusted my position, and kissed my forehead. People then started peeking in, greeting me, their eyes red as if from eye irritation.
I gradually recognized all their faces. The women were unfamiliar to me, but among the men, I recognized only a few close to him, no more than five. My housemaids were crying at that time.
After about fifteen minutes, everyone left. Yarima stood up, picked up his phone, and started making calls. He spoke calmly, informing them that I had regained consciousness and could recognize people. He asked them to come quickly. After finishing the calls, he turned and smiled at me.
He came back to sit beside me, moved closer, and gently stroked my hair, arranging it to the side. “Sannu,” he said softly. When I didn’t respond, he leaned closer.
“Yasmin, can you hear me?” I nodded slightly. He let out a relieved breath, closed his eyes briefly, then kissed my cheeks.
He slowly lifted the blanket covering my legs, and at that moment I remembered the snake bite. I tried to move my leg, but it felt stiff like stone. Watching closely, he gently lifted my leg and rubbed it softly.
“Is my leg dead, Yarima?” I asked weakly.
“It’s not dead. You’ll recover fully,” he said, kissing my hand. I felt deeply moved by his care.
He asked if I could eat. I shook my head, but he insisted I take something liquid. He went to get my toothbrush and returned quickly with it, along with water and a bowl. He arranged pillows behind me, helped me sit up, adjusted the blanket around my waist, and placed the bowl on my lap.
He held the cup to my mouth. “Rinse your mouth first.” I did, spitting into the bowl. I felt embarrassed seeing the reddish saliva and foam, but he showed no sign of disgust. He calmly gave me more water to rinse.
When he brought the toothbrush, I tried to take it, saying I could do it myself. He refused gently, insisting I rest. After a brief exchange, he finally handed it to me, trusting me. I brushed slowly, stopping to rest, until I was tired. He smiled, took it back, and finished for me.
He then asked the name of one of my maids. When I mentioned Mansura, he called her and instructed her to bring mango juice from the fridge. While she went, he took the items to the bathroom.
Soon after, Aunty came in, surprised and relieved to hear I was awake. She sat by my side, asking how I felt. I told her I felt better. She and Yarima stayed with me until I finished the mango juice, then she insisted Yarima go and freshen up.
Not long after he left, Mama arrived, greeting me warmly and explaining that the King was downstairs. Shortly after, she returned with the King himself. As soon as he entered, I saw his face filled with relief and happiness.
Description
Fear, the Snake Bite, and Losing Consciousness
I spent the night tossing and turning, afraid he might go and report me to my family, because it was clear he had no shame in reporting matters, since he had already reported me to Aunty.
When morning came safely, I took my bath and dressed up. I wore a long gown with double layers, something you could call Saudi‑style or even Dubai style. I left the house without even covering my head and headed to the rock area where I usually relaxed, and I stood there.
The time was just around eight in the morning, so I decided to forgive Mansura and the others who usually accompanied me. I didn’t even stop to eat breakfast. As I stood there, lost in thoughts about things I knew I would never get—thinking that Yarima must be angry about yesterday’s discussion and had decided to free me to go and marry Anwar—I raised my head toward the balcony of his room and saw him sitting on a chair with his legs placed on the table in front of him.
I turned away and climbed up the rock. After about fifteen minutes, I felt the urge to go into the small stream. I carefully stepped on the stones arranged in a line, inside the little forest where the water flowed. Those stones were safe to step on as long as you placed your feet firmly on them.
I immediately removed my shoes and slipped into the water, stepping gently from stone to stone. I stood there looking around until I spotted Faysal’s balcony. Just as I turned away with a click of my tongue, I saw a large snake heading toward where I stood, its head raised and hissing loudly in the water. I don’t even know when I stepped back in panic, screaming. In a short moment, it blocked my path, leaving me unable to move as I watched it hissing.
I closed my eyes and screamed repeatedly until my cries turned into calling Yarima’s name. It struck my leg, though I only felt numbness. I let out a sharp scream and opened my eyes to see Yarima Faysal running toward me with others behind him.
I kept shouting, “Snake! Snake!” I don’t remember him stepping on the stones; I only saw him running through the water. After that, everything became blurry, and I only heard people’s voices faintly. Then I felt myself being shaken as they called my name.
I felt myself being turned over on the ground, and I faintly heard Yarima shouting at them. I think he picked me up and ran, but after that, I knew nothing else.
Regaining Consciousness and Gentle Care
Slowly, I began to move my eyes as if trying to open them. While in that state, I heard Yarima calling my name, “Yasmin! Yasmin!” and I felt his hand on my forehead.
“She’s moving?” I heard someone ask.
“Yes, she’s moving her eyes.”
I stayed like that for about five minutes, unable to open my eyes, but I could hear everything. Then I felt something cold on my forehead, which helped ease the heaviness in my eyelids. When my eyes finally opened, the first person I saw was Faysal sitting beside the bed, placing that cold object on my forehead. He quickly dropped it, lifted my head, and hugged me tightly to his chest, letting out a deep sigh of relief.
“She’s awake,” he said. He laid me back down properly, adjusted my position, and kissed my forehead. People then started peeking in, greeting me, their eyes red as if from eye irritation.
I gradually recognized all their faces. The women were unfamiliar to me, but among the men, I recognized only a few close to him, no more than five. My housemaids were crying at that time.
After about fifteen minutes, everyone left. Yarima stood up, picked up his phone, and started making calls. He spoke calmly, informing them that I had regained consciousness and could recognize people. He asked them to come quickly. After finishing the calls, he turned and smiled at me.
He came back to sit beside me, moved closer, and gently stroked my hair, arranging it to the side. “Sannu,” he said softly. When I didn’t respond, he leaned closer.
“Yasmin, can you hear me?” I nodded slightly. He let out a relieved breath, closed his eyes briefly, then kissed my cheeks.
He slowly lifted the blanket covering my legs, and at that moment I remembered the snake bite. I tried to move my leg, but it felt stiff like stone. Watching closely, he gently lifted my leg and rubbed it softly.
“Is my leg dead, Yarima?” I asked weakly.
“It’s not dead. You’ll recover fully,” he said, kissing my hand. I felt deeply moved by his care.
He asked if I could eat. I shook my head, but he insisted I take something liquid. He went to get my toothbrush and returned quickly with it, along with water and a bowl. He arranged pillows behind me, helped me sit up, adjusted the blanket around my waist, and placed the bowl on my lap.
He held the cup to my mouth. “Rinse your mouth first.” I did, spitting into the bowl. I felt embarrassed seeing the reddish saliva and foam, but he showed no sign of disgust. He calmly gave me more water to rinse.
When he brought the toothbrush, I tried to take it, saying I could do it myself. He refused gently, insisting I rest. After a brief exchange, he finally handed it to me, trusting me. I brushed slowly, stopping to rest, until I was tired. He smiled, took it back, and finished for me.
He then asked the name of one of my maids. When I mentioned Mansura, he called her and instructed her to bring mango juice from the fridge. While she went, he took the items to the bathroom.
Soon after, Aunty came in, surprised and relieved to hear I was awake. She sat by my side, asking how I felt. I told her I felt better. She and Yarima stayed with me until I finished the mango juice, then she insisted Yarima go and freshen up.
Not long after he left, Mama arrived, greeting me warmly and explaining that the King was downstairs. Shortly after, she returned with the King himself. As soon as he entered, I saw his face filled with relief and happiness.