Princess: Stepping Out of the Shadows, стр. 19

This is how one with bipolar problems behaves, I thought to myself. But I said nothing aloud, for I was not certain if Sara had confided this information to any other sister.

It was at this moment that the ninja girl who had accompanied Medina stumbled and pushed her way out of the room. For the first time, I noticed that her hand was holding tightly to a small black cloth bag. What was in that bag, I wondered.

I was mainly concerned with getting her out of our home. We did not know her identity and I was not pleased that she was running around freely in a palace filled with expensive items. She was an obvious burglar or she would not have accompanied Medina. Perhaps she was the mastermind, I suddenly thought.

‘Maha,’ I shouted, ‘please call security and have them find that girl and hold her.’

I looked at Amani. ‘Darling, go and find your father. Tell him he is needed.’

Medina’s hysterical sobs were growing louder with each passing moment. Sara and I quickly forgave her, but we were the only ones to react in sympathy.

Haifa telephoned Ali on her cell phone, telling him in a loud voice, ‘Ali! Brother! Come to Sultana’s now. You need to collect your daughter. Alert your medical staff to open your clinic. Medina has been injured while committing a crime.’ Ali, like many of the royals, has a personal team of doctors and nurses who operate a medical clinic in the grounds of his palace.

That’s when three of our male servants rushed into the room. They had heard the uproar and come to assist. Understanding that the family were not in danger, they began to sort out the room, lifting the stepladder and straightening the various pieces of furniture that had been displaced when Medina crashed to the floor.

I was shaken by the incident, realizing for the first time that Medina could have been seriously injured or killed had her head hit a hard object. Had that happened, it would have been a true tragedy.

Although Ali’s palace is located a full thirty-minute drive from our own, within a few minutes he arrived with two of his sons.

‘I am sorry, Father,’ Medina mumbled, while looking into his face. ‘I thought they would all be gone.’ Her voice was low, yet we all overheard her telling words.

Tahani asked the obvious question. ‘Ali, exactly where were you when Haifa called?’

Ali blushed red but refused to reply.

At this moment Sara’s eyes met my own and we both grasped an unwelcome truth. Ali had obviously been nearby, and he and his sons had been involved in the potential theft of Mother’s picture! They had been waiting near our palace to protect Medina and help her escape once she had the photograph in her hand.

Ali busied himself, focusing his attention on Medina. He lifted one of her arms and she screamed. ‘It is broken! Both my arms are broken!’

‘Who did this to you, daughter?’ my brother asked with an angry edge to his voice.

Medina looked at me with an evil gaze. Finally, she spoke her lies. ‘It was my cousin, Maha. I came into this room to enjoy a moment of quiet with my grandmother and I was attacked without reason by Maha. I believe she has broken both my arms.’ She paused before saying, ‘Maha really should be arrested for assault, Father.’

Medina was making fresh enemies every minute.

I stood aghast, thinking how it is that in a huge family such as ours only one or two members of that family can create complete lunacy that affects us all. I can find no words to describe my sorrow for the harm Ali and his family constantly create for me and my daughters.

My sister Sara stood to her feet, looking hard at Medina and then at Ali.

‘My brother, take your daughter and leave before I contact the police and have your daughter arrested.’

Sara turned upon Medina in exasperated scorn. ‘Medina, you are no longer my niece. Your lies are gaining momentum. Your lies are harming the reputation of innocent people. I will not stand for it. You tell your father the truth, that you were climbing a ladder to steal my mother’s photograph when you fell and broke your arms. Maha only became involved once you were discovered here.’

Haifa and Tahani gathered round Sara. Haifa told Ali, ‘Your daughter is lying. Your sisters are telling the truth.’

Tahani gazed sadly at Medina, who glowered back at her auntie. ‘Ali, brother, you need to spend some of your wealth on treatment for Medina. With the passing years, a troubled young girl has now become an intolerable delinquent.’

Ali’s lowered eyes watched everything with a look of gloomy suspicion. But he remained silent as he contemplated the multitude of sisters and nieces, recognizing that he was vastly outnumbered.

Ali motioned for his sons to help him lift Medina. The three of them carried her from my home without expressing a word of apology.

That’s when Kareem came rushing through the corridor and into the room.

‘Sultana! Amani told me that a theft was interrupted. What has happened?’ Kareem seized me by my shoulders as the pitch of his voice rose so high it was shrill. ‘Tell me now. Were you hurt? Was anyone hurt?’ Kareem paused, suddenly remembering his hobby. ‘Has someone stolen a part of my collection?’

‘Kareem,’ I replied, ‘put your mind at ease. Your family is safe, other than Medina, who has broken both arms.’ An expression of relief passed over Kareem’s face. ‘And,’ I added, ‘your collection has not been touched.’

Kareem smiled broadly. My husband truly believed that everyone valued his antiques just as he did.

I explained further, ‘Mother’s photograph remains untouched.’ Pointing to the stepladder, I said, ‘Medina was attempting once again to steal Mother’s picture. But she met with failure due to her own clumsiness. See …’ I gestured towards Mother’s picture, a smile coming to my face for the first time since Medina had