Aliyah
The older, distinguished gentleman was reclined in an armchair reading a broadsheet.
“Aliyah, where are you going?” demanded the man as he peered over his newspaper and looked at the finely dressed young lady walking towards the door.
“I’m off to do some shopping Daddy,” she replied, “I need to get some jewellery for the party tonight.”
“OK, Marty is going with you, isn’t he?”
“Father, I’m 23, I don’t need a chaperone. I’m only going to Hanson’s in Belgravia.”
“I’ll decide whether you need to be accompanied, not you. I cannot risk you going out without an escort. There are bad people out there just looking to kidnap a princess like you for ransom.”
“Oh don’t be so dramatic father.”
“I’m not dramatic, I’m a realist; if Marty is not going then I’m afraid that they’ll be no shopping trip. That’s my final word on the matter.”
*
A well-built man wearing a black suit stepped out of the passenger side of the black Mercedes and into the bright sunlight. Peering through his sunglasses, he surveilled the area. Happy that nothing was amiss he moved to the back of the car and opened the rear door.
“Thanks, Marty, “ Aliyah said to the man.
“My pleasure, Miss Aliyah,” he replied closing the car door and walking briskly towards the shop door. He looked inside the shop and convinced himself that all was well before swinging the door open and allowing his charge to enter.
Aliyah looked around at the familiar surroundings, she had been coming to Hanson’s ever since her father had taken her there to choose something for her sixteenth birthday.
A brown-haired woman in her early thirties wandered over and greeted Aliyah. “Welcome to Hanson’s, your highness.”
“Oh hello Martha, how are you today?”
“I’m fine and you?” she responded in a pleasant tone.
“I’m well, thanks. So what have you got for me?” she eagerly inquired.
“Why don’t you come through to my office and I can show you what I’ve designed.”
*
Aliyah was seated in front of the mahogany desk when the office door opened. The noise attracted Marty’s attention and he turned towards the sound instinctively forming an offensive posture. Martha walked through the door carrying a green, leather-bound box; Marty relaxed his guard. Martha walked over to the desk and carefully placed the box in front of Aliyah. She sat down in her chair and flipped open the lid to reveal a silver, emerald and diamond-encrusted necklace.
“I designed this piece just for you,” Martha said to Aliyah. “Put it on, it will look great on you.”
“Sure,” she replied apprehensively. She took the necklace into her hands and said “Marty, would you mind helping me?” As she was speaking, she gave a little wink to Martha. Marty walked over and Aliyah passed him the necklace whilst she lifted her mousey coloured hair from her neck.
“If you’d be so kind,” she said.
Marty reached around the princess’ neck with the chain, his large hands struggled with the delicate clasp. After a few failed attempts, he finally managed to close it and he gently lowered it into place.
“Thanks,” she said as she stood up and walked over to the full-length mirror that hung on the wall to her left.
Aliyah turned and looked at Martha and said, “What do you think?”
“It looks fabulous on you. The emeralds really complement your green eyes.”
“You think so? I do too, it’s gorgeous; I’m going to take it. I can’t wait to wear it at tonight’s party.”
*
The young lady walked gracefully into the ballroom, her pale dress fluttered with each step. The throng of people in the room below looked in her direction captivated by her beauty. An older man stood at the entrance dressed in a black tuxedo and said, “Ah Aliyah, there you are. You look radiant tonight, that necklace is beautiful.”
Blushing, she gave him a gentle peck on the cheek and said, “Thanks daddy, I bought it today.”
From across the room, a dark-haired man in a cheap suit eyed the princess intently. He too had seen her beauty. A beauty that he thought was enhanced all the more by those diamonds and emeralds.
*
Aliyah awoke later than normal, she still felt tired and groggy. She stepped out of bed and padded over to the curtains. Grabbing both sides, she gently pulled them apart. A dull light entered the room. She peered outside and was met with a grey, overcast sky; it was drizzling. She caught a reflection of herself in the window, “My hair’s a mess,” she thought. “Where’s my brush?”
As she walked over to her dressing table to find it, she suddenly stopped and looked at the dresser top in horror; the green, leather-bound box had gone. It was not where she had left it the night before. Frantically, she got down on her hands and knees and proceeded to scramble around on the floor beneath, searching, but she found nothing; it had disappeared.