thought of
many ways to say the words out loud. “I am sorry, Sadie. I love
you…” Every one of them started with the same sentence. How to say
them? What to do? “Jamal,” Reyhan spoke out his heart, “Tell Humar
to start preparing my luggage. I am leaving for Sehar tomorrow
morning,” “Love does crazy things to your head, doesn’t it?” Jamal
sighed and smiled, “that photo’s that you showed me…do you know who
that person is?” Jamal questioned, “No,” he shook his head. “He is
late Prince Kareem of Sehar, Reyhan. The only brother to the three
princesses. At least, you should have asked someone before
connecting the affair to her dead brother!” “Prince Kareem?” Reyhan
murmured and was frozen on the spot. God, why doesn’t he hang
himself somewhere? “Kareem died of cancer on his
13 th birthday, your highness” Jamal continued, “How do you know so
much?” “I keep myself updated,” Jamal said without showing him the
other side of his.
Someday he will tell him
how!
************
“ Sadie,” Shara came running
to her side and Sadhiya looked up from the book she was reading.
This was all she could do these days. Shara and Noor had forbidden
any sort of work for her in these days. “What is it?” she
straightened, “It’s Reyhan.” The name ignited the very reaction
Shara wanted to see. “Reyhan! What happened to him?” Sadhiya’s
entire light mood vanished.
“ Nothing,” Shara laughed and
grasped her hand; “He is here.” “Reyhan is here!” Sadie gasped and
both of them turned when someone knocked on the door, “May I come
in?” “Come in,” Shara said. It was Noor! “Hey, Noorie” Shara
laughed as she came inside. But Sadhiya was looking at the person
behind her. Clear grey eyes zeroed on her face. The power and the
authority of the ruler spiked off the person and engulfed her.
“Reyhan!” Her breath left her lungs as she stared at him. He was
here, after all! “Sadhiya,” he acknowledged her, “Greetings, your
highness” she bowed her head. Of course, something’s are meant to
be kept private.
**********
One week had passed in his persuasion
of hers and all Reyhan had succeeded in was…well! Nothing! Not once
had Sadhiya looked at his face. She just had been doing the normal
formality of a courtly courtesy. So many times he had apologized
for his doing but all she had replied was…again,
nothing!
**********
It was Sadhiya’s birthday. King and
queen had organized big banquet for the occasion. They were
delighted of the fact that soon, a grandson/ granddaughter would
enter their world. Sadhiya wanted the child to be healthy that’s
it. She was not choosy about the gender. “Ladies and Gentlemen”
Shara’s voice boomed across the hall as she spoke on the
microphone. “Today, on this beautiful occasion of Sadie’s birthday,
I would like to wish Sadie many happy returns of the day and hope,
my nephew or niece enters the world soon,” Slight swell of Sadie’s
belly was visible to everyone. She smiled at the announcement and
Noor clapped by her side. Thank you, she mouthed the words and blew
a flying kiss to her sister. “Now before, all of us are taken by
the charm of the night. Sultan Reyhan of Buktsar would like to say
something to all of you and especially,” she looked at Sadhiya, “To
you Sadie,” Smiled wiped from Sadhiya’s face as she stared towards
the stage. Hall erupted with cheers, laughs and guffaws as Reyhan
took the stage for himself. “Thank you Shara for this occasion and
to all of you. Today, I would like to confess something which I had
never done before. Some years back, while on an adventurous trip to
Gestalt’s Ice-skiing, I met with an accident. Fortunately, I was
saved and nothing major happened apart from the thing that some
doctor, mistakenly, exchanged someone else’s report with mine in
which it said that my fertility was affected. In other words, I was
reported to be an impotent.” Loud gasps followed his