Eternal Love (MewGulf AU)

🌻Chapter 29

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The next day,  Aisha told Gulf that Yaya was going back to her parents house.  He assumed that the decision was related to what happened the night before, but it turned out that she had been planning to go for a while.

"She'll be staying for a week," the old woman explained. "It's her father's birthday."

It had been a year since Yaya had last been home.

Then Aisha said a name Gulf never expected to hear.

"The entire family will be gathering there. Last year, Lord AA was abroad, so he couldn't attend, but this year he said that he'll come."

"AA?" he echoed.

This as the first time that Gulf had heard of AA and Yaya being cousins. Unlike Mew and AA, AA and Yaya were not related by blood. It was nearly impossible for Gulf t\o understand the family structures on Madina society, since it allowed a man to take up to four wives.

'If you arun into any trouble, feel free to come by, I might be able to help you.'

He remembered what AA had told him when they'd last seen each other. He was Mew's cousin, second in line for the throne. If there was anyone in this country who could send Gulf back to Thailand other than Mew, it would be AA.

AA seemed to frequent to Ziyard brothel, and have some connection with Kadim, who ran it. But it had been thanks to AA's presence that Gulf had been spared. Even Mew had acknowledged AA's role.

AA would be a good bet..

Gulf felt desperate enough to grab at any opportunity he could find.

"Would you ask Yaya if I could accompany her?" he asked Aisha.

It was a harmless request. But if Yaya did allow it, Gulf could leave the women's quarters. Neither Yaya, betrothed to Mew, nor AA of the royal family, can welcome the idea of Gulf staying in Madina indefinitely.

If he explained the situation to Yaya and told her that he wanted to go back to Thailand, she would probably help him. His confidence in this fact motivated him to ask Aisha, though he knew it was risky.

"I would never break a promise to Prince Mew!" the old nurse exclaimed, not wanting to go along with the request. Even though she found Gulf's presence here offensive, she wasn't going to be easy to convince. Thanks to her promise with Mew.

"I don't want to trouble you. I'll just tie you up and force my way out," Gulf warned.

"...That deesn't scare me," Aisha retorted.

She resisted for a long time, but in the end, she agreed to help. She was just going to act as if she didn't know what Gulf was planning.

"If I go back to Thailand, Mew will snap out of this delusion," Gulf said desperately.

This was the argument that seemed to settle the matter for her. Aisha popped out of the room and when she came back, Yaya was with her.

The young woman let out a small shriek when he saw Gulf. She was shocked that a man was in the women's quarters, and a little scared.

"What...is going on here? Who is this man?" she asked, hiding behind Aisha.

Aisha's mouth turned down sadly. "I apologize. Please forgive me for my part in this."

The old woman didn't try to explain. All she said was apologize again and again, tears forming in her eyes. This seemed to communicate everything to Yaya.

"You were a man the whole time?" Yaya said in wonder.

As a member of the royal family, she wouldn't allow herself to carry on excessively. When her surprise had dissipated, she grew curious instead. She left Aisha's side and drew closer to Gulf. Perhaps she had decided that there was no longer any reason to fight Mew's mistress, since he was a foreign man.

"What do you want with me then?" she asked.

"I have a request."

And Gulf explained why he had to go back to Thailand, and that he needed AA's help to do it.

"AA?" Yaya's face was unreadable. Her eyes probed this. "Why him?"

"I believe that AA can tell me how to get back to Thailand," he replied.

He knew he was putting too much hope in AA, whom he'd only met once. But he couldn't think of any other options, so he didn't have much choice.

What would become of him if he continued on like this in the women's quarters? He struggled to imagine an outcome that would be even slightly positive, but nothing suggested itself. If his relationship with Mew continued in this isolated, barren place, the future would offer him nothing but oblivion. Their relationship could not continue. He was just counting the days until its demise, so it was better to kill it now, by his own hand.

"You mean you've met AA?" Yaya asked, her face tense.

"Yes. Once." There was no need to tell her that it had been at the Ziyard brothel. "He told me that if I needed help, I should come and see him."

The young woman blinked her eyes, and took a small breath. "Did he look well?"

"Yes."

"I see."

Yaya didn't seem to notice herself, but when she said AA's name there was a hint of apprehension in her voice. Was there a history between them? Maybe Gulf shouldn't have asked her to help after all.

But he didn't feel he could ask further about it, so he simply awaited her answer.

It didn't take her long to decide. "All right," she said. "You'll take the place of one of my attendants. You're a master of cross-dressing by now, I would imagine."

Shame welled up in him. The reason for Yaya's hatred was obvious. He could do nothing but accept her insult.

"Thank you for your help," he whispered.

"Don't get the wrong idea," the young woman replied. "I'm not doing this for you. I could just refuse, but I don't hate you either. I don't know you well enough for that. I'm helping you because sending you back to your country is in our best interests too. You probably don't know why that is. But you don't understand Madina or its people."

"Yaya..." Gulf faltered.

She was a strong woman, and motivated by justice. She was well-suited for Mew. The people of Madina would surely embrace her as their queen. She would be better for Mew.

Gulf nodded silently.

TBC