The Rightful Queen

Forty-six

 He didn't understand what the thought of losing him did to me. He was the only one I had left. Well, I also had Mayan and Feras, but he was different. He was my everything. His existence brought joy to my heart. He didn't have to do anything to make me happy. The simple gesture of holding me in his embrace was enough to relieve me of any pain.

If Hood found out about the papers Zain signed, he would kill him in a heartbeat. He would do anything to see me on the throne. I was beginning to think that he only wanted to see me on the throne, then he would eventually kill me to take the throne for himself.

I wanted to tell Zain who I truly was, but I didn't know how to tell him that. I didn't know how to tell him that the girl he loved was not who he thought she was. How was I supposed to tell him that I was the lost princess he often thought about? How would I tell him without losing him? I was trapped and I didn't know how to get out of that problem. Was he ever going to forgive me for lying to him? I didn't have a choice, but I didn't think that he would understand that.

Did I need to let go of who I truly was? Would I be able to forget my parents and what had happened to them? Did I want to forget?

Truthfully, I didn't want to forget anything and a part of me wanted to avenge them, but from whom? From Zain, the only person who truly loved me after I lost the ones who loved me the most? He wasn't the culprit. He didn't do anything wrong. He was also a victim of his father.

But forgetting my true identity meant wiping my parents too and I didn't want that. I wanted them to be proud of me. I wanted them to see me on the throne as Sedra Orman, not Nuriya Al-Jazi.

This inner conflict was going to be the death of me. I didn't know how to put an end to that misery.

After spending some time with Mayan, who was incredibly excited because of her date with Feras, I went to my chambers to get ready. Indeed, I found a commoner's outfit waiting for me there. It was similar to the one I wore before, but the colours were different. I loved the pastel green skirt and the white top a lot.

When it was time, Zain came to my chambers and escorted me to his chambers.

"I didn't find a hair scarf this time," I told him once we were inside his chambers.

"You didn't know how to put it last time, so let me put it for you," he said, taking a yellow scarf out of his pocket. Gently, he fixed my hair and placed the scarf over my head.

"I lied," I whispered, looking at him. He looked at me in confusion, waiting for me to continue. "I know how to put a hair scarf on. I just wanted any excuse for you to get close to me," I admitted. I wasn't lying. I did want him to get closer to me at that time. Although my motives weren't innocent, everything was different now.

"You sneaky little thing," he murmured, letting his hands fall to my waist as his lips met mine. Would he still kiss me if he found out the truth?

"I guess I've always considered you irresistible," I mumbled, placing both of my arms around his neck.

"I'm flattered, my queen." He gave me a little twirl as he picked me up in his arms, making me squeal. "Now, let me show you the way out." He took me by surprise.

"You're not going to blindfold me?" I wondered as he set me down.

"Of course not." He shook his head. "You're my fiancée and you're going to be my wife soon. You need to know everything about this palace," he said. Guilt was eating me alive. He was so good to me. I didn't deserve him.

"There are tunnels in this palace. They're all over the palace. I didn't dig them and neither did my father," he told me as he pushed aside the tapestry behind his bed. The wall seemed normal from afar and even at a nearer distance, but once he pushed it from a certain place, it revealed a hidden door. "I believe the original princess escaped through these tunnels during the massacre," he said, taking my hand in his as the two of us descended the narrow stairs.

"What would you do if this princess appeared?" I couldn't help but ask. Knowing Zain, he wouldn't be able to hurt her. It wasn't in his nature. He was better than that.

"I don't know," he admitted.

"Would you... would you kill her?" The words were heavy on my tongue.

"No," he immediately answered. "I'm certain she would want to see me dead." No, she would never want that. "But I would do my best to resort to diplomacy. She was a victim. She was stripped of her life and her parents, but I would do whatever it takes me to absorb her anger."

Again, I didn't deserve him. I sometimes found myself wishing that he was a heartless monster instead, but he wasn't. He was perfect and I was stained with malice and venom.

"If you feel you're going to get a panic attack, warn me," he told me, giving my hand a light squeeze.

"I'm fine," I smiled a little at him before kissing his cheek.

I didn't know for how long we kept walking, but I did notice how Zain did his best to distract me, not letting my mind take me to any dark place. He tried to keep me busy, fearing that I might panic again. This time wasn't as scary as the last one. Yes, dark memories tainted my mind, but all I did was look at his face and listen to his voice and all my demons disappeared.

Finally, we exited the tunnels and I found myself in the same spot we were at the last time. The door was literally in the ground, hidden beneath the grass and the bushes.

"Are you sure nobody else knows anything about these tunnels?" I wondered, looking at him as we ambled in the woods.

"Feras knows," he replied. I trusted Feras. "My father's army general was the one who found out about them and he told my father once he found them. I don't think he told anybody else. This man is dead and so is my father. I believe my father didn't tell anybody else about them but me. I think they haven't been used by anyone other than me."

"Good," I nodded. I wanted to ensure his safety.

"As much as I like how protective you are, I sometimes feel that you worry a lot," he pointed out.

I didn't have time to answer him. Everything happened so fast that neither of us had the chance to react.

Somebody snatched me from behind and another two did the same with Zain.

"Would you like to tell him why you're always paranoid, Sedra?" Hood was the one holding me. I knew it from his voice.

"What the hell do you think you're doing and who's Sedra? Let her go!" Zain struggled in the arms of the men holding him. One of them punched him and I struggled more in Hood's arms.

"Let me go! Don't hurt him!" I yelped as Hood grabbed me by the hair. He was fast that he handcuffed my hands behind my back before I could react.

"Didn't she tell you who she really is?" Hood chuckled. "Her name isn't Nuriya Al-Jazi. This is Sedra Orman, the rightful heir to the Vinadrian throne." Shock was written all over Zain's face. "I'm not her father. I'm in fact her uncle and my name is Hood Orman. You, King Zain, fell into her trap."

Shock paralyzed him.

"Zain... it's not what it looks like," I sniffed, trying to get him to look at me.

"Spare us the drama," Hood muttered and within seconds, one of the men smacked Zain hard on his head with something that he fell unconscious. I cried out upon seeing him motionless on the ground and soon, Hood threw me beside him. I looked up at the two men who were holding him and gulped. They were huge, a lot taller than him, and broader.

"Are you going to kill us?" I addressed Hood. My heart was shaking in my chest. I knew how pointless it was, but I did my best to keep Hood away from Zain by using my own body as a shield.

"I will surely kill him. As for you," I watch as one of the two bulky men handed him a short metal pole. "I'm not sure yet what I'm going to do with you." That was the last thing I heard before the metal pole met my head and everything turned black afterwards. 

________________________________________________________________________________

Sh*t just got real😏😏

Brace for impact!

Published on September 7th, 2022

Sara