warrior's heart

Chapter 36

Assalamualaikum dearest readers, the chapter has not been edited, enjoy!!!!

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It had been a while now since Intisaar's arrival and to say Marliyyah was not irritated by her presence was saying the least. She absolutely disliked her presence in her home and much less near Nawfal. Her husband had been nothing but civil to his cousin but Intisaar was not just willing to understand his signs and stay away from him. Marliyyah knew she had to do something to keep the woman away from her husband before things got out of hand.

As she paced back and forth in her chambers, thinking of what to do, she suddenly stopped, her face alight with a smile as she thought of an idea.

"Nisreen! Nisreen! Habibti come here please!" She called, as she saw Nisreen running on the corridor towards the play ground Nawfal had had made for the children of the palace staff.

"Yes amtu?" Said Nisreen,looking up at Marliyyah with a smile.

"Can you do me a favour Habibti? Promise me it would be our little secret though?"

At the mention of the word secret, the little girl's face glowed with excitement at the thought of having a secret to share with the queen. She bobbed her head up and down quickly and listened intently as Marliyyah whispered in her ears.

"Will you help me?"

"Of course!" Said Nisreen happily. She turned around and ran, eager to carry out the duty that had been assigned to her diligently. Marliyyah smiled as she watched the little girl run. She could only imagine what it would be like to watch their daughter run like that. As though by reflex, she placed her hand gently on her stomach, wondering what it would be like to be pregnant with Nawfal's child.

Wait what? Nawfal's child?! Marliyyah! Where are your thoughts flying too? Come back to your sense this instant! She scolded herself, shaking her head vigorously.

She turned around and went to put the rest of her plans in motion.

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Nawfal and Marliyyah, disguised in simple clothes, walked through the busy streets of Heman hand in hand. They watched as the people bought and sold goods, others making mouth watering dishes, children playing with their laughter ringing in the air and could not help but smile at the cheerful atmosphere around them.

Nisreen had found Nawfal talking to the imam of the masjid and had ran up to him. Upon seeing her, he had picked her up, kissing both of her cheeks with a fonds mile on his face. The imam had kissed her little hands before leaving Nawfal, promising to continue their discussion, after Nisreen had made it clear that she would only state her business when they were alone. The imam had laughed and had then departed.

"Alright habibti, tell me, what is it?"

"Ya Sultan, amtu sent me to you, she said the matter is of utmost importance. She asked me to tell you to immediately go to your chambers and change into whatever you find there then meet her at the palace gate which is used by the people."

"And you remembered all of that information in with this little head of yours?"

"My head is not little", she said, scrunching her nose.

"Really? Then it is as big as a ball."

"A ball! No it is not! It is not so big and it is not small too, it is just normal, like that of an intelligent and pretty girl's."