SULTAN {Preview}

Meant Not To Be #ProjectNigeriaUC2017

"Accept what is, let go of what was and have faith in what will be"

                      ~~~

Dated 130years ago, Pawa Empire.

I have heard multiple tales of weddings that fail to take place, of men that reject their brides, of runaway brides, but never have I heard of a Prince that rejected a Princess, and little did I know that the first of that kind I would hear will be mine...

I was engaged to be married to my cousin Sultan. All was going on smoothly, only for me to wake up one morning to my father telling me our wedding had been cancelled, reason because, Sultan had fallen in love with another lady. Khairi!

"What they're saying Yaya Sultan... is it true?" I asked him, hoping for it to all be a dream.

"I'm sorry Batuul, it's true" he answered, not meeting my gaze.

I wanted to bore whatever was in my mind to him. To tell him how hurt I was, to ask him what wrong I did to deserve that, to tell him I will never forgive him. But instead, the only words that came out were,

"I hate you!"

He looked up shocked at my statement, but I didn't give him another chance to speak, with tears streaming down my eyes, I ran off, not wanting to hear wherever he had to say, because I know, whatever it may be will hurt.

I made for my chamber but on a second thought changed my mind and headed to the servants quarters instead. Khairi was the reason I'm in pain right now, and for that she also has to feel the pain along with me. I will not go down without a fight, and if at all I'm going down, we are doing so together.

I banged the door to their room open, there she was with another maid  Larai, who was applying henna on her hands. Henna to entice Yaya right? I see.

They were startled as they both stood up.

"Get out" I curtly dismissed Larai and turned around to face Khairi who flashed me a smile and just like that, fresh anger resurfaced in me and before I knew it, I pounced on her and started beating her.

I have never fought in my life, have always been a bully right from childhood, my victim was always Maryam my friend, whenever she got me angry, I beat her up and later on console her and we continued playing. I never apologize, I found it hard to, it wasn't in my nature to apologize. I tried my bullying on my brother Khalil a couple of times, until he was old enough to try to fight me back one day. I never bullied them again, for fear of losing, because again, it wasn't in my nature to lose!

But now that fear of being a loser was back and that doubled my anger to which I unleashed on Khairi. I never knew I had this much strength until today. Anyways they say anger brings out the strength in a person, because right now, I could not only beat Khalil, but ten more of his kind.

I was beating her, shouting, cursing. But she didn't bug, she didn't try to dodge the beating, she didn't even cry. She just stood there and let me beat her, she was calm, like the submissive servant she had always been. And that got me more frustrated, because instead, I was the one crying.

I never expected this from her of all people.

"You slave..witch..daugh...daughter of..of a nobody!" I stammered "How could you, how could you do this to me."

The fact that Khairi didn't show any sign of pain even though her nose was already bleeding and she had a fresh cut across her left eye angered me the more. Her now messed up henna, stained her clothes, mine too.

I flopped down in frustration, covered my face with my palms and cried my heart out. After awhile, I felt a gentle touch on my knee, followed by Khairi's voice, calm as ever.