Virago | 2018 Wattys Shortlist

six: part three

S I X

Yraqia,
2021

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ROYAL WEDDINGS Law 1 of 25 (1818)

Once The King has chosen a suitable wife, a courting period must be initiated from three to twelve months wherein The King and his bride-to-be may not lie together. They must instead, have a steadfast hold on their purity until the time comes for them to be consummated in the eyes of Allah and The Powers of The Kingdom.

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Hadassah Sarfati had never imagined that love was in the cards for her life. She'd never envisioned herself having a significant other, or getting married. She'd never even had a mere crush on anyone and she knew for a fact that no one had ever found her to be swoon worthy.

But now, two months after the night she'd spent in Queen Nura's chambers, Hadassah Sarfati was certain that she was dizzyingly in love. It was an odd, full sensation that filled the space in between her skin and bones with little stars every time she breathed.

All of the prospective candidates had been moved from the penthouses to the harem. They were under the care of Shaasgaz while they awaited the announcement of the woman the queen had chosen to be her wife. The announcement was set to be made two days after New Years'.

There was no guarantee that Queen Nura would choose Hadassah but the girl was hopeful. She could feel it in her spirit that the intimacy that they'd shared had been far too special to be one-sided.

Hadassah had spent the past sixty days waiting on announcement that was going to change her life, whatever the outcome was.

If she was chosen to be queen, then she'd spend the rest of her days with a woman she deeply loved, one with a heart made of rubies and tulips and a gentle wisdom that would bring Kediakin to higher glories.

If she wasn't chosen to be queen, she'd be financially secured for the rest of her life. The Queen was prepared to fund every prospective who desired to further their education through university and had job posts available in all the corners of the world and in every calibre.

It was the most liberating thing Queen Nura could've done for the candidates.

It would benefit Hadassah and Mordecai because she'd finally be able to repay him for all he had done for her and the stretch to month-end would never plague them ever again.

She prayed every day for Yahweh to prepare her heart for whichever outcome became her portion because she was certain that whatever happened would be by His divine purpose.

Although in her hearts-of-hearts she wanted nothing more than to love and be loved by the Queen, if Yahweh had chosen a different path for her, she wanted to accept it graciously and do the best that she could to continue to grow and prosper.

The candidates no longer had any formal classes or beauty treatment options in the harem. They all lived in suspense, needing to find their own means to keep themselves busty until the day came. Hadassah used that time to read more books, exercise and pray.

Then, New Years' Day arrived and the candidates were allowed out of the harem and celebrated the first dawn of 2021 in the desert that lapped at the palace gates.

Large tents of red had been set up as well as a large display of fireworks. The girls had been served platters upon platters of halaal food while the latest pop contemporary music blasted through the speakers.