Marrying The King Was Never Her Dream | Book 2

Chapter 2

| Chapter 2 |

The Imperial Palace,
Suman,
Runaria.

Malik

The war room is quiet as Emperor Malik thinks about his options. Things can't be going this way. They should be working out.

"Your Majesty," Hamza, his military commander starts. "The walls of Meron are too powerful to be conquered by human force only. Doing so, would mean risking the lives of our soldiers."

He grits his teeth in frustration. "You forget, Hamza, he who holds Meron, will be the ruler of the world."

"But you already own the world, Sulsar (Emperor)," Faris replies.

"I don't own Meron and Meron commands the world, rightfully so."

Despite knowing what his two most trusted commanders are saying is true, he has no idea how the tackle the issue at hand. Does he sacrifice the lives of his soldiers for Meron or should he find another way to make the gates of the legendary walled city open for him?

"What do our spies say?" he asks them instead.

"They say that the Meronian army though not as plentiful as ours, is just as strong and with those 800 year old walls, there can be no defeating them. Twenty-three armies have failed to take the legendary city, Sulsar. They say our only hope is to find a way through the inside."

He looks at the commander of his army, Hamza. He is almost as fierce as the one he was named after. The lion of Allah. He was very tall, almost as tall as Malik, with dark hair, proud, hardened face and stern eyes. Most if not all find him intimidating. Except for his closest friends, Malik and Faris.

"Isn't that what they were tasked to do?" he asks. He doesn't respond nor was he meant to. "Tell them they have seven days to find a way from the inside or I will find other people who can."

"Yes, Your Majesty."

"Prepare a journey to Jamya, the closest city to Meron. We leave at dawn," he says and dismisses them with a wave of his right hand.

Hamza leaves, Faris stays back.

"What is it, Faris?"

"You should calm down, Sulsar," he says. "The world is all yours. Meron will surely be yours too if you think properly and calm down."

He doesn't hesitate to give him a look that shuts him up. He knows not to cross his boundaries. He bows his head as he think. "Forgive me, my Emperor."

Malik's hand subconsciously goes to brush the hilt of his father's dagger, now his. What would Kawu Fahad do? He laughs. He wold have given up like he already did. But Malik won't accept defeat like him. He won't fail his people and he won't lead them to their demise like he would have done.

Malik can't show them that he's like him. He will never be like him. He needs to find another way.

"Rise," he says to Faris. "I'm trusting you to find a way to capture Meron from the inside."

"I won't fail you, Sulsar," he promises before leaving.

I will conquer the red apple, if it is the last thing I do.