Sheikh And The Princess 1 (4 page)

*****

Everything in Sehar was, as it always
was. Only difference was, Sadhiya had lost the charm of place the
day she got married. Marriage, she smirked, it was a farce now. It
had been one week since her arrival here and everyone thought that
she is here for a limited time, in other words, she is visiting her
parent’s after the marriage. She wanted to cry out her agony to the
entire world. Who will listen? Who will care? She was not at all
worried about herself. It was the unborn child which held her
tension at the time. What will happen to this new life? When he/she
will open its eye in the new world, how in the heaven, will she
answer its questions? Well, time will tell. What should she do?
Apart from Shara, no one knew of her misery. Shara had cried along
with her and has consoled her. “Sehar will always remain your home,
Sadie” she had said, “I will talk to Sultan, if you want me to”
“No,” Sadhiya had to stop her, “He doesn’t want me to. He cares for
no one, Shara. I know Reyhan very well.” “Why didn’t you tell me
anything about your condition?” she questioned her, “there was
nothing to tell,” Sadhiya wiped her cheeks again. “But, infidel?”
Shara’s voice had gone one pitch higher, “How dare he…” “Shara,
mind your language. He is still your brother-in-law” “The hell he
is,” cursing under her breath, as she caught Sadie’s eye she
apologized, “How is baby doing?” Sadhiya smiled, “Fine,”

*******

Reyhan’s head was in between
his palms as Doctor Qashid read his latest medical report. Qashid
had a small satisfactory smile on his face as he ended the report.
“Everything is fine, Sire” “About his previous reports?” Jamal
questioned, “It seems, as if, the previous doctor made some mistake
where fertility is concerned. Everything is fine and you are
perfectly healthy.” “But, previous check up was also done in your
clinic, doctor” Reyhan asked, “About that, let me ask from my
fellow colleagues, Sire. As soon as anything is reported, I will
tell you about it. But for now, you have good health and yes, you
can produce hundred sons and daughter, if you want” Qashid winked
at them. Jamal had a small smile playing near his mouth. Reyhan, he
looked almost on the verge of fainting. He was normal. He was not
an impotent. A small doctoral medical report had ended his love
life so easily. Love, yes, he loved Sadhiya! And the realization
hit him hard when she left him. At the time when he should be near
her, he abandoned her and left her on the mercy of her parent’s. “I
am an ass,” he muttered as both of them left the clinic, “You can
say that again,” Jamal muttered and almost kicked his back in
frustration. Seriously, man needs some sort of love classes where
his own love life was concerned. Without concerning anyone, he left
that innocent girl and his first baby to her paternal home. “What
should I do Jamal?” Reyhan turned to him, “Apologize,” “She will
never listen. I know Sadhiya, she is too stubborn” “Well, you
deserve that,” Jamal huffed a sigh. “I know,” Reyhan thought of
many ways to say the words out loud. “I am sorry, Sadie. I love
you…” Every one of them started with the same sentence. How to say
them? What to do? “Jamal,” Reyhan spoke out his heart, “Tell Humar
to start preparing my luggage. I am leaving for Sehar tomorrow
morning,” “Love does crazy things to your head, doesn’t it?” Jamal
sighed and smiled, “that photo’s that you showed me…do you know who
that person is?” Jamal questioned, “No,” he shook his head. “He is
late Prince Kareem of Sehar, Reyhan. The only brother to the three
princesses. At least, you should have asked someone before
connecting the affair to her dead brother!” “Prince Kareem?” Reyhan
murmured and was frozen on the spot. God, why doesn’t he hang
himself somewhere? “Kareem died of cancer on his
13
^th
birthday, your highness” Jamal continued, “How do you know so
much?” “I keep myself updated,” Jamal said without showing him the
other side of his.

Someday he will tell him
how!

************

“
Sadie,” Shara came running
to her side and Sadhiya looked up from the book she was reading.
This was all she could do these days. Shara and Noor had forbidden
any sort of work for her in these days. “What is it?” she
straightened, “It’s Reyhan.” The name ignited the very reaction
Shara wanted to see. “Reyhan! What happened to him?” Sadhiya’s
entire light mood vanished.

“
Nothing,” Shara laughed and
grasped her hand; “He is here.” “Reyhan is here!” Sadie gasped and
both of them turned when someone knocked on the door, “May I come
in?” “Come in,” Shara said. It was Noor! “Hey, Noorie” Shara
laughed as she came inside. But Sadhiya was looking at the person
behind her. Clear grey eyes zeroed on her face. The power and the
authority of the ruler spiked off the person and engulfed her.
“Reyhan!” Her breath left her lungs as she stared at him. He was
here, after all! “Sadhiya,” he acknowledged her, “Greetings, your
highness” she bowed her head. Of course, something’s are meant to
be kept private.

**********

One week had passed in his persuasion
of hers and all Reyhan had succeeded in was…well! Nothing! Not once
had Sadhiya looked at his face. She just had been doing the normal
formality of a courtly courtesy. So many times he had apologized
for his doing but all she had replied was…again,
nothing!

**********

It was Sadhiya’s birthday. King and
queen had organized big banquet for the occasion. They were
delighted of the fact that soon, a grandson/ granddaughter would
enter their world. Sadhiya wanted the child to be healthy that’s
it. She was not choosy about the gender. “Ladies and Gentlemen”
Shara’s voice boomed across the hall as she spoke on the
microphone. “Today, on this beautiful occasion of Sadie’s birthday,
I would like to wish Sadie many happy returns of the day and hope,
my nephew or niece enters the world soon,” Slight swell of Sadie’s
belly was visible to everyone. She smiled at the announcement and
Noor clapped by her side. Thank you, she mouthed the words and blew
a flying kiss to her sister. “Now before, all of us are taken by
the charm of the night. Sultan Reyhan of Buktsar would like to say
something to all of you and especially,” she looked at Sadhiya, “To
you Sadie,” Smiled wiped from Sadhiya’s face as she stared towards
the stage. Hall erupted with cheers, laughs and guffaws as Reyhan
took the stage for himself. “Thank you Shara for this occasion and
to all of you. Today, I would like to confess something which I had
never done before. Some years back, while on an adventurous trip to
Gestalt’s Ice-skiing, I met with an accident. Fortunately, I was
saved and nothing major happened apart from the thing that some
doctor, mistakenly, exchanged someone else’s report with mine in
which it said that my fertility was affected. In other words, I was
reported to be an impotent.” Loud gasps followed his words. Silence
spread all over. What is he doing? Sadhiya thought at the back of
her mind. Why was Reyhan saying all those things? What was he
thinking?

“
But, thankfully” he smiled
so that people may listen to him, “A month ago, Sadhiya’s pregnancy
took place and shocked me to the core. I said, how can this be? In
my ignorance, I fought her, called her a cheat, fraud and the
result was…I lost the only important women of my life, Sadhiya
returned back to Sehar!” Sadhiya was aware of the gazes that were
directed towards her. Stop it Reyhan, she muttered. Was this some
new plan to humiliate her? Weren’t the things he had said that
night enough for him? Some days ago, Doctor Qashid here,” he
directed towards an elderly looking man who was smiling patiently,
“He corrected me as I had the health check up again. He told me,
what a complete idiot I had been in saying no to the only person
who mattered a lot. People, I am an orphan. I never had anyone
really close to me ever in my entire lifetime. Sadhiya’s love and
devotion to me was like a healing balm to my wounded heart. I know,
I don’t deserve any sort of forgiveness especially when I brought
the Late Prince Kareem of Sehar in the equation.” Sadhiya could see
the magic of Reyhan’s words on each and every face there. Women’s
cried! Even her mother was busy sniffing and sobbing on her dad’s
chest as the story was narrated. But, those were the tears of
happiness. It takes lots of guts and courage to come out in the
open with something like this. There were so many side-effects to
this action. The media could get such negative about him; his
business may suffer due to this. What are you doing Reyhan? She
wanted to cry out. Forgiveness! It was, as if, she was never angry
with him. Her eyes cried the silent tears of forgiveness, thereby
removing any grudges from her heart where he was concerned. “I
don’t deserve to be forgiven,” he said, “I am aware of the fact but
all I am asking from you Sadie,” his gaze turned to her along with
everyone in the hall, “I Love You because I know you are the only
person who has touched my heart.. No one will ever take your place
in Buktsar, Sadie. I know…it’s out of the question but…can you
please, please re-think on this whole situation again? Can I be
forgiven by you? Can that kind heart of yours take me
back?”

Sadhiya never saw anyone. She had all
the attention for her one-true love. When he extended his hand, it
took all her strength to not to just run back into his arms.
Instead, conscious of her child, she walked slowly, cross the steps
and threw herself in his waiting arms. She was home! She was back
with her love, that’s what matters!

“
I Love you too,” she sobbed
in his chest. Amidst all the claps and cheers thundering the hall,
Sheikh Reyhan of Buktsar kissed his bride. Sheikha was coming back,
as was his life!

**********

Coming Soon…

Sheikh and the Princess 2