His Queen

Chapter 13

Humair’s POV

The wedding was long over, the guests had dispersed but the streets were still merry as the people chanted long “Long live the king and queen, long Atrabad and Marwa”

The festivities will continue for a whole week, the people will keep celebrating and praying for a happy union between queen Ifza and me, that was the way things had always been, and on each day, food and drinks from the palace will be distributed among the people.

The palace was quiet now, I was in my chambers, I was pacing back and forth, I wasn’t sure what to do, tradition demanded I pass the night in the queen’s chamber be it a political marriage or a love marriage, it was unheard of for the king and queen to sleep in separate rooms on the night of their wedding but the relationship between queen Ifza and me was not cordial enough for that part of tradition to be carried out but still I couldn’t just sit here in my room and do nothing.

Taking a deep breath, I changed into my sleeping garments and headed for the queen’s chamber on the other side of the palace, my two guards following closely behind me.

When I arrived, her maids were standing by her door looking restless and harassed, they kept pacing up and down,

I walked up to them and said “What is going on here?”

They jumped when they heard my voice, they quickly bowed their heads in greeting,

“I asked a question” I said,

Her maid from Marwa stepped forward, I think her name was Junnut, she was a tall willowy girl with brown eyes with brownish skin,

“Your Majesty, Queen Banafsha has refused us permission to ready her for the night, we had wanted to help her get ready before your arrival but she has out rightly refused” she said,

Till the very end, she remains stubborn, I wished she would just do things with tact and not be so blunt about everything,

I took a deep breath and said “You can all retire for the night, I will handle queen Ifza”

She bowed her head and said “I bid you a goodnight your majesty”

She turned around and signaled to her fellow maids, they all bowed their heads and walked away,

I walked over to the door and pushed it open, I stepped in and closed the door behind me.

Turning around, I saw queen Ifza seated on her bed, she had wiped all the make-up from her face and her wedding dress was gone, her jewelries were also gone, her hair was loose, it gleamed in the light, she was dressed in a simple gown, her eyes were fixed on me in a way that reminded me of an eagle watching a prey.

I couldn’t understand her hatred for me, I had only done what was right in this situation, I had done what was best for both of us, with this decision, both the kingdoms were at peace and we both benefited from this, so why the hatred? We could just agree to tolerate each other and simply live in peace.

That was something we could discuss someday but not tonight, tonight, queen Ifza needed to be taught a lesson, she needed to understand that she could not do anything she wished and get away with it.

“A pleasant evening isn’t queen Ifza?” I said as I walked around the room, looking at random things that didn’t interest me at all.

“I am afraid I find nothing pleasant about the night judging by the fact that you are in my room, might I ask why you are in my room your majesty?” queen Ifza said, her voice was cold and controlled,

A smile crossed my face, how arrogant she was, she was forgetting something important, she was now my wife and she couldn’t be as rude as she pleased anymore,

“I believe you asked me to stay away from your chambers till after the wedding and this is our wedding night after all, is it not?” I said,

She remained quiet for a while, then she said “I will not be forced to do anything I do not wish to do”

I couldn’t help the chuckle that escaped my lips “And what may I ask queen Ifza is it that you will not be forced to do?” I said, a mocking smile playing at the corner of my face,

Something that could be described as anger flashed in her eyes and that brought joy to my heart.

I continued when she said nothing “Well you can rest your worries queen Ifza, you will not be forced to do anything you do not wish do and besides, I have no interest in partaking in such matters with you, if the stories I hear about you are true, you do not consider yourself a woman but a warrior so why would you bothered about such affairs?” I said, the mocking smile still plastered on my face,

Her eyes burned with black fire as she stood up angrily and walked over to me, she stopped at a distance that I could smell the perfume on her body and to say that it assaulted my senses will be an understatement, the scent made want to do something I would only regret,

“Do not insult me your majesty” her voice was cold and threatening but somehow, I only found it funny,

I stepped closer to her, a smile on my face “A rather funny request I must say since the only thing you have ever done to me is insult me in many ways”

She stood her ground and kept looking up at me with hatred in her eyes, it was at that moment that I realized that height stopped just above my chest,

“I request that you leave my room” she said,

I smiled and answered “Request denied” I took another step closer to her and this time she took a step back as well,

A smile of satisfaction crossed my face, I was winning and it gladdened my heart.

I kept coming closer and she kept moving backward, soon enough, she was backed into a corner and I hovered above her,

“How about I propose an agreement? We find a way to live in peace, we tolerate each other and just try to be at least friendly in front of others and we don’t have to be hostile to each other” I said,

“Over my dead body will I be friendly to a man as arrogant as you are?” she said,

I smiled and said “You are a very stubborn woman queen Ifza”

She was about to say something when a look of pain crossed her face and she grabbed her stomach in pain,

I stepped back, watching her as she struggled in pain, immediately, I rushed to her and held her, her entire was body was shaking and perspiration gathered on her brows.

“Is anyone out there?” I called,

The doors flew open and the guards rushed in “You called your majesty” one of them said,

“Summon the royal physician, the queen has fainted”