His Queen

Chapter 24

King Humair’s POV

I reached my chambers and despite it being long past mid night, I asked that Nihal be summoned, I believed he will have the information I needed, he knew a lot about Marwa and so it was possible that he also knew about this issue as well,

I sat down and awaited his arrival, I was surprised as to how I could sit here so calmly when I was practically trying my hardest to keep myself under control, I did not want to believe that my suspicions were correct, because if they were, I will be forced to think things that might put queen Ifza’s character into question.

I will not assume anything until I was certain, until I was completely certain, I will not jump to conclusions because if I ended up being wrong, then things between queen Ifza and I will be completely ruined and heaven knew things were already bad enough already, I didn’t need any more problems between us.

Just then, Nihal walked in, he had a look on his face that told me he did not appreciate been summoned at this hour of the night, but I didn’t care about Nihal’s moods right now, I needed information and I needed it fast.

“I have a question for you Nihal” I said,

Nihal raised an eyebrow in silent question before saying “I am at your service your majesty”

I nodded my head and said “What do you know about queen Ifza and general Jawhar”

Nihal paused, he was looking at me like he had not expected that question “May I ask why you need to know about that your majesty?” he said,

I was still trying to keep myself calm but Nihal was pushing me to the edge “I just need to know” I said, my voice was becoming dangerously low,

Nihal must have noticed the urgency in my voice because he cleared his throat and said “Well based on little the information I have heard among the Marwan soldiers, it seemed like the general and the queen were quite close”

I felt my heart constrict in my chest, slowly, my voice dangerously low, I said “Tell me everything you know”

Nihal cleared his throat and said “I didn’t hear much but the soldiers had said that the general and the queen were close since they were children and that the general had a soft spot for the queen, he had always protected her and they also said that it was no secret he had great affection for her but the feelings of the queen were never known, no one could be sure if she returned the general’s feelings or not but one thing had been certain and it was that the both of them cared for each other”

By the time he was done, I was already feeling like I was going mad, I didn’t want to imagine that queen Ifza’s affections belonged to general Jawhar, it was hard to believe, I knew it was a logical conclusion but still I hated the possibility that she loved him and that he did the same.

I took a deep breath and said “And have they met alone since queen Ifza came to Atrabad?”

“I believe the guards had said they had met before the wedding, that’s all the information I have” Nihal said,

I suddenly wanted to be alone, “You can retire for the night general, and it’s very late” I said and stood up from the chair I had been sitting on, I didn’t feel like sitting anymore.

Nihal hesitated for a while then he said “Yes your majesty, I suggest you also go to sleep now, you have to visit the barracks tomorrow, you had said you will pay a visit to them”

I simply nodded.

Nihal bowed his head and then he walked out of the room leaving me alone with my thoughts.

I wasn’t sure how long I stayed awake but it was during the early hours of the morning I finally fell asleep.

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Queen Banafsha’s POV

I had slept peacefully thanks to whatever tonic it was the physician had given to Junnut, she had given it to me not long after the king of Atrabad had left, that was after she had forced some food into my body, after that I had felt dizzy and very sleepy, I had dreamt of nothing, it was the most peaceful sleep I had had in many years.

When I woke up the next morning, I didn’t feel as weak as I did the night before, I was still very weak but at least I could sit up on the bed now, the wound on my stomach had healed considerably but the pain was still present but it was less painful than it had been before.

When I finally woke up, Junnut told me it was almost mid-day, I was surprised that I had slept for so long, I normally woke up at first light so this was awkward.

After that, my maids had given me a warm bath and I felt my body wasn’t so sore anymore but when I finally returned to my bed, I was surprised that I was actually relieved to return my bed, I couldn’t believe that I had allowed myself to become so weak, I had to get better soon, I couldn’t stay in bed all day, it was sickening.

Junnut was currently brushing my hair and telling me all the things that had happened during the time that I had been unconscious,

“Everyone was so worried about you, all the other maids prayed day and night for your recovery, the people were also very worried about you, they gathered at the palace gate every day, they prayed for your recovery and chanted praises of the warrior queen who had survived many battles and they prayed for you to survive this one as well” Junnut said,

It was hard to believe that the people of Atrabad cared about me enough to do all that, I had thought they hated me because I had chosen to go war with them but for some reason they did and it warmed my heart.

Junnut was still talking, I hadn’t been listening to her at some point, I had wanted to her ask her something,

I cleared my throat and said “Did Jawhar visit me a lot?”

Junnut was quiet for a while before she said “Jawhar did not come to visit, I believe he was not aware of your illness, I heard that the part of the palace where he stays is cut off from everyone so I believe there was no way he could have found out”

That must be wrong because I had seen yesterday, perhaps Junnut was not aware of his visit,

“But I had seen him yesterday night, he had been in my room before I woke up and when I did, he had been just outside the door” I said,

“I believe you are wrong Banafsha, Rihanna had told me the king had been in your room and you had woken up shortly after you left, Jawhar had come to the king asking a favor but he had not been able to ask before Gemma had begun to scream, the king and Jawhar had rushed in after that, those were the events that happened yesterday night” Junnut said,

If her explanation was correct then it meant it was king Humair who I had heard in my unconscious state, I didn’t want to believe that, I had felt like that person had really cared about me but I knew just what the king of Atrabad thought about me, I was a vessel for maintaining peace, that was it, he had made it perfectly clear on our wedding night that he wanted absolutely nothing to do with me and I was thankful for that, I wanted nothing to with such an arrogant man as well,

“The king cares for you Banafsha, there was not a single day that went by when you were unconscious that the king didn’t come to visit you, he came twice every day, I have seen how he behaves in matters concerning you and I can tell he cares for you” Junnut said,

A soft chuckle escaped my lips, Junnut had no idea what she was talking about, she didn’t know him like I did, she had no idea the kind of man he was, she didn’t know he was a man that deserved no respect from dignified people,

“You laugh Banafsha but I only speak the truth, I know what I saw and I just told you exactly that” Junnut said as she brushed my hair,

“Junnut you have no idea what you are talking about and I suggest you stop speaking on matters which you do not know the full story” I said,

Junnut paused her brushing for a few seconds before she continued “I will speak even if you do not wish to listen but I will not let you keep making mistakes like you always do in important matters” she said,

I had to turn my head to look at Junnut to be sure she had said those words, she was looking at me with a very serious expression, one which I had never seen on her before,

“My dearest Banafsha, you are a kind and beautiful soul but you are clueless in matters that concern your life greatly, you had made the same mistake with Jawhar and so I beg you not to make the same mistake with his majesty, he cares about you and if only you could at him differently then, I am sure he will be someone that you can lean on” Junnut said, her eyes pleading with me to see reason with her words but I did not and I never will.

“As long as I live, I will never become a wife to king Humair of Atrabad, this was a political marriage and it will treated as such, that is my final say on this matter” I said and turned away from her,

She was silent for a while then I heard her say “I pray that you don’t live the way you do now for the rest of your life Banafsha, I really hope you stop pushing everyone away, I pray you don’t end up alone because you do not deserve it, you have been through a lot and happiness is the only thing I wish for you” her voice was gentle and filled with emotions,

I knew she spoke only because she was worried about me but I needed no one, I had lived fine all these years past and I was not worried about being alone, the loneliness didn’t scare me anymore.

“I wish to sleep for a while Junnut” I said, I was surprised to hear that my voice sounded strained,

Junnut seized her brushing and came into view, she bowed her head and said “I really hope you consider what I told you Banafsha” she said,

“I will not lie to you Junnut but there is nothing to consider, I will never accept the king of Atrabad and that is final” I said,

A look of sadness crossed her face but she simply bowed her head and said “I will take my leave now”

After that she walked out leaving me alone with my bothered thoughts.