The Sheikh King's Chosen queen

Chanteel Banks stepped out of the elevator and into the immaculately appointed lobby that was Banks Co. and Associates. The law firm was her namesake, all her hard work, dreams and realities personified. For the last two years, it's clientele had doubled. No tripled. Which brought in more revenue and thus caused for more lawyers. That in itself brought in more recognition from the outside. More clients. More business. More money....more money! It was all good. Smiling, she walked down the hallway towards her office. Polished oak wood floors flown in from Brazil, lined the way. Artworks, tasteful, edgy from new starve artists from all over the country adorned the beige colored walls. Even a Picasso graced the walls, her first buy after landing her biggest case. Which she won by the way. Looking back she had been an eager lawyer fresh out of law school. And only 23 years old. That was a long time ago, a decade really. So much had happened between then and now. Several appointments within the Judicial system, which she had left at 26, to go out on her own. But left at the rank of Senior Associate, and chairman of the Department of legal jurisdiction. An accomplishment in itself. People had thought her crazy to leave. Since Chanteel didn't spend her time considering what people thought, she did OK. Better than OK. Her law firm was always in all the major newspapers. Licensed to practice in ten States, several countries and with a reputation of never losing a case or client, business was good. She had to smile. Which she was cautious of doing when employees and clients were roaming the halls. Had to maintain that façade, you know. The one she was well known for. Chanteel knew what they said when she wasn't around. That she was a drill, Sargent. Hard. And unforgiving. Which was all true. And that's was how she liked it. Especially today. It's was a dog-eat-dog world and as a woman, especially a black woman she had to be tough, unrelenting and merciless. In both business and leisure. Or else someone was going to be eating her behind. Pausing at her assistant desk Chanteel picked up her emails from the inbox. Files that needed her attention, while glimpsing the note Stella had left just minutes ago. She had headed down to the gym as she did every morning before the clock started. Stella Carney has been her assistant for eleven years. A brilliant woman, who put up with her boss s**t far too easily. Then again she wasn't afraid to speak her mind. A reason Chanteel liked her. She was fifty-two, a mother of two boys attending college and who so happens to be dating again. After being divorced for nearly 28 years. Suddenly she had a man and was hitting the gym to look good. Shaking her head, Chanteel entered her office. The carefree smile she wore slipped when she saw who was waiting. Damn! It was too damn early for this s**t! She considered slamming the door but decided against it. Rude was rude, no matter how deserving it was. The tall ebony skinned woman looking at the wall of awards, and achievements didn't turn around. Her perfectly made-up face bored no expression as eyes flicked from piece to piece. Dressed immaculately, elegant in a white Chanel pants suit, heels and gold jewelry she was an impressive sight. Chanteel dropped her purse onto the desk, attache case on the floor. " This is an unexpected surprise mother". Lysette Desiree Warwood Banks turned then. Green emerald eyes identical to Chanteel's held no warmth. Chanteel expected none. It was what?. Six years since she last saw or spoken to her mother or anyone in her family for that matter. Still, at age Sixty, Lysette was still a very beautiful woman. Always has been. " I see you are still at this farce" with a wave of her manicured hands, indicated to the room, the general compartmentalization of three floors, and several hundred thousand square feet of the building. All its twenty associates, and fifty-one legal staff. "Is this what you came here for?" and spreading her hands too she said. "I hardly see all this as a farce mother". She was irritated. "Oh, you wouldn't". The older woman replied. "Come now Chanteel, we both know you're doing this to spite me. It's childish to continue this way". " Lysette studied the young woman before her. Saw so much of her self in her daughter. Her image, pride, and heartache combined. Of course, she was proud of her daughter and all that she had accomplished. As a child, Chanteel had shown outstanding progress. Outdistancing her two older siblings and classmates. By age 15 she had already graduated from a prestigious high-school well on the way to college. Brown by 18. Law school by 23. And that was Harvard Law. Summa c*m Laude. Brilliant and beautiful. That was her daughter. Yet Lysette wanted much more for her daughter. Wanted what Chanteel so stubbornly refused to give her. Grandchildren. Lysette greatest wish was to see her daughter married and settled. Committed to joining the ranks of accomplished Warwood women. Loved with a husband and kids. Almost thirty-three years old Chanteel was no were closer to that than she had been at 26. Until then, until she put aside all this nonsense and face reality Lysette wasn't going to acknowledge any of it. " How long do you think you'll be happy for. Hmm? If you are even so as we speak. " " I am happy ma mere. Why wouldn't I be? " Sitting down Chanteel arranged her files in order of importance. Felt her mother's glare. " Oh stop pretending Chanteel. I know you very well, even better than you know your self! " Lysette cried stepping closer. Chanteel met her gaze. Emerald to Emerald. The old curse as it was dubbed so long ago. " I am your mother. You are miserable. Even Jean Claude said so" Chanteel eyes widened. Her mother was a respected and somewhat feared woman in society. The daughter of the first black female Governor from Atlanta. Granddaughter of one of the oldest and proudest black families in New Orleans and Mother, Wife, Mistress and Matriarch of the Banks Clan. Powerful. Brilliant. A successful woman. But to get Chanteel's doctor to divulged patients secrets was too much. Blackmail. Chanteel deduced. 'Oh don't look at me like that.!" her mother snapped. " I ran into him last week in LA. He and his wife were guests at a friend's of your father's." Chanteel still wasn't pleased. Damn Jean Claude! This was Lysette they were talking about. She took everything the wrong way. And Chanteel didn't particularly want her mother to know her business. " He said you work none stop. " she continued. " I have a business to run mama. Of course, I work non stop." " Danielle has her own business.' Leave it to her mother to compare a multi-million dollar legal firm to that of a floral shop in New Orleans. Not that Chanteel was coming down on her cousin. But Danielle's opened twice a week and mainly during the peak seasonal months. Chanteel had dropped in a few years back only to find a closed greetings sign. Danielle was most content with the living of the family's old money. " And Kenya is CEO of an multi-billion dollar cooperation and still has Macadiah and les enfants " Chanteel knew where this conversation was going. It was always the same. Her mother wanted her to marry and have kids. Chanteel had no problems with that. But she did, need to have a husband first. And since all her experience with men ended badly she quit while ahead. Her mother didn't understand. And frankly, Chanteel was too ashamed to say. Besides her best friend/cousin and partner in crime Kenya had turned her back on the family and traditions when she fell in love with Macadiah. She'd been only 17 years old. Chanteel wasn't one for sappy love stories, nor had she believed in soul mates, until she witnessed it herself. Kenya and Macadiah had that. It was freaking awesome, but not everyone was that lucky. 'What happened to that nice doctor you were seeing last Christmas? "Her mother questioned. So they were keeping tabs on her. Just great. To think moving all the way to New York City had been sensible. She just couldn't get away. That doctor walked out three months in. And the one before that only lasted five months. Men didn't last long. They tried, she gave them that. Some even went as far as to help. But eventually frustration sets in. " He is married now, " she told her mother. Lysette sucked her teeth hard. 'That could have been you! Oh God!". Yes well, it could have been had she been able to have s*x. It was stressing. Chanteel really wanted a family. But it would be wrong to marry someone knowing her problems. Didn't her mother think she didn't want to go home at the end of the day to have her babies in her arms?. Well, she wanted that more than anything. Why can't you have it? Chanteel froze about to open another file. Why couldn't she! This was the twenty-first century after all. The medical achievements and inventions today were second to none. The hell! Why hadn't she thought of it sooner? "Chanteel are you even listening to me? " her mother was saying. " Honestly? No mother. But my clock has started. So unless you wish me to send you an astronomical bill I suggest you leave. " she pointed towards the door. Affronted Lysette frowned at her beautiful daughter." You think I can't afford you! " outrageous it was. Chanteel met her mother eyes pointedly. She was the best at what she did. " Of course not! " Lysette laughed heading to the door. Saying something about wait until your father hears this." I am not giving up Chanteel. Au Revoir! " The moment she was gone Chanteel snatched up her phone. Stella was at her desk now. " Stella I need some information on fertility clinics" She knew her secretary was probably wondering what the hell she doing. "Anyone in particular?" She asked. Shit! There was no way she just goes to a fertility clinic without her family mainly her mother learning of it. Or the media as she was a high profile woman. " Is my Citizenship still green in London? " she asked. She had been a citizen of Great Britain for a high profile case between two major cooperation due to some legal technicalities and pure BS. The shuffling sound in the phone proved Stella was checking." Yes. There are six months still on it' It was more than she needed. "Great. Looking into the best clinics in the UK. Somewhere out of the city. Anonymous but good. Then book a flight out. " She hung up before her inquisitive assistance began to be inquisitive. Grinning like a fool, she sat back in her chair. Chanteel saw the solution to all the problems. She would have a baby and Lysette would get off her back. ____ A year later. The Magnificent Kingdom of Quram Sahd Zazaar. Murat bin Alzaar El Sahd Quram Zazaar, King of the Majestic Zazaar glared at the offending report in his hands and snapped to his feet, furious, causing the company of doctors and aids scurrying back to safety. "This is not results! " He shook the papers. Tearing them to pieces. Scanting them onto the floor. " It's the same thing, probabilities, and assumptions. I need solutions! Why then are you even considered the best in your profession if you can't fix this? ". He sneered. Murat knew it was useless. Six months and still nothing. And by one damn stupid, careless mistake everything was ruined. They couldn't help. No amount of shouting, no matter what treats he made nothing was going to change the fact that he was sterile. As King nothing was more imperative. Of the utmost importance for him to produce the next heir of his country. His people expected it. Demanded it of him. It was his duty to marry and give sons. And he couldn't. As a man, the truth was a hard blow. And it hurt. And for the first time in all his 37 years has felt less than a man. "Your majesty. If I may be so bold. " Ahasif bin Carasi, Cheif Council and Advisor to the King stepped forward. With a nod of his dark head the room emptied leaving him and the older man. " Princess Talia is expected to arrive in Zazaar within the fortnight. ' Murat couldn't think of the girl, his Council had selected to become his Queen. Until six months ago he had been prepared to marry and start a family. By tradition, all royal males should be married by 30. And even sooner for those seated on the throne. He had just turned 37, have enjoyed his freedom as a bachelor too much to settle down. Now there's only regrets not marrying sooner. He wouldn't be in this dilemma. 'She is not due until August... "Ahasif as saying. Murat comes to a start. What was the man babbling about? " What did you say!" The older man paled. "Repeat what you just said" Murat eyed the man. Watched as fear ran across the councilman's face. " Princess Jamal is increasing again. And the child isn't due till August." Ahsaif explained hesitantly. Murat didn't under what the man was talking about "What are you saying'........ Then it dawned on him. Rage. Black and fierce sliced through him. One look at his King's face was enough. The man knew he had overstepped. He quickly added. "It will solve everything My Magnificent. All you need to do is to marry the princess as planned" he braved ahead. "Ahasif!" Murat's voice was cold as he warned. " I will not lie to my people." "The people would rather an heir. A secure monarchy. Not an adolescent fool to rule. " Murat turned away. Troubled. All this because he had been stupid. Everything was now jeopardized. All the plans laid out by the Council of Elders, his duties. Everything! Fuck! He gazed out of the wall of windows that ran from the white marble sixty foot high ceilings to the floors. Before he was his beautiful city of El Jazi the city of the Council of Elders. White dome-like buildings took up the twenty miles of the oldest city in Zazaar. Zazaar most powerful families originated from this place that had been the first Palace of the royal family. No, his cousin though young and able to give heirs aplenty, a testament to the number of bastards littered in and out of Zazaar would make a poor King. Prince Fahaza, the King's cousin would make a terrible King. He would very likely bankrupt Zazaar within a year of claiming the throne. Yet Murat couldn't contemplate this fraud. He couldn't raise a child that wasn't his. Couldn't lie. The line to the throne was pure. Bastards couldn't rule. One look at the heir and his people would know. Black hair and the undeniably gold-hued eyes ruled every heir of his people. And so it has been for centuries. No, he couldn't. Wouldn't lie. He would rather see Fahaza on the throne first. No! He could almost hear his father. The great King had been dead more than thirty years. No. For the sake of his people. For Zazaar he had to do what's right. Even if it means taking a wife he didn't want or a child that wasn't his. Ahsaif plan was brilliant. Marry Princess Talia as planned and claim the child her older sister carries as his own. "It is your only solution,"Ahsaif said seeing his King's hesitation and pressing on." But we need to act now. Before...."The doors slammed open Murat turned just in time as Haleem bin Said ran in. Murat stared, the man in his haste skid on the smooth marble floor and went flying into the room, he fell flat on his face. The papers he'd been carrying scattered. " My King! " Haleem launched forward as if nothing happened, pausing to bow low. Murat sighed annoyed. " These just arrived from England' Murat's black brows arched. He took the paperwork. His legal team was currently in Great Britain, the fertility clinic that had housed his precious and golden seed since the time he hit puberty had conveniently lost his specimen just after the accident that rendered him infertile. For law and protocol, demanded that all royal males undergo 'The Golden Seed Program ". From the time of puberty, each male would spill into a cup and it was secured into a vault. This would never be used. But the process would be repeated every six-eight months of every year until as desired. Which was after an heir, and several spares were born. It has been so for generations. In the case of assassinations, deaths, and infertility. He was mounting a lawsuit against the clinic. Not only had his seed been mishandled from the beginning but was lost. The medical board was in a state of panic... To misfile, and proceeded to populate his seed in general rotation was a clear violation of the contract formed. Hadn't it been for their incompetence he would have spared head with his plans. By losing his seed they gave him very little hope. There was a possibility that the procedure failed and no unfortunate woman had his child. And if it did...... Murat scanned the papers. Then again. Stunned. 'Is this a joke? " Even as he asked hoped blossomed in his chest. Briefly... Not only had the procedure been successful. But looking from the sum of money paid he had no doubt believing his seed had been.... Bought! "The lawyers are trying to obtain the patient records. And there are some legal issues. The patient used an alias, which is common. And as its British laws, the woman has rights " Up until then, Murat hadn't been listening. Now his head jerked up and he glared, looking every inch as the Lion of Zazaar. Rights? What rights? Some woman had his heir. No amount of laws or rights would prevent him from getting what he wanted. None!