His Harem, his women and his WOMAN

Chapter 35

Not Edited

She could feel the happiness radiating off him in waves. Without uttering a word the glint in his eyes had given him away. Hafez moved uncomfortably as he sat on the floor next to Omeed who now seemed enthralled by the dowager queen's tales. Stories he had heard thousands of times.

"Grandmother, lady Omeed and I will be back again tomorrow for you to finish this story." Hafez said abruptly. He wasn't being tactical or cautious as he spoke. "I need to show my bride around the place that will soon become her home."

Hafez oozed boyish charm as he spoke, something the dowager queen noted and was genuinely pleased about. She had silently worried about him ever since her son the late king perished. She had quietly watched the child she once knew turn into a stranger.

"Oh, I see you're being greedy. You don't want to share her with your poor old grandmother." She playful tries to guilt trip Hafez.

Hafez's expression softened momentarily but quickly turned into a frown as he spoke. "I love you grandmother but I'm sorry you can't have lady Omeed here all day. We have things to talk about and," Hafez looked at Omeed with a bright smile making her blush. "Our nikah to plan."

Omeed gasp hearing Hafez's words. She knew he was a capable king and even a reliable lover. Her heart tingled with joy and a sense of pride gazing in his green orbs. The room suddenly felt too small as the couple forgot about everyone but themselves.

"Aww, young love. I had that once upon a time." The dowager queen muttered with a sigh.

"Your majesty! Your majesty! Your majesty!" Amir called out trying to get Hafez away from the staring contest he seemed to be having with Omeed. With a slight touch to Hafez's shoulder, he finally got the pair out of their reverie. Silently cursing them for acting like puppies in love.

Hafez stood up pulling Omeed up with him. "We must go now grandmother. I will visit after court tomorrow." It was a routine Hafez has followed since he was a young child. He paid his respect to the senior members of the royal family every morning. Even the late king did the same.

Hearing no response from the elderly woman, Hafez took his gaze off Omeed and looked in her direction only to find her eyes shut with her breathing softly. "She's asleep, now we can do whatever it is you'd like to do today." Hafez announced as they walked out quietly.

The dowager queen opened her eyes and smiled softly. She had pretended she was fast asleep to allow the lovers continue with their day of bonding. "Your majesty, I thought you were asleep." A servant gasp seeing her eyelids opened. All she did was grin in return.

Hafez held Omeed's hands as they made their way through the harem with the bright afternoon sun far up in the sky. Their open display of affection had not gone unnoticed to all as people murmur wherever they went.

It was all foreign but yet familiar for Omeed who finally stopped blushing. "I need to return home to prepare my bridal trousseau. I also need to check on my businesses." She tells Hafez. "But those can wait until we've had lunch." She smiled as his stomach rumbled.

"Indeed my lady, I am famished." He chuckled. There were so many things he wanted to ask Omeed. Questions that plagued his mind. But the fear of prying into her personal life worried him greatly. Hafez wanted normalcy where she was concerned, he wanted to be her man not her king.

"Something troubles you your majesty?" Omeed asked sensing his struggle. She had felt him stiffen and from experience, she knew what that meant. "Is there something you'd like to ask me?"

"Yes my lady but first could you please just call me Hafez?" Omeed opened her mouth to protest but Hafez continued. "I know it's against the law to call me by my given name. Omeed I want to be your Hafez and nothing else."