Veiled Desires of the Crown

Chapter Twenty Three

Happy reading! 

Hold me 

like the night holds the moon

in its arms.

-Alexandra Vasiliu

The carriage rattled along the winding road, surrounded by lush greenery and towering mountains. The air was crisp and fresh, a welcome change from the stuffiness of the palace. I sat beside Burhan, the distance between us filled with silence. Burhan tried to strike up a conversation with me several times, but I remained silent, lost in my own thoughts. 

As the sun began to set, casting a golden glow over the landscape, Burhan suggested that we make camp for the night. I agreed silently, and soon we found a suitable spot by a gurgling stream.

The two men accompanying us set up the tents while Burhan and I gathered firewood for a campfire. We walked at some distance to gather the firewoods. It was a simple task, but they were a little heavy. Watching me struggle a little Burhan came to me shaking his head and got hold of the wood from my arms.

"Noor, you should go sit there. Don't overwork yourself. I will carry these." He said smiling.

"I can carry these okay. Don't think of me as a timid girl you clearly know I am not." Huffing I moved to get some smaller pieces and after successfully carrying them quickly walked ahead of him to the tent. I could hear him chuckling from behind to which I just rolled my eyes.

The sky had become dark and the flames of the campfire crackled and danced, casting flickering shadows around us, as I sat with Burhan outside our camp. Stealing a glance at Burhan, I watched his profile illuminated by the soft glow of the fire. Despite everything that had happened between us, I couldn't deny the familiarity of his presence.

I sat there thinking about all the things that happened in span of such a short time. Baba telling me about the proposal, me figuring my feelings out and going to burhan only to get rejected, getting married to the Sultan and then finding out that the sultan was no one other than Burhan himself. Burhan suddenly cleared his throat , breaking the silence that had settled over the camp.

"Noor, I know this trip was sudden, and I understand if you're still upset with me," he began, his voice hesitant. "But I hope that we can make the most of it, for both our sakes."

Moving my eyes from the flames to his eyes, I remained silent contemplating his words. I wonder how long all of this was supposed to last. I knew I couldn't change the past but could I make the future better for both of us? I am not saying i am not hurt. My wounds are still fresh but I was feeling so exhausted.

"I'll try," I finally let out, my voice soft but confused. Burhan smiled, and a genuine warmth lightened up his features. "Thank you," he said sincerely, reaching out to squeeze my hand.

I felt a flutter of something in my chest at his touch and quickly pulled my hand away from him. 

Clearing my throat, I stood up suppressing a yawn, as exhaustion had caught up with me due to the travel. We also had to continue the journey and had to wake up early tomorrow. I walked inside our camp and saw two single mattresses set side by side with little distance between them. I stood there for a minute trying to digest the situation. Of course I had to sleep close with Burhan. how could i have ignored this fact before.

Shaking my head I ignored the slight discomfort and decided to sleep. I peeked a little from the camp to see Burhan  still sitting outside the camp. Getting the blanket, I jumped on to a mattress wrapping myself with it and immediately felt my eyes closing.

-

As the night deepened, I suddenly woke up with a start. I could still hear the crackling of the campfire outside my darkened camp. I looked around and found no sign of Burhan inside the camp.

Suddenly, a rustling sound pierced the stillness, followed by a sharp intake of breath. My heart beat suddenly accelerated as I sat up, my senses on high alert. Something was moving outside the tent, I could hear it.

"Burhan?" I whispered, my voice barely audible over the sound of my racing heartbeat. "Is everything alright?"

There was no response, only the echo of my own voice hanging in the air. With a trembling hand, I reached for the hilt of the dagger tucked beneath my pillow, my  fingers closed around the cold metal  as I stood up. Steeling myself, I pushed aside the flap of the tent and peered into the darkness.

My breath suddenly got caught in my throat as I recoiled in horror, my heart pounding against my ribcage like a caged bird seeing a snake double my size. I had always prided myself on my courage, but in that moment, fear gripped me like a vice.

Before I could react, the snake lunged forward, its fangs bared in a silent hiss of aggression as it struck me. I stumbled backward, my pulse racing as adrenaline surged through my veins. I let out a loud cry as the snake stared at me with its tongue flicking out, ready to strike again. I was frozen, unable to move as it coiled back, preparing for another attack.

But before the serpent could lunge forward again, Burhan suddenly appeared with his sword in his hand. Seeing the snake on me, his eyes widened in terror and worry as he immediately struck the sword into the snake throwing it away.

"Burhan!" I cried out, my voice choked with tears as I reached my trembling hands out to him, "Please, It hurts!"Without hesitation, Burhan rushed to my side, his eyes wide with concern as he surveyed the extent of my injuries. I could see the worry etched into his features, his brow furrowed with a mixture of fear and determination."Don't worry, Noor," he reassured me, his voice calm and steady. "I'm here. Everything's going to be alright."

With gentle hands, Burhan lifted me to my feet, supporting my weight as he quickly guided me back towards  our camp. I clung to him like a lifeline, my heart pounding in my chest as I struggled to keep the pain at bay.

Asking for permission from his eyes, he quickly lifted my trouser leg to reveal the swollen bite. Burhan leaned in closer, his lips hovering just inches from the puncture marks on my skin. With a swift motion, he pressed his lips to the wound, sucking fiercely as he drew the venom from my body and spitting it out.

 I cried out in pain, tears streaming down my cheeks as the pain intensified with each passing moment.Burhan's brow furrowed with concentration as he continued to draw out the venom, his grip on my leg firm yet gentle. Despite the torment, I found solace in his touch, knowing he was doing everything in his power to help me.

Finally, after what felt like an eternity, Burhan pulled away, his breath ragged and labored. I could see the exhaustion etched on his face, but his eyes remained worried and concerned.

"It's done," he whispered, his voice barely audible over the pounding of my heart. "I am so sorry I left you. You're going to be alright, Noor. I promise."

Ignoring everything, I leaned against him, feeling the weight of the night's events pressing down on me. Burhan quickly wrapped his arms around me, holding me close.  The night air was cool against my skin, but his warmth enveloped me, as my teary eyes fluttered welcoming the sleep in his arms.

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Guyz!I am so sorry I know I am posting too late. I have my CIES starting soon and I had a huge writer's block for this story.

ALSO, the other day I opened Wattpad and got a huge surprise that my story has officially crossed 1.5 K READS!! So I had to update and let you know that I will continue this story. Also I know this was not a very good chapter but I promise I will get back to writing.

Thank you so much guys. Keep reading voting and supporting me. I love all my readers. 

Coming back, what were your thoughts for this chapter?

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