SULTAN {Preview}

Chapter Thirty-three

"Let's see, errrm...how many kids will you love to have?" I laughed at his question

"You asked this question at a wrong time Ya Sameer, because at this time of the month, I may tell you that I want only one child, a daughter, but ask me next week, I will tell you I want twelve kids" that earned me a puzzled look from him before he replied

"I guess I will just wait for that time and I pray you wish for twenty and then the angels should say Ameen to our wish and Allah grants it for us" he winked and I laughed

"No no no, twenty is alot, I can't. But I really love kids, you know growing up, it was only me and Khalil, Ya Sultan was far older, and you both even left for Madinah later. Growing up for only two of us in this Palace was really boring. It's fun when you have lots of kids running around, and I pray Allah gives me more girls than boys, I really love girl children, maybe because I don't have a sister" I smiled

"Ameen to your prayers, may Allah bless us with thirty children, eighteen girls and twelve boys..."

"Who is that talking about thirty children, do you want to kill my sister?" that was Ya Sultan, he was passing when he overheard us, he was retiring early for the day I guess.

"Your sister wants plenty children your highness, I'm just praying on her behalf" he teased me further

"Batuul is that true?" Ya Sultan asked, pretending to be shocked

"I just said I want many kids, but definitely not thirty, he's exaggerating" I whined and Yaya just shook his head

"May Allah give you the number of kids you want Batuul, however I have just one wish, for one of your daughters to marry my son, if Allah blesses us with children"

"You are more than that to us your highness, In Shaa Allah our daughter will marry your..."

"No!" I cut Ya Sameer short and they both turned to look at me.

"But why is that?" Ya Sameer asked and I looked away.

"If in future our kids fall in love, fine, but if not I don't think any promise should be made." they nodded to my reasoning

"Once beaten, twice shy, I concluded on a lighter note and we all laughed. However, I didn't miss the look of guilt written all over Ya Sultan. God knows I didn't intend to make him feel so, he said his goodbye immediately and left.

We chatted for a while more before he suggested I should go in and rest, as he saw how I kept wincing momentarily, holding either my stomach, back or thighs. I got up and started walking back inside before her called me to which I turned around

"Errm.. I think you should adjust your veil a bit" he said scratching his head as if he was guilty of something

"What, why?" he just shrugged and didn't offer any explanation. I adjusted it anyway and made to go again when he called me again and I turned

"I will drop something for you here, you can come back and pick it later" I just nodded and left, I was really feeling cranky today.

Immediately I reached my room, I removed my veil and threw it to one end of the room, then took off my gown and sprayed it on the bed and laid down on the bed, on my stomach, the best position ever. After a minute or two, I abruptly got up and brought the cloth I just took off close, for closer examination, and I saw it, a big red stain, the size of two palms pressed closely together. I pressed my eyes shot desperately praying that Ya Sameer didn't see it. Was that why he asked me to adjust my veil? Ya Allah, it might be.

I quickly got off the bed and threw a dress on, forgetting all about my stomach, back or leg ache, I ran back to where we sat, all the way praying I stained on my way back, that he didn't see it. When I reached there, I saw the darduma *carpet* we sat on folded into two, upon opening it, I saw the stain there also, exactly like the one on my cloth, just that the one on the carpet was faint.