The low-born {Book 2}

Chapter 5

Not Edited

Prince Arsham and Nouri watched their mother incessantly pace around their father's chamber. Her face distorted with a burning rage. The flame within her brown orbs made them gulp as they watched their father massage his temple in preparation for the onslaught their mother was bound to immerse him in.

"Hafez my children are not leaving this palace." Queen Omeed suddenly demands her words reeked with finality as she momentarily paused.

"You lied to me Hafez." She once again starts to pace as a stray tear run down her cheek. "Not once did you make mention they were to live apart." She growled in disguised despair putting on a tough front.

"I told no lies my queen." He remarks calmly. "I just never mentioned it since it was suggested by my advisers this morning." He says looking at his sons who only glared at him with a look of betrayal.

With a deep sigh king Hafez takes off his turban. He was frustrated and didn't like what he saw in their eyes.Their doe- like eyes held nothing but sadness.

"So you couldn't argue against it? Against their obscene suggestion?" She states in utter disbelief. "Did you stop at any point in time to consider what our sons thought were? Did you give a little thought on the impact a separation would have on them?" Queen Omeed rants on.

Queen Omeed didn't want her sons to someday fight over their father's throne. She had witnessed first hand what being a political chess does to it's unsuspecting victims. In the form of Hafez and his brother the late prince Iraj.

In the ten years since their birth, she had systematically paved their lives into what it now was. Making them grow up depending on themselves for comfort and love. They were each other's shoulder to cry on and ears to listen to.

She had wanted prince Nouri and Arsham to view the other as sibling not foe that would someday be pitted against each other in a fight for power especially since a crown prince hasn't been chosen.

Unfortunately for her, her worse nightmare was being flashed before her eyes. Everything she had worked so hard for was coming to naught in what she viewed as her husband's impetuous act.

Queen Omeed already noticed the ministers choosing sides in their quiet struggle for one-upmanship. "You have hurt our sons Hafez and you have hurt me."

"Omeed do not exaggerate that which matters not. Think rationally for a moment." King Hafez says in a patronizing voice that irked her even more. "They are too reliant on one another and need to become self thinking young men. And you will stop smouldering them like little children." He commands angrily.

"My mistake was supporting this madness from the start Hafez." She says as she storms out of his chamber leaving her two perplexed sons behind. The boys didn't know what to make of their parents argument but what they did know was that they agreed with their mother.

"Arsham, do you concur with what your mother said?" King Hafez calmly ask.

"Does it matter what we think royal father? Because so far what we want have not been considered or adhered to." He says with hidden spite in his voice. He wasn't one to be rude to an elder and wasn't going to start now especially not to their father.

"What about you Nouri? Are you of similar thinking?" King Hafez turned to the younger of both boys.

"Do you want the truth royal father? Or would you rather me tell you what I think you want to hear?" Prince Nouri wasn't one to mince his words and king Hafez knew that.

With a worried sigh king Hafez ask him to speak freely and he was reminded he wouldn't be held accountable for his words. "Hmm royal father we are disappointed in you." Prince Nouri states. "We are mere puppets that have to move as the strings that controls our lives are pulled by your fingers and that of the ministers."