She changes in her armour, placing her quiver behind her and her sword in front of her.
"Reina". She heard his voice as she exits the cabin, "I didn't know anything, I promise".
"Don't you understand?" She snapped, "Because we failed to find evidence on time, they killed all of them, Aram".
She realises something as she said that, she counted the people when she came in. She knows for a fact there were fifty people beside her and her brother. She only found the bodies of fifteen people.
Thirty-five peoples are somewhere.
She runs through the forest, jumping over the rocks as she remembers they built a place to hide whenever there was an attack.
She stops in front of a cave, breathing heavily as she prays that those people were here because if she lost all of them, she might lose herself.
She enters the cave with a little light lamp that his guard gave her. She didn't let anyone else in knowing her people must be scared to death.
She halts when she found the people hiding inside and she fell to her knees, crying.
"I am so sorry". She cried, as she moves towards them, "I am so sorry".
"It's not your fault". One of the elders said, "You kept us alive for years, Reina. We knew that we will die someday. We are proud to die on the path of the righteous people".
She quickly gathers the people outside as she explains that the King wasn't involved in this mess. They decided to walk the people to the castle as they know they can be attacked if they are sent alone.
"You think I will let you live?" She heard the voice of Sherbanu's father
She went into a defensive position as her husband stands beside her.
"You deserve to die just like your parents and brother".
Her eyes narrow at his words, "You cannot die this easily". She turns to her husband, "We need to take him back".
He nodded. As he ordered his guards to arrest him and the few more men with him. He needs to know how much this man destroyed to correct it from its roots.
"I will give you a chance to speak". He said as he sits on his chair and he can feel the anger radiating off his wife, "Speak".
"I don't care what you do. I did what was best for my people".
"Best? Your people? They are my people". He snapped, "Start talking before we take you to our prisons. You know what we do there, don't you?".
The man's face pale, "I was the one who deviated your father. Her (Reina's) father caught on to it and started to rebel. I had to put him away from everyone and I managed to do that. Your father was an idiot who didn't realise the alcohol we mixed in his food and made him an addict". The man laughs as the guard punched him, "He started to crave more of it. I started giving him more so I get all the power to decide things. Her father was gathering more and more people so I lied to the King about everything. That idiot started a war against them and died".
She clenches her hand tightly as they start to numb and he places his hand over her.
"What about those girls? What did they do wrong?"
"That was all for fun. I knew the girls you had were the prettiest. I didn't even have to justify anything because no one listens to the rebellion. All you said even if its truth holds no power over the people who are truly in power. You should have learned that after watching your parents die".
She went closer to him, raising her sword as she cut his head off.
"Throw him in the middle of the town for everyone". She said with authority, "Do you have an issue?"
He shakes his head, "Do as the Queen says. The rest of his men, take them and hang them too".
She breathes heavily as she fell to the ground once everyone was out of the door. She won. She won against those who did wrong.
He wrapped his arms around her, pulling her closer.
"Your father didn't just kill my parents". She spoke, leaning into him, "He came to our town and had everyone on the ground with guards over their heads. He went to our cabin and our mother already placed me and my brother in a hiding spot. My father was the leader of our people and he wasn't even around at that time. Your father- he-"
"What did he do?"
She took a deep breath, "He raped my mother in front of my eyes. I couldn't even scream for help knowing that I was next in line because he sent men to find us. After he was done, he said he had the right because he had to break those who disobeyed him. He took her hostage to bring my father out and killed them both".
"I know. I remember what happened next".
"You remember everything?"
He places his hands on her cheeks, "I remember you. I remember everything".
He knows he had to leave after his father. There was something that bothered him. He follows quietly after his father because his father ordered his men to keep him safe in case something happens to him.
He heard the shouting and the smell of blood as he walks further. He halts just in front of the deepest part of the forest as he watches his father fall to the ground with blood pouring out of his chest and stomach from the deep dagger wounds.
His eyes rise to take in the young girl (16), standing with a dagger in her hand that had his father's blood on it. The girl turns to look at him and the anger, hate and resentment in them cause his nerve to shake.
He knows she killed his father and he was thankful to her.
"I can't stay here". She said, standing away from him, "I need to stay with my people".
"They are all here". He said, taking a step towards her, "I have them safe in one of my chambers and my physician is tending to them".
"We need to take all the traitors out".
"We will".
Jasim groaned as his body ache all over. He blinks his eyes to find some strange woman in eyes blinding clothes looking at him.
"What species are you?" He asked, covering his eyes, "Move back your colours are blinding me".
"You just don't have a good fashion sense". Sherbanu snapped
"I may not have a fashion sense, but I have enough sense to not wear something like this".
"You cannot even wear women clothes, idiot".
"I didn't mean clothes. I was speaking about colours all this time, idiot".
"I am not an idiot".
"Are you sure about that?"
"Yes, I am".
"No, you are not".
"Yes, I am".
"No".
"Yes".
"Are you two going to continue this till your death?" He heard his sister's voice, "It's good to see you awake, brother".
Jasim opens his hand and she ran into his arms.
"It's good to be alive". Jasim said smiling and his eyes narrow at the rainbow figure who was looking at him but turned away instantly
She nodded, pulling back, as a smile appears on her lips, "How do you feel? Do you feel any pain?"
"I am strong enough to-". Jasim started when she hits his injury and he yelps in pain, "Yeah, thanks, now it hurts".
She shakes her head, "Good to know that".
"What are you planning to do next?" Jasim asked, once they were left alone
She sighs, "What should I do? The reason why I did everything was to finish what our father started. Now that is done, what do I do next?"
"You do realise our father was a man with vast vision, right?"
"What do you mean?"
"If he was alive, after winning against the wrongdoers. He would have taken an important role in the castle so he can stop anything like that from happening. He would have stayed with the King to guide and support him. He would have worked until his last breath to build all the people". Jasim explains, "You did save your people. What about the people who are still suffering in the corner of this empire? This castle? The traitors walking around the King? What will you do if you know all of that?"
"Stay". She spoke, "I would stay by his side".
"But". Her brother said, holding her hand, "You have your life. You don't have to sacrifice yourself for others. If you think he is the man, not King, but a man who you wish to spend your life with then only you have to stay. Not for anyone else".
She nodded. They found out after investigations that from the fifteen people that died most of them were the girls who were wronged by the castle people. The girls didn't even try to run or save themselves when the fire broke. They just stayed and died.
She stands in front of the tree that she seems to like more than she should. She never gets attached to things and people. Why is it that now she starts to change? Why does the thought of leaving him hurts her more?
Does she have a reason to leave? He fulfilled all the conditions that she set before marriage. What is that she wants?
"Do you think the tree can help?" He said, standing beside her, "What does your heart want?"
What does her heart want?
"This". He said, taking out his dagger that he spent his childhood with, "Your brother told me that if I were to steal your heart I need to present you with the rarest dagger".
She turns to him, with a genuine smile on her lips, "You. I want to stay with you".
"I am so glad I get to live". Her brother laughs as she tries to move around in this stupid dress, "I get to see you in more dresses".
"Shut your mouth or I will kill you even before you get married to Sherbanu". She snapped angrily
"W-What?" Her brother said flustered, "I have nothing with her".
"I used to say the same 5 years ago about my husband". She said shrugging, "Look where I am now".
"I don't want to know about my sister's love life. I am leaving".
"No. Wait". She shouted, but her brother ran away
She groaned. She does not wear dresses unless on some rare occasion for her husband. She knows he likes watching her in these dresses, but he never forces it on her. He did change the rule immediately after the uproar died down.
She enters the room walking towards her husband who stops whatever he was discussing once he was aware of her presence. He stands from his seat, taking her hand, helping her to stand in front of her.
"Where is your crown this time, Garanabhai maan (my precious)?". He asked, dismissing everyone as he makes her sit on his seat and he sits in front of her
"I think someone stole it".
He rolls his eyes, "I know what you did. So where did you hide it this time?"
"I don't know what you are talking about. I don't want to wear the crown".
"I did change the rules around about almost everything, but the crown stays".
"What if someone kills me for the crown? You know how expensive that is".
"People are already trying to assassinate you because of your position".
She huffed, as she remembers the man she killed last night, "Exactly! If I wear the crown they will know I am the Queen and they will kill me".
He sighs, knowing there is no use arguing especially in these months, "Fine. What did you come here for?"
"Why? You don't want me here?"
"Why will I not want my wife near me?" He said, placing a strand of her hair away, "But I know my wife would rather be in our garden right now instead of this room".
She huffed, "I want my brother to marry".
"That's his decision".
"But he is an idiot".
"Still his decision".
She narrows her eyes at him, "Just because he is your advisor and the guard doesn't mean you have to support his stupidity".
After the overdue, he changed his whole council. He introduced new members and most of them were young so they can work better. He always challenges and monitors everyone move now. Her brother was the only person he trusts his life with. So, her brother was now an important member of this council and castle.
"Maybe I shouldn't have asked for your help". She said, standing from her place
"Reina-"
"Fine. I won't interfere in my brother's matter. But, I think he is hesitating because Sherbanu's father was behind everything".
"We didn't hesitate to love each other even after finding everything". He said, softly, holding her hand, "Love doesn't know boundaries. If your brother loves her, he will not hesitate".
She twisted her lips, "I think I should hit his head to some wall. What do you say? At this point, he might end in his grave before he even sits on a horse of his wedding".
He laughs, "Let them be".
She genuinely likes his laughter. They were never rare with her. They are the most normal thing between them. Their small smile, playfulness, happiness and their world.
They realise that greed can blind people and sins can turn people away from the right path. The right path may require sacrifices, pain and years of suffering, but in the end, it wins.
Jasim looks around the castle trying to find what he needs and by now he almost thought of going back.
"Are you looking for me?" Sherbanu said who has been following behind him
He turns around, flustered, "I don't have to look for you. If I do want to find you, all I have to look for a weird fashion sense".
Sherbanu pats her beautiful dress, "I know you are lying".
"You can think whatever you want".
"I will think whatever I want".
"Yeah. Do that then". He said, ready to walk away
"Just so you know my mother found a match for me".
Jasim steps halted so did his heart. No one this is happening.
She walks through the corridor after her intense training session. She opens the door quietly as she finds her husband, placing their daughter on his King seat and he always does that.
She watches as her daughter tries to reach for him and he tries his hardest to have her sit down for the portrait that he wants to make of their daughter in his seat. He sets the little crown on her head that he personally worked on and her daughter removes it instantly. He adjusts her dress and that is something she didn't take after her. She likes dresses and colours and her father never hesitated to bring them all to her.
She laughs when her daughter starts to cry and once they heard her laughter, they turn to her with a similar big smile.
"Stop forcing my daughter". She said, taking her daughter in her hands
"Our daughter".
"Where is Izza?" She asked and their eyes widen when they didn't find her brother's daughter
They run out with the guards trying to find Izza knowing she is causing trouble somewhere. They find her under the tree, playing in the dirt and soon enough their daughter and her husband joins her.
She smiles watching her family playing happily and her life turning this way.
There was a long way to changes that they want to implement. Some things need time to be understood.
"My Queen". Her guard said as she turns to him, "The farmer daughter who was raped last week. He is going to kill her. He also abused his wife saying it was her fault that she birthed a daughter".
But, she wonders if the future is any different to history? Or are we all delusional?
That was them.
Aram and Reina.
The end.
****
I have to say completing 55 chapters with this story is such an amazing feeling. Historic romance is a genre I love for a while.
It's a bitter sweet ending.
The ending occurred to me when I was writing chapter 55.3. Most of the points I spoke about in the chapter was something that is still the same even worse.
I do like to end chapters on happy note, but I guess some stories just call for me to do this type of endings.
I know you all loved Jasim and Sherbanu even when they had two scene? 👀
How was it? What did you like the most?
I will see you all soon. Please remember me in your prayer. I wasn't going to publish yesterday because the day was really hard for me, but I don't like breaking my commitments.
Take care. Lots of love.
Your author,
Faiqa.