You are the only women who ever answered the demands of my imagination.
— Anais Nin
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Him
The roof of their chamber has flames dancing across it. Shades of orange and gold flicker and flare to chase the shadows away. There is a light patter of rain outside, the closed balcony doors dampening the sound of it. But there is the tinkling of her anklets filling their chamber.
He pushes himself up on his elbows, watching her in leisure from the bed. She turns around, a bowl of milk in her hands, and smiles at him. He smiles back weakly.
"I've warmed you milk and put honey in it. Have something, then I'll give you your medicine."
She brings the bowl to him, and he shakes his head in refusal.
"These eyes have missed the sight of you. Let them gaze at you. Do not put me back to sleep."
She halts midway, out of his reach, the bowl still in her hold. He extends a hand towards her.
"Come to me, hayati. Come, let my arms hold you. Let this heart find life in you again."
She abandons the bowl on a table and hurries towards him. Climbing besides him on the bed, she nestles into his side and he hugs her to himself right away.
"Habibi," she whispers. "Suddenly life turned dark without you. And I felt the wrath and the grief in me would burn down the world." She looks up at him, her fingers caressing his cheek as if a portrait. "Adam is to Noura like sun to the day and moon to the night. Without you, there is no light in my life."
He smiles, leaning down to press a gentle kiss to her forehead. "Without you, Noura, no nour can light my life."
Her
"One day, my Amira, only one day until the fate of this kingdom will change."
She smiles and looks at the palace before her. Tall walls with beautiful balconies and guards surrounding it. Then she looks away and skims her eyes over the garden. The curtains of the pergola flutter in wind and the midday sun shines above them, its feeble rays falling apart around them.
"I like the confidence in your claim, syed Daryush." Noura finally turns to him. "I will have it no other way."
He smirks and tips his head respectfully. "I've learnt that much about you."
"What about the verdict?"
"There is no reason anyone would oppose to it. The majority supports it. I'll try to convince those who are still skeptical. But even if not, their opposition won't make much difference. The council will pass the verdict tomorrow in their final meeting."
Noura nods and mirrors his smirk. "When Al Shafay reclaims the throne."
Daryush only tips his head again, his own smirk still playing on his lips, and Noura looks up at the sky.
"No harm shall befall Sulaiman bin Khalid once he's dethroned. No harm shall befall anyone."
"Do not worry," Daryush assures her. "The truce is ending, but so is another one beginning. We hope for the best."
"We do, syed Daryush. May everything turns out for the best."
She spends the day meeting officials and gathering information. There is a buzz in the palace, the air charged with anticipation. It isn't only the fate of a prince that will change if he's chosen a caliph, it is the fate of his followers as well. And though there is a struggle for peace, there is always a possibility of something unpredictable.
She knows Adam is no child. She knows he has prepared for every scenario, every dire situation if it turns worse. Yet there is a tread of fear tied around her heart. If not for herself, then for her child.
She spends the afternoon with Arwa and they've tea together in her chamber. A maid fills their cups for them as they sit on the balcony.
"Treats, azizati?" Arwa offers.
"Thank you."
The princess leans back in her seat and takes a sip of her tea, gaze distant and fixed into nothingness.
"Sulaiman made a wise choice sending Jumana away to her relatives," she comments. "Though he has been lenient in his punishment towards her, given she played her part in Maysoon's death, but I'll take it. She's better away than around."
Noura hums in agreement, sipping her own tea. "I'd rather have her executed with what happened to Adam and Eskander at her hands."
Arwa's lips curl up to one side and she shifts her gaze to her. "She's better divorced than executed. She'll live with it forever. For death would've brought swift punishment, but living with defamation is a sustained torture."
Noura sighs, changing the topic. "Do you intend to stay after the decision of tomorrow's meeting?"
"Would I wish to? Maybe." She heaves a sigh as well. "But Yusuf doesn't want to. I don't know what he's running away from, or maybe I do but I'm not sure. What I know for sure is that he doesn't want to stay. That he strives to be faraway. And wherever my beloved goes, I will follow him. Whether he chooses a life of rags or riches."
Noura looks at the little girl, Nawal, as she walks into the balcony and clings to her mother's legs. Arwa's features ease into something tender and a soft smile kisses her lips. She puts away her cup and lifts her daughter onto her lap.
"Do you want something, malaki (my angel)?"
She puts her tiny arms around her mother's neck and hides her face into her shoulder, peeking at Noura shyly. Noura smiles warmly at her.
"Why, little princess, do you want to share treats with us?" Noura tempts her.
She grins and looks up at her mother. Arwa smiles and pets her hair.
"Nawal, habibti, do you know who that is?"
Noura reaches for the child, holding out a treat to her. Nawal eyes her curiously. Then she points a finger to her.
"Uncle Adam's bride!" she exclaims, looking at her mother for affirmation.
Arwa chuckles and nods, and Nawal gingerly takes the treat from her.
"Your aunt," Noura adds sweetly.
"She's Noura Al Makhzum, Nawal," Arwa introduces, lifting her eyes to hold Noura's. "She's the queen of this palace."
"Malika?" Nawal blinks, big orbs glimmering with amazement.
"Yes, Malika. And your uncle Adam will be the Khalifa."
Noura smiles gratefully at her-- grateful for the faith she has in her. For the support she provides her with. Arwa returns her smiles, murmuring quietly to her.
"It can only be you, Noura. I know it."
Night falls-- the last night before the sun rises for a change. She sits by the pond under the stars adorned sky-- streaks of silver and bright dots sketching maps on the canvas. The lanterns are lit around, their deep orange glow reflected from the water, distorted into patterns when a fish in the pond causes a ripple. Noura watches herself mirrored in the water.
"Once upon a time you were a little girl, Noura Al Makhzum." She touches her reflection and her fingers sink below the surface. "Some day you wanted to be a queen. But then you grew up and the dream became silly."
"Until a prince walked into your life and made that silly dream come true."
She turns around. Adam smiles faintly, hands tied behind his back as he slowly paces towards her.
"Once upon a time a little boy made a promise to you, Noura Al Makhzum. Some day to become a Khalifa and make you his queen. But then he grew up and forgot about it. Until you walked back into his life and he was tested to keep his vow."
He kneels down beside her and takes her chin between his fingers. Noura stares into his eyes-- dark, fathomless, with no bounds to the fervor in them.
"He has fulfilled his promise to you, farashati (my butterfly)."
She bites her lip, fluttering her eyelashes at him. "There is still time until tomorrow, sayidi," she jokes.
"Have faith in me."
She bumps her nose against his, grazing it upwards. "I always do."
He releases her chin and holds her shoulder. Tilting his head forward, he captures her lips in slow, breath-stealing kiss.
When dawn cracks, the palace comes to life. A maid helps her get ready and Adam is assisted by his own servants to prepare for the council meeting. After breakfast, they leave their chamber and he makes his way outside the palace where soldiers have gathered around the palace, awaiting the big decision. Noura takes a spot on a balcony, overlooking them as her husband addresses them.
"Men!" he begins, Taha at his side. "Today is the big day we've all been waiting for. Today, the council will give their decision. Whatever it bestows upon us by the will of our Lord, I will submit to it. Whether I'm chosen as your caliph or I'm ousted once and for all. But," he raises his index finger up to the sky, "by the holy name of my Lord, wallahi if I'm rebelled against I'll make the traitors example for everyone. This city is already besieged by my soldiers, so do not think any of you can outsmart me. Any of you who do not want to serve me, you're free to leave if I'm chosen as your ruler, and you'll be left alone in peace. But if any of you betray and choose war, then war is what I will give you."
Noura places her hand on her belly protectively, hoping the one thing that frightens her will never come.
"If Sulaiman bin Khalid is chosen as your caliph," he continues, "you will find me humble and accepting of him. For it is my Lord Who raises one above the other, and I submit to His will. But if I rebel against the council's decision when they've been just and unbiased in it, then I will certainly become a criminal and deserving of your wrath and punishment."
A group soldiers lift their fists to their hearts to show their loyalty. Another group steps aside, indicating it is somewhere else their loyalties lie. Adam nods his head at them.
"You are free to make your choice," he declares.
When the time for the meeting comes, all the officials make their way to the courtroom. Noura is accompanied by Daud there. Unlike before where she had taken her husband's seat, she takes one with Arwa this time behind a room divider, for this time Adam is here himself.
One by one, all the people fill the room. All the council members, including Daryush. All the viziers and the chief qazi (judges). The important governors and generals. And all the princes-- Yusuf, Sulaiman, and Adam.
Noura closes her eyes. "Bismillah," she makes a silent prayer. "Ya Rabbi, bestow Your favor upon us and elevate our status. For indeed we're in need of Your favor. And let us be victorious."
"In the name of Allah, the Most Beneficent, the Most Merciful. We begin today's meeting," the head of the council announces.
But a guard enters the room, interrupting him, and makes his way towards Sulaiman bin Khalid. He says something into the caliph's ear, and Sulaiman's expression changes to a shocked one before he nods and says something back to the guard.
Before she can linger onto what has just happened, Azar approaches her and whispers into her ear what she believes has shocked Sulaiman-- what shocks her too.
"Your brother is awake, Noura khanum. And he's here."
Her head snaps towards Azar, eyes wide in surprise and disbelief, unable to utter a word for good long minute. Then gathering her senses, she utters, "Eskander?"
Azar only nods in reply.
The door to the courtroom opens again. Her gaze jumps to it in frenzy. And to her astonishment and pure delight, her eyes are blessed with the sight of him for which they had gone sore. Noura feels her heart going berserk in her bosom.
All heads turns to him. Eskander places a hand over his heart, tipping his head in greeting. Sulaiman is the first to break into a grin, getting to his feet to greet him, the rest of the room following, except for Adam and Yusuf--the only two men higher in rank than the general of Baghdad.
"Eskander, my friend." Sulaiman cuts the way towards him and embraces him. "My brother. What a pleasure it is to see you well and on your feet again."
Noura wants to run to him and hug him too. To tell him how much she has missed him. To tell him how happy she is to see him. But she can only fist her fingers in her dress and beg her heart to calm down.
Everyone gives him their greetings and well wishes. Yusuf bin Khalid nods his head at him in acknowledgment, giving him a kind smile. Sulaiman takes back his seat, gesturing for him to take the seat beside him. Eskander sits down with him.
"Welcome, general," Adam finally greets. "Glad to have you back."
"Thank you, Ameer Adam," Eskander replies.
"Now," Sulaiman motions with his hand to continue, "let the meeting begin."
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One more chapter to go!
The writer in me is too excited to finish the book, though I'll definitely miss these characters. It's been a long time with them, through Khalifa and Malika. But I'm also excited to move onto a new journey. I hope you guys will tag along.
Also, there is an epilogue and bonus chapters. But PLEASE NOTE THAT:
While I'll be taking requests for bonus chapters and try to write as many as I can, I might not be able to consider everyone's requests. When I decided to take requests for Khalifa, they were many and mostly very different from each other, and I couldn't meet those requests. So I apologize for that in advance.
I'll be prioritizing readers who kept up with me while the book was still ongoing, for they've been truly patient with me until I reached the finish line. And I'll be prioritizing readers who always actively commented, for their comments became my motivation to push through every writer's block.
But everyone is welcomed to leave a request (not here, on last chapter) and I'll go through each and try to write the best ones for you all.
Here is one that I've already planned:
If you've forgotten about these characters, refer to chapter 14 for a reminder.
Happy reading!
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