❝all is not fair in love and war❞
To ensure the survival of the Mughal Empire, Princess Afsana must form a political marriage in Europe. Amongst her potential suitors stands Louis, Count of Champagne, a man driven by dangerous ambitions that destroy...
Afsana spent of most of it falling in and out of sleep, waking usually due to a nightmare that had her body jolting, only for a steady hand on her back to draw her still again.
It was the Count of Champagne.
He sat next to her, and let her head rest beneath his arm. Occasionally he would gently stroke her silky black hair to let her know she was safe.
She'd been too tired to care about how wrong it was for them to be so intimate.
When the small party arrived at the residence, there were only a few French aristocrats there to greet them. Duke Cosson shifted from foot to foot as he watched them, in clear distress and discomfort.
But Afsana did not care for them.
She exited the carriage and scanned the group until her eyes landed on a familiar face.
"Lubna!" Louis had barely let go of her hand when the princess ran towards her lady-in-waiting.
"Rajkumari," The girl said back, as they swept each other in their arms and held on tight, as if they feared being separated again.
"Goodness, you're safe. Thank goodness you're alive!" Afsana pushed back, and held her companion by her shoulders. Other than the lines of worry and fatigue, she remained unmarked.
"Are you alright, Rajkumari?" Lubna choked.
"Yes, yes I'm fine. Where is Nadim? Is he injured?"
At that, the relief in Lubna's brown orbs melted away. The lady-in-waiting's lips began to quiver, as her a few tears fell down her cheeks.
"Your majesty, Nadim..."
Had not survived the blow of the arrow on the day of the kidnapping. Lubna and Zia recounted, as they led her to his grave, how Louis and his men had arrived too late, causing the young guard to bleed upon the spot of where they had been attacked.
Princess Afsana had choked on a laugh when they told her about his last words.
"Never even got to try some voyeurisme, as the folks here say." Nadim had croaked, with his two companions by his side.
The princess had not been close to him.
But she hated the idea of leaving him here, far from home, surrounded by the very people that had killed him. But it wouldn't have been safe to not move away from France as quick as possible. She would've lost more friends if anything.
She prayed for her fallen guard as her belongings were packed into trunks and loaded upon carriages again.
Soon, it was time to set off again.
"I hope you will visit us again, your majesty." Oliver Cosson said.
Afsana hoped she won't.
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"What was the agreement with Queen Elizabeth?"
It was the early hours of dawn as they finally reached close to the borders of Navarre and France. Lubna had lulled into sleep, her head resting on the side of carriage, whilst Afsana sat beside her.
Across from them was the Count of Champagne.
He licked his lips before answering. "Whoever you marry will have joint sovereignty with your father's empire, as agreed before, except that if you were to choose to ally with Navarre, we will allow the English access to our ports."
The ports of Pondicherry were the main attraction for the colonisers. It provided a dominant hand over trade roots across the two continents, which is why Emperor Jalal was adamant to protect the place.
"And your cousin, and his wife, agreed to that?" She asked.
Louis placed his left hand behind his neck, scratching it whilst shifted his green eyes towards the rising sun outside.
"Well," He said. "I never asked them."
"What?!" Afsana's sudden yell caused Lubna to grunt in her sleep, her head rolling back and forward a bit before going still again.
"How could you make such a diplomatic decision without consulting the very people who needed to be involved?" She hissed, being careful not to wake her friend now.
"I-I, well," Louis lets out a frustrated sigh, now running a hand through his brown locks.
"Seriously, how-"
"I was scared you might die." He finally confessed.
And it made Afsana filled like she was back on the ship that brought her to France. Unstable on her feet and her stomach doing tumbles like a court jester was dancing around it's inside. The anger she held a few moments ago dissipated.
Not only because of the care the Count was showing towards her, but because she understood.
She knew what it was like for days to pass by, wondering if her beloved ones were still breathing or not. That's all she had done for a month.
"There's one more thing," He said, hesitstingly looking back towards her.
"What is it?" She prompted.
"Everyone is still expecting an answer on your marriag."
"Oh."
The rajkumari's face pooled with heat, a blush spreading across her milky cheeks. She wanted to believe it was because of how stupid her response had been, but it was in part also believable she was now thinking of marriage.
Of marrying the Count.
The possibility of taking the Queen Elizabeth's offer loomed over her. But she barely gave the idea a thought, for she didn't have the will to meet another suitor. Not again.
The possibility marrying Count Louis loomed over her head for months though, it was the very thing that had defined this journey across the world. But now all of a sudden it brought feelings and thoughts that had nothing to do with fulfilling duty in her mind.
Thoughts about love.
"But I want you to know you don't need to do anything you wish not to, your majesty." Louis continued, breaking her away from her mind's tales.
"I'm sorry?"
"I w-want you to know that though this is what is expected of us - of you- you are under no obligation. I will do my all to sway Antoine and Jean for another deal, I-if you don't lov- feel about m-me the way I d-do. I compl-tely understand t-that it may be hard to l-l-l-love me the way I do so desperately, b-but your m-majesty I-"
Louis was silenced when a soft finger fell upon his quivering lip.
Despite her confident smile, the princess could not believe the sight before her. A man who had once spoke once with her with only open hostility was now a stuttering mess as he confessed his feelings.
It was true she didn't know if she quite loved him.
But she knew that heart clenched to see that despite having put his life on the line for her, he still expected nothing in return.
"Count Louis Blois, of all the men in Europe, I'd be honoured to be your bride." Afsana said, lifting her finger to hear his response.
His green eyes searched hers for any sense of humor of deceit, but found only sincerity. He relaxed against his seat, recollecting what bit of dignity he had to speak again.
"Say Wallahi, your majesty."
♡
I want to do an Q&A after the last chapter, so if you have any questions about this book or in general, please comment them.
