INSEPARABLE II

XVIII

After Prem left, Noor had knocked out in the truest sense and therefore ended up sleeping well past her regular time. Charno covered up for the first hour or so but when there was no sign of the Queen well after two hours from her regular time, Nihal felt obligated to check on her himself. Knowing the Chief was a little too involved and they were even planning on sneaking out, he had to make sure the Queen was in her chambers and safe at the very least.

Stepping into the Queen's chambers, he noticed the maids working quietly on setting up her morning routines. Making his way deeper in, his eyes fell on her bed and there she was, sleeping like goddess. A glow incomparable to anything else in the world occupied her face. It felt almost criminal for him to be in her presence while she slept, even though as her Chief of security, he was one the few people allowed special access to her chambers at times restricted for the rest of the Kingdom. Unable to help himself, he stood frozen in his path gazing across at the most powerful woman in the Kingdom. She could ask him for his life in her sleep and he would offer it to her on his palm.

"Nihal..." Charno softly called his name, shattering his line of thought.

Shaking himself out of it, Nihal faced Charno, "how come the Queen is still sleeping?" He asked as if he didn't know it was the impact of the liquor she consumed.

"She's not feeling well! I told you already!" Charno scolded him. "What are you doing here?"

"I came to check on her." Nihal responded facing forward again. Before he could say anything else, the sharp sound of a tray dropping pulled their attention to the door. Of course, it was the Chief. A maid had bumped into him at the door and dropped her tray. She immediately bent down to gather the bowl and glass that dropped alongside the tray. The Chief held open the door open for her and then turned behind him to take a glass from the tray of another servant following him. Dismissing the servant, he then entered the chambers.

Ignoring the presence of Nihal completely as if he were nothing but another maid, "Good Morning, Your Highness," The Chief stated in a tone that seemed to carry undertones of an inside joke. He walked right past them to the Queen, who had been startled out of sleep by his noisy entrance. When her freshly opened eyes focused on the Chief, a certain smile found her lips and she stared at him in an expression that Nihal felt like only the Chief understood.

"Good Morning..." She responded slowly sitting up. "I slept in way past my regular time, didn't I?" She asked after scanning her room to find her maids finishing up their morning tasks, a worried Nihal, and a dedicated Charno standing to the side.

"Wayyy past it." The Chief replied taking a seat on the edge of her bed next to her legs. Nihal thought his eyes would pop out of his head at the sight. The Chief had given himself the liberty to sit on the Queen's bed, even her immediate family would have to think twice before taking such freedom. He looked to his side at Charno to express his outrage and find a similar disapproval in her face but was shocked to see her looking knee deep in admiration. She stared at them in awe. Nihal was beyond annoyed.

"We were all having lemonade this morning for...no particular reason...and thought you might enjoy it as well." Chief Dhaliwal held out the glass in his hand before the Queen and they exchanged that inside look again before she took it.

"Thank you." The Queen simply said in her subtle smile and took a sip.

"You're welcome." The Chief nodded. "I will see you soon?" He asked confirming their next meeting.

"Yes, you will." The Queen gently replied.

"Alright." He said in a softer tone this time, maintaining eye contact with her.

"Alright." She repeated his tone back to him.

They then let their eye contact linger for just a couple more seconds before the Chief got up and started on his way out.