Redemption/Salvation♡

IV

Inaya sat on the dining table, ready to have her lunch with King Azam and the whole council.

The council discussed the dates and preparation of Foehtan as the maids served lunch.

The king took his first bite, and the whole table followed.He looked at Inaya discreetly,trying to analyze her demeanor today.

Being the ruler of a kingdom did not exempt him from the wrath of his daughter,he knew he needed to see through her wedding but he also feared her retaliation.To him,it was seemingly something every young lady went through before getting married.

He thought of young girls,especially his daughter,to be incapable of selecting a good match for themselves and believed that once they were married, they would gladly settle.
The concept of choosing a spouse for anything other than status and wealth eluded him.

"Inaya," he called her
"Yes,father" she broke out of her reverie
She looked up at his hesitant gaze,her eyes peered across the table,trying to assess the situation as everyone's attention shifted to her.

"I was thinking," he cleared his throat, "maybe a more..." he shifted in his chair
"Perhaps private meeting with the fighters would help you get acquainted with them only if you -" he continued

"Okay," she nodded

His eyes shot up to her, trying to see if she really meant it.The council did the same.

She gave a little smile of confirmation.

"Okay then," the king said without missing a beat,he rejoiced looking around the table.
"I will have the maids arrange the guest room by tomorrow."

"Also," she paused for a moment
"I realised I have been too focused on myself,I will try to be more involved in Foehtan's arrangements." She nodded to herself.

"There is no need for that," The king retorted.
"The preparations are going smoothly without you dear" he laughed loudly looking at the council to gain their laugh of approval.
"You are underestimating our worker's role"

"And you are underestimating my role as the princess of Qalb," Inaya said with a straight face.One of the eldest council member chimed in.
"Amirah, your role mainly includes-" he raised a finger.

"I was talking to the king" she said in a low tone
"Kindly return to your lunch"
A collective gasp was heard across the table.
The king looked around at everyone,just as baffled.Before he could say anything,she continued.
"Father, I know you think me incapable of shouldering the burden of our empire and maybe you are right" She took a deep sigh.

"But your lack of acknowledgement of my abilities does not excuse me from my duties" She rested her hands on the table.
"This is the first Foehtan of our Qalb, and I want to play a role in it" she concluded.
"There are kings of different empires funding this festival,so you need not worry" the king tried to justify,keeping his frustration at bay.

"There are also thousands of people working behind the scenes since the announcement of Foehtan was made" Inaya added, growing frustrated as well they shared the same blood afterall.
"I want to be one of those people.Also you were the one who force-" She breathed harshly.She did not want to have another argument with him,she acknowledged that he is getting old and weak and it is just cruel of her to fight with him to get her way.

"Just let me be a part of it...we don't even know when Qalb will get the chance to hold foehtan again," She said calmly. "I assure you I will not cause trouble"

The king took a deep breath and closed his eyes
"Okay then" he nodded

The rest of the dinner they were silent
She finished soon and went to her room immediately,she already planned a list of what needs to be done in her mind.

Changing into her silk kaftan abaya,she got ready to explore her hometown and find places or people that need assistance.

She ran to the courtyard,her running footsteps on gravel alerted every guard.
The fresh breeze carrying the scent of plumeria refreshed her mood in an instant. Before she could go towards the garden, a familiar figure clad in royal uniform approached her from her left,her steps halted

She turned abruptly,afraid he might stop her.She squinted her eyes to make out his face in the bright sun.
A gasp left her mouth
"Hafiz uncle" she jumped up and down in excitement,her response was met with a manly laugh.
Inaya took a moment to observe him,she noticed his prominent white hair which wasn't there the last time she saw him,but his handsome face and green eyes were as bright as ever.

"Amirah it's been so long," he bowed
"You are still handsome as ever,uncle." she teased
"How many days has it been since I last saw you?" She asked amazed
"Months" he corrected her,she gasped again.
"I really need to go out more often" she laughed "Infact today,I want to explore the market.It must be a feast to the eyes since the festival is so close"
"It is indeed" He smiled
"Can you take me there today,if you have time?" She asked carefully
"Ofcourse Amirah" he turned to signal the guards to ready her carriage.

After Hafiz ensured everything was in order for their journey,he asked Inaya to get in.She hopped into the carriage,settling on the plush seat.
She saw the guards get into another one, ready to follow her
"Wait a second," she paused
"I-I just want to go alone today, okay?" She explained to them
"But it's for safety purposes Amirah you know that," Hafiz argued
"I have you" she signed "That is more than enough."
Hafiz sat in the driver's seat contemplating,after a while, he nodded to the guards and they backed off.

Thankfully, Hafiz was the one person in the castle who understood her need to be alone sometimes.

She absorbed the scenery of her beautiful home.
Kind and familiar faces made earnings on their small,aesthetic shops.Neatly arranged clusters of houses passed by,little Inaya saw it as a symbol of poverty in her town but as she grew up she came to realise the serene harmony among them and the people there.
Although,Qalb was not very lavish,it surely was a pleasant city.The people made sure their neighbors never went to sleep empty stomach and unlike many kingdom,you would not see any beggars here.

"Alhumdulilah(Thank god)" she whispered smiling
Inaya's chest puffs with pride when she sees the city before her.

After a few turns they reached the main market.
"Here we are" Hafiz stopped the vehicle
Inaya sat silently,listening to the bustling sound of people negotiating prices,colourful stalls and entertainment displayed to attract customers,she signed not wanting to get off.

"Take me further" She requested
This caught Hafiz off-guard,he looked at her through the mirror.
"This...is the market Amirah" he gave a tight lipped smile "Let's go shopping"

"I came here to see if people need any kind of assistance,not to shop" She said looking at him
"And I don't think people here need any assistance,I need to go around to check if civilians need any help to prepare for Foehtan" she explained.

"Amirah,this is as far as we can go" He turned a little to smile at her politely.
She now turned to look at Hafiz with narrowed eyes,it was unlikely of him to deny her request.
"Well,I want to go further" She demanded. "Are you telling me that I am not allowed to go further?" she asked, confused.

"No,Amirah" he hesitated "It is your city who am I to stop you...I just don't want you to travel on worn-out path that's all" He tried to explain to her but she was already suspicious.
"We will have to fix that then. Let's go forward and see what else needs fixing," she stated, trying her best not to disrespect him but also to maintain her position.

She saw him drive forward reluctantly, visibly distressed.There is clearly something that he is hiding from her.
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Author's note- The carriage is somewhat similar to car moving forward with wheels and not horses.