Veiled Desires of the Crown

Chapter eleven

Happy reading!

 The stars are proof that even in the 

 darkest of nights there is a little light. 

 -Unknown.   

                                                                                                                                                                            

As I continued my steady slow pace into the hall, I was slightly overwhelmed seeing the plethora of young and middle aged women, all dressed in the finest of dresses. Some of them looked exhilarated by the palace' ambiance while others looked worried about their looks, smoothing their hair and makeup repeatedly to look good enough to be presented in front of the king.

Wanting nothing more but to leave the event, I made way towards an isolated table in one of the corners of the hall. I watched as people chattered among themselves, excitement and enthusiasm dripping off their conversations. I also caught sight of one of my mean neighbours from the city, flaunting her face caked with makeup.

Rolling my eyes, I averted my gaze when I caught sight of Fatima leaving the Hall room in a hurry.I knitted my eye brows in confusion but then Aminah and Amna rushed towards me overjoyed and distracted me.

"Sayidi, You look majestic, like a queen!" Rolling my eyes I shook my head at them. I felt better now having them beside me to free from the boredom as they both started prattling about the event and girls.

I saw a few people enter the hall. From the way of their dressing I could tell they were the officials. I tried search for Burhan but he was nowhere to be seen. Not that I care, but maybe a little part of me wanted to see him. I really don't know what's going on with my brain.

The day turned into evening, and it was dinner time. The palace staff brought surplus trays filled with mouth watering and distinct dishes and placed them on large buffet tables. The delicious aroma drifted into my nostrils and before I could blink,  people hurried over to the food with amazed looks on their faces.The tables quickly became full as everyone picked up their forks and knives to eat. The sound of utensils clinking together echoed through the entire dining hall, making it a lively and noisy place.

After sipping some refreshing juice and enjoying a plate of fried rice, I started to feel a throbbing headache coming on. It was becoming increasingly difficult for me to ignore it, and the pain was beginning to make me uncomfortable. I let Aminah know that I needed to leave, and I slowly made my way out of the grand hall, where the festivities were taking place.

Aminah and Amna weren't pleased with my decision and insisted me to stay because the king was going to arrive after dinner for the ceremony to choose his future queen. They insisted I stay for this important moment, I had endured enough of the event, and my headache was making it impossible for me to enjoy any further. So, I made the choice to leave despite their protests.

The cool, fresh air outside felt really relaxing as I walked back to my chamber. Even though I was leaving the event, I wanted Aminah and Amna to stay and have a great time, as I knew how much they had looked forward to this event.

Once I stepped into my chamber, I wasted no time. I quickly took off the heavy blue gown I had been wearing and changed into my comfortable cotton dress. I removed all my jewellery and makeup, and then tied my hair into a relaxed bun, just letting it rest casually.

I then headed to my chamber's balcony to enjoy some of the fresh air outside. From there, I could still hear the noise and excitement coming from the grand hall where the event was happening. The sounds carried through the balcony and into my chamber, a reminder of the festivities I had chosen to step away from.

I wondered about the girl who is about to become the queen of the kingdom. Is she going to elated or sad? Shaking my head I cleared all my thoughts.

I slowly made way toward my bed and jumped into the covers, as I was exhausted. Closing my eyes, I quickly drifted into peaceful slumber.

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It was very early in the morning when Amna and Aminah hurried into my chamber. I was taken by surprise, and all I could do was raise my eyebrows in confusion.

"Sayidi, we have some bad news. Something went wrong," Amna said with a worried look on her face.

My heart began to race as I asked, "What's the matter? What happened? Why do you both look so alarmed? Is my father okay?" I rambled on, jumping out of bed and quickly standing in front of them.

"No, Sayidi, your father, the vizier, is perfectly fine."

"Then what's going on?"

"Sayidi, it's your cousin, Fatima. She ran away from the palace last night."

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