Secrets of Whispers | ✅

-16- Royal Love

Title: "Royal Love"

The great hall of the royal palace echoed with the sound of laughter, music, and the clinking of golden goblets as King Sidharth Raghuvanshi presided over yet another extravagant feast. His five wives, each more beautiful than the last, swirled around him in a whirlwind of color and perfume, their smiles never leaving their faces as they danced and laughed. But despite the revelry that surrounded him, Sidharth's gaze was fixed on a single figure across the great hall: the enchanting Queen Shehnaaz Gill.

Shehnaaz was unlike any woman he had ever met. Her skin was the color of fresh cream, her eyes the deepest sapphire blue, and her long, black hair flowed like a river of ink down her back. Her laughter was like music, and every movement she made seemed to captivate everyone in the room. As she danced with one of her handmaidens, Sidharth couldn't help but feel a stirring in his heart that he hadn't experienced since he had first laid eyes on her.

The king's other wives, however, were not as enamored with Shehnaaz as he was. They watched her with narrowed eyes and pursed lips, their envy and jealousy seething beneath the surface. They knew that Sidharth had chosen Shehnaaz to be his queen not because she was the most beautiful or the most talented, but because there was something about her that made her stand out from the rest. Something that made her irresistible to the king.

As the night wore on, Sidharth grew more and more entranced by Shehnaaz. He found himself excusing himself from the company of his other wives, claiming tiredness or a need to attend to matters of state, when in reality he could think of nothing but the alluring queen. He would linger in the shadows of the great hall, drinking in her every movement, her every word. And as he watched her, he began to formulate a plan.

Shehnaaz, for her part, was oblivious to the dark currents that flowed beneath the surface of the feast. She danced and laughed and enjoyed the attentions of the king, unaware of the plots that were being hatched against her. As the final course was brought out, a lavish dessert of sweetened rice and cream, Sidharth made his move. He excused himself from the table and, with a wink and a nod, signaled for Shehnaaz to follow him discreetly.

The queen hesitated for only a moment before rising to her feet and following the king out of the great hall. As they stepped into the cool night air, the sounds of revelry fading behind them, Shehnaaz turned to Sidharth with a questioning glance. He met her eyes steadily, his gaze intense and unwavering. "Naaz," he began, his voice low and thick with desire, "I must confess something to you..."

Shehnaaz leaned in closer, her breath tickling his earlobe. "Oh? What is it, my king?" she whispered, her voice like the rustle of leaves in the wind.

"It is my greatest wish, Naaz my queen," he continued, taking her hand in his, "that you would consent to be my queen not just in name, but in truth. To share my throne, my bed, my love and my heart."

Shehnaaz felt a blush creep up her neck as she considered his words. She had known that he favored her above his other wives, but she had never imagined that he felt so strongly about her. "Your words touch me deeply, my king," she said softly, her eyes shining in the moonlight. "But what of your other wives? How would they react?"

Sidharth smiled reassuringly. "I have given this much thought, Naaz. I will find a way to convince them that it is in the best interests of the kingdom for you to be my sole queen. They will come to accept it, given time." He took a deep breath, gathering his courage. "Will you do me the honor of becoming my one and only queen, Naaz?"

The queen looked into his eyes, her heart racing with excitement and anticipation. In that moment, she knew that she could not refuse him. "Yes, my king," she said, her voice barely audible above the rustling of the leaves. "I will be yours, and yours alone."