Tales Of The Heart

(30)

The evening was soothing, the sky was surrounded with shades of orange and purple as the sun began to set. Shahzaib found Inaya in the secluded pavilion by the lake, where she often visited when she needed to be alone.

She was seated on a spread silk covers, her calligraphy tools spread out in front of her, but her hand was still, the brush resting limply between her fingers. Her face was turned towards the setting sun, her expression distant

"Hayati", he called out softly.

She snapped out of her reverie upon hearing the familiar deep voice, she turned to him, a smile forming on her lips almost immediately, but it didn't reach her eyes.

Had her smile been this pretense all these days? Why didn't he notice earlier? Was she concealing her pain from him, her own husband?

"Shahzaib, I didn't hear you coming", upon not getting any response from the prince, Inaya gestured for him to come closer.
"Come, sit with me", she patted the place beside her.

He didn't move to sit. Instead, he remained standing, his gaze locked on hers, as if searching for the truths he was desperate to know.
"Inaya, I need you to be honest with me", he asked directly.

Inaya's smile faltered as she noticed the seriousness in Shahzaib's tone. A flicker of fear crossed her features, her heart pounding with dread. Had Princess Anam poisoned his thoughts against her too? Was he now disappointed in her, seeing her as unworthy of the role he so fervently believed she could fulfill?

Shahzaib had taken a bold step to bargain with his mother for one chance, one opportunity for Inaya to prove herself. He wished her to gain favor with the court, to prove that she was capable of being the empress they all expected her to be. But as the banquet approached, Inaya couldn't stop the feeling that she had already failed.

The Empress's subtle comments and Anam's mockery had seeped into her mind, increasing her insecurities. They had made her doubt her worth, convincing her that she was unfit for the role of empress. Every small misstep, every flaw in the banquet's preparation, only added to those fears. She knew it wasn't her fault nevertheless her mind was a dangerous place at the moment.

She feared Shahzaib would now see her as others did, an outsider as they believed her to be. The thought of disappointing him, of confirming the doubts his mother and Anam had inflicted, made her chest tighten.

This banquet was supposed to be her moment to shine, to prove her capabilities, but instead, she felt like she was falling short. Her heart ached with the fear that she had let Shahzaib down.

"Inaya", Shahzaib's concerned voice pulled her back from the dark abyss of her thoughts. Her wavering breath had terrified him, and in an instant, he was by her side, pulling her into his chest.

"Breathe, my love. Why are you getting agitated? It's just me", he whispered, rubbing her back soothingly, trying to calm the storm he sensed within her.

His heart ached seeing the woman he loved in such a state. Was there something he had missed, some truth he had overlooked? Had he failed to create a space where she felt safe enough to open up to him? The dreadful thought was deepening the worry in his mind as he held her close.

"Please, talk to me, my love", he pleaded when he felt she was calm enough.
"About what?", she asked lowly. Shahzaib sighed, knowing she was again trying to hide away her misery.

"About what happened today", Shahzaib replied, his voice firm with authority, as he pulled back, staring down at her intensely.
"With my mother and Anam. I overheard them talking to you, humiliating you and I want to know how often this has been happening", he demanded.