CHAVI: Bride of Sultan

4.I'll be able to see you soon

Chavi pov:)

The journey to Arub had begun, and I found myself riding alongside my brothers and Prince Murat. 

Babasa had argued fiercely against my participation, saying it was too dangerous for me to visit a foreign land without first ensuring it was safe.

But Maasa, with her ever-calm and wise demeanor, said something that tipped the scales in my favor:

"If Chavi wishes to go, then she should. Trust in her instincts, Maharaj. She is not a child."

And now, here I was, astride Chandni, my majestic white mare whose name meant "moonlight."

Her coat gleamed under the sun, and her gait was smooth yet powerful. She was a gift from Babasa on my sixteenth birthday and had been my companion in countless rides through the palace grounds.

Today, however, we journeyed further than ever before—into the unknown.

Murat rode slightly ahead on his own black steed, a striking contrast to Chandni. His posture was regal, his presence commanding, as if the very air around him bent to his will. 

Rehman rode beside him, occasionally glancing back at me, his expression a mixture of amusement and curiosity.

Abhiraj and Abhishek flanked me, their protective gazes never straying far. They were still visibly tense, their distrust of Murat palpable even in their silence.

"You're awfully quiet, Chavi," Abhishek said, breaking the stillness. "Regretting your decision to come along?"

I shook my head, a small smile playing on my lips. "Not at all, abhi."

Abhiraj scoffed. "You say that now, but wait until we're in the middle of the Arubian desert. Let's see how you feel about your Chandni then."

"Chandni will manage just fine," I replied, patting her neck affectionately. "She's stronger than she looks—just like her rider."

Murat must have heard our conversation because he slowed his horse until he was riding beside me. His dark eyes lingered on Chandni for a moment before meeting mine.

"She's beautiful," he said simply, his voice low but sincere. "A fitting companion for a princess."

"Thank you," I replied cautiously, unsure how to respond to his sudden compliment.

"And you, Princess," he continued, his tone shifting to something more teasing, "do you always defy your father's wishes so boldly?"

Abhiraj stiffened beside me, but before he could interject, I answered, my chin lifting slightly. "I follow my heart. If that means defying Babasa, so be it."

Murat's lips curved into a slow, deliberate smile. "A dangerous philosophy. One might even call it reckless."

"Or brave," I countered, meeting his gaze head-on.

For a moment, the world seemed to narrow, the sounds of hooves and wind fading into the background. His eyes held a flicker of something—admiration, perhaps? Or was it something darker, something I couldn't quite place?

Rehman's laugh broke the spell. "Careful, brother," he said to Murat. "You might just lose this argument."

Murat chuckled softly, his gaze lingering on me for a moment longer before he turned back to the road ahead.

As the sun dipped lower in the sky, casting a golden glow over the landscape, I couldn't help but wonder what awaited us in Arub. 

The desert, the palace, the unknown politics—it all felt like a storm waiting to unfold.