Chapter 48

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"And she has the world's energy." Rashid huffed a laugh, hovering over his wife's sleeping figure.

This was just a few moments after she told him to suit himself in fury and the next thing, she was fast asleep. He had insisted she rest in the whole day as the past days had been very hectic but being obstinate she declined, he pleaded a few more times and was met with the same refusal, he then concluded she wanted it the hard way. He eventually forbade her from going out.

She got angry. He recalled to her about when he told her to always take care of herself before anything else, she replied saying she has all the strength in the world. Afterwards, he said something which angered her to which she responded by telling him to suit himself. The silence came, and the next moment, she was asleep.

"You are stubborn, you know right?" Rashid said, assuming she was awake she would've replied him. He adjusted her sleeping posture and made his way out to the yard with some papers at hand.

The weather was hot, considering it hadn't rained in three days, as the wet season dragged on.

Settling under the shade where she kept her sketches, he opened the papers before him, hoping to see the reply. He saw none, and sighed, exhausted. Wasn't it high time he had his reply? He thought. Or the person doesn't want to help? What sort of method does he have to use to persuade him? The help was truly needed. They were so close to unfolding everything.

He spent a long amount of time there and it was noon already. Time to get out of there, time to go pray to his Lord and sort things out. He went back into her room to check on her seeing she was still sleeping as expected, this was a woman who hadn't had a good rest in days, she needed the rest. He left the doors and windows wide open to maintain a good ventilation for her, cleaned the beads of sweat that lined her forehead and neckline, and untied her scarf to let her curls breath.

Satisfied with it, he made his ablution for prayers and went out to join the congregation. He would've woken her, but she was still on her cycle.

"Your highness." Saleh greeted on sight, immediately taking his position beside him, his shields and personal adviser joined them and soon they were close to the mosque.

After a while, they concluded their prayers and some were finding their way out including his men except Gaddo, he had gestured for him to stay back.

"I feel this position of mine. It is very special." Gaddo chuckled, earning him a grin in return, "Is there something you need me to do?" He continued.

"Of course. You are the only one who knows I sent a letter and I haven't received a reply yet, and his help is really needed here, you know that. We can't afford to go back to the beginning when we are this close to unfolding everything. What can I do? What do you think I should do? Should I be persistent?" Rashid asked him, spying on some little boys who were looking at him, they looked away, as if caught.

One can only get to see the King one on one in these occasions, so some - especially little boys - never miss an opportunity to go close to him. Some even brag about seeing him every single time. They mustered the courage and went to Rashid, extending their hands for a shake which he gladly accepted.

Gaddo took in a breath as he watched the boys swoosh out in excitement, "Honestly, I also gave it a thought. Persuasions will feel like we are getting desperate."

"Am I not desperate? Gaddo I am very desperate, I have been working on this for a very long time. But there's this barrier that blocks everything when we are so close to the end, someone is feeding them with what is going on. This traitor needs to be fished out, it is high time. Look, everyone is in danger, this family, your family, Saleh's, Haruna's, Hamza's, Tahir's, Musa's and everyone else's family. Anyone connected to this family is in danger. This has to end Gaddo. To be honest, I am tired of all of these." Rashid ranted, raising his voice at the end, which earned him few looks from the people in the mosque.

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