Kingdom of Secrets ✔

01 ♚ Blood runs thicker

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March  5th

8:35 PM Sulifa, Qa'ihr

The Saleh family knew how to plan dinner parties, but as Hakeem requested he wanted no surprises and blood relatives only. By that, he meant immediate family only but, of course, the Queen invited her brother in law and his wife and their daughter Cyra. Hakeem was surprised she hadn't invited her side of the family as well, but he was grateful she had kept it fairly small.

The family was sat in the dining room waiting for Hakeem to arrive with Amila, so they could eat and retire to their respective bedrooms for the evening. Ehsan and Leyla were the youngest Saleh royalty by blood. Ehsan was only thirteen and Leyla was eighteen, Cyra was twenty-two like Amila and Hakeem and unlike the rest of her family was actually eager to meet Hakeem's fiancee.

The Queen sat impatiently staring at the clock as the rest of the family engaged in chatter. She had been told by Hakeem not to mention Amila's race to the family but she hoped they wouldn't react too badly after all their reputation was on the line if Hakeem left.

"Will they hurry up, I'm starving," Ehsan said joining his mother in looking at the clock.

"Be patient, if you're that hungry there's bread," Leyla said continuing to message the boy she wasn't supposed to be talking to on her phone.

Suddenly Hakeem and Amila entered hand in hand. The first thing to notice after the fact they were seemingly so close to each other was their height difference and then the massive glittering, sliver rock on her finger. The Queen was glad she never gave Hakeem her engagement ring it would seem even more ludicrous to the people of Qa'ihr.

Amila was pretty, even prettier than the pictures. She was extremely nervous you could tell by the way her eyes darted around the room, but refused to settle in case of making eye contact. She clutched harder onto Hakeem's hand and he pulled her impossibly closer to his side.

"Everyone this is Amila King my fiancee, and Amila this is my family," Hakeem said introducing them to each other. 

"Well everyone but my grandparents." Hakeem took notice of their lack of presence, done purposely by Heer Saleh as she didn't want to risk anything going wrong.

Their reactions were all the same. Leyla Saleh couldn't remember exactly what her brother had told her about his girlfriend. In fact, she didn't think he mentioned anything about her at all except of course to not piss her off. She was pretty and she offered a meek hello but didn't seem to get a response back as everyone was so shocked.

"It's lovely to meet you my name is Cyra," Cyra said getting up and going to hug Amila, which Hakeem was grateful for as it eased the tension in the room.

Cyra wasn't an animal, she'd seen the world beyond Qa'ihran shores she had in fact dated a black man before when she was studying in America. but that was nobody's business she knew she wouldn't get the same treatment she wasn't about to be king. At best she'd get an arranged marriage to someone with a worthy title she wouldn't care for, but she had told her family she didn't want to get married ever.

"I'm Leylah and this is Ehsan." Leyla pointed to her brother whose mouth was too full to say anything.

"Mother this is Amila." Hakeem tried again, wishing his mother would say something