SULTAN {Preview}

Chapter Thirteen

Sultan

It was the fourth day of Ramadan already, and all I have been doing so far is praying. I have been praying fervently to Allah to grant me my heart desires, of marrying Khairi, because right now I could not imagine a life without her. I don't know how it started when or how, but I know that I love her so much, more than words could express.

I'm in a dilemma, I know that any decision I will take will hurt my Abba in the end, if I marry Khairi, Abba will be hurt and if I marry Batuul, I won't be just to her. I know she will not be happy with me, because my heart already belongs to another and marrying both of them is totally out of the question.

The problem now is that I don't even know if Batuul has been told about the whole marriage issue, if she is aware of it then what's her answer, is it a yes or a no.

Then it occurred to me that just like me she doesn't have a choice

But knowing Batuul to be a very stubborn girl, if she doesn't love me she will speak up, she won't agree to be forced. That's Batuul, she gets whatever she wants. Thinking of this I turn to Allah in supplications once more because all I need right now is Allah's guidance, His Mercy. I pray Batuul does not accept

I have been avoiding Mama lately, because I know we have a pending issue to discuss, I promised to tell her the girl I love the other day after telling Abba. Things did not go well as I planned and now I don't even know how to tell her, how to explain to her that Abba has chosen a wife for me but my heart is with another. Umma being the loving mother she has always been to me, I know she will understand, but I didn't want to get things more complicated than they already were.

We took turns with Khalil and Sameer to lead  tarawii Ramadan evening voluntary prayers for the females in the Palace, because in this Royal home of ours, it is a rule that the females do not go to the masjid for tarawii, they are being led at home, same goes for Eid prayers, they stay at home while the men go and offer the prayers. I remember back then when I will buy dates after Eid prayers as Eid gift for Batuul and Qudsiyya, my beloved sisters, how time flies.

Today is my second time of leading them in Salah and I observed that Batuul was missing, she was not here on the first day also.

Maybe she is avoiding you because she doesn't find you worthy of being her husband.

My mind spoke, well I will be the happiest man on earth if that should be the case. Her rejection is the only solution to my predicament now.

After the prayers I left the masjid in a hurry so as to avoid Mama once again, I was on my way back to my chambers when one of the guards approached me, and after all the formalities of greetings told me that Abba said I should meet him immediately. My heart was already beating furiously as I didn't know what to expect this time.

I walked to his sitting room with the guard trailing behind me and entered with a Salaam. Abba looked up from where he sat reciting the Quran and answered my Salaam, then signalled to the guard to step out. After about five minutes, he finished reciting and turned to face me with a smile.

"How are you Sultan?"

"I'm fine Abba, Alhamdulillah"

"And how is the fasting going, I can see you have started losing weight already" he teased, I just smiled and said Alhamdulillah. We sat in silence for a while before he spoke.

"Have you started seeing Batuul about the wedding?"

"Not yet Abba"

"What are you waiting for, time is going, the wedding will be a few days after Eid remember"
"Yes Abba" I nodded