Till Fate Tie Us Together...

Chapter 26

Dear Ada,

I'm starting to wonder if you are finding my letters or not. You have just replied that you reached safely. Are you enjoying life too much with me, my dear?

To keep you upto speed, much more has happened. After we told Ruh the truth, and she met with her brother, they both went to live in the mountains.

     Things got complicated as we received a dead body today the exact height and form of her but I had my doubts about it until I got know her brother was here, he came back to get her statue. I asked him about her, you were right. She wasn't dying but pregnant.

       I discussed with him and we decided that we would take Jellal to where she is.

          How are you? If you can, please reply. How is Diya? I needed to tell you something about  her.

                              Yours truly,
                                          Salim

   ***

     Dear Ada,

           I don't know why I'm writing to you but I need to clear my head. We came to the house. She wasn't here. Someone killed the guards and took her. Jellal is angrier than I have ever seen him. And he is just to be angry.

      We have information that she is being held hostage beyond the mountains.

             We are coming to the palace of desert lands tomorrow. I'm excited to meet you in amidst of all these chaos. I have missed you so much it hurts. Did you miss me too? I'll guess we'll know soon.

                              Yours, always and forever, Salim.

     ***

         Ada opened her eyes from sleep. She was tired. Her lower body ached. She cried and screamed but it was to no avail.

    Fazal came into her room as always and handed her a piece of bread. He closed the door and helped her sit up. She nibbled on the bread quietly as she had no strength. She had lost count of days but she knew it was winter as it was extremely cold.

        "How is my daughter?" She croaked.

        "She is well. She's with the Empress."

       She stayed silent. "I'm sorry." He said. "I'm sorry I cannot do much more for you. Every night those men...and I cannot do anything...."

        "I don't want you to put your life in danger. Once the emperor and his brother know we're here, they'll pay for whatever they have done."

         "How will they? These people are smart. They have sent letters in your liking to them to assure nothing is wrong."

        Ada laughed cynically. "Fazal. The  sun, moon and the truth never stay hidden for long. They'll know and he'll come. He'll come for me and he'll burn this place to the ground."

          "Your ex-husband? The emperor?"

       "No. His brother."

   ***

            Ada woke up as her stomach started hurting. She wondered why no one came to wake her up as usual with a kick or so. She found herself cocooned inside a warm blanket. No wonder she had slept so well, she thought. She removed the blanket and peeked outside.

     She frowned. She was on horseback. An arm wrapped around her tighter. She panicked. Where were they taking her?

         "Nooo..." she tried to push herself away from the man and from the horse.

        "Stay still. We'll reach in a few hours."

       She felt her throat lodge and her eyes fill with tears. She knew it was him. He did come for her. She let her shoulders slump and she felt safe enough for exhaustion to creep on her. Soon her eyes drooped and she felt herself falling asleep.

        ***

        This time, when she opened her eyes, she was in a bed. She knew it was the desert lands palace, it was her room. She was in the same clothes.

        She couldn't move. She was afraid it would all go away if she moved. She believes all that was happening was a dream, that if she woke up, she's be back in that cave.

        She slowly got up and rung the bell. She hoped for everything to vanish but it did not. The servants came in with a bath and she soaked herself for the longest time. When the water was cold, she got up and got dressed on her own. As she left the bathing area, her sister was waiting for her.

        They ate breakfast in silence . But Ada appreciated it. She knew what her sister's gesture meant. Then she went to meet Diya who was happy to see her. She asked her where she had been, she lied.

      But the one person she wanted to meet but was most hesitant was him. She knew he was in the palace. Didn't he miss her? Was he disgusted by her? Her mind kept on badgering with questions.

       She waited for him to come to her. She waited for a week. He never came. Her sister was here in the mornings. They had moved to light banter now. She visited Diya in her schoolroom and she went back to her room. One day, she had crossed paths with him but he looked through her as if she was invisible and walked past her.

        She settled in on her bed that night. But she was restless. Maybe she indeed was having a nightmare. She couldn't take it. She pulled on her shawl over her and grabbed a lamp and walked across the corridor to his room. She thumped the door with her other hand. She did again before the door was opened by him. His eyes widened. He certainly did not expect her.

       She walked past him inside his room to find his bed made and papers scattered across the desk towards the wall. A single lampstand was placed on the desk. The room relatively dark.

        She put her own lamp stand beside the other and turned around. "What do you want?"

      He walked towards her and placed his hands at his hips. Anger flared inside her. How dare he act cold towards her?

       She took a deep breath and said to him, "I have but one question."

         "What is it?"

       "Are you disgusted by me?" Her voice tore as her heart clenched. She didn't know what she would do if he said yes. She watched him close his eyes and pinch the bridge of his nose.

     "You are. Aren't you?" She scoffed. He turned away from her not answering her. "Answer me!" She said. When he didn't turn she walked around him to face him but couldn't see his face as the lamps were behind his back.

      "I said answer me!" She screamed.

        "You should go." He said her finally. And turned around, when she walked around him again he turned away again. He didn't want to face her.

     "Is that it?" She scoffed. "So you and your brother haven't sullied me in all these years but your disgust erupted when those low lives plunged their c*cks into_"

     "Shush!" He turned around and grabbed her shoulders rattling her to keep quiet.

        Her eyes glassed over as she found his eyes brimming with tears. "I'm not Ada. I'm not disgusted by you. I'm sorry." A tear escaped his eyes as he bent his head and sobs rocked his chest. "I'm so sorry. It is my fault. I'm sorry."

        "It's not your fault...is that why you were avoiding me? Because you thought it was your fault? That's the most foolish thing I have heard you say."

       He looked up and blinked though his wet lashes, "I knew something was wrong when I wrote you letters and you wouldn't reply but I just assumed you were busy."

        Ada rolled her eyes, "It wasn't your fault. Now stop crying." She held his face and kissed his tear stained cheek.

        ****

             A/N: There is only one chapter left in this story I think. Vote and comment.