Chapter 5
This chapter will be in Princess Zuinab's P.O.V
Zuinab stood in the desert sunlight, the sorched climate was absentmindedly invited. Her skin had grown accustomed to the hot and dry climate after eighteen years of living there.
Lifting her hand to act as a makeshift parrosal to block the sunlight from entering her eyes, she was squinting her eyes now, as she tried to watch her best friend go from being in right front of her to going further and further away, then becoming a fuzzy blob on the gold dunes as she went off on her official royal diplomatic business.
She knitt's her brows, frowns and then sighs to herself, "Be safe Ruqqayah-Selena, and come home safe." She clutched her necklace tightly in her hand the points of the star pressed deep into her palm feeling the smoothe, cold silver whilst pressing it to her chest. It somewhat calmed her.
With that she walked over her Vahna, her horse and took the reigns, mounted then made a slow and steady trek back home.
Turning, she took one last look behind her and she could almost swear she can could still see the distant and very vague silouhette of Ruqqayah looking back at her, or was it a mihraj? A mind trick of the desert. Brushing it off she started her making her way back home.
Upon reaching the palace, she took Vahna to stables. I stroked her hand over the majestic animal and looked over at the empty stall where Ruqqayah's mare, Storm, was.
I walked through the East end gardens. The red, orange and dusty pink on the sky reflected on the surface of the one the large khoi pond. I took a seat on the stone bench next to the pond and stared at her reflection in the water. The splahes of the fishes snapped me out of her daydreaming.
I sat there for a while taking in the beautiful scene of the garden and walked back inside that palace.
I sluggishly walked against those palace walls that didn't overly adorn royal tapestry, decorations or curtains that hem's kissed the smoothe ivory coloured marble floors.
Sliding her face all along the lengthy passage wall as I slowly walked towards my room, my face felt at ease after burning in the intense sun but subsided against the cool, smoothe walls.
My beautiful mother, Queen Shaziyah was striding along through the palace busy with her duties and discussing possible dinner plans for the evening with the cook and the list of foods that are to be prepared for my corrination in the next few days.
Her features looked concentrated but when she caught a glimpse of me her expression changed to that of worry watching me drag my pale face along the wall.
A mother's intuition. She knows. The queen approached me and gently touched my forehead then her gentle hand slid down to cup now cool cheek asking, "Zuinab, my love I know you're bothered by Ruqqayah leaving but she will come, not too long from now." There was fact and a hint of uncertainty in my mother's voice, being a diplomat was dangerous that much I knew. But I didn't dare question my mother.
"Yes mother, rather soon than later. I will miss her." Felling those words took energy, I clutched her trinket.
"She won't be here for the corrination but you'll have her here," she pointed to her necklace.
Mother embraced me in a tight hug which I was grateful for, I needed a shoulder to breathe out on, I needed feminine support at that moment but what I really needed was a tough work out. So I headed to the right person.
