❝all is not fair in love and war❞
To ensure the survival of the Mughal Empire, Princess Afsana must form a political marriage in Europe. Amongst her potential suitors stands Louis, Count of Champagne, a man driven by dangerous ambitions that destroy...
Breakfast was made a private affair by the rajkumari sending words that she had a headache.
It was not all a lie. The long journey and the events after her arrival had left her head indeed troubled, and though she could've managed to share sweet bread with nobles in morning, she did not want to come to face with Louis Blois.
"Aren't you being a little hasty? I mean, other than not being a virgin he could be great." Lubna said, as they walked the corridors.
"His lack of virtue shows that he will not be a faithful husband." Afsana said, quietening her voice as they passed some servants.
They probably understood nothing of what the woman they bowed to said in her own language, but Afsana could not afford to take chances. She'd heard that the Queen of France was a rather scheeming woman with many talented spies.
The women turned a corner, only to be surprised with what they found.
An entourage of men in armour were hanging by the pillars of the hall, laughing away and talking in obnoxious voices. In the centre of them, stood a man with red fur coat, and a crown on his temple.
The rajkumari had never met the man and she was not made aware of the arrival of any royal.
The chatter quitened when one of the soldiers spotted the women, and pointed them out to the man in the crown.
"Ah! Princess Afsana, it's a pleasure to meet you!" The man said, a grin swallowing his face.
As he walked forward, she expected him to bow but instead he dropped a kiss on her cheek, and stepped back as her jaw fell slack.
"I am Antoine Blois, King of Navarre."
Clearing her throat at his forwardness, she bowed and so did Lubna.
"It's a pleasure to meet you, your grace. Though forgive my unpreparedness, I was not made aware of your arrival."
"Oh, is that so?" Antoine seemed surprised. "Did Louis not tell you?"
The King of Navarre clearly was not aware of how his younger cousin had been failing to do his duty to the nation by following through this courtship. And the fact, gave the rajkumari an opportunity for payback.
"I'm afraid the Count of Champagne hasn't been spending much time with me." Afsana said. "It seems Navarre is not so interested in an alliance."
The King's smile faltered, but he recovered quickly.
"I assure you, Navarre has every interest, princess. I shall sort this out immediatly." Antoine said. "I hope you can join us for a game of tennis later on?"
He then looked at Lubna for the first time, and a smirk overcame him, making him look a lot more like his cousin last night. The lady-in-waiting basked in the attention, and smiled widely back.
"You and your lady, of course." He said. "In the courtyard."
She had no interest in games, but it'd be rude to refuse a king so she accepted the offer.
Once the King was more than earshot away, Lubna turned to her.
"What on earth is tennis?"
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