❝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...
Emperor Humayun had always taught that confidence could bring one great victory or shame.
At the moment, what Afsana was experiencing was much closer to the latter, given that she kept missing the ball by metres and found herself unable to serve. It seemed that reading about a sport was not an efficient way to learn how to play it.
When the ball hit the ground on her side once again, giving Louis another point she did not bother to pick it up.
"I'd like to take a rest." She said, unable to bear the humiliation of losing any longer.
It may have only been a simple tennis game, but the fact that it had been against the man who insulted her father had made her want to win desperately.
"Are you sure you want to admit defeat so soon princess? You were doing quite great, in fact I believe you even managed to graze the ball on the last serve." Louis said from across the net, teasing.
Her cheeks heated with anger, his words were going to make smoke come out of her ears like those dragons she read about in the stories from her childhood. She wanted to throw an insult or two his way but couldn't, not in front of such a large audience who were already unimpressed by her as it was.
"I am quite sure, Count Blois." With that she bunched up her dress and began to walk towards the refreshment area.
King Antoine was laughing at something Lubna said, his attention now fully on the maid given that the game had ended. When he noticed the rajkumari approaching them, he shot her a smirk that was clearly mocking her defeat.
"Your majesty, if it doesn't displease you I would like to retire to my chambers, I am quite tired after the game." Afsana said. "And I require my lady to come with me."
"Well, princess, why don't you just sit and have a drink here? It'd be a shame to lose your company." Antoine said.
She knew very well that the King would only be missing Lubna's company, if anything, and she refused to let him have his way with members of her court.
"The sun's heat is quite scorching, otherwise I would have loved to stay out a bit more." She said.
"I believed that the weather was far hotter in your exotic homeland, or am I mistaken princess?"
The King of Navarre was beggining to test her patience. The trait must run within the blood of the Blois family.
"Let the princess retreat, it'd be rude to hold her against her will." Louis said, having walked over from the patch of grass they were playing on earlier.
The fact that this was the second time he'd come to her rescue annoyed her deeply only added to her humiliation, but at least it had convinced his cousin to let her go. Bidding goodbye to the little party, Afsana walked back inside the Louvre, flanked by Lubna.
Once out of earshot, she grabbed her lady-in-waiting's arm and brought her to one side of the corridor.
"I need you to find Duke Cosson and fix a time for us to meet, tell him the sooner the better." Afsana said, whispering in case anyone was listening.
Lubna's brow drew together, her lips parting to question Afsana's motives.
"I don't need anymore time to think," She said before the girl could ask anything. "I will be accepting to marry Francis this evening. And there is nothing anyone can do to change my mind."
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A dinner was organised by the Duke of Paris that very evening. The fact that Afsana did not need to request for the event to be kept a secret told her that he knew very well what the urgency was all about.
The noble families of the French court had gifted her with a few European dresses, and she chose to wear a yellow and white gown from that collection. It was purely diplomatic choice, her indirect way of letting the Duke, and therefore the King and Queen of France, whom she knew would soon receive news, her message.
That she was ready for France. She was ready to become their to-be Queen Consort.
Lubna did her hair in a half twist, letting the rest lay over her shoulders and all the way down to the wide skirt of the gown in soft waves that were scented with rose water. The only part of the outfit she refused to wear was the ruff, as it made her neck uncomfortable and back stiff.
The two ladies exited their chamber, finding Nadim standing on his own outside.
"Where is Zia?" Afsana said, when she noticed her friend missing.
The boy shrugged. "I have no idea, he left our chambers a bit before I did so I'd assumed he'd be here."
She wanted to wait for her second guard, not only because it'd made her feel safer but because she needed his calm aura around her at this time. But they were going to run late and that would not set a very good tone for the dinner.
"Let's go then, hopefully he'll meet us along the way." Afsana said.
Lubna remained behind her, careful to not step on her yellow skirt and Nadim strode in front of them both. His casualty did not make her feel safe, and she often questioned if the boy would even be able defend himself if they came under attack.
She wondered where Zia could have possibly been at this pivotal moment of her life.
The three turned to walk along the corridor that lead to the Duke's chambers, and instantly noticed a shadow further down it and all stopped simultaneously. Despite the hundreds of candles that lighted their path it was hard to tell if they were seeing correctly, but then the shadow began to move until it formed the silhouette of a man making it's way fast towards them.
"Retreat behind me." Nadim said, then quickly drew out his khanda. "Whoever it is hold back!"
The girls went a few steps back but the person kept advancing despite the warning.
"I said step back or I shall have to attack you!" Nadim said, pointing the khanda forward in a swift motion.
The guard was about to repeat his warning for the third time when the figure came under their view, his white uniform creased in places and long hair tied back for once.
"Zia?" Lubna called out.
The guard placed a finger upon his lips to silence them and used the other hand to signal them to walk back. Despite the confusion, the group did as told and all made it to the corridor that was closer to the rajkumari's chambers.
"Why were you so late when I gave you such clear timings?" Afsana said when he joined them.
"I apologise, but I need to speak to you." Zia said.
"Not now, I am running late for dinner with Duke Cosson. We must make our way-"
"That is precisely what we need to speak about." Zia said, his tone hinting some worry, which stopped her thinking about the dinner and diverged her attention to him fully.
She'd known him for so long and he'd always been the epitome of calm. If he was worried, then something was truly wrong.
"Well, spit it out Zia." Lubna said.
Pursuing his lips he recounted how he was making his way from his chambers when he came across Duke Cosson's door. He didn't mean to listen in, but when he heard the name of the rajkumari be mentioned he stopped and crawled behind a vase in the corridor. The Duke was confering with another man, someone particularly close with the King and Queen of France.
"The French royal family and the Duke of Paris are desperately trying to hide something from you," Zia said. "I did not hear what, but it must be related to your courtship with Prince Francis."
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So I've been noticing how this book hasn't reached many, but I still appreciate every one of my readers because you're AMAZING!!! Please, however, could you recommend this to a friend who may be interested. Thank you ♡♡
