The Sultans Heirs

{They Wished For One}

Sultan Rado

I let out a frustrated sigh and glared at the man kneeling before me, "Was it or was it not your duty to guard the kingdom's borders?" I asked with a cold and stern tone.

"I sincerely apologize, Your Highness; I swear it won't happen again-"

"I asked a question and expect an answer, not another apology." I stated, cutting him off. He gulped and looked down."Yes, it was my duty."

"Then why have you and your men allowed outlaws to escape into our kingdom?"

He looked back up at me, and I could see regret in his eyes. "We were taken by surprise. It was a very quiet and peaceful night, so the guards and I didn't think anything would happen. We decided to have a few drinks. A few minutes after that, they came out of the woods and attacked us; we were too drunk to comprehend the situation."

I felt anger swarm through my body. 

They were drunk?! 

Twenty-two soldiers lost their lives because they were too drunk to defend themselves. Because their supervising captain thought it was fine for them to drink on the job.

Around a hundred-fifty guards guard the borders, and only sixty-three wisely decided not to drink.

A part of me wanted to stay calm and not be too harsh with him, but the other part knew he needed to be punished. I can't forgive everyone who makes a mistake, especially one like this.

"We trusted you to lead a large group of soldiers, captain, but you have failed to be responsible. From this day forward, you will no longer serve in the royal army."

He quickly stood up from kneeling on the floor and looked at me with a pleading and panicked expression. "No! Please! It won't happen-"

"Enough!" Standing next to me on the throne, my commanding general barked at the pleading soldier.

"His Highness has shown you mercy by not sending you to the dungeons. If you don't leave this instant, I will drag you out personally."

The soldier's panicked eyes turned into fear, and he slowly nodded and bowed to me before he walked away with two soldiers on each side of him to lead him out of the throne room.

I sat up from my throne and looked at the general, "I want you to send out scouts to search every corner of the kingdom. Those outlaws need to be found as soon as possible."

He nodded, "I'm already on it, your highness. You should go rest; you've had a hectic day."

I  nodded, agreeing, "All right, but I want them found by morning."

He bowed his head as I exited the throne room and went to my private chambers. When I got there, my wife was already in bed. It did not take me long to join her.

Once I laid my head on the pillow, I drifted to sleep.

I was woken up by an odd sound a few hours later and turned to find my wife vomiting on the floor. I jumped out of bed and hurried to her. "What's going on?! Are you alright?" I asked franticly.

"I don't know. I feel so sick." I get up, rush to my bedroom doors, and pull them open with a loud thud to call for the guards. 

"Guards!" Two guards hurriedly ran to me with worried expressions.

"Hurry and go get the physician." They bowed their heads and rushed off to fetch the physician as I commanded while I ran back to my wife and helped her onto the bed.

Less than five minutes later, I heard a knock on the door, and I opened it to find the physician, just as I expected. I let her in, and I waited outside my bedroom for her to finish checking on my wife.

When I was growing impatient and about to burst in, the old woman opened the door and stepped out. Her usual scowl was replaced with a grin.

I practically attack her with questions. "Is she alright? Is she still throwing up? Do you know why she's sick all of a sudden? She was fine this morning."

Her slight grin spreads into a warm smile as she shakes her head. "Do not worry, Your Highness; the queen is not sick."

I lifted my head in confusion. Was this woman mad? My wife was clearly sick. Not only because of the amount of vomit that left her body but because she could barely speak without looking like she was about to hurl her guts out onto our bedroom floor.

"Then why was she throwing up so much?" She smiled widely, and I could tell she was happy beyond belief. "Congratulations, Your Highness. Your wife is pregnant. You will soon have an heir."

I froze, unable to believe the words that had just come out of her mouth. 

I had yearned to hear those words for ten years now. The more time that came to pass, the more acceptance I had of the fact that I would never have a child of my own. Or at least that was what I believed.

It was clear either my wife or I was flawed, and I never bothered to check which one of us it was by reproducing with another woman.

No matter how much it killed me thinking that I would never hold my own child in my hands, It hurt even more to think of what my wife would go through seeing me holding a child that was a result of physical intimacy between another woman and I.

I loved her too much to ever do that to her. Even if it was only physical and for producing an heir. I couldn't betray my wife in such a way.

I had decided that my relationship with my wife meant more to me than having a biological child who would rule after me. Even if my not having any kids meant that my beautiful kingdom would be given off to one of my traitorous brothers.

I had fully come to terms with all this, so hearing those simple yet astounding words shocked me to my core, and then that shock transformed into exhilarating joy.

I rushed back into the room to see my wife sitting on the bed, teary-eyed and smiling.

"Is it true?" I asked, still not fully able to believe the physician. I have wanted a child for so long now that it feels like a dream. Was I really about to become a father? Will I finally be blessed with that title?

My wife smiled wider, and a teardrop slid down her cheek. She looked so happy, yet she was crying. "Yes. We will finally have our child."