Till Fate Tie Us Together...

Chapter 27

       Salim was woken by when he heard her mumble and thrash around. He shook her gently, "Ada? You're having a nightmare. Get up."

       She woke up gasping for breath and tears stained her cheek. He stood up and lit a lamp and poured water in a glass and handed it to her. 

     The nightmare had considerably lessened throughout the year. But it was more frequent now. He was glad he was here with her.

       "That was after a long tine." He  took the glass out of her hands and kept it back, he settled again on the bed and pulled her closer. She nestled her head on his chest.

      "I think it's because it's almost been a year...." she mumbled.

      He placed a kiss on her hair. "Maybe."

        "I'm excited for the ceremony tomorrow." She said while she drew circles on his chest with her fingers. Shivers ran down his spine but he took a deep breath, nothing had happened between then till now. It was difficult for her and he never wanted to force her.

      "I'm envious. Ruh has babies. Whereas I have a grown up brat." She sighed.

    He chuckled, "She isn't a grown up. She's just nine."

         "Babies are better. They're cute and they listen to you."

          He chuckled again.

       She placed his chin on his chest and looked at him. "Should we make a baby?"

      He laughed and kissed her nose. She frowned and he laughed again. "I'm serious. It's been a year."

          She sat up and held his face, his breath hitched again. "Are you sure? It's okay if we wait."

       "I'm sure." She said and kissed his lips slowly. He let her and let his hands feather down her waist.

            She wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him as he fell over her as her back hit the bed. This time he kissed her and she moved her hands to his neck. She froze. He stopped as she did. She closed her eyes and sighed. "I'm sorry..."

       He smiled down at her and got up from her, "It's okay." She crawled over to him again as he embraced her. They kept talking about nonsensical things before they fell asleep.

    ***

"Ruia and Razia. That's the strangest names to name babies." Ada whispered in Salim's ears. He said nothing.

They were at the naming ceremony and it was finally over. Ada was a little tipsy and Salim led her to her room while she giggled. "Who does that?"

"Where's Diya? She has a terrible name too. Guess who named her?" She giggled again.

"I've wanted to talk to you about Diya for long."

"What is it?" She asked as she settled down on the diwan.

"Diya is my daughter. Isn't she? "

"She's not."

"DON'T LIE TO ME!" He yelled. And Ada stared at him.

"What are you talking about? She is Jellal's."

"No, she's not. Since you're the harem keeper." He walked to the drawer and took out a large tome.

"This is the harem's register. It holds account of where the women in the harem spend their nights. " He said and flipped the pages.  Ada felt a weight on her stomach.

"Here it is! Approximately nine months before Diya's birth. Look, here is my name. And nothing after that. " He pointed to the entry. 

Ada fell silent. He watched her frown as her eyes sobered up. She looked at the index where his name was written. She stepped away from the book.

He chuckled and said, "I was right. Wasn't I? Why! Why did you lie to me?"

  She slumped on the diwan. "Don't tell Diya."

       "The hell I won't! I always knew she was mine! And you kept her away from me!" He sputtered.

"Listen to me! I raised my daughter making her believe he was her father. Jellal always thought of her as a daughter. While you! You snuck into my room and said nothing and fathered a child and you left her like you did before! And now after all these years you want to acknowledge her? That is not happening, Salim."

"What? Before?" He frowned.

"Are you going to act like it never happened? The letters that I sent you while I was pregnant with your child!" She poked his chest. "The letters in which I begged for you marry me so that I could save our child!"

His eyes widened and he stood stunned. He had never read those letters in a childish ploy for punishing her. He didn't knew that was what those letters contained.

"I'm sorry..." he croaked. She laughed cynically.

"You're sorry?! It won't bring that child back!" She screamed.

"Ada?" He fell to her feet. "I'm so sorry. Please, forgive me."

"I don't have the strength...Please, get out." She said pushing him away.

"Diya deserves to know. So does Jellal."

    "If you say anything to Jellal, we're over Salim." She threatened.

He stood up and walked outside her room, he looked back to see her hugging herself and crying. He couldn't bear it and walked to his room.

He went through his drawers and searched for those letters. He unfolded them and read it one by one,

To Prince Salim,

   You said that you wouldn't come back even if I begged you to. I've come to the state to beg you, I beg you to marry me. I beg you to give this child your name. I want nothing else. I don't want the throne or the power. I just want my child to grow up respectfully. This is my plea to you. I know no matter what you do you'd always love me.

   My mother has given me a deadline, until I'm forced to kill this child. Our Child. Please, let go of your pride and reply in haste. The deadline ends in two weeks. Please, I beg of you. If you'd ever loved me truly, make haste to marry me.

                                  Yours Truly,
                                               Ada

    Tears splotched on the paper as he found himself drowning in sorrow after he had read them. He had abandoned her years ago when she needed him the most. If he had just set his childish ego aside and read the letters he could've saved their first child.

     He abandoned her again and again and she forgave him. He didn't deserve her, he decided. He was an imbecile, he came to the conclusion.

       After a couple of days, he heard Ada had left for The Desert Lands with Diya, never to return back. Exiled by Emperor Jellal.

    ****

       THE END

There's an epilogue. But this is the end.