2
NasrinI held my breath when the smoke of the hookah flew past me, the old Sheikh and my father, Hamid Elbaz, who was the old Sultan of Maahnoor, laughing together.The stench of the old smoke overpowered the musky jasmine perfume I had donned moments ago. I wanted to leave. My body coiling tightly, my spine straight and tense, I felt sick. Swallowing, I tried to control the bile in my throat that was threatening to pour out.Seeing what I had for lunch would hopefully make him disgusted enough to take back his offer of proposal. “How old did you say she is again?” The old Sheikh hoarsely asked, coughing as he rested his palm on his belly. His two wives were seated beside him, a veil covering their faces as they sat frozen. I pitied them. I truly did. Because if my father dared to accept the proposal of the Sheikh, I would do anything to not end up like them. “I am twenty-six,” I said, meeting his stare and not daring to look away even when his eyes glazed, looking at me. My body. Sheikh grumbled, “That’s not too young, is it? But she looks old enough to be my daughter, so that’s—”Imran Elbaz, my younger brother, cleared his throat, gaining his attention. I sighed in relief when he asked him a question regarding his city. Sadiq Elbaz, my eldest brother and the current Sultan of Maahnoor, shook his head at us, his eyes sharp and cold. I looked away, feeling helpless and sad. I hated the feeling. I wished my mother were with me, holding my hand and telling my father to reject the Sheikh’s offer. That I deserved better than the sixty-something old sheikh who was only interested in my body. But cancer had taken her away from me when I was nine. She would never be back. A small part of my cheerful brothers left with her, and the father who used to smile at me, who’d bring me a jasmine flower every morning.It took her so far that I was alone in the palace that was supposed to be my home, but never felt like it. My sanctuary, surrounded by the people who didn’t feel like my family anymore. I missed my brothers, my father, and especially my mother. “I would need to talk to my daughter before we accept the proposal,” my father said, giving me a forced smile, but I won’t meet his eyes. He knew I would rather rot than marry the Sheikh.“I have heard she has rejected every proposal for marriage,” the old Sheikh replied, scoffing at me. “So proud at her age, don’t you think?” I wondered how sharp the edge of the fruit knife was. How would it feel to hear him squeal with fear if I held it against his neck? Clenching my hands, I thought about my mother, my master’s degree that was laying on my dresser, my future of working with animals and helping them.“I am not accepting your marriage proposal.” Standing up, I stared down at the Sheikh, his guards taking a step closer. “I have heard that you still take dowries from your wife’s family. That is illegal, isn’t it?” I enjoyed the way color leached from his face. I smiled. “Don’t make me file a complaint towards you to the council, Sheikh. I have heard that they publicly execute the people who still follow that practice.”“Nasrin Elba—”My father’s shout was muffled as I grinned, walking out of the study, my body lighter than before, my muscles relaxing. The citrus scent was tinged in the air, sunlight streaming through the dusky pillars of the old palace. I wished my father or brother would take better care of it. The paint was fading and the once beautiful intricate designs were getting covered in dust. Sighing, I made my way to my room, the simple white-washed walls, curtains, dresser and a four-poster bed. I missed my dorm room from university. It had more liveliness to it than the boring room I had grown up in. “You should have at least tried to accept his proposal, Nasrin.”I rolled my eyes when Sadiq followed me. “I will say the same thing when an old queen asks for your hand in marriage, Sadiq.”“He is not that old.”I turned around and gave him a look. His aquiline nose flared, his cheekbones high, similar to mine. Even our golden-brown eyes were the same. I hated how many similarities we had because it reminded me of our mother.“If you would marry him, then Maahnoor can import better vegetables and fruits from his city,” he said, following me in my room, watching me remove the jewelry. “If you wanted that to happen, Sadiq,” I said. “Then you should try harder to be a better Sultan.”Silence fell in the room, and I knew I might have crossed a line, but I wouldn’t back down from stating the truth. He had been crowned as sultan five years ago and our country had made no progress or development as it needed.“You should think before you speak, Nasrin. You are talking to the Sultan of Maahnoor and as a sultan, I can order you to marry him,” he threatened, his face turning sharp and angry. My heart hammered in my ears as I looked at him. “I know I buried you with my mother, Sadiq.” He took a sharp breath, his eyes wide as he stared at me.The door of my room opened and Imran stormed in. “Stop, both of you. Sadiq, we both know we will find a way to import better food to Maahnoor in some way or another. But it won’t happen by selling our sister to that old reek. Not when I am still alive.”I held my breath when they stared down at each other. Despite being three years younger than me, they both had the same height. I loved Imran more than Sadiq, but it didn’t mean I wanted them to fight for me. Especially when I had already rejected that sheikh. “Sadiq, please leave my room. I don’t want to clean either of your blood from my freshly washed sheets,” I said, crossing my arms. Sadiq looked at me, his jaw clenched as he walked out of my room, bumping his shoulder against Imran. We both sighed when he left the room. “I am sorry for what happened, Nasrin,” Imran whispered when I loosened my hair from the braid, running my hand through the dark hair. “What do you mean? You have nothing to apologize for.”“I know, but I wish I could help you. I know you don’t want to get married yet, Father and Sadiq keep pestering you for it,” he said, his voice soft. My heart ached hearing him. I chuckled and held his hand. “You are my younger brother, Imran. I have never blamed you for anything. You should stop apologizing for others’ deeds. I wish situations were different but…”He nodded, his hair falling on his forehead as he swooped me in a hug. I sighed and hugged him back, wishing we had a better familial relationship. “I know I can’t help you with the proposal, but I have a small gift for you,” he said, pulling away and handing me a piece of paper. I frowned, taking it and reading over it. “It’s a ticket.”“Ah, so you can read.”I pinched his arm and, ignoring his yelp, I said, “Why are you giving me a ticket to Azmia?”“Because I want you to go have fun? It’s a small gift for graduating with a master’s degree in veterinary science.”“Aw, come here!” I hugged him again, cherishing the ticket as if it was a prized possession. No one had thought about gifting me anything but him. “Wait, but why would you give me a ticket to Azmia? Father has a bad relationship with that country,” I pointed out.He winked at me. “What he doesn’t know won’t hurt him. Besides, tomorrow is their princess’s birthday, so everyone will be busy celebrating. You can do whatever you want and have fun. No one will know who you are.”Imran was right. No one will know me. That I am Nasrin Elbaz, Princess of Maahnoor. I can go out, tour the capital and even spend the night out.I kissed his cheek. “Thank you, Imran. You are the best brother anyone could ever have.”“You are exaggerating,” he mumbled, smiling and wiping his cheek when he walked out of my room. I knew in my heart that he would have been a far better choice as a Sultan of Maahnoor than Sadiq. Looking down at the ticket, a grin tugged at my lips. I would be someone else for two days and have a taste of whatever freedom I could have.3ZainMy head was throbbing as I stepped inside the club. The guards kept their distance, but they followed me, doubling the protection around the club and the enormous expanse of the three floors. We owned several of the clubs and hotels in Azmia, especially the most popular in our capital, which celebrities used to party and forget about themselves without the fear of paparazzi. My pace was steady, annoyance from the meeting with the twin princesses filling my steps as I made my way to the second floor. Red, blue, yellow and green neon lights danced through the dark walls covered in thin velvet fabric. People laughed, danced and made out against the obsidian pillars, the bartenders fulfilling the orders, our guards making sure everything went smoothly with no incident. I eyed the dance stage. People donned various dress shirts and short dresses dancing with their hands above their head, swaying to the upbeat music played by the DJ.I felt envious, wishing I could go down and mingle
4NasrinI looked at the lavish interior of my hotel suite. Being a Princess of Maahnoor, I could afford to stay in a suite. The chilly breeze from the balcony ruffling my hair, laughter and music echoing in the city below. I averted my eyes to the suitcase beside the vanity. It was open, barely unpacked after arriving in Azmia for a night, using the ticket Imran had gifted me.I ran a hand down my face, tucking the strands of my hair behind my ears. I needed to calm down and think. Be smart about the whole ridiculous ordeal. There must be a loophole. You have to marry him. My father had said over the phone, his voice raspy with age, when I had landed in Azmia. I could hear the cruel smile in his voice. How I could ever be related to that man was a wonder on its own. I couldn’t escape to London anymore. I had a student loan to pay off and my father took care of the money that he allowed me to spend. I still had some little cash that I had earned during my part-time job at a vet clini
5ZainI hummed, burying my nose in the warm skin, taking a deep breath of the subtle scent of jasmine with something musky. Hair tickled my face, my hands gliding up the curve of soft skin. I squeezed the tenderness, opening my half-lidded eyes, and smiled. Jasmine. That was the name of my wife. The beautiful brunette who was sleeping beside me. Her lips were parted as she breathed deeply, clutching the pillow and nuzzling her body towards mine. A small smile made its way to my lips. It was three in the morning, white curtains flowing as the cool breeze swept into the room. Making sure not to wake her up, I shifted, pulling away from her, and stared up at the ceiling. My thoughts were all over the place. I was conflicted, yet somehow relieved. I didn’t know why. But the reality that I slept with her, a stranger, was like being splashed with a bucket of ice water on a winter night. Twenty-four hours ago, I didn’t want to have sex. I was comfortable being abstinent all my life. Yet,
6NasrinWaking up to the empty bed was a bad feeling when I had the best sex of my life. That too, by a handsome stranger. But waking up to an empty bed and a dozen calls from your father and your brothers was worse. “Did someone die?” I said as a greeting when Imran, my younger brother, picked up the call. “Hello to you, too,” he replied enthusiastically, which meant no one had died. How unfortunate. “No one has died. Yet. But you need to cut your visit short and come back home.”I resisted the urge to scoff at the palace he called home. The last time it had ever felt like home was the last night I spent with my mom on her deathbed. If I close my eyes and think hard enough, I can feel her hand gently stroking my hair, her soft voice before she closed her eyes and passed away early in the morning. “Is it serious?” I asked, swallowing the lump in my throat and sitting up. The soreness between my legs was evident as I tried to stifle my gasp, shuffling and sitting up in a comfortable
7Zain“Khalid, open the door before I break it!” My guards had been waiting for me outside Jasmine’s suite when I left, asking me if I was okay. Which I was. I had finished the physical training session and answered the questions about my diet to the interviewer even though I wished I was with her, feeding sliced mangoes to her.Rahim had found me after the interview with the magazine, asking me if I had made the person whom I had slept with sign an NDA. After taking one look at my pale face, he asked me for a name which I swore I didn’t know. His only question that bothered me the most was if I had used protection or not. That was why I was panicking and forcing my brother to open the door to his room so I could ask for his help. I was sure he had forgotten all about our little chat back in the club the night before.“Finally!” I said when the door opened, and my face dropped at the sight of the twin princesses. I blinked at them when they offered me a small wave and kissed my brot
8Zain“What is that you are staring at, boy?” I smiled at my jadati (grandmother) who slowly walked towards the dining room. I held her hand as she was seated in a chair, her dark brown eyes fixing on the beautiful piece of jewelry. “Hmm,” she grunted. “Are you asking someone for marriage?” “No,” I said. “I, uh, found this in a drawer of the hotel room. It seemed too precious to let the hotel staff handle it. We are trying to find the owner and return it.” I half lied, praying she wouldn’t pick up on it and pinch my ears. “I have seen a similar piece. This looks just like that with the emerald.”My heart rate picked up. “Where, jadati?” She eyed the maang tikka and looked at me. “Sultana of Maahnoor used to wear it back when your father and Hamid Elbaz were friendly neighbors rather than enemies.”I clenched my jaw thinking about Maahnoor, our neighboring country. Once, a decade ago, it used to be famous for its beautiful sunsets, shimmering palace, sweet foods and jewelry with
9NasrinThe soles of my golden flats and his shiny dark shoes made little to no sound when we walked together on the marble floors of the palace hallway. I couldn’t keep from internally being in awe at every minute detail in the structure of the pillars, the domes, the antique decorations. Each and every little thing gleamed of opulence. Richness. No wonder Azmia was well-known as the Golden country. I had slept with the sultan of the country that bleeds gold, and he had an adorable picture of me drooling on his phone. I certainly knew how to pick a one-night stand.Biting my cheek, I tried to look anywhere but at him. His presence and his aura were a living thing, beckoning me to gaze at him, marvel at his beauty and his leadership. I had seen no one talk like that to my father. Other than me, of course. “The palace gardens are this way,” Zain said, his voice husky, reminding me of the night we had spent together. I followed him, shamelessly staring at the tailor-made suit and p
10Zain“Because, Princess Nasrin, I am asking you to marry me,” I said, my voice echoing in the dark night. Her lush lips parted when she gaped at me. Even shocked, she was a stunning beauty. I hadn’t been able to form any coherent words when I had seen her sitting in the library, her thick hair flowing down her waist, making me want to run my hand through it. Hold it as I whispered filthy things in her ear. What I would do to her if we were alone. Her dark eyes glared at me through the surrounding kohl, illuminating her brown orbs. “Are you asking or ordering, Sultan?” She asked, her tone mocking when she tried so hard not to reject me. I adored it. The way she talked back to me, wanting to reject my proposal with defiance in her eyes. Maybe I was foolish, but I wanted to marry her, see the fire in her eyes every time I wake up next to her. “I am asking, Princess Nasrin.” I smiled at her, “For now.”Her chest heaved when she took a step closer to me, my eyes dropping low at the