Chapter 36
Mariyah
B y the time the guests started arriving, the public room looked perfect as if nothing had gone wrong. It wasn’t overly decorated, but with the little, rustic silver lanterns on and three chandeliers off, the place glowed with warmth and love and happiness. All the stress and panic faded, leaving only pride at what I’d achieved with Shehryar and the effort of everyone else in the palace.
Esmeralda, Kai, and his family helped me get everyone seated in the hall for the ceremony from the King and Queen of Shah who’d flown in in the morning so the king could be at his best friend’s secret wedding, to friends, and a few extended family members. Once the forty or fifty seats of friends and family were filled, the staff who were taking it in turns to enjoy the ceremony took up the rest of the chairs, and Katiya’s parents watched the whole thing via video call.
I discreetly seated myself next to Queen Leila in an aisle chair before it all began.
“You did amazing, Mariyah dear,” she whispered, softly squeezing my knee.
My chest expanded. “Thank you.”
The queen’s smile turned a little suggestive. “It seems you and Shehryar work well together after all.”
“Yeah, apparently we do.” I shook my head. “But don’t tell him. It’s just gonna go to his head.”
She laughed, and I grinned, then a hush fell across the room as the entrance doors opened. Music played from two large Bluetooth speakers in the corners of the room controlled by Gary, Kai’s driver.
I turned my attention as Nur made his entrance as the officiant first, taking up his place before the decorated table. King Rami followed, suited in dark royal blue with a silver cane in hand. And after him came the royal couple of the century—Esmeralda and Kai.
Arm in arm, my best friend was the epitome of bubbling joy, while her fiancé in his blue three-piece suit and silver tie like the other groomsmen was her calmer, googly-eyed counterpart. They parted when they got to the front, Kai going to stand by his father and Esmeralda to Nur’s right.
They were followed by Fay and Pierre before Nur said into a mic, “Please stand for the groom.”
The room rose as one.
A symphony of coos and awws flooded the hall as Zain and Alisha’s children came in with an awkward, blushing Adam. Tara led the way with all the big sister attitude a five-year-old could have, throwing rose petals from her basket with such precision. While Max, in Adam’s arms, threw more petals in the poor prince’s face than he did on the rolled-out carpet, triggering chuckles.
Laughter turned into light cheers when the grinning groom appeared in the door.
Prince Arsh was dressed in a perfectly tailored grey suit with a dark blue tie, opposite to the groomsmen, and a sheathed sword strapped to a leather belt around his waist under his jacket. He looked every bit the silver fox bachelor he was with his brown hair combed back and jaw cleanly shaven. But the love that glowed in his hazel eyes was swoon-worthy. He was so excited to be getting married, and it was clear by the way he practically sped towards Nur.
“Now please get ready to welcome our beautiful bride,” the head chef said.
The next melody started as Katiya appeared in the doorway on Shehryar’s arm. A hushed awe caused everyone’s eyes to sparkle, especially the groom’s.
Candy was a star, because Katiya looked stunning.
Her warm ivory, almost pale gold dress hugged her gorgeously tall and curvaceous body to her waist and stroked her legs with each step like liquid. The sleeves were full and the neck a wide U. Dark red flower patterns were embroidered into the bodice, but they faded away as they climbed down to her waist, leaving the skirt plain, yet the design was the perfect nod to her Jahandari heritage. It was all complemented by her curled updo, effortless makeup balanced by the red on her full lips, and pearl necklace and earrings.
Katiya released her hold on her son’s arm, allowing him to step in front and shield her from her soon-to-be husband. Undoing the leather belt holding the sheathed sword from around his waist, Prince Arsh treaded forward. He gripped it in both hands and dropped onto one knee before Shehryar.
I caught the uncomfortable twitch on Shehryar’s lips—it probably felt super weird having royalty bow down in front of him, but a tradition was a tradition, and he composed himself instantly.
Prince Arsh lifted the sword, offering it to Shehryar. “I present to you the weight of my pride and vow with all my honour that I will love, respect, and protect Katiya Timur for the rest of my life,” he said, perfectly recited yet heavy with truth. “And if I am to ever fail in my promise, then you may use the silver of my own pride to slay me.”
I nearly choked at the “ slay me” part—Esmeralda had left that out in her explanation of Touman wedding traditions. Talk about dramatic, but damn was it kind of sweet too in a funny sort of way.
Everyone remained perfectly still as we waited for Shehryar’s choice.
The sword couldn’t have been light, but he made Prince Arsh hold it up for what felt like a mini eternity before expanding his chest on a breath and taking the silver from the kneeling man.
I swore we all blew out a sigh of relief.
Until he turned the pointed end of the sheathed sword to Prince Arsh’s throat.
“Don’t ever hurt her,” Shehryar said low and slow.
No one would have ever known there was a weapon held to his throat just going off the older prince’s delighted grin. “Never.”
Shehryar lowered the silver and offered the man a hand. Prince Arsh took it and stood up. It wasn’t clear who initiated it, but arms went around shoulders, fists still clasped, and they patted each other on the back in one of those man-hugs. Cheers and claps echoed around, the loudest coming from Katiya’s parents on the screen, but I scoffed.
Only this fucking idiot could commit a minor form of treason in front of a room full of witnesses and get a hug and cheers out of it instead of threats of arrest.
Finally, Shehryar took his mother’s hand again, placed it in Prince Arsh’s, and got out the way. He set the sword against the table before moving to Esmeralda’s side. She poked and prodded at him in a mixture of amusement and scolding.
Nur cleared his throat into the mic. Prince Arsh and Katiya clasped their hands together, looking into each other’s eyes like they’d been waiting all their lives for this very moment.
“Are we ready?” Nur asked. They nodded eagerly. “Okay, then let’s get this secret wedding started, shall we?” He grinned and opened the leather book in his hand. “We are gathered here today…”
It was beautiful. Everything. The perfect blend of Jahandari and Touman colours and traditions. Nur’s speech about marriage, his eyes on his wife the whole time. The laughter when King Rami couldn’t remember which pocket he’d put the rings in. The intimacy of the vows Prince Arsh and Katiya read from notes they whipped out before sliding each other’s wedding bands on.
Prince Arsh’s “Kabool Hai,” in reply to Nur’s “ do you take” question—the Jahandari term for “ I do” —surprised a watery laugh from Katiya and a, “I love you so much.” There wasn’t a person in the room who didn’t feel the thick, liquid emotion blocking their throats.
Esmeralda was the perfect advert for waterproof makeup because the girl was sobbing, tucked under Shehryar’s arm, but her mascara had not smudged one bit. Queen Leila elegantly dabbed at her undereyes with a tissue. Gigi and King Rami discreetly flicked the corners of their eyes. And Kai’s gaze was wet too, though I had a feeling that was more because seeing Esmeralda cry made him cry.
I cried too. I didn’t know why. I’d been introduced to Prince Arsh ten days ago, and while I’d met Katiya multiple times, I wouldn’t exactly have said we were close. But that had changed while I’d planned their wedding, and all the fun we’d had together made them both mean something to me.
That, and there was something about seeing two people who’d been unlucky in love, from different backgrounds and states, find a soulmate in each other at a later stage in their lives. Their love was the sort of otherworldly magic that inspired movies and fairytales. They were meant to be in every way, and no power in the world could have kept them apart.
Watching them filled me with the kind of love, hope, and joy of being alive that made me feel weightless and grounded all at once. It made my chest ache and had tears streaming down my face.
“Then,” Nur said through a watery sniff. He snapped the book shut. “By the power vested in me by the State of Touma, I pronounce you husband and wife. You may kiss—oh, okay.”
Katiya grabbed the lapels of Prince Arsh’s suit jacket and tugged him to her for a long, hard kiss. His eyes widened before he chuckled against her lips. Cupping her cheek, he kissed her back.
Laughter turned into roaring cheers and echoing claps between sniffles of happiness, and quickly, the whole room was on their feet, hooting endlessly.
I cupped my hands around my mouth and whooped loudly when the newly married couple pulled away from their long kiss and faced everyone. Esmeralda joined in, followed by Fay and Pierre, Alisha and Zain, and others scattered all around the room.
I caught Prince Arsh’s teary-eyed wink of gratitude, and a wobbling grin burst across my mouth as several droplets rolled down my cheeks. I swiped them with my fingertips, but they wouldn’t stop.
“Now, who’s hungry?” Prince Arsh roared, throwing his and Katiya’s intertwined hands up.
I let out a sobbing burst of laughter like everyone around me and watched as the happy couple walked down the aisle. A few people must’ve had rose petals left in their hands because bursts of red flew up into the air and cheers reignited. Then Queen Leila met her husband in the middle, and together they led a slow procession after Prince Arsh and Katiya out of the public room and down the corridor to the readied dining hall.
As people exited, Kai headed straight for Esmeralda like some imaginary metal doors blocking him from getting to her finally opened. He engulfed her in his big arms and kissed her hair repeatedly as she hiccupped through her tears. And it set me off again.
“My fucking makeup,” I whined under my breath as I swirled away, dabbing my fingers through the liquid under my eyes.
In turning away from Esmeralda though, I found myself caught in the bloodshot look of unshed tears in Shehryar’s eyes and my breath stuttered. There were so many layers of emotion in those stupidly beautiful, piercing irises of his. I couldn’t pick them apart. I could only feel how deeply they dug into my bones and fastened themselves to the most vulnerable, wanting parts of me.
I ached at how raw and warm he left me feeling. It was a little scary— a lot scary that he could cause such a sensation in me. Some irrevocable connection I’d never be able to deny again.
I would have been lying if I said it was easy to accept or embrace, but maybe it was pure stubbornness or a trepid want to explore how much he could make me feel, but I didn’t turn away.
I did, however, lower my hands and narrow my eyes in mock question. What?
The corner of his mouth slowly quirked as he scowled back, and a fluffy cloud blew up in my chest.
He took a swaggering step in my direction, but—
“Mariyah.”
I just about caught a glimpse of a crying Esmeralda before she all but threw her arms around my neck. I grunted upon impact. Chuckling weakly, I cinched her around the waist and squeezed.
“That was so beautiful,” she said with tears coating her voice. “Thank you.”
Ah fuck. The sharp sting returned to the back of my nose, obscuring my gaze with a liquid barrier. “Why are you thanking me?” I said, laughing and crying all the same.
“Because you did this—put those smiles on their faces, and I’m so grateful that you did that for Mama Katiya and Prince Arsh when you didn’t have to.”
“For fuck’s sake, dude,” I groaned as tears streamed down my face. “I fucking hate you for making me cry again.”
She hiccupped a giggle. “No, you don’t.” She beamed happily. “You love me.”
I matched her grin as I wiped my fingers through my tears. “Yeah, I do, you bitch. Now say it back.”
“I love you too,” she chirped, then glanced to Shehryar. She put her hand out to him. He smiled sweetly and wrapped his paw around her palm. “You too, Shehryar. I love you, and I know this wasn’t easy for you, but you did a great job.” Her voice cracked. “She’s so happy.”
The liquid sheen returned to Shehryar’s eyes. Letting go of her hand, he stepped closer and wrapped his arm around her shoulders instead. “She is.” His voice was thick with emotion. “And you were right.” He pressed a kiss to the top of her hair. “Love is enough.”
Esmeralda lifted her chin to a haughty, regal angle. “I’m always right.”
Shehryar grunted and shook his head before his eyes roamed to me. “Maybe,” he said quietly.
The fluttering bubbles and clouds expanded in me again, understanding what he was talking about.
Fine . I’d admit it too.
Esmeralda maybe, slightly , kind of had been right about me and Shehryar.
There had always been more than hate between us. It had just taken us a while to accept that the hate wasn’t more powerful and fulfilling than what lay underneath.
It wasn’t love yet, but it was something worth taking seriously.
I almost burst out laughing at the cementing thought.
Fucking Neves, I was whipped for Shehryar Timur. That was going to be one heck of a story to tell everyone who knew how I’d once abhorred him. But it was a weirdly pleasing idea.
That delicious dickhead is mine, and I get to tell everyone.
Someone cleared their throat.
A big, fat mischievous grin sat on Esmeralda’s face as she glanced between us. “We don’t like each other,” she mimicked in a voice that sounded neither like me nor Shehryar.
I flushed pink and glared. “You’re not gonna let it go, are you?”
She shook her head once. “No. Not at all. But…” She clasped my wrist in one hand and used the other to grab Shehryar’s hand. Placing my palm on top of Shehryar’s, she said, “I leave you in each other’s care from now on and trust you will make the most of what you can be without hate.”
With her dramatic declaration complete, Esmeralda stepped back. Kai was already there with an open arm, and she tucked herself against him, grinning at us. “And I would like to be the first to know when the wedding is, so I can plan it myself,” she added.
My cheeks flamed and my chest lurched in shock. I snatched my hand back, smacking myself right in the chest. “Yo, relax. Why are you talking about weddings?”
The Crown Princess of Jahandar hooted up at the ceiling. Even grumpy TRG flashed me a toothy, dimpled grin.
And Shehryar? Well, he coiled an arm around my neck, holding me to his chest in a headlock.
“Shehryar,” I snapped, trying to pull at his tree-trunk arm.
“You don’t think we can make it that far?” he said, grinning wolfishly.
My heart hiccupped again, but I took the joke for what it was and pulled a sarcastic smile. “Guess you’re gonna have to prove yourself, aren’t you?”
That was the end of conversation as Fay, Adam, and all of Kai’s friends, including little Tara and Max, encircled us. Hugs and laughter and watery words flew all around, but Shehryar’s arm remained locked across my shoulders. And I didn’t complain about the weight of it either.