Chapter 26
The sun came out the morning of the wedding. It shone through Aisha’s window, throwing patterns across the floor. She stood in front of the mirror while her sisters moved around her, fastening clasps, smoothing fabric, and adjusting jewellery.
‘You look like a painting,’ Lilah said when she stepped back to admire her.
‘A nervous painting,’ Aisha replied, touching the corner of her lips.
Yasmin looked over from her perch by the window. ‘It may not even go ahead.’ She was playing with Mira instead of preparing the flowers for Aisha’s hair like she had been instructed. ‘You could be nervous for no reason.’
Everyone stilled and looked in her direction.
‘Why would you say that?’ Lilah asked. ‘Of course the wedding will go ahead.’
Yasmin took in everyone’s expressions. ‘I simply meant if Baba doesn’t show up—’
‘Have you finished those flowers yet?’ Lilah asked, cutting her off.
Yasmin placed the cub on the ground with a huge sigh, then began sorting and trimming the flowers.
‘She’s not completely out of order,’ Safiya whispered to Lilah.
Lilah gave her a look that translated to stop. ‘Don’t listen to them,’ she told Aisha. ‘Zara will get him there.’
There was a soft knock at the door before it eased open. Maryam stepped inside, carrying a tray of tea. Her gaze met Aisha’s in the mirror. ‘Something for the nerves.’ She placed it down on the dressing table.
‘Thank you,’ Aisha said.
Maryam bowed her head, then left the room.
Lilah went to pour the tea for Aisha. As she poured, she sniffed the air. ‘What tea is this?’
‘The usual, I imagine.’ Aisha slipped the chain of her token over her head and tucked it into her dress. ‘A blend of lavender, fennel, and balm, I think.’
Lilah lifted the cup to her nose and inhaled deeply, her brow furrowing instantly. ‘And something else.’ She gave it another careful sniff. ‘What is that?’
Safiya rolled her eyes. ‘Maybe we figure it out after the ceremony.’
‘I think there’s Miraji root in here,’ Lilah said as if Safiya hadn’t spoken.
Aisha gave her a doubtful look. ‘I don’t think so.’
Lilah continued to take long inhales of the steam. ‘Certainly smells similar.’
Miraji was a rare silvery-green root native to high-altitude forests. It was used to loosen the mind.
‘You, especially, shouldn’t be drinking it,’ Lilah added.
What she meant was someone with the Sight.
A knock at the door made them all still. Lilah set the teacup down, then went to the door. ‘I told you he’d be here.’ But when she pulled the door open, the smile fell from her face.
It was Zara.
Alone.
Her face was calm, but her eyes were a little too wide. She stepped inside and closed the door quietly behind her. ‘He was dressed and ready,’ she said. ‘But then the music started outside… I tried everything. I’m sorry.’
Yasmin pushed the tray of flowers aside with a sigh. ‘So much for Aisha’s vision.’
‘She saw him in his wedding clothes,’ Lilah said, her face slack.
Zara looked thoroughly uncomfortable. ‘And he was wearing them—before he changed his mind.’
Aisha’s throat was painfully dry suddenly.
‘So I’ll be walking you down the aisle,’ Zara announced, trying to sound confident.
At first, no one responded.
‘I don’t want to rain on anyone’s parade here,’ Safiya said, ‘but you know how much these people pride themselves on tradition.’
‘I’m well aware,’ Zara said, stress creeping into her tone. ‘However, they’ll have to make do with the next best thing—and that’s me.’
It wasn’t only that her father wouldn’t be giving her away that had Aisha blinking back tears, but the fact that he wasn’t even going to see her marry the man she loved more than she could have ever imagined.
‘We’re not doing tears,’ Zara told Aisha. ‘There’s zero chance of them tolerating a crying bride on top of this, so I need you to focus.’
Swallowing hard, Aisha held Zara’s gaze, siphoning strength from her—as she had done her whole life. ‘Even if they allow it, people will talk.’
Zara took her hands. ‘Let them talk. There’s nothing they can say about our family that hasn’t been said behind our backs already.’
‘She’s right,’ Safiya said. ‘We have to try. If this wedding doesn’t go ahead, this will all have been for nothing.’
That wasn’t true. No matter what happened, loving Tariq would never be a waste.
Aisha walked over to the dressing table, drank the tea Lilah had poured for her, then placed the empty cup back on the tray. ‘I’m ready.’
The sisters all exchanged surprised glances.
‘I’ll fetch Omar,’ Yasmin said, climbing down and snatching up the tray of flowers. She thrust them into Lilah’s hands. ‘Here.’
Lilah watched her leave, then looked down at the tray. ‘Right.’ She cleared her throat. ‘Let’s get these flowers in your hair.’
‘Are you trying to give Tariq a heart attack?’ Kaidon whispered to Aisha when she arrived at the temple. ‘The guests are growing restless.’ He looked around at her family. ‘Where’s King Bilal?’
‘Time for us to go in,’ Lilah said, ushering Safiya, Yasmin, and Omar towards the door. Zara and Aisha remained to update Kaidon.
‘He’s not coming,’ Zara said bluntly. ‘He has asked me to walk Aisha down the aisle and bless the union in his place.’
Kaidon looked between them. ‘Is this a joke? Because I have a very good sense of humour, and this isn’t funny.’
Neither of them responded.
He cursed under his breath. ‘Who else knows?’
‘Only you at present,’ Zara said. ‘It was a rather last-minute change.’
Leaning in and lowering his voice, Kaidon said, ‘They’ll halt the ceremony.’
‘Would it be better to not go in?’ Zara asked. ‘Leave the prince standing before the altar?’
A tense moment of silence passed as they stared each other down. It was broken when Nasir exited the temple. He was dressed in formal robes of deep indigo, with Slevaborg’s diplomatic seal gleaming at his shoulder. The High Verran looked between the three of them. ‘What’s the problem?’
‘There’s no problem as far as we’re concerned,’ Zara replied, eyes on Kaidon.
Nasir gestured to the temple. ‘Then perhaps Princess Aisha should make her way to the prince waiting inside to marry her.’
Kaidon exhaled. ‘What a mess. I’ll go and let him know you’re on your way.’ He went to leave, but then looked back at Aisha. ‘You look lovely, by the way. Forgive me. I should have led with that.’
Her mouth stretched into a smile. ‘Thank you.’
Kaidon returned inside.
‘I gather by his reaction that King Bilal isn’t coming?’ Nasir asked with genuine concern on his face.
Zara took Aisha’s hand and placed it on her arm. ‘I’m afraid not.’
Nasir straightened when he caught sight of something behind them. ‘It appears that you’re wrong.’
Aisha whipped her head around and found her father standing in the middle of the pathway—dressed in his wedding clothes. He looked tall and composed. His guard stood a few paces behind him, looking quite pleased with himself.
‘Baba,’ Aisha breathed. She practically ran to him, wrapping herself around his middle. ‘You’re here.’
‘Sorry I am late,’ he said.
Zara looked heavenwards on an exhale, then muttered a prayer.
‘Come,’ Nasir said to Zara, gesturing ahead of him. ‘I’ll walk you in.’
Zara touched the corner of her eye before going with him.
Aisha stepped back from her father to look him over. ‘You look so handsome.’
‘And you…’ There was pain in his smile. ‘I wish she could see how beautiful you look today.’
Aisha swallowed down the burning sensation in her throat.
‘Ready?’ he asked, offering his arm to her.
She took it, unable to hold back the smile that followed. ‘Ready.’
Together, they walked into the temple.
The music changed when they entered, prompting Tariq to look towards the door.
The prince’s posture relaxed when he saw Bilal, and his eyes creased at the corners when he saw Aisha.
He stood at the front of the assembled guests, dressed in ceremonial robes.
He looked at her like she was the only thing in the temple worth seeing.
The crowd was silent as she made her way to the altar, her father steady beside her. Nobles and dignitaries lined their pathway, but Aisha barely saw them. She looked only at Tariq, just like he’d told her to. She stopped when she reached him.
Tariq carefully took Bilal’s hand when he forgot to offer it, paying his respects to the king. ‘Thank you,’ he said when he rose.
Bilal looked somewhat confused, but then Zara appeared, gently guiding him to a nearby seat—on the opposite side from Zahvik. Aisha snuck a glance at King Hamza and Queen Farrah. Their silence was their approval.
‘Eyes on me,’ Tariq reminded her. ‘Only me.’
She looked back at him, and everything else dimmed.
Jamil stepped forwards to begin the ceremony. ‘We are gathered today to witness a sacred union.’ His voice carried over the couple. ‘A vow not only between a man and a woman but also between kingdoms and their rulers.’
Tariq’s hand tightened around hers as the speech went on. Finally, it was time for the vows.
‘I vow to protect your name and your honour,’ Tariq said. ‘To build a future with you, stone by stone.’
She soaked up every word he spoke until it was her turn. ‘I vow to be your strength,’ she told him. ‘To be your light in the darkness.’
When she had finished, Jamil looked over at Bilal. ‘And who here gives this woman and blesses this union?’
Aisha braced for the possibility of silence, but instead heard her father say, ‘I do.’
The relief was enormous. He had done everything that was necessary, and she could finally breathe all the way out.
‘I shall invite His Holiness, the Sectarian of Slevaborg, up to light the ceremonial flame,’ Jamil said.
No one had mentioned that part.
Tariq squeezed Aisha’s hands so that she focused on him. She didn’t even look in Zahvik’s direction. They were so close to being done, to being married, and she wasn’t going to let that man ruin any part of it.
‘Eyes on me,’ he mouthed.
Aisha didn’t even look in her family’s direction, because she trusted Zara to handle their father, or if need be, discreetly extract him.
Zahvik walked gracefully to the altar, picking up one of the candles and using it to light the symbolic fire. When the flame was stable, he turned to Aisha and Tariq. ‘May this flame forge you together.’
How dare he speak of flames at her wedding. She did her best to block him and his ugly words out. All that was left was the obeisance with King Hamza and Queen Farrah.
Aisha went first to the queen, a hand over her heart as she bowed.
Farrah gave her blessing. She moved on to the king, kissing the back of his hand before touching her forehead to it.
In her distracted state, she forgot to limit contact.
So when her forehead touched the king’s hand, everything vanished.
The vision, sudden and sharp, gave her no time to pull away.
Someone was lying on a bed in an unfamiliar room.
Around them stood Farrah, Tariq, Jamil, and—
The real world rushed back in. She was in Tariq’s arms, and he was kissing her. She heard applause in the distance. No, not in the distance. Around them.
Tariq broke the kiss and brought his lips to her ear. ‘I need you to stand up,’ he whispered.
That’s when she realised he was holding her entire weight, which might have been considered romantic if it were not a royal wedding.
Concentrating, she anchored her feet. He took a small step back, searching her eyes for confirmation that she was all right. Aisha used all of her strength to smile, then turned to face the applauding guests. The applause grew louder.
It was done.
Gruisea had their future queen.
Aisha’s gaze drifted unwillingly to King Hamza, who was also clapping. She looked down at his robes… the same robes worn by the person lying on the bed in her vision.