Chapter 25 The Crown and The Curse
The sun rose slow and golden over Chandlok.
But the palace was anything but peaceful.
Servants hurried through the marble halls whispering, avoiding eye contact with each other.
The prince had broken royal custom. He hadn’t returned to the eastern wing after the wedding, hadn’t taken counsel, hadn’t even responded to the Queen’s summons.
He was still in the west wing.
With her.
---
In the west chamber, Hatim sat by the window with his sword across his lap, shirt half-buttoned, hair a tousled mess from the night before.
Sana stirred in bed behind him.
He turned at the soft rustle of her bangles and smiled.
> “Good morning, Princess.”
Her heart skipped. “Don’t call me that. They’ll laugh.”
“They’ll kneel,” he said firmly, “or I’ll make them.”
Sana sat up, hugging the soft sheet to her chest. “Hatim, don’t start a war for me.”
He walked to her, crouched beside the bed, and cupped her cheek.
> “I married you. War was already started.”
---
Outside the chamber, Meher stood holding Sana’s breakfast tray—but two noble maids blocked her path.
> “She doesn’t belong here,” one sneered. “No royal blood, no crown, no power. And now she gets his bed too?”
The other snorted. “She’s clever. I’ll give her that. A nobody… seducing the prince?”
They laughed.
Until the door opened.
And Hatim stepped out.
Slowly. With fire in his eyes.
> “Say that again,” he said softly.
The maids froze.
> “Go on,” he said. “I dare you.”
They bowed, stuttering apologies, and disappeared down the corridor.
Meher exhaled. “They’re afraid of you now.”
Hatim looked back toward the room. “Good. Let them fear something real.”
---
Later, in the main court, Hatim arrived with Sana by his side.
Heads turned. Gasps followed.
No bride had ever walked beside a prince into the council chamber before. Especially not a servant girl-turned-wife.
Queen Roshni rose from her throne with poison in her gaze.
> “This is unacceptable,” she hissed. “She doesn’t belong here.”
“She belongs wherever I say she does,” Hatim replied coldly.
Gasps again.
Roshni stepped forward. “You’re blinded by lust. She has no power, no lineage. She is a danger to the throne.”
Hatim’s voice dropped to ice.
> “No, Mother. You are.”
Everyone froze.
Even Roshni.
> “You insult my wife again, and I swear on the blood moon—I will renounce this crown before I let you touch her.”
Sana’s breath caught.
The court murmured like a storm cloud rolling in.
But Hatim didn’t care.
He took Sana’s hand. Raised it. And turned to the court.
> “This is your future Queen. Veiled or unveiled. Magic or no. She stands with me now. And any who dare insult her… insult me.”
---
Later that evening, back in their chambers, Sana paced nervously.
“I never wanted to cause this much chaos,” she whispered. “Now they’ll all hate you.”
Hatim pulled her into his arms.
> “Let them hate me. As long as I have you, I have everything.”
“But I don’t even have powers—”
“You don’t need them,” he said. “You were powerful the moment you stood up to my mother without trembling.”
She smiled faintly. “I did tremble. I just didn’t let her see.”
He chuckled. “That’s even braver.”
---
Far below, in the hidden temple beneath the palace, the flames lit once again.
The Keeper of the Veil whispered to the void:
> “He’s chosen his side. The fire has spoken.
But what of the stars?”
And somewhere, far away, a faint echo replied:
> “The stars… are watching.”