Chapter Seven

Darian's POV

I stood in front of the window of my office, listening to the silent rustling of the breeze that carried leaves through the courtyard under the moonlight. The palace grounds were quiet…. too quiet. It felt like the calm before the storm.

 The sound of footsteps broke my thoughts.

"Your Majesty, all the extended relatives have settled into the East Pavilion in the palace grounds ahead of tomorrow. The rest will be arriving in the morning and will be seated before 9 a.m." Omar informed me.

 I nodded slowly, still staring at the courtyard. "And what of Lady Maya? " 

He paused for a while, before speaking again.

"We got word that her belongings arrived at her parents house this evening. They were all displeased." he stated, and I closed my eyes, exhaling slowly.

It was expected, as Maya did not receive the news well either. A few days ago, she screamed, demanded, even threatened that I would regret my decision, but in the end she had to leave Akhar for now. The allegations against her were too severe and her presence would have gone against Grandfather's wishes. Moreover, I couldn't risk her being here.

Not when Zara…. No, Ana, decided to stay.

The thought sent an unfamiliar ache through my chest. She hadn't agreed to stay for me. She had only stayed because of Grandfather's will. Still, it had to mean something.

Now that she decided to stay for a few more days, it's best to minimise the risks around her. 

"That's fine for now, you can leave." I dismissed, and he left quietly, however the next footsteps that came in were heavy. I knew who it was.

"You sent Maya away?" her question came coldly and I turned to meet my mother's stormy gaze.

She was dressed in mourning attire, her posture unwavering and her sharp gaze scanning me. 

"It was necessary Mother," I responded evenly, moving to sit at my desk.

 Her gaze narrowed. "Necessary? Do you realize what you have done? It will create a scandal tomorrow if she isn't at the reading tomorrow."

I leaned back, pinching my brows in exasperation. "She was becoming a liability, Mother"

She let out a short, disbelieving laugh. "liability? She is your Consort for heaven's sake! The woman you are supposed to marry, the woman who stood by you-"

"That is, until Grandfather was poisoned." I cut in, and she flinched, falling silent.

The room grew cold as the weight of my words hung in the air, and after a long silence her voice came up like a whisper.

"There's no proof that she is guilty" her voice sounded guarded, but hesitant.

"Neither is there proof that she is innocent." I countered, my tone unwavering. "So I am doing what is best to uphold the stability of this family and the empire. " I replied, focusing on the papers on my desk.

She sat down, folding her arms tightly in front of her. "So you are sending her away over some rumors? Will you risk your fiancee over a dead man's wishes?"

I clenched my jaw.

"You know better than this, son." she pressed on, adjusting her scarf. "Whatever you think about Maya is not necessary now. We need her family's support" She reminded me, her voice measured.

My grip on the paper tightened, as I stared at her. So this was what this was about for her, power. She cared less about the fact that my fiancee could have killed the family's patriarch, what mattered was what she could offer. I began to see my grandfather's warnings.

"Is that all?" I asked, and her lips thinned.

"Darian-"

I raised my hands up. "We have a long day tomorrow Mother. I feel you should rest, Mother."

Her gaze sharpened as she picked up on my dismissal, but she didn't argue. Instead, she turned toward the door. But before stepping out, she paused.

"I know you better than you know yourself," she murmured, watching me carefully. "And I can see that this decision isn't just about your grandfather's will. There is something else you aren't saying."

I remained silent.

She exhaled slowly, then straightened. "Whatever it is, you're making a mistake." Her voice hardened. "And mistakes have consequences."

With that, she left, her footsteps fading into the hallway.

I pressed my palms against the desk, steadying myself.

One thing was certain, tomorrow will be hell.

 ********************

The air in the Palace's Hall was alive with movement as the servants rushed to finalize the arrangements. guards lined the doors, and murmurs filled the air as the relatives filed in. I watched from a side room, listening to Omar who relayed all the updates of what needed to be done.

I glanced at my watch, then the seats in the hall were being filled up. The council members had also arrived, but Ana was yet to arrive.

A flicker of unease settled in my chest. "Has she changed her mind?"

The thought unsettled me more than I liked to admit.

"Long live the Sultan!" a group of voices broke through, and I turned to see the legal team approach me, led by Mr. Ali.

"What of the guest?" I asked, not wanting to say her name out loud. 

Thankfully Mr. Ali picked up, he nodded. "She will be here, Your Majesty. Everything will proceed as planned"

I exhaled slowly, forcing my nerves to settle. Good.

Before I could respond, my mother entered. The tension in the room thickened as she walked up to Mr. Ali, her attention fixed on him, ignoring me entirely.

"It is almost 9 a.m., and everyone is here. Shall we begin the proceedings now, Mr. Ali?"

He glanced at me for confirmation, but I was hesitant. Ana was still not here.

Starting now would mean risking undue attention, but delaying further would only raise suspicion. However, could feel my mother's pointed gaze on me, her words from last night echoing in my mind.

There was no reason not to proceed.

"Then let the proceedings begin."

My mother walked ahead without another glance in my direction, and Mr. Omar led Mr. Ali and the legal team out as well. I forced my heart to steady as the formal announcement rang out:

"To rule over the proceedings, please rise as the Sultan of Akhar, Darian Khalid, enters."

As I entered the grand hall, my gaze swept over the assembled family. My mother sat stiffly at the front with the council members, her expression unreadable. I settled into my seat, gripping the armrest slightly as the first lawyer stepped forward.

"We are gathered here today under the wishes of His Late Majesty, Faizal Khalid, to read his final will and testament," the lawyer announced.

"We extend our condolences to the Khalid family for the loss of their patriarch and offer our well wishes to the Sultan."

I gave a small nod in acknowledgment.

"To carry out this duty, Grandfather's personal lawyer, and the senior attorney of the Ahmad firm, Mr. Ali, will now come forward."

Mr. Ali stepped forward next, setting the documents before him. His voice rang through the hall:

"According to His Majesty's wishes, I will now proceed with the reading of his will."

He paused, his expression growing unreadable as he surveyed the room. The air felt thick, as if the entire palace was holding its breath.

And then, he spoke again.

"However, I cannot fulfill this duty yet. The first condition given by His Majesty has not been met."

A ripple of murmurs spread through the room and I tensed, bracing myself for his next words.

"His Majesty Faizal Khalid has stated that the will shall not be read unless Zara Hamzat is present."

Gasps rang through the hall and my mother shot up from her seat, fury flashing in her eyes at Mr. Ali..

"What is the meaning of this, lawyer?" she demanded. "You know well that is not possible. That traitor is dead."

My head began to pound, this was what I wanted to avoid. If she had been here earlier, then this wouldn't have happened.

But then, a clear voice, rang through the hall.

"And who killed me?"

A stunned hush fell over the room. Eyes turned toward the grand doors, now slightly ajar. A shadow stood against the light as she stepped forward.

Ana was here. And for the first time, she was no longer hiding behind her veil.

As her gaze burned with defiance, it became clear.

This was not the same woman I exiled.