“What did you put in it? TELL ME!” Mazen yelled at Mona’s terrified face.
I ran the few steps that separated us and took Adam from his hands.
“Stop it, Mazen, you’re scaring the boy!” I told him as I held Adam to my chest and tried to comfort him.
“She put something in my son’s juice!” Mazen shrieked. “She’s trying to poison him.”
“Would you stop yelling?” I said in frustration, trying with my free hand to loosen his grip on Mona’s wrist. This had gone too far. “It’s his frigging medication, Mazen! He’s anemic, remember? Let her go!”
I was finally able to make him release Mona, and I watched as his face fell – probably remembering that mixing his medication with orange juice was what we did to get Adam to take it. We had done it a hundred times before.
“You’re out of your mind!” I spat, then took Mona by the hand and left the room, leaving him standing there with a gaping mouth. He, too, couldn’t believe what he’d just done.
I was very upset with him.
I mean, he was blown away by Mona’s offer to take care of our son when we told her we wouldn’t use a wet nurse for Adam. We trusted no one, not even the Bedouins, who were honorable and loyal and had proven that we could put our trust in them. It was the one protocol that I had to go against.
We asked Mona a few times if she was sure. We thought she would want to take her time grieving over her daughter, who’d passed away only three weeks after Adam was born. She’d said taking care of Adam would be the only thing that would make her feel better.
Mazen and I were very grateful that she’d offered her service, but now his doubts even included her? It was too much, and my heart was hurting for him. It was like – he was completely losing his mind.
I understood his fears and concerns, I really did. Heck, I’d almost done the same with Rosanna and she’s my best friend. But it was the last thing I’d expected for Mazen to distrust his nursing mother. I mean, if she wanted to harm someone – she had had a million chances with Mazen throughout his whole life. It was just insane to think that she would ever think about hurting our son.
“Manon,” Adam called me in his sweet baby voice. He was the only person who called me that other than my grandfather whom he was named after, and was born some years later on the same day I’d lost him – September the eleventh – giving my life a new meaning and another reason to smile. “Daddy mad?” he asked, one word in Arabic and the other in English.
“No, baby, he’s just a little upset, but it’s only because he loves Adam so much.”
I smiled at him, and he smiled as well, forgetting all about it right away and then he got busy playing with the cross dangling from my necklace.
After he took his time to calm down, Mazen apologized and begged Mona for forgiveness. She wasn’t even mad at him, making it clear that she hated to see the remorse in his eyes. She understood what he was going through, even though she hated to see him this way and wished for his pain and trauma to end already so he’d be back to his normal self.
That was the day when an idea of how we could live in peace sparked in my mind.
“Princess Rosanna – daughter of Prince Hamed Alfaidy, wife of King Fahd Alfaidy – son of His Royal Highness Qasem Alfaidy – may God rest his soul. Do you swear in front of God Almighty and all people that you will obey the laws of the Kingdom of Alfaidya, respect the laws and the people, and use all of the powers given to you as Queen of the Kingdom to protect its people and lands and keep them safe and in peace?” I asked in Arabic.
This was the decision that Mazen and I had agreed to a few weeks after the incident between him and Mona. We had to relinquish the throne. It was the only thing that we could think of which, we knew, would give us a life of peace that we both craved so much.
Mo’taz had never been found. His training as a Royal Guard helped him disappear. They could find no trace of him. It was as if he’d never existed, and that was what troubled Mazen the most. I didn’t know if he feared he’d be back in our lives again, or if he only wanted to get his revenge. I had a feeling it was the latter; Mo’taz was smart to stay hidden and never appear again. But then again – you never knew.
Kareen Alfaidy had left many traces behind her, but she’d left the same day we’d found where she’d lived with her kids. Personally, I secretly wished they’d stop searching for her. She’d never wanted to harm me; she was only trying to survive and protect her kids.
Mazen had argued with me many times about how wrong I was about Kareen. If she’d taken the right path and called him and told him of The Snake’s plans, I would’ve been home long before all of the chaos happened, that we could’ve saved some souls, and perhaps Fawaz would still be alive.
But I didn’t know how to explain my feelings to him. Kareen had been emotionally abused by The Snake. She was threatened and she felt helpless. Abusers had that kind of power over their victims; they made them think that there was no way out.
Mazen thought I was insane for defending her. Maybe I was, but it was just how I felt.
I knew exactly how my husband was feeling; he was alert 24/7. He was anxious about our safety and lost sleep over it. I understood why, and I wanted to take it all away.
Etab was Jasem’s lover’s sister. Yes, she was that far related to The Snake’s family, yet she’d hated me so much because her brother had committed suicide after Jasem’s execution. She’d blamed me for it.
Mazen and I weren’t ready for more people to appear in our lives and seek revenge. We couldn’t wait until more people wanted to get revenge on us for things we didn’t even know or do. Another lover, or another crazy power-thirsty monster. We didn’t want to jeopardize our family’s safety and we didn’t want to live in fear each day and night.
We knew it was the best for us and our little family if we left the Kingdom and lived a normal life. We had to give up our titles, for our sanity.
Prince Fahd and Princess Rosanna were the best people to take on the role of King and Queen. Rosanna had been raised in a royal family; she was an Arab Muslim who knew more than I did about many things. She was one of the strongest women I’d ever known, and she was passionate and kind. She would make a perfect queen for the Kingdom.
Prince Fahd was another version of Mazen. The only difference was their choice of education. Prince Fahd had chosen to study business, and mastered it at such a young age. He was always around when Mazen had to leave for school and had taken over Mazen’s duties so as to not make their father upset with Mazen and force him to come back home and leave his studies.
When Mazen came to my rescue, his only thought about the Kingdom was that Fahd would be there to step in if something happened to him. That was why he’d chosen not to bring him along, although Prince Fahd blamed him many times for it later. Mazen’s excuse was that the Kingdom would have no one left to lead it if they both got hurt, and Mazen knew he was leaving it in good hands.
Prince Fahd and Princess Rosanna were the only ones that we could trust. They feared God and loved to help. They wouldn’t let our hard work for the past eight years go to waste.
We’d known what we were going to do since Adam was two, but we had to wait until Rosanna gave birth to a healthy baby boy who was now a year old – an heir. And while we waited, we’d made sure that the Kingdom was the best it had been in centuries, economically and socially.
“I swear,” Rosanna said, and a wide smile decorated my lips. I was almost afraid that she would object. We had argued for months about this – she and her husband completely objected, so Mazen and I had to be very convincing. It took forever to get them to agree.
Our eyes locked as I took off my crown and placed it carefully on her head, and I saw the glistening tears in hers as she tried to hold them back. I put my pin over the sash I had just dropped over her shoulder and started feeling the burning in my eyes as my tears threatened to fall.
“I now announce you as the new Queen of the Kingdom of Alfaidya,” I s
aid in the strongest voice that I could master. My throat was closing up as I watched my best friend become Queen.
It seemed that neither of us cared for protocol, because we both hugged and cried like two emotional teenage girls while people around us clapped their hands and cheered for the two of us.
It was only when I clasped my husband’s hand in one, and my son’s in the other and walked out of the palace that I felt like a huge weight had been lifted from my shoulders. The long sigh that Mazen let out told me that he was feeling exactly the same.
On the way to the airport, the past eight years ran through my mind like a movie playing on a big screen – the hurt, the pain, the fear, and the worry. I remembered it all. But a smile was drawn on my lips as all of those emotions were overshadowed by the sweet and happy memories of my life with Mazen, and the days I’d lived with only his love feeding my spirit and putting life into my heart.
Looking into my husband’s eyes as he sat beside me, it seemed like he was having flashbacks of the same memories, because I could see peace in his eyes.
Our conscience was clear, and our minds were peaceful for the first time in what felt like forever. Our hearts were filled with love, and our plans were to make even happier memories.
I rubbed my stomach lightly and smiled as I fantasized about Mazen’s reaction when I would tell him of my new little secret. He was clueless to the fact that soon, he would have to make room in his heart for two more babies to love.
Eight years ago, I would’ve never thought that I would be the person I was today. I batted away my fears and broke all the chains that held me down, and buried my heart in doubt. I learned how to be patient and tolerant; it opened the gates of happiness for me, because true happiness only came from accepting and understanding.
I knew all too well that I wouldn’t be the person I was today if it wasn’t for Mazen. As I watched him with our six-year-old son sleeping on his lap while he smoothed his hair, I knew that my life was complete.
Mazen gave me all of the right reasons to live for, and taught me how to actually live – he gave meaning to my life.
Mazen showed me how strong love could be. We treasured each other with the kind of love that changed laws, softened traditions, and broke chains.
We didn’t need to be king and a queen; power and control weren’t our ultimate desire. Love was all we needed and wanted.
We’d gone through hell and back, yet, we still stood strong, because in the end, love was all that mattered.
‘Everything happens for a reason.’ That was one of the things I believed in the most. I always knew that God had a plan for everything. Maybe we couldn’t see it clearly at first – but with the passage of time, we realized that it all happened for the best.
Sometimes I wondered why I had to fly to the opposite side of the world to meet the love of my life, my other half – my soul mate. Why hadn’t we just met in another place? In London, for example? Fallen in love and gotten married like normal people?
But then again, nothing about my life with Mazen was normal, and that was the beauty of it. I changed 180 degrees for the better, and it was all due to my life with my beloved husband.
If I hadn’t come into his life, he might’ve married Talia, and I couldn’t even think about the horrible things that could’ve happened to the Kingdom if that were the case. At the very least, she might have prevented Rosanna from having a baby, of ever becoming a mother.
God put me in their lives for many reasons, and I had faith that there were many other things that wouldn’t be the same if I wasn’t involved. I was glad I had been.
Even Queen Mother Shams’ attempt at Common Deflowering was for a reason, because it made me aware of the practice and caused me to act very passionately against it. It had led to the law that forbade it.
Maybe Rosanna was more experienced in some things related to Islam and Arab’s traditions. But there were many things I’d done which she might not have tried to do for fear of stirring things up, like Mazen had feared when I suggested changing the laws.
I’d made educating Bedouin women a goal; I’d wanted to empower them and show them that when you are educated – the sky is your limit.
Rosanna was a distinguished queen, but she might not have paid attention to practices or traditions that needed to be changed if I wasn’t there. She grew up knowing that that was the norm, and might never have even thought to question or challenge it.
I was very grateful for what the campaigns, along with the new laws, had accomplished. The incidence of Common Deflowering lowered to 22% from 100% in the Bedouin community. Female Circumcisions had dropped to 14% after being at 94% for centuries. I made a difference, and that was what I took pride in the most.
The Bedouins were such honorable people; they just needed guidance on how to treat women when it came to proving or protecting their honor, two items which were important to them. I was glad that I’d been the one to point the right path for them.
Sheikh Omran ordered all of the servants back to the palace the same day I was rescued. He apologized and said that things would’ve been different if they’d been there – that even the female servants would’ve fought for me, and not just their men had they been there.
The Bedouins didn’t really need the money; they didn’t need to take on the role of servants. Most of them were actually very rich. They took pride in being a big part of making sure that the royal family was cared for. They thought of being in the palace as more of a service to the Kingdom; an honor that grew in importance due to their close proximity to the King and Queen.
Rosanna was lucky to find Donia as the best wet-nurse for her daughter, Julia. Although Donia wished she could be Adam’s – she still did her job to the fullest. She was one loyal girl.
I could count for the next year how every detail of my life in the Kingdom – my life with Mazen – had been for a greater reason. I was happy with how everything had turned out in the end – peaceful and joyful. It was all we’d ever wanted.
“She’s still a kid,” Mazen said. He still wasn’t over the fact that we were flying to the Kingdom – to attend Marie’s engagement party.
I fought the urge to roll my eyes. “She’s not a kid. She’s almost 21 – that’s only one year younger than I was when I married you,” I defended. He was being dramatic, plus, they’d told us that they wouldn’t get married until Marie was finished with college and her Masters, which was two years from now.
The education system was a bit different in the Middle East. They all graduated from a four-year college at the age of twenty-two, and they could complete their Masters in only a year, which was my niece’s plan.
“She’ll always be a baby in my eyes,” Mazen said in a low voice, and it made my heart melt. He was right about that; she’d always be a baby to him, and he didn’t want to believe otherwise.
Smiling, I turned my attention back to our kids, sitting across from us. “Boys, the pilot did say to turn off your electronics,” I told them, and I was met by huffs and grumblings.
Teenagers.
“Just one more minute, Mom!”
“Fahd!” Mazen warned our son.
“Faris is still holding his!” Twin number one complained about twin number two.
“The two of you, put your devices down!”
Thankfully, there was no more arguing after that. I smiled at Adam who looked innocent during the exchange, but we both knew that he was very close to driving me insane with all of the shenanigans he’d put us through. He was such a troublemaker, but it was just a part of his charm.
The engagement party was small, warm and cozy. It was exactly Marie’s style; she liked simple stuff more than anything.
“Marie! Please, listen to me,” Mazen said. “You need at least five years of engagement before you decide if he’s the right person.”
“What? How come? You didn’t even have one day of engagement, and you’ve been married for over twenty years!” my niece argued, and I held my laugh
ter as she’d just cornered her uncle.
“You’re just as stubborn as your auntie,” Mazen said, releasing a long breath and looking defeated. He really cared about our little Marie who wasn’t little any longer. He just wanted to make sure that she’d never get her heart broken.
“You need to calm down, Your Grace. She’s a big girl and can take care of herself,” I said, and Mazen only glared at me. “Her fiancé is a Royal Guard – what else do you need as proof of his loyalty?”
“I’m going to go look for my sister,” Mazen said, completely ignoring me. His attitude was actually funny to me. “Do you want to join me?”
“I’ll be right there,” I said, but the truth was – I wasn’t looking forward to that right now. I knew that Janna wanted to talk about her latest accomplishments at Archer Enterprises’ Alfaidya’s branch. She was too excited with what the branch had become under her leadership. It was such a great thing, but the last thing I wanted to do was to talk about work right now.
I had re-opened London branch only a year and a half after moving back there. That was one of the decisions that hurt me the most – I had to close that branch since it wasn’t doing well, thanks to a lack of a qualified manager. Now that I was able to run and manage the branch myself, it was doing better than the corporate office in New York.
“When do I get to meet the luckiest man on earth?” I teasingly asked.
“Oh, auntie!” Marie clapped her hands excitedly. “He actually wants to meet you really bad.”
“Me?” I was taken aback by her words. Why would someone I’d never met want to meet me? And so badly?
“Yes. Come! Come!” My niece took my hand and led the way. I swallowed thickly; she was clueless as to how I’d developed a phobia from such a small act. It brought back the darkest memories, which I didn’t even want to think of right now.
I pretended to fix my dress and pulled my hand away. I continued to follow behind her to where her fiancé was standing and talking casually with King Fahd.
Golden Chains (The Colorblind Trilogy Book 3) Page 35
