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Najma Begum was angry with Shahzain. She warned him many times to forget Ariana, but he was thick-skinned. What she dreaded the most was for Seher this time. She was not like her mother Nur, who was able to face any situation and stay strong. That's why she wanted to talk to Shazain alone.

"Shahzain, what was the message about?"

"Ariana is coming to celebrate my 30th birthday "

"That is six months away. Does her father need money to buy a present for you?"

"Grandmother, She is coming here in 10 days, she wants to spend some time with us. Can't you see she is making an effort to learn our traditions and culture? She will be an excellent Queen"

"She is just a waste of space. She doesn't have a sense of dressing nor manners to talk"

"Grandmother Ariana is young and naive"

"24 years and you think she is young. What about Seher then? She is a baby in front of you and still, you forcefully married her"

Shahzain just kept quiet about his grandmother's outburst.

"Why do you compare Seher with Ariana, now just because you started liking Seher does not mean that I will break my promise of marrying Ariana. I am alive because of King Christos"

"How did you know it was King Christos who helped you just because of that scabbard? Did he not tell you where the sword is?"

"Grandmother King Christos lost that sword and I was lying lifeless near his castle. What more proof do you want? Give Ariana a chance. I promise I will try to be equal with Seher"

"How can you be so heartless, Shahzain? Seher is a child in front of you. I will not let you do this to her."

"Ariana is what I want"

" That girl is shameless. Why is her father avoiding marriage for years?"

"Enough grandmother, I will not tolerate anything against Ariana. She is coming. You are welcome to stay or I will make arrangements for you to leave for Shahmahal."

"Seher will leave you. Nur will never let her daughter stay in these conditions."

"No one has the power to take her away from me. What basis will they take her just because I am marrying another woman?

Seher will bear my child soon. Who knows she might already be pregnant and no law on this earth will separate her from me. She might not be the queen in the title, but she will carry forward my clan "

"You forgot all your manners, Shahzain."

"I learned it from you, grandmother"

Outside Najma begum's Chambers, Seher was frozen on her spot listening to the conversation. She ran to her room and locked it. Tears were falling like a downpour. She felt everything inside her break. She was angry at herself for being so weak.

Shahzain already had a lover. Then why did he marry me? He is a bastard. I hate myself for being so weak. He just used me and I was like a fool, letting him do whatever he wanted. He thinks that having a child with me will stop me from leaving him. He is an idiot. I will never fulfil his dream. I will never give him the satisfaction that I am hurt by him. He and his girlfriend rot in hell.

She wiped her tears and went to the washroom to clean her face. She remembered the box Bahar gave her.

Where did I keep it? It should be somewhere here.

She searched for it in her wardrobe, then she remembered that she kept it in the trunk. She quickly opened the box and found a letter from her cousin Bahar addressed to her.

"Seher, if you are reading this, that means you know the truth about Shahzain. I hope what I heard was just a false alarm to my ears. Seher, remember Amma Jaan always used to say that children should be the product of love, not force.

I hope that you never use the medication which I am giving you, but if this is the only option, then use it.

The white packet contains the root which I was grinding. This will delay the pregnancy. This is Chinese medicine deemed safe. We don't know how effective it is, but it works in most cases. Don't use more than one teaspoon a day as it may cause you to have heavy bleeding.

I am praying that everything should be well with you. Always be happy."

Seher quickly grabbed the pack and gulped down a teaspoon of powder with water. She carefully put the medicines back in the box and hid them in her dresser.

pregnant my foot Shazain, what did you take me as? I will show you that I am polite only to people who deserve respect. I will pretend as if I know nothing.

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Back in Greece, palace maids were jumping with joy, hearing that princess Ariana would be leaving.

" Did you hear Penelope the witch is leaving? God finally answered our prayers " Martha, one of the maids, informed the others.

" I just pray that the bastard Adrian leaves as well," Agnes replied.

" I heard he abducted a young peasant girl and kept her for days".

" He will rot in hell. I hope someone will castrate him."

Just then, the head maid Selena entered.

" girls lower the volume, no need for celebration as yet as I have bad news".

" What is it? Is princess Ariana's trip cancelled?" They all asked in chorus.

" No, but two of the maids have to accompany her" Selene informed them.

" What, is the sultan not providing her with maids?" Agatha replied.

" Martha and Penelope, you are both leaving with her. It's an order from Queen Helena"

There was a silence in the room. All the maids gave hugs to Martha and Penelope. They were already in tears.

******************************"

Seher avoided Shazain like a plague. She knowingly slept before he came to the room and woke up in the wee hours of the morning. Shahzain noticed her behaviour. Finding an opportunity, he cornered her.

" Wife, why are you avoiding me?" He nuzzled her neck. Seher felt disgusted by his touch.

" Sultan, I am in my periods" she lied to him,

" How many days? " Shahzain asked.

"What days?".

" Seher how many days should I keep away?"

" My periods are longer. 10 days"

Shahzain kept quiet and turned towards Seher.

"You don't know what you do to me", he kissed her with passion.

Psycho Dog, he already has a lover, yet still married me and now acting.

" I want to visit my parents," Seher said out of the blue. Shahzain's ears stood up.

"Why do you suddenly want to go?"

" I miss Baba "

He tried reading her face. He was afraid that his grandmother might do something to her. He wanted to tell her about Ariana but did not know what stopped him.

"Did grandmother tell you anything?"

"No, is there anything which I should know? " She asked him.

"Yes, that you can't go to your parents at the moment."

"and why is that?"

"They are very far away." Seher just kept quiet.

************************************************************

Seher saw all the preparations going around the palace. She was aware that it was all to welcome Ariana.

"Sultan, what are all these preparations for?"

"My Betrothed Ariana, future queen of my kingdom, is coming back."

Tears filled her eyes. She knew about Ariana but it was hard to hear her name from her husband's mouth.

"Then who am I?"

Shahzain thought that by being harsh he could control her and make her quiet.

" what! I was just being nice to you. It doesn't mean that you will be my Malika."

"Why did you marry me then? Please release me from this unwanted bond. Please let me go."

Shahzain looked at the innocent beauty standing in front of him with tears rolling down. His heart was bleeding looking at her tears. The thought of her going away from him made him restless. He was arrogant, always denying his feelings.

" Seher forget that you will escape from here. I know what will stop you from these irrational thoughts."

She looked at him with questioning eyes.

" You will bear me a child."

"Over my dead body, Sultan Shahzain "

"Seher", he roared in anger.

Seher ignored him and continued " It was easy for me to live with you because I thought there was no one in your heart and you had a chance. I was a fool. I thought you were lonely and heartbroken. I hoped that by being submissive, tolerating your anger and harsh words, I may change your cold heart. How wrong I was. Your heart was already filled with someone else. I am nothing for you, just a possession, an object that you will keep for decoration. You can use me when you feel like it and discard me when you get bored.

I will never be your breeding machine. Why can't your beloved bear your children? Be happy with her and get lost forever from my life"

Shahzain was taken back by her outburst.

"You are different. Ariana is different. I promise I will be fair. Seher stop being a child"

" Yes, she is different and, please, we can never have a comparison.

"You are crossing your limit, Seher."

"What! You can't hear that your beloved is old. Why don't you make her your baby maker? After all, you love her, don't you?"

"Yes," Shahzain replied.

"That was a very quick confession". Her voice was filled with pain and she could not stand in his presence anymore. She couldn't bear the pain. She ran away from there.

Shahzain's eyes were fixed on the disappearing figure. An air of melancholy surrounded him. Seher's tears created confusion in his heart. He did not know what he had for Ariana was love or not. Her father saved his life and he promised to marry her. She was polite and obedient. He thought that was love.

How is Seher going to react when Ariana arrives? I don't have any concerns about Ariana because Ariana is very accommodating. I did speak to her once about the people not accepting her as queen and I might have to marry someone else for heirs. She was so understanding that she even said that she would raise the children of another woman as her own. I need to be firm with Seher and make her bend.

*************************************************************

Seher wanted to go back to her house and think that all this was a bad dream which never happened. She started loving Shazain more than a husband, but he tore her heart into pieces mercilessly. want. Echoed inherears

You really are an idiot, Seher, you thought. He is a lonely soul and could change you. He never once admitted that he loved you. It was Ariana he loved. You were just his bed warmer.

She ran away from there as fast as she could and she suddenly bumped into someone.

"Watch out girl". Seher looked at the person she bumped into.

"Oh, is it you Angel on earth? I think today is my lucky day."

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