"Ariana, Please Hurry up we need to leave from here as soon as possible" Christos came running to Ariana.

"What happened, father?"

"Shazain knows our truth I am sure he is thirsty of my blood now"

"But how?"

"I will tell you on the way, first we need to go."

They were unaware that Shazain never intended to kill them, he had other plans for them. He will not let them go easily. Their escape route was easy as planned by Shazain.

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

Utbah was busy in the palace acting according to Najma begum's advice. Najma Begum was horrified listening about Seher, she cared for her more than her own granddaughters. She did a lot of charity for her well-being. If she could she would have flown to Seher.

" I thought everything was going well with her and Shazain, even if I had a slight hint I would have sent Seher back." She was talking to Utbah.

" Shazain loves her, he wanted to keep Seher stress-free, just how she use to live in her parent's palace."

"Utbah, A queen can never have a stress-free life, she is like a wheel that balances a king and the palace. Seher is a born princess, she is a quick learner and if Shazain confided in her she would have understood."

" do you blame Shazain? Why can't you see his true intentions. "

"I am his grandmother I love him but at the same time I am a woman, Shazain has fallen into a deep pit. I will not interfere this time.

I do not blame him completely, Anybody in Shazain's place could have been fooled by King Christos, The intimate details which Shazain remembered when he was kidnapped were known by Christos. I will blame Fakhruddin as well, he should have disclosed his identity to Shazain.

My question is how Christos knew everything? Shazain was very young vaguely remembered the events, what he remembered was a blurry image of the man who saved him, his parting words, and that scabbard. Fakhruddin's parting words were very private which he whispered to shazain. no one would have known it. He just told me, Ahmed and Seema . not a single soul knew about that."

"What are you implying Queen mother, what if Christos was a dormant partner of Jafar "

"As far as I know, all of the people including women were killed by Fakhruddin when he saved Shazain, how can Christos know what Fakhr and Shazain spoke, "

"Unless someone close to Shazain disclosed it" Utbah replied.

"Do you also doubt queen Seema?"

"In this palace on can't even believe their shadow Utbah you are talking about a human"

"Shazain had his doubts on Queen Seema but he did not find any motive"

Najma Begum was in deep thoughts.

"Queen mother do you think Seher will forgive Shazain?" Utbah was asking Najma begum

"I don't know, If I was her I might never forgive him"

"Why do you think king Fakhruddin let Shazain go?"

"Maybe because Shazain is related to him, what I am surprised is why Nur left him?"

"I feel sorry for Shazain, I want to go to him. I think you should intervene please." Utbah has known Shazain since they were young.

"No, This time let Shazain follow his heart, all this while he was just guided by Ahmed and me. the only time he took the decision, was to believe king Christos. I won interfere, He should face the reality. Seher might be young but she is no fool. Whatever she decides I will accept"

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

Shazain was trying very hard to meet Seher but her family was a hindrance. He was coming every day to meet her once but Fakhr had become deaf to his pleas.

Seher was a lot better, the road to recovery was long. She needed help getting up and walking. The Man who claimed to love her brought her to this state. Remembering him just gave her pain so she was trying to forget him. The life growing inside her was a constant reminder of what they shared, what they have. She knew that he was coming every day to see her but this time she was not giving in. This was what he did, say sorry after every wrong. Seher was not buying his sorry this time.

Fakhr and Nur observed how she was avoiding Shazain's topic.

" Hayat speak to her, I want to know what she is thinking"

" Fakhr, I don't want to pressure her, whatever Shazain did hurt her deeply, uncle Aliyaar, Salah both of them assured us that Shazain looks after her. He did not even hesitate to feed her in front of them. I don't understand what went wrong.

Do you think he abused her and his display of affection was just a false facade?"

Fakhr did not reply to anything. He was listening to his wife.

" Shazain is coming every day to ask about her begging to let him meet Seher once, Fakhr I think we should let them meet once. She is still his wife "

" hmm.." He was scratching his beard.

Shazain was again on their doorstep.

" please ummi Nur let me see her once." he then turned to Fakhruddin "Please let me speak t her once"

"She doesn't want to see you, why can't you just leave her alone" it was Fakhr.

When Murad saw Shazain begging with his uncle, he lost his cool. he hit him hard square on his jaw.

"How dare you even come here, She was almost killed. If she was not treated on time you would have been mourning by now." If it was in his hands he would have killed him.

Shazain was just trying to control his anger, he knew it was his fault. he has to bear all the brunt and humiliation.

"Uncle why don't we just go back in a few days. This man can be away from our Seher"

"Don't you dare say a word, She is my wife" he leapt at Murad.

"Yes, a wife whose purpose was just to bear your children" This low voice was of Seher, Shazain turned and saw Seher walking with help of two maids, he could see that she was struggling. Her face became lean. she looked like she lost a lot of weight.

Fakhruddin guestured Murad to leave. Which he obyed.

Shazain ran to Seher but she stopped him.

"Don't! Shazain, you wanted to talk to me then do it."

" will you not give me a chance to explain? Please let us talk in private"

" I am not going to fall for your words again, whatever you want to talk, it has to be in front of my parents "

Shazain knew it was all his fault if he would have acted on time he would have never given chance Christos to hurt her. He did not care about who was in the room. He cupped her face.

"I am really sorry. I mean it". Seher wanted to believe him. she would have melted but the way he screamed at her, the way he threatened to kill her, and finally the dagger which was pushed into her heart. She expected that he would throw the dagger away.

"Sorry is just a word"

She was struggling to stand. Shaziain lifted and made her sit on the chair.

"Seher it was not me.."

"I know, I saw Christos pushing you"

"You knew it"

"yes, do you think it is all about that incident, Think about all the wrongs you did to me. I don't think we are meant to be"

"Please Seher, tell me have not felt how much I love you. I just wanted to give a peaceful life in the future"

"what future Shazain, when we did not even have a happy present, Today it was Ariana tomorrow it will be someone else some other savior"

"Never, I have only you"

"You know I did not mind Ariana's presence but when you threatened to kill me for her then that was the end. You said that we will make a fresh start I again believed you and look where it has got me, I was almost dead"

Fakhruddin who was listening to all this leaped at Shazain.

"You wanted to kill my daughter for another woman?"

He was hitting him hard. Nur intervened.

"Fakhr stop"

"I regret sending my daughter with you, I thought my daughter's future was secure with you even after the way you married her. Just divorce her. "

" I will never do that, not until I am alive"

Seher ignored Shazain.

" Baba I want a divorce, can you really help me with that".

Her words shocked Shazain to his core. She said opposite words with the same determination when she defended their marriage for the first time in front of their family.

I want to give my marriage a chance.

" Seher you know what you mean to me"

" shut up Shazain, Seher doesn't want to stay with you, I will make sure that she gets what she wants, and you lost the meaning when you hurt her for another one" Fakhruddin warned him.

" I will never divorce her"

" Shazain, start fresh with someone else, we do not belong together" seher did not look at him.

" Fine Seher if you want to go away from me I will grant you your wish, do whatever you want when I die"

He bend down gave her a kiss on her forehead. Seher felt his tears on her face. "How can you become so selfish, you have everyone, every relation but what I have is just you, You are my everything, remember I love you always" He was looking into her eyes.

He just walked away without looking back.

Nur Jahan knew Seher was not cold-hearted, she could see the pain in her eyes. Tears were flowing down her face. She knew the moment Seher informed her decision to go with Shazain, that road ahead was not easy for Seher. she wanted to know what really happened in the past months.

" Seher, come let us go inside you need to rest. " she wiped her tears and took her inside.

"You know it is not nice to cry in this condition." she hugged her daughter who was crying hard.

"Why is it so painful Ummi"

"You can tell me what you feel, I might help you"

"I love him even after all this, Ummi. I don't want to get weak now"

"who said you are weak, you are the bravest girl" she was stroking her daughter's hair.

"He never trusted me enough. He treats me like I am his property. I don't think he understands what damage he did."

"did he ever raise his hands on you"

"No, "

"Is he a womanizer"

"He always claims that I am the only one he has ever been with but then there was Ariana, I don't believe him "

Seher stopped crying.

"Ummi he needs to realize a sorry doesn't fix everything up. He needs to look back and see what wrongs he did"

"do you really want to break this marriage?" Seher was quiet for a while.

"yes"

Nur was quiet for a while.

"Don't you think he has the right to know about his baby?"

"No, not at the moment, I don't want to be with him just for sake of my child. He will never leave me if he comes to know about the baby, We can tell him later when the baby is born"

Nur Jahan smiled at her. She knew Seher was not mature enough, no matter how wrong Shazain was but he has all rights to know about his child.

"Child or not, I do not think he will let you go easily. "

"Forget about this, tell me what do you want to eat, I will cook dinner for you tonight"

"I want to eat something very spicy"

Nur Jahan was surprised. "your taste has changed a lot"

"Ummi are we going back?"

"not now, Ayath and your grandparents are on their way, Uncle Hafeez is looking after things. we will travel later "

"now you Sleep, Let me check on your Baba"

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

Shazain was sulking, He never in his dreams thought Seher would want a divorce. He knew how much she loved him. He just did not understand where he went wrong. That everything they had before was lost. He showed her how much he loved her, he never dared to look at any other woman even when Ariana was standing there in her naked state, he felt disgusted. all he thought was just Seher.

He thought that Seher was upset because she thought it was him who hurt her but she knew the truth. still, she wanted to get away from him.

The wound on his chest got infected as he did not get it treated. he was not feeling strong but still, he was on their doorstep just to talk to her, he was confident that when he explained everything she would forgive him. He know he was not perfect but was hoping to work on his flaws.

The journey back to his palace without her was very tiring he was worn out. he had not eaten for the past two days. He felt feverish and by the time he reached home his face was flushed. Gulab did ask him for dinner.

"Your Highness, dinner is ready" Gulab was very cautious to approach him as in the past whenever he was upset he was very rude. She saw him growing up, his hardships, and never once did she mind his rude behavior.

"I am not hungry" His voice was very low. He walked a few steps and tumbled down. Soon he was consumed by darkness.

Gulab rushed to him. she touched his forehead and it was burning. Blood was coming out from his wound, She called for the guard, who helped him to the bed.

She quickly called for Rabia.

"Sultan is unconscious"

Rabia checked him when she opened his clothes she was petrified, Shazain's wound was infected.

"What happened, " She asked the guards around.

They all stood in silence.

"Where is Utbah?" She turned to Gulab

"He is not in the palace"

"Go send a message for Abasi, ask him to come quickly. His pulse is getting weaker"

Shuja and Abasi came to the palace. Shuja hated Shazain for what he did to Seher but Abasi forced him to come.

"How is he doing," He asked Rabia.

"His wound is infected and I think his chances are very slim. these 24 hours are very crucial for him"

Shuja went back to his parents and informed them about Shazain.

"Ummi, He is very sick"

"It might be one of his acts to get my attention" Seher replied.

"I saw it with my own eyes," He said to his sister

" All those people are deceptive, They are his people they might have put up an act to lure me into his trap"

"I think we should check " Nur Jahan replied.

"No need, My daughter stayed with them. She knows their tricks " It was Fakhr.

"Fakhr, don't be so heartless"

"He was fine when he came here, how come he is sick. what Seher is saying is right"

"I will go and check my self Nur replied"

"I won't stop you Hayath, Just keep my daughter away from all this spectacle, and yes one more thing, tell that hot-headed buffoon Fakhruddin's daughter will not fall for these silly traps. Tell him to grow up."