Queen of Cahraman: A Retelling of Aladdin (Fairytales of Folkshore Book 3)
Page 34
He looked at us with such hesitant expectation I finally felt my trepidation and caution melt. Ayman and I shared a look before we both nodded.
He let out a ragged exhalation. “I’m in shock. Forgive me. I think it will take a very long while for it all to sink in. I have my wife back…and two grown children. It’s beyond a miracle.”
We stood staring at each other for what felt like an eternity, then Azal forced a shaky smile, “Now, my dear Adelaide, I’ve met his betrothed, where is yours?”
“Yes, where is he?” Farouk arrived, looking winded. “We can’t find him anywhere and the coronation ceremony is starting now. Where could he be?”
There was only one place Cyrus could be.
I picked up my skirt and broke into a run. “I know where.”
In a gilded cloak, with his hand on his sheathed sword and his head held high, Cyrus looked every bit the king he now had to be.
He stood before the bronze sculpture of Jumana Morvarid, gazing up at her, so deep in thought that he didn’t hear me come in.
“You’re going to miss your own coronation,” I called out, making my way among the piles of treasure on the vault’s floor.
He snapped out of his reverie, turning to face me.
With heart-melting speed, his frown turned to an ecstatic smile as he rushed to meet me, arms open wide.
We met halfway with him pressing me close to his chest and I clinging on for dear life.
“I missed you,” I mumbled into his shoulder. “I know I’ve seen you every day, but it feels like I haven’t spoken to you in ages.”
“I’ve missed you too, more than I have words for.”
“You’re not having second thoughts, are you?”
“I never even had first thoughts. I’m so not ready for this. I thought I’d be as old as my father at least before I found the crown in my lap.”
“Well, that was before you met me, right? Now you know you don’t have to be ready for anything to succeed in it, to be the best you could possibly be, to be what everyone needs. We have our adventures that you’ll document for proof.”
“I agree to all those statements, with one correction. Substitute you for we. We’re unstoppable together.”
“Then you have nothing to worry about. You’ll never have anything to worry about as long as we’re together. And this crown? You won’t feel its weight with me beside you. We went to limbo and back together. What’s ruling a kingdom compared to that?”
He looked around the vault, where we’d first met, where we’d started to fall in love. Then he looked back at me, his expression radiating a new level of passion and solemnity.
“It’s very worrying, Ada—the way I keep loving you more. Is it possible there’s no limits to how much one could love?”
“Limits? What are those?”
He threw his head back and laughed. “Indeed. They’re not in your dictionary and they’d never be in mine from now on.”
I hugged him, relieved he was lightening up. “So…did you know Master Farouk is probably going grey right now looking for you?”
He exhaled, nodded. “I needed some space and silence to think. And I wanted to see her alone one last time.” He looked back at Jumana’s sculpture. “We’ll be moving her out tomorrow, she’ll be placed in the hall in the West Tower. Just so all our mothers could be in the palace when we have the wedding.”
It was then I realized Fairuza wasn’t the only one whose story had found no happy resolution. “Oh, Cyrus, I wish you could have met her, could get her back, like Ayman and I got our mother’s back.”
Cyrus brought his forehead to mine. “I do, too. But I do feel I got to meet her in those memories. It was a blessing.”
I cleared my throat. “So, what now?”
“Now, you escort me to my coronation.” He offered me his arm. “And on the way I tell you about your friend. King Florent believes they’ve found her.”
I jumped up, almost butted him in the jaw, and squeezed him until my arms hurt. “Thank you, thank you, thank you so much—I’ve been worried out of my mind for so long.”
He laughed, hugging me back.
After we resumed walking, he filled me in on the details, until we ascended the pavilion steps overlooking the gardens with all the guests in attendance, and the priest waiting on the dais.
Everyone turned to look up at us and he stopped suddenly.
“You won’t have to worry about anything ever again.” He took off his mother’s ring. “I’ll do everything in my power, all my life, to make sure of that.” He slipped it on my finger. I tried not to squeal and shake and weep with all I could. “I never thought I’d part with this ring, my one reminder of my mother, something that had become a fundamental part of me.”
I squeaked as I pulled it off. “Then you can’t give it to me!”
“I can’t not give it you.” Cyrus pushed it back on my finger, love blazing in his eyes. “When I gave you Esfandiar’s ring, it was a placeholder for an engagement ring. But this ring symbolizes all of me. I believe it’s long overdue that you have it—and me.”
I had nothing to say. I was afraid I’d swoon for the first time in my life.
“You liked me when I was a servant, and you were my choice, the first real and most important choice of my life, you were my partner when I lost everything and you helped me save the kingdom when it seemed impossible. As far as I, or anyone else is concerned, you are the true Queen of Cahraman.”
I threw myself at him, arms around his neck, and kissed him with all the love and wonder I’d never thought I could feel.
As a girl who’d spent years with no one and nothing, with only fear and loneliness to look forwards to, it was a dream, a fantasy, a fairytale to have him as my own and to belong to him, and to his world.
As for helping him rule as his queen, I did find it daunting, but I was bound on getting it right, no matter how long it took.
And until I did, I would always be there for him. As he would be for me.
Like we’d conquered the impossible together, we’d lead Cahraman to unprecedented peace and prosperity together.
For him, I would be anything.
Starting by becoming the Queen of Cahraman.
Family Tree
Pronunciation Guide
— People
Ariane: Aa-ree-ann
Cherine: Sheh-reen
Cyaxares: Sigh-ak-sa-reez
Esfandiar: Ess-fun-dee-yuhr
Etheline: Eth-ell-leen
Fairuza: Fey-roo-zah
Farouk: Fah-rooq
Jumana: Zhoo-mah-nah
Loujaïne: Loo-zhaiy-enn
Marzeya: Mar-zey-yuh
Nariman: Nah-ree-mann
Ornella: Ore-nell-ah
— Places:
Almaskham: Ul-maz-kham
Cahraman: Quh-rah-maahn
Campania: Kaam-pahn-yuh
Ericura: Air-ree-cue-ruh
Orestia: Au-ress-tee-ya
Tritonia: Try-tone-yaa
Zhadugar: Ja-doo-gaar
Note from the Author
I hope you've enjoyed the third and last installment in the Cahraman Trilogy.
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Lucy
About the Author
I hope you've enjoyed the second installment in the Cahraman Trilogy. Reviews are the life-blood of Indie Authors, so please take the time to leave one on Amazon and/or Goodreads.
If you haven’t read it yet, read where it all began in #1 Amazon Bestseller, THIEF OF CAHRAMAN and PRINCE OF CAHRAMAN
For news and updates and special offers, please sign up to my VIP mailing list at Here!
I love to hear from my readers, so ple
ase contact me at lucytempestauthor@gmail.com
Thank you for reading!
Lucy
Also by Lucy Tempest
THIEF OF CAHRAMAN
PRINCE OF CAHRAMAN
QUEEN OF CAHRAMAN