The next three days were a whirlwind of activity. There were meetings and fittings, a funeral and a wedding to plan. Zahir’s father’s funeral was planned for the following weekend with world leaders pouring into the capital city to mourn his loss. And two days after, the wedding would take place. Because of his father’s passing, the ceremony would be small, no press or world leaders. Just family.
Sada desperately wanted to talk to Zahir, offer him comfort. Unfortunately, she didn’t see him for days. He was busy with briefings and meetings with world leaders who continued to arrive almost every hour. Guards surrounded him at all times, and her as well.
Three days after arriving in Ditara, she stood at Zahir’s side as his father was lowered into the ground. She didn’t touch him, knowing that there were numerous photographers snapping every single movement, expression, and emotion. But she couldn’t stop a tear from falling. As surreptitiously as possible, she wiped the tear from under her sunglasses, and pressed her lips together as a deep sadness overtook her.
Zahir felt Sada shift by his side and looked down. She was crying. Damn it! Photographers be damned! He angled his body slightly and turned to pull her against his side. Yes, it was his father’s funeral. And yes, he was furious that someone had killed his father, cutting him down too soon. His father had big plans! He’d wanted so much for Ditara. But right now, Zahir also wanted to hold Sada. Just feeling her against him made his heart ache just a little less. He felt her hand press against his chest and it soothed him. Softened the pain of losing his father.
She was such a little thing, he thought. So full of life and energy. And he’d pulled her into this mess. A better man would let her go, release her from her promise to marry him.
But he wasn’t that man. He wanted her. And he vowed to make her happy! Somehow, he’d show her that they could make a good marriage. He lov…cared for her deeply. He owed it to her, to their future, and for the sacrifice she was making for him, to show her that they could be good together.
Chapter 5
Going from the tragedy of a funeral to a wedding in only two days was rough. Sada smoothed her silk wedding dress down over her hips, admiring her reflection in the mirror. Today was the day. Her mother and sisters in law were here with her, but she couldn’t hear what they were saying. She was too nervous.
Was she making a huge mistake? Marrying a man to help him rule his country was common in her world. Arranged marriages were more common than one might think. But marrying a man she loved, knowing that he didn’t love her back…that was insanity! It was a recipe for heartache.
Looking at her image in the mirror, she knew that she couldn’t back out. Not now. Not at this point, when the world’s eyes were on Zahir and his enemies were searching for a weakness.
Over the past week, Zahir had worked almost non-stop, barely sleeping as he and his security team ferreted out the people trying to incite riots, quelling the rumors of insurrection and civil war while still allowing for the freedom of speech and expression. Thankfully, the press and world leaders were on Zahir’s side and helped show the positives of Zahir’s rule. Also, he was out among the people, talking with them, hearing their voices and listening to their problems. The reporters tripped over themselves to show his compassionate rule, his unwavering support of his people. Slowly, things were calming down in Ditara.
Initially, the world had been shocked by the news of his father’s assassination. The world grieved during the funeral, but there were murmurs of shock at the idea of him wedding so soon after. His enemies were talking about how disrespectful it was to marry just days after the funeral, how he’d probably killed his father himself, to gain power.
But throughout it all, there were the incessant workings in the background. While his enemies were condemning him for moving too quickly to take control, there was another voice being heard. A voice proclaiming that he was sacrificing for his country, showing strength and confidence in order to move on while still searching for his father’s killer.
That was the story that people listened to. They wanted to believe in him. One thing that Sada had learned over the past week - the world wanted to believe in goodness. They wanted to believe in fairy tales. They wanted to believe that something good could come out of a tragedy.
Hence, why most people believed that Zahir was doing the right thing in marrying.
Unfortunately, for Sada’s tender heart, most of the talk was about how he was sacrificing for his country by marrying her. They all knew that this wedding wasn’t for love.
A political marriage. A marriage to help stabilize a country.
With a sigh, she turned away from her image. This might not be the most romantic wedding of this century, but she would still follow through with her promise to Zahir.
The dress was simple enough, just a silk sheath with white lace and simple, white satin pumps. Nothing pretentious. This wasn’t a time to be overly flouncy, not that she was the flounce type. She preferred more subtle lines of her dresses. In fact, if she’d chosen her dress on her wedding day, she would have chosen something like this. The dress was simple, elegant and, more importantly, it was amazingly comfortable. She probably would have left off the lace, to make the dress even more simple, but she’d been told that the lace was symbolic.
Apparently, the beautiful, delicate lace had been woven by a small group of women in the north of Ditara. They’d started making this lace at Zahir’s birth and had sent it to the palace years ago, specifically for Zahir’s wedding.
And it was truly lovely. The lace depicted the native flower of Ditara, which only grew along the banks of the river that flowed through the middle of the country. Superstition said the river gave life to the country. The symbolism of the lace was perfect for their wedding day. The flower would once again give life and hope to a country still mourning the loss of their former ruler.
They were feeling lost, Sada knew. But she also believed in Zahir. He would pull his country through this tragedy and their wedding, his wedding, would be a beginning. A ceremony filled with hope for the future. Could there be a better way to celebrate the life of a country and a new start with a wedding?
Hmph, she thought as she flounced the skirt of her dress slightly. Politics sucked!
“Are you ready?” her mother asked, looking concerned.
Her mother had given birth to her oldest brother Jaffri nine months after meeting Sada’s father. He hadn’t known about Jaffri at the time. Nor had her mother known that Talal was the ruler of a powerful country.
She’d come back to Altair to film a movie and that’s when she’d discovered Talal again. That’s also when Talal discovered that he had a son. After a rocky start, they’d figured out how to move forward.
Odd how life works out, she thought as she took a deep breath, her hand smoothing over the front of her dress, as if she could brush away the jitters whispering to her to run. Would she ever know the kind of happiness that her parents enjoyed together? Could Zahir ever fall in love with her? Even a little?
The diamond ring caught her attention and she lifted her hand, admiring the beautifully cut diamond. She remembered the look in Zahir’s eyes as he’d stared at the ring. At the time, his look had given her hope that he might think of her as something more than just a political wife.
Sniffing back tears of hopelessness, she lifted her chin, squared her shoulders, and nodded. She shouldn’t assume things that weren’t true. This was her life. She had more privileges than others. This was just one of her responsibilities.
“Yes. I’m ready,” she announced to the room filled with women. She only recognized her mother and sisters-in-law, Giselle and Mila. They were clearly thrilled for her. Did they know something she didn’t?
Trying to anticipate the future wasn’t a good idea, she reminded herself. Better to just accept the present and brace for whatever might come next. The elaborate doors opened with a flourish. Giselle walked down the aisle first. Then Mila. Her mother nodded to her, a nod of confi
dence and love.
Then it was her turn. Sada closed her eyes for a long moment, her fingers tracing the elaborate lace of her wedding dress. A new beginning, she thought. If a flower could bring stability and prosperity to a country, she could do the same!
Zahir stood at the front of the room mostly filled with people he didn’t know and didn’t care about. Tavon and Jaffri were by his side, acting as his groomsmen. Was he nervous? Perhaps. He wasn’t sure if Sada would go through with this wedding. He fully expected someone to whisper in his ear that she’d called everything off. That this was a ridiculous idea and there had to be a better way to guide his country through this crisis.
Damn, he wanted her to go through with the wedding. He wanted her as his wife. He wanted her smiles and her beauty in his life. He wanted to wake up to that smile every morning. He wanted to talk with her every evening over dinner, instead of only once a month when their schedules allowed. He wanted…!
If he were in her position, he’d walk out of the palace and not give it a second thought. But Sada was different. She was kind where he was not. She was soft where he was hard. She was compassionate where he was emotionless.
Now that they were to be married, he could finally admit how much he wanted her. His desire for her was like a living force inside of him. He wanted to make love to her more than he wanted his next breath.
Reminding himself that Sada’s brothers, his best friends, were at his side, he pushed the lustful thoughts away. He had to focus. He needed to regain control of his mind and his body. He couldn’t show weakness. He’d gotten his country through the past week. His people had been in mourning over the past several days, devastated and confused, angry that their ruler had been taken from them. But now the country was eagerly anticipating watching him wed.
And many were anticipating a baby and new heir.
This would work out, he told himself as the music changed. Turning, he craned his neck to see Sada. He hadn’t seen her in several days because of meetings to finalize the transition of power.
Unfortunately, the small crowd of people who had arrived to witness their wedding blocked his view. When the first woman came forward, he almost roared with frustration. It wasn’t Sada! Allaena! The woman was lovely, but she was Sada’s sister-n-law, Giselle. She was married to Jaffri, the crown prince of Altair.
Then came Mila, Tavon’s wife. She was beautiful as well, but nothing like Sada. There was something about Sada that called to him, stirred a fire in his blood.
But now…now he could revel in her beauty. He could bask in her presence and her smiles.
And he could make love to her.
He thought back to years ago when he’d found her down at the stables of her boarding school. She’d been about to kiss a boy and…he’d been ready to kill him.
Now she was all his!
When she finally came into view, his breath caught in his throat as their eyes met. She was glorious. She looked like a delicate flower in her lace dress that hugged her curves making his mouth water. He wanted to rip that dress off and discover what was underneath. He wanted to taste her, to find every place on her body that made her quiver.
He wanted…
Sheik Talal placed Sada’s hand in his and Zahir gently pulled her closer. Someone took the bouquet of flowers from her hands. And then someone was speaking. He didn’t register the words as he stared down into the crystal blue of Sada’s eyes.
There was a pause and Zahir realized that he needed to confirm his wedding vows. “I do,” he said with confidence.
Several minutes later, she replied with the same words and his heart pounded with pride and…anticipation. Nem fielaan! This was his woman.
Someone handed him a ring and he slipped it on her finger. A moment later, she did the same for him.
Then it was time for him to kiss her.
The lust that surged through him at that moment, knowing that she was his wife, was unlike anything he’d experienced before. Yes, he’d wanted her with a driving, painful lust. But this…this sensation was different. This was so powerful, he wanted to drag her out of here and make her feel the same way.
Zahir was brutally conscious of the room full of people watching them though. So instead of the kiss he wanted to give her, he leaned down and, with a hand cupping her chin, lifted her face to his. As his lips briefly touched hers, he felt her tremble. Looking into her blue eyes, he saw the fear. And…was that longing?
Longing for him? For a deeper kiss? Or for something more? Something different?
He had no idea. Despite all of the conversations he’d had with her over the years, he still couldn’t read her well enough to understand most of her expressions.
The applause was almost deafening and he belatedly remembered that there was a room filled with people to witness his wedding.
Not for the first time, he cursed the fact that his life was not his own. He wasn’t his own person. He was a ruler, born to rule, and he’d never had any choice in the matter.
For so long, that hadn’t mattered to him. He’d been born to his position and had been raised to know that he would one day rule the country. There were pros and cons to every station in life. The public aspect of his life, of his wedding and his emotions, the constant audience to his life, was one of the cons.
As he turned and faced the crowd, his focus was on Sada. She understood her responsibilities, but even so, he felt her lean into him. Her shoulder against his arm gave him patience and, in return, he gave her his strength.
She was a beautiful bride, but more, she understood. Having been in the limelight from birth, she fully grasped both the political as well as the economic implications of their wedding.
As they walked down the aisle towards the reception room together, he counted the hours until he could be alone with her. Until then, he was going to do everything in his power to help her feel more relaxed.
Chapter 6
Her wedding day. Sada looked around, her cheeks aching from all of the smiling. This had been the worst day of her life! It should have been beautiful and wonderful. She hadn’t expected magic, but a girl could dream!
Instead, it had been one tedious conversation after another, followed by toasts given by people she didn’t know trying to impress other guests she didn’t know with their wit or their sage advice to the newlyweds. Thankfully, it wasn’t a huge wedding. Under other circumstances, Zahir’s wedding would have been a massive celebration with world leaders, financial gurus, powerful aristocrats, and various celebrities vying to attend. Since Zahir’s father had been laid to rest only days ago, the ceremony and dinner celebration were more subdued.
After the meal, she’d stood patiently next to Zahir as he personally thanked each guest for attending the wedding. She wanted to stomp her foot and tell everyone to just get out already! Or, at least, leave them alone for a while. She wasn’t picky. She just wanted a moment of quiet, a moment to regroup and gather her energy. She wanted….
To be alone with Zahir. Yes, that’s really what she wanted. She wanted to talk to him, to make sure that he was okay. He’d just gone through the horror of his father being killed, vicious attacks to his rule, his father’s burial and now he was marrying a woman he didn’t love simply to ensure that his country was stable. All in one week.
She suspected that he was exhausted, but he’d never let it show. Throughout everything, he’d been a rock, a man completely in charge and sure of himself and his people. That strength had carried his country to this point and she doubted Zahir would let anything slide now that the country had calmed. He would continue to work tirelessly towards growth and prosperity.
But would he take time for himself? For their fragile relationship?
Finally, the last of the food was finished, the toasts completed and the wedding cake cut. Zahir took her hand and, with a nod to the remaining guests, led her out of the reception room.
“We can–” he stopped as an aide handed him a note. Sada watched Zahir’s lips compre
ss before he turned to face her. “Give me five minutes and I’ll join you, okay?” he asked with a frustrated sigh, before lifting her hand and kissing her fingers.
“Take your time,” she urged, knowing that whatever was in that note was important. Tamping down on her curiosity, she followed another servant through the maze of halls.
As she stepped through the room to her suite, she…! Looking around, she realized that this wasn’t her suite! This was….
The colors were darker, the furniture heavier. This was Zahir’s apartment! Oh no! She was in his room and…she was his wife. Of course her things would be moved into his apartment. Of course she would be sleeping here instead of in the guest suite. It had been lovely, but…she was his wife now.
“Thank you,” Sada said to the servant who bowed out of the suite, quietly closing the doors.
She kicked her satin heels off, unconcerned when they landed against one of the big chairs set up in a cozy corner of the room. “Oh my!” She sighed in relief as she dug tired and sore toes into the thick carpeting. “Beautiful shoes, but not comfortable!”
When she opened her eyes, she wondered what she should do next. Her first thought was to get out of this dress. As comfortable as it had been earlier in the day, after a ten course meal, nothing was comfortable other than a pair of leggings and a huge sweatshirt.
“Probably no sweatshirts here,” she muttered, looking around, wondering if she could snoop through his stuff. She wouldn’t have to worry about Zahir kissing her or making love to her. Not after that ridiculous kiss at the end of the ceremony. She’d been hoping for something passionate and wonderful. After her brothers’ weddings, both Jaffri and Tavon had kissed their brides as if they couldn’t stop. Zahir had barely even started!
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