“I look forward to raising a family with you. We can practice with Saniyah and Adira’s kid.” Ashni gave her a squeeze. “It’s okay for you to feel the way you do. He didn’t have a right to touch you, hurt you, force you.”
Nakia inhaled sharply and expected to feel a cut inside of herself, but instead felt some ease. She needed to hear Ashni didn’t blame her for any of this.
“In my culture, I’d have been forced to marry Asad,” Nakia said.
Ashni winced. “I know. We’re not like that and you don’t even have to think about it. You’re not wrong for feeling the way you do about that baby, just like Adira and Saniyah aren’t wrong for feeling the way they do. You’re entitled to your emotions. You’re entitled to relief.”
Nakia smiled at her. “You’re actually pretty wise.”
Ashni scoffed. “Not how I’d usually describe myself but thank you.”
“You’re not alone in this, beloved. You might not describe yourself in a lot of ways, yet you are those things. And maybe you’re not in the Roshan Empire anymore, but that doesn’t mean you have to leave behind the cultural bits that make you who you are. You’re a strong and special person. We’re lucky to have you.”
“You’re a strong and special person, too. Thank you for gracing me with your presence and for being by my side through so much.” Ashni kissed the top of her head.
“Thank you for the same.” Nakia sighed as weariness settled into her bones. She was tired, but she was safe, so she could rest. Ashni had her, and she had Ashni.
***
Naren was back and Ashni was happy to see him. She treated him to a return usually reserved for Adira—a grand feast and a party—because he had gone above and beyond. He is worthy of Layla, and she married well. Yet there was a somber air as they celebrated. Ashni assembled her closest at breakfast to discuss their current situation.
“As of this moment, we, the West, are our own independent nation. The Roshan Empire will continue to be trade partners, although we’re not part of the Empire,” Ashni said, expecting to feel the words in the pit of her stomach. She felt light instead. Hopeful. Maybe it was Nakia’s hand in her own.
“And our people?” Layla asked. She sat in Naren’s lap and rubbed her nose in his cheek. It had to be trying times for her to be so openly affectionate.
“Anyone who didn’t come with Naren will be allowed to leave if they desire to do so. We will also allow anyone who wants to return to the Empire to do so. From this moment on, we’re on our own. We have to govern the people. There’s no more empress, no Roshan courts, no Roshan laws,” Ashni replied. “It’s us.”
“We’ll be fine,” Nakia said.
Ashni couldn’t resist kissing Nakia. It was good to hear Nakia so confident. “We will.”
There was silence for a long moment, winding around each of them. They ate as a way to explain away the silence. Yet the quiet pressed on them. They needed to talk.
“The empress wrote to us.” Saniyah motioned to herself and Adira.
Ashni nodded. “She said she would.”
“She welcomed us as family. Tell me it’s because she knows you see Adira as a sister now and not because she has some misguided notions on our child.” Saniyah rubbed her baby bump.
“I believe it’s the sister thing, but we’ll make it clear. Nobody’s coming for my niece or nephew in the name of Jay,” Ashni replied.
“This is my child.” Adira put her arms around Saniyah.
“And since you have a child to worry about, it might be time to retire from the field. You’ve been fighting most of your life. Time to pass it on. Hafiz is ready. You trained him well,” Ashni said.
Hafiz wasn’t there. She wasn’t sure, but there was a possibility they might lose him to the Empire. But if he stayed on, Adira had put enough into him that he could step into her shoes. He proved that.
Adira’s shoulders dropped, and she pulled Saniyah close to her. Saniyah would need help from her spouse to raise a baby; they all knew that.
“This is my legacy now,” Adira said, smiling.
Ashni nodded. Adira and Saniyah had served not only her, but her father. They deserved so many things. Things Ashni might never be able to give, although she could start. A governance if they desired it. Anything to make sure they lived their lives in contentment.
“And the people of Tariq and Tiq?” Layla asked.
“I’m granting land to your people to start over,” Ashni replied. There was space in the West, plenty of it. They could welcome new people and keep them safe.
“We’ll help settle them.” Naren pointed to himself and Layla, who nodded.
The reality hit Ashni when she and Nakia were sitting on the throne. Nothing looked different or felt different or smelled different. Yet everything was different. It was now the Throne, not an extension of power. They were a true Queen and her Queen. She grinned at Nakia.
“I wouldn’t be able to do this without you,” Ashni said. Nakia had proved that she was a fit leader. Ashni would try to follow her example.
“I will always be by your side, my love. Nothing will ever drive me away,” Nakia replied. And there they began their legacy, a new life together in a blossoming empire.
The End
About S. L. Kassidy
What is there to know about me? Not much. I was born, bred, and raised in New York and I have no desire to live anywhere else. One day, I would like to travel to a few places, but for now I am content where I am.
I started out writing poetry in junior high and continued to do so for ten years. I wrote short stories, usually fantasy and romance stories, for my own entertainment throughout high school and college. Back then, I wrote strictly for me and those stories remain locked in the back of my closet in little notebooks, written in my almost unreadable, tiny handwriting. In between writing those stories and poetry, I managed to get a college degree in history.
After graduating college, I had a semester off before graduate school and I didn't really have anything to do with my time. So, I took a chance and wrote a fanfic and dared to upload it to the Internet. I was surprised that other people enjoyed my work and I've been posting ever since. I had quite a bit of fun with fan fiction and eventually decided to try my hand in original fiction. I suppose it was sort of like coming back around to what I had been doing in high school and college, except this time the stories were for whoever wanted to read them. I uploaded my first original story a few years ago and haven’t looked back. I plan to continue writing as long as I continue getting ideas for stories and it continues to be fun.
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Bright Blessings
Blood Rain (Warrior Class Book 3) Page 25