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“I love you.”

Harper squeezed her eyes shut. “I know y-you do. And I can’t even blame you for doing this. You wouldn’t be the man I loved if you hadn’t done this, but please—-” Another shuddering sob struck her, and she nearly had to gasp for breath. “I’d do anything for you, but not this.Never this.So please don’t ask it of me. Please—-”

Slowly, his fingers fell.

And she ran away.

****

YEARS AND YEARS FROMnow, it would go down as one of the saddest days in the kingdom’s history when the crying, trembling figure of their queen was seen at the gates of the palace, performing the public ritual of ending her marriage to the king.

News traveled fast, and the area was soon swarming with people – reporters who were out to sensationalize this unprecedented sight, gawking guests who were titillated by the hint of scandal in the air, and men like Mahmud, who didn’t hesitate to sow seeds of discord to further their cause.

Terrible accusations began to take shape, broadcasted in viral headlines—-

Queen Harper publicly disavowing marriage to travel alone and leave Ramil?

Princess Safiya, daughter of Sheikh Mahmud, to be Ramil’s next queen?

Ramilians to be fined if found offering aid to Queen Harper?

Later, there would also be stories of loyalty – of how secret enemies of the sheikh had incited a rabble, and of the queen’s most trusted guards coming to her defense. Witnesses had sworn they heard the queen tearfully begging her loyal guards not to endanger themselves for her, but still they had shed blood for her, their loyalty to her unwavering.

You will always be our queen.

And when the tide seemed to swell in the favor of the sheikh’s enemies, there came the thundering, ground-crushing sound of the army’s footsteps, led by the king and his vassals. They fought their way to the queen’s side, infallible in their power, strength, and valor –

It was a breathtaking sight, witnesses from that night were known to avow. But what they would never ever forget was the sight of their king finding his queen—-

Only to let her go—-

You are free, my love.



















Chapter Seventeen

ATHRONG OF WELL-DRESSEDguests once again thronged the reception hall, which, like the rest of the place, was decked in festive colors in honor of the Emir Sheikh’s impending marriage to Princess Safiya. It was reminiscent of another wedding not so long ago, but unlike before – the mood that blanketed the palace was bleak and gray. It had been so for two months now, ever since a woman who had been the kingdom’s queen for so short a time had chosen to break her heart rather than risk the lives of her people.