‘Everything happens for a reason.’ That was one of the things I believed in the most. I always knew that God had a plan for everything. Maybe we couldn’t see it clearly at first – but with the passage of time, we realized that it all happened for the best.
Sometimes I wondered why I had to fly to the opposite side of the world to meet the love of my life, my other half – my soul mate. Why hadn’t we just met in another place? In London, for example? Fallen in love and gotten married like normal people?
But then again, nothing about my life with Mazen was normal, and that was the beauty of it. I changed 180 degrees for the better, and it was all due to my life with my beloved husband.
If I hadn’t come into his life, he might’ve married Talia, and I couldn’t even think about the horrible things that could’ve happened to the Kingdom if that were the case. At the very least, she might have prevented Rosanna from having a baby, of ever becoming a mother.
God put me in their lives for many reasons, and I had faith that there were many other things that wouldn’t be the same if I wasn’t involved. I was glad I had been.
Even Queen Mother Shams’ attempt at Common Deflowering was for a reason, because it made me aware of the practice and caused me to act very passionately against it. It had led to the law that forbade it.
Maybe Rosanna was more experienced in some things related to Islam and Arab’s traditions. But there were many things I’d done which she might not have tried to do for fear of stirring things up, like Mazen had feared when I suggested changing the laws.
I’d made educating Bedouin women a goal; I’d wanted to empower them and show them that when you are educated – the sky is your limit.
Rosanna was a distinguished queen, but she might not have paid attention to practices or traditions that needed to be changed if I wasn’t there. She grew up knowing that that was the norm, and might never have even thought to question or challenge it.
I was very grateful for what the campaigns, along with the new laws, had accomplished. The incidence of Common Deflowering lowered to 22% from 100% in the Bedouin community. Female Circumcisions had dropped to 14% after being at 94% for centuries. I made a difference, and that was what I took pride in the most.
The Bedouins were such honorable people; they just needed guidance on how to treat women when it came to proving or protecting their honor, two items which were important to them. I was glad that I’d been the one to point the right path for them.
Sheikh Omran ordered all of the servants back to the palace the same day I was rescued. He apologized and said that things would’ve been different if they’d been there – that even the female servants would’ve fought for me, and not just their men had they been there.
The Bedouins didn’t really need the money; they didn’t need to take on the role of servants. Most of them were actually very rich. They took pride in being a big part of making sure that the royal family was cared for. They thought of being in the palace as more of a service to the Kingdom; an honor that grew in importance due to their close proximity to the King and Queen.
Rosanna was lucky to find Donia as the best wet-nurse for her daughter, Julia. Although Donia wished she could be Adam’s – she still did her job to the fullest. She was one loyal girl.
I could count for the next year how every detail of my life in the Kingdom – my life with Mazen – had been for a greater reason. I was happy with how everything had turned out in the end – peaceful and joyful. It was all we’d ever wanted.
“She’s still a kid,” Mazen said. He still wasn’t over the fact that we were flying to the Kingdom – to attend Marie’s engagement party.
I fought the urge to roll my eyes. “She’s not a kid. She’s almost 21 – that’s only one year younger than I was when I married you,” I defended. He was being dramatic, plus, they’d told us that they wouldn’t get married until Marie was finished with college and her Masters, which was two years from now.
The education system was a bit different in the Middle East. They all graduated from a four-year college at the age of twenty-two, and they could complete their Masters in only a year, which was my niece’s plan.
“She’ll always be a baby in my eyes,” Mazen said in a low voice, and it made my heart melt. He was right about that; she’d always be a baby to him, and he didn’t want to believe otherwise.
Smiling, I turned my attention back to our kids, sitting across from us. “Boys, the pilot did say to turn off your electronics,” I told them, and I was met by huffs and grumblings.
Teenagers.
“Just one more minute, Mom!”
“Fahd!” Mazen warned our son.
“Faris is still holding his!” Twin number one complained about twin number two.
“The two of you, put your devices down!”
Thankfully, there was no more arguing after that. I smiled at Adam who looked innocent during the exchange, but we both knew that he was very close to driving me insane with all of the shenanigans he’d put us through. He was such a troublemaker, but it was just a part of his charm.
The engagement party was small, warm and cozy. It was exactly Marie’s style; she liked simple stuff more than anything.
“Marie! Please, listen to me,” Mazen said. “You need at least five years of engagement before you decide if he’s the right person.”
“What? How come? You didn’t even have one day of engagement, and you’ve been married for over twenty years!” my niece argued, and I held my laughter as she’d just cornered her uncle.
“You’re just as stubborn as your auntie,” Mazen said, releasing a long breath and looking defeated. He really cared about our little Marie who wasn’t little any longer. He just wanted to make sure that she’d never get her heart broken.
“You need to calm down, Your Grace. She’s a big girl and can take care of herself,” I said, and Mazen only glared at me. “Her fiancé is a Royal Guard – what else do you need as proof of his loyalty?”
“I’m going to go look for my sister,” Mazen said, completely ignoring me. His attitude was actually funny to me. “Do you want to join me?”
“I’ll be right there,” I said, but the truth was – I wasn’t looking forward to that right now. I knew that Janna wanted to talk about her latest accomplishments at Archer Enterprises’ Alfaidya’s branch. She was too excited with what the branch had become under her leadership. It was such a great thing, but the last thing I wanted to do was to talk about work right now.
I had re-opened London branch only a year and a half after moving back there. That was one of the decisions that hurt me the most – I had to close that branch since it wasn’t doing well, thanks to a lack of a qualified manager. Now that I was able to run and manage the branch myself, it was doing better than the corporate office in New York.
“When do I get to meet the luckiest man on earth?” I teasingly asked.
“Oh, auntie!” Marie clapped her hands excitedly. “He actually wants to meet you really bad.”
“Me?” I was taken aback by her words. Why would someone I’d never met want to meet me? And so badly?
“Yes. Come! Come!” My niece took my hand and led the way. I swallowed thickly; she was clueless as to how I’d developed a phobia from such a small act. It brought back the darkest memories, which I didn’t even want to think of right now.
I pretended to fix my dress and pulled my hand away. I continued to follow behind her to where her fiancé was standing and talking casually with King Fahd.
“Auntie Marie, this is the guy who’s been so eager to meet you.”
Marie’s fiancé bowed his head in greeting. He was such a handsome young man and his smile was heartwarming.
“Your Grace, I’m very pleased to meet you.”
He smiled widely and I smiled back, feeling something strange as I looked into his eyes.
“The pleasure is all mine,” I said, then I asked awkwardly, “Have we met before? You look familiar.”
His smile turned into a grin. “We did, Your Grace. I thought you wouldn’t remember me since it was a long time ago. I was only three, but I couldn’t count my age on my hand. I was your inspiration to open a new school, and I got to receive my education in it, just like you had wished. I was the first in my class and made it my life’s goal to become the best person I could be, to honor you.”
I gasped, “Mazen?” My eyes started to fill up with tears.
“That’s right, Your Grace. It’s me – Mazen. The little boy who sold you all his gum.” He smiled.
“Oh, Lord!” I covered my mouth and nose with both hands and kept gaping at him, not knowing what to say. “I’m so happy that I finally got to meet you again, and I’m so proud of you!”
“Thank you, Your Grace. I would’ve been nowhere if it wasn’t for your kindness.”
“Welcome to the family, Mazen. You’ll take a good care of our Marie, won’t you?”
Mazen looked at Marie with so much passion in his eyes before replying, “I’ll honor and love her until my last breath.”
I smiled as I looked at the two of them, praying with my whole heart that they would get to live a long and happy life.
A new love story was born in the Kingdom, that of Mazen and Marie’s.
“What is it about the atmosphere in this wing that has me wanting to touch you day and night while we’re here? Old memories?” Mazen asked in a whisper, his hot breaths on my neck were sending chills down my spine.
“Like it has ever been about the atmosphere. You always want to touch me day and night, regardless of where we are,” I teased, my eyes rolling back in my head as he swept his tongue on that spot where my neck met my shoulder.
“Can’t argue with that,” Mazen chuckled lightly, before getting back to his assault on my neck.
“We need to get back to the party,” I told him half-heartedly.
“They can last an hour without us,” he whispered, his hand slowly going up my thigh, making me lose my breath as I waited for him to finally reach where I wanted him the most.
“An hour is too long to change my shoes.”
That was what the excuse I used to go up to our wing, but Mazen followed me and I couldn’t escape his hands since I stepped foot in our old bedroom.
Not that I wanted to.
“I’ll come up with another excuse,” he insisted.
“You’re not going to use your knowledge of psychology, will you?”
His studies and research over the past few years made him an expert on how to make people change the way they were thinking, and use it for their own good. He helped numerous patients out of depression and managed many other mental illnesses without the use of chemicals. It was with the same way he used to get over his PTSD.
That was what he’d always wanted to do with his life, to help people in other ways than being their ruler. He did it all for charity; he never charged for his services. His theories and methods were taught in colleges for the past seven years.
It was all good until he would use it for his own benefit, like when he would distract me and magically make me think of things other than what he didn’t want me to think about – like that time he taught Adam how to shoot when our son was only nine years old. I almost lost my mind.
Ten years later, he was still able to distract me every time I wanted to bite his head off about it. It was lame.
“Maybe.”
He finally covered the delicate area between my legs with his hand and pressed, making me moan and forget all about whatever we’d been talking about. His hand and tongue took me to a different place, and I didn’t even think about leaving anytime soon.
Actually, an hour suddenly sounded too short.
My mother-in-law looked as if she’d aged a few years since the last time I visited with her a couple of months ago. I couldn’t deny that I always felt guilty about how she was so far away from her grandchildren, but she’d rejected our offer of coming to live with us in London, just like Mona had. Queen Mother Shams would visit us from time to time and spend a few weeks with us, but that was all. I knew it wasn’t enough.
Adam and the twins loved her dearly, and she loved them like no other in the whole world. However, her step-grandchildren were a good distraction while we were away. They were a handful and loved her no less than my own kids did.
We were all gathered in her quarters. It was so comfortable and easy. This was one of the few times when I felt we were just another ordinary family. Everyone was so happy. It didn’t mean there weren’t troubles here and there every once in a while; however, that was the beauty in it, the normalcy.
“Have you guys seen your brother?” I asked Faris and Fahd, who were busy arguing with their cousin about soccer. It had been over half an hour since I’d seen Adam.
“He’s praying, I believe,” Faris replied.
“Hmm.” I pursed my lips to the side; it had been too long for a prayer. “Did you two offer your prayers?” I had to ask, because they constantly needed a reminder.
“I did,” Faris said, but Fahd didn’t reply.
“Fahd?” I asked with knowing eyes.
“Um …”
“Go. Now!” I said, pointing my arm towards the door. “Football discussions can wait; prayers won’t.”
“Yes, Your Grace,” he said. I couldn’t tell if he was mocking me, so I didn’t know if I should show appreciation for his politeness or thwack his butt. Those boys were driving me insane.
I shook my head as my thoughts went to the day when I’d called my priest, asking him if he would perform my marriage ceremony, and he’d objected. I remembered the awful panic attack I’d had when he told me that Muslim men only had Muslim children. I couldn’t imagine my kids practicing a faith other than mine. I had a panic attack right then and there.
But all that had changed; my children were Muslims, but they didn’t disrespect my religion in any way. They believed in God and they loved Jesus. They respected my beliefs and I helped them with learning theirs, because that was my duty as a loving mother and a caring wife.
It was unbelievable how much I had changed.
As I walked through my mother-in-law’s quarters, I got a bit worried when I couldn’t find Adam anywhere. I was about to call Bassel or Brad to ask if they knew his whereabouts, when I found a female royal guard and asked her instead.
“Have you seen Prince Adam?” I asked.
“I did, Your Grace. He went that way,” pointing to the opposite direction of where I was headed.
I thanked her and went to find my son. I frowned when I saw him standing in a corner with his back towards me, wondering what he was doing for a second before my eyes widened and my eyebrows shot to my hairline.
“Adam! What are you doing?” I whisper-yelled.
He spun on his heels and the blood drained from his face when he saw me. He looked like a kid who’d been caught with his hand in the cookie jar.
“Uh – nothing!”
I pushed him to the side to see what he was looking at, and I gasped when I realized he was looking inside one of the rooms through a tiny gap in the door.
“You’re spying on your cousin?” I was utterly shocked; it wasn’t at all like something Adam would do. If someone told me he’d done that, I wouldn’t have believed them, but I’d seen it with my own eyes.
“No! Ow! Ow!” He winced as I dragged him by his ear to the nearest room. I didn’t even know which room we went into, as I was too busy thinking of how unbelievable what he did was.
“Have you lost your mind? If His Majesty found out, he would feed you to his special collection of wild animals!”
“No, he won’t. My uncle loves me.”
“You were spying on his daughter!” I blamed. “How could you do that, Adam? That’s not how I raised you!”
“I’m sorry, Mom. It won’t happen again. I promise.” Adam looked guilty. He held his head down, looking sorrowful.
“Why did you do that? You know very well women should be respected.”
My voice was much calmer now, seeing that he’d apologized and admitted his mistake.
“I don’t disrespect her, Mom. I – uh, I just wanted to see her without her hijab for once. I wanted to see her hair. It’s been so long since I last saw it,” he said, without looking me in the eyes and I gaped at him for a long moment, trying to take in what he was saying.
“You have feelings for Julia?” I asked in a quiet voice, and after a pause, he nodded. “Oh, dear.” I didn’t know how to answer that.
“Please, don’t tell Dad I did that. He would be very disappointed in me,” my son begged.
“I won’t,” I told him, “but we’ll talk about it later. This conversation is not over.”
Adam gave me a light hug and left the room after I told him I’d be right behind him to re-join the family. I needed a moment to myself.
The second he closed the door, I let out another gasp as I heard, “What on earth just happened?”
I clutched the cross on my necklace to calm myself; she’d frightened me with her outburst.
“Rosanna! I didn’t know you were in here!”
“Well, you entered the room while I was in the middle of prayer; I couldn’t cover my ears.”
“I didn’t see you. I’m sorry,” I said, noticing that we were in one of the praying areas for women.
“It’s fine. Okay, so – what on earth just happened?” she asked again.
“Oh, please, don’t tell His Majesty. He’s just a kid and he promised not to do it again.”
“Adam has feelings for Julia?”
“Um, I’ll talk to him; he might just be confused.”
“Oh, my God, Marie! Do you know what that means?” Rosanna asked, her eyes wide.
“Um … no?”
“My daughter could become Queen one day!” Rosanna said excitedly.
“What?” I was very confused; there was no such a thing as a Crown Princess!
“If my son doesn’t have an heir by the time we need a new king, Adam is next in line. If he’s married to my daughter, that means she’ll get to be queen.” Rosanna sounded as if she was thinking with a loud voice.
“Oh, Lord! No, no, no! We’re not even going to think about that,” I said, opened the door and walked out of the room. I didn’t want to hear another word of what she was saying or listen to her suggestions.
“Just listen to me, Marie– …” Rosanna continued to talk as she trailed after me while I tried my best to run away from her. She kept on making up different scenarios about what it would mean if Adam and Julia ended up together.
Royalty was a big game, and I just realized that I might never see the end of it.