She felt trapped, in a jungle full of monsters that were aimed at sucking up the little blood she had in her. She sat in the living room as silently as she could, until it was time for Maghrib prayer and the women came for her. She was glad to see that Jamila and two of her cousins came back for her. They were taken to a room, and there they both prayed and ate the food brought for them. She wanted to speak with Ammi, about what Mama Fulani had spoken to her about, but she knew what exactly Ammi would say.

'May be she doesn't mean what she said, Fatima Zarah. Just keep on praying and always be at your best character. Living in the midst of the royalties is totally different from living a normal life.' That would be Ammi's exact words even if she were to speak to her about what Mama Fulani had said, and she saw no reason at calling her knowing what she would say.

They ate the food silently and one of the maids came into the room, "Gimbiya Fatima Zarah, Mama Fulani has ordered for you to be taken to your husband's house. The cars will be ready in the next thirty minutes, you're to leave alone. All your friends will be taken back home too."

She didn't know what she was to feel, elated or sad? Happy that she wasn't going to live together with this Mama Fulani or whatever it was her name or sad that she was going to be locked up with that idiotic human bieng coated in the flesh of Al-mustapha. She mused at the name she referred to as, 'Gimbiya' she had said, and it meant princess. Even though she hated the royal traditions, she couldn't help but fantisize about the name she was called with and the respect and bows she had recieved ever since she came into the hours a few hours ago.

Jamila sat beside her and tapped her shoulder slowly, "Fatima Zarah I don't know how this happened but I'm so glad. You need to see how Barr. Aliyu was agitated when he heard about your wedding, he called me today and from the way his voice sounded I'm afraid if he didn't cried." Fatima Zarha couldn't help but laugh.

So Barr. Aliyu thought she was really into him or she had noticed all the signs he had been flashing at her? She was sorry but not sorry, even though she hated Al-mustapha with passion, she could still choose him one million times over Aliyu. Not that he wasn't handsome, but he just wasn't among the list of men she wanted.

She chuckled softly and spoke, "Please if you get the chance to have a talk with him again, tell him that I'm sorry I haven't invited him for the wedding. But seriously Jamila, that man really thought I would fall for his not so charming smiles and the attendance he signs for me?" They both laughed and her two cousins joined the conversation.

Like the maid had told them, a single car was there, and Jamila and her friend were first ushered out to be taken home. Fatima Zarah wondered where the car she would be taken home with would emerge from. She wanted to scream when she was taken to Mama Fulani's private living room and there sat Al-mustapha, he was alone as well.

She sat down away from him and ducked her head down, fiddling with the end of her thobe. Will all this just end and she could finally rest? She hadn't spent the whole 24 hours of today but it felt as if she had spent a whole year in a few years. She was exhausted beyond measures. Mama Fulani came out of no where and she sat down on a chair that looked like a throne.

"Al-mustapha, Fatima Zarah, you are wedded today just like Islam has ordered us to. You two might not know what the tradition entails, in this palace, because none of you spent the required time to know that. Tomorrow morning, I'll send two maids to collect the white linen I've ordered to be taken to your home..." Fatima Zarah lifted up her head and she quickly ducked her head down when her eyes fell on Mama Fulani's. She wondered what the white linen was for, and didn't want what she was thinking of to be true.

"White linen for?" Al-mustapha asked, and the angry look Mama Fulani flashed him was enough to tell him that it wasn't Ummah active on her. He had to follow whatever rules she had set today, unless he wanted to get into the wrath of the mightly Queen and Princess of the royal emirate. The sultanate palace.

"You have to consummate your marriage tonight, and the white linen is an evidence for Fatima Zarah if she's a virgin or not. If she is, there will be a blood smeared all over."

Fatima Zarah didn't think before she cut her off. "But what if I don't want to consummate the mariage today? What if even if we did consummate the marriage and the blood didn't ooze out as you want? Do you know that the blood isn't the symbol of virginity right? It's just a hymen, a freaking hymen!"

"Know where you are and who you are talking to, Fatima Zarah!!!" Mama Fulani thundered, but that didn't stop Fatima Zarah from what she intended to do. She knew her rights, and there was no way she would be forced into consummating a marriage she hated with all her veins and blood running in them.

"I'm sorry Mama Fulani, but if he forced himself on me, that's rape, and I'll sue him for it. I don't care wether he's my husband or he's from the royal family, that's my right, and I can do anything to let the world know I know my rights even if the whole society I live in is against it." The moment she clasped her lips shut, she ducked her head down as if nothing had happened.

Mama Fulani stared at her with anger simmering from her eyes, but she couldn't stoop so low to argue with the girl Al-mustapha had married over something as feasible as this. All she did know was, the white linen should be brought back tomorrow with an evidence that they consummated the marriage, she didn't care if this girl would sue him, then she would show her who Hajia Hadiza Maiturare really is.

She turned her attention back to Al-mustapha that was staring at the two women, what stopped him too from speaking was he knew what Mama Fulani could do and who she was when she was angry. "Al-mustapha, I'll send for the white linen tomorrow. And you must consummate the marriage no matter what it takes, today. I raised a man." And she was back into her room before any of them finished scuppering what she just said, and Al-mustapha looked at Fatima Zarah that had her face scrunched up and her annoyance was screaming for itself.

"Get up let's leave, it's getting late." He had his shoes on when he said that to her and she followed behind him. All she knew and had in mind was, she wouldn't let these people control her life as they so wish. She had to stand for herself even if everyone around her would be against it.

They got to the car and what she noticed was, the entrance she was brought in with wasn't the one he took when they were about to leave, It was as if he choose the route so no one could notice them leaving. She stood beside the car and took off the royal thobe on her body, she had been wanting to do this ever since Ammi donned it on her. He looked at her and wanted to say something but then he had no words to speak with, because he was sure Mama Fulani knew his every step.

They got to the car and silently drove to his area, and Fatima Zarah had the chance to pick out her phone from her handbag and she began checking the throng of messages her friend, colleagues and family left for her. She silently groaned and began replying them all, because she saw nothing happy about this marriage that people were congratulating her about. She didn't even know how they got her picture with Al-mustapha earlier today and she had seen more than hundred people had posted it. Some captions nearly cracked her up.

It was either, 'Couple Crush,' or 'Happy Married Life, Mrs. Maccido,' or 'I love the love they share,' or 'They look so happy and in love together,' or 'It's official, she has finally gotten her beloved' these and even more funny captions that she wanted to laugh at. What was finally gotten her beloved? If only they knew. Even those smiles she had painted on her lips were for the camera. Why is it that people easily believe what they saw on the surface of their screens without questioning?

She felt as he pulled over and when she looked up, she could swear this wasn't his house. But sadly, it was. At the gate, from what she could see from where they sat in the car in the parking lot, she loved everything she saw. From the trees, to the glint of blue she was sure was a pool, but she hated the fact that she loved the house.

"You have to put your thobe back, there are maids waiting for us at the entrance and a traidition too needs to be carried out." She wanted to scream at him, to tell him that she was tired of him and his annoying royal traditions, but she restrained herself. Because no matter what, he was now her husband and raising her voice at him was one of the thousand thing she wasn't supposed to do. Hajjo had told her this enough, their Mu'allim at Islamiyyah and the society at large.

She did as he said and put her phone back into her bag and they walke dout of the car together, her lips pursed together. She wanted nothing but to crash down on her bed. Wait, she had no bed here anymore. What was it about the white linen Mama Fulani had said? Fatima Zarah smiled to herself and walked silently by his side, because there was no way she was going to let him hae his way with her, and if he dared do that, she would sue him like she told his mother.

As he said, the maids were not much, but they already made her head spinned. They collected her bag and guided her to a room. She watched as Al-mustapha brushed off their greetings and walked towards a corridor, and she was sure his room resided there. She was first taken to the bathroom and the maids respectfully asked her to bath and she did, because she wanted that so bad.

When she was out, they had already brought out a nightgown for her and she stared at them wide eyed. "What does this gown stands for? Will you please leave me alone? I really need to rest." She smiled at them and prayed they would pay heed to what she said but they ducked their heads down.

"I'm sorry, Gimbiya Fatima Zarah, Mama Fulani has ordered us to get you ready and take you to His Majesty's chamber. And from today, we'll be your house helps." They were only two, and they bowed down to show her their utmost respect.

"Do you mean Al-mustapha's chamber?" She knew she sounded stupid for asking that question but that was the only way to know what they meant.

"Yes, Your highness. Please make our job easy for us." And she stayed still and looked at them, as they slowly pulled her down on her bed and one of them began making her face up while the other brought out a gown. From one look at the gown, it was skimpy that she wanted to slap the maid.