Aria knew it the minute she stepped foot out of her chambers and judging from the way those people were staring at her.

News has gone round the palace that she had poisoned her husband, the Prince, who is still unconscious with no day of recovering or regaining consciousness at the very least. Despite the fact that the Prince has enemies in the palace, he has just the same number of lovers, maybe even more than the people who hate him.

The only ones that detest him are those that want the throne for themselves. Aside from that, no one else has a problem with him because he had always been nice towards them all.

So, when they heard that she had hurt him, it gained her bad blood more than she already has between them. Aria didn't let it bother her at first, but after a two weeks of the same thing going on, it started getting to her.

The Calipha, who would've without a doubt helped her to clear her name had flown out for his yearly medical checkup abroad so everything going in the Palace regarding the prince, was kept away from him just like Umma had ordered.

Aria tried to visit Aali in Umma's chamber, but she was denied the right to see him and was instead sent away from where the guards stood outside. Umma had given strict order to not let Aria in no matter what.

She didn't believe that Aria was capable of hurting Aali, but for safety reasons, she decided to keep the Prince until he regains consciousness which he hasn't. And because of that, a lot of people were growing restless. The truth is he is safest with Umma, because she had closed off her chambers from everyone, including Queen Zarah, his mother.

She took the liberty of doing everything for him personally without the help of anyone because she didn't trust anyone in that palace. As the days passed, and there's no sign of getting better from the Prince, she was starting to lose hope.

But she knew she needed to stay strong, at least for everyone that looked up to the Prince.

Aria on the other hand had the bad end of the whole issue. More people threw nasty looks at her, more of Aali's relatives troop in and out of her chambers treating her in all sorts of manner. She had to ask the guards to not allow anyone to come in because she was honestly starting to get overwhelmed with it all.

Sure enough, she could fight back. But she can only handle so much when no one seems to want to help her. The only people who remained by her side, helping her get through it all were Salaha, Hudayya and Emmarah.

The council meeting which were only supposed to take place twice a week took place as expected with Aria heading it. Since her warning at the first meeting, no one tried to go against her again amongst the women and from the four meetings that took place, she could confidently say that she was starting to make a positive change.

That didn't help her one bit with her situation though. So, she locked herself up in the chambers and refused to go anywhere. She could've visited her parents, but they had returned back to Turkey and so, she only spoke to them on the phone.

They had no idea what's going on, and each time she was asked by them how she's doing, she just tell them that everything is perfectly alright. As always, they saw past her façade, but didn't push her on it. Instead, they advised her to remain patient and pray to Allah for only he can ease her worries.

She also wasn't getting anywhere with her investigation. Honestly, she hates to admit it but she has hit a dead end with no hope of getting anywhere.

She has never felt as troubled as she did at that moment. Nothing felt right to her. She didn't have the freedom that she did back then where she could travel somewhere to escape her problems. She didn't have her job where she goes and helps people, in the process making her feel better than she did. She didn't have her parents there with her, her Abu wasn't there for her to curl up beside him while he tells her stories that would calm her down. Her Maa wasn't there to make jokes with her and ease up her mood. Her sister, Maya, wasn't there for her to annoy till she feels better.

She has nothing. She doesn't even have Aali anymore, who had made her new house actually feel like a home with his presence. Without him, it felt cold and lonely. There was no one to annoy her, and no one to make her laugh over the stupidest things.

She hates to admit it but he was growing on her. How could he not when since she married him, he has always been there with her the most. Given, he disappears every now and then but she always wakes up beside him, and spend most of her time with him despite how much she felt like she hated it back then.

At that moment, she could tell that she hated being alone more.

"Aunty Aya"

Salaha's words had Aria snapping out of her trance.

She looked up, dropping the fork she held in her hand, playing with the food the girl had brought her. She didn't have any appetite to eat but Salaha being the stubborn girl she is kept trying to convince Aria to try and eat something at the very least because it's not good for her health for her to stay like that.

"Yes" She said, blinking as if that would shake away those thoughts. "You were saying?"

Salaha sighed, fidgeting with her fingers. "You have a guest"

Aria released a long sigh, shaking her head a she looked away. "I told you Salaha. No one should be allowed in. I really don't have the energy to deal with someone again" She stated, pushing away the plate of food.

All she wants to do is go back to bed and curl up doing nothing. She can't work because she has nothing to work with, and it's not like TV or social media would take her mind off anything. It won't even if she tried. And she did.

Salaha swallowed thickly, darting her tongue to wet her lips. "Well, she isn't just any guest..." She trailed off. She understood Aria's strict orders considering even Hudayya and Emmarah weren't allowed in. Aria didn't want to socialize with anyone that much.

But this guest of Aria's had threatened the guards to the point that she is at the point of swaying them into letting her in.

Before Salaha could finish her statement, a voice came through as the guest made her way into the apartment. "ARIA!" She called out, her footsteps resonating round the place.

Aria's brows furrowed, and at that instant, she found herself off the kitchen stool and out of the kitchen, making her way over to the living room where without a doubt, the guest is heading to. And she was right, because once she stepped in, she met with the sight of her guest who approached her and pulled her into an embrace. "Maya?" Aria asked, as if she couldn't believe her eyes.

How could she? She hasn't been able to get a hold of the woman for the whole week. She barely knew what's going on with her sister and that added to her list of worries. From what her parents said, they were also unable to get a hold of her so she was worried.

Maya shushed her, patting her back slightly. "It's okay. I'm here. You're okay"

It was if those words were all Aria needed because the minute Maya uttered them, Aria broke down in tears. She had been holding it all in for days and just for that moment, she was glad that she was in the arms of someone that she would let her walls down without having to worry about being judged.

It has always been Maya, and her relief to be with her again knew no bounds.

She wrapped her arms around her, her body shaking with each sob. Maya quietly patted her on the back, whispering sweet nothings to her. Salaha had long disappeared, upon seeing the sisters' little reunion. She had a feeling that they would like some privacy, hence why she left.

It took a while for Aria to calm down, and when she did the two found themselves on the couch with Aria's head laid on Maya's lap while she gently ran her slender fingers through Aria's unmade hair. Plaiting her hair wasn't something she is fond of to begin with, so she never bothered.

No words were exchanged between the two, until Maya felt the need to end it. "I've heard all that happened" She whispered, afraid that if she rose her voice any higher, it would break Aria.

Aria sighed, blinking back the tears that started to form again. "I didn't do it" Her voice came out low, and shaky.

"I know you didn't" Maya agreed, "And I know he won't believe it too when he regains consciousness"

Aria shrugged slightly, biting her lower lip as she sniffed. "You didn't hear the words I said to him before he passed out. I was so cold towards him when all he has ever shown me was nothing but kindness" She had a lot of time on her hands, and all she had been thinking of was the way that she treated Aali.

Given. She didn't trust him for she had so many doubts about the Royals, but she couldn't help but feel like she could trust him, or at least be nice to him to begin with.

Maya offered her a small smile. "I don't know the story behind the relationship you two share, but if there's one thing I'm sure of is that Aali is a good man"

Aria looked up, her gaze meeting Maya's. "How could you tell?"

Maya shrugged, her gaze looking distant when she spoke again. "Just..." She didn't explain further, instead, her smile remained intact. "Trust me" She said instead, "Aali is a good man"

Aria stared at her sister for a while. She could tell that there's something wrong with her, and it had been bothering her since. "What's up with you Maya? What's going on?" She asked, sitting up so she could face her.

Maya's smile widened in what is supposed to be a comforting one. "I'm fine, stop worrying about me" She waved it off, then threw Aria a serious look. "Besides, we're talking about you right now. If I look troubled, then it's because I'm worried about you" And she meant every word she uttered.

Aria sighed, deciding to drop the topic though she felt like there's more to it than her sister is letting on. But she trusts Maya to deal with it on her own. If she wanted help she would've told her. She sunk in the couch, folding her hands over her torso as she brought her legs on the couch too. "I just don't know what to do again Maya" She released a long sigh.

"Simple. You just do what you always do" Maya stated like it's the most obvious thing in the world.

Aria rose a brow. "And that is?"

Mays shrugged. "I don't know, you think about it" She mumbled, before reaching her hand out to hold Aria's. "Just think of what the best solution is to this matter. It must not be a good one, just do what the old Aria would before she married Aali"

Aria parted her lips to argue and ask more questions but she shut it up immediately, as she thought of Maya's words. After a couple of seconds, she threw her sister a small smirk. "I think I know what to do"

~*~

Maya was right. All Aria needed to do was think outside the box, that is, to think as the old Aria would and not as the current Aria. She had been so worried thinking about her current predicament as Aali's wife that she failed to realize the one solution to the problem would be to do what the old Aria would do.

Maybe, her version of solution would only end up making things worse but she had a feeling that it would help deter the attention on her at the very least. So, when Maya left, she got up and showered again before changing into a more formal outfit.

She didn't burden herself with wearing something too traditional and fancy. Instead, she opted for an atampha gown which she thought looked beautiful. After adeptly maneuvering her head tie, she threw on a veil to cover herself before she asked Salaha the one question that would be the beginning of her solving her problems.

"Who is the biggest gossipmonger in the palace?" She asked, her lips curled into a smirk.

Salaha, taken aback stared at the Princess with her eyes widen slightly. "Excuse me, what?"

Aria repeated her question, hoping the girl wouldn't make her repeat it again. Finally going over the shock of the question, Salaha thought about it and concluded that the biggest gossipmonger in the palace is the head cook, IyaZulai. Her second in command, the Umma's right hand man, Malam Mahamuda.

Those two can gossip for Africa.

Aria grinned, then asked Salaha to lead her over to the woman. For the first time in days Aria stepped out of her chambers with a bright smile on her face that had people double checking to see if it was really her. They wondered what in her current predicament would make her smile that brightly.

Could it be the rumors are true? They wondered. Maybe she's sure the Prince won't wake up again that's why she's celebrating already, others pondered.

Aria ignored the looks, and instead focused on following Salaha over to the kitchen where all the food activities take place. Sure enough, there's a kitchen in every chamber in the palace but food is generally prepared in the main kitchen where it's later distributed to the chambers.

It took a while, since the Main kitchen is a little far from Aria and Aali's chamber but they got there eventually. And to Aria, it was the first time she was stepping foot in the busy building. Most of the workers stopped to watch her when they noticed her presence. The ones that didn't stop working rose their heads up to see her, before they started muttering amongst themselves.

Aria ignored them, her smile still in place as Salaha led her further into the place till they reached where an old woman stood, barking orders at the workers. Salaha then cleared her throat, "IyaZulai" She called out.

The fifty-eight-year-old woman, who hasn't heard the girl continued barking orders at the top of her lungs.

"IyaZulai!" Salaha called out again, and even then, of the workers receiving the bad end of the woman's orders had to notify her that someone is talking to her behind her.

The old woman, annoyed that she is being interrupted turned around hands akimbo. "Keh! What do you want?" She asked.

"Prince Aali's wife wants to have a word with you" Salaha stated, stepping aside so Aria could see the woman clearly.

IyaZulai's wife widened slightly, before she quickly made her way closer to the Princess. "How can help you my dear?" She is well aware of the rumors about Aria, heck, she helped distribute the rumors the most so she wouldn't want to miss the opportunity to talk to Aria.

She felt like anything that comes out of her mouth with be news.

Aria's smile widened. "I was just wondering if I could help you around"

At Umma's chambers, she made her way into her bedroom where Aali is; only stopping once she is seated beside him on the bed. She sighed, still feeling down over the fact that he hasn't regained consciousness yet.

However, it was at that moment that she noticed the smallest movement of his finger. And when she lifted her head to look at him, he flickered his eyes open. His gaze immediately falling on her.

"Aali" She grinned, tears of happiness filling her eyes.

He blew out a shaky breath, reaching out his weak hand to hold hers. "Aria" Was the first thing he uttered. "Where's my wife?" He asked.