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Ruhani POV

"Where were you? the whole day, Mehram?"

He asked politely and I nervously shook my head signifying nowhere and nothing important. He smiled and came closer pecking his lips softly on my forehead.

"You already look so tired. I hope this work is not draining your health,"

I chuckled a little at the soft and pleasing words. He was worried for me.

He took a step back and looked back into my eyes. My eyes looked into his as he closely noticed my face for a moment and muttered slowly.

"What is it?"

I gulped nervously, not confident enough to disclose what I noticed. I did not want any blunders to happen without proof and telling him right away would surely bring one of them to life.

And, the best thing to prevent it was a smile with a kiss.

I smiled widely showing I much I loved it when he looked worried for me and leaned in to kiss his chest with affection.

But, I needed the keys to that Almirah. I was certain it had some important records which I needed for my investigation.

I take a few steps back and looked at him. 

"Come, I am hungry,"

He said and I stopped him by holding his hand. His eyebrows leans in between making them furrow a little and I pulled him a little to walk with me.

I took him closer to the Almirah and signaled him asking what was inside.

He chuckled a little and looked back at me from the wooden Almirah.

"So, you want to read only print texts?"

He asked and I smiled hiding the suspicion behind it. Though, he understood from my facial expression that I did not know anything about Only Print Texts.

"It had the old and only copies of books ever written. You want to see?"

He asked with a wide smile and I nodded immediately.

"Wait for a moment,"

He said and walked a little away. I looked at him closely as he walked to a bookshelf in a corner and took out a book. He opened it and took out a key. He turned his gaze to me showing me the same and spoke in a slow voice.

"Everything here is a secret, Ruhani. I survived three murder attempts and seven deadly war attacks. Still, unable to know the reason why my death would benefit my enemies. Our Sultanate is nearly poor and weak. Our only strength is the blessings of my Father that somehow protected me every time I was close to death,"

I gulped frightened a little at the little piece of information he shared while putting the book back on the shelf. I kept looking at him as he turned himself and walks closer to me.

"I know a few things in the Sultanate would surprise you. It also surprised me when I visited other Sultanates. But, I trust my mother with everything. When no one was there for me, she stayed by my side. We three were very small when she was offered another alliance with her hand and responsibility of the Sultanate. She could have enjoyed her youth but rather she strengthened me to keep everything to us that my father left for us,"

I nodded and looked at his hand showing the keys to me. I felt goosebumps with the stare and the seriousness of his tone. This was the first time, I heard the Sultan talking to me.

"But, you are my Queen now. You deserve to have whatever is mine. This Sultanate, this power, this responsibility, this pain, and this advantages everything is yours just like me. All you have to do is to order under the stamps,"

He says and I slowly with slightly trembling fingers forwarded my hand. But, rather than giving me the keys, he held my hand and turned me towards the Almirah. He pushed the key inside the old iron lock and moved the key effortfully to open the lock. It was heavy that he used both his hand to take it out and kept it on the floor. 

Pushing the washed wooden door, he opened the Almirah.

It was neat and clean inside and my sight noticed the shelves in it. Each was filled with old papers and books and in the corner a small wooden box.

He took out the box and opened it for me. My sight fell on varieties of stamps and he took one with the moon's sign on it.

"This one is the stamp specially used by Sultan. You can use it to order anyone and you will not be questioned even in dreams,"

He says and handed it over to me.

"I have a copy of it. You can keep it too,"

My heartbeats raced insanely as he handed me over something that no Sultan shares with his own shadow.

"And, this is your personal stamp,"

He said taking out another stamp of maroon color and handing it over to me too.

I tightened my fist around the wooden stamp and looked at him still not believing he handed over to me, everything. I remembered our wedding night and could not believe how drastically things changed between us. My heart pounding insanely not believing it, not believing him actually. He was too good to be true.

"What? Do not look at me like that. You cannot judge me with just one impulsive behavior, Mehram. There is so much more in a person than a first impression,"

I tried to hide my shock with a slight smile and he smiled back.

Suddenly, the door was knocked and he replied.

"Come inside,"

He held my hand and made me walk to the couch where the attendees put our lunch.

"Let's eat first,"

He said and sat beside me. I looked at the attendee who started making his plate. I showed her my hand and signaled Shaheen to leave us alone.

"Privacy,"

Shaheen translated and everyone left both of us alone.

I served him food and he looked at me with a smile.

"Do you know, Ruhani, when was the last time I felt hungry like today?"

I shook my head slightly signaling I did not know and he exclaimed.

"The last time I had dinner with my father. Ever since he left me, I witnessed no desire for anything. For everyone, I am a Sultan but deep down I know who am truly is,"

I thinned my eyebrows not understanding what he just said.

I tried signaling him asking who he truly was which he started answering with having spoons of Sheer Khurma.

"I am no one than a puppet of harsh reality, My love. Circumstances change my judgments and I am sort of a scale that measures the sins and gives the punishments,"

He chuckled and my heart sank listening to him. The harsh reality of Kings. He turned his gaze to me and forwarded his hand with a spoon filled with a sweet dish.

"Taste what you made,"

He said and ate it wholeheartedly. I was surprised to hear that he knew I cooked for him.

"Delicious?"

I nodded and he smiled sucking his lower lip a little.

"Eat,"

He said pushing the plate a little toward me and I looked at him gulping nervously. His eyes changed a little bit devilish and I turned my gaze slowly to food.

I felt butterflies in my stomach and obediently forwarded my hand to hold the spoon. I felt him shifting closer to me and my lips widened with a timid smile. 

I turned my gaze to scan his eyes but he Kingly leans backward pressing his back against the back of the couch. 

"Responsibility suits you,"

He muttered slowly and I turned my face to the food. Pulling the spoon to my mouth, I ate silently, knowing his eyes were watching me closely.

After a few bites that I ate in silence, I felt him moving a little closer to me. He leans into my nape and I felt his hot breaths tickling me.

"You look beautiful while eating,"

He muttered and pushed my braid aside followed by tucking my loose hair strands behind the ear. 

He shifted a little closer and kissed behind my ear. His lips felt soft making my face tilt a little.

"Ruhani,"

He spoke extremely softly close to my ear and his hand took mine into his. My eyes stared at his hand entangling my finger tightly and then his hot voice traveled down my ear.

"Do not you think that we should make love?"

I gulped and the moments that we spent together flashed through my mind. My face turned to look at his and my heart skipped a few beats seeing his eyes begging me.

My eyes scanned the emotions on his face and I wondered if it was the love he had for me. 

"Do you think?"

He asked in a slightly scared slow voice and I playfully shook my face.

His face fell and he leaned backward again muttering.

"Fine, Mehram,"

I chuckled and looked back at my food. I resumed eating while he just played with my thick braid. 

I made a bite and looked behind at him forwarding my hand. He smilingly ate and muttered.

"I was only hungry for what you made for me,"

I smiled again and we ate like that. Him teasing me and I was playing along.

"I am full,"

He declared and I pushed a plate a little away moving towards the washing bowl to rinse my hand thoroughly with water.

"Rabia is not hurt,"

He exclaimed catching my attention.

I thinned my eyebrows and looked at him.

"Someone told me,"

I signaled to ask who.

"The attendee of the Finance Minister told me everything,"

He said and I gulped a little.

"He said you asked him for some records and he could not give them. And, strangely Rabia visited him after that,"

My eyebrows furrowed with the new information and then he asked.

"Do you think something is wrong, Ruhani?"

I waited for a moment and then simply nodded.

"Can you tell me now?"

He asked and inhaled a deep breath. I could not tell him when I myself was not certain what was wrong. I simply shook my head.

"Do whatever you want. Order whomever you want. Replace anyone with anyone. Everything is yours and I told you how to do it,"

He said slowly and I understood what he meant. He gave me his stamp and that was enough.

"But, I am dangerously protective for you and I do not want any harm to you. Whatever you do must be under my stamp and nobody shall know that you know anything,"

My eyebrows thinned and wondered why was he talking to me about such things.

"I do not know who is the snake but I am rather certain that there are snakes. The number of people I trust is just three. First, my protector Sher Shah Khan, Second the royal physician Abdul Salam and third my cook Jahagir Aalam. Apart from those three everyone is corrupted and I regrettably do not know how and why. These five months are the longest time I am in the Sultanate. And that is because I am whipped enough by you that saves me to find who is who,"

He smiled at the end and lowered my gaze with a flirtatious tone.

"Whatever you do Ruhani, nobody should know it. I seriously do not want any harm to you. Understand,"

He finished and I nodded understanding him.

It did not surprise me that he was also suspicious of his own Sultanate. He was Sultan and these things were clear. I did not how much corruption was there but someone had to treat it.

"Come here,"

He said patting the couch beside him.

I walked to him and took the seat looking at him.

He held my hand which still had light henna carefully and brought it closer to his lips pecking softly and long. I inhaled a deep breath with the loving touch. The moments we spent in the hammam crossed my brain making me timid instantly.

He slowly entangled his fingers with mine and turned his gaze to me.

"They say its food and air that keeps us alive. Lie. It is the emotions that do not let us die,"

He muttered and these particular words raced my heartbeats. It was deep and emotional.

"First, the rage, and then you,"

I smiled weakly and he finished.

"Tomorrow is the death anniversary of my father and it is better we do not see each other tomorrow,"

Another update!!!

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The next Update will be on Tuesday... Stay Tuned.

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