Kano State, Nigeria.
2018.

The events has started and today, they are going to celebrate the Bridal Shower. The event is going to take place in the Palace but in another wing where they won't be disturbed and is far away from civilization of the whole Palace. The girls protested when the Queen asked them to do it in the Palace but in another side so she agreed.

Falak won't stop glowing and the happiness surrounding her is almost surreal. She kept beaming at anything and hardly gets angry at anything. Two days to her wedding and she isn't even nervous like most brides. She doesn't feel anything except for the happiness that is blinding her vision, not that she wants to see any other thing than that.

She is currently taking a bath and the girls are getting ready in her room. She has a few more friends from around the Royal estates because of the Royal family dinners that likes taking place. There are just a few and the ones she met in India that live in Nigeria, she also invited them. She looked at everything and found out she doesn't have much friends to cover up for bridesmaids so she invited them all.

Rinsing her body after the long shower, she left the bathtub and wrap a pink fluffy towel around her and used another white one for her hair. The haircare they are doing is working out very well because her hair is almost touching her lower back and she couldn't be more happier. It's shiner and silkier, she could trail her hand down and it will come out without struggle.

"I'm so in love with myself right now. I can't believe I'm managing this event all by myself." Jabrayah fanned herself as she look closely at the mirror at her own self and the other girls around the large room.

The girls are wearing a silky purple pajamas. It is an ankle length trouser and button up shirt then they tied their heads with a lilac veil made in complicated turban. They still look exceptionally beautiful and unique because each one of them have their own part of beauty. They have flip-flops around their feet and some paintings that Inayah volunteered to do on their faces.

"And the bride is here!" Jaiyana yanked Falak from the doorway of the bathroom and sat her down on the vanity stool so they could fix her own painting.

After her own is fixed, they asked her to change into her own pieces of clothing which consists of matching set of pajamas but she has a pink robe to add on top and her turban is pink just like her flip-flops. You could say she is the bride from miles away and they are not even talking about the big grin etched across her lips.

She walked out of the closet and the girls hoot, bringing out their phones to fill their Snapchat and Instagram with the latest wedding around Kano. Team ShadLak are going crazy on all the social media accounts and everyone is trying to keep tabs on each and every moment that is going on and now that they are posting things, there are a lot of comments from well wishers and they can't even reply to half.

The girls walked out of the Palace and the alghaita started playing around the whole palace which made Falak almost shy about everything because all eyes were on them. Her eyes was down casted and she thanked God her mother gave her a white and golden alkyabba to wear when she went to tell her about their departure.

She saw the maids looking at them and wishing they were among which made her remember that Shafah is also amongst the bridesmaids and it took one hell of a long day to convince her to join.

Upon reaching the wing in cars. There were four cars waiting for them outside the main palace with a driver in each car. She didn't know that Jabrayah could be an event manager even though she studied Biochemistry but then again, she should remember that Inayah is the even manager and they joined hands to work together but Jabrayah likes all the credit to herself.

Falak sighed after slipping out of the long Alkyabba and kept it safely in one of the rooms so that it won't get dirty, it's already worse that it is white. She bared her eyes to start looking around when she saw Asad and Suwaid by the side talking to the DJ and photographer and they are all females. Didn't Jabrayah told her that males are not allowed, what are they doing there?

"Stop looking at me like that. We were about to leave after making sure nothing goes wrong." Suwaid rolled his eyes when she did the same and they chuckled together.

"I'm not mad at you guys but you could see that we have married women here that are not your wives." She shrugged.

"Okay, bye!" Asad dragged Suwaid with him and they left the wing.

"You look beautiful by the way!" She heard Suwaid's voice yelled from outside the building making her giggle at his stupidity.

The room is decorated with lots of purple and pink balloons then small artificial purple and pink roses fixed around the walls. There is a table where the DJ has his stuff on it and the other end where there are lots of sweets and cakes. There is also a table that has some things Falak couldn't make out from where she stood but made a mental note to find what they are.

Soon, the room started flooding with some of her friend's relatives also wearing matching outfits and her other friends. Since she is Royal, each and every person wants to attend the wedding so when she told the people she met in India, none of them turned her down and they came from different states which she finds weird but also welcoming. She felt loved!

Falak was asked to sit on an armchair that is in front of the room. She didn't get how they decorated the room after seeing the small chandeliers glistening from many corners of the room and the pink carpet she is stepping on then the throw purple pillows scattered all over the room. All in all, everything looks magnificent in her eyes.

Blasting around the room was Davido's song 'Like Dat' and the girls yelled before they started weird dance moves that Falak would swear they spent a lot of time practicing, especially Jabrayah who is using her whole energy while Fikriyyah tried to remember the moves by looking at them which sprout out a deep rumble of laughter from Falak's throat.

The day was filled to the brim with laughter and happiness. They forced her to put on a tiara and to remove her turban, letting her black hair fall loosely behind her. There are many cardboard papers that has either 'I'm next' or 'Taken' or 'Best Girl' or 'Maid of Honour' written in pink glitters. Though she likes pink, Jabrayah went overboard with the pinks but she is not complaining.

Before she knew it, the day was over and everyone is back to their Chambers and the other friends that came from another state were given rooms in another wing where guests are usually situated at. The Wing looks like a hotel because of the amount of rooms it consists in them and so, they don't have any problem taking guest under their watch.

Falak slept like a baby because of how tired she was. The next day, the Barbeque took place and nothing interesting happened since Shaddad looks like he is avoiding her and she did so too. It was uneventful except that she danced to her heart's content when the men left the Palace backyard and she ate a lot of suya.

The next day is Kamu and she has finished her beauty session earlier than usual, her mother started ranting about how she won't let anybody ruin the day  for them and that they should start getting ready. Falak almost yelled at her because of how she was tossing her brain around her skull.

"Mom, can you please keep quite for a minute?" She gripped the pillow tightly around her ears so she could block her words.

She would've cried if she was sleeping.

"No, you better stand up and get ready. There is no way I'm going to allow African time! You should be in that hall around five and no more than that. Don't try me Falak." Her mother glared at her.

She left the room and came back with a maroon asoeke in her hands and placed in gently in her closet as though it was a treasure. She talked some more before leaving the room to get herself ready and leave, four is already making it's way and she should start seeing how everything is going now in the hall, Afficent. It is a marquee and is owned by a foreigner.

After Falak prayed Asr, the girls started tripping into her room one after the other. Jabrayah walked in first with a bag in hand and she is wearing a long black hijab then followed by Inayah and Jaiyana also matching Jabrayah but with different colours of hijabs. Fikriyyah was the last person and she was dressed in the said asoebi they were all supposed to be wearing.

Amrah walked into the room with a makeup artist trailing behind her and she introduced herself as Tahira. Amrah kept singing her praises that she is one of the best makeup artists in whole Kano and even have awards arranged in her office which Falak found absurd. Is there any event for makeup artists to have award? She should go to one and see how it is.

Her makeup was done and when she pivoted to look at the girls, they are all dressed in their asoebi. The canvas of the wrapper is dijon mustard with jam coloured sunflower and slate coloured trails. She loved the ankara immediately after seeing it and ask them to use it as their bridesmaids outfit and they agreed, it will fit both fair and dark complexion and so they didn't argue.

"You girls look absolutely breathtaking!" She breathed out after seeing their makeup free faces because even without it, they look stunning!

"You should get dressed so we could rain compliments on you too." They pushed her to the closet and waited for her to come out.

"I can't wear this thing alone. One of you should come and help!" She yelled from the closet and Jaiyana walked in to help.

The garnet bubu and wrapper was heavy so when Falak wore her undergarment, she waited anxiously for Jaiyana to help her into them. After wearing the shirt and laughing at how big the sleeves are, she started wrapping the equally heavy wrapper around her waist which Jaiyana helped tighten very hard so it won't fall off.

She sighed loudly after it was all done before taking the head tie with her so Tahira could tie it for her. The clothes is beaded with white small studs everywhere but the head tie has more studs than the clothes.

She was ready at five o'clock dot and she saw twenty calls from her mother, three from Asad and one from Suwaid so she arranged her clutch and the big matching garnet white beaded veil that was draped around her from her left shoulder down to her right thigh. She will admit, she looks and feels like a bride.

They left the palace to the Hall that is not far away from the Palace. She took a deep breath and walked out of the car, seeing another bunch of guys by the side and Shaddad is amongst but he doesn't look any different, he is the same old Shaddad with lazy façade so she brushed that away and waited for her mother to help them wall into the hall. She feels his eyes on her but didn't turn to him, she knew she should go and talk to him but also doesn't want to be embarrassed since she knew how he is with people around.

He looks extra handsome in his white getzner babban riga.

After the bridesmaids were arranged, they were asked to start walking in and the girls only without the groomsmen nor the groom as per tradition. 'Laye by Kiss Daniel' was played and the girls all tried to show their hidden talent without care of the world, especially the single ones.

"How much should we pay to open her face?" One of Shaddad's Aunt asked with a big grin when her friends covered her face tightly with a golden veil they were given to close her eyes till the Kamu tradition is done.

"We are going to start from five million because he is a Yarima and has blue blood." One said from behind, firmly holding the veil to close Falak's face.

"Nop, we are coming down to..."

Shortly, the Kamu traditions was done and she was sitting next to Shaddad who said something that left her breathless.

"You look beautiful!"

*****
Yoyoyoyo!
I'm I seeing correctly? HE SAID SHE LOOKS BEAUTIFUL, I'm I the only one hyperventilating? Hehehe, you are in for a ride bruv💃
RQ; Would you rather your marriage be arranged or be ten years in love? Chap, I don't want to stay that long in love o, so I will go for arrange if I have the right to say no👀 You?

Aishatu.