Kano State, Nigeria.
2018.

Three weeks later, Madeeha started feeling frivolous and was so tired with the works she's been doing in her own father's house. She has no other choice but to do as her stepsisters ask her to. She do the dishes, cook, serve, wash their clothes, sweep the compound, wash toilets, go to every errand and make their beds. She was so tired and feels like running away but then again, where will she go if she leaves that house? No one was willing to listen to her after finding out what she's done.

She is a murderer and hardly sleeps well.

"Finish that and go wash my toilet." Her stepmother, Hajiya Saratu threw at her before going back into her room.

That has being her life for the past twenty three days. She will wake up in the morning, wash her own clothes, do the dishes they used the night before and then sweep the compound even without dirt. Sometimes her step siblings will get dirt and litter it all around just so she would sweep it and get herself tired with the backache that is disturbing her ever since she started working in the house.

She never thought she would go back home and work like she was doing. Back in the Palace, she has three maids and if she needs more, the Queen will send them. If she's wanted them to give bath to her, they would have done that but look at her now in her own father's home but she is a maid. She has become a maid, the maids she always rule and now her younger siblings are treating her like that maid. Life can be so cruel to crueler. And become arduous to beasts. Karma is a real bitch.

Regrets started pouring from every pore of her being. There was no need to let her jealous side get in the way when she was the one at fault right from the scratch. She never should've even thought about freedom after promising to love him for the rest of her life. What did the freedom do to her after she got it? It brought another woman to her husband's life and not any other woman, but a maid who was unknowingly the Princess's best friend back from their village. She fits into the Royal family perfectly like she was born Royal which had annoyed Madeeha because she has to go through etiquette lessons for a few weeks to fit in.

Now her husband hates her with his whole being. She heard that she has killed a baby which was never her intention. Her husband now loves another woman he found in her matrimonial home as she serves for her. Fikriyah never made her talk twice all the long while she worked for her. She was always obedient and respects her like she were her elder sister or something. Though she acts all bossy and mean, Fikriyah only smile and do what she is told even if she can't do it, she tries or ask her how to do such thing.

Madeeha sighed, she has just finished washing Hassana and Hussaina's clothes and went to wash her stepmother's bathroom but fell down due to the dizziness whizzing her. She was so tired of all the workloads they've been pressurizing on her and she can't help it anymore. Her strength has reached it's highest peak and since she hadn't worked in a long time, working too much was messing with her health.

"Pregnant?" She heard her mother's voice asked when she woke up from what felt like a nightmare of sleep.

"Yes, two months along." Another woman's voice whispered back to her mother making her confused at what is going on in her head.

"Thank you, doctor." She heard her mother thanked in a delighted voice.

"Wake up! You are going back to your husband's house. Go and pack your clothes." Her mother said in joy, making her confused before she explained what is going on to her.

She knew she has changed from the past three weeks and she could feel it. She found out that life isn't about rushing and killing. She won't gain anything by killing her co wife's child and she is asked to fast sixty by some scholars. She didn't do that to kill the baby, she did that to make her feel scared and not to have a miscarriage. Now that she is also pregnant, she wants to call for truce and hope they agree. She really has regretted her actions and has paid for them dearly.

Her step sisters made sure she did.

Though she still can't believe she is pregnant. She was taking some pills to stop herself from getting pregnant but she stopped few months ago and still didn't fall pregnant, she thought she doesn't have any chance to become a mother and regretted ever stopping herself from falling pregnant in the beginning. She would've being a mother of two too like Jaiyana but she is just having her first and her doctor told her to be extremely careful if she gets pregnant or she won't, she is not hopeful.

Time and again she's dreamt about Humaid coming to take her back but it never happened. No one even calls her from the Royal family and seems like even the King is mad at her making her heart clench. The King is a nice person and when he gets mad at someone, then that person did something unforgiving.

"Why?" Her heart started beating faster not wanting her hope to be squashed that she is not the one pregnant but someone else.

"You are pregnant and you need to go tell your husband about it. Don't make the same mistakes, Madi. I don't know where you ever get the thought of making your co wife suffer, I never tried doing anything to my own then why you? Wasn't it your fault all along? Get up and get dressed, we are going." Her mother rambled as she move around the boy's quarters to arrange her daughter's clothes.

She is going to become a grandmother.

"I'm pregnant?" Her lips broke into a wide grin, she is afraid she's never smiled like that her entire life. It is confirmed, she is indeed pregnant with Humaid's baby.

"Yes, now stand up let's go. I hope he doesn't throw another tantrum. What you did is honestly unforgivable." Her mother shook her head zipping her huge luggage and the others too.

"I'm afraid, Ummah." Came her frightened voice from excitement to fear.

She's hurt a mother by killing her child and she knew how mother's anger is. It should never be tested but she has tested another woman's anger by putting her life in danger and killing her baby. She didn't search the internet for anything about the Royal family as she is afraid about what to find there. If she really killed the baby like she heard the guards claiming, then she is done for. Fikriyah will never be nice to her again.

•~•~•

"I have heard about what happened and she really should be grateful that I didn't punish her. I let him handle it the way he wants to but now since you have another reason to be here, I will call him and whatever he decides with his wife is what will be done." The King explained to Hajiya Khairiya who nodded with her head downcasted.

When they meandered to the Palace, Humaid didn't want to see them so the request to see the King who was busy but when he found out that Madeeha was there with her mother, he asked the guards to send them in. They must have a very strong reason for them to be there and so he dismissed the meeting with his guards and allow them to sit down on the well carpeted Throne Room. They explained why they were there and he also gave his own part.

He's asked one of the guards to call on Humaid and his wife that they have something important to handle. He was saying the truth, he has no say in the matter since Humaid told him he's already took care of the problem. She killed his brother's grandchild who is like his own grandchild and that is unforgivable. Humaid has being emotional ever since then and he can't think about what the mother is going through after losing her baby. She would've being single without another baby if not that she was carrying twins, that is plainly cruel.

When his wife, the Queen, Falak's mother saw lots of blood during the last stages of her pregnancy with Imad eighteen years ago, he saw the worst in her. She is never weak but that time, he couldn't handle her himself because she broke him too. She gets weak and emotional whenever Falak or Imad is in trouble, they are her biggest weakness. Not that she doesn't love his own children, but they are all old enough to take care of themselves. He hates when she is weak, she also brought that side of him.

Humaid furrowed his brows hearing the sudden call to the Throne Room. The last time he's being there is when he asked Fikriyah to marry him and now he is calling the both of them. He shrugged any negative thought and got dressed in the outfit he's removed earlier to wear. It's spruce coloured set of Kaftan, he wanted to go on a date with Fikriyah later in the day and he will.

He's being extra attentive to her needs and whims and he could see how she also takes care of herself after the miscarriage. She hardly moves around very much and likes lying down like the doctor asked her to. She also hates bending down afraid she will have another miscarriage and lose both her babies so he rearrange their kitchen and have everything in top cupboard and emptied the lower ones that will force her to bend down. So far, everything has being good in the Chamber and no one talked about Madeeha.

"Ready?" Humaid called from the closet's door where his wife is currently changing.

"A little help please." She called out and he ferried there in no time.

"I think you should change this. It's tight around the bump and I'm afraid you'll be uncomfortable." He explained, sliding the zipper down to emphasise his words.

She is wearing a black and yellow ankara and the gown isn't really flayed around her abdomen and he is right, she will be very uncomfortable and will feel like she is about to have another miscarriage. She removed it and wear a blue and grey one instead. It is only tight around the bust and flayed from underneath the swells on her chest down to her feet and the bump didn't raise it up. There are clothes that rise up because of the bump but that one didn't and she is happy about that. Changing clothes while pregnant is a difficult task.

They left their Chamber to his Ford and drove away on their little trip. After parking around the main Palace, he opened his wife's door and assist her out not knowing his first wife was silently watching from the Throne Room's huge glass window. Instead of feeling jealousy washing over, it was regret, melancholy, contrite you name it. She felt the emotions choking her throat bringing forth tears from her eyes which she blinked and took a deep breath when she saw them walking in hand in hand.

The look he gave her when he saw her is enough to make her cower behind her mothers and grip onto her hijab tightly. Even Fikriyah didn't hide the look that said she has let her down. The lividness dancing in her iris and the depression fessing in her pupils. She feels a whole lot more terrible at that time and she drop her head down in shame. She really has let them down and don't even deserve any forgiveness from the both of them. She has committed a sin and she should be punished. It's like all the workloads she finished doing back in her home is not enough to take the burden of guilt from her shoulders. The encumber on her head is voluminous and she felt headache striking from behind.

"Have a sit." The King said to Humaid and Fikriyah seeing as they are not ready to accept Madeeha is there with them.

"What is she doing here?" Humaid demand through gritted teeth looking darkly at Madeeha who still hasn't raised her head to look at them again.

"She is pregnant with your child." The King cut to the chase and lean back on his Throne to look at the scene unfold.

"What?!" Both Humaid and Fikriyah asked at the same time making Madeeha's heart to beat wildly in her chest. Here comes her destiny.

"Yes, it's left for you to stay married with her or not. You still have a chance to take her back islamically since she hasn't finished her iddah." The King announced again, really done with all the drama.

"I don't want to be tied with her again but I want my baby." Humaid's voice echoed in the Throne Room and Madeeha didn't stop the sob from breaking between her lips.

"Can I talk to you for a little?" Fikriyah asked her husband and didn't wait for his reply before drawing him to the far end of the Room where stacks of files are seated.

"Don't even think about it." Seeing the softness in her eyes, he knew what she wanted to say.

"You can't do that. She is your first wife, first love and she is pregnant with your baby. Don't you think this is a sign? A blessing?! You need to accept her back and it looks like she's regretted what she's done. Look at her. She doesn't look like the Madeeha I've met. Just look how low she is sitting." She explained, looking at Madeeha whose eyes are still down casted.

"It might be an act, babe. She is not good." He sighed in annoyance. He hates Madeeha and even if he brings her back, it will only be for the sake of their baby and not the love he had for her.

"We can test her, love. You can always divorce her again, for now, let's go." She drag his hand back to where they were sitting on the ram's skin carpeted floor.

"She is still in her iddah period, you can take her back if you want. If you won't, you will have to allow her to continue her iddah and that is till she gives birth." The Emir of Kano continue to speak.

"I'd like to take her back." Humaid grunted bringing a small smile to Fikriyah's lips. No matter what, she met Madeeha there and if not that Madeeha was unjust to her husband, he wouldn't have thought about marrying her so it's all thanks to her. She can't just ask him not to bring back someone who thought him how to love. She's once loved him in her life and there is a chance she will make him fall in love again.

Madeeha whip her head up to look at her husband and his wife. His wife has a smile on her face while his is settled on his scowl but he is not looking at her. She let out a breathy sigh and tears of joy rushed down her cheeks, she hugged her mother tightly, sniffing into her hijab. The King only smiled, his nephew knew how to take perfect decisions, he is proud or more like his other wife. Divorcing your pregnant wife is anything but good decision he is glad he has enough sense or his second wife has that sense.

"I'm sorry about all she's put you through. She won't do that again, I promise. I'm apologizing on her behalf, it was so foolish of her. Please find it in your heart to forgive her some day. What she did was terrible and she is going to fast as soon as she gives birth. From the looks of it, I know you're the one who convinced him to get back with her and I won't be able to repay you for that. Thank you so very much." Hajiya Khairiyah delightedly apologized and thanked Fikriyah.

Her daughter was too foolish to do that to such a nice woman. Her husband went to talk to the King and she was standing alone so she went ahead and thanked her together with Madeeha who was guiltily trailing behind her mother.

"It's okay. I think it was an honest mistake which I hope she won't do again." Fikriyah smiled at Madeeha and that time she raised her face to look at her. Her face has apology written all over it.

•~•~•

"Can you bake that?" Fikriyah beamed at Madeeha who offered to help her bake chocolate cake. That is what she's being craving since they went on their date with Humaid that same day Madeeha got back.

Everything has been good since then and no one caused trouble. Seeing nice Madeeha is making her think why she became evil, she was so nice and has a pretty genuine smile. Her girlfriends have been talking to her but they are not comfortable with her joining their circle which she understands. They won't just talk to her like that, like she was with them all along, she wasn't and they show her that.

On the other hand, Humaid hardly talks to her but provide everything she needs and craves. The ladies are driving him crazy and he is weirdly enjoying it, they are bringing his children to the world, making his dream come true. A week has already passed and nice Madeeha is slowly breaking his shells slowly but surely. They are getting there and he knew in no time, he will be calm.

"Yes. If we have flour, sugar, baking powder, nutella, flavor, egg and puck or greek yoghourt then everything will be done." She explained and started searching for the listed things.

"We have all." Fikriyah clapped her hands together and jumped in glee helping her remove all the said ingredients.

They baked and slice through it to give to the girls. They distributed the cakes amongst themselves and keep lots for Humaid knowing how he likes sweet. They enjoyed their dessert together whilst smiling and laughing then talk about going to baby shopping later in the week. They pursue Humaid to accompany them and he has no choice but to do so.

*****
Yoyoyoyo!
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Aishatu.