A life for a life

The Dowager placed the teacup back on its saucer with the graceful bearing of a queen. She looked at the silent Queen Neemah and hid an unladylike snort. The woman is proving very useless. If she cannot give the emir an heir even after ten years, her use is fast approaching its end.

She pushed a picture toward the queen and awaited to see how she would take it.

Queen Neemah picked up the picture and no matter how well she tried not to show her shock, she couldn't hide the emotion. She knew her expression has given up her guilt. Besides, if the dowager has this, it just means that Queen Neemah has a traitor in her ranks. There is no other way the queen would've taken this picture.

"I know that you killed Salima Abdulaziz. Now the question is, how much would you love keeping it from the emir?"

Queen Neemah doesn't know what shocked her more. That the dowager wasn't horrified she killed another human being or that she is using the same card to threaten her.

"At any cost" queen Neemah stated drily.

The dowager nodded with satisfaction. "Just pray that Aairah doesn't put to bed soon. Or you will find yourself in a precarious situation" she warned.

Oh jolly! As they say, queen's must have eyes even at the back of their head. But it just seems clear to Neemah, that what she needs more, is eyes on the soles of her feet where she would watch her opponents intently right before she crushes them!

...

It was a morning of a pleasant Saturday, when the Fillo clan paid a surprise visit to the Abdulaziz household.

The leader of the group, Alhaji Adam Fillo, could very well remember the unpleasant conversation he's had with the emir the previous evening.

"Of course I want her. I just don't want her now" the Emir had told him. But since he talked, it is clear he is having a change of heart. In the past, he simply acts as if he hasn't heard the question in the first place.

"We cannot wait forever. We cannot just leave the matter of your marriage hanging like that your highness! We must push it through or let it go for once and for all" Alh. Adamu was fierce.

"I would be spending a great deal of time in UK" the Emir allowed.

"Splendid" Alhaji Adamu felt relieved. "Then we would strive to tie up all the loose ends before you come home" he nodded.

"Suit yourself" the emir dismissed.

"Of course, marrying Aairah is a problem. We need you to help solve it" Alh Adamu stated carefully.

"I don't want another wife" the emir cut off the thought process.

"The nobles are restless. You cannot just marry Aairah and not placate the others by marrying a more suitable option. There are many girls you could take for wife. Girls who will bring honor to Maicki. You cannot live your life with one or two wives...."

"Of all your meddling, I take exception to this. I don't want anyone else!" He cut him off.

"It's not about what you want.."

"See yourself out" the Emir has dismissed rudely.

"Please your highness.."

"If you dare to speak another word, you will disappear for two days. I swear it" he threatened unkindly. Alh. Adamu wasn't about to test the theory. So he walked himself out.

He had to inform the others the very same night fearing his highness would change his mind about agreeing come morning. He doubted he would but he didn't wish to push his luck. He didn't get why the Emir didn't want Aairah in the Royal house soon. Perhaps he is waiting to make her seem a better option with time. As if that would work.

And now, here they are, collecting the problem. With no available solution in hand, he scowled.

All of the elders hated coming. They did not hide the fact too. They were just shy of being rude. They made no claims of wanting Aairah for a daughter. It was a simple meeting.

They produced a marriage pact which has their family interests in it and grudgingly, they signed the oath that they would treat Aairah as their own. The Abdulaziz clan produced their own which has their own interests and then a compromise was met.

Aairah is going to be the Emir's second wife with no title except for a provision of a possibility in the future. She would obey the emir in all things and would honor the queen as she would her mother.. A lot of promises her family made on her behalf. As reward for obedience and sacrifice, her clan would be promoted to sixth noble clan and would have more influence with matters of the court. That was the pact. The gentlemen shook hands and the Fillo clan departed with heavy footsteps. For the first time, the oath will be trying.

Aairah can never be one of them!

...

"Be warned. A life for a life" her grandfather decreed. The voice dragged with old age, making her skin crawl with damning frustration.

But she is getting desperate. If she doesn't produce a son soon, she would be very sorry.

"How much do I concede to?" She asked, angry at her grandfather for not trying enough. The heir will be as much of a relief for her as it would be for him. Her son would solidify the throne for the shadow world. The opportunity will present a margin for crossing over.

Of course her grandfather is the shadow King.

You see, there are two powers in Maicki. The obvious is what the common people know.

But there is another power shadowing the throne. An elusive threat always so near, promising to destroy the wholly recognized power. He is like king of the corrupted. He takes in the rutting and provides a safe haven, away from the might of the throne. He forces the emir to share his power so even the worthless feels important.

In a way, there is power monopoly in Maicki. The seven ruling clans have been the only clans to produce emir for as far back as Maicki stands. Even long before the colonial era. It never changed. Colonization hasn't changed their beliefs and their ways of life overly much. The intrinsic wool of customs has been woven since the dawn of time and every true Maicki born feels strongly about parting with it. It's an ingrained thing, a gene, part of their life force. At least they believe that.

Gaining a royal title in Maicki is close to impossible if you don't belong to the upper crust. Crossing over from a simple clan to a higher nobility realm, it's as much a dream as it is mystified. So the same group of people tend to rule every century. At least it's within their sphere. The only way for another family to cross over is when one of the higher nobility clans is disbanded or demoted. It has never happened since Maicki gained independence.

It isn't for lack of trying though. Maicki has always been a turbulent kinda place. There is never true peace. If Takhis weren't killing Thiltes, then the shadow King is planning unrest. There is abundance of assassination attempts to keep the Mrithis busy. In fact, riots seems to be brewing all the time as the several tribes try to coexist in a world where the Thiltes rule and the Takhis refuse to surrender control... Evenryone learns to improvise-find a way to preserve their family tree.

Sometimes, even the shadow King feels righteous. He believes that if his granddaughter gives him an heir, then the child would have one foot on both sides of the border. It would not be so hard overcoming the other side. Their dream, at last, would be reached.

They fantasize about a commoner on the throne of Maicki. How the available resources can be distributed evenly and even those who are not nobility can make something remarkable of their lives and bring honor to their own clans.

So it's imperative this daughter succeeds. For her to fail to produce an heir is disappointing. But her womb has already been tainted. She can only keep a pregnancy now when she offers sacrifice.

They would be counting on the bond that would be tied between Aairah and the emir to make the sacrifice a success. A child born of love would definitely make the best sacrifice. Perhaps it is why Neemah hasn't been able to give birth. Her bond with the emir is not strong enough.

How Neemah hated the sound of it all. She admits that she has been caught between a rock and a hard place. On one hand, she never wishes to give birth in the first place, because a child from her womb, especially male, would render her husband, the emir, useless-a threat. She often wondered if the emir knows what kind of a family he married into. If his mother knew!

She has put off putting to bed for years now. Even at a risk to her own health-to protect him. Yet, the flimsy piece of trash people call Aairah is undoing all of her hard work. Now there is urgency for her to produce an heir.

For the Royal line in Maicki, an heir isn't just the emir's son. They have true heirs. Those sons whose line is not tainted. They have true nobility in their blood and their character must show it too. Not every clan is fortunate to keep such specimens alive long enough to ascend the throne. The Fillo clan has managed it twice.

Yes, twice.

With the Emir's father and now the emir. Could they truly succeed a third time?

Well, she couldn't care about that right now. She needs the child to get here first. Neemah has to make peace with the fact that Aairah needs to conceive first so she isn't pushed to the brink of despair. There is no other way.

Or time.

It means she must allow the dope to marry her emir and then let her into his bed long enough for her to conceive.

One thing is for certain. She would really let herself bottle the anguish and jealousy so she enjoys showing Aairah just how much she would love to sacrifice her unborn baby!

Ahhh..now that is a dream!