EPILOGUE

[LADY SULTAN]

"A ball, one of its kind but excluded from the previous balls of the Previous years of the forefathers. The princess is to be crowned queen tonight... Something rare and extraordinary in history books. A woman has never ruled the land before; this reign is like no other.

The music playing was wistful and slow compared with the lively volta we'd danced at the last banquet. For those who listened, the princess was excited about her coronation and wedding announcement before the whole kingdom. While some of the maidens were in love with the prince, indeed they were envious of his bride, and that changed nothing. While the young lords and men of different ranks of nobility were also thrown by the shadiness of the princess, swept off her feet by the famous handsome prince...

Let me not bore you with my discoveries, here goes the bride...."

[PALACE TRUMPETS BLARE]

[CHATTERINNG CONTINUES]

[PIANOIST AND VIOLIST PLAYING]

"Ladies and gentlemen! Welcome to another grand ball, as we witness the forty-fifth reign of this kingdom. I hereby gratify our known noble Princess Sultan, the second daughter and last child of our late King and Queen of Thebes, as she walked down the aisle." One of the guests says, welcoming me to the aisle.

[PIANO PLAYING, THE NUTCRACKER BY: Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky]

"Among the privileges afforded a Duchess... there is none greater than the power... to join these two noble leaders and couples together in matrimony. Prince Charles Hughes, the king of England and my lovely sister, Princess Kleopatra, the first crowned Queen and ruler of Thebes, Egypt..... King Charles, you found the princess in a state that other men of the high position will find abominable but still, you didn't cast her away, you loved her, even when she acted non-ladylike... Truly you are a king with majestic ways..." Rashida said, Charles turned to smile at me as she looked at me before she spoke.

"And, Kleopatra, my sister, the newly crowned queen of this kingdom... You never stopped believing in yourself and this kingdom... you thrived to the very end to see the victory side of this land and all thanks be to you for your brave heart. Even though our parents' and brother's death had dogged a hole in your heart, you still didn't show that broken side to the world, you fought and watched the sunrise at your feet as you became the first ever known Lady to rule this land, truly you are a woman after the king's heart...." "... Therefore by the power vested in me... I hereby crown you the first noble queen of Egypt, written in history's books... I also pronounce you and your lovely prince... husband and wife... " Rashida stepped down and hugged me before curtseying. I waved the mantle in my hand, turning around to see the whole people in the ball bow to me.

"You may kiss the bride!" Rashida nods. I face Charles with a quick spin, he reached out to me and wrapped his arms around my waist, both of us flushing. He kissed me softly and more direly, and I responded likewise. Within a minute we drew away and both smiled, turning to face the whole kingdom, with a wave.

[CHEERING, APPLAUSE]

[OVERLAPPING CHATTER]

"Your grace!" Rashida called out to me, I rushed by her side.

"Congratulations Kleo!..." We held hands graciously. "Thank you so much Shida, I would not have done this without you." She smiled.

"Now if you must go back up there and give them your first speech as the crowned Queen ." I hugged her before climbing back to the stairs to speak.

[CHEERING]

"It is my honour to lead this kingdom forward into the new era. And to pay my deepest respects to my late father, mother and brother and also my opulent sister, the duchess of Hohenberg, but most of all I want to thank My husband, well my new love, for always being there to save me .... And thank you to this lovely nation for accepting me to be the new queen and first crowned she of Egypt." I curtseyed before waving to the whole kingdom.

[CHEERING, APPLAUSING]

[MUSIC PLAYS]

"Lady sultan, may I have this dance with you as the first man to steal you for a dance." Charles walked up to me with a bow.

"I would be delighted to be the first lady and only lady in your arms tonight." I smiled as he swayed me to the dance circle.

"How do you feel about being the Queen of Both Thebes and England? Is it a lot to handle on your own, my love?" Charles asked me, lifting me by the waist in sync with the other dancers in the circle. He dropped me down and then spun me in a twist.

"Not at all, I am excited to step into that great position as the queen of both land and it's got no effect on me... except when things get too overbearing," I said. [BOTH CHUCKLING]

"You will have a lot of duties to attend to as the Queen and..." He paused before smiling.

"And?" I asked, clasping my hands in anticipation Heat rushed to my cheeks. I am married! I am married to Charles, I would rule both kingdoms with Him by my side, and I would remain in England as the queen of England and also the queen of Egypt. An English woman born an Arabian. The thought terrified me and thrilled me.

"I shall write to my grandparents of my desire to reduce the duties vested for you....and I shall write to your sister too, to reassure her of my protection and care." He said as we both laughed.

"Thank you, Charles," I said with a smile.

"For what? For being so beautiful and enchanting me as my wife... Truly I need no appreciation for that, I should be the one thanking you, for riding into the town that very first day... [BOTH CHUCKLING] I would have the maid, prepare my new chamber for us tonight." He teased. I smacked his arm in embarrassment as laughter flooded my cheeks.

******************************************

TWO YEARS LATER!

[LADY SULTAN]

"It was clear that Kleopatra was with a child. By mid-February, the news spread all through the lands and seas of the country. She was crowned queen a year ago and she is to be put to birth this year, truly, this family is full of bundles of joy. And most couples who were rather forced into a non-love marriage wished for the happiness and peace the queen enjoyed..."

I put on a fine gown made for me of midnight blue silk shot through with diamonds and I wore my hair down, long and shimmering like the dark nights. I placed my hands below my abdomen, my baby bump was out and it was getting due for my child to be delivered. when I heard the door behind me close quietly, I turned to see Charles dressed in his fine coat, tailored in black suede clothing with his box in his hand ready to travel. Sometimes in a month, he would travel to Thebes to check out the kingdom and grant some orders, to help me, while I am in labour. Today is one of those days he would travel to Thebes to rule the land in my absence.

"Do you have to go today?" I asked, placing my hands on his shoulders and his hands linked around my stomach lightly.

"I have to,... just to see how the kingdom is progressing... and now, my wife is carrying my child, I will reduce the duties!" He said, his hands caressing my stomach through my dress, of course, to feel him or her, I do not know if my child is going to be a boy or a girl but I do wish is a boy. Charles says he would be happy if is a girl but going to be more excited whichever it's going to be.

"Dearest, I promise to come home safely, with a gift for you and the child, and I will come before it's your due time to birth." He said.

" I shall see you shortly and in fine health, my good wife." He kissed my temples before I walked him out the doors into the carriage prepared for his travel. I waved to him, till I could no longer see him.

I walked with Miriam just the two of us, trailed by some other maids and two guards, the next morning in the garden in England, after Charles's travel.

"But I do wonder, if marriage was all about domination, bondage or rules, for the past whole year since I married Charles, there has been nothing like that but joy and happiness... I guess I thought wrong about marriages and love." I said, unlinking my hands from her arm to snip some daffodils.

"[SIGHS] No though most marriages do have domination and bondage rather than happiness, in all other standing marriages, love and friendship are the secret ingredients to a happy home," She said, placing the flowers into the basket as I carried alongside. Rashida was right even though marriage has its negative sides, it also embraced its positive sides, it just depends on how you kindly look upon it.

The sun was out and the day grew cool so we returned to my chambers for reading and indoor games hours. Charles was back from his travels, just as he had promised, and greatly desired my companionship. He came and kissed me on both cheeks then placed his hands on my swollen stomach and our child kicked at the touch.

[EXHALES]

"Are you well, dearest?" He asked, holding me carefully as we walked to the bed. I nodded. "He just kicked" I let a moment slip by. We lay in bed, his hands resting on my stomach, caressing my stomach through the linen. He rolled over to me." What do you wish to call him?" He asked me. I stare at his shining eyes through the dim light of the room.

"[SIGHS] I was thinking we should name him after your father," I said, staring at the roof.

"My father! Oscar?" He asked.

"Oscar! Was that your father's name?" I asked he nodded. " Well, I would love for my son to be named after your father."

"It's really a lovely name, Kleo." I smiled, thinking about my son running around the palace, as sleep engulfs me.

Two nights came, my pangs grew closer and I knew my child was due to be born. I didn't have to wait long until our brunette son pushed himself out into the world. For nigh on twelve hours, I cried out. The midwife held him, bloody and wailing in the air in front of me.

"A son, my lady, will your husband be disappointed?" She asked me. I shrugged, truly I do not know, but I could remember when he had said, any gender would put a smile on his face. The baby wailed for nigh on an hour and all I could do is feed him to sleep. He was cleaned and wrapped and Charles brought him in, he took him in his arms and shimmered as he saw his first child. It was a sight, Kleopatra loved to see.

We spent the days before our second child's birth visiting the orphanage house together, rehearsing lines for the banquet and reading books of different histories to one another. Some mornings our son, Oscar would join us in the drawing room, his tiny hands reaching over to the table nearby to grab a piece of grapes and croissant left over from the breakfast before, stuffing it in his mouth, eyes wide with pleasure, while we laughed. Charles indulged him and offered him another piece of croissant.

That winter, our daughter was safely born and we named her Iesha, which was her Arabian name and Isla in English. We named her in honour of Charles's mother. Charles came near and kissed my cheek. Charles said. " Thank you Kleo," He held the baby for a while. I kissed him before turning to sleep. In the spring of 1970. We entertained Charles's grandparents. I went to my children's chambers and spoke with them before our guests arrived. They wanted me to stay and tell them stories but I could not. I was as disappointed as their little faces showed them to be. I pleaded for Miriam to tell them a story while I welcomed the guests. Little Isla was, as usual, playing with her dolls, dressing them up and speaking to them in an authoritative tone of voice. While Oscar played with his toys seated by Isla's cradle. I made my way down to the great hall. The smell of roasting corn filled the air, as did the aroma of the scent of raspberry wine, which was squeezed. And then our guests arrived.

"Kleo, dearest!" Charles's grandmother greeted me. Charles beamed. Toward the end of the evening, the banquet turned. That night, after seeing our guests safely abed and checking on my children, I went to Charles and my bed chamber, where Charles stood looking out the window upon the dark sky.

"What is it?" I asked. Rubbing his shoulders.

"Nothing, love," He said. " You remind me of my mother, warmhearted, loving and innocent." I sat down on the bed. "How can that be?"

I said nothing and looked at his face, handsome, by the light of the candles near our bedside.

"Maybe I am just the replica of your gracious mother, Charles and I am sure she would be proud of you just as how your children are proud of you," I said. I gently squeezed his hand. " You are the best for me, Charles, a loving husband and one-of-a-kind father to my children. You are enough for me. you are my knight, you risk your life to save me. Truly, you mean a lot to me. I love you, Charles." I said before pecking him on the lips to sleep.

********************************************

Charles was having one of those bothersome meetings with the royal council today. I was sitting in the library room while my children were out playing with Miriam.

"Your grace!" Miriam called, knocking on my door. "Come quickly, it's Oscar," She said worriedly. I jumped off my seat with my heart beating fastly.

"What is wrong with my son?" I asked her as we rushed down the stairs into the hallway and out the doors into the garden.

"He had fallen from a tree, seconds ago and now I think he is down with a cold." My chest clenched. I rushed into the garden and picked him up into my arms. Miriam carried Isla and her dolls as we walked into the nursery. I sang to him, quietly, till his body cooled, and my heart wrenched within me. I left the nursery and went back to my reading. Charles walked into the room. I fell to his knees in tears.

"Are you well, My love?" He asked picking me up. I wiped my eyes before I spoke in a cracked tone. "It's our son, he had fallen today in the garden and now he is down with a cold. I believe he is cooling now."

"Hushhh! My love, he is going to be all right." He said, walking me to our chambers.

The next morning, it was raining outside in Thebes and the children played in the nursery with Miriam. Charles was back in England attending to his duties while I was back to my duties as the queen of Thebes, I travelled with my children because I could not stay away from them for more than a day. They were more than a companion to me than a disturbance.

After hours of signing papers and answering letters that I had abandoned for months, I walked into the nursery room and saw Miriam dressed in a man's clothes with a fake moustache stuck above her lips. Oscar and Isla giggled at her silly jokes, while I watched them by the door. They turned and rushed to my feet when they had seen me standing behind them.

"Mumya! Mumya!" They chanted in Arabic... They were fast learners and truly I was impressed with their accents. "How are you my little babies, did Miriam make you laugh all through?" I asked. they nodded in unison. I pick them up in my two hands and sat on the bed by the window. tickling both of them as we all chuckled.

"Mummy! qisa!" : Story in Arabic. They both chanted. Miriam and I laughed.

**************************

A/N ( Do we remember this part at the beginning of this book? Yes! This is it.)

"Mummy! Mummy! Tell us a story, please!!!" My two children crawled towards where I was seated, holding their toys tightly to their chests.

"But, mummy is tired, babies," I said with a look of weariness. They looked up at me with a pout on their face. Aww, why do they have to be so cute?

"Ok, mummy is going to read to you cuties" I cooed at them as they giggled at my defeat.

"Read, The crowned she, mummy pretty please" They kept blinking their long lashes continuously to draw my attention. But for real why are they these cute?

"Ok, are you ready?" They nod their small head up and down nonstop.

[LADY SULTAN]

"Once upon a time, a story pure and true, just like the princess of Thebes...

This is a story told to many generations and still worshipped in all the lands... a story true and real, a story that has come to an end but is never-ending... A big thanks to my dear readers, lady sultan would not have done this without you...

The End!"

"So mummy, you are lady sultan and the fearless Princess of Thebes?" Oscar mouthed. I nodded with a smile.

"That's cool." He chanted. "I love princess Sultan." Little Isla said snuggling by my side. After many hours of play and stories telling, I walked back to my study room. In all my thirty-five years of living, I felt peace in the depth of my heart. writing a story of my life and telling the same story to my children made the butterflies in me erupt. I am the lady sultan of those years and I am still the lady sultan of these present years. I am the crowned she, destined to tell this story and rule this kingdom. I smiled out my study room window as I watched my two children run to their father as he arrived in Thebes.

~THE END~