The next morning, she was summoned to court, where nobles and dignitaries had gathered. Some sneered as she entered on Yusha’s arm, but she held her head high. Then came the unexpected. Yusha stepped before them and declared, « I will not be crowned until my wife is accepted and honored in this palace. And if she is not, I will leave with her. »
Murmurs rippled through the room. Zainab felt her heart pound as she looked at him. He had already given everything for her. « Would you renounce the throne for me? » she whispered.
He fixed her with a fiercely ardent gaze. « I’ve done it once before. I’d do it again. »
The queen rose. « Let it be known that, from this day forward, Zainab is not only your wife. She is Princess Zainab of the Royal House. Whoever disrespects her disrespects the Crown. »
At these words, the room fell silent. Zainab’s heart was still beating, but it was no longer fear: it was strength. She knew her life would change, but now on her own terms. She would no longer be a shadow: she would be a woman who had found her place in the world. And the most beautiful thing was that, for the first time, she didn’t need to be seen for her beauty—only for the love she carried in her heart.
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