She smiled, her heart bursting because she knew it had taken a great effort for him to say that. ‘And you’re not sore because he stole your intended?’ she teased.
‘You were my intended. The one my heart truly wanted. If Adir is happy with Amira, then I’m happy for them both.’
‘I love you, Zufar.’
He kissed her long and deep, until her insides melted. ‘Keep
saying that to me and I will be your slave in this life and the next.’
They stopped talking for a long time after that.
An hour later, as Zufar watched his wife dress for the start of her birthday celebrations, his breath caught all over again.
He couldn’t believe how life-changing loving her had been for him. Gone was the bitterness and misery that had clung to him before he met her. He’d accepted her proposal to make him King mostly to honour her, not because he wanted the position.
For the privilege of loving her and being loved by her in return, he would have happily lived in her shadow for the rest of his life. His acceptance had made her happy.
His upcoming coronation in two weeks wrung happy smiles from her each time she spoke about it. Who was he to deny her any of that? His heart grew to bursting as she dropped the towel on her way to the dressing room and he caught the small swell of her stomach. His cup had truly run over, and he couldn’t wait to hold their son in his arms.
He’d foolishly thought he wanted a polished stone to pass off to his people. What he’d been blessed with was a gem that shone brighter than the brightest star in the sky.
For as long as he lived, he vowed to ensure that radiance never dimmed.
* * * * *