You alone were my fate, I would've done anything for you.

— Anna Akhmatova

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Her

"Do you, Noura Al Makhzum, daughter of Saud Al Makhzum, accept Adam Al Kurdiya, son of Marwan Al Kurdiya, under the agreed upon mehr and in the presence of the witnesses, as your legally wedded husband?"

She can feel his eyes on her through the holes of the wooden partition. She can feel him waiting for her to respond. As if it's their first time. As if they aren't already married. As if afraid she might refuse. As if she ever could.

Yet still, the exhilaration she feels makes it as if they're marrying for the first time. As if new in love. She lifts her gaze and it goes crashing into his through the frail net of her veil. Her heart flutters and her eyes quickly fall down to her hands-- to the bizarre pattern of henna he had messed up for her. She releases a shuddering breath and answers.

"I accept."

"Do you accept?"

"I accept."

"Do you accept?" the imam asks for the third and the last time.

She looks back up at him and this time finds a ghost of a smile kissing his lips. "I accept," she finalizes.

Him

He sits in the lawn of her house under the orchid with Eskander to his right and an imam (officiant) sitting in front of them. Noura's uncle and Eskander's soon-to-be father-in-law is serving as wali (guardian) both for Noura and his daughter, Laleh, as he had learnt. There are four men serving as witnesses for the nikkah sitting with them. A wooden partition divides the lawn in two, separate for both men and women. His eyes keep seeking her through it. But she's not yet here.

The evening has fallen and the place is lit with candles covered by glass tubes so as not to be blown out by the wind, and flowers the smell of which waft in the air. He inhales deeply and once more his gaze jumps to the door of the veranda waiting for her to arrive so the ceremony can be started. Every second feels like a torture. He has been away from her so long, he cannot any longer. But it is as if she will make him beg for every fraction of it.

Then the door opens and his gaze snaps to it in excitement. A woman in pale green wedding dresses walks out accompanied by two other women. She glances at Eskander and he sees her smile coyly at him through the veil. He hears Eskander exhale slowly beside him. Adam lowers back his gaze. His bride, he thinks.

The door opens once more and he quickly looks up again. This time, his bride walks out. He holds his breath. She's wearing a simple red dress with a veil over it. She bewitches him at once. She makes his heart go berserk. He cannot help staring.

Their eyes connect but Noura swiftly looks away. He waits. She glimpses at him again. He catches her stealing the glance and bites down a smile. She hurries to get out of his sight and stumbles on the hem on her dress. The woman besides her, Roya as he recalls her from their encounter, hurries to her side. Thankfully she doesn't lose her balance and makes it successfully to the area set for them, sitting beside her cousin right across the partition. Under different circumstances, she would've pulled out her dagger at him for distracting her, he wonders in amusement.

"Let us begin the ceremony," their uncle announces. "We'll lead Eskander and Laleh's nikkah first. Then shahzade Adam and Noura's nikkah. Will that be okay with everyone?"

He nods in agreement. "As you see fit."

"In the name of Allah, the most Beneficent and the most Merciful," the imam begins.

There's recitation of some verses from Quran. Then the ceremony proceeds. Eskander's bride is addressed. The mehr is verified to her and she's asked if she accepts Eskander as her husband. She says that she does. When she agrees three times, the imam then directs to Eskander and asks him if he accepts her as his wife three time, to which he agrees each time. The witnesses testify to their nikkah.

"And Allah is the best of witnesses," the imam completes their nikkah. "Let us proceed with the second nikkah before we make a prayer for the couples."

He sits up straighter in anticipation, fisting his hand. The mehr is verified and Noura is addressed. His eyes fixate upon her through the partition.

"Do you," the imam begins again and the moment freezes in time, "Noura Al Makhzum, daughter of Saud Al Makhzum, accept Adam Al Kurdiya, son of Marwan Al Kurdiya, under the agreed upon mehr and in the presence of the witnesses, as your legally wedded husband?"

Her eyes meet his through her veil. They light a spark in his heart. He has to drag in a breath, for some reason anxious. She quickly looks down to her hands before answering, "I accept."

The corners of his mouth twitch up. The moment thaws now. A newfound joy begins to take root deep within him.

"Do you accept?"

"I accept."

He can no more hide the smile as it crawls upon his lips. Hearing her saying those words feels like heaven.

"Do you accept?"

Her gaze lifts to his and she holds it as she marks it for the last time, "I accept."

He's directed next, and he flattens his palms against his thighs, calming his nerves.

"Do you, Adam Al Kurdiya, son of Marwan Al Kurdiya, accept Noura Al Makhzum, daughter of Saud Al Makhzum, under the agreed upon mehr and in the presence of the witnesses, as your legally wedded wife?" he's asked, and he doesn't take a second agreeing.

"I accept."

"Do you accept?"

"I accept."

"Do you accept?"

"I accept."

With those words, he makes it official, and a strange, intense feeling overtakes him. He looks at Noura again. She holds his eyes a few seconds, then lowers her gaze.

The imam makes a prayer, then gives a sermon. Afterwards congratulations are exchanged. Their uncle stands up to embrace Eskander.

"Congratulations, farzand (son)."

"Thank you, dayi (uncle)."

"Call me baba jan now." He laughs, squeezing his shoulder.

Eskander smiles and nods.

Their uncle then turns to him with a polite smile. "Congratulations, shahzade."

Adam returns his smile and tips his head in acknowledgment. "Thank you."

There are no informal hugs exchanged between them. He doesn't know if it's because of his title Noura's family feels bound to respect, or if it's the past he put her through to have earned their guarded behavior.

Her uncle then says to him, "You see, shahzade, Noura is like my own child." He gestures to her through the partition. "What I wish for Laleh, I wish for her too. As I expect of Eskander to keep my daughter happy, I expect of you to keep Noura happy too, like a shahzadi (princess)."

"You will not be disappointed. I assure you, I'll keep her very happy."

He nods, giving him another smile before excusing himself to exchange congratulations with the others. Eskander comes close to his side.

"What he meant to say was that she's the trust of her father with us," he tells him. "We've entrusted her to you. Do not breach our trusts."

"Worry about yourself, Eskander. With your history, I don't know how he has given you his daughter. But you you're the master of deception. So I'm not surprised how you've managed to do so."

"My history with Maysoon--"

"Don't say her name," he cuts him sharply, glaring harshly at him. "She's the honor of the royal family-- my blood. You've dishonored her, you've stained our name. Were Sulaiman to know of your affair with his sister, you wouldn't be alive today."

Eskander doesn't reply, and Adam takes a step closer, lowering his voice so his warning remains only between them.

"And don't think I've forgotten what you once had with Noura. I don't care how everyone sees you, they can see you as her brother, but for me you will never be that. So you better keep good distance from my wife."

"That, my Ameer, will require you to kill me."

Before he can respond, someone calls Eskander. They turn around to find Noura's mother. She smiles at Eskander and opens her arms for him.

"Congratulations, my son."

Eskander smiles back and walks gladly into her arms. "Thank you, maman."

She rubs his back, kissing his cheek. "I'm so happy for you, janem."

"I'm happy that you're happy."

She pulls away and her eyes catch him standing behind. Eskander glances at him, then excuses himself to give them a moment. He moves near her and smiles.

"Thank you for giving me your daughter. I promise to cherish her."

She nods. "Congratulations on the nikkah, sayidi. May God bless this matrimony."

"You can call me Adam," he offers, a bit sheepish.

She hesitates, then sighs. "Adam, I hope you take care of my daughter. She's the most precious treasure I have in this world-- dearer to me than my own life. Noura and Eskander. Will you take care of her?"

"I will," he assures. "More than myself."

"She has been put through so much, I wanted to hide her away in my arms from the world, from all the pain." She closes her eyes, as if gathering herself, then looks back at him. "But she chose to be with you. And I've submitted to what makes her happy."

"So you accept me as part of the family?"

She doesn't reply to his question. Instead, she says, "Your mother, princess Halah bint Al Malik, may God bless her, she was a great woman-- kind and sweet. When you were little, you resembled her a lot. You were a quiet child."

He listens to her silently. She pauses, as if lingering on a memory, then focuses back on him, studying him.

"You look a lot like your father now," she tells him, and he doesn't know what the remark is meant to imply. No one mentions his father in good words and despite what he did, he still remains his father. It still wounds him badly.

"I don't know what is that supposed to mean, sayidati," he responds passively.

"I know you hear offensive comments about your baba, may God forgive him, but--"

"I don't want to hear any insult against him," he interrupts respectfully. "Please."

"But he loved your mother greatly..." she finishes in a mumble, her voice trailing off at the end. "I only wanted to say, I hope you love Noura with all your heart, like she loves you with all of hers."

There's an ache in his chest. He cannot find anymore word to utter. He looks down at his feet. There's a long lapse of moment. Then someone approaches her mother and says something to her. She nods and calls for their maid, Roya. Then directs again to him.

"Noura wishes to speak to you. Roya will take you to her room."

All at once his heart goes mad again. His senses numbs and his thoughts suspend. She wants to meet him, speak to him. Does she miss him? Does she crave to be with him? He doesn't know what assumptions he begins to make, maybe half of them untrue, but he hopes to find in her eyes the love she once carried for him-- the love everyone claims she still nurtures for him. He hopes he doesn't find her eyes hollow like yesterday when he arrived in Isfahan to see her, and found her cold towards him. There certainly is a lot to explain. He hopes she understands him and gives him a chance. He hopes she trusts him one more time.

He follows Roya inside the house and finds it empty, most of the people mingling outside. She leads him to her room and knocks on the door.

"Noura khanum, your husband is here."

He smiles to himself. Then composes his expression as her voice calls out.

"Come in."

Roya moves aside, letting him in. He slowly pushes open the door and steps inside, carefully closing the door behind him. His eyes lock with hers. She's standing facing him, still wearing the veil over her face, but up this close, it doesn't hide much. He begins moving closer towards her.

"Noura..." he breathes, her name becoming a whisper dangling in the air.

He stops in front of her, reaching forward to lifts her veil, and she let him, her face becoming clear when the fabric is gone. He smiles down at her.

"My bride. Nikkah mubarak."

He leans down to kiss her forehead. She allows him to. He puts his arms around her in an embrace. She doesn't return it to him, gently pushing away. He releases her in confusion.

"Is something wrong, habibti?"

She motions for him to take a seat. "Sit down, sayidi."

He sits down on the edge of her bed and she sits beside him. Noura threads her fingers and looks at him.

"When do we leave for Qahira?" she asks.

"Tomorrow is the wedding banquet. I've no more business here, I only came for you, so the day afterwards if it suits you?"

She nods. "I wanted to stay here until then."

He raises a quizzical eyebrow. "At your home?"

"Yes."

"But I've gotten a place for us. I thought you might leave with me tonight."

"I want to spend this time with my mother."

He feels disappointment settle in his gut at her response-- he looked forward to their time together. But he manages to hide any emotions and hums.

"If it pleases you, azizi."

"I've one more request."

"Whatever you wish for." He smiles in encouragement.

"I wanted Roya and my guard, Azar, to come with us. They've been in my service for long now. I'll be comfortable with them instead of you appointing anyone new at my duty."

"Roya can come with us. As for your guard, I was meaning to give Daud the duty," he suggests instead, but sees her shoulders dropping.

"I'll be fine with Azar."

"I trust Daud. It'll put my heart at ease."

"I trust Azar."

"Noura--"

"Please."

He sighs, surrendering to her yet again. "Alright. Anything else you wish for?"

She shakes her head. "That's all. Thank you."

"Anything for you."

They sit in silence. He now watches her. Her eyes flick to him, then flick away. Her hair has begun to fall out of their clips, a few dark strands grazing her cheeks. She brushes them off with the back of her hand, her bangles clinking, the color of henna on her palms catching his attention. He reaches forward to take her hands in his, turning her palms up to him.

"You ruined it yesterday," she says, appearing mortified, blushing at the funny design, fisting her hands so he cannot see.

He chuckles and tugs her to himself. She doesn't budge, her big brown orbs glittering in the candlelight, a fair contrast to the gold head-chain she's wearing. He grazes the jewelry with his fingers, coming down to her ear and tracing the outline of her earring. His eyes fall to her neck; it's bare except for the pendant she's still wearing which her father gifted her, the name of God resting atop her breastbone. His gaze drags across it before back up to shatter into her own eyes.

"I've bought you a gift too," he tells her, and her expression blends into a curious one. She doesn't ask him for it, so he adds further, "I got you many gifts actually. Whatever beautiful thing I would see, whatever would remind me of you, I bought it for you. But you never accepted any of it."

"For very apparent reasons," she argues in a soft tone.

"Would you accept them now?"

She doesn't say anything. He inches closer to her, her presence, her proximity becoming tantalizing to him every second. His gaze drops from her eyes to her mouth. Her lips part. He doesn't know whether it's the sound of his heart he's hearing or hers, and who the shallow sound of breaths between them belongs to. But it doesn't matter. He tilts his head to angle it with hers.

"Do you still wish to fly away, farasha?" he rasps, his hands going up to cup her jaw, his thumbs stroking it. There is barely an inch between their lips. She seems speechless to him, still and unmoving, only a kiss afar.

As he lifts her chin for their lips to meet, believing paradise to be a blink apart, she tilts away her head from him and breaks his spell, dissolving the moment as if pouring cold water over him. He blinks, trying to process what has just happened.

"Noura?"

She leans away from him, suddenly creating miles to separate them. "You can now leave, sayidi."

And he realizes what he has broken might take him longer to fix than the love he once succeeded to kindle in her heart for him.

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Team Adam or team Noura?

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