Fortune Favors the Cursed
the-reticent-seer
diverselit
diverselit
1.3K5
An orphan girl with questionable morals. A scarred prince with two lives. One relic to change their world.
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Badriya As-Sahra is sick of piling up camel dung and ...Chapter 22
After the much eventful breakfast, Ayaz pursued Badriya when she left the table after his parents did. She must've noticed him following her, as she suddenly quickened her pace.
It didn't escape his notice that Badriya's mood suddenly changed when his father started talking about her humble beginnings. Although she answered his questions with ease, she looked like she was barely holding her sanity together. Right then and there, Ayaz knew there was something she was hiding. And he wanted to know what.
Ayaz grabbed her arm, stopping her in place. "Who really are you?"
Badriya turned to him, a sharp glare in her brown eyes. But her expression subtly changed to one of surprise.
"Like I've said, amiri," she began slowly, "I'm the Sultan's honorary guest. Isn't that enough of an explanation?"
"I know there's more to it than that."
She sighed. "I'm a noblewoman from the southern regions. I've built up my fortune from selling clothes, and now, I started building different businesses across the country. I have diners, bazaars, and other establishments under my disposal."
"Then how come I've never heard of you before?" Ayaz retorted.
Badriya stiffened, biting her lip. A moment after, she pulled her arm away, caressing her wrist as if it hurt her.
"It's not my problem if you aren't aware of your people's matters," she answered, her voice dripping with malice. "Besides, I didn't wish to expose myself like this until now. Do you know how many people—men—are judging me for simply existing? Most of them would be jealous and angry that a woman managed to make a fortune for herself without a man's help. Do you see where I'm getting at, Prince?"
Ayaz faltered. "Y-Yes, I suppose."
"Good." Her mouth curled down. "I've expected more of you, Ayaz. I thought you'd be different from those men. Turns out I was wrong."
Badriya walked away without another word. Ayaz sighed in defeat and headed back to his chambers.
He was wrong to assume that Badriya had an ulterior motive when she proposed to hold a weeks-long worth of festivities for some vague reason. She was simply trying to prove her worth and capabilities to everyone else. She mentioned that she was from the south, and from his travels alone, he knew how dire the livelihood was there for its people. Shahrazad was right—Badriya was quite remarkable to be able to achieve such a feat.
Now that he thought more about it, she reminded him of someone. . . but he couldn't place a finger on who.
Someone. . . It was someone he met while he was looking for the jewel. He had no clue why he forgot this person, but he was certain that he knew them pretty well throughout his journey. Although, everything that came with them was a blur in his mind's eye. A sandstorm that wasn't dying down anytime soon.
When he reached his room, Ayaz sat on the edge of his bed and ran a hand through his hair.
After waking up that day, it took him a while to remember where he was and how he got there. However, he couldn't remember much of what happened before he arrived in Zarab, only that he was looking for the Jewel of Opulence and that he failed. Somehow, he did fail, and he didn't feel so bad about it.
And that was it.
Perhaps whoever they were, they're not important enough for me to remember.
"You seem to have a lot on your mind, kid."
Ayaz shot up from the bed, reaching for the sword beside it. "Who's there?"
For a moment, he thought he was hearing voices. But then the voice returned, "It's me."