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 29
Badriya hated Yusraa's idea.
The finale of the celebrations was today, and Badriya didn't know how to make it one to remember. She was running out of ideas, and she didn't want to disappoint the guests and the Sultan with something measly and unimpressive. So she turned to her now friend Yusraa for suggestions.
But when she proposed a dance performance, Badriya immediately said no.
"Do you have any better ideas then?" Yusraa retorted. "I've been chatting with the guests, you know, and they were getting quite bored with your usual offerings of food and music."
"B-But hiring dancers is. . . expensive." Badriya's voice trailed off. And she did not mean coin-wise. She found herself looking at her hands, where the golden blight in her skin almost covered half of her wrists. She quickly crossed her arms when Yusraa was about to look at them.
Badriya couldn't remember how many times she made wishes just for the damn party. Every single problem that arose, from tasteless sweets to vandalized walls—she wished her problems away so many times that it almost became second nature. But she couldn't stop, not when it was so convenient. Everything that bothered her could easily be changed with a whisper of a word and Kareem would do the dirty work for her.
At least, most of the time. There were still a couple of things, including a certain someone, who annoyed her like an itch.
"Come on, Riya," Yusraa whined. "I know you can find a way to do it! You always do! Unless. . . you want to do the dancing yourself. Now you're being too frugal."
"No way!" Badriya stammered, which earned a laugh from Yusraa. "Alright, fine! I'll find a way or something. . ."
Yusraa squealed, clapping her hands together. Badriya winced at the loud noise. "Tonight is going to be so exciting! I just know it!"
Later that day, while Badriya was scrambling around the palace looking for the Sultan to ask him, she crossed paths with the Grand Vizier on the way to the throne room.
"Marhaba, sayyida."
Badriya stopped in her tracks. "Um, vizier. Ahlan. How do you, er, find the celebrations so far?"
"Magical, simply put," Khalil said. "I've heard that it's about to end soon. It would be sad once that happens. You've been very impressive with your preparations and all, and I must say that I've enjoyed every second of it."
"Well, you flatter me, vizier." Badriya waved a hand dismissively. "It was just nothing, really. Say. . . have you seen the Sultan anywhere? I want his suggestion on something for tonight."
The vizier shook his head. "He's a busy man. The last time I saw him was with the Sultana, and I believe she was planning on bringing him somewhere. . . private. If you know what I mean."
Badriya sighed. Well, so much for asking for his opinion. She'd guessed that she won't see the man until the start of the show.
"I can give you the advice that you're seeking, if that helps you," Khalil suggested. "It's the least I can do for helping me change his mind about his plans for Khadys."
It was just part of her act, but Badriya wouldn't tell him that.
When she arrived at the palace's gates many weeks ago, she had expected a warmer welcome than what the Sultan initially had, which more or less involved his bursting rage. He had been screaming about how his son Ayaz took forever to return with the jewel and how he was going to have Khalil order the army to start marching toward Khadys. Every single person in the room had been fearful in those moments, including Badriya. Much to everyone's surprise, Badriya took the risk and stepped in, persuading the Sultan that it wasn't worth it and such. Little did everyone else know, she made a wish from the Jewel to have the Sultan listen to whatever she said, just for that instance since she remembered Kareem warning her about manipulating other people's thoughts. Her words flowed like honey to his ears and he eventually calmed down.