Plans Foiled

Khari let out a startled shriek as Wren grabbed her arm, pulled her away from the cell door, and spun her around. Azim stood at the door; his face contorted with rage, fists clenched and shaking the bars. “Let her go!” he shouted furiously.

With a strength born of desperation, Wren clasped her wrist in an iron grip and tossed her to the damp ground. He swayed, unsteady on his feet, as blood trickled down his face from where he’d been hit. With glassy eyes, he towered over her, “You were supposed to be my wife,” he said, his voice heavy with resentment. “I would have given you everything!” He shook his head, pain and anger flashing across his face.

Khari stretched out her hand towards Wren, her fingers trembling slightly. Her expression was panicked, and her voice pleaded, “Please...”

He swayed back and forth, a battle waging in his eyes. His expression went from hurt and sorrow to a determination too strong to ignore. Khari felt dread in her stomach as she wondered which would win out - his desire to be King or his love for her. He knelt beside her slowly, his hand trembling as he tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. His whisper hung in the air as if forever suspended, “I think I really did love you.” His breath felt heavy on her skin as he pressed his body against hers, the weight of it pinning her down and intensifying the fear that encased her.

Khari thrashed her body in every direction, but his grip was unrelenting. She heard Azim’s desperate pleas, and their gazes connected when she turned to him. His pupils were like tiny pinpricks, and beads of sweat cascaded down the sides of his face as he tried to work the key from inside the cell. Wren shifted his weight, pushing her harder against the floor. His fingers slowly tightened around her throat as he said in a low, ominous tone, “I wish you realized that this was good for us,” his lips were close to her ear as he whispered, “But this is for the best.”

Khari felt the last of her strength slipping as Wren pressed his full weight onto her, his cruel hands around her neck. Her vision started to swim, and she felt herself slipping away into the darkness. Suddenly, the prison door burst open with a loud, metallic creak, and the rusty hinges screeched in protest. Wren released Khari and instantly sprang up, his face alight with shock. He slowly turned to see Azim standing in the doorway, his eyes alive with a fit of fiery anger.

Wren’s eyes widened with fear as he watched Azim emerge from the cell with the key dangling from his fingers. Wren took a few steps back, each one more hesitant than the last, and pleaded, “Just think about what you’re doing….” he held his hands up defensively as his eyes darted to the exit.

Azim sidestepped Wren, his eyes never leaving Khari’s fragile form. He knelt beside her, gently cupping her head in his hands. His voice was soft and filled with worry as he asked, “Are you alright?” he steadied her as she slowly sat up.

She inhaled a deep breath, her chest rising and falling with the effort, “Yeah,” she swallowed hard, her throat feeling like a vice. Her free hand flew to her neck as she closed her eyes and nodded. “I’m okay.”

Wren saw his chance and took off, eyes wide, seeking to escape. Azim saw him dart and reacted with lightning speed. He grabbed the nearby battle club and flung it with all his strength toward Wren’s retreating figure. It made contact with a sickening thud, and Wren tumbled to the ground.

Azim looked back at Khari and felt relief wash over him when he saw she was safe and sound. He swept her into a quick embrace, then let his lips linger on her forehead briefly before he left her side and moved toward Wren.

Wren had stepped back into one of the cells, his hands raised to signal his surrender. “I-I surrender!” his voice trembled as he spoke, desperation tinging his words. “Just don’t hurt me!” A stream of blood oozed from a jagged gash on his forehead, running down his face to the dirt beneath his feet.

Azim slinked toward his brother, his strides steady and smooth like a jungle cat. Wren was pressed into the corner of the cell, fear coiling around him like a snake. Azim’s heavy footsteps echoed off the walls as he closed the distance between them. Azim slowly reached back and shut the door with a loud and final click, trapping them inside. The sound of it clicking shut shook Wren to his core, and he begged, “Please have mercy.”

“Oh...” Azim’s face was a hardened mask. His expression was intense and angry as he balled his fists and yanked his shirt sleeves up to his elbows, “This is mercy.” Before Wren could react, Azim lunged forward, the air heavy with fury. His fist made a sickening thud as it connected with Wren’s nose. Wren felt searing pain as his body gave way beneath the force of Azim’s blows. Azim’s eyes were dark with rage, and he released a thunderous roar with each strike, his fists pounding relentlessly against Wren’s fragile frame. Azim had been through hell these past weeks. Taken away from his wife on the night of his wedding and caged up. He watched in horror as his own brother tried to kill his bride. All the emotions he’d locked away bubbled to the surface as he pummeled Wren. Wren begged and pleaded for mercy, but Azim had none, wanting to make him suffer just as he had.

The sound of jangling weapons, followed by heavy footsteps, echoed down the stone hallway, and Khari’s heart skipped a beat. Then, the heavy wooden door creaked open, and a few of Azim’s men emerged, followed by the King himself, his face drawn and eyes weary. Khari spun around and raised an eyebrow. “Took you long enough.”

Azim’s hand was coated in a thick, coagulating layer of blood, and he wiped it clean, sweeping his hand along the coarse fabric of his pants. After regaining his composure, he looked back and motioned for his men to enter the gloomy cell, “He’s in there.” Two husky guards rushed in and carried out the limp body of Wren. They dropped him onto the concrete floor with a thud, where he lay unconscious and barely breathing.

The King’s eyes widened in horror as he saw Wren barely clinging to life. He swallowed hard before turning to Khari, his voice trembling. “My dear, are you alright?” he asked, helping her to her feet. “I told you to report anything to Azim’s men and not take any action on your own.”

Azim shot a questioning look at his father, “You knew Wren had something to do with my disappearance all along?”

“Your wife came to me and asked if I would help with a sting,” he said as he looked at Wren. His eyes were brimming with grief, sadness, and disappointment. The hard lines of his face betrayed the tumultuous emotions that were visible in his clenched jaw and furrowed brow. He shook his head slowly before continuing, “I didn’t want to believe that Wren would stoop so low, but I had to be sure.” Regretfully, Wren had made his bed, and he would pay a hefty price.

“So… we’re still married,” Azim asked hopeful.

Khari nodded. “Yes. Your men were instrumental in helping me come up with the plan. We decided to let Wren think that our marriage would be annulled, and sure enough, he quickly suggested that he and I get married right away.”

Azim extended his arm and enveloped her delicate hand in his, savoring the feeling of her skin against his weathered hands. His eyes were heavy with worry as he stroked her knuckles with his thumb. “You could have been hurt,” he murmured.

Her hands shook, and her voice rose steadily as she said, “But I wasn’t. Your men are always watching me, remember? I noticed small scrapes on the floor next to his wardrobe and knew it had to be a secret passageway. It took me a while to put all the pieces together, but I figured it out...”

The moment his lips touched hers, the world seemed to be still, and time stood still. She felt the warmth of his breath and heard his heartbeat. He pulled away, taking a minute to savor her taste, and stared into her bright silver eyes. The air was heavy with emotion as they looked at one another, and she could see love and longing in his gaze. The silence was deafening as he spoke, “I thought I would never see you again.” That was all that needed to be said at that moment.

The King stepped forward and placed his hand on his son’s shoulder. “It’s over now,” he said quietly. His gaze was stern as he added, “I’ll have Wren held in the tower until his trial. In the meantime, you should really take a shower,” he said disdainfully, wrinkling his nose at the smell of sweat and must that clung to his son.

Khari’s hearty laughter filled the room, and Azim’s eyes darted to Khari for assurance. She smiled reassuringly and declared with a confident wave of her hand, “It’s not that bad.”

King Nashir watched the exchange with a half-smile playing about his lips, and his eyes twinkled with amusement. “She’s lying to spare your feelings,” he said, “Ah, but now I know just how much she really loves you.”

Azim grabbed Khari’s wrist, pulling her in close. His eyes twinkled with laughter as he looked down at her, “You made your point, Dad,” he cupped her face gently, “But I love you most.”

“I love you too,” she whispered, her arms encircling him tightly. Their lips met hungrily, the air crackling with excitement and the promise of a new beginning. The weight of the past seemed to dissipate as they embraced, and for the first time in a long time, they felt ready to start their lives anew.

Azim was welcomed home with a grand celebration, and Wren was quietly incarcerated in the royal tower for his treasonous actions. Now ruling as King and Queen, Khari and Azim brought an influx of color and life to the Kingdom. The people found signs of hope and prosperity everywhere, from the bustling markets to the newly built monuments. The King and Queen were generous and kind-hearted, exuding an aura of safety and security that made everyone feel at home in their presence, and the Kingdom continued to thrive under their reign for many years to come.